June 1943 (1)

Japanese artillery on Attu, 1943
Property of Univ. of Washington, Special Collections.

5 June – On the home front of Japan, Admiral Yamamoto received a full state funeral in Tokyo.   Germany honored him by awarding the Knight’s Cross w/ Oakleaves and Swords as the island nation mourned.  The Japanese people were told that his plane crashed due to mechanical failure.

7 June – a major aerial battle around the Russell Islands occurred.  The US aircraft shot down 19 Japanese fighters out of the 40 attackers.

7-16 June – the Japanese air sorties over the Solomon Islands became increasingly costly for the enemy in the terms of aircraft and pilots.  Over Guadalcanal, the 307th Bombardment Group cost Japan 23 planes and the US had 9 downed.  On the 12th, the kill-to-loss ratio widened as Japan lost 31 to the 6 American.  By the 16th, the total destruction of 107 Japanese aircraft was reached out of the 120 available planes in the area.

No. 14 Fighter Squadron

The Royal New Zealand Air Force, (RNZAF), sent No. 14 Fighter Squadron Squadron to join in the Solomon campaign and arrived just before another major Japanese raid on 12 June, claiming 8 victories.  On the 16th, over Savo Island, they downed 5 enemy planes in a dog fight.

Geoff Fisken, No. 14 Fighter Squadron

8-24 June – the Japanese high command deemed Alaska irrelevant and ordered their troops to abandon Kiska Island.  The fall of Attu had brought outspoken criticism of the Imperial HQ by high-ranking Navy officers.  Now, the Kuril Islands would need to be fortified and manned.  This would divert fresh troops and supplies from the beleaguered areas in the south.

Kuril Islands stretching from Japan to the Kamchatka Peninsula

Japan feted the Pro-Axis Bengali leader Subhas Chandra Bose’s arrival (via Germany).  They hoped he would mobilize Indian resistance to the war effort.  Bose made a radio broadcast to that effect.

15 June – cholera struck the prisoners of war on the ‘Railroad of Death’ work details.

18 June – Sir Archibald Wavell was replaced by Sir Claude Auchinleck due to Prime Minister Churchill’s dissatisfaction with the lack of progress in the Burma Theatre.

Coastal Watchers on Bougainville notified Halsey that the enemy were moving to fortify New Georgia.  The observers also noticed the Japanese camouflaging the airfields at Munda.  This resulted in pushing Operation Toenails up by 4 days and Halsey began moving up The Slot.  (The Watchers at this time were kept busy being on the lookout and rescuing downed pilots.).

A post of mine for the Coast Watchers can be seen HERE.

The New Georgia Group in the central Solomons includes 12 large islands, several dozen smaller ones, barrier islands, coral reefs and countless uncharted coral heads.  Lying south of the equator, they have all the tropical problems that will be found throughout the Pacific War: high temperatures and humidity, steep ridges, mangrove swamps, diseases, insects, poisonous snakes and jungles so thick that the top canopy prevents daylight and accurate aerial photography of the ground.

To be continued….

Click on images to enlarge.

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Current News –

Malaysian returns remains of 1945 crashed plane to the U.S.

http://fox61.com/2015/11/04/malaysia-returns-remains-from-site-of-1945-us-plane-crash/

150,000 WWII aerial canisters of film to be digitized and available on-line!

http://www.archives.gov/press/press-releases/2016/nr16-05.html

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Military Humor – (your D.I.’s continued… )

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Farewell Salutes – 

Frederick Blank – Tokirima, NZ; NZ Army # 373554, WWII, ETO, 24th Battalion

Helen Coyte – Bridgeport, CT; US Navy, WAVES, WWII

Andrew Dedick Jr. – Red Bank, NJ; US Army, WWII, ETO, Capt., Battalion Surgeon

Leif Hubertz – Staten Island, NY; US Navy, USS Everglades

Keith Kappelmann – Topeka, KS; US Army Air Corps, WWII, Korea, 1st Lt.

Wilton McPherson Eady – AUS; RA Army # vx15218, WWII, 2/8 Field Co., POW

Arthur Patrick – Broomall, PA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, HQS/11th Airborne

Larry Rudd – Brantford, CAN; RC Army, Afghanistan, paratrooper

Ray Shelton – Roggen, CO; US Navy, WWII

David Walker – Bayton, TX; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 188/11th A/B, paratrooper/glider

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