ALASKA (11th Air Force): Weather and photo reconnaissance is flown by 1 B-24 and 1 LB-30 over Korovin Bay and North Cape, Aleutian.
A J4F Widgeon, piloted by Ensign Henry C. White of Coast Guard Squadron 212,
based at Houma, La., scored the first Coast Guard kill of an enemy submarine
with the sinking of the U-166 off the passes of the Mississippi.
WESTERN DEFENSE COMMAND (WDC, 4th Air Force): During Aug, 47th and 396th Bombardment
Squadrons (Medium), 41st Bombardment Group (Medium), stop flying ASW patrols
from Hammer Field, California and MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina respectively.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): During Aug, forward echelon
of 26th and 431st Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 11th Bombardment Group (Heavy),
begin operating from Espiritu Santo , New Hebrides with B-17s.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): B-17s attack installations
at Gona and shipping 75 miles E of Salamaua in Huon Gulf. HQ 43d Bombardment
Group moves from Sydney to Torrens Creek, Australia.
SUNDAY, 2 AUGUST 1942
CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS [CHINA AIR TASK FORCE (CATF)]:
In China, a detachment of 11th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment
Group (Heavy), based at Kunming with B-25s, begins operating from Nanning.
SWPA (5th AF): A of a flight of B-17s searching for a convoy near Buna is attacked by 10 Zeros. Lost is B-17E 41-2435. 41st FS Airacobras escort B-26s on a mission against Cape Ward Hunt. They shoot down J1N1-C piloted by Tokunaga. 1 B-17 flies an unsuccessful strike against a
cargo vessel 5 miles S of Salamaua while another bombs Gona. 64th Bombardment
Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Daly Waters to Fenton
Field, Australia with B-17s; first mission is 13 Aug. Lost are P-400 AP 290 and P-400 BX 232.
MONDAY, 3 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): In the Aleutian , 3 B-17s, 2 B-24s and 1 LB-30 fly a bombing
and photo reconnaissance mission to Tanaga and Kanaga and also bomb Kiska ; 4 of the aircraft have mechanical trouble but all return.
SWPA (5th AF): P-400's strafe Oivi and Kokoda, New Guinea. 63d Bombardment Squadron
(Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Charleveill to Torrens Creek,
Australia with B-17s; first mission is 14 Aug.
TUESDAY, 4 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): 1 LB-30 flies a photo mission and 2 B-17s and 3 B-24s covered
by 8 P-38's escort US Navy (USN) tenders to Nazan Bay, Atka , Aleutian ; two
4-engine seaplane bombers and a possible third are downed near Atka by 2 of
the P-38's, in their first aerial combat in any theater; weather cancels bombing
mission to Kiska .
CBI (CATF): P-40's sweep Japanese HQ at Linchwan and bomb HQ buildings and barracks
and strafe transports.
(5th AF) Lost due to mechanical is P-39D 41-7165
WEDNESDAY, 5 AUGUST 1942
CBI (CATF): Japanese aircraft again attack US airfield at Kweilin; notified
well in advance by the Chinese warning net (previously set up under Brigadier
General Claire L Chennault while he was head of the American Volunteer Group
(AVG), P-40s meet the Japanese over the target, shooting down 2, and another
is downed by ground fire.
SOLOMONS - USN attack beached Japanese transports and supply dumps on Guadalcanal; destroyed a concentration of seaplanes at Rekata Bay.
RAAF: Lost in near the peak of Mount Disappointment is Beaufighter A19-12.
THURSDAY, 6 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): 3 B-24s, 2 B-17s and 10 P-38s provide air coverage for
USN tenders to Nazan Bay, Atka ; photo reconnaissance is flown over Attu.
CBI (CATF): B-25s bomb Tien Ho Airfield, Canton, China, causing heavy damage
to the runways and destroying several parked aircraft. Detachment of 11th
Bombardment
Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), operating from Nanning,
China with B-25s returns to base at Kunming.
