April 28, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
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TUESDAY, 28 APRIL 1942

AVG: General Chennault anticipated a big attack on Loiwing on April 28, 1942 the day before the birthday of Emperor Hirohito. His prediction became a reality when, at 10:30, two dozen Ki-21s from 12th Sentai and 20 escorting Ki-43s from 64th Sentai approached, to find the AVG already up and waiting for them in strength. As the P-40s attacked, First Lieutenant Masashi Kataoka (Class 53) was shot down and killed, while Corporal Y. Hirano was shot-up and reportedly collided with a pursuing P-40, both pilots baling out; Hirano returned to his base, on foot, six days later but there is no record of an AVG aircraft having been lost on this date, apart from that flown by Robert T. Smith, which ran out of fuel.

The AVG pilots claimed no fewer than 15 'Model 0s' shot down, plus one probable and two damaged. Apparently they had all dived and attacked at once, probably all firing together at the same pair of aircraft. Their claims were: 2nd Squadron: Squadron Leader Tex Hill two, Flight Leader Lewis Bishop four and Flight Leader Tom Jones one: 3rd Squadron: Flight Leader Ken Jernstedt one, Flight Leader Charles Older two, Flight Leader Robert T. Smith one, Flight Leader Tom Haywood and Vice-Squadron Leader Parker Dupouy one shared, Ed Overend one and one damaged, Frank Adkins one, Flight Leader Paul Greene one and one damaged, Squadron Leader Arvid Olson one probable.

RAAF: Six Kittyhawks took off at 10:36am to intercept eight Japanese bombers escorted by A6M2 Zeros over Port Moresby.  During the combat two were lost: P-40E Kittyhawk A29-8 pilot S/L John F. Jackson (KIA) and P-40E "Sweet Adeline" A29-47 pilot F/Lt B. M. Cox (MIA).  P-40E Kittyhawk pilot F/O Brereton was wounded and his plane severely damaged but landed safely. Lost is A6M2 Zero 1575 pilot PO3c Yoshimitsu Maeda (POW).

U.S. Navy: USS Yorktown CV-5 departs Tongatabu Harbor on bound for the Coral Sea as part of Task Force 11 (TF 11) under the command of Rear Admiral Aubrey W. Fitch.

USMC: Major General Charles F. B. Price arrived with his staff at Pago Pago to command the Headquarters Samoan Area Defense Force.