TF 50 Friendly Fire

SAT 4 DEC 1943
Pacific
TF 50 (Rear Admiral Charles A. Pownall) attacks Japanese installations on Kwajalein and Wotje Atolls, Marshalls. Planes from Lexington (CV-16) and small carrier Independence (CVL 22) sink collier Asakaze Maru, cargo ship Tateyama Maru, auxiliary submarine chaser No.7 Takunan Maru, and guardboat No.5 Mikuni Maru and damage light cruisers Nagara and Isuzu, stores ship Kinezaki, auxiliary vessel Fujikawa Maru, and transports Eiko Maru, Kenbu Maru, and No.18 Mikage Maru.

During Japanese retaliatory air strikes, three U.S. ships suffer damage: carrier Lexington (CV-16) by aerial torpedo, 13°30'N, 171°25'E; light cruiser Mobile (CL-63) when one of her 5-inch mounts accidentally fires into one of her own 40-millimeter mounts, 12°47'N, 170°57'E; and destroyer Taylor (DD-468) by friendly fire from light cruiser Oakland (CL-95), 10°00'N, 170°00'E.

Submarine Apogon (SS-308) sinks Japanese gunboat Daido Maru northeast of Ponape, 08°22'N, 159°02'E.

Submarine Gunnel (SS-253) sinks Japanese transport Hiyoshi Maru northeast of Haha Jima, 29°436'N, 145°54'E, and eludes counterattacks by destroyer Inazuma.

Submarine Sailfish (SS-192) torpedoes and sinks Yokosuka-bound Japanese escort carrier Chuyo southeast of Honshu, 32°27'N, 143°49'E. Unbeknown to Sailfish, Chuyo is carrying survivors from sistership Sculpin (SS-191).

Japanese seaplane carrier Sanuki Maru is damaged by mine, Pomelaa, [++sic] as she sails for Singapore.