SWPA (5th AF): B-25s and 22nd BG B-26s pound airfields at Lae and Salamaua.
USN - PBY Catalina 2389 went missing, all aboard died in the crash.
FRIDAY, 7 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): 3 B-24s dispatched to bomb Kiska return
with their bombs due to solid overcast; 4 more B-24s also depart for Kiska;
1 turns back with mechanical trouble, the others abort the mission over the
target due to undercast; 1 B-24,
4 P-38s and an LB-30 fly 2 air coverage missions at Nazan Bay, Atka for USN
tenders.
Guadalancal - First Marine Division (reinforced) invade Tulagi and Guadalcanal. 10,000 Americans vs 2,200 Japanese troops. Air support for the
U.S Marines' first amphibious landing of World War II was provided by three
carriers
of Air Support Force (Rear Admiral L. Noyes), and by Navy, Marine, and Army
units of Aircraft, South Pacific (Rear Admiral J. S. McCain) operating from
bases on New Caledonia and in the New Hebrides. Lost is F4F "Junior" 5192
SWPA (5th AF): 13 B-17s of the 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy), led by Lieutenant
Colonel Richard H Carmichael hit Vunakanau
Airfield. Lost is B-17E 41-2617, B-17E "Why Don't We Do This More Often" 41-2429. 22nd BG B-26s attack Lae and a B-17 and a B-25 each attack
a submarine in the Gulf of Papua. HQ 38th Bombardment Group (Medium) and 405th
Bombardment Squadron (Medium) move from Eagle Farms and Ballarat respectively
to Breddan Field, Australia with B-25s; first mission is 17 Sep. On a ferry flight to Port Moresby B-26 "Dixie" 40-1496 force lands and is destroyed by her crew.
SATURDAY, 8 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): 1 LB-30, 3 B-24s and 8 P-38s on photo and bombing missions
over Kiska cannot attack but
Navy PBYs also operating over and off Kiska hit freighters and a transport, claiming 1 transport sinking, and score many
hits on North Head and Main Camp.
CBI (CATF): In China, B-25s hit the Canton area, bombing Tien Ho Airfield and
other targets in the vicinity and claiming 2 interceptors shot down.
Guadalcanal - From this date through 23 Aug, B-17s fly search missions covering
the lower Solomon in order to detect any attempt to make a surprise attack on
the forces consolidating the Guadalcanal beachhead. The first premeditated Kamikaze attack is delivered by two Aichi
VA1 dive bombers off Guadalcanal. An American troop transport is destroyed.
USMC: On Guadalancal, the Japanese incomplete airfield at Lunga Point (later
known as Henderson Field) is occupied.
USN: On the night of August 8-9th is the Battle of Savo Island. Lost are HMAS Canberra, USS Astoria, USS Quincy.
SWPA (5th AF): P-400s dive-bomb Kokoda and Yodda; B-17s, B-25s and B-26s bomb runways and targets of opportunity at Lae and Salamaua.
RAAF: Lost off Daru is Short S23 "Calypso" A18-11.
SUNDAY, 9 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): 6 bombers fly armed reconnaissance over Kiska and Attu and hit Kiska.
CBI (CATF): In China, P-40s of the 23d Fighter Group continue to support Chinese
ground forces by harassing the Japanese at Linchwan; 4 B-25s and 3 P-40s from
the Kweilin-Hengyang area, staging through Nanning, bomb docks and warehouses
at Haiphong, French Indochina, causing considerable damage and claiming a freighter
sunk in the harbor; this is the first CATF raid over French Indochina.
SWPA (5th AF): B-17s bomb shipping and Lakunai Airfield and Gasmata. Lost are B-17E 41-2643 and B-17E 41-2452. B-26s hit the harbor
area at Salamaua.
Guadalcanal - US Carrier
forces withdrew from direct support but remained in the area to give overall
support to the campaign. 9 Vincennes is sunk.
