FRIDAY, 17 DECEMBER 1943
CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Seventh Air Force): Ten B-24s are dispatched
from Nanumea to bomb Maloelap Atoll; 9 are recalled
because of weather; 1 bombs the alternate target of Mille Atoll.
HQ 41st Bombardment Group (Medium) transfers from Hickam Field to Tarawa Airfield.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 6 P-40's bomb and strafe barracks near Kunlong.
6 others bomb and strafe targets of opportunity in Hanoi.
SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force): Eighteen B-25s strike Malai. Lost is B-25D Mitchell 41-30661 pilot 1st Lt. Robert A. Meister (MIA, crew rescued). Six other B-25s join USN dive bombers in
pounding the Mutupina Point area;
RNZAF: Five PV-1 Venturas hit Poroporo and Tarekekori.
USN, USMC & RNZAF: Seventy-five Allied fighters from New Georgia including F4U Corsairs from Marine Fighter Squadron 214 (VMF-214) conduct a fighter sweep over Rabaul. USN 22 Hellcats,
31 USMC Coursairs and 24 RNZAF P-40s from No. 16 Squadron and No. 14 Squadron took off from Ondonga at 5:30am. They flew to Torokina Airfield to refuel, then split up into two
groups, led by Freeman and Arkwright to Rabaul. Two P-40s aborted on the way
to the target due to mechanical failures. The Japanese launch a total of
72 fighters to intercept: 15 from the 201st Kokutai, 32 from 204th Kokutai and
25 from 253rd Kokutai. Three P-40s were lost, and two pilots: P-40N Kittyhawk
NZ3153 (MIA) over southern New Ireland and P-40N
Kittyhawk NZ3175 (MIA).
Nine Japanese aircraft were claimed, 5 by RNZAF, 4 by USN. Force landed was F4U Corsair 17777 (survived). The Japanese
claimed nine planes shot down.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force): P-47's intercept 35-40 aircraft attacking Allied
forces on the Arawe peninsula;
at least 10 airplanes are claimed shot down; Cape
Gloucester and
nearby shipping are attacked by B-24's and B-25's. B-25's
bomb the Sio area and P-39's sink 2 barges during a sweep along the Huon
Peninsula. The 341st Fighter Squadron and 342d Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group transfer from 5 Mile Drome (Wards) to Finschhafen with P-47's. Lost on a local flight is L-5 Sentinel pilot 1st Lt. Wayne L. Mueller (crew KIA).
U.S. Army: An amphibious patrol from the 112th Cavalry, USA, was dispatched from Arawe toward the Itni River to investigate Japanese strength these. Large concentrations of Japanese troops were reported at the mouth of the Itni, Aisega, and Sag-Sag.
On Bougainville, Torokina Airfield begins to be used as a staging base for fighters bound for Rabaul or returning to land to refuel.
U.S. Army: General MacArthur orders General Krueger to prepare plans for next phase of Dexterity the seizure of Saidor as an advanced air and naval base. To perform this task, General Krueger forms Task Force Michaelmas under Brig General Clarence A. Martin, 32d Div ADC, consisting of RCT 126, reinf, 32d Div. The TF is largely the same that was originally scheduled to invade Gasmata on New Britain.
USN: Coastal transport APc-21 is sunk by dive bomber, 06°15'S, 149°01'E, and motor minesweeper YMS-50 is damaged by horizontal bomber, 06°12'S, 149°03'E off New Britain.
