August 12, 1943

Events that happened on August 12th, 1943.

US Army Air Force B-24 Liberator bombers struck the Japanese Kurile Islands. Of the nine plane strike force, two failed to return.

Naval bombardment and air strikes continued to be carried out against Japanese occupied Kiska Island, Alaska Territory. On August 15th, the island would be invaded by American forces.

Meanwhile in Washington DC on August 12, 1943, crowds gathered for a film. At the Warner's Earle Theater Irving Berlin's movie This Is The Army premiered.

S/SGT Grigori, tail gunner aboard B-17F-90BO 42-30142 of the 384th BG(H), was awarded the Silver Star for the 12 August, 1943 mission flown against a synthetic petroleum refinery at Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Enemy fighters had blasted the tailgunner position of this Flying Fortress fifteen minutes before the formation had even reached the target. S/SGT Gregori, though gravely wounded and without heat to his suit, stayed at his post manning the machine guns and protecting his crewmates until the guns themselves were disabled. The co-pilot attempted to administer morphine to Grigori but the syrettes had frozen in the frigid air at 26,000ft. First aid though was rendered to staunch the flow of blood from the multiple wounds and to keep Grigori warm by using blankets. S/SGT Grigori survived this mission. On a follow-on mission, 1st Lt Hausenfluck and 2d Lt MacKenzie, pilot and co-pilot, were killed on 17 August, 1943. Their plane, after repair, was transferred to the 388th BG(H).

Very honorable mention is this blog. Guy recovers from flea markets photographs. Amongst that trove were WWII ETO pictures of aircraft like B-17s, P-47s, P-51s, P-61s. Enjoy.