Monday, 14 September 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—USAAF B-17s damage Japanese heavy cruiser Myoko as she is en route from Truk, Carolines, to carry out support operations off Guadalcanal,

            USAAF planes (13 B-24s and 1 B-17 take part in the raid) sink Japanese ammunition ship Nojima Maru off Kiska, Aleutians; USAAF P-39s damage submarines RO 63 and RO 64 also in the area.

NORTH RUSSIA—German torpedo planes continue attacks upon Archangel-bound convoy PQ 18, sinking U.S. freighter Mary Luckenbach about 600 miles west of North Cape, Norway, 76°00'N, 16°00'E; she is lost with all hands (41 merchant seamen and a 24 man Armed Guard). The violent explosion of Mary Luckenbach's ammunition cargo rains debris on nearby freighter Nathanael Greene, 76°00'N, 16°00'E, injuring 11 men (five of whom are transferred to British destroyer HMS Onslaught for medical attention), but the merchantman makes port under her own power. Concussion from the explosion also disables U.S. freighter Wacosta, which is later torpedoed and sunk about 400 miles northeast of Jan Mayen Island, 76°05'N, 10°00'E; she suffers no casualties. British light cruiser HMS Scylla and minesweeper HMS Harrier rescue all hands: 38 merchant sailors and the 11 man Armed Guard survive Wacosta's loss.

ATLANTIC—Norwegian steamship Talisman rescues 18 survivors (one of the original 19 has succumbed to exposure during the 32 day ordeal) of U.S. freighter California, sunk by Italian submarine Reginaldo Giuliani on 13 August 1942.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

TWELFTH AF—HQ of Twelfth AF, XII Fighter Command, XII AF Service Command, and XII Bomber Command are attached to corresponding units of Eighth AF in UK. The Eighth subsequently handles the buildup of the Twelfth by assigning a large number of its own units to the new AF (appropriately dubbed JUNIOR) and supervises its training. The first increment of tactical and service units includes 2 Heavy Bomber groups, 3 Medium Bomber groups, 1 Light Bomber group, 4 fighter groups, 3 Troop Carrier groups, and several engineer, signal, and service units of varying sizes.

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑24’s attack shipping at Suda Bay, setting 1 vessel afire, while other Heavy Bombers hit Tobruk P‑40’s fly sweep with RAF over front-lines.

FIFTH AF—A single A‑20 bombs ground forces and installations at Myola.

ELEVENTH AF—In the first combined heavy mission over Kiska 13 B‑24’s, 1 B‑17, 14 P‑38’s, and 14 P‑39’s fly low-altitude and photo runs. The P‑39’s shell 3 subs in the harbor. The other aircraft bomb and strafe many installations including AA guns and the submarine base. A single aircraft also strafes Segula. Enemy losses are 5 float planes shot down and 1 flying boat destroyed on the water; 2 mine sweepers sunk and another vessel slightly damaged; while a large cargo vessel and several small barges and vessels sustain hits. 2 P‑38’s are lost, colliding head-on while after a fighter.

US ARMY

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS—Kiska undergoes its first major air raid, by 12 heavy bombers with 28 fighters from Adak.

NEW HEBRIDES—TF 65, organized to transport 7th Marines to Guadalcanal, leaves Espiritu Santo.

GUADALCANAL—Japanese break off attacks on Bloody Ridge at dawn and withdraw under air attack, leaving about 600 dead; Marine casualties are 143. 2d Battalion of 5th Marines starts relief of Provisional raider-parachute Battalion. On E flank along the Ilu, 3d Battalion of 1st Marines moves 6 light tanks against enemy, but 3 are disabled; Japanese continue sporadic fire in this sector. In afternoon, Japanese attack 3d Battalion of 5th Marines on ridge commanding coastal road to W sector of perimeter but are driven off. 3d Battalion of 2d Marines arrives on Guadalcanal from Tulagi.

NEW GUINEA—Advance elements (2/31st and 2/33d Battalions) of 25th Brigade, Australian 7th Division, reach Ioribaiwa, where they take over defense of ridge from Australian 21st Brigade. Japanese, with 2 full regiments in line, force a further withdrawal, to Imita Ridge, the last before Port Moresby, lying 32 miles from that objective. This is the last withdrawal of Australian forces on this front.

LIBYA—To assist withdrawal of Benghazi raiding party, diversionary raids are made on Gialo and Barce.

