16 Mar 1943
![Track chart featuring the movements of USS Nicholas during the action of 16 Mar 1943 in Kula Gulf, Solomon Islands.](/images/imagemagick/tmb_64894c041cbf0.jpg)
![SBD-4 & SBD-5 Dauntlesses join USAAF as A-24A Banshees at Douglas Aircraft Co’s El Segundo Plant, Mar 16 1943. Note two experimental XSB2D-1 torpedo bomber prototypes against the back fence 3 weeks before its maiden flight.](/images/imagemagick/tmb_50f912ff3c6c3.jpg)
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Saipan, departing later on the same day. ww2dbase [Hikawa Maru | CPC]
- 27 Allied ships were destroyed in the Atlantic Ocean on this date, 8 of which were of Allied convoy HX-229. ww2dbase [TH]
- Joseph Stalin demanded the western Allies to open a second front in Europe. ww2dbase [Joseph Stalin | CPC]
- Operational trials of the 37-mm Flak gun-armed German Ju 87G anti-tank aircraft began on the Eastern Front. ww2dbase [Ju 87 Stuka | AC]
- HMS Campobello was abandoned and scuttled after suffering irreparable leaks whilst engaged in escorting convoy SC-122. ww2dbase [AC]
- USS Permit completed her seventh war patrol. ww2dbase [Permit | CPC]
- Alpino Bagnolini sighted an aircraft in the Atlantic Ocean at 0410 hours; she submerged to avoid detection. At 0501 hours, she resurfaced. At 0510 hours, after finding herself illuminated by a searchlight, she crash dived. She returned to the surface at 0600 hours, only to be illuminated by multiple searchlights one minute later, and she crash dived again; a megaphone was stuck in the conning tower hatch, preventing it from closing properly, and twenty tons of water entered the submarine. Unable to submerge, she made a successful escape on the surface. ww2dbase [Alpino Bagnolini | CPC]
- Repair ship Akashi began repairing transport Noshiro Maru at Truk, Caroline Islands. ww2dbase [Akashi | Truk | CPC]
- Shortly after midnight, destroyers USS Nicholas, USS Taylor, USS Radford, and USS Strong formed a bombardment line in Kula Gulf offshore of the Japanese airstrip at Vila, Kolombangara, Solomon Islands and shelled the airstrip. The destroyers rejoined the cruiser group later that day. ww2dbase [Solomon Islands Campaign | Nicholas | Kolombangara, Solomon Islands | DS]
![Track chart featuring the movements of USS Nicholas during the action of 16 Mar 1943 in Kula Gulf, Solomon Islands.](/images/imagemagick/tmb_64894c041cbf0.jpg)
![SBD-4 & SBD-5 Dauntlesses join USAAF as A-24A Banshees at Douglas Aircraft Co’s El Segundo Plant, Mar 16 1943. Note two experimental XSB2D-1 torpedo bomber prototypes against the back fence 3 weeks before its maiden flight.](/images/imagemagick/tmb_50f912ff3c6c3.jpg)
![This TBF-1 Avenger attempted to land on the carrier USS Charger but missed the arresting wires and ended up tangled in the port catwalk, Chesapeake Bay, United States, 16 Mar 1943. Note US Coast Guard boats alongside.](/images/imagemagick/tmb_570d8023a878a.jpg)
16 Mar 1943 Interactive Map
Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis
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