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6 June 1942

More American B-25 and B-26 bombers flew off from Port Moresby yesterday with their lethal cargoes to be dropped on the airfield at Lae, Papua New Guinea. The strength of this raid was greater than the day before.

"We will increase the pressure until that base is closed permanently," said a spokesman at 5th Air Force headquarters. "And we expect that to occur shortly."

Asked about the results of this latest air attack, the official replied, "Better than the day before, I'd say."

In other news, the 5th Air Force liaison officer said that one of the American planes patrolling north of Rabaul over New Ireland reported bombing and hitting an enemy transport. This Japanese ship was indentified as the Tien Lee. No details were available regarding the extent of damage this vessel sustained.

8 June 1942

The 5th Air Force kept up its campaign to wreck the facilities at the Japanese base of Lae yesterday, hitting the airfield there with increased ferocity.

Fifth Air Force liaison personnel stated that the results of the latest raid on this backwater Papua installation were encouraging.

Allied bombers out of northern Australia continued to hit at the airfield and port of Koepang on Timor Island.

9-11 June 1942

Allied officials indicated there has been no letup in their offensive against Japanese installations at Lae, Papua New Guinea, and the port of Rabaul. "We're still hitting those two sites regularly," a 5th Air Force spokesman said. "There's been no real change, except that two days ago the Nips challenged us with some Oscars over Rabaul. But our Super Fortresses were up to it and the attack went in as planned."

12 June 1942

Officials said a Japanese submarine, identified as I-1, was sighted and attacked off the entrance to Milne Bay the day before yesterday. Subsequent reports confirm this enemy boat later sank from damage sustained in these attacks.

Yesterday, another 5th Air Force raid on Rabaul resulted in a least one hit on a Japanese freighter in that port. No details were available on damage inflicted. Also, two enemy patrol craft in the Solomon Islands apparently hit Allied mines and reportedly sank as a result.

13-14 June 1942

The air campaign directed at Rabaul has continued over the past two days, officials said today. These attacks have gone in at night and have been directed at the port facilities and any shipping which still remains in the harbor. No further details were available.

In northern Australia, air attacks out of Derby and Wyndham continued to hammer at Koepang on Timor Island, though the tempo of these offensive actions has been scaled back since last week when the base there was judged to be closed.

15 June 1942

The port of Rabaul was hit again last night according to the 5th Air Force liaison officer, with a Japanese freighter damaged in the attack. "We believe we hit Taga Maru at least one time," said the officer. "The exact damage is impossible to tell, of course, at night and from about two miles up, but I'm told she didn't get off lightly."

United States Navy sources said that Japanese submarine I-28 was spotted and attacked yesterday in the early morning hours about 500 miles west of San Diego.

"Yes, the Jap was apparently ready to make a surface attack on one of our routine supply convoys when it was spotted by the escorts," a Navy spokesman said. "An immediate counterattack was commenced, and within half an hour they'd reduced it to an oil slick."

16 June 1942

The 5th Air Force shifted its focus yesterday morning and ordered B-17s to bomb Kavieng on New Ireland instead of the regular target, Rabaul.

Officials said the attack was successful in its aim, which was to neutralize enemy fighter strength in the area. "The Japanese can't park their fighters at Rabaul anymore," said a spokesman for 5th Air Force, "so they're flying from Kavieng to provide long-range combat air patrols over Rabaul. This raid was an attempt to get at those figher assets situated at Kavieng."

18 June 1942

Fifth Air Force B-17s out of Port Moresby hit the port of Rabaul again yesterday.

"With the airfields closed, our purpose at the moment is to attrit the enemy there on a daily basis," said the Army Air Force liaison officer. "And we're doing just that."

A mixed force of Blenheim and Hudson bombers flying out of Chandpur attacked Japanese formations at Pagan, Burma yesterday as well.

A British official said the raid came off as planned. "We caught them napping. There was very little resistance, and so our boys went in and did them right for a change!"

The remote American outpost of Baker Island in the central Pacific received attention from the enemy as well.

A Navy spokesman said the Japanese were beaten off easily by the defense.