October 2, 1942
Todxay in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 2 OCTOBER 1942

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 11 B-24s and 6 P-39s bomb two cargo ships in Kiska Harbor but no hits were observed, drop demolition charges throughout the Main Camp area, and hit a hangar S of the seaplane ramp; 4 floatplanes and 1 biplane are shot down. Enemy aircraft bomb Adak Airfield without inflicting damage.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In the Owen Stanley Range A-20s bomb and strafe Japanese campsites around Myola and hit several trails in the area, while P-400s strafe bridges at Sirorata and Wairopi and a village northeast of Wairopi. B-17s bomb shipping and the airfield at Rabaul.

IJN: At 9:10am at Rabaul thirty-six A6M2 Zeros from the 6th Kokutai and Tainan Kokutai led by Lt. Kofukuda escort nine G4M1 Bettys from Misawa Kokutai acting as decoys while the Zeros perform a fighter sweep over Guadalcanal. By 10:00am all the Bettys plus eight Zeros from the Tainan Kokotai and one Zero from 6th Kokutai abort due to engine trouble. Over the target, the formation is intercepted by USMC F4F Wildcats and claim seventeen shot down, two unconfirmed: 6th Kokutai claim fourteen (two unconfirmed) and Tainan Kokutai claimed three. Shot down was Zero pilot Sea1c Yuichi Kobayashi (KIA). Returning, Zero pilot PO3c Mogi suffered a landing gear collapse while landing at Buka Airfield. Another Zero returned but was written off due to battle damage.

USN / USMC: On Guadalcanal, radar detects incoming Japanese aircraft and a red alert is sounded to scrambled to intercept including fourteen Wildcats from VF-5, eleven Wildcats from VMF-224, eleven Wildcats from VMF-223 and seven SBD's. During the air combat, six American fighters were lost with two pilots killed including F4F 02110 pilot 2nd Lt. Charles W. Kendrick (KIA), F4F 02098 pilot 2nd Lt. Willis S. Lees, III (MIA), F4F 5195 pilot Ensign George J. Morgan, Jr. (MIA), F4F 03502 pilot Major John L. Smith (rescued), F4F 02118 pilot Major Robert E. Galer (rescued) and F4F 02112 pilot 2nd Lt. George A. Treptow (MIA). Several other Wildcats were damaged or suffered mechanical problems.