Thursday, 20 August 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—First USMC planes arrive at Henderson Field: aircraft escort vessel Long Island (AVG-1) ferries 19 F4Fs (VMF 223) and 12 SBDs (VMSB 232) to Guadalcanal. Although Japanese flying boat from the Shortlands sights Long Island, screened by light cruiser Helena (CL-50) and destroyers Aylwin (DD-355) and Dale (DD-353), the U.S. ships prove to be out of range of enemy land-based air and retire from the area without incident.

            Small seaplane tender Mackinac (AVP-13) is damaged when mistakenly bombed by SBDs (VS 71) from carrier Wasp (CV-7) off Ndeni Island.

ATLANTIC—PBY-5A (VP 73) sinks German submarine U-464, North Atlantic Area, 61°25'N, 14°40'W.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—Principle of coordinated day and night bombing receive its first formal definition in ‘Joint British/American Directive on Day Bomber Operations involving Fighter Cooperation.’ Emphasis is placed on achieving continuity in bombing offensive from UK. 11 Heavy Bombers attack Longeau marshalling yard at Amiens, a vital point in the traffic flow between France and Germany.

ELEVENTH AF—1 B‑24 flies photo reconnaissance over Kiska. Patrol is flown over Shumagin Island.

ZONE OF THE INTERIOR—Twelfth AF is activated at Bolling Field.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—Twelfth Air Force is activated at Bolling Field, Washington, D.C.

NEW HEBRIDES—Advanced supply depots are established at Noumea and Espiritu Santo.

GUADALCANAL—First planes (advance echelon of MAG 23, 1st Marine Air Wing) arrive for duty at Henderson Field. The group consists of VMF 223 (19 F4F–4’s) and VMSB 232 (12 SBD–3’s). Supply and evacuation between Guadalcanal and Espiritu Santo is begun by MAG 25. 1st Marine Division units along Ilu River exchange fire with enemy moving up from E, beginning in evening.

NEW GUINEA—Japanese order amphibious assault on Milne Bay by about 1,500 men from Kavieng, New Ireland, and from Buna.

USSR—German Army Group B makes slow progress toward Stalingrad against stubborn resistance and gains foothold across the Don in Kletskaya area. In the Caucasus, Soviet rear guards continue strong delaying action.

US MARINE CORPS

First Marine fighter aircraft arrive on Henderson Field, Guadalcanal.

Wednesday, 19 August 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—USAAF B-17s, flying from Espiritu Santo, bomb Japanese destroyers Kagero, Hagikaze and Maikaze off Guadalcanal, damaging Hagikaze off Tulagi.

            Small reconnaissance seaplane from Japanese submarine I-29 reconnoiters the Seychelles.

CARIBBEAN—German submarine U-162 continues stalking convoy TAW (S) attacked the previous day, and again torpedoes unarmed U.S. freighter West Celina, which is abandoned by the 39 man crew and the convoy commodore's staff of four men; the convoy commodore, however, is lost (see 21 and 22 August). German submarine U-564 attacks the convoy as well, torpedoing and sinking two British ships: tanker British Consul and freighter Empire Cloud. Escorting ships will, however, frustrate further attacks by the U-boats.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—22 B‑17’s drop 34 tons of bombs on Abbeville/Drucat airfield causing extensive damage. This mission is flown to occupy enemy fighters and prevent them from opposing an invasion by over 5,000 Allied troops, mostly Canadians, who raid Dieppe. 2d Lt Samuel F Junkin Jr of 309th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Group, flying a Spitfire in support of the amphibious raid on Dieppe, shoots down a German fighter. this being the first aerial victory won by an Eighth AF fighter pilot flying from the UK.

FIFTH AF—B‑17’s bomb shipping at Faisi on Shortland Island.

ELEVENTH AF—Mechanical failure prevents a B‑24 from flying reconnaissance over Tanaga.

US ARMY

GUADALCANAL—5th Marines, in limited offensive, clears coastal villages of Matanikau and Kokumbona, then returns to Lunga Pt. Companies L and B attack Matanikau from E and S. Company Island, moving forward by sea, clears Kakumbona. While patrolling to locate enemy radio station, Company A of 1st Marines encounters and virtually wipes out party of 34 Japanese— recently landed Army forces—near Taivu Pt.

NEW BRITAIN—Japanese reinforcements, about 1,500 in 4 transports screened by DD’s, leave Rabaul for Guadalcanal.

NEW GUINEA—Leading elements of Australian 7th Division (21st Brigade) arrive at Port Moresby, from which they start at once toward Isurava to bolster Maroubra Force.

EGYPT—General Alexander directs General Montgomery to hold current positions at El ‘Alamein while preparing for offensive.

FRANCE—Canadian (Canadian) and British troops, 5,000 strong, raid Dieppe for 9 hours, damaging military installations at great cost in casualties. 50 U.S. Rangers accompanied the expedition; of these, 6 were wounded and 7 were reported missing. Many German planes are destroyed by supporting Allied fighters.

