November, 1943

Tuesday, 2 November, 1943
In direct support of Allied landings on Bougainville Island in the Solomon Islands, 75 B-25's, with an escort of 70 P-38's, attack Rabaul airfields and harbor on New Britain Island; 3 destroyers and 8 merchant vessels are sunk or left sinking; the B-25's and P-38's claim 12 aircraft destroyed on the ground and 68 shot down; AA and air opposition is the strongest thus far encountered by the Fifth Air Force; 21 US airplanes are lost. In New Guinea, P-39's pound a road in the Bogadjim area and A-20's bomb and strafe communication routes near Fortification Point. The 418th Night Fighter Squadron, AAF School of Applied Tactics, arrives at Milne Bay, New Guinea from the U.S. with P-38's and P-70's.

Wednesday, 3 November, 1943
In New Guinea, B-25's hit barges between Alexishafen and Bogadjim. In New Britain, B-24's fly light strikes against shipping (sinking 1 vessel) between Talasea and Cape Gloucester, and bomb Boela on Ceram Island in the Moluccas Islands.

Thursday, 4 November, 1943
P-40's bomb Palmalmal Plantation, New Guinea. B-24's on armed reconnaissance claim 1 vessel sunk North of New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago.

Friday, 5 November, 1943
More than 90 B-24's and fighters attack the wharf areas of Rabaul on New Britain Island while Japanese airplanes from surrounding airfields search for the carrier force that hit Rabaul earlier in the day. In New Guinea, B-26's and P-39's hit Bogadjim Road, B-25's pound positions Northwest of Dumpu, and P-39's bomb and strafe the Madang area; P-47's over Wewak encounter a force of fighters and claim about 20 shot down. The 67th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group, transfers from Port Moresby to Nadzab, New Guinea with C-47's.

Saturday, 6 November, 1943
P-40's hit Gasmata Island off the south coast of New Britain Island. In New Guinea, enemy airplanes attack Nadzab, Dumpu, and Finschhafen but cause no major damage. The 17th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment) and 82d Reconnaissance  Squadron (Fighter), 71st Reconnaissance Group, arrive at Milne Bay, New Guinea from the U.S. with B-25's and P-39's respectively. The squadrons will fly their first missions on 28 January 1944 and 27 November respectively.

Sunday, 7 November, 1943
On New Britain Island, 25 B-24's, with an escort of more than 60 P-38's, bomb Rapopo airstrip; a large force of enemy fighters intercepts the formations and in the ensuing battle 5 P-38's are lost; US airplanes claim over 20 fighters shot down and several more destroyed on the ground. In New Guinea, 9 B-25's bomb Wewak and more than 40 others turn back when the fighter escort is intercepted by airplanes over Nadzab; enemy aircraft attack Nadzab and Bena Bena; 16 US aircraft are destroyed or damaged by the raids but 14 airplanes are shot down by US fighters. HQ 71st Reconnaissance Group arrives at Port Moresby, New Guinea from the U.S. The 529th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 380th Bombardment Group (Heavy), transfers from Manbulloo to Long Strip, Australia with B-24's.

Monday, 8 November, 1943
B-24's on armed reconnaissance bomb Garove Island in the Bismarck Archipelago and hit Kaimana, New Guinea.

Tuesday, 9 November, 1943
In New Guinea, more than 40 B-25's and A-20's, escorted by P-38's and P-47's, pound the airfield at Alexishafen, destroying at least 12 enemy airplanes; US fighters claim destruction of 10-15 interceptors in combat; other fighters claim more than 20 aircraft shot down over Sek Harbor, the Markham River Valley, and Lae. On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, B-25's bomb a fuel dump and shipping in the Rein Bay area, and P-40's bomb dumps on Gasmata Island. B-24's on patrol claim sinking of a destroyer near Kavieng, New Ireland Island.

Wednesday, 10 November, 1943
B-24's bomb Lakunai airfield on New Britain Island, hit a new landing ground on Duke of York Island east of Rabaul, and bomb Soerabaja, Java. B-25's thoroughly pound Alexishafen airfield on New Guinea.

