December, 1943

1. The 90th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and it's 319th, 320th, 321st and 400th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) transfer from Port Moresby to Dobodura, New Guinea with B-24's.

2. The 82d Fighter Squadron (Reconnaissance), 71st Reconnaissance Group, based at Dobodura, New Guinea with P-39's sends a detachment to Finschhafen, New Guinea.

Thursday, 2 December, 1943
In New Guinea, more than 50 B-25's pound the Borgen Bay area; 20 B-25's and B-26's hit enemy forces in the Finschhafen area; and the Sio area is bombed by 2 B-24's.

Friday, 3 December, 1943
In the Bismarck Archipelago, over 60 B-24's and B-25's bomb Cape Gloucester airfield on New Britain Island; 1 B-24 sinks several barges in Johann Albrecht Harbor while another bombs a large transport near New Hanover Island. more than 20 B-24's bomb Waingapoe on Sumba Island in the Sunda Islands. In New Guinea, A-20's attack villages around Finschhafen; P-47's shoot down several airplanes over Wewak.

Saturday, 4 December, 1943
On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, nearly 50 bombers hit Cape Gloucester airfield and attack shore targets from Rottock Bay to Rein Bay. In New Guinea, 12 A-20's hit villages and supply dumps in the Finshaffen area. More than 30 P-40's sink an oil laden lugger and 2 barges off Bogia and bomb bridge near Bogadjim.

Sunday, 5 December, 1943
40 B-24'a bomb Cape Gloucester on New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago; A-20's destroy small craft off New Britain. In New Guinea, A-20's hit enemy forces in the Finschhafen area; B-25's, B-26's, and P-40's attack targets along the Bogadjim Road. The 110th Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter), 71st Reconnaissance Group, arrives at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from the US with P-39Q's. The 531st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 380th Bombardment Group (Heavy), transfers from Manbulloo to Long Strip, Northern Territory, Australia with B-24's. The group is attached to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

Monday, 6 December, 1943
On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, nearly 100 B-24's and B-25's hit the Cape Gloucester and Borgen Bay areas; P-40's strafe Cape Hoskins. In New Guinea, A-20's and B-25's attack villages and supply dumps around Finschhafen.

Tuesday, 7 December, 1943
On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, More than B-24's and B-25's attack the Cape Gloucester and Borgen Bay areas. On New Guinea, A-20's bomb troop encampments and dumps in the Finschhafen area; P-40's strafe boats and barges near Madang. B-24's bomb the airfield and village on Haroekoe in the Moluccas Islands.

Wednesday, 8 December, 1943
B-25's attack the Penfoei-Koepanp area on Timor Island. In New Guinea, B-25's and B-26's pound enemy supply dumps on the Huon Peninsula near Finschhafen; P-39's strafe barges from Saidor to Fortification Point.

Thursday, 9 December, 1943
50 B-25's bomb and strafe the coast of New Britain Island from Borgen Bay to Rein Bay. In New Guinea, 19 B-25's and A-20's hit barges, coastal installations, and roads in the Fortification Point area; More than 60 P-39's hit Bogadjim Road, barges and enemy held villages along the North coast of Huon Peninsula, and enemy positions in the Ramu River valley.

Friday, 10 December, 1943
27 B-24's bomb targets at Cape Gloucester on New Britain Island and the Huon Peninsula on New Guinea. In New Guinea, 40 B-25's and B-26's bomb supply and bivouac areas and bridges along the Bogadjim Road; P-39's strafe barges in the Madang area. HQ 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group and it's 20th Combat Mapping Squadron transfer from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia to Port Moresby, New Guinea with B-24's and F-7's. HQ 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy) and it's 64th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) transfer from Port Moresby to Dobodura, New Guinea with B-24's.

Saturday, 11 December, 1943
B-25's bomb and strafe the Borgen Bay area on New Britain Island. In New Guinea, B-25's and B-26's hit bivouacs and other installations near Fortification Point and in the Finschhafen area. B-24's bomb Makassar on Celebes Island and Balikpapan, Borneo. The 65th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy), transfers from Port Moresby to Dobodura, New Guinea with B-24's. The 80th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, transfers from Port Moresby to Dobodura, New Guinea with P-38's.

Sunday, 12 December, 1943
In New Guinea, P-40's dive-bomb Bogadjim Road. B-24's make light raids on Ceram Island in the Moluccas Islands and in the far W part of Netherlands New Guinea.

