August 1943 (1)

IJN Amagiri & PT-109; US Navy painting

1 August – The Japanese destroyer, Amagiri rammed the US Naval fast patrol boat, PT-109, and 2 seaman were killed.  All members, including John F. Kennedy, were reported as missing.  After 3 days, the US Navy rescued the survivers after receiving word from friendly neighbors of their location on a near-by island.

The Japanese, as an advancement ploy of their Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, announced that Burma was an independent nation.  The puppet-leader, Dr. Ba Maw, immediately declared war on the Allies.

5-7 August – The US 43rd Division made their way to conquer the vital Japanese base at Munda in the Solomon Islands.  The engineers began their work immediately to repair and enlarge the airfield to be used as a forward base for the Solomon Campaign.  An enemy supply convoy headed for Kolombangara came in contact with 6 US destroyers in the Vela Gulf.  With no US losses, the Japanese suffered 1210 KIA and 3 destroyers sunk.

 11 August –  as the 43d Division widened its cleanup efforts around the airfield, a patrol confirmed reports of Japanese activity on Kolombangara. The following day, a company-sized unit moved by landing craft to the island. As the soldiers disembarked, a withering fire from the jungle felled about half of the force and forced its withdrawal. Two days later, while an artillery barrage from 155mm guns hastily-emplaced at Munda paved the way, two battalions of the 169th made an unopposed dawn landing on the shore opposite the site of the ill-fated assault of the 12th. As the infantrymen moved inland, crossing the island from east to west, resistance stiffened. An estimated 400 Japanese manned a strong line of hastily-built fortifications blocking the advance.

Kolombangara Island

 16 August – two battalions of the 172d Regiment went to Baanga to reinforce the attack. As more artillery units (including the 155mm gun batteries of the 9th Marine Defense Battalion) moved into position at Munda and on the offshore islands, and systematically knocked out every known enemy gun emplacement, resistance dwindled. Increased barge traffic on the night of 19 August indicated that the Japanese were withdrawing. The following day, the southern part of the island was quickly occupied, and two battalions then moved north along opposite coastlines. Only scattered stragglers were encountered; the enemy had abandoned Baanga. The 43d Division lost 52 men killed and 110 wounded in the week-long battle.

7-15 August – There was so much fighting between the Nationalist and Communist troops in China that the Japanese took advantage of the situation and launched an offensive.  The Nationalist LI Corps was nearly destroyed.

Gen. Claude Auchinleck, Commander-in-Chief India, proposed no further British offensives in Burma, but rather concentrate on air supplies to China.

13-24 August – Upon Churchill’s arrival to the States, he and FDR had a private meeting.  The Prime Minister wished to urge the president to make the next step in Europe, the Balkans and Norway.  He was unaware that the influential Secretary of War, Henry Stimson already urged FDR to hold to his promise to Stalin and invade France, thereby creating a “Second Front.”

Chateau Frontenac

The military conference “Quadrant” at the Château Frontenac overlooking the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, the usual heated debates transpired.  In regards to the CBI, VAdm. Louis Mountbatten was made head of the South East Asia Command (SEAC) which covered Burma, Malaya, Sumatra, Thailand and Indochina.  The objectives for the SEAC: draw Japan out of the Pacific and assist China.  There were no strategic decisions made.  For the SW Pacific areas, any future ideas would depend heavily on the progress in New Guinea and MacArthur was notified of this, in so uncertain terms, by Gen. Marshall.

Click on images to enlarge.

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Current News –

Joint efforts to locate WWII airmen lost in Malaysia…

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Military Island Humor – 

 

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Farewell Salutes – 

Victor Bean Sr. – Juneau, AK; US Army, Vietnam

Howard Coble – Greensboro, NC; US Coast Guard (Ret. 29 years), US Congressman

Melvin Garten – Oswego, OR; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 11th Airborne Div.

Nicola Goddard – CAN, brn: New Guinea; RC Army, Afghanistan, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, Capt.; first Canadian woman killed in combat

Barbara Hawkins – Long Beach, CA; US Navy Waves

Robert Meacham – Traverse City, MI; US Air Force (Ret. 20 years), Lt.Colonel

Alfree Nabob – Middletown, DE; US Army, WWII, ETO, 1st Infantry Div., Purple Heart

Albert Palko – Cleveland, OH; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, Purple Heart & Korea

Tibor Rubin – Garden Grove, CA; US Army, Korea, Medal of Honor

Frank Surridge – Lower Hutt, NZ; RNZ Navy # 3065, WWII

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