JANUARY 1943 (1)

1 – 5 January 1943 – The US troops, totaling approximately 50,000 on Guadalcanal at this point had massive amounts of air, artillery and naval support at their disposal.  The Japanese, who were struggling with about half the amount of men and no hope of new supplies, now faced Gen. Patch’s XIV Corps as they pushed outward from the Lunga perimeter.  Despite the odds, as the American troops (Army & Marine assisted by Solomon islanders) hit Mount Austen (a high ground between the Lunga and Matanikau Rivers), they were beaten back by the exhausted enemy.  It was on the 5th that Mt. Austen was captured and the men fought off 6 enemy counterattacks to keep it.

“Calvertville”, PT boat base at Tulagi

2/3 January – The PT boat report for this date in the Tulagi/Guadalcanal area states: RAdm. Tanaka, injured as a result of a PT boat sinking his flagship, was replaced by RAdm. Koyanagi.  TheMBT Flotilla One attacked enemy ships for 2 hours, firing 18 torpedoes.  The boats sustained enemy shelling, strafing and searchlights plus air cover from the 3 new Japanese floatplanes that spotted the PT wake easily, even in the darkness.  PT-45 put a claim in for a hit, but it was unconfirmed, and the Japanese reported receiving 5 days worth of supplies.

Japanese coconut palm bunker at Buna

2 – 13 January – the Japanese still refused to leave Buna, New Guinea and the US troops received vast amounts of resistance before it was taken; the final cost totaled 2,870 casualties.  From the 6th to the 9th, waves of US aircraft attacked the enemy supply convoys headed for Papua.  They sank 3 transports and downed 80 Japanese planes with few losses of their own.  The troops from the Australian 17th Brigade were air-lifted into Wau under enemy fire.  This prevented the enemy from taking over the airfield.  But heavy fighting continued in the surrounding jungles.

a Japanese work map for the New Guinea operations

4-6  January – Adm. Halsey sent a bombardment force of 3 light cruisers and 2 destroyers, under RAdm. Walden Ainsworth, to hit Munda Field on the island of New Georgia.  Behind them were 3 light cruisers, 1 heavy cruiser and 3 destroyers, under RAdm. Mahlon Tisdale, for support.  Their orders were to divert any enemy aerial reinforcement that might disrupt the actions on Guadalcanal.

Within 50 minutes, 3,000 rounds of 6″ shells and 1,400 5″ shells hit the airfield.  As the ships left the area, the Japanese sent their planes out on a retaliatory strike; but they only managed to do minor damage to a turret on the New Zealand light cruiser, Achilles.  The USS Grayback, acting as the beacon ship for the bombardment later picked up 6 downed airmen; CO Edward Stephan would received the Navy Cross for his actions during the operation.

9 January – the Japanese-established government of China declared war on the United States and Britain.  To show good faith, Japan reduced their claims on some Chinese territories and hostilities toward the sovereignty.

Click on images to enlarge.

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Navy Humor – 

courtesy of Chris @ Muscleheaded……

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Farewell Salutes – 

Stephen Byus – Columbus, OH; US Navy, Afghanistan, Lt.

Robert Dombrowski – Salisbury, MD; US Air Force (Ret. 26 years), Colonel, Bronze Star

Vivian Given – Toronto, CAN; RC Women’s Air Force, WWII

Corey Hood – Cincinnati, OH; US Army, Iraq & Afghanistan (5 tours), Golden Knights

Robert McCarroll – Waikato, NZ; RNZ Army # 421836, WWII, 35th Battery

Concetta Monda – Bridgeport, CT; US Navy, WAVE, WWII

William Rundell – Orion, KY; US Army, WWII, ETO

Harold Smith – Kokomo, IN; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 221st Medical/11th Airborne

Joshua Stevens – Dagsbord, DE; US Air Force, Korea, 187th RCT

William Whitman – Fairbanks, AK; US Army, Korea

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