October, 1943

Saturday, 2 October, 1943
On New Britain Island, B-25's strafe villages in the Talasea area and barges off Gasmata Island; B-26's bomb Hoskins Airfield; and a B-24 bombs Cape Gloucester Airfield. Other B-24's bomb Amboina Island in the Moluccas Islands. Australian forces take the town and harbor of Finschhafen and prepare to take nearby commanding positions still held by the Japanese. The 6th Troop Carrier Squadron transfers from Port Moresby, New Guinea to Garbutt Field, Townsville, Queensland, Australia with C-47's.

Sunday, 3 October, 1943
B-25's continue to hit barges along the West coast of New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago. The 431st Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group, ceases operating from Port Moresby and returns to it's base at Dobodura, New Guinea with P-38's.

Monday, 4 October, 1943
B-25's bomb and strafe barges, small craft, and villages on Vitu Island in the Bismarck Archipelago. The 22d Troop Carrier Squadron, 374th Troop Carrier Group, transfers from Port Moresby, New Guinea to Garbutt Field, Townsville, Queensland, Australia with C-47's.

Tuesday, 5 October, 1943
In New Guinea, B-25's carry out a coastal sweep West to Madang, bombing and strafing villages and barges; B-17's hit the Bogadjim Road and jetties at Erima; and B-24's bomb the Babo area. HQ 35th Fighter Group transfers from Tsili Tsili to Nadzab, New Guinea. The 33d Troop Carrier Squadron, 374th Troop Carrier Group, transfers from Port Moresby, New Guinea to Garbutt Field, Townsville, Queensland Australia with C-47's.

Wednesday, 6 October, 1943
In the Bismarck Archipelago, B-25's sweep along coastal areas of New Britain Island and through islands to the North and West, bombing and strafing targets of opportunity.

Thursday, 7 October, 1943
In the Bismarck Archipelago, a B-24 on patrol bombs Umboi Island, scoring damaging hits on several buildings. HQ 374th Troop Carrier Group transfers from Port Moresby, New Guinea to Townsville, Queensland, Australia.

Friday, 8 October, 1943
A single B-24 on armed reconnaissance bombs Cape Gloucester Airfield on New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago.

Saturday, 9 October, 1943
In New Guinea, A-20's and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) airplanes bomb and strafe defensive positions in the Sattelberg and Finschhafen areas. B-24's bomb Makassar on Celebes Island. The 2d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 22d Bombardment Group (Medium), transfers from Reid River, Australia to Dobodura, New Guinea with B-26's.They re-entered combat on 5 Oct after R&R in Australia since January 1943. The 65th Troop Carrier Squadron, 54th Troop Carrier Wing, transfers from Port Moresby to Nadzab, New Guinea. The squadron is operating from Tsili Tsili, New Guinea with C-47's.

Sunday, 10 October, 1943
In New Guinea, A-20's, along with RAAF airplanes, again pound the Sattelberg area. During the night of 10/11 Oct, B-25's hit Saumlakki on Tanimbar Island in the Moluccas Islands. HQ 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group arrives at Sydney, New South Wales, Australia from the US. The ground echelon of the 20th Combat Mapping Squadron, 4th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance), arrives at Sydney, New South Wales, Australia from the US. The squadron is attached to the 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group and will be reassigned to the 6th on 5 Dec 43. The air echelon, with B-24's and F-7's, will remain in the US until 26 January 1944. The 70th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group, transfers from Port Moresby to Nadzab, New Guinea with C-47's.

Monday, 11 October, 1943
In New Guinea, B-24's attack the towns of Manokwari, Bira, and Fak Fak and score hits on a small vessel at Fak Fak. During the night of 11/12 Oct, B-25's bomb Cape Chater Airfield and Lautem on Timor Island.

Tuesday, 12 October, 1943
The Allied Air Force begins a major air offensive against Rabaul on New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago with the aim of isolating and neutralizing it. Almost 350 B-24's, B-25's, P-38's, and RAAF airplanes pound the town, harbor, and airfields in the area; over 50 Japanese aircraft are destroyed, 3 ships are sunk and several damaged, and several small harbor craft are sunk. B-25's fly small strikes against targets on Timor Island and other areas of the Netherlands East Indies.

Wednesday, 13 October, 1943
On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, more than 100 B-24's and B-25's are sent against Rabaul; bad weather forces the bombers to turn back, but over B-24's hit targets including Hoskins, Lindenhafen, Cape Gloucester and Gasmata Island off the south coast of New Britain Island.

Thursday, 14 October, 1943
More than medium bombers pound Cape Gloucester on New Britain Island and Alexishafen, New Guinea. 3 others fly harassing strikes against Dili and Lautem on Timor Island.

Friday, 15 October, 1943
In New Guinea, over 50 P-38's and P-40's intercept around 100 Japanese aircraft attacking Allied shipping in Oro Bay; the US fighters claim 40+ shot down; 4 other P-40's, encountering over 20 Japanese airplanes East of Finschhafen, claim 5 destroyed; and more than 70 medium bombers hit positions and villages from Sio to Saidor. 6 B-24's bomb Boela on Ceram Island in the Moluccas Islands. HQ 22d Bombardment Group and it's 33d and 408th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) transfer from Australia to Dobodura, New Guinea with B-25's; the 22d and 33d transfer from Woodstock, Australia and the 408th from Reid River, Australia.