MONDAY, 10 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): 5 B-17s and 3 B-24s bomb Kiska
targets; fighters and AA down 1 B-24 and only the pilot is saved.
Guadalcanal - Kako torpedoed & sunk off New Ireland by US submarine
CBI (CATF): In China, B-25s bomb Hankow; afterwards the P-40 escorts, led by
Colonel Robert L Scott, strike ammunition dumps and military warehouses at Sienning,
causing heavy destruction of material which the Japanese have accumulated to
use against Hengyang and other US bases in C China.
TUESDAY, 11 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): In the Aleutian, 1 B-24 flies photo reconnaissance over W
Semichi and the N coast of Attu .
CBI (CATF: In China, P-40s hit airfields at Yoyang and Nanchang from which the
enemy has been attacking Hengyang.
SOPAC (Joint Chiefs of Staff): 98th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 11th Bombardment
Group (Heavy), moves from Hickam Field, Oahu, Hawaii to Espiritu Santo ; they
have been operating B-17s from Plaine
Des Gaiacs, New Caledonia since 21 Jul.
WEDNESDAY, 12 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): In the Aleutian, 1 B-24 flies photo reconnaissance over Amlia
and Atka .
SWPA (5th AF): B-17s bomb shipping Simpson Harbor scoring damaging hits on 3 vessels. Five Allied transport aircraft tasked with dropping supplies to allied troops at Kagi, Kokoda and Wau.
71st Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 38th Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Batchelor Field to Breddan Field, Australia with B-25s; first mission is 15 Sep.
Vanuatu - Americans build additional bases in New Hebrides to support Guadalcanal
operation
THURSDAY, 13 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): 1 B-24 flies photo reconnaissance over Kiska
.
SWPA (5th AF): A Japanese convoy, headed toward Basabua near Gona,
with 3,000 construction troops, is attacked first by B-17s 76 mi (122 km) NE
of Gona, followed by B-26s 20-25 mi (32-40 km) N of Gona and another B-17 attack
as the convoy approaches landing position. Lost are B-26 40-1492 and F4 Lightning 41-2125.
Japanese ground forces
attack at Deniki, driving Allied forces back about 5 mi (8 km) and firmly securing
the Buna-Kokoda trail.
FRIDAY, 14 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): In the Aleutians, a B-24 trying to fly photo reconnaissance
over Tanaga and Adak aborts over Kiska due to weather.
ZONE OF INTERIOR: AAF Foreign Service Concentration Command is redesignated
I Concentration Command.
SWPA (5th AF): B-17s attack shipping off Gona, New Guinea. Lost on a recon mission is B-17E "Chief Seattle" 41-2656.
SATURDAY, 15 AUGUST 1942
SWPA (5th AF): 65th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy),
moves from Williamstown to Torrens Creek, Australia with B-17s; first mission
is 12 Nov.
Guadalancal - 1st Marines, 7th Division lands, including the 28th Inf Regt,
detached and 7th Engr Regt, detached
SUNDAY, 16 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): A B-24 aborts a photo reconnaissance flight over Adak because
of mechanical failure.
WDC (4th AF): 82d and 110th Observation Squadrons, 71st Observation Group, stop
flying ASW patrols from Salinas AAB, California.
MONDAY, 17 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): 1 B-24 flies photo reconnaissance over Buldir, Kiska and Amchitka , Aleutian , despite heavy rain.
CBI (CATF): Unit moves in China: 16th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Group,
from Kunming to Chungking with P-40s; 75th Fighter Squadron, 23d Fighter Group,
from Hengyang to Chanyi with P-40s.
USN - U.S. air raids on Japanese at Gilbert
SWPA (5th AF): A single B-17 bombs Kavieng. Japanese bomb 7-Mile Drome and destroys several aircraft on the ground including: DC-5 Tail Code VH-CXA. Damaged are C-49 Dakota 44-83228.
