Saturday 24 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Nautilus (SS‑168) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Kenun Maru about 20 miles east of Shiriya Zaki, off northern tip of Honshu, 41°24'N, 141°50'E.

            Submarine Trigger (SS‑237) damages Japanese oiler Nissho Maru in Bungo Channel, 32°06'N, 132°34'E.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑25’s support British Eighth Army Offensive W of El Alamein between Mediterranean Sea and Qattara Depression as 30 Corps, with 4 divisions in assault, secures 2 corridors through enemy mine-fields on British N flank, while 13 Corps on S flank breaks through mine-fields N of Himeimat and establishes small bridgehead. The Medium Bombers hit troop concentrations, tent areas, gun emplacements, and vehicles. P‑ 40’s, working with RAF and SAAF, escort Medium Bombers and Light Bombers and hit motor transports and tanks.

FIFTH AF—B‑25’s hit Lae airfield. Organized Japanese resistance on Goodenough Island ceases.

SOUTH PACIFIC—Marine and AAF fighters at Henderson Field continue to inflict damaging losses upon Japanese naval air force. Japanese ground forces, attacking aggressively, are again repulsed by defenses around Henderson area.

ELEVENTH AF—3 B‑17’s hit Kiska submarine base. Results not observed. Weather reconnaissance flight is made over Attu.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—Final detachment of Western Naval Task Force sails from Hampton Roads for North Africa. Covering group of warships sails from Casco Bay, Maine.

GUADALCANAL—Japanese column is observed E of the Matanikau on foothills of Mt Austen in afternoon and bombarded by artillery and aircraft with unobserved results. Shortly after midnight 24–25, regiment of main Japanese assault force attacks S flank of Lunga perimeter, where 1st Battalion of 7th Marines is thinly spread along 2,800-yard front, 2d Battalion having been withdrawn to plug gap between Lunga perimeter and forward positions along the Matanikau. Marines, assisted by fire of adjacent troops—2d Battalion of 164th Inf—and reinforced during night by 3d Battalion of 164th Infantry, hold against repeated attacks, and enemy retires morning of 25th.

NEW HEBRIDES—2 U.S. naval carrier forces, based on Enterprise and Hornet, rendezvous NE of New Hebrides and come under command of Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid.

NEW GUINEA—Organized resistance on Goodenough Island. ceases; 250 Japanese are withdrawn to Rabaul by DD after nightfall. After exhausting overland journey, head of 2d Battalion, 126th Infantry, U.S. 32d Division, reaches Jaure. From there the force is to move to Buna area via Natunga and Bofu, Aniti Tank and Cannon Companies protecting its rear and harassing enemy in Wairopi area.

EGYPT—30 Corps, with 4 divisions in assault, secures 2 corridors through enemy mine fields on N flank of British Eighth Army, Australian 9th and British 51st Divisions gaining one on N and New Zealand 2d and South African 1st Divisions one on S. 10 Corps armor then begins passing through 1st Armored Division, debouching through N corridor, breaks through mine field during night 24–25, but 10th Armored Division, using S corridor, is unable to reach W edge of mine field. On Eighth Army S flank, 13 Corps’ 7th Armored and 44th Divisions succeed in breaking through mine fields N of Himeimat, night 24–25, and establish small bridgehead; to S, Free French 1st Brigade pushes W but is driven back.

ITALY—RAF Lancasters, after flight of some 1,400 miles from Britain, attack Milan in force. This is the first daylight attack on Italy by British planes from home bases.

US MARINE CORPS

—Marines and Army troops fight off heavy ground attacks of major Japanese counteroffensive.

Friday 23 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Kingfish (SS‑234) sinks Japanese gunboat Seikyo Maru at entrance to Kii Suido, Honshu, 33°20'N,135°27'E.

            USAAF B‑17s damage Japanese submarine chasers Ch 31 and Ch 32 at Rabaul.

            Japanese submarine I‑7 shells Espiritu Santo.

ATLANTIC—U.S. freighter Reuben Tipton, bound for Trinidad, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U‑129; three merchant seamen are killed in the attack (see 25 and 26 October 1942).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑17’s and B‑24’s sent to attack Candia and Bengasi turn back short of target due to bad weather. El Alamein offensive by British Eighth Army begins at 2140 with artillery barrage by more than 1,000 guns aimed at enemy batteries. At 2200 barrage switches to enemy forward positions as British troops move forward. Heavy fighting continues during 23/24 Oct.

