December 1942 (3)

“Extraordinary Incident” by Roy Hodgkins, 1943

NEW GUINEA

The Wirraway, an Aboriginal word meaning ‘challenge’, was a trainer designed aircraft classified as ‘general purpose’ and was equipped with machine guns and bomb racks.  The Commonwealth Aircraft Corp.’s plant at Fisherman’s Bend in Victoria produced 755 of these planes.  They were most successful as army cooperation aircraft during the Papua New Guinea campaign.

Archer and Coulston

On 26 December 1942, Pilot Officer John Archer, 4 Squadron RAAF, shot down a Japanese fighter, believed at the time to be a Mitsubishi ‘Zero’  from his Wirraway.  As soon as he landed at Popondetta airstrip in Papua on 12 December, Archer jumped from his Wirraway A20-103 to tell the Control Officer that he had shot down an enemy plane.

Archer and Coulston

Despite the Control Officer’s disbelief, Archer described the incident and soon phone calls from observers all around the Gona area confirmed that story.  He and his observer, Sgt. J.F. Coulston, had been flying a tactical reconnaissance mission over a Japanese ship which had been wrecked in the sea off Gona.  When they sighted the ‘Zero’ 1,000 feet below, Archer dove on the Japanese aircraft and fired a long burst from the Wirraway’s 2 Vickers .303 machine-guns.  The Zero crashed into the sea.

PO John Archer receives US Silver Star from Gen. Whitehead, 1943

For his actions, John Archer received the US Silver Star from BGen. Ennis C. Whitehead, the Commanding General of Allied Air Forces in New Guinea in a ceremony performed at Buna in 1943.  Archer’s Wirraway is now in the Bradbury Aircraft Hall at the Australian War Memorial.

Information taken from WW2 Australia.gov.au

Click on images to enlarge.

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MTB RON 3, 1942

GUADALCANAL

PT Boat activity report for the evening of 11/12 December 1942 –

Radio intelligence issued a warning that detailed the composition, timing and destination of tonight’s Express, along with a possible submarine off Kamimbo Bay.  As Tanaka’s Reinforcement Unit completed dropping 1,200 drums of supplies into the sea, PTs 40,45 & 59 attacked the Japanese ships.  One torpedo from Lt. Gamble’s PT-45 ripped into flagship Teruzuki, killing 9 men, crippling the ship, wounding Tanaka and forcing the enemy to abandon and scuttle the destroyer 3 hours later.

IJN Teruzuki

 PT-44 & 109 both attempted torpedo runs on a group of Japanese ships, but shells from the Kawakaze and Suzukaze destroyed the 44 boat and forced PT-109 to run behind a smoke screen.  Two officers and seven enlisted men were KIA in 44’s destruction; one officer and 1 other crewman survived.  Of the 1,200 drums of supplies, only 220 reached Japanese hands.  When this fact was reported to VAdm. Matome Ugaki, Chief of Staff of the Combined Fleet, the admiral privately questioned whether or not the 17th Army was hoarding supplies.

Resouce: PT King. gdine.com

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Military Humor – 

 

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Farewell Salutes – 

Richard Bligh – Oneonta, NY & FL; US Navy, USS Forestal

Abraham Bookman – Ottawa, CAN; RC Army, WWII

Glenn Crockett – Ft. Worth, TX; US Army, Korea, 187th RCT

Martin Hambright – Denver, CO; US Navy, WWII

Joseph Kalivoda – Freeport, IL; US Army, WWII, Signal Corps

Patricia Lukin – W.AUS; AWAS, WWII, gunner

Alan Murray – Christchurch, NZ; RNZ Air Force # 439935, WWII

Pierre Simon – Gibson, LA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, HQS/675th Artillery

Ronald Spicer – Havertown, PA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, 1th A/B Band

Gordon Torgerson – Maddock, ND; US Army, WWII, Military Police

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Personal Note – For the following few weeks we will be having posts that I call Intermission Stories.  It is to give the reader a break from the month-by-month war report and spotlight on other issues, such as the home front.  When we return to enter 1943, there will be more about Everett “Smitty” Smith and the 11th Airborne Division that is honored here at this website.

11th A/B Div. 1943 Yearbook

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