Thursday, 11 November, 1943
B-24's bomb Lakunai airfield on New Britain Island. In New Guinea, P-39's strafe Bogadjim and B-25's hit the Madang area.

Friday, 12 November, 1943
In New Guinea, B-25's and B-26's bomb villages between Finschhafen and Saidor. B-24's attack targets on Java and on Amboina Island in the Moluccas Islands. On this date, following a series of damaging allied strikes, the Japanese remove their carrier aircraft from Rabaul, New Britain Island, which afterwards ceases to be a serious threat to Allied forces.

Saturday, 13 November, 1943
In New Guinea, nearly 120 B-24's and B-25's pound Alexishafen, and P-40's strafe the area. Other B-24's hit Gasmata Island off New Britain Island and Kaukenau and Timoeka, New Guinea. B-25's and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Beaufighters claim the sinking of a small freighter off Tanimbar Island in the Moluccas Islands.

Sunday, 14 November, 1943
B-25's attack a supply and bivouac area West of Sio, New Guinea.

Monday, 15 November, 1943
In New Guinea, more than 30 B-24's pound Alexishafen; 88 B-25's heading for Wewak and Boram with an escort of 16 P-40's are intercepted by Japanese fighters that are escorting bombers attacking Gusap; the resulting battle causes the B-25's to abort the attack; the US airplanes claim 20 of the enemy shot down; 2 P-40's are lost; P-47's claim 5 more aircraft destroyed over Wewak. The 68th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group transfers from Port Moresby to Nadzab, New Guinea with C-47's.

Tuesday, 16 November, 1943
In New Guinea, B-25's hit installations near Finschhafen and bomb and strafe a coastal track west of Reiss Point; P-39's, with P-40's covering, strafe barges from Saidor to Madang. P-38'a battle a large force of fighters over Wewak, destroying 6; 2 P-38's are lost. The 7th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group, transfers from Dobodura to Gusap, New Guinea with P-40's and P-47's.

Wednesday, 17 November, 1943
B-24's bomb Soerabaja and Tjepoe, Java and Denpasar in the Sunda Islands during the night of 17/18 November, and B-25's bomb a freighter off Tanimbar Island in the Moluccas Islands. In New Guinea during the day, 58 B-24's are dispatched to support an attack by the Australian 9 Division on Sattelberg, but because of bad weather only 3 B-24's [along with 12 RAAF aircraft] get through to the target; P-47's strafe Japanese shipping between Saidor and Finschhafen.

Thursday, 18 November, 1943
In New Guinea, 30+ B-25's and B-26's hit enemy positions in the Sattelberg area; B-24's carry out a light raid on Fak Fak; and P-40's bomb Iworep.

Friday, 19 November, 1943
In New Guinea, nearly 30 B-25's and B-26's bomb positions in the Sattelberg area; A-20's hit the Finschhafen area. B-25's attack Kentengi Anchorage in the Bismarck Archipelago.  HQ 58th Fighter Group arrives at Sydney, New South Wales, Australia from the US. The 25th Liaison Squadron, Fifth Air Force, arrives at Sydney, New South Wales, Australia from the US with L-5's. The 25th and 26th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadrons, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, arrive at Sydney, New South Wales, Australia from the US with F-5's.

Saturday, 20 November, 1943
In New Guinea, 50 B-25's and B-26's pound Japanese positions in the Sattelberg area and sink or damage at least 10 luggers in Hansa Bay; A-20's hit the Lae area. 50 B-24's bomb Gasmata Island off the S outhcoast of New Britain Island. HQ 49th Fighter Group transfers from Dobodura to Gusap, New Guinea.

Sunday, 21 November, 1943
B-24's bomb Gasmata Island off New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago. In New Guinea, A-20's again hit the Finschhafen area; B-25's and B-24's hit shipping and other targets on Aroe Island and off Manokwari. HQ 58th Fighter Group transfers from Sydney, New South Wales to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The group's 69th and 311th Fighter Squadrons arrive at Brisbane from the US with P-47's. They will fly their first mission on 17 and 2 February 1944 respectively.

