April 1943 (1)

Alaska, 1943

1 April –  ALASKA – (Eleventh Air Force) A joint directive by Commander-in-Chief, Pacific and Commanding General Western Defense Command orders preparations for Operation LANDGRAB, the invasion of Attu. Sixteen B-24, 5 B-25, and 12 P-38 sorties are flown against Kiska from Adak and Amchitka. Targets include a ship in Gertrude Cove, the North Head area, the Main Camp and the beach. AA fire damages two bombers. Reconnaissance covered Kiska, Attu, Buldir, and Semichis. During April, the 73d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 28th Composite Group with B-25’s transfers from Elmendorf Field to Umnak.

To see what remains on Alaska today from WWII, visit this site of Jon Sund where I have linked the underground hospital.

2nd Burma Rifles, Operation Longcloth, April ’43

5 April – the Japanese forces in the Arakan of Burma had now pushed the British troops half-way back up the Mayu Peninsula.  The British brigade headquarters was also captured.  Tenth Air Force) Seventeen B-25’s bomb railroad targets at Mandalay; two others hit Ngamya. Three B-24’s bombed the Prome railroad yards; 5 hit the Mahlwagon yards and roundhouse. 12 P-40’s and a B-25 supported ground forces in northern Burma.

13 April –   (Eleventh Air Force) Fifteen B-24’s, fifteen B-25’s, 28 P-38’s and 20 P-40’s fly eleven attacks to Kiska; 43 tons of bombs are dropped on the Main Camp, North Head, and runway. Fighters attack the Main Camp causing large fires, and also strafe aircraft on the beach. Heavy AA fire damages 2 P-38’s, 1 of which later crashes into the sea, and 1 B-25.

Yamamoto, one week before his death. (L)
Pilot, Thomas Lanphier Jr. (R)

Adm. Yamamoto, wearing a dark green uniform, boarded a Mitsubishi I-type twin-engine bomber with his secretary.  The plane took off precisely at 0600 hours, ( the admiral’s insistence of punctuality was well-known).  An hour and a half later, Mitchell yelled: “Bogeys at 11 o’clock high.”  The famed/infamous admiral, Isoroku Yamamoto, considered Japan’s greatest military leader, received a fatal bullet before his plane crashed.  Mitchell radioed back to base: “Pop goes the weasel,” the prearranged success code.

Thomas Lanphier Jr.; Besey Holmes, Rex Barber. The 4th pilot, Raymond Hine, did not return

13 April –  Alaska’s (Eleventh Air Force) Fifteen B-24’s, fifteen B-25’s, 28 P-38’s and 20 P-40’s fly eleven attacks to Kiska; 43 tons of bombs were dropped on the Main Camp, North Head, and runway. Fighters attacked the Main Camp causing large fires, and also strafed the aircraft on the beach. Heavy AA fire damaged 2 P-38’s, 1 of which later crashed into the sea, and 1 B-25.

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force) In Burma, 9 B-25’s bomb the Myitnge bridge without inflicting further damage to the structure. Nine others hit Monywa Airfield. Six P-40’s knock out a bridge at Shaduzup.

Click on images to enlarge.

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Military Humor – 

 

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Farewell Salutes – 

Christopher Ascher – Freeport, IL; US Army, WWII

Arthur Barnes – Toowoomba, AUS; RA Air Force # 76929

Albert Duda – New Orleans, LA; USMC, Vietnam

Daniel Goolsby – Brundridge, AL; US Navy, WWII, Korea & Vietnam, frogman

Thomas Hogarth Sr.; WPalm Beach, FL; US Navy, WWII, PTO, USS Algol

Jim Keenan – Harrison, AR; US Navy, pilot

Ronal Pollet – Bay Ridge, NY; US Army, Korea

Leslie Slade – Takanini, NZ; RNZ Army # 441184, WWII, 21st Battalion

Neil Thalaker – Baltimore, MD; US Navy, WWII

Dorothy VanWinkle (Tremaine) – Wilmington, DE; civilian US Power Squadron # 5210, WWII

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