Monday, 13 December, 1943
More than 100 B-24's and B-25's and several P-40's bomb Gasmata Island in the Bismarck Archipelago. In New Guinea, A-20's hit villages along Bogadjim Road; a small flight of P-39's strafe barges along the Huon Peninsula. The 340th Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group, transfers from Port Moresby to Finschhafen, New Guinea with P-47's. The 403d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy), transfers from Port Moresby to Dobodura, New Guinea with B-24's.

Tuesday, 14 December, 1943
In New Guinea, in the heaviest raid to date in the Southwest Pacific Area, 228 B-24's, B-25's, and A-20's bomb Arawe in an almost continuous attack from 0645 to 1548 hours; P-39's strafe barges along the Huon Peninsula. Gasmata Island off the South coast of New Britain Island is hit by B-25's and B-26's. B-24's on armed reconnaissance hit Saidor, New Guinea; and Gasmata and Unea Islands in the Bismarck Archipelago.

Wednesday, 15 December, 1943
As a preliminary to the main invasion of New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, US forces under command of Brigadier General Julian W Cunningham land on the West coast of the Arawe Peninsula on New Britain Island about 0700 local following a naval and air bombardment; B-25's pound villages in the Arawe area; B-24's bomb Cape Gloucester while P-39's strafe barges at Reiss Point. B-25's hit 2 freighters on Timor Island in the Sunda Islands. The 39th Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, transfers from Port Moresby to Nadzab, New Guinea with P-47's.

Thursday, 16 December, 1943
B-24's hit Cape Gloucester Airfield on New Britain Island. On New Guinea, B-25's hit Sio and Kelana Harbor and P-40's hit the Timoeka area. HQ 348th Fighter Group transfers from Port Moresby to Finschhafen, New Guinea. The 9th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group, transfers from Dobodura to Gusap, New Guinea with P-47's.

Friday, 17 December, 1943
On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, P-47's intercept 35-40 aircraft attacking Allied forces on the Arawe peninsula; at least 10 airplanes are claimed shot down; Cape Gloucester and nearby shipping are attacked by B-24's and B-25's. In New Guinea, B-25's bomb the Sio area and P-39's sink 2 barges during a sweep along the Huon Peninsula. The 341st and 342d Fighter Squadrons, 348th Fighter Group, transfer from Port Moresby to Finschhafen, New Guinea with P-47's.

Saturday, 18 December, 1943
On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, 70+ B-24's, B-25's, and B-26's bomb Cape Gloucester; more than 20 B-25's bomb the Borgen Bay area; and nearly 40 B-24's hit Hoskins Airfield. In New Guinea, 33 A-20's bomb and strafe dumps and bivouacs North of Finschhafen.

Sunday, 19 December, 1943
On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, Cape Gloucester is bombed by more than 140 B-24's, B-25's, and B-26's as pre-invasion operations increase; 37 P-40's hit Gasmata Island off the S coast of New Britain; and 20 A-20's pound forces Northeast of Arawe. In New Guinea, about 30 B-25's, A-20's, and P-39's hit barges, bivouac areas, and gun positions North and West of Finschhafen; 30 B-25's and B-26's pound Madang; and P-47's sweep the coastline of Northeast New Guinea. HQ 375th Troop Carrier Group transfers from Dobodura to Port Moresby, New Guinea. The 2d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 22d Bombardment Group (Medium), transfers from Dobodura to Nadzab, New Guinea with B-25's.

Monday, 20 December, 1943
On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, A-20's hit the Arawe area and P-38's in the area claim 10 enemy along South coast; B-24's on armed reconnaissance bomb a merchant ship off Cape Pomas. In New Guinea, B-26's and B-25's hit bivouacs in the Finschhafen area and bomb the town of Alexishafen.

Tuesday, 21 December, 1943
On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, pre-invasion air strikes continue against Cape Gloucester as more than 100 B-24's, B-25's, and A-20's pound the area; P-39's strafe targets along Borgen and Rein Bays; P-40's and A-20's hit Hoskins Airfield; and P-47's claim 17 fighters shot down in the Arawe area. In New Guinea, A-20's hit camps North of Finschhafen; B-25's bomb and cannon Madang; and P-40's hit Kaukenau. B-24's bomb Amahai Airfield on Ceram Island. The 110th Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter), 71st Reconnaissance Group, transfers from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia to Port Moresby, New Guinea with P-39Q's. They will fly their first mission on 21 January 1944.