Monday, 22 November, 1943
22 B-25's and A-20's attack villages around Sattelberg, New Guinea. 100+ B-25's and B-24's bomb Gasmata Island south of New Britain Island and Cape Gloucester on New Britain Island. B-24's on armed reconnaissance score hits on freighter near Kavieng, New Ireland Island and a tanker and barge in the Bismarck Sea. The 17th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment) and 82d Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter), 71st Reconnaissance Group, transfer from Milne Bay to Dobodura, New Guinea with B-25's and P-39's respectfully. They will fly their first mission on 28 Jan 44 and 27 Nov 43 respectively. The 418th Night Fighter Squadron, V Fighter Command, transfers from Milne Bay to Dobodura, New Guinea with P-38's and P-70's.

Tuesday, 23 November, 1943
B-25's and A-20's hit villages around Finschhafen, New Guinea. B-24's attack a convoy near Halmahera Island in the Moluccas Islands and sink 1 vessel. Two new units arrive at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from the US: 1. The 20th Combat Mapping Squadron, 4th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance), with F-7's. They will fly their first mission on 5 April 44. 2. The 310th Fighter Squadron, 58th Fighter Group, arrives with P-47's. They will fly their first mission on 24 February 1944.

Wednesday, 24 November, 1943
Colonel Neel E. Kearby becomes Commanding Officer of the V Fighter Command. In New Guinea, more than 30 B-25's, B-26's, and A-20's bomb village of Kalasa; 15 A-20's and B-25's, with P-38's escorting, hit stores and supplies in the Finschhafen area. more than 20 B-24's, supported by P-38's, bomb Gasmata Island off New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago. 18 B-25's hit shipping at Halmahera Island in the Moluccas Islands. The 25th Liaison Squadron, V Bomber Command, transfers from Sydney, New South Wales to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia with L-5's. They will fly their first combat mission in February 1944.

Thursday, 25 November, 1943
In New Guinea, P-39's strafe Bogadjim Road; Sattelberg falls to the Australian 9 Division. The 25th and 26th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadrons, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, transfer from Sydney, New South Wales to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia with F-5's. They will fly their first mission on 5 February and 10 February 1944 respectively.

Friday, 26 November, 1943
In New Guinea, almost 40 medium bombers hit barge hideouts near Sio; P-40's and P-47's strafe villages and targets of opportunity around Alexishafen, Madang, and Nubia; P-39's attack a force of about 40 Japanese fighters and bombers in the Finschhafen area, claiming 4 shot down. B-24's bomb Gasmata Island off the coast of New Britain Island and score hits on a cruiser near Ubili, New Britain Island.

Saturday, 27 November, 1943
In New Guinea, medium bombers blast the airfield at Boram and the town and harbor at Wewak, claiming 15 airplanes and 12 barges destroyed; medium bombers also bomb the town of Finschhafen. HQ 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group transfers from Sydney, New South Wales to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Sunday, 28 November, 1943
In New Guinea, nearly 50 B-24's bomb airfields at Wewak and Boram, and more than 40 B-25's, B-26's, and A-20's hit villages on the Huon Peninsula and tracks in the Finschhafen area.

Monday, 29 November, 1943
35 B-25's and B-26's bomb Cape Gloucester on New Britain Island; 6 B-24's bomb a barracks at Manokwari, New Guinea.

Tuesday, 30 November, 1943
B-24's bomb Cape Gloucester airfield on New Britain Island. In New Guinea, B-25's bomb and strafe villages along coast from Borgen Bay to Riebeck Bay; B-24's hit Alexishafen; B-25's and A-20's attack Kalasa and hit trucks in the Waroe area. The 386th, 388th and 389th Bombardment Squadrons (Dive), 312th Bombardment Group (Dive), arrives at Port Moresby, New Guinea from the US with P-40's.They will be redesignated Bombardment Group/Squadrons (Light) on 6 December, fly their first mission on 14 January 1944, and convert to A-20G and H aircraft in Feb ruary 1944.

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