TUESDAY, 18 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): A B-24 takes oblique photos of Amchitka and Tanaga ; Heavy
fog over Kiska and Attu precludes
armed reconnaissance.
CBI 10th AF: Major General Clayton L Bissell becomes Commanding General 10th
Air Force, relieving Brigadier General Earl L Naiden who now devotes full time
to command of India-China Ferry Command under the 10th Air Force
USMC - Carlson's Raiders land on Makin,
for a raid to divert Japanese reinforcements to the Guadalcanal area. After
killing 83 Japanese and destroying installations, ships and flying boats, the
Marines were evacuated and forced to leave behind their dead, which were later
buried by the islanders and Japanese in a mass grave.
CATF: 76th Fighter Squadron, 23d Fighter Group, moves from Kweilin to Kunming,
China with P-40s.
SWPA (5th AF): For a second consecutive day a single B-17 attacks Kavieng Airfield; bombs fall in the airfield dispersal area.
Japan - General Horii arrives at Buna.
WEDNESDAY, 19 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): Mechanical failure prevents a B-24 from flying reconnaissance
over Tanaga .
SWPA (5th AF): B-17s bomb shipping off Faisi.
THURSDAY, 20 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): 1 B-24 flies photo reconnaissance over Kiska ; a patrol is flown over Shumagin , Aleutian .
WDC (4th AF): 25th Observation Squadron, 71st Observation Group, stops flying
ASW patrols from Salinas AAB, California.
SWPA (5th AF): 63d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy),
moves from Torrens Creek to Mareeba with B-17s.
Guadalcanal - Henderson Field goes into operation after being captured from the Japanese, and completed by US forces. By this date, there are 10,000 American, 3,600 Japanese troops on the island. First fighter aircraft arrive on Henderson Field, Guadalcanal. Marine Fighter Squadron 223 and Scout Bombing Squadron 232, delivered by the escort carrier Long , initiated operations from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal (20 Aug) and were joined within a week by AAF fighter elements and dive bombers from the Enterprise, and by other elements as the campaign progressed. Until the was secure (February 9, 1943), these forces flew interceptor patrols, offensive missions against shipping, and close air support for the Marines and for Army troops relieving them (13 Oct). Marine air units carrying the major air support burden accounted for 427 enemy claimed during the campaign.
FRIDAY, 21 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): 1 B-24 trying to fly reconnaissance over Kiska aborts due to weather.
Guadalcanal - Battle of the Tenaru (Ilu) River.
ALASKA (11th AF): A photo reconnaissance mission over Kiska
is aborted due to overcast.
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, 7th Air Force): First AAF aircraft, 5 P-400s of the
67th Fighter Squadron, 58th Fighter Group, based on New Caledonia , arrive
at Henderson Field, joining USMC aircraft which arrived earlier; these P-400s, which operate
under control of Marine Aircraft Wing One (MAW-1), prove no match for Japanese
Zekes or bombers at high altitudes.
SWPA (5th AF): B-17s bomb airfields at Lae and Lakunai Airfield.
Buna - 11,430 Japanese troops at Buna
Guadalcanal - Marines turn back first major Japanese attack on Guadalcanal in Battle of the Tenaru
SUNDAY, 23 AUGUST 1942
USN - US Carriers participated in several of the naval engagements fought over Guadalcanal.
Saratoga sank the Japanese light carrier Ryujo in the Battle of the Eastern
Solomons (23-25 Aug); Enterprise was hit by carrier-based bombers (24
Aug) and forced to retire
POA (7th AF): 333d Fighter Squadron, 18th Fighter Group, is activated at Bellows
Field, Hawaii and equipped with P-39s.
SWPA (5th AF): A lone B-17 bombs Buka , Solomon.
ALASKA (11th AF): 404th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 28th Composite Group,
begins to operate from Umnak , Aleutian with B-24s. A photo reconnaissance sortie
is cancelled due to overcast.
