Tuesday, 22 September 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Amberjack (SS-219), en route to patrol the waters off Kieta, Bougainville, is damaged when she runs aground on an uncharted coral head off Oema Island, 06°31'31"S, 155°59'E. She remains on patrol.

INDIAN OCEAN—U.S. freighter Paul Luckenbach is torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-29 approximately 800 miles from the coast of India, 10°03'N, 63°42'E; although the four lifeboats containing the entire 44 man complement and 17 man Armed Guard become separated during the 16-to-21 day voyages, all hands reach safety.

ATLANTIC—U.S. tanker Esso Williamsburg is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-211 approximately 500 miles south of Cape Farewell, Greenland, 53°12'N, 41°00'W; there are no survivors from the 42 man crew and 18 man Armed Guard.

NORTH RUSSIA—U.S. freighter Bellingham, in convoy QP 14, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-435 approximately 45miles west of Jan Mayen Island, 71°23'N, 11°03'E; escort vessels rescue the ship's complement: 39 merchant seamen, the 10 man Armed Guard, and 26 passengers (survivors from freighters Pan Kraft and Pan Atlantic, sunk on 5 and 6 July 1942, respectively, in the ill-fated PQ 17 convoy).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

TWELFTH AF—General Cannon takes command of XII Ground Air Support Command.

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑24’s bomb shipping in Bengasi harbor. Direct hits are made on 1 large vessel while a smaller vessel and other targets receive lesser hits.

FIFTH AF—A‑20’s bomb and strafe occupied areas at Menari, Efogi, Nauro, Yodda, and Kokoda. P‑40’s strafe AA positions, huts, and barges at Buna and Salamaua and bomb and strafe Wairopi bridge, strafe buildings at Yodda, airfield at Buna, and AA positions and other targets along Buna-Kokoda trail. 1 B‑25 bombs N end of Buna airfield and coastal end of Sanananda track. B‑17’s bomb airfield and shipping at Rabaul.

ELEVENTH AF—9 B‑24’s, 2 B‑17’s, and 1 LB-30, accompanied by 15 P‑39’s and 20 P‑40’s, abort Kiska bombing mission due to weather. Photo reconnaissance suggests that Chichagof Harbor is abandoned.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—Combined Chiefs of Staff approve plan drawn up in Washington by SOS, “The Plan for Operation of Certain Iranian Communication Facilities between Persian Gulf Ports and Tehran by U.S. Army Forces.” The plan gives U.S. direct responsibility for moving supplies through Persian Corridor to USSR.

US MARINE CORPS

—

Monday, 21 September 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Grouper (SS-214) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Tone Maru in China Sea, east of Shanghai, 31°18'N,123°27'E.

            Submarine Trout (SS-202) sinks Japanese auxiliary netlayer Koei Maru south of Truk, 06°54'N, 151°51'E.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

FIFTH AF—P‑40’s bomb and strafe bridges and targets of opportunity along Buna-Kokoda trail.

ELEVENTH AF—The 21st Bomb Squadron begins to operate from Adak. Bombers fly reconnaissance over Kiska and bomb and fire Constantine Harbor installations at Amchitka.

US ARMY

—

US MARINE CORPS

—

Sunday, 20 September 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Naval Operating Base, Auckland, New Zealand, is established.

NORTH RUSSIA—U.S. freighter Silver Sword, in convoy QP 14, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-225 at 75°41'N, 03°12'E; rescue ships Rathlin and Zamalek pick up all hands: 32 merchant seamen (one of whom dies later of his injuries), the 11 man Armed Guard, and 18 passengers (crewmen from freighters Peter Kerr and Honomu, sunk on 5 July 1942 in the ill-fated PQ 17 convoy).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

FIFTH AF—In Owen Stanley Range, A‑20’s bomb and strafe troops and installations at Sangara, Arehe, and along the Popondetta-Andemba road, and P‑40’s strafe airfield at Kokoda, bridges on trail near Wairopi, and troops at Myola, Efogi, and Kagi.

SOUTH PACIFIC—Adm Fitch becomes COMAIRSOPAC.

US ARMY

NEW GUINEA—127th Infantry of U.S. 32d Division is ordered to Port Moresby.

INDIA—Base Section 2, SOS, at Calcutta, receives its first troops from Karachi.

USSR—Stubborn street fighting is in progress in Stalingrad. Town of Terek falls to German Army Group A.

UNITED KINGDOM—Outline plan for TORCH is issued; D Day is set for 8 November.

