DATE: 8 September, 1943.

TIME: Takeoff 1337, time over target 1357, pancake 1520

NATURE OF MISSION: Strafing.

PLACE: Kahili Airfield. Between Ropa Point and Waugh Rock off coast of northeast KOLOMBANGARA.

ENEMY: No interceptions.

RESULTS:

ENEMY LOSSES: A 65 foot Jap barge was destroyed.

OWN LOSSES: None.

NARRITIVE OF ACCOUNT:
.....The Jap barge was not at same location as had been previously reported, but it was located near by, off coast of northeast KOLOMBANGARA, between Ropa Point and Waugh Rook, on the first strafing run by the above flight of 4 F4Us, the barge was set on fire, and on succeeding runs the barge exploded.

REMARKS:
.....This same flight heard over their radio that Sirius Base had observed an explosion in the vicinity of the above-mentioned barge, which likely it was the same barge explosion. They observed the PT boats still burning on northern tip of Vella Lavella that had been destroyed by other PT boats of last night when they ran on a reef. They observed 2 PT boats going east. Just south of WANA WANA. They observed 3 barges on western coast of Vella Lavella that looked like Jap barges, between Back Rock and Serulando Pt., but permission to strafe then was turned down, as friendly territory. There was thunderhead over Vella Lavella. They further observed what looked like B-24s with 8 VF escorts. They tried to get closer to those planes, but they went in the thunderhead.

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