Tuesday, 21 July 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Japanese forces occupy Buna, New Guinea, having been frustrated in their attempt to capture Port Moresby by sea (first at Lae-Salamaua and then at the Battle of the Coral Sea) in the first step of an overland campaign to take the same objective.

            U.S. freighter Coast Farmer is sunk by Japanese submarine I-11 in the South Pacific at 35°23'S, 151°00'E. RAAF crash boat rescues the 40 survivors (who include the 7 man Armed Guard).

GULF OF MEXICO—U.S. freighter William Cullen Bryant, in convoy TAW 4J, is torpedoed by German submarine U-84 in the Straits of Florida, 24°08'N, 82°23'W; all hands (40 man crew, 12 man Armed Guard, and 2 USN signalmen) abandon ship but later reboard the freighter; salvage vessel Willett (ARS-12) and civilian tug Moran tow William Cullen Bryant to Key West, Florida. She subsequently returns to service.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

UNITED STATES—Roosevelt calls Admiral Leahy, Ambassador to France and former Chief of Naval Operations, to serve as CoS to CinC of US Army and Navy.

EIGHTH AF—General Eisenhower assigns to Eighth AF the mission of carrying out, in collaboration with RAF, the degree of air ops with the view of attaining air domination over W France by 1 Apr 43.

FIFTH AF—B‑26’s attack convoy off Salamaua as invasion force heads for Buna, where it begins landings during 21/22 Jul. This move by the enemy forestalls Allied ops which were to have secured the same general area.

SOUTH PACIFIC—Initial squadron of B‑17’s of 11th Bomb Group arrives at Plaines des Gaiacs from Hawaii.

ELEVENTH AF—4 B‑24’s fly search and bomb missions over Kiska but make no contact because of weather.

US ARMY

PACIFIC—Solomons Expeditionary Force (TF 61) is ordered to rendezvous SE of Fiji Islands. on 26 July. Allied planes sight and attack enemy convoy approaching New Guinea, despite poor visibility, which prevents Japanese naval planes at Lae, however, from supporting enemy. After naval gunfire bombardment of Buna, Japanese begin landing near Gona, night 21–22, forestalling Allied Operation PROVIDENCE, which was to have secured the same general area. Japanese naval forces at Salamaua provide diversion by raiding Mubo and Komiatum, and enemy submarines become increasingly active.

EGYPT—British Eighth Army opens attack against center of enemy’s line late in day, employing infantry to clear mine fields for passage of armor.

US MARINE CORPS

Japanese land at Buna, New Guinea.