US MARINE CORPS

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Sunday, 13 September 1942

US NAVY

NORTH RUSSIA—German aerial and submarine attacks begin against convoy PQ 18, bound for Archangel, USSR, approximately 100 miles southwest of Spitsbergen. U.S. freighter Oliver Ellsworth is torpedoed by German submarine U-589 at 75°52'N,07°55'E, and abandoned; one Armed Guard sailor is killed in the attack. Survivors (42 merchant seamen and 27 Armed Guard crewmen) are rescued by merchantman Copeland and British armed trawler HMS St. Kenan; the latter scuttles the crippled Oliver Ellsworth with gunfire. Later that day, German planes attack, torpedoing freighter John Penn at 75°52'N, 07°55'E; three of the 40 man merchant crew are killed. British destroyer HMS Eskimo and minesweeper HMS Harrier rescue the survivors, who include the 25 man Armed Guard; John Penn is scuttled by escort vessels. Shortly thereafter, freighter Oregonian is also torpedoed at 76°00'N, 09°30'E; escort vessels rescue 21of the 40 man crew, in addition to 8 of the 14 man Armed Guard.

ATLANTIC—Plane drops rations to one raft containing 19 survivors from U.S. freighter West Lashaway (sunk by German submarine U-66 on 30 August 1942) (see 18 and 24 September 1942).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—During 13/14 Sep, B‑24’s attack Tobruk and shipping in Bengasi harbor while B‑25’s hit landing grounds SE of Matruh.

FIFTH AF—B‑26’s pound airfield at Lae. B‑17’s unsuccessfully attack cruiser SE of Rabaul. P‑40’s strafe buildings on Goodenough Island.

ELEVENTH AF—14 B‑24’s of the 21st and 404th Bomb Squadrons move up to Adak. Island LB-30 and 2 P‑38’s fly photo reconnaissance, antisub coverage and strafing mission over Kiska lakes and harbor. A tender in harbor is slightly damaged, 1 float fighter is downed. A P‑38 is hit by AA fire and fighters damage the LB-30.

US ARMY

GUADALCANAL—Admiral Ghormley orders 7th Marines to reinforce garrison. Air defense is strengthened by arrival of 12 dive bombers and 6 TBF’s. Japanese launch air, naval, and ground attacks against Lunga perimeter in attempt to recapture airfield. Provisional raider-parachute Battalion is unable to advance on Bloody Ridge and digs in on central knoll, about 250 yards N of previous bivouac area. After nightfall, main enemy assault force of at least 2 Battalions drives northward to northernmost knoll where Provisional raider-parachute Battalion, with close artillery support, holds firm against further determined attacks. Other Japanese, about 2 companies, attack 3d Battalion of 1st Marines on E flank along Ilu River, night 13–14, but are unable to break through.

CHINA—General Stilwell presents to Chiang Kaishek a proposed plan of operations for China Air Task Force, calling for defense of ferry route from India to China as primary mission.

MADAGASCAR—General Platt, CG East African Command, establishes HQ ashore at Majunga. East African 22d Brigade continues toward Tananarive, hampered chiefly by roadblocks.

LIBYA—During night 13–14, small raiding parties of British MEF move against Tobruk and Benghazi in effort to destroy enemy supplies and installations at the ports. The Tobruk raid is made by land and sea, overland party moving from Egypt. From Kufra, motorized column moves overland more than 500 miles to Benghazi. The raids prove costly and accomplish little.

NORTH ATLANTIC—Large Allied convoy to USSR suffers heavy losses during enemy air attacks.

US MARINE CORPS

            Marines repulse second major Japanese ground attack at Guadalcanal in the Battle of the Ridge.

Saturday, 12 September 1942

US NAVY

ATLANTIC—Brazil places its naval forces under U.S. Navy operational control.

            U.S. tanker Patrick J. Hurley, en route to Belfast, Ireland, is shelled by German submarine U-512 at 22°59'N, 46°15'E, and abandoned after Armed Guard gunfire proves unavailing in the tanker's defense (see 19 September and 2 October1942).

            Laconia Incident: German submarine U-156 torpedoes and sinks British transport Laconia, which has 1,800 Italian POWs on board, northeast of Ascension Island, 05°05'S, 11°38'W; the U-boat immediately commences rescue operations and dispatches plain-language request for help. In addition, diplomatic channels are utilized to seek aid from Vichy French naval units in West African waters (see 16-18 September 1942).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—HQ VIII AF Composite Command arrives in N Ireland and is temporarily stationed at Long Kesh. HQ 3d Bomb Wing arrives in UK and is established at Elveden Hall. HQ 4th Bomb Wing is established at High Wycombe but soon loses its personnel to XII Bomber Command and is not manned again until Jan 43. 4th Fighter Group is activated in UK to be manned by US pilots who formerly flew with RAF Eagle Squadrons.