FIFTH AF—A‑20’s bomb and strafe Deniki and Deniki-Kokoda trail. B‑17’s thoroughly pound shipping at Rabaul.

SOUTH PACIFIC—Henderson Field is again made operational by Seabees, and Marine and AAF fighters begin to inflict heavy losses on naval aircraft. Japanese ground forces assault def lines around the airfields but are thrown back.

ELEVENTH AF—Armed reconnaissance by 7 bombers, escorted by 6 P‑38’s, is flown over Kiska installations, chiefly the submarine base and Main Camp. Visibility is excellent and direct hits are scored, including 1 on submarine base.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—Forces from U.S. begin movement to North Africa in preparation for TORCH. First detachment of Western Naval Task Force, under Rear Admiral Henry K. Hewitt, sails from Hampton Roads, Virginia.

GUADALCANAL—After quiet day, Japanese artillery opens up at 1800 with heaviest fire to date, after which assault force (tank co and infantry regiment) makes determined but futile efforts to cross Matanikau River mouth and overrun 3d Battalion of 1st Marines. Japanese sustain heavy losses: 600 are estimated killed and at least 8 tanks are knocked out. 1st Marines casualties are 25 killed and 14 wounded. Main enemy enveloping force, which was to have attacked simultaneously with coastal force, is not yet in position and postpones for another day its attack on S perimeter.

EGYPT—British Eighth Army opens El ‘Alamein offensive at 2140. More than 1,000 guns pound enemy batteries until 2200, then switch to enemy forward positions as British troops move forward, 30 Corps on N making main effort and 13 Corps conducting diversionary actions on S. Heavy fighting continues throughout night.

US MARINE CORPS

—Marines and Army troops fight off heavy ground attacks of major Japanese counteroffensive.

Thursday 22 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Naval Air Facility, Otter Point, Alaska, is established.

            Destroyers Mahan (DD‑364) and Lamson (DD‑367), detached from TF 16 to "shoot up the Japanese picket boat line” west of the Gilberts, sink gunboat Hakkaisan Maru southwest of Tamana, 03°30'S, 175°15'E.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

TWELFTH AF—First echelon of HQ begins move from UK to N Africa.

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—Adv US Air HQ, previously attached to RAF Advanced Air HQ, Western Desert, to gain field experience, becomes HQ of DATF, located at Burg el Arab, with General Brereton as CG and General Adler attached with advance HQ of ASC. CoS of DATF is General Strickland. B‑25’s bomb dispersed aircraft. P‑40’s escort bombers, attack tent areas and motor transport along coastal road near El Hammam, fly reconnaissance and fighter sweeps W of El Daba, and bomb artillery positions. P‑40’s claim 2 fighters destroyed. B‑17’s sent to hit Candia abort because of weather.

SOUTH PACIFIC—Henderson Field is out of operation again as result of enemy action.

ELEVENTH AF—Weather reconnaissance aircraft reports submarine at 52-08N 177-21W. Navy airplane later makes contact and drops depth bomb. Result unknown.

US ARMY

GUADALCANAL—Japanese postpone attack on Lunga perimeter until 23d, since main assault force is still short of line of departure, but continue artillery fire against Marine positions along Matanikau.

NEW GUINEA—To secure NE coast of Papua, 2/12th Battalion of Australian 18th Brigade embarks in 2 DD’s at Milne Bay and during night 22–23 lands at a points on Goodenough Island., from which submarines have withdrawn 60 of the 353 Japanese stranded there on 25 August.

INDIA—Combined planning staff conference opens to consider offensive in Burma.

ALGERIA—In preparation for TORCH, Maj General Mark W. Clark, deputy commander to General Eisenhower, and small U.S. party arrive in Algeria by submarine under cover of darkness to meet secretly with pro-Allied French party headed by Brigadier General Charles E. Mast. During the meeting General Mast assures General Clark and U.S. Consul General Robert Murphy that French will co-operate under leadership of General Henri Giraud.

EGYPT—U.S. advanced base hq becomes Desert Air Task Force Hq under command of General Brereton. British Eighth Army moves secretly into assault positions during night 22–23.

UNITED KINGDOM—TORCH cargo convoy leaves for Africa.

