The British Royal Air Force (RAF) bombers made another heavy
raid on Spezia naval dockyard and barracks.
Northwest African Air Forces (NAAF). During
17-18
April 1943, Wellingtons bomb Tunis docks and marshalling yard.
During day, over 75 B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers attack
Boccadifalco airfield and Palermo marshalling yard while B-25
Mitchell medium bombers hit Alghero-Fertilia airfield and
shipping at Porto Torres. P-38 Lightning fighters escort the
B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers and B-25 Mitchell medium
bombers . Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAF) Bisleys
hit La Marsa landing ground while fighters fly reconnaissance
and scramble missions. Northwest African Coastal Air Force
(NACAF) fighters fly reconnaissance and patrols, attacking
vessels, troop columns, and trucks in Tunisian coastal area,
and Beaufighters attack Decimomannu airfield.
Ninth Air Force. 57th Fighter Group is credited with 77 Luftwaffe
Junkers
Ju
52 transports and 16 of their escorting fighters over
Cap Bon area. B-24 Liberator heavy bombers attack Catania.
P-40 fighters fly sweeps, armed reconnaissance, escort, and
fighter-bomber missions. B-25 Mitchell medium bombers hit
landing grounds.
Fourteenth Air Force. United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
P-40 fighters strafe enemy held supply village Southeast of
Tengchung.
Fifth Air Force. United States Army Air Force (USAAF) B-25
Mitchell medium bombers bomb airfields at Penfoei. Single
B-24 Liberator heavy bombers hit Finschhafen and Saidor area.
Thirteenth Air Force. Major John W Mitchell leads flight of
16 P-38 Lightning fighters (2 others abort) on a low-level,
circuitous, over water trip from Guadalcanal to a spot up
the Bougainville coast from Kahili to intercept flight of
Admiral Yamamoto, head of Imperial Japanese Navy, who, according
to United States intelligence, is on an inspection trip in
the South Pacific and is due in Ballale at 0945. Admiral Yamamoto's
well-known punctuality is calculated to allow the interception
to take place at 0935 at a point 35 miles from Kahili. 2 hours
and 15 minutes after takeoff at 0725, as the P-38 Lightning
fighters streak toward Bougainville at almost sea level, the
flight of 2 bombers and 6 Zeros appears just ahead. The 4-aircraft
attack section under Captain Thomas G Lanphier Jr bores in.
The Zeros spot the attacking P-38 Lightning fighters at about
1 mile and try in vain to cut off the attack as the bombers
attempt to escape. In the air battle, Captain Lanphier and
1st Lieutenant Rex T Barber shoot down the bomber carrying
Admiral Yamamoto.
Eleventh Air Force. 22 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
P-38 Lightning fighters (some flown by Royal Canadian Air
Force (RCAF) pilots), and 37 P-40 fighters hit Kiska 9 times.
Submarine base and gun emplacements on North Head are bombed
and gun emplacements near submarine base are silenced.
M346
Minesweeper
Commissioned 18 April 1943
Go To: 19th
April
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
