History Question: where did this happen?

[Adam Lewis]

I'm transcribing the WW2 diary of a USMC pilot. He was in VMF-111 in the Samoan Islands when he posted this cryptic entry on Sept 9, 1943:

"Nanmounea bombed, 1 1/2 hours, daylight - 13 killed."

Might have been a place in the American or British Samoa islands.
I can't find any reference to this raid. Do you know about it? A bit of a deep dive but I've found all other incidents he wrote about.


Adam Lewis

[historyguy]

I had some mixed results. I can tell you:

On September 9, 1943 VMF-111 was stationed on Upolu Island, British Samoa, and the squadron had no deaths for September 1943.

He could be misspelling "Nanumea," Ellice Islands. MAG-13 had a detachment there in September 1943, though I could not find any proof that VMF-111 sent planes there.

The Japanese bombed Nanumea on September 7th, causing casualties.

That doesn't really answer your question, but it is what I found.

PS: Unfortunately most of VMF-111's records were destroyed in 1944, so there likely is no War Diary to consult.

[Adam Lewis]

You Nailed it!

I had some mixed results. I can tell you:

On September 9, 1943 VMF-111 was stationed on Upolu Island, British Samoa, and the squadron had no deaths for September 1943.

He could be misspelling "Nanumea," Ellice Islands. MAG-13 had a detachment there in September 1943, though I could not find any proof that VMF-111 sent planes there.

The Japanese bombed Nanumea on September 7th, causing casualties.

That doesn't really answer your question, but it is what I found.

PS: Unfortunately most of VMF-111's records were destroyed in 1944, so there likely is no War Diary to consult.

Thanks a lot. The pilot was not always accurate when he wrote place names after hearing them. I'm sure this is the place.
The Ellice Islands was part of 'their patrol territory'. I looked up their companion squadron VMF-441 and found they were deployed to Nanomea in late Sept '43. The pilot's prior diary entry is dated Sept 7 so he may not have heard of the raid by then. It all fits together.
I really appreciate the help, History Guy.
Adam