Monday, 27 July 1942

US NAVY

GENERAL—Army-Navy Petroleum Board is established.

PACIFIC—TF 8 approaches Kiska to bombard Japanese positions but limited surface visibility results in the operation being postponed. During the retirement, however, high speed minesweeper Lamberton (DMS-2) accidentally rams highspeed minesweeper Chandler (DMS-9). While investigating that collision, destroyer Monaghan (DD-354) and highspeed minesweeper Lamberton (DMS-12) collide; both of those ships suffer damage as well.

            Light cruiser Boise (CL-47) departs Pearl Harbor to proceed, via Midway, toward the Japanese home islands to emit enough radio traffic to create the impression of an approaching American task force, as well as to locate and destroy small patrol vessels operating off Honshu.

            USAAF B-26s damage Japanese transport Kotoku Maru off Buna, New Guinea (see 8 August).

            Submarine Spearfish (SS-190) damages Japanese submarine depot ship Rio de Janeiro Maru 95 miles east of Cam Ranh Bay, French Indochina, 11°28'N, 110°52'E.

            Dutch submarine O-23 damages Japanese coaster No.2 Shofuku Maru south of Penang, Malaya, 05°07'N, 98°50'E.

ATLANTIC—U.S. freighter Stella Lykes is torpedoed and shelled by German submarine U-582 off the west coast of Africa at 06°46'N, 24°55'W, and abandoned with no casualties. U-582 takes two POWs, provides the Americans with cigarettes and medical supplies, and then scuttles her quarry with demolition charges before departing (see 6 August).

GULF OF MEXICO—German submarine U-166 completes mining the waters off the Mississippi River Passes.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—HQ VIII Bomber Command issues order establishing 1st Bomb Wing at Brampton Grange (replacing 1st Bomb Wing, Provisional, established there on 15 Jun) and 2d Bomb Wing at Old Catton. 1st Wing is commanded by Col Claude E Duncan, 2d Wing by Col Newton Longfellow. US aircraft of 97th Bomb Group and 1st Fighter Group land at Prestwick, thus completing first series of flights in BOLERO, air movement across N Atlantic ferry route. 97th Bomb Group becomes first US Heavy Bomber group complete with air and ground echelons in UK. General Eaker and officers of RAF Fighter Command agree to use Spitfire IX’s as high fighter cover for B‑17’s of VIII Bomber Command until VIII Fighter Command is ready for escort duty. This also will provide test of Spitfire IX’s against FW-190’s at high altitude.

FIFTH AF—B‑26’s and A‑24’s hit Gona and targets along Buna trail.

SOUTH PACIFIC—General Millard Harmon arrives at Noumea to assume command of USAFISPA with responsibility for training all army (air and ground) personnel. Air units in the theater are under operational control of COMAIRSOPAC.

US ARMY

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA—S Pacific commanders of island bases are informed by COMSOPAC that General Harmon will be responsible for training Army ground and air personnel. TF 61 sails to Koro, Fiji Islands, to rehearse for invasion of Solomons.

NEW GUINEA—Australian Oivi force, having broken through enemy during night 26–27, joins elements of Maroubra Force at Deniki. New Guinea Force, upon learning of evacuation of Kokoda, recalls 2 air transports bound for Kokoda with reinforcements and supplies.

EGYPT—30 Corps, British Eighth Army, continues attack but is unable to make progress. 13 Corps, in support of 30, feints and patrols.

USSR—German Army Group B continues to clear Don bend near Stalingrad. 6th Army begins battle to reduce Soviet bridgehead across the Don at Kalach, W of Stalingrad.

US MARINE CORPS

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Sunday, 26 July 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Destroyer Worden (DD-352) and oiler Platte (AO-24) rescue survivors of Dutch motorship Tjinegara, which had been sunk by Japanese submarine I-169 about 75 miles southeast of Nouméa, New Caledonia, 23°10'S, 165°00'E, on 25 July.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—Lt Col Albert P Clark, Executive Officer of 31st Fighter Group, is shot down while flying an RAF fighter on a sweep over France, thus becoming the first Eighth AF fighter pilot to be shot down in ETO. He survives and is taken prisoner by the Germans.

