December 26, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SUNDAY, 26 DECEMBER 1943

CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Seventh Air Force): Sixteen B-24's, staging through Tarawa bomb Wotje. P-39's fly reconnaissance and strafing missions over Mille Atoll. The 19th Fighter Squadron, 318th Fighter Group, transfers from Stanley Field to Kualoa Field with P-47's.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): The 76th Fighter Squadron, 23d Fighter Group, transfers from Kweilin to Suichwan, China with P-40's.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force): 7 B-25's, with 34 fighters, attack the Cape Saint George area; 25 B-25's pound the bivouac and supply area at Kahili. RNZAF Ventura's on reconnaissance bomb Chivaroi and Faisi.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force): 270+ B-25's. B-24's, and A-20's plaster the area between Cape Gloucester and Borgen Bay from 7:14am to 4:14pm; enemy aircraft attacking the landing force. Approaching the target, B-24D Liberator 42-41241 pulled up to avoid the collision then snapped over inverted and then fell off in a left hand spin with eight 1000 pound bombs and nearly full fuel tanks and went into a spin and vertical dive but managed to pull up and return to base. Intercepting, P-38's, P-40's, and P-47's claim 60+ airplanes shot down over the invasion area. Twelve P-38s from the 80th Fighter Squadron (80th FS) led by Major Edward Craig shoot down 9 aircraft: BW Adams claims two Vals, Ed Cragg claims an Oscar, Ken Ladd claims two Val's, CB Ray claimed a Val, Jay Robbins claimed two Zeros and "Corky" Smith claimed an Oscar. Lost are P-38H "Porky II" 42-66506 pilot Major Edward "Porky" Cragg (MIA) P-47D 42-8095 (MIA), P-47D 42-22640 (MIA) P-47D pilot Heckerman (rescued). Two bombers are lost due to friendly fire: B-25D "Crabb 2nd" 41-30517 (survived), B-25D "Here's Howe" 41-30279 pilot Lt. Col. Clinton U. True (MIA). Also lost is B-17E "R.F.D. Tojo" 41-2627 pilot Colonel David W. Hutchison (two died) after take off from 14-Mile Drome (Schwimmer).

USN: Operation Backhander Seventh Amphibious Force under the command of Rear Admiral Daniel E. Barbey conducts a heavy preinvasion shore bombardment then lands U.S. Marines at Cape Gloucester. The invasion force is targeted by Japanese aircraft including D3A2 Vals escorted by A6M Zeros are intercepted by U.S. fighters over the landing area. Sunk by dive bombers is USS Brownson (DD-518) at Lat 5°20'S, Long 148°25'. Damaged are USS Lamson (DD-367), USS Shaw (DD-373) and USS Mugford (DD-389).

At 7:46am, after preparatory naval gunfire and aerial bombardment, during which enemy observation from Target Hill, commanding landing beach, is masked by smoke, Task Force Backhander commanded by Major General William H. Rupertus, 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV) CG, and consisting of 1st Mar Div (-), reinf, begins landing at Cape Gloucester. Forested, swampy terrain is more formidable than the surprised enemy, who offers only light opposition. 7th Marines establishes beachhead, clearing Target Hill, and is passed through by 1st Marines. Gen Rupertus establishes CP ashore. Successful secondary landings are made by reinf 2d Bn, 1st Marines, at Tauali, southwest of Cape Gloucester Airfield. Night counterattacks are repulsed. Japanese aircraft attack the landing force, sinking 1 DD and damaging other vessels. Japanese force reaches positions northwest of the main line of resistance at Arawe.

USMC: The Western and Eastern Assault Groups of the 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV) supported by the Fifth Air Force, Marine Fighter Squadrons 214, 216, 222, 223, and 321, and naval bombardment land on Green Beach and Yellow Beach at Cape Gloucester and secured the main beachhead. A Japanese aerial counterattack causes damage to shipping, but Japanese losses precluded any further attempts at a day-light raids of comparable strength against Cape Gloucester.

Allied landing force of three LCVP, five LCMs and three PT Boats with elements of 592nd Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment (592nd EBSR) and RAAF No. 338 Radar Station (338 RS) land at Malala on Long Island to set up a long-range radar on the island.

IJA: Major General Iwao Matsuda, commanding the Japanese forces on New Britain, is ordered to commit his reserve while the 141st Infantry and the 51st Reconnaissance Regiment were directed to join the forces defending Cape Gloucester.

IJN: Over Japanese aircraft including D3A2 Vals escorted by A6M Zeros strike the U.S. landing force off Cape Gloucester. Ditched is A6M2 Zero 8224 (survived).