Bougainville Campaign
On May 19, 1943 planes from VMSB-143 and the Navy's Torpedo Squadron 11 (VT-11) strafed and bombed the Japanese cargo ship Hōun Maru causing it to run aground in Buin Harbor. The squadron was re-designated as Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron 143 (VMTB-143) on May 31, 1943. On October 1, 1943 the flight echelon of the squadron was divided into three parts in order to support the Bougainville Campaign. These echelons were based at Guadalcanal, Espiritu Santo, and Munda Airfield. In January 1944 the squadron moved to Bougainville and from there participated in airstrikes against the Japanese garrison at Rabaul.