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



Tuesday, 1 June, 1943

In New Guinea, B-25's hit Bogadjim and vicinity. B-24's bomb Lae Airfield and nearby area.

Wednesday, 2 June, 1943

In New Guinea, B-17's and B-24's bomb airfields at Wewak, Boram, Dagua, and But. Isolated shipping strikes result in little damage to vessels and barges.

Thursday, 3 June, 1943

B-24's bomb a supply dump area at Dobo, New Guinea. Other targets attacked in the Netherland East Indies suffer little damage.

Friday, 4 June, 1943

B-17's and B-24's bomb airfields at Boram, Wewak and Dagua, New Guinea. B-25's hit Koepang and Lautem, Timor.

Saturday, 5 June, 1943

HQ 345th Bombardment Group (Medium) and it's 498th, 499th, 500th and 501st Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) arrive with B-25's at Port Moresby, New Guinea from the US. The group will fly it's first mission on 21 June.

Sunday, 6 June, 1943

On Timor, B-24's hit the town of Koepang and the airfield at Penfoei.

Monday, 7 June, 1943

In New Guinea, B-17's and B-24's attack Wewak, Lae, Madang, and Kesup hitting town areas and airfields, and strafe sampans on the Sepik River.

Tuesday, 8 June, 1943

In Timor, B-25's bomb Koepang and hit the area SE of Dili. B-24's unsuccessfully attack shipping at Waingapoe, in the Sunda Islands and off Wewak, New Guinea.

Wednesday, 9 June, 1943

In New Guinea, 2 B-24's bomb the town area of Manokwari and the airfield at Nabire. A lone B-17 bombs Unea Island in the Bismarck Archipelago.

Thursday, 10 June, 1943

More than 20 B-17's and B-24's pound airfields in the Rabaul, New Britain Island area. A single B-24 bombs the town of Sorong, New Guinea and shipping at Kokas, New Guinea .

Friday, 11 June, 1943

In the Bismarck Archipelago, B-24's again bomb the airfield at Rabaul on New Britain Island and hit targets of opportunity on Gasmata Isalnd and along the shore of Keravia Bay. In New Guinea, B-25's pound areas along Huon Gulf coast, hitting Kela Point, Salamaua and the bridge at Nuk Nuk. P-40's strafe a submarine off Cape Nelson. In Timor, Koepang is thoroughly blasted by B-24's while Penfoei and Dili airfields are hit by light B-25 attacks. The 432d Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group transfers with P-38's from Charters Towers, Australia to Amberley Field, Townsville, Australia.

Saturday, 12 June, 1943

In New Guinea, B-24's hit runways at Nabire and Kaimana; a lone B-25 bombs and strafes barges S of Langemak Bay. Dick Bong gets his 11th kill when he downs an Oscar.

Sunday, 13 June, 1943

In the Bismarck Archipelago, B-17's and B-24's bomb airfields in the Rabaul area on New Britian Island and on Gasmata Island. B-25's hit Dili and Koepang, on Timor and bomb and strafe barges off the Huon Peninsula, at Jacob Island, off Cape Gerhards, and S of Cape Cretin, New Guinea. Single B-24's bomb Malahang Airfield and attack a freighter in Humboldt Bay, both in New Guinea.

Monday, 14 June, 1943

A single B-24 bombs Lakunai Airfield at Rabaul on New Britain Island.

Tuesday, 15 June, 1943

B-24's bomb airfields at Rabaul on New Britain Island in predawn strikes and hit Kendari Airfield, Celebes in the evening. In New Guinea, a single B-25 attacks a power boat in Hanisch Harbor and strafes a beach near Finschhafen.

Zeamer and Sarnoski's Heroism

Wednesday, 16 June, 1943

B-25's bomb Koepang and Oeikoesi on Timor and, along with A-20's, hit barges and shore targets at several points along the coasts of NE New Guinea and New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago. The 43rd Bomb Group's Captain Jay Zeamer Jr., pilot, and 2nd Lt. Joseph R. Sarnoski, bombadier, earned their Medals of Honor today for action while on a photographic mapping mission over the Solomon Islands. When the mission was nearly completed their aircraft was assaulted by about 20 interceptors. Although horribly wounded, Sarnoski remained at the nose guns and fired at the enemy until he died at his post. Sustaining severe injuries, Zeamer maneuvered the plane until the enemy had broken combat, then directed the flight to a base more than 500 miles away.