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—During 25/26 Jul, B‑17’s and B‑24’s bomb harbor at Tobruk.

FIFTH AF—A B‑25 strike against Gasmata is repulsed by fighter interception. B‑26’s attack destroyer off Gona but fail to score hits. Australian troops flown into Kokoda fail to halt Japanese advance and Kokoda is evacuated.

US ARMY

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA—General Harmon takes tactical command of all U.S. Army forces in S Pacific and establishes provisional CP at Suva, Fiji Islands. Solomons Expeditionary Force (TF 61), except for party bringing 3d Defense Battalion across the Pacific, assembles SE of Fiji Islands.

NEW GUINEA—New Guinea Force flies 30 men from Company D, Australian 39th Battalion, to Kokoda; 15 of these are sent forward to Oivi. After Japanese surround Oivi position, small defense force at Kokoda (platoon of Company B and 15 men of Company D) abandons it for prepared positions at Deniki.

EGYPT—30 Corps, British Eighth Army, launches attack on N flank after nightfall.

US MARINE CORPS

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Saturday, 25 July 1942

US NAVY

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US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—Reinforcements begin arriving from US as air echelon of 344th Squadron of 98th Bomb Group reaches Palestine.

FIFTH AF—B‑25’s, and P‑39’s pound barges and concentrations at Gona and troops on the Gona and Kokoda trails. Japanese forces push to Oivi, within 6 mi of Kokoda.

SOUTH PACIFIC—Daily search missions over S Solomons are begun from New Caledonia.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—Combined Chiefs of Staff agree upon command setup for TORCH, as GYMNAST is renamed.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA—Admiral McCain issues orders for Solomons offensive to TF 63. 26th Squadron of 11th Heavy Bombardment Group arrives at Efate, New Hebrides.

NEW GUINEA—Japanese cross Kumusi River over improvised bridge and outflank Maroubra Force, which falls back to Oivi, 6 miles from Kokoda.

USSR—Germans claim capture of Novocherkassk, NE of Rostov.

US MARINE CORPS

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Friday, 24 July 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) sinks Japanese guard boat No.83 Shinsei Maru, Utasutsu Bay, Hokkaido, 44°53'N,147°09'E, and merchant cargo ships Nissho Maru off Etorofu, 45°09'N, 147°31'E, and Kofuji Maru off Oito, 45°14'N,147°31'E.

ARCTIC—Survivors of U.S. freighter Carlton (sunk by U-88 on 5 July) reach North Cape, Norway, where they become POWs. During the ordeal in the lifeboat, one man dies shortly before they make landfall.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

UNITED STATES—JCS issue statement that Heavy Bomber and Medium Bomber groups will be shifted from BOLERO assignments to Africa for TORCH. BOLERO resources are further depleted by decision to send 15 combat groups to Pacific theater.

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—During 23/24 Jul, B‑17’s attack Tobruk harbor. B‑24’s hit harbor at Bengasi. A B‑24 crashes on return to base, killing 1 crew member.

FIFTH AF—B‑26’s, A‑24’s, and fighters continue to pound AA positions and enemy troops at Gona as Japanese continue to push inland toward Kokoda.

US ARMY

FIJI ISLANDS—431st Squadron of 11th Heavy Bombardment Group arrives.

NEW GUINEA—Lt Col William T. Owen, CO Australian 39th Battalion, flies to Kokoda, which is in imminent danger. Outnumbered Maroubra Force, fighting delaying action as it falls back toward Kokoda, crosses Kumusi River and destroys Wairopi bridge across it.

USSR—Rostov falls to German Army Group A.

US MARINE CORPS

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Thursday, 23 July 1942

US NAVY

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. freighter Onondaga, bound for Havana, Cuba, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-129 five miles north of Cayo Guillermo, 22°40'N, 78°40'W. Nineteen of the 33 man crew die in the attack, as does the sole passenger, the former master of U.S. freighter Thomas McKean (sunk by German submarine U-505 on 29 June).Cuban fishing boat Laventina rescues the 14 survivors.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—98th Bomb Group is assigned to USAMEAF.

