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 Home > History > The 5th Air Force in WWII > July 1943



Thursday, 1 July, 1943

In New Guinea, A-20's bomb and strafe forces in the Duali area as nearby Allied troops consolidate positions along the S arm of the Bitoi River; other A-20's strafe the Lae area; and B-25's hit Kela Point and Logui. B-17's and B-24's bomb airfields at Rabaul on New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago. The 431st Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group transfers with P-38's from Charters Towers, Queensland, Australia to Amberley Field, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The squadron has yet to enter combat.

Friday, 2 July, 1943

In New Guinea, B-25's pound defenses in the Kela Point area and a trail near Logui while a lone B-24 bombs the Salamaua area. The Allied invasion force (the MacKechnie Force) holds firm a beachhead on Nassau Bay, and makes contact with Australian forces to the N. B-17's and B-24's again attack airfields at Rabaul on New Britain Island in the Bismrack Archipelago.

Saturday, 3 July, 1943

B-24's bomb airfields in the Rabaul, New Britain Island area and hit Kendari Airfield on Celebes Island. Koepang on Timor Island is attacked by 2 B-25's. A lone B-17 bombs landing strip at Cape Gloucester on New Britain Island.

Monday, 5 July, 1943

In New Guinea, B-25's bomb and strafe the airfield at Salamaua, Komiatum Track, and HQ areas at Kela and Salamaua.

Tuesday, 6 July, 1943

B-25's attack the airfield at Penfoei on Timor Island and hit Labu Lagoon area in New Guinea.

Wednesday, 7 July, 1943

In New Guinea, B-24's and B-25's, along with Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) airplanes, operate in direct support of Allied ground operations in the Mubo area, dropping over 100 tons of bombs on numerous targets as the MacKechnie Force begins an assault on Bitoi Ridge and Australian forces (2/6 Battalion) capture Observation Hill, an important terrain feature West of Mubo.

Thursday, 8 July, 1943

In New Guinea, B-25's continue to pound enemy positions around Mubo and along the coast of Northeast New Guinea, hitting Kela Point and village, Malolo, Buigap Creek, and trails from Salamaua Airfield and Kennedy's Crossing to Logui. The 319th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 90th Bombardment Group (Heavy) transfers with B-24's from Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia to Port Moresby, New Guinea.

Friday, 9 July, 1943

In New Guinea, B-25's hit forces in the vicinity of Old Bobdubi, Malolo, and Busama. On Timor Island, B-25's hit landing fields, Dili, and Cape Chater.

Saturday, 10 July, 1943

In New Guinea, B-25's pound Salamaua, Logui, and the Southeast bank of the Francisco River as Allied ground forces effect junction at Buigap Creek cutting communications between Salamaua and Mubo; a single B-24 bombs the village of Kela. B-24's bomb Boela on Ceram Island in the Moluccas Islands and Babo, New Guinea.

Sunday, 11 July, 1943

In New Guinea, A-20's and B-25's blast positions in the battle zone from Nassau Bay inland to the Mubo area, hitting the trail ketween Logui and Kennedy's Crossing, the Bobdubi and Bobdubi Ridge areas, Salamaua, Kela Point and villages scattered through the area. Other B-25's bomb Penfoei on Timor Island. B-17's and B-24's pound airfields in the Rabaul area on New Britain Island. The 19th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 22d Bombardment Group (Medium) transfers with B-26's from Woodstock, Queensland, Australia to Dobodura, New Guinea. The 19th, which has been in combat in the SWPA since April 1942, was pulled out of combat in January 1943 for R&R. The squadron will fly it's first combat mission on this tour on 27 July 1943.

Monday, 12 July, 1943

13 B-24's bomb airfields and the town area in Rabaul, New Britain Island and vicinity. In the Moluccas Islands, 2 B-25's hit Lingat Air-field and Selaroe Island villages. A lone B-17 bombs Garove Island in the Bismarck Archipelago.

Tuesday, 13 July, 1943

In New Guinea, B-17's and B-24's, operating individually, bomb the airfield, town area, harbor, and other targets in the Lae area; B-25's blast positions in the Salamaua area, along the road between Kela and MacDonald's Junction, and hit AA guns at Salamaua and MacDonald's Junction; and ground forces clear the Mubo area and Lababia Ridge of the enemy. HQ 375th Troop Carrier Group arrives at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from the US.

Wednesday, 14 July, 1943

In New Guinea, A-20's bomb and strafe the Orodubi area; and a single B-17 hits Lae. B-24's bomb Koepang on Timor Island.

Thursday, 15 July, 1943

In New Guinea, A-20's hit positions along the Orodubi-Komiatum Track.

Friday, 16 July, 1943

A single B-24 bombs forces at MacDonald's Junction, New Guinea. Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) airplanes hit positions to the Southwest.

Saturday, 17 July, 1943

During the night of 17/l8 July, B-25's bomb Lautem on Timor Island while B-24's bomb Adaoet Island in the Moluccas Islands. In New Guinea during the day, B-25's pound the airfield, Army HQ and defensive positions, and the general area in and around Salamaua as Allied forces from the Nassau Bay-Mubo area begin a drive on Salamaua; the drive is a secondary effort designed to divert enemy attention from a subsequent Allied campaign to secure the Markham River Valley and Huon Peninsula and thus gain control of Vitiaz Strait and Dampier Strait.

