Thursday, 16 July 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Seadragon (SS-194), attacking Japanese convoy off coast of French Indochina, sinks merchant cargo ship Hakodate Maru north of Cape Varella, 12°55'N, 109°29'E.

ATLANTIC—Advanced Group, Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet (Rear Admiral Andrew C. Bennett) is established to conduct amphibious training in Great Britain.

            Unarmed U.S. fishing boat Gertrude is sunk (demolition charge or gunfire) by German submarine U-166 approximately 30 miles northeast of Havana, Cuba, 23°32'N, 82°00'E (see 19 July).

            U.S. freighter William F. Humphrey battles German auxiliary cruiser Michel (Schiffe 28) in the South Atlantic about 800 miles west of the mouth of the Congo River, 05°37'S, 00°56'E, but is sunk by gunfire and torpedoes (the latter fired by motor torpedo boat Elsan (LS 4) after a gallant fight. Of the seven man Armed Guard, two sailors are killed while a third is wounded; Michel recovers 26 merchant seamen and 3 Armed Guard sailors, but the rest of the survivors manage to avoid capture (see 22 July).

            U.S. steamship Fairport, in Persian Gulf-bound convoy AS 4, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-161 at 27°12'N, 64°30'W; destroyer Kearny (DD-432) rescues all hands: 43 man crew, 16 man Armed Guard, and 66 passengers.

            Survivors (17 crewmen and one passenger) from unarmed U.S. freighter Raphael Semmes, sunk by German submarine U-332 on 28 June, are rescued by U.S. freighter Explorer.

GULF OF MEXICO—U.S. tanker Pennsylvania Sun's master and three of his officers and a salvage party reboard their ship (torpedoed the previous day by U-571) and, aided by salvage vessel Willett (ARS-12) quell the remaining fires and save the ship, which is towed to port. Repaired, she subsequently returns to service.

CARIBBEAN—Survivors of U.S. freighter Tachira, sunk by German submarine U-129 on 12 July, reach Punta Herrera, Mexico.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

TENTH AF—4 B‑25’s from Kweilin, with P‑40 escort, bomb storage area at Hankow, starting a fire that is later reported to have burned 3 days. The Medium Bombers land at Hengyang during return flight to refuel, but are attacked by Japanese airplanes and have to take off immediately. Amidst the confusion a P‑40 pilot mistakes a B‑25 for a Japanese aircraft and shoots it down, the first bomber lost since CATF began operations in China. The crew is saved.

FIFTH AF—1 B‑17 bombs Salamaua.

SEVENTH AF—B‑17’s of 11th Bomb Group begin leaving Hickam Field for S Pacific.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—Breaks off consular relations with Finland, effective 1 August 1942. General Harmon, with small forward echelon of USAFISPA, starts air journey from Washington to S Pacific.

PACIFIC—Admiral Ghormley issues Operation Plan No. 1-42, covering Task One of projected offensive. TF’s 61 and 63 are formed. TF 61, under Vice Admiral Frank J. Fletcher, is the Solomons Expeditionary Force, which includes Air Support Force under Rear Admiral Leigh Noyes and Amphibious Force commanded by Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner. TF 63, under Admiral McCain, consists of all Allied land based aircraft in S Pacific.

EGYPT—30 Corps of British Eighth Army enlarges salient W of El ‘Alamein with capture of ridge 3 miles W of railway station. 13 Corps exerts pressure against S flank of enemy.

US MARINE CORPS

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