TWELFTH AF—HQ of Twelfth AF, XII Fighter Command and XII AFSC arrive in UK.

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—P‑40’s fly 3 uneventful scramble missions along front-lines.

FIFTH AF—P‑400’s, B‑26’s, A‑20’s, and B‑17’s bomb airfield and strafe barges at Buna. P‑40’s strafe Gadaibai on Goodenough Island. A B‑17 strafes vessel in Bismarck Sea S of Kavieng.

ELEVENTH AF—A weather and patrol reconnaissance aircraft finds overcast at Kiska but takes photos over Tanaga, Kanaga, and Attu. The runway at Adak is completed.

US ARMY

NEW HEBRIDES—7th Marines and elements of 5th Defense Battalion arrive at Espiritu Santo. Admiral Turner, after conferring with General Vandegrift on Guadalcanal, recommends to Admiral Ghormley that 7th Marines be used to strengthen Lunga defenses.

GUADALCANAL—Provisional raider-parachute Battalion conducts reconnaissance in force along ridge, later called Bloody or Edson’s, S of OPL and about 800 yards E of Lunga River, to close the route of approach to Henderson Field; despite enemy fire, reaches southernmost knoll. Fire fight continues throughout night 12–13, and enemy succeeds in infiltrating.

UNITED KINGDOM—General Eisenhower officially announces assumption of command as CinC Allied Expeditionary Force for TORCH, and Allied Force Headquarters (AFHQ) is activated in London.

US MARINE CORPS

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Friday, 11 September 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Saury (SS-189) sinks Japanese aircraft transport Kanto Maru approximately 30 miles off the west coast of the Celebes, in central Makassar Strait, 03°15'S, 118°27'E.

            On board submarine Seadragon (SS-194), en route to her war patrol station in the South China Sea, Pharmacist's Mate First Class Wheeler B. Lipes performs successful appendectomy on Seaman First Class Darrell D. Rector, USNR. Captain James Fife, Commander, Submarine Squadron 2, later writes that he "hoped that his [Lipes's] success will not encourage others to take unnecessary risks..." in such cases in the future (see 14-15 December and 22 December 1942).

            USAAF B-17s and RAAF Hudsons sink Japanese destroyer Yayoi about 15 miles east of Normanby Island, D'Entrecasteaux Islands.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—P‑40’s fly uneventful sweep with RAF during lull after Battle of Alam-el-Halfa.

FIFTH AF—A‑20’s and B‑26’s hit Efogi and Menari in the Owen Stanley Range and airfield at Buna. B‑17’s, along with RAAF Hudsons, attack 2 destroyers 20 mi E of Normanby Island. A B‑17 scores a direct hit on stern of the destroyer Yayoi, which later sinks.

SOUTH PACIFIC—Island combat control groups are authorized for New Caledonia and Fiji. These units, under immediate control of COMGENSOPAC, are to take over local operational direction of fighter aircraft and all other units in the island combat team.

ELEVENTH AF—343d Fighter Group, constituted on 3 Sep, is activated on this day and immediately begins to operate. It is composed of the 11th, 18th, 54th, and, as of 10 Oct, 344th Fighter Squadrons. A weather, photo, and patrol aircraft draw AA fire over Chichagof Harbor and also covers Tanaga, Amchitka, and Semichi.

US ARMY

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS—Completion of runway on Adak permits stepped up air offensive against Kiska, some 250 miles distant.

GUADALCANAL—From 29 August to date, about 6,000 Japanese have arrived, landing mostly at night from DD’s and destroyer-transports.

NEW GUINEA—General MacArthur submits to General Blarney a plan for accelerating operations. While Australians, upon receiving reinforcements, are to attack to drive enemy back along Port Moresby–Kokoda trail, an RCT of U.S. 32d Division is to execute wide flanking movement to E to get behind Japanese at Wairopi and thus hasten their expulsion from New Guinea. Australian 2/14th and 2/16th Battalions break through enemy forces and fall back to Nauro; then yield Nauro under pressure and take up positions on ridge N of Ioribaiwa, where 2/1st Pioneer Battalion and 3d Battalion of 14th Brigade are established.

US MARINE CORPS

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Thursday, 10 September 1942

US NAVY

ATLANTIC—German submarine U-69 lays mines at mouth of Chesapeake Bay.