Saturday, 16 October, 1943
In New Guinea, more than 60 B-25's attack the Alexishafen area, hit coastal targets between Reiss Point and Sio, and bomb the airfield at Wewak. A-20's bomb and strafe Gasmata Island off New Britain Island. A lone B-24 destroys a patrol craft between Hoskins and Rabaul on New Britain Island.

Sunday, 17 October, 1943
In New Guinea, 18 A-20's and B-25's bomb and strafe Sattelberg and 7 B-25's hit Wewak and Boram Airfield with a low-level attack during which 15 aircraft are destroyed on the ground and 4 claimed shot down. 4 P-39's intercept 18 airplanes attacking Finschhafen, claiming 6 shot down. more than 40 fighters intercept a large group of enemy aircraft attempting to attack Oro Bay; US fighters claim 24 shot down. 6 B-24's bomb Ternate Island in the Moluccas, a 2,200-mile (3,520 km) round trip.

Monday, 18 October, 1943
On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, nearly 80 B-24's and fighters sent against Rabaul on New Britain Island are forced to abort by bad weather; however, over 50 B-25's slip beneath low clouds and pound the town, airfields, and shipping from treetop and mast-height level; the B-25's sink 2 vessels and claim over 70 planes destroyed on the ground and in the air; 13 of the B-24's bomb Cape Hoskins; 7 others bomb Cape Gloucester and hit Sio, New Guinea. B-25's bomb and strafe a road at Bogadjim, New Guinea.

Tuesday, 19 October, 1943
On New Guinea, A-20's and RAAF airplanes hit Sattelberg and surrounding areas and bomb Gasmata Island off New Britain Island; enemy air raid against Finschhafen causes no effective damage. B-25's and RAAF Hudsons bomb Fuiloro on Timor Island.

Wednesday, 20 October, 1943
In New Guinea, B-25's bomb and strafe the Bogadjim area; B-24's hit 2 freighters near Manokwari and bomb the Manokwari area; and an attack on Finschhafen by 30 Japanese aircraft causes minor damage. A-20's hit Gasmata Island off New Britain Island.

Thursday, 21 October, 1943
In New Guinea, over 50 B-24's bomb positions at Sattelberg; 19 B-25's follow with a low-level strike: other B-25's carry out a sweep along the Bogadjim road. In the Bismarck Archipelago, P-40's bomb Gasmata Island off New Britain Island and attack 2 light cruisers off New Ireland Island, damaging 1 of them.

Friday, 22 October, 1943
In New Guinea, over 20 B-25's carry out a low-level attack on the Wewak area, sinking 2 small freighters, and strafing barges and airplanes; Madang is strafed by 4 P-39's and 2 Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boomerangs. more than 50 P-40's hit Gasmata Island off New Britain Island. 11 B-24's bomb Pombelaa nickel mines on Celebes Island.

Saturday, 23 October, 1943
Some 40 B-24's escorted by P-38's, bomb Rapopo airstrip on New Britain Island, destroying about 20 airplanes on the ground; 20 enemy interceptors are claimed shot down. 9 B-25's hit the Bogadjim area in New Guinea.

Sunday, 24 October, 1943
On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, at least 45 bombers are destroyed on the ground at Vunakanau, Rapopo, and Tobera airstrips during attacks by over 50 B-25's; the B-25's and 50+ escorting P-38's claim more than 40 Japanese airplanes shot down. On New Guinea, A-20's hit enemy positions in the Lae area and B-24's carry out a light attack on Manokwari.

Monday, 25 October, 1943
Over 60 B-24's bomb the Rabaul area on New Britain Island, destroying over 20 airplanes on the ground. Of the 60-70 fighters which intercept, the B-24's claim more than 30 shot down. In New Guinea, A-20's hit positions near Lae and B-24's carry out a light strike against Manokwari.

Tuesday, 26 October, 1943
B-24's fly a small raid against Pombelaa on Celebes Island; fighters shoot down 2 B-24's; US gunners claim 11 aircraft downed. B-25's hit targets in Tanimbar Island in the Moluccas Islands.

Wednesday, 27 October, 1943
In New Guinea, P-40's and P-39's intercept an escorted Japanese bomber force dropping supplies over the Sattelberg area; the US fighters claim 12 airplanes downed. A-20's hit harbor and supply dump area at Gasmata Island off New Britain Island.

Thursday, 28 October, 1943
P-40's hit Gasmata Island off New Britain Island. P-47's attack barges at Talasea on New Britain Island and strafe surrounding area. In New Guinea, P-47's also strafe the area from Sio to Fortification Point.

Friday, 29 October, 1943
37 B-24's, escorted by 53 P-38's, pound Rabaul area on New Britain Island, claiming 45 airplanes destroyed on the ground and in the air. 17 B-25's hit the Madang, New Guinea area. P-47's attack shipping in Hansa Bay, New Guinea area and strafe the Cape Gloucester area on New Britain Island. B-25's sink a vessel off Tanimbar Island in the Moluccas Islands while B-24's bomb Selaroe airstrip on Tanimbar and attack the Waroe Bay area of New Guinea. The 8th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group, transfers from Tsili Tsili to Gusap, New Guinea with P-47's. The 63d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy) transfers from Port Moresby to Dobodura, New Guinea with B-24's.

Saturday, 30 October, 1943
B-25's strafe barges in Rein Bay on New Britain Island.

Sunday, 31 October, 1943
P-40's sink a barge off the New Britain Island coast. The 65th Troop Carrier Squadron, 54th Troop Carrier Wing, ceases operating from Tsili Tsili and returns to it's base at Nadzab, New Guinea with C-47's.

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