US MARINE CORPS

—Marines and Army troops fight off heavy ground attacks of major Japanese counteroffensive.

Wednesday 21 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Destroyer Grayson (DD‑435) is damaged in collision with fleet tug Vireo (AT-144) during efforts to salvage the latter, Solomons area, 12°08'S, 161°04'E. Salvage party from Grayson ultimately brings the tug (abandoned on 15 September 1942) and its tow safely into Espiritu Santo after a 400 mile voyage.

            Japanese carrier Hiyo is damaged by engine room fire after departing Truk; she thus cannot participate in the Battle of Santa Cruz (see 26 October 1942).

            Submarine Guardfish (SS‑217) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Nichiho Maru about 120 miles north-northeast of Formosa, 27°03'N, 122°42'E.

            Submarine Gudgeon (SS‑212), attacking Japanese convoy in the Bismarck Sea, sinks transport Choko Maru about 110 miles west-northwest of Rabaul, 03°30'S, 150°30'E.

MEDITERRANEAN—In advance of the North African landings, Major General Mark W. Clark, USA; Brigadier General Lyman M. Lemnitzer, USA; two additional Army officers; and Navy Captain Jerauld Wright are landed at Cherchel, French North Africa, from British submarine HMS Seraph to meet with a French military delegation to ascertain French attitudes toward impending Allied operations. Among issues discussed is the French request for an American submarine to evacuate General Giraud from occupied France. Since none is available for that mission, a British submarine under temporary U.S. command will be substituted (see 5 November 1942).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—VIII Bomber Command flies its first mission against submarine bases. 15 B‑17’s hit U-boat pens at Lorient—Keroman. 8 Heavy Bombers strike at Cherbourg/Maupertus airfield. The strike against the sub pens is flown at 17,500-ft level, 5,000 to 10,000 ft lower than usual. 36 FW-190’s intercept; 3 US bombers are shot down.

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑24’s dispatched against shipping at Bengasi fail to locate target because of bad weather. During return flight, several Heavy Bombers bomb tent areas along coast and also hit landing grounds. B‑25’s, cooperating with RAF, bomb landing ground and tent area.

TENTH AF—B‑24’s of IATF stage through Chengtu to bomb Lin-hsi coal mines. The plan is to blast nearby power stations and pumping facilities and flood the mines. The attack fails to flood the mines but inflicts considerable damage to the target area. This marks the first use of Heavy Bombers in China and the first AAF strike N of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers.

FIFTH AF—B‑25’s hit Luscan Harbor on S coast of New Britain.

ELEVENTH AF—Weather reconnaissance aircraft returns twice due to fog.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—Admiral King informs Admiral Nimitz that Joint Chiefs of Staff have agreed to strengthen air forces in S Pacific by 1 January 1943.

GUADALCANAL—Japanese coastal force, with support of artillery and 9 tanks, attempts to cross to E bank of the Matanikau but pulls back after losing a tank to U.S. fire.

NEW GUINEA—From Jaure, 50-man patrol of cannon company, U.S. 32d Division, sets out for Kumusi River Valley, where it subsequently establishes defense line and is joined by Medendorp’s main group, the entire force being called Wairopi Patrol. Australians maintain pressure on enemy along Kokoda Trail, slowly gaining ground in flanking attacks.

US MARINE CORPS

—Marines and Army troops fight off heavy ground attacks of major Japanese counteroffensive.

Tuesday 20 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Heavy cruiser Chester (CA‑27) is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I‑176, 120 miles southeast of San Cristobal, Solomons, 13°31'S, 163°17'E.

            Submarine Drum (SS‑228), attacking Japanese convoy off southern Honshu, sinks merchant cargo ship Ryunan Maru,34°09'N, 136°46'E.

            Submarine Finback (SS‑230), attacking Japanese convoy off west coast of Formosa, damages army passenger-cargo ship Africa Maru and cargo ship Yamafuji Maru, 24°26'N, 120°25'E. Both sink the next morning.

            Submarine Gar (SS‑206) mines the approaches to Bangkok, Thailand.

            Submarine Tautog (SS‑199) sinks merchant trawler Nanshin Maru, 06°59'N, 119°20'E.

