Northwest African Air Forces (NAAF). North West African
Photo Reconnaissance Wing continues coverage of areas of
mainland Italy, Sicily, and Sardinia.
Fifth Air Force. United States Army Air Force (USAAF) B-25
Mitchell medium bombers bomb Koepang and Oeikoesi and, along
with A-20 Havoc light bombers, hit barges and shore targets
at several points along coasts of Northeast New Guinea and
New Britain.
Thirteenth Air Force. General Jamison becomes Commanding
General XIII Bomber Command. Search aircraft report nearly
250 Japanese aeroplanes at Rabaul and other airfields jammed
with aircraft. In air action in the Solomons, about 120
Japanese aircraft converging on Allied vessels off Tulagi
and Guadalcanal are met by more than 100 Allied fighters
(Thirteenth Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF),
USN, and United States Marine Corps (USMC)). The skies over
Savo Island, Tulagi, Cape Esperance, and Koli Point are
filled with dogfights and flak from ship and ground guns.
The battle results in the largest single day Allied aerial
victory of the Solomons campaign. 79 aeroplanes are claimed
shot down by Allied fighters, and antiaircraft claims 17
more. 6 Allied fighters are lost. The Japanese succeed in
damaging 3 ships (2 of which have to be beached) and cause
considerable destruction on Guadalcanal.
M307
Minesweeper
Launched 16 June 1943
Go To: 17th
June
Articles:
The Second Great War.
Edited by Sir John Hamilton
The War Illustrated.
Edited by Sir John Hamilton
2194 Days Of War.
ISBN-10: 086136614X
For a complete list of
sources