LSD Use Pioneered

September

WED 1 SEP 1943
Pacific
Naval Air Station, Kahului, Maui, T.H., is established.

Army occupation troops (804th Aviation Battalion) land on Baker Island, supported by TF 11 (Rear Admiral Willis A. Lee, Jr.), formed around small carriers Princeton (CVL 23) and Belleau Wood (CVL 24). Ashland (LSD 1) in this operation pioneers the use of the dock landing ship.

Destroyer Wadsworth (DD-516) sinks Japanese submarine I-182 off Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, 15°38'N, 166°57'E.

Submarine Pompano (SS-181) sinks Japanese merchant vessel Nankai Maru off Miyako.

Atlantic
Navy assumes full responsibility for airborne antisubmarine operations by U.S. forces in Atlantic.