August 4, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 4 AUGUST 1943

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Between 0855 and 1846 hours, 153 tons of bombs are dropped on Kiska, a new one-day record; 6 armored weather, photo and reconnaissance missions, flown by 3 B-24's, 2 P-40's, and 2 F-5A's bomb through clouds, take photos and observe fires in Main Camp and on Little Kiska; later 48 B-25's, 22 B-24's, 16 A-24s, 8 P-40's, and 40 P-38's fly 17 bombing and strafing attacks against Kiska; targets include buildings near the radio station, and the gun battery area on North Head. Little Kiska and Segula is also strafed.The 36th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 28th Composite Group, which has been operating from Adak with B-24's since Jun 43, returns to it's base on Amchitka.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force): B-25's, and U.S. Navy dive bombers, bomb the Gurasai-Kindu Village area; on New Georgia, some of the B-25's also strafe areas emitting intense small arms fire and silencing them. P-38's and P-40's claim 11 fighters downed in a series of running battles over the central Solomons.

USN: Eight F4F Wildcats from VF-27 took off on a mission to escort a PBY Catalina over Enogai but are intercepted by fighters. Lost is F4F Wildcat 12090 pilot Lt(jg) Irvin E. Rink (MIA) and F4F Wildcat 12139 pilot Ens William T. Clifton (MIA).

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force): B-25's bomb and strafe the Itni River area on New Britain and hit several villages on Selaroe Island. Single B-24's bomb a dump area on the Francisco River and Cape Gloucester Airfield.