Guadalcanal - (Night of August 24-25) In the Battle of the Eastern Solomons,
7 B-17s and USN dive and torpedo bombers from the carriers USS Enterprise (CV-6)
and USS Saratoga (CV-3) attack a task force covering a transport formation heading
for Guadalcanal; USN
aircraft sink the Japanese aircraft carrier Ryujo; during the night 4 Japanese
warships shell the airstrip on Guadalcanal. Lost is D3A piloted by Hikiune.
IJN - Ryujo launches aircraft against against Guadalcanal. Six Ryujo Zeros escort Vals. In the ensuing fight over Guadalcanal, the Japanese lost four Aichi D3A Val dive bombers and three Zeros. VMF-212 and VMF-223 suffered three aircraft shot down of the 10 that rose from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal to do battle. In the meantime, Ryujo, left with only seven fighters to protect itself, was sunk in an attack by 30 Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers and six Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers from the carriers USS Enterprise and USS Saratoga. The surviving planes of the Ryujo were diverted to land at Rabaul.
SWPA (5th AF): B-17s hit Gasmata and airfields at Rabaul. Japanese amphibious forces leave Buna in barges and New Ireland in transports, heading for Milne Bay; the barges are detected by an Australian coastwatcher during the afternoon.
TUESDAY, 25 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): A photo reconnaissance airplane flies over Kiska,
Attu and Adak, then turns back because of mechanical failure.
USN - Lost is PBY 04469.
Guadalcanal - "Battle of the Eastern Solomons " U.S. Army, Navy and
USMC aircraft attack Japanese transports carrying reinforcements to Guadalcanal
and force them to turn back. Hit hard by dive bombers 125 miles away, begining
at 0835 hours; B-17s from Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides sink the destroyer Mutsuki
as it is attempting to sink the damaged transport Kinuru Maru; by 1200 hours
the force is heading N in retreat; the enemy has lost about 90 aircraft in the
battle.
SWPA (5th AF): Japanese amphibious forces bound for Milne
Bay from Buna are stranded on Goodenough when P-40s from Milne
Bay destroy all of their beached barges. P-40s also attack a convoy proceeding
from New Ireland toward Milne
Bay but are hampered by bad weather and fail to halt landings at 3 points
E of Rabi during the night of 25/26 Aug. P-400s hit the airfield and AA positions
at Buna.
WEDNESDAY, 26 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): A photo mission is aborted over Atka due to weather.
CBI (CATF): B-25s, which have moved temporarily from C China to Yunnani, bomb
Lashio, Burma, an important rail center, highway junction and air base; covering
P-40s strafe numerous targets of opportunity and shoot down at least 2 Japanese
fighters.
SWPA (5th AF): P-40s, B-25s, B-26s and B-17s plus RAAF Hudsons,
pound Japanese forces in Milne Bay;
a large transport is damaged and most of the supplies on the beachheads E of
Rabi are destroyed; Lost is B-17F 41-24354 and B-17E "The Daylight Ltd" 41-2621 (crash landing at Mareeba). P-400s strafe Buna Airfield, lost is P-400 1122.
RAAF - Ditched due to bad weather is P-40E A29-110.
Guadalcanal - 18th Division, 35th Inf Brig, detached and 27 August 124th Inf Regt, detached land.
THURSDAY, 27 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): 4 B-17s, 6 B-24s, and 2 P-38s fly weather, reconnaissance
and patrol missions over Kiska and Atka . The Japanese begin to transfer the Attu garrison to Kiska,
which is completed on 16 Sep.
ETO (8th AF): Mission 6: 7 of 9 B-17s bomb the shipyards at Rotterdam, The Netherlands
at 1740 hours; 3 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is WIA. 92d Bombardment Group
completes nonstop flight of the last of its 4 squadrons from Newfoundland to
UK without a loss. A Combat Crew Replacement Center (CCRC), the first in the
Eighth Air Force, is established at Bovingdon, England. 94th Fighter Squadron,
1st Fighter Group, moves from Kirton in Lindsey to Ibsley, England with P-38s.
