Navy Department Communique No. 288

FEBRUARY 21, 1943

1. The U. S. submarine Argonaut has failed to return from patrol operations and must be presumed to be lost. The next of kin of personnel in the Argonaut have been so informed.

North Pacific.

2. On February. 20th a U. S. naval unit operating in the western Aleutians engaged and sank a Japanese supply ship.

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

3. On February 19th and 20th U. S. aircraft executed a number of bombing attacks on Japanese airfields at Vila, on Kolombangara Island and at Munda on New Georgia Island. Large fires were started and hits were scored on antiaircraft installations. One U. S. plane failed to return from these attack missions.
4. The U. S. destroyer, which was announced in Navy Department Communiqué No. 282 as having been sunk on February 1st, 1943, by Japanese air attack, south of Savo Island, was the U. S. S. De Haven. The next of kin of those killed, wounded, and missing have been notified.