January 1943 (3)

New Guinea

16-18 January – the Indian 14th Division in Burma suffered heavy casualties during their offensive action into the Arakan peninsula.  A strong Japanese resistance beat off the Allied attacks at Rathedaung and Donbaik.

This site contains an animated map to show the defeat and progress in India and Burma from 1941 through 1945 – Click Here!

21-30 January – the Allies advanced toward Salamaua and Lae in the Huon Gulf on New Guinea.  This drove the enemy towards the west coast.  When the troops continued and captured Sanananda, this completed the Papua operation.  The southern portion of the island had cost Australia and America more than 7,000 casualties and the Japanese approximately 13,00 KIA.

Vessels enroute to the Battle of Rennell Island

In northern New Guinea, 3,000 Japanese troops attacked Wau airfield in a 3-prong attack.  The 700 Australians were forced to retreat, but heavy rains and airlifting of reinforcements halted the enemy advance 400 yards from the end of the runway.  Gen. Imamura at Rabaul Headquarters saw this defeat as a serious threat and ordered another 6,000 men and 8 transports with 8 destroyers to Lae and Salamaua.

24 January – the other Japanese airfield on New Georgia was Vila Field on the southern tip of Kolombangara.  Adm. Ainsworth brought his bombardment force in and sent 3,500 shells into the area.  The enemy’s return fire was ineffective.  At dawn, 59 aircraft left Henderson Field and dropped 23 tons of bombs on Vila.  But just as the construction crews did on Guadalcanal, the enemy repaired the damage quickly.

RAdm. Robert C. Giffen

23-27 January – on Guadalacanal, US forces took the Japanese base at Kokumbona after 3 days of naval bombardment and an assault as the enemy moved northwest to be evacuated.  Four days later, the American troops went westward and captured a command post; 37 Japanese were KIA and 3 taken prisoner.  A large stash of arms, ammunition and supplies were also taken.

USS Chicago sitting low in the water.

29-30 January – 50 miles (80 km) north of Rennell Island in the Solomons, RAdm. Giffen’s Task Force-18 came under attack in waves.  The destroyer, USS DeHaven, was sunk and the heavy cruiser, Chicago was crippled by the aerial torpedoes of the 31 Japanese G4M bombers.  With a course change and under the cover of darkness, the enemy lost sight of the Task Force.  The Japanese lost 12 pilots KIA; at least one bomber was downed by the newly equipped Mark-32 antiaircraft shells.  Adm. Giffen, who had only transferred from Casablanca days before, was blamed for the loss due to his inexperience by Adm. Halsey in his post-battle report.

As the tugboat Navajo towed the Chicago at a speed of 4 knots, 12 “Betty-type torpedo bombers attacked.  Capt. Ralph Davis ordered an ‘abandon ship’ [accomplished in 20 minutes] and as the last of the 1,049 survivors left her, the Chicago sank stern first.

Click on images to enlarge

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Military Humor – S.N.A.F.U. style –    

viewer discretion advised!

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Farewell Salutes – 

Robert Atkins – Attala, AL; US Navy, WWII

Christos Condos – So.Burlington, VT; US Navy, WWII,

Cesar ‘Tony’ Lazo – Baltimore, MD, US Navy, Vietnam, USS Plymouth Rock

David Hall – Arkandelphia, AR; US Navy, WWII, USS Lake Champlain, gunners mate

Grace Handy – Longmeadow, MA; US Navy WAVE, WWII

John Lovell – AUS; RA Navy, Captain (Ret.)

Frederick ‘Fritz’ Payne – Rancho Mirage, CA; USMC, WWII, PTO, BGeneral (Ret.), Pilot, Silver Star

Virgil Shelton – Clinton, TN, US Army, 7th Calvary Armored Division

James Wilgis Sr. – Smith’s Station, AL; US Army, CW3 (ret. 25 years)

William Wright – Mangere Bridge, NZ; RNZA # 629020, WWII, SSgt., Signals J Force

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