Wednesday, 22 December, 1943
On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, more than 30 B-24's, B-25's, and A-20's continue bombardment of Cape Gloucester; a Japanese air raid on Arawe causes minor damage. In New Guinea, nearly 40 B-25's, with P-38 escort, bomb Wewak and Boram; the P-38's, B-25's, and some P-47's on sweep claim at least 13 aircraft shot down; B-25's and P-39's bomb airfield and barges at Madang and the town of Alexishafen; and A-20's and B-26's pound occupied area North of Finschhafen. The 36th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, transfers from Port Moresby to Nadzab, New Guinea with P-47's. The 408th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 22d Bombardment Group (Heavy), transfers from Dobodura to Nadzab, New Guinea with B-25's.

Thursday, 23 December, 1943
On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, 61 B-24's bomb Cape Gloucester during the day; B-24's follow during the night of 23/24 December with harassing attacks with small bombs, hand grenades, and beer bottles; P-39's hit barges between Borgen Bay and Rein Bay, and P-40's bomb Gasmata Island off the South coast of New Britain and strafe Cape Hoskin. In New Guinea, 80+ B-25's, B-26's and A-20's attack coastal targets from Wewak to Hansa Bay, wide areas of the Huon Peninsula, and airfields at Alexishafen; and B-24's bomb Nabire. HQ 8th Fighter Group transfers from Port Moresby to Finschhafen, New Guinea. The 501st Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 345th Bombardment Group (Medium), transfers from Port Moresby to Dobodura, New Guinea with B-25's.

Friday, 24 December, 1943
On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, the pre-invasion bombing effort against Cape Gloucester reaches its peak as nearly 190 B-24's, B-25's, and A-20's pound the area in a day-long bombardment; P-39's hit a disabled destroyer offshore; and Japanese forces in Arawe area are hit by A-20's. A-20's also sweep the NE New Guinea coastline. B-25's bomb Atamboea on Timor Island.

Saturday, 25 December, 1943
On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, Cape Gloucester is subjected to almost around the clock air attacks by l80+ B-24's, B-25's, B-26's, and A-20's; A-20's attack Japanese forces in the Arawe area where Allied outposts and observation posts are being pushed back by fierce enemy assaults on the beachhead. The 35th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, transfers from Port Moresby to Finschhafen, New Guinea with P-40's. The 386th and 387th Bombardment Squadrons (Light), 312th Bombardment Group (Light), transfer from Port Moresby to Gusap, New Guinea with P-40's. They will fly their first mission on 27 and 26 December respectively.

Sunday, 26 December, 1943
On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, the US 1st Marine Division lands at Cape Gloucester at 0746 hours; 270-some B-25's. B-24's, and A-20's plaster the area between the Cape and Borgen Bay from 0714 to l614 hours; enemy aircraft attacking the landing force sink a destroyer and cause considerable damage to other ships, but P-38's, P-40's, and P-47's claim more than 60 airplanes shot down over the invasion area.

Monday, 27 December, 1943
On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, A-20's attack positions in the Cape Gloucester battle zone; B-25's hit villages and tracks from Rottock Bay to Riebeck Bay and strafe barges along New Britain's South coast; and B-24's bomb the airfield at Hoskins. In New Guinea, B-25's bomb Madang and hit coastal targets along the Huon Peninsula; B-24's bomb Alexishafen; and P-47's strafe a road near Bogia.

Tuesday, 28 December, 1943
HQ 58th Fighter Group and it's 310th and 311th Fighter Squadrons transfer from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia to Dobodura, New Guinea with P-47's. They will fly their first mission on 24 and 2 February 1944 respectively.

Wednesday, 29 December, 1943
On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, more than 120 B-24's, B-25's, and B-26's pound positions at Cape Gloucester as the US Marines take the major objective, the airfield. In New Guinea, B-25's hit Madang; B-24's bomb bivouac and communications targets near Sio, and other B-24's fly a light attack against Manokwari, hitting the town and shipping. The 69th Fighter Squadron, 58th Fighter Group, transfers from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia to Dobodura, New Guinea with P-47's. They will fly their first mission on 17 February 1944.

Thursday, 30 December, 1943
On New Britain Island, A-20's hit positions in the Cape Gloncester area as US Marines completely secure the airfield. In New Guinea, B-24's and B-25's bomb the Alexishafen and Madang areas, Sio, and targets of opportunity along the coast of the Huon Peninsula; P-39's strafe barges along the Huon Peninsula; and P-47's strafe the Madang area and huts between Sio and Vincke Point.

Friday, 31 December, 1943
On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, A-20's hit troop concentrations in the Cape Gloucester area; nearly 50 P-40's and P-47's intercept a small force of airplanes attacking the Arawe beachhead area and 12 aircraft are claimed shot down. In New Guinea, almost 150 B-24's and medium bombers pound the Madang, Alexishafen, and Bogadjim areas.

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