September 23, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER 1943

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid issues Operations Plan (Op Plan) 9-43 which reorganizes the Alaskan Army and Navy air strength. The Commanding General Eleventh Air Force becomes Commander of Task Force 90 (TF 90), composed of Task Group 90.1 (TG 90.1), designated the Air Striking Unit (comprising 16 medium bombers, 12 heavy bombers, 100 fighters) and of TG 90.2, designated the Air Search Group, a Navy air arm. For operations, the Eleventh Air Force is now under the jurisdiction of Commander Northern Pacific (COMNORPAC) Forces. There is no administrative change.

SOUTH PACIFIC (Thirteenth Air Force): 23 B-24's, 16 P-38's, and 60+ USN dive bombers, covered by AAF including P-38s from 339th Fighter Squadron, USMC, USN, and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) fighters, attack Kahili; Allied aircraft claim at least 9 fighters shot down. 21 B-24's bomb area from Stanmore Plantation to the mouth of the Vila River on Kolombangara Island. P-39s strafe two barges, at Sasamunga and Malanono, leaving both aflame.

USN, USMC: Four SBD Dauntless and twelve TBF Avengers dive bomb AA positions at Jakohina. The bombers are escorted by F4U Corsairs from VMF-213.

RNZAF: Eight P-40N Kittyhawks from No. 17 Squadron escort TBF Avengers over Jakohina. Lost is P-40N Kittyhawk NZ3111 pilot F/Sgt Norman N. Vickers (POW, died).

USMC: F4U Corsairs from VMF-213 and VMF-214

Lost is F4U Corsair 17920 pilot 1st Lt R. T. Roberts (MIA) and F4U Corsair 17917 pilot 1st Lt. Thomas (rescued) and F4U Corsair 55828 pilot 1st Lt. Robert A. Alexander force landed at Banika Airfield.

SOUTHWEST (Fifth Air Force): B-25's bomb and strafe villages in the upper Markham Valley. P-40's bomb Gasmata.

RAAF: Lost is Beaufort A9-256 (MIA) on a bombing mission over of Hoskins Airfield hit by anti-aircraft fire, clipped a palm tree and crashed into the sea off Cape Hoskins.

USMC: Barakoma Airfield on Vella Lavella becomes operational. Brigadier General James T. Moore, relieved Brigadier General Francis Mulcahy and became a new task unit commander under Aircraft, Solomons. (Rentz, p. 148).

USN: USS Gato (SS-212) lands a patrol by U.S. Marines and U.S. Navy personnel to scout the northeast coast of Bougainville in the vicinity of Kieta until September 27, 1943. They return to report the area was generally unfavorable as a landing area.

USS Trout (SS-202) sinks Japanese transport Ryotoku Maru and merchant cargo ship Yamashiro Maru northwest of the Marianas, 20°45'N, 142°10'E, and eludes counterattacks of the escort, auxiliary minesweeper Keinan Maru.

USS Tuna (SS-203) attacks Japanese cargo vessel Shinwa Maru, 04°50'N, 105°50'E.

Australian Army: The 20th Brig advancing southward toward Finschhafen and captured Finschafen Airfield and reaches Bumi River where the Japanese are firmly established.

References
Air to Air The Story Behind the air-to-air combat claims of the RNZAF (2003) pages 155-160 (September 23, 1943)
(Page 155) "As the bombs exploded along the coast, a Dauntless aircraft [sic? F4U Corsair F4U Corsair 17920 pilot 1st Lt R. T. Roberts] was observed to crash into the sea about one and one half miles from the shore opposite the target area."