SWPA (5th AF): B-26s and P-400s bomb Buna Airfield while P-40s strafe the beachhead and fuel dumps at Milne
Bay. 403d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves
from Laverton to Torrens Creek, Australia with B-17s; first mission is in Oct.
RAAF - Lost on a strafing attack on Milne Bay is P-40E A29-92.
FRIDAY, 28 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): Of 3 B-17s bombing Kiska , 1 fails to return; all available B-24s and 2 flights of P-38s fly naval cover
at Nazan Bay, Atka ; and an attack mission to Attu is cancelled due to weather.
CBI (CATF): In French Indochina, 8 B-25s hit barracks and ammunition dumps at
Hoang Su Phi and a fuel dump at Phu Lo; this is the largest force of B-25s used
by CATF to date, and the first B-25 mission flown without escort.
SWPA (5th AF): B-26s pound forces at Milne
Bay, New Guinea.
Guadalcanal -Asagiri sunk off Santa Isabel by American planes
Miline Bay - Additional Japanese land at Milne Bay.
RAAF - P-40E A29-109 is lost returning to Port Moresby.
SATURDAY, 29 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): A USN PBY reports a force of 3 cruisers and 4 destroyers
NW of Umnak ; thereupon all aircraft of the 11th go on attack alert; the surface
force then identifies itself as friendly
CBI (CATF): B-25s pound Lashio, Burma, scoring numerous hits on the airport
and starting 3 large fires in warehouse area SE of the city.
SWPA (5th AF): B-26s and P-400s hit the airfield at Buna; P-40s hit facilities in the Milne
Bay area as enemy ground forces continue their drive over the Owen Stanley
Range toward Port Moresby. B-17s pound Lakunai Airfield. A C5M Babs piloted by Shigetoshi Kudo chased 8 x B-17s. flying up to 7,500m then dropped an aerial burst bomb. He aimed for the B-17s on the left of the formation. The #1 plane was hit and went into clouds, so he claimed an unconfirmed. #2 caught on fire and went down.
SUNDAY, 30 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): US troops occupy Kuluk Bay, Adak , amidst a terrific storm
and start building a runway. 5 B-24s photograph Kiska but do not bomb due to overcast, and then fly patrol and photo reconnaissance
over Amchitka and Tanaga . P-38s fly patrol between Great Sitkin and Little
Tanaga . Seaplane Tender Teal provides forward air cover. The occupation puts
North Pacific forces within 250 miles of occupied Kiska and in a position to maintain a close watch over enemy shipping lanes to that
and to Attu. The tender Casco, conducting support operations from Nazan
Bay, was damaged by a submarine torpedo and temporarily beached.
CBI (CATF): Myitkyina, northernmost Japanese supply depot and airfield in Burma,
from which fighters could hit Dinjan, India (terminus of the Assam-Burma Ferry),
is bombed for the first time by 8 China-based B-25s.
POA (7th AF): 6th Fighter Squadron, 18th Fighter Group, moves from Wheeler Field
to Kahuku, Hawaii with P-40s.
SWPA (5th AF): B-17s attack shipping in Saint Georges Channel
Miline Bay - Additional Japanese land at Milne Bay 1/124, anti-tank 6
MONDAY 31 AUGUST 1942
ALASKA (11th AF): Of 2 B-24s flying weather, reconnaissance and patrol missions
over Tanaga , 1 returns due to weather.
CBI (CATF): B-25s from China bomb Myitkyina, Burma for the second consecutive
day.
New Guinea - Japanese thrown back from No. 3 Strip (Turnbull) at Milne Bay. 2/124, engineers 7
SWPA (5th AF): B-26 bomb Lae escorted by Airacobras of the 80th FS. Lost is P-400 BX 147.
USN - Saratoga was damaged by a submarine torpedo
(31 Aug) and forced to retire