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

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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

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Tuesday, 15 September 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—TF 18 (Rear Admiral Leigh Noyes), covering reinforcement convoy from Espiritu Santo to Guadalcanal, is attacked by Japanese submarine I-19, which torpedoes carrier Wasp (CV-7) at 12°25'S, 164°08'E. Irreparably damaged, consumed by gasoline fires, Wasp is scuttled by destroyer Lansdowne (DD-486). I-19, in the same spread of torpedoes, also damages battleship North Carolina (BB-55) and destroyer O'Brien (DD-415) (see 19 October 1942).

            Japanese battleships bombard Guadalcanal.

            Japanese destroyer Fumizuki is damaged by grounding in Formosa Strait.

ATLANTIC—Light cruiser Philadelphia (CL-42) and transport Edward Rutledge (AP-52) are damaged in collision in Hampton Roads.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—57th Group is first fighter group to arrive in Egypt from Palestine. A lone B‑24 drops 1 bomb on tanker in Suda Bay. B‑24’s bomb behind enemy lines while P‑40’s, along with RAF, fly escort and carry out scramble missions over area W of El Alamein.

FIFTH AF—Medium Bombers hit Buna and Sanananda and attack camps at Efogi and Myola. B‑17’s bomb harbor and airfield at Rabaul. First US infantry troops, elements of 32d Division, arrive at Port Moresby.

ELEVENTH AF—1 B‑17 and 1 B‑24 fly armed reconnaissance over Kiska, and at Amchitka blast buildings in Constantine Harbor area. Fighters strafe Kiska Camp area and down 4 intercepting aircraft.

US ARMY

SOUTH PACIFIC—Japanese submarines attack U.S. warships on patrol S and E of the Solomons, sinking CV Wasp and damaging BB North Carolina; latter is forced to return to Pearl Harbor for repairs.

GUADALCANAL—5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, extends positions S of Henderson Field to include Bloody Ridge. Enemy SE of Lunga perimeter continues to fire intermittently on 3d Battalion of 1st Marines.

NEW GUINEA—First elements (Company E and attachments) of 126th Infantry, U.S. 32d Division, fly to Port Moresby from Brisbane, Australia. This is the first U.S. infantry force to arrive in New Guinea.

US MARINE CORPS

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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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