Monday, 22 June 1942

US NAVY

CARIBBEAN—Unarmed U.S. tanker E.J. Sadler is shelled by German submarine U-159 about 175 miles south of the Windward Passage, 15°36'N, 67°52'W, and abandoned. After the 36 survivors take to their lifeboats, a boarding party from U-159 sinks the tanker with demolition charges (see 23 June).

GULF OF MEXICO—Unarmed U.S. tanker Rawleigh Warner is torpedoed by German submarine U-67 approximately 40 miles south of South Pass, Louisiana, 28°53'N, 89°15'W; ignition of the ship's cargo of 38,909 barrels of gasoline incinerates the ship and her crew. There are no survivors from the 33 merchant seamen who comprise her complement.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

ELEVENTH AF—A B‑17 weather reconnaissance aircraft flies over Kiska. Fighters fly Air Base patrols. Bombing mission is canceled due to weather.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—Japanese submarine shells Fort Stevens military reservation in Oregon at mouth of Columbia River, doing no damage. The shelling is the first foreign attack on a continental military installation since the War of 1812 and the only one of World War II.

War Department orders all units and individuals under General Stilwell’s command assigned under a permanent change of station to American Army Forces in “India, China, and Burma” rather than to Army Group, Washington, D.C. This is the first step in the evolution of a U.S. theater of operations on the Asiatic mainland.

SOUTH WEST PACIFIC AREA—Maj General Robert L. Eichelberger is named commander of U.S. I Corps, replacing Maj General Charles F. Thompson. I Corps eventually comes under operational command of General Blarney, Commander Allied Land Forces. General MacArthur authorizes small airfield at Merauke, on S coast of Dutch New Guinea, to protect Port Moresby from the W. Initial force to garrison Milne Bay, New Guinea (2 companies and a machine gun platoon on loan from Australian 14th Brigade at Port Moresby, sails from Port Moresby.

INDIA—First CO of US Army Forces CBI (USAFCBI) SOS Base Section 2 assumes his duties at Calcutta.

EGYPT-LIBYA—British Eighth Army begins withdrawal to Matruh without interference as enemy reorganizes. Small enemy force moves into Bardia. General Auchinleck visits Eighth Army HQ,

USSR—German Army Group South begins limited attack in Izyum area to improve positions E of the Donets; continues battle for Sevastopol. Fall of the last of the northern coastal forts at Sevastopol is announced.

US MARINE CORPS

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