US MARINE CORPS

—

Saturday, 19 September 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Amberjack (SS-219) sinks Japanese transport Shirogane Maru at northern entrance of Bougainville Strait, 06°33'S, 156°05'E.

ATLANTIC—U.S. freighter Wichita is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-516 about 300 miles northeast of Barbados, 15°00'N, 54°00'W. There are no survivors from either the 40 man merchant complement or 10 man Armed Guard unit.

            Swedish steamship Etna rescues 22 survivors from lifeboat from U.S. tanker Patrick J. Hurley, sunk by German submarine U-512 on 12 September 1942 (see 2 October 1942).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑24’s bomb Pylos Bay area, Pylos Island and Khalones during 19/20 Sep.

TENTH AF—B‑25’s strike Lungling. The raid is ineffective due to bad weather but results in discovery of much Japanese activity which further reconnaissance reveals as part of heavy movement of enemy and supplies along Burma Road toward Salween front.

FIFTH AF—A‑20’s and B‑26’s strafe and bomb airfield at Lae. B‑17’s attack cargo vessels near Umboi (Rooke) Island. Whaling vessel is strafed by fighters off Goodenough Island.

US ARMY

GUADALCANAL—General Vandegrift establishes continuous defense lines, divides Lunga area into 10 sectors.

US MARINE CORPS

—

Friday, 18 September 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—7th Marine Regiment reinforces marines on Guadalcanal.

ATLANTIC—German submarine U-455 lays mines off Charleston, South Carolina.

            British destroyer HMS Vimy is detached from convoy to investigate raft containing survivors from U.S. freighter West Lashaway (sunk by German submarine U-66 on 30 August 1942). Vimy, believing the hoisted sail to be part of the disguise of a U-boat, opens fire on the raft. Her gunnery, however, is fortunately bad, and the survivors (who hurriedly strike the sail) are rescued. This group includes among them the woman missionary and four children (see 24 September 1942).

            Laconia Incident: Vichy French sloop Dumont D'Urville takes on board 42 survivors from sunken British transport Laconia that had been rescued by Italian submarine Capellini.

NORTH RUSSIA—German torpedo planes continue attacks upon Archangel-bound convoy PQ 18, sinking U.S. freighter Kentucky approximately 35 miles west of Cape Kanin, USSR; all hands survive the loss of the ship. Two British minesweepers rescue the 38 man merchant complement and the 16 man Armed Guard.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—VIII Ground Air Support Command is redesignated VIII Air Support Command.

TWELFTH AF—12 British units— signal, observer, radar, and air warning—are attached to XII Fighter Command in UK. Col Rosenham River Beam becomes CO XII Ground Air Support Command.

FIFTH AF—1 B‑17 bombs Salamaua while a B‑25 strafes pack trains on Kokoda trail in Andemba-Wairopi-Kokoda area.

US ARMY

GUADALCANAL—Improved Allied supply situation permits restoration of full rations to garrison. TF 65 arrives off Kukum and unloads rest of 1st Marine Div—4,180 of 7th Marines, reinforced—plus vehicles, equipment, ammunition, and supplies. This is the first ammunition to arrive in response to request of 22 August, 3 other vessels unload aviation gasoline. TF 65 retires to Espiritu Santo with 1st Parachute Battalion, American wounded, and 8 Japanese prisoners. Marines are patrolling aggressively from defense perimeter.

NEW GUINEA—Japanese Imperial General Headquarters orders current positions held as long as possible and Buna-Gona beachhead held as primary defensive position. General Horii prepares to thin lines gradually.

AUSTRALIA—Main body of 126th Infantry (less artillery), U.S. 32d Division, embarks at Brisbane for New Guinea.

MADAGASCAR—29th Independent Infantry Brigade of British East African Command lands without opposition on E coast at Tamatave and moves inland toward Tananarive virtually unopposed. East African 22d Brigade continues toward Tananarive from W coast.

US MARINE CORPS

            7th Marines arrive on Guadalcanal.

Thursday, 17 September 1942

US NAVY

ATLANTIC—Laconia Incident: In the wake of the attack by USAAF B-24 upon German submarines U-156, U-506 and U-507 and Italian submarine Capellini, engaged in rescuing survivors of the torpedoed British transport Laconia, Admiral Karl Doenitz issues orders forbidding U-boats from rescuing survivors of sunken ships (the "Laconia Order"). Vichy French light cruiser Gloire, sloop Dumont D'Urville and minesweeper Annamite rescue 1,041 people from lifeboats and the German submarines that have picked them up, too.