            U.S. freighter American Leader is shelled, torpedoed, and sunk by German auxiliary cruiser Michel (Schiffe 28) in the South Atlantic approximately 800 miles west of the mouth of the Cape of Good Hope, 34°26'S, 02°00'E. Michel recovers the survivors, 39 of 49 merchant seamen and eight of nine Armed Guard sailors, and ultimately transports them to Singapore where they are turned over to the Japanese. Of that group, 14 will perish as POWs.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

ELEVENTH AF—Weather, photo reconnaissance, and patrol missions are flown during morning over Tanaga, Nazan Bay, Adak, and Amchitka. Poor weather is encountered at Kiska, Attu, and Agattu.

US ARMY

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US MARINE CORPS

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Wednesday, 9 September 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Small reconnaissance seaplane from Japanese submarine I-25 drops incendiary bombs on forest near Mount Emily, ten miles northeast of Brookings, Oregon, in an attempt to ignite forest fires. It is the first time a Japanese aircraft has bombed the continental United States during World War II. The bombing is reported by a forest ranger (see 29 September 1942).

            Japanese submarine I-30 reaches Penang, Malaya, having *successfully run the Allied blockade of Lorient, France (see 13 October 1942).

            District patrol craft YP-346 is sunk by Japanese light cruiser Sendai and three destroyers off Guadalcanal.

ATLANTIC—Coast Guard weather ship Muskeget (WAG-48) is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-755 between Norfolk, Virginia, and Iceland.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

UNITED STATES—Japanese airplane, launched from sub off coast, drops incendiary bomb on mountain slope near Brookings, causing small forest fire. This comprises total bombing of continental US by enemy aircraft during World War II.

ARMY AIR FORCES—General Arnold submits to the CoS a plan (AWPD-42) estimating size of air force necessary to attain air ascendancy over the enemy and outlining suggestions for use of these forces in the several theaters. This plan, which by 17 Nov has been approved by WD and the President, includes buildup of depleted Eighth AF in UK and contains the seeds of the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO).

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑24’s attack Tobruk harbor and shipping.

FIFTH AF—P‑40’s strafe Galaiwa Bay area on Goodenough Island. A‑20’s, in support of encircled Australian ground forces, strafe and bomb troops in Efogi Spur area.

ELEVENTH AF—1 B‑26 patrols Tanaga and Adak.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—Japanese plane, launched from submarine off coast, drops incendiary bomb on mountain slope near Brookings, Oregon, causing small forest fire. This is sole bombing by plane of continental U.S. during the war.

NEW GUINEA—25th Brigade of Australian 7th Division is rushed toward Owen Stanley Range front. 16th Brigade of Australian 6th Division is ordered to Port Moresby.

MADAGASCAR—British forces of East Africa Command renew offensive in order to insure safety of certain military objectives and gain air and sea control of Mozambique Channel. 29th Independent Infantry Brigade makes surprise landing, night 9–10, on W coast in vicinity of Majunga and seizes Majunga virtually unopposed. After being passed through by E African 22d Brigade Group, which starts toward Tananarive, 29th begins re-embarking for another landing. As diversion for Majunga landing, small landings are made on Nosy Be Island., off NW coast, and at Morondava, on W coast; forces on N part of island move southward along W and E coasts.

GERMANY—RAF Bomber Command, during heavy attack on Duesseldorf, night 10–11, drops first 2-ton incendiary bomb.

US MARINE CORPS

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Tuesday, 8 September 1942

US NAVY

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US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑24’s attack shipping and harbor at Suda Bay.

FIFTH AF—P‑400’s bomb and strafe Efogi area where Australian forces are hard pressed by the Japanese. B‑17’s and RAAF Hudsons attack cruisers and a destroyer N of the D’Entrecasteaux Islands.

ELEVENTH AF—1 B‑24 and 1 B‑26 fly photo reconnaissance over Agattu, Attu, and Kiska.

US ARMY

GUADALCANAL—Provisional Battalion composed of depleted 1st Raider and 1st Parachute Battalions moves E from Lunga Pt by sea to destroy enemy force at Tasimboko, near Taivu Pt. Debarking E of Tasimboko, the Battalion moves W, clashing with outposts of strong enemy force that has landed recently near Taivu Pt. Japanese holding force is driven from Tasimboko. Raiders sustain 8 casualties and kill 27 Japanese. Henderson-based aircraft support raiders. Japanese in Taivu Pt area constitute main body of new assault force, smaller group of which is in vicinity of Kokumbona.

NEW GUINEA—General Horii, with 5 reinforced Battalions in assault, attacks 21st Brigade of Australian 7th Division on Efogi Spur, forcing 2/27th Battalion off trail and encircling 2/14th and 2/16th Battalions.

US MARINE CORPS

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