Sunday, 18 July, 1943

During the night of 18/19 Jul, B-24's bomb the harbor area at Makassar on Celebes Island. In New Guinea, several B-25's, a B-24, and an A-20 bomb and strafe Lokanu, Boisi, Tambu Peninsula, Dot Island, Salamaua, and Komiatum as US forces secure the S headland of Tambu Bay for a supply base. Other B-25's attack barges and shipping off New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago sinking a small cargo vessel off Cape Kwoi.

Monday, 19 July, 1943

In New Guinea, a B-25 bombs a bridge over the mouth of the Francisco River; a B-17 hits Finschhafen Airfield; and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Bostons attack a gun position at Komiatum and a military camp at Erskine Creek.

Tuesday, 20 July, 1943

In New Guinea US ground forces begin the struggle for the heights commanding Tambu Bay and Dot Inlet; A-20's and B-25's pound Madang Airfield and area, the Komiatum, Logui, areas along the Gum River and South of the Gogol River, the Gori River bridge area, and Bogadjim. On Timor Island, B-25's bomb Lautem, Dili, and Cape Chater Airfield. A single B-24 bombs Arawe on New Britain Island.

Wednesday, 21 July, 1943

In New Guinea, more than 50 B-25's again thoroughly pound the Madang area; other B-25's hit the junction of the Gori and Ioworo Rivers and the village of Bogadjim; and B-26's bomb barges and jetties W of Voco Point. Single B-24's bomb Finschhafen Airfield, New Guinea and the town of Rabaul on New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago. The 66th Troop Carrier Squadron, Fifth Air Force, arrives at Port Moresby, New Guinea from the US with C-47's. The squadron will begin aerial transportation in the theater on 27 July.

Thursday, 22 July, 1943

In New Guinea, more than 50 B-24's, B-25's, and B-26's blast troops, AA guns, defensive positions, and targets of opportunity in the battle zones at Komiatum, on Komiatum Ridge, at Kela Mountain, at Salamaua, and along trails near Komiatum and Salamaua. B-24's bomb an oil refinery, docks, and railroad yards at Soerabaja, Java. B-25's hit targets of opportunity on Selaroe Island in the Moloccas Islands.

Friday, 23 July, 1943

In New Guinea, B-25's, B-26's, B-24's, and B-17's again pound targets in coastal NE New Guinea, hitting Malolo, Asini, Busama, Voco Point, and Salamaua, blasting barges from Hanisch Harbor to Wald Bay and Cape Busching, and thoroughly bomb Bogadjim.

Saturday, 24 July, 1943

B-25's bomb Lautem, Fuiloro, Koepang, and Tenau on Timor Island, the airfield and surrounding areas at Lae, New Guinea, and attack barges in the Wapelik and Cape Busching area of New Britain Island and villages on the Itni River on New Britain.

Sunday, 25 July, 1943

Single B-24's attack a large transport vessel West-Northwest of Buka Passage in the Solomon Islands and bomb Lingat and Adaoet Islands in the Moluccas Islands, and the area near Finschhafen, New Guinea.

Monday, 26 July, 1943

In New Guinea more than 40 B-24's and B-17's bomb Salamaua, Malolo Mission, Komiatum, Komiatum Ridge, and Lae Airfield. The 65th Troop Carrier Squadron, Fifth Air Force, arrives at Port Moresby, New Guinea from the US with C-47's. The squadron flies it's first mission upon arrival.

Tuesday, 27 July, 1943

In New Guinea, 35 B-25's and 18 B-24's pound the Salamaua area in one of the largest single-strike attacks of Southwest Pacific Area. Airfield and supply storage at Salamaua, the town of Kela and nearby hilltop positions, and defensive positions between the road and beach at Logui are hit; 5 other B-25's hit barges between Pommern Bay and Finschhafen, and the concentration and supply area at Voco Point; a lone B-24 on armored reconnaissance bombs targets of opportunity on Mundua and Unea Islands.

Wednesday, 28 July, 1943

On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, B-25's attack barges and fuel dump between Cape Raoult and Rein Bay and hit the airfield at Cape Gloucester and 2 destroyers offshore; single B-24's bomb Unea Island and unsuccessfully attack shipping in Saint George Channel between New Ireland and New Britain Islands. In New Guinea, B-24's bomb Manokwari and Larat and Boela on Ceram Island in the Moluccas Islands. On Timor Island, B-25's hit the town of Lautem and the airfield at Cape Chater.

Thursday, 29 July, 1943

In New Guinea, B-17's, B-24's, and B-25's bomb Kela Point and village, and Salamaua town and peninsula area. On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, B-25's, B-26's, and a B-24 attack Army HQ, barges, and villages in the Natamo vicinity, shipping off Cape Gloucester, Borgen Bay, along the coast from Ring Ring Plantation to Roebuck Point and barges off Cape Dampier, New Guinea. P-40's strafe targets of opportunity.

Friday, 30 July, 1943

In New Guinea, B-24's bomb Salamaua and Kela; B-25's hit barges off Huon Peninsula and villages in the Finschhafen area; and A-20's destroy several barges at Hanisch Harbor and Langemak Bay. Single B-24's bomb Cape Gloucester on New Britain Island and Unea Island.

Saturday, 31 July, 1943

In New Guinea, B-25's hit the Finschhafen area and barges at Hanisch Harbor and Mange. B-25's and A-20's blast several barges in the Cape Gloucester area of New Britain Island. B-24's bomb Waingapoe on Sumba Island in the Sunda Islands. HQ 375th Troop Carrier Group transfers from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia to Port Moresby, New Guinea.