June 9, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 9 JUNE 1942

AVG: Flight Leader Peter Wright of the 2nd Squadron claimed a reconaissance bomber 100-200 kilometers northeast of Hengyang. This is likely the last aerial victory claim by the AVG.

ALASKA (11th Air Force): Patrols are flown but encounter no aircraft.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, 7th Air Force): Brigadier General Howard C. Davidson, Commanding General VII Fighter Command, also becomes Commanding General 7th Air Force.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): After midnight shortly after take off from Whenuapai Airfield crashed is B-17E "Texas Tornado" 41-2667 (KIA). B-17s, B-25s, and B-26s attack Lae and Salamaua. Shot down is A6M2 Zero pilot Yoshino (MIA). Lost are B-26 "The Virginian" 40-1508 (MIA) and P-400 pilot 1st Lt. Eugune "Gene" A. Wahl (survived). On the return to base, B-26 "Southern Cross" 40-1363 force lands at 7-Mile Drome, its crew safe and is later repaired. Slightly damaged is B-25C 41-12449.

U.S. Navy: Submarine Trout (SS-202) picks up two survivors from sunken Japanese heavy cruiser Mikuma.

Naval Operating Base, Kodiak, Alaska, is established.

LtCdr Lyndon B. Johnson on a congressional inspection tour, was a passenger aboard B-26 40-1588 on a bombing mission bound for Lae but has engine trouble and aborts the mission. Inexplicably, Johnson receives Silver Star for "gallantry." He goes on to become the 36th President of the United States.