ATLANTIC—Remainder of crew (35 merchant seamen and nine Armed Guard sailors) from U.S. freighter Steel Scientist, sunk by German submarine U‑514 on 11 October 1942, reach Paramaribo, British Guiana, in three lifeboats.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—General Eisenhower issues directive reflecting immediate urgency of TORCH as the currently important item of Allied strategy and requiring Eighth AF, as a matter of first priority, to protect movement of men and supplies from UK to N Africa by attacking German submarine bases on W coast of France, with shipping docks on the French W coast as secondary targets for these missions and with German aircraft factories and depots in France as second priority.

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—Air action is intensified with aim of attaining strong air superiority preceding General Montgomery’s El Alamein offensive. B‑17’s and B‑24’s sent to attack shipping at Tobruk fail to locate target due to bad weather and poor visibility. 3 of the B‑17’s bomb coastal road near Bardia during return trip. B‑25’s, in conjunction with RAF, attack landing grounds.

SOUTH PACIFIC—Admiral Halsey sends 147th Infantry to Guadalcanal and also institutes construction of another bomber strip to be located at Koli Pt, 12 mi SE of Henderson Field.

ELEVENTH AF—6 B‑24’s take off for Kiska but return due to weather. Reconnaissance is flown to 70 mi E of Attu. A negative search is made for a missing C‑53.

US ARMY

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA—General Vandegrift, reporting to Admiral Halsey aboard his flagship in Nouméa harbor, requests and is promised more support for Guadalcanal. Admiral Halsey orders 147th Infantry, which had been earmarked for invasion of Ndeni, Santa Cruz Islands, to Guadalcanal. The Ndeni operation is never undertaken.

GUADALCANAL—Japanese attack is postponed to 22d, since main enveloping force has not yet reached line of departure, but patrol of supporting coastal force is taken under fire at mouth of Matanikau River and retires after 1 of its 2 tanks is hit.

NEW GUINEA—16th Brigade of Australian 6th Division enters fight for Kokoda Trail, relieving 25th Brigade of Australian 7th Div; continues action to clear Eora Creek area. U.S. 32d Division party under Capt Medendorp, having left elements at Laruni, where dropping ground is staked out, arrives at Jaure, where Capt Boice’s party is searching for airfield sites.

CHINA BURMA INDIA—Chinese troops begin moving by air into India to meet Ramgarh requirements. Chinese 22d and 38th Divisions are being brought up to strength.

IRAQ—General Connolly reaches Basra, where he assumes command of PGSC, replacing Col Shingler, who remains as acting chief of staff until relieved by Col Stanley L. Scott on 20 November. Strength of PGSC at this time is about 400 officers and men of SOS and AAF and just under 1,000 American civilians.

EGYPT—Allied air action is intensified in effort to attain high degree of air superiority before General Montgomery’s El ‘Alamein offensive opens. Air superiority is achieved by assault date, 24 October.

US MARINE CORPS

—Marines and Army troops fight off heavy ground attacks of major Japanese counteroffensive.

Monday 19 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Small reconnaissance seaplane from Japanese submarine I‑19 reconnoiters Nouméa, New Caledonia.

            Destroyer O'Brien (DD‑415), damaged by submarine torpedo on 15 September 1942, breaks in two and sinks en route to United States for repairs, 53 miles north-northwest of Tutuila, Samoa, 13°30'S, 171°18'E.

            Submarine Amberjack (SS‑219) arrives at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, assigned temporarily to Commander, Aircraft, South Pacific, for duty. Over the next three days, two of the submarine's fuel tanks will be cleaned and converted to carry aviation gasoline. She will also take on board 100-pound bombs and embark USAAF enlisted ground crew for transportation to Guadalcanal.

            SBDs (VS 71, VMSB 141, VB 6) from Henderson Field attack three Japanese destroyers north of Guadalcanal, damaging Uranami.

            Submarine Grampus (SS‑207) lands Australian coastwatchers on Choiseul Island, Solomons.

ATLANTIC—U.S. freighter Steel Navigator, straggling from convoy ON 137, is attacked by German submarine U‑610; Steel Navigator briefly drives off the shadower with 5-inch gunfire, but the U‑boat returns and torpedoes and sinks the freighter at 49°20'N, 32°00'W. Hastily launched motor boat swamps in heavy seas; no.3 lifeboat swamps as the ship plunges and spills its 35 occupants into the sea. U‑610 surfaces and approaches the survivors' boats and rafts; when questions shouted by the submarine's commander fail to get answers, the enemy threatens to cut a raft in two. After answers are given in the brief interrogation, the Germans refuse to provide a course to the nearest land and depart. Subsequently, survivors right no.3 boat and redistribute themselves; the boats become separated (see 27 October1942).