            U.S. freighter Mae is torpedoed, shelled and sunk by German submarine U-515 approximately 41 miles north of Georgetown, British Guiana, 08°03'N, 58°13'W; one crewman is killed. Norwegian merchantman Sorwangen rescues the 31 surviving merchant crewmen and the nine man Armed Guard, and transfers them to Canadian merchantman Gypsum King, which takes them to Georgetown.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—During 16/17 Sep, B‑24’s bomb Bengasi harbor. During the day, targets for B‑24’s are in Greece: shipping in Pylos Bay and shipping and piers near Sphakia, and in Khalones and Pylos Island. P‑40’s make offensive sweep with RAF over front lines.

FIFTH AF—B‑17’s, carrying out single-bomber attacks, bomb airfields at Rabaul and Lae, and hit a beached cargo vessel at Salamaua. P‑400’s, P‑40’s, and P‑39’s strafe and bomb landing barges at Buna and Sanananda Pt. Japanese ground forces, halted within sight of Port Moresby, are unable to attack without reinforcements and supplies, neither of which is available.

TWELFTH AF—XII Ground Air Support Command is activated at Birmingham, Ala. The only Twelfth AF command to be completely organized in US, it eventually will proceed directly to N Africa as part of Western Task Force.

US ARMY

NEW GUINEA—In preparation for wide flanking movement to E, Allied reconnaissance parties move E along S coast from Port Moresby. Party of 126th Infantry, U.S. 32d Division, under Capt William F. Boice, leaves by lugger for Kapa Kapa to reconnoiter inland from there to Jaure. Another party, headed by SWPA Engineer officer Brigadier General Hugh J. Casey’s deputy, Col Leif J. Sverdrup, who is already charged with locating and developing landing fields, moves towards Abau in order to reconnoiter trail inland from there. Japanese at Ioribaiwa are in a precarious position. Although within sight of Port Moresby, troops are in no condition to attack without reinforcements and supplies, neither of which can be spared.

MADAGASCAR—French plenipotentiaries receive and reject terms for cessation of hostilities.

US MARINE CORPS

—

Wednesday, 16 September 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Japanese overland assault on Port Moresby, New Guinea, "grinds to a halt" at Ioribaiwa.

            Japanese forces evacuate Attu, Aleutians.

ATLANTIC—TF 23 (Vice Admiral Jonas H. Ingram) is designated South Atlantic Force, Atlantic Fleet.

            Patrol Wing 12 (Captain William G. Tomlinson) is established at Key West, Florida, for operations in Gulf Sea Frontier.

            U.S. freighter Commercial Trader is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-558 east of Trinidad, 10°30'N,60°16'W; seven of the 29 man crew perish in the attack, as do three of the 9 man Armed Guard. The survivors, in one lifeboat, reach Tobago later the same day.

            Laconia Incident: USAAF B-24 from Ascension Island bombs German submarine U-156 (see 12 September 1942), which, along with U-506 and U-507 and Italian submarine Capellini, is engaged in rescuing survivors of the torpedoed British transport Laconia (see 17 September 1942).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—VIII AF Service Command selects Honington and Watton as sites for Bomber Command advance depots. Site for Fighter Command awaits final settlement of question of location and mission of Fighter Command.

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—General Brereton is officially assigned to the ME as a result of pressure from General Bissell, new CG Tenth AF, for clarification of status of Brereton and other key staff officers and combat crews who had gone from India to ME in Jun and Jul 42.

FIFTH AF—B‑17’s bomb wharf and airfield at Rabaul and airfield at Gasmata. A lone B‑17 attacks landing barges in Sanananda area while a single A‑20 bombs and strafes positions at Nauro and Menari in Efogi area. Japanese ground offensive toward Port Moresby comes to a halt at Ioribaiwa. Australians are entrenched on Imita Range where they are preparing a counteroffensive.

ELEVENTH AF—Enemy completes transfer of Attu garrison to Kiska, begun on 27 Aug. 1 B‑17 and 1 B‑24 fly photo and reconnaissance runs over Adak.

US ARMY

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS—Enemy, during period 27 August–16 September, transfers Attu garrison to Kiska.

NEW GUINEA—Japanese overland drive on Port Moresby grinds to a halt at Ioribaiwa. Australians are firmly entrenched on Imita Ridge, to S, where they are preparing for counteroffensive.

CHINA—General Chennault presents to General Bissell a plan for employment of CATF that calls for defense of India–China ferry route as primary mission; suggests that CATF operate directly under Stilwell and that it be detached from U.S. Tenth Air Force.

MADAGASCAR—French Governor General requests peace terms.

USSR—Army Group B penetrates NW suburbs of Stalingrad.

US MARINE CORPS

—