FIFTH AF—B‑17’s, B‑26’s, A‑24’s, and fighters pound shipping, landing barges, storage dumps, AA positions, and troop concentrations at Buna and Gona as the enemy pushes inland along Kokoda trail. Fighters also hit harbor at Salamaua.

SOUTH PACIFIC—11th Bomb Group B‑17’s in New Caledonia begin photo reconnaissance of Guadalcanal-Tulagi-Gavutu area.

SEVENTH AF—3 B‑17’s, staging through Canton Island, carry out photo reconnaissance of Makin.

US ARMY

NEW CALEDONIA—42d Squadron of 11th Heavy Bombardment Group arrives.

NEW GUINEA—Continuing along Kokoda Trail, Japanese clash with Australian Maroubra Force near Awala, forcing Australians back toward Wairopi.

US MARINE CORPS

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Wednesday, 22 July 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—USAAF planes (B-17s, B-25s and B-26s are utilized in the attacks) attack Japanese shipping off Buna, New Guinea, damaging destroyer Uzuki and sinking army cargo ship Ayatosan Maru, 08°50'S, 148°50'E.

            U.S. freighter William Dawes is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-24 off the coast of Australia at 36°47'S, 150°16'E; four of the 15 man Armed Guard, and one (of five) Army passengers are killed in the attack, but there are no casualties among the 40 merchant seamen who make up the ship's complement. Survivors row toward the coast, where fishing boats tow them the remainder of the way. The burning William Dawes sinks the next day.

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. freighter Honolulan is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-582 off the west coast of Africa at 08°41'N, 22°12'W. U-582 provides the Americans with cigarettes and question them briefly before departing. There are no casualties among the 39 man crew and one stowaway (see 28 July).

            Norwegian freighter Triton rescues survivors from U.S. freighter William F. Humphrey, sunk by German auxiliary cruiser Michel (Schiffe 28) in the South Atlantic on 16 July.

ARCTIC—German submarine rescues last survivors from lifeboat from U.S. freighter Honomu, sunk on 5 July 1942. Nine of the19 men in the lifeboat have perished of exposure during their ordeal.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑24’s bomb Suda Bay claiming hits on 2 vessels. B‑17’s hit Tobruk.

FIFTH AF—P‑40’s and P‑39’s hit shipping and landing barges at Gona as Japanese forces continue to land in NE New Guinea with ultimate aim of pushing across the Owen Stanley Range to the Allied base at Port Moresby.

ELEVENTH AF—Of 8 B‑24’s and 2 B‑17’s dispatched to Kiska only 8 reach target and due to fog drop only 7 bombs with unobserved results. 1 B‑24 missing on return flight.

US ARMY

PACIFIC—98th Sq of 11th Heavy Bombardment Group lands in New Caledonia. Solomons Amphibious Force, with 1st Marine Division embarked, sails from Wellington, New Zealand. 3d Defense Battalion, final reinforcing unit, begins voyage from Pearl Harbor to join 1st Marine Division.

NEW GUINEA—Allied planes continue to attack enemy shipping off N coast, setting fire to a transport. Upon landing, Japanese Navy units move to Buna and Army forces to Giruwa. Advance force pushes inland at once from Giruwa to reconnoiter trail to Port Moresby and reaches Soputa area. General MacArthur orders General Morris, commander of New Guinea Force, to reinforce Kokoda as quickly as possible.

EGYPT—British Eighth Army continues attack, gaining some ground but failing to break through enemy line. 23d Armored Brigade, which has recently arrived from England, passes through gaps made by infantry in mine fields but is unable to gain ground and loses many tanks. New Zealand 6th Brigade and Battalion of Indian 161st Brigade are virtually destroyed by enemy counterattacks.

USSR—German Army Group A opens all-out assault against Rostov.

UNITED KINGDOM—British refuse U.S. proposal to launch Operation SLEDGEHAMMER.

US MARINE CORPS

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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.