            Fishing boat (nationality not determined) tows no.1 lifeboat, with 25 men on board, from U.S. freighter Coloradan, which had been torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U‑159 on 9 October 1942, into Thorne Bay, South Africa; the Americans reach Cape Town the next day (see 2 November 1942).

            Master and radio operator in gig from U.S. freighter Steel Scientist, sunk by German submarine U‑514 on 11 October1942, reach Tarlogie, British Guiana (see 20 October 1942).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—HQ VIII Air Support Command moves from Membury to Sunninghill Park, Berkshire.

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—Air offensive preliminary to the British Eighth Army ground attack W of El Alamein begins as B‑25’s hit landing ground and B‑24’s score direct hit on vessel at Tobruk.

ELEVENTH AF—A B‑17 flies weather reconnaissance and bomb runs over Attu, Semichis, Kiska, and Amchitka. 6 B‑24’s dispatched to bomb Kiska abort mission due to weather.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—War Department agrees to equip 30 more Chinese divisions.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA—U.S. 25th Division is alerted for movement to Guadalcanal.

NEW GUINEA—Col Sverdrup’s reconnaissance party completes march along Kapa Kapa trail, which is so poor that it is rejected as a possible route of advance, to upper Musa River, where Abel’s Field is already in use; searches for additional airfield sites.

MADAGASCAR—Troops of British E African Command continue to clear S part of island and in 2 pronged attack overcome opposition at Andriamanalina.

US MARINE CORPS

—

Sunday 18 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Vice Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. relieves Vice Admiral Robert L. Ghormley as Commander South Pacific Area and South Pacific Force, on board auxiliary Argonne (AG-31) at Nouméa, New Caledonia.

            Submarine Grampus (SS‑207) torpedoes Japanese light cruiser Yura, 07°47'S, 157°19'E, but her "fish" fails to explode.

            Submarine Greenling (SS‑213) sinks Japanese transport Hakonesan Maru close inshore off northeast coast of Honshu, 38°46'N, 142°03'E.

ATLANTIC—U.S. freighter Angelina, straggling from New York-bound convoy ON 137, is again torpedoed by German submarine U‑618 at 49°39'N, 30°20'W, and abandoned; an "exceptionally heavy sea" claims 33 crewmen and 13 Armed Guards; British rescue ship Bury rescues six men (one of whom dies later) from a raft and three from a lifeboat. Only four merchant seamen and four Armed Guards thus survive the ship's loss.

            U.S. freighter Steel Navigator, also straggling from convoy ON 137, takes on 40° list as her sand ballast shifts; Armed Guard volunteers shovel ballast for 30 hours without relief (reducing the list to 12°) until financial bonus offered by ship’s master induces reluctant merchant sailors to lend a hand in the arduous work (see 19 October 1942).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

FIFTH AF—B‑25’s hit Wairopi bridge in Owen Stanley Range, village of Mubo, and dock and occupied area on Pilelo Island. B‑17’s attack shipping and aircraft in Faisi area, schooners and buildings at Lorengau on Manus, Kahili airfield, and shipping off Kahili, Pupukuna Pt, and Buin. Fifth AF completes air movement of most of 128th Infantry, 32d Division, to Wanigela.

SOUTH PACIFIC—Admiral Halsey succeeds Admiral Ghormley as COMSOPAC.

ELEVENTH AF—4 B‑24’s bomb Main Camp, score near misses on beached vessel in Trout Lagoon, and hit gasoline storage area. Weather aircraft flies reconnaissance over Attu, Segula, Little Sitkin, and Gareloi.

US ARMY

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA—Admiral Halsey succeeds Admiral Ghormley as Commander, South Pacific Area.

NEW GUINEA—Air movement of most of 128th Infantry, U.S. 32d Division, to Wanigela is completed. Elements are left at Port Moresby temporarily when Wanigela field becomes unserviceable because of rains. Hard fighting continues on Kokoda Trail in vicinity of Eora Creek.

US MARINE CORPS

—Vice Admiral Halsey relieves Vice Admiral Ghormley as Commander South Pacific Area and South Pacific Force.