December 23, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 23 DECEMBER 1943

CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Seventh Air Force): During the night of 23/24 Dec, P-39's are airborne over Makin to intercept enemy bombers; 2 bombers are shot down; 1 P-39 is lost. During the day, nineteen B-24's, staging through Tarawa from Nanumea, bomb Kwajalein; Nine B-24s from Canton staging through Baker hit Wotje and Maloelap. 10 A-24s escorted by 20 P-39's, attack Mille Atoll hitting shore installations and a cargo vessel (wrecked by the previous day's raid) in the lagoon.

Burma: In the Hukawng Valley, 3d Bn of 114th Regt, Ch 38th Div, having crossed the Tanai at Kantau earlier in the month, skirmishes with enemy nine miles from Kantau.

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): 19 B-24's on a night raid bomb the railroad terminal at Bangkok; heavy explosions and large fires result.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 29 B-24's, escorted by 7 P-51's and 23 P-40's, pound White Cloud Airfield; the and fighters claim 11 interceptors downed. 14 P-38's dive-bomb and strafe Huang Shan Kou. Two B-25's sink Japanese gunboat Nan-Yo in the Formosa Straits at Lat 25°30'N, Long 119°30'E. HQ 68th Composite Wing transfers from Kunming to Kweilin.

USAAF B-25s sink Japanese gunboat Nan-Yo 35 miles south of Formosa Straits, 25°30'N, 119°30'E.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force): Seventeen B-25'a attack gun positions and other targets at Sohano, and 6 hit positions at Malevoli in Choiseul Bay. Sixteen P-39's on patrol bomb and strafe targets on Shortland. 18 B-24's bomb Lakunai Airfield near Rabaul and Vunakanau Airfield is also bombed. Escorting fighters claim 30 aircraft shot down over the Rabaul area. This begins a Commander Air Solomons (COMAIRSOLS) all-out offensive against the Rabaul area that continues until the end of March 1944.

RNZAF: Six PV-1 Venturas attack a radar station and the German Lighthouse at Cape Saint George.

USN: Hellcats from VF-33 escort B-24D Liberators over Rabaul. Lost is F6F Hellcat 25801 pilot Ensign James A. Warren (MIA).

USS Cleveland (CL-55) bombards Buka Airfield.

USMC: F4U Corsairs from Marine Fighter Squadron 214 (VMF-214) escort over Rabaul and engage Japanese fighters over Cape St. George. Twenty-one TBF Avengers from VMTB-232 attack Mawareka, Motupena Point, Aitara Mission and Mamagata Mission. Lost is TBF Avenger 23871 (MIA). Six SBDs of Marine Scout-Bomber Squadron 331 participated in U.S. attack against shipping at Jaluit Atoll.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force): 61 B-24's bomb Cape Gloucester during the day; B-24's follow during the night of 23/24 Dec with harassing attacks with small bombs, hand grenades, and beer bottles; P-39s hit barges between Borgen Bay and Rein Bay, and P-40's bomb Gasmata and strafe Cape Hoskin. 80+ B-25's, B-26's and A-20's attack coastal targets from Wewak to Hansa Bay, wide areas of the Huon Peninsula, and airfields at Alexishafen; and B-24's bomb Nabire Airfield. Force landed is B-24D "Flying Wolf" 42-41091 pilot 1st Lt Dewitt P. Johnson (1 WIA, died, rest of crew rescued). HQ 8th Fighter Group transfers from Port Moresby to Finschhafen. The 501st Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 345th Bombardment Group (Medium), transfers from Port Moresby to Dobodura with B-25's. Lost is C-47 "Windy City" 42-23500 pilot 1st Lt Gale J. Chase (MIA). Lost is P-38H Lightning 42-66909 pilot Captain Charles K. Taylor, Jr. (POW, survived).