Thursday, 17 June, 1943

B-25's administer a thorough pounding to the Madang and Salamaua, New Guinea areas. B-24's bomb Sorong, New Guinea and Boela, Moluccas Islands.A single B-24 bombs the airfield at Cape Gloucester on New Britain Island and, during the night of 17/18 Jun, a B-25 attacks power launches nearby, sinking 1 and badly damaging 2 more. The 433d Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group transfers with P-38's from Charters Towers, Australia to Amberley Field, Townsville, Australia.

Friday, 18 June, 1943

B-25's bomb and strafe power launches off Cape Gloucester, New Britain Island and Finschhafen, New Guinea, sinking 1 and damaging 2 near the Cape. A single B-17 bombs Unea Island, Bismarck Archipelago while an A-20 on armed reconnaissance during the night of 18/19 Jun bombs and strafes Salamaua, New Guinea and nearby coastal areas.

Saturday, 19 June, 1943

B-17's and B-24's thoroughly pound Vunakanau Airfield on New Britain Island. A-20's hit barges in Hanisch Harbor and a trail near the village of Tamigudu, both in New Guinea. Single B-24's bomb the Finschhafen, New Guinea area and the airstrip at Rapopo on New Britain Island.

Sunday, 20 June, 1943

B-24's bomb airstrip at Rapopo, and airfields at Keravat, and Rabaul, all on New Britain Island and also hit Rabaul town area. A-20's pound the airfield at Lae, New Guinea. 2 B-25's and an A-20 hit Finschhafen, New Guinea and barges and shoreline targets along the coast of New Britain.

Monday, 21 June, 1943

In a predawn strike B-25's bomb Koepang on Timor Island. In New Guinea, A-20's bomb and strafe airfields at Lae and Malahang while B-25's blast the airfield and general area at Salamaua. A single B-24 bombs MacDonald's Junction, New Guinea and strafes targets of opportunity along the coast South of Buka Island in the Solomon Islands.

Tuesday, 22 June, 1943

B-24's bomb the Taberfane, New Guinea area.

Wednesday, 23 June, 1943

17 B-24's bomb shipping, dock area, factory and residential areas of Makassar, Celebes Island. 2 light cruisers are damaged and many buildings along Juliana Quay and in the town area are damaged or demolished. A single B-24 on armed reconnaissance bombs the airfield at Lae, New Guinea. HQ 348th Fighter Group and it's 340th, 341st and 342d Fighter Squadrons arrive at Port Moresby, New Guinea from the US with P-47's.

Friday, 25 June, 1943

B-25's bomb and strafe several occupied villages in the Sepu, New Guinea area.

Saturday, 26 June, 1943

During the predawn and early morning hours, B-24's and B-17's bomb the airfield and harbor at Rabaul, New Britain and the town of Lae, New Guinea. During the midday, B-25's hit the airfield at Lae and the town of Salamaua, New Guinea. In the early evening B-25's bomb Penfoei, Timor Island.

Sunday, 27 June, 1943

In New Guinea, B-25's bomb and strafe occupied areas at Dumpu, Kaigulin, and Kaiapit while A-20's strafe barges and shore installations at Labu Lagoon. B-24's hit Taka, Saumlakki and Malo Island in the Moluccas Islands and Boeroe Island in the Sunda Islands.

Tueday, 29 June, 1943

In New Guinea, B-25's bomb and strafe strong points along the Bitoi River and A-20's pound a supply dump on the South side of Nassau Bay in preparation for allied amphibious landings which are to begin during the night of 29/30 Jun; a lone B-24 bombs building area W of Parsee Point near Salamaua; and other B-24's bomb Nabire.

Wednesday, 30 June, 1943

In New Guinea, Allied amphibious forces begin landings, unopposed, at Nassau Bay during the night of 29/30 Jun. Forces push N and S toward the Bitoi River and Tabali Creek, respectively. Troops make contact with enemy forces in the Cape Dinga area S of Nassau Bay. Australians open the assault on Bobdubi Ridge and maintain pressure on the enemy in the Mubo area. B-25's pound Bobdubi Ridge in support of the assault and hit forces at Logui and Salamaua. B-25's also bomb the airfield at Cape Chater on Timor Island. B-24's and B-17's bomb an airfield at Rabaul, New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago. One heavy bomber scores a hit on a cargo vessel off Cape Gloucester, New Britain Island. The 57th Troop Carrier Squadron, 375th Troop Carrier Group arrives at Port Moresby, New Guinea from the US with C-47's