US MARINE CORPS

—

Tuesday, 18 August 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Japanese destroyers Kagero, Hakigaze, Maikaze, Urakaze, Isokaze and Hamikaze begin landing 916 troops of the Imperial Army's Ichiki Detachment on Guadalcanal.

CARIBBEAN—Convoy TAW 13, steaming south of Cuba, comes under attack from German submarine U-553, which torpedoes and sinks Swedish merchantman Blankaholm and British freighter Empire Bede; U-553 also torpedoes and sinks U.S. freighter John Hancock at 19°27'N, 76°48'W. All 38 merchant sailors and the 11 man Armed Guard survive the loss of the ship; the men are rescued by British corvette HMS Pimpernel.

            Convoy TAW (S), 15 ships escorted by gunboat Courage (PG-70), British corvette HMS Clarkia, two Coast Guard cutters and four submarine chasers, is attacked by German submarine U-162, which torpedoes unarmed U.S. freighter West Celina off Grenada, 11°45'N, 62°30'W (see 19 August).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

MIDDLE EAST—General Alexander assumes command of British imperial forces in ME.

TENTH AF—General Bissell becomes CG Tenth AF, relieving General Naiden who now devotes full time to command of India- China Ferry Command.

FIFTH AF—For second consecutive day a single B‑17 attacks Kavieng bombs fall in airfield dispersal area.

ELEVENTH AF—A B‑24 takes oblique of Amchitka and Tanaga. Heavy fog over Kiska and Attu preclude armed reconnaissance.

US ARMY

NEW GUINEA—Large Japanese detachment, embarked on 3 escorted transports, reaches Basabua undetected and goes ashore. General Rowell assumes command of New Guinea Force, replacing General Morris.

CHINA BURMA INDIA—Maj General Clayton L. Bissell is given command of U.S. Tenth Air Force.

US MARINE CORPS

—

Monday, 17 August 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Companies "A" and "B," 2d Marine Raider Battalion (Lieutenant Colonel Evans F. Carlson, USMC), transported in submarines Nautilus (SS-168) and Argonaut (SS-166), raid Makin Island in the Gilberts; Nautilus's gunfire supports marines ashore. The relative ease with which the assault is carried out, however, inspires the Japanese to bolster defenses in the region.

            Submarine Gudgeon (SS-211) damages Japanese oilers Shinkoku Maru and Nichiei Maru northwest of Truk, 07°43'N,151°13'W.

ATLANTIC—U.S. tanker Louisiana is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-108 approximately 200 miles from Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana, 07°24'N, 52°33'W; although U-108 sees three men escape from the burning ship, they are never found. There are no survivors from the 41 merchant sailors and the 8 man Armed Guard.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—12 B‑17’s of 97th Bomb Group, escorted by Spitfires, launch first AAF Heavy Bomber attack from UK against W Europe. Target is Rouen-Sotteville marshalling yard. Sgt Kent River West shoots down German fighter, thus becoming the first Eighth AF gunner to receive credit for a combat kill. VIII Ground Air Support Command opens its HQ at Membury.

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—HQ USAMEAF announces designation of General Strickland as CG IX Fighter Command. B‑25’s of 81st Bomb Squadron hit stores, depot and tank repair shops at Matruh. This marks debut of the MPs of the 12th Bomb Group in ME.

FIFTH AF—A single B‑17 bomb’s Kavieng.

ELEVENTH AF—1 B‑24 flies photo reconnaissance over Buldir, Kiska and Amchitka Islands despite heavy rain.

US ARMY

GILBERT ISLANDS—Lt Col Evans F. Carlson’s 2d Marine Raider Battalion, consisting of 221 marines, moves by 2 submarines to Makin and begins 2-day raid on Butaritari Island., during which scattered enemy forces are engaged and radio station is destroyed. Enemy planes attack the Raiders on both days. 30 marines are lost in the action.

GUADALCANAL—Admiral Ghormley shifts responsibility for establishing line of communications to Guadalcanal from TF 63 to Admiral Turner’s TF 62. Henderson Field becomes operational. Japanese land reinforcements near Taivu Pt and in Kokumbona area, night 17–18.

USSR—German Army Group A establishes bridgeheads across Kuban River.

FRANCE—U.S. Eighth Air Force conducts first attack against Europe. Sq of B–24’s, escorted by RAF Spitfires, bombs rail center at Rouen.

US MARINE CORPS

2d Raider Bn lands from submarines at Makin Island. Raid is completed following day.

Sunday, 16 August 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine S-39 (SS-144), irreparably damaged by striking reef off Rossel Island, on 14 August, is abandoned.

            Airship L 8 (ZP-32) is damaged upon return from patrol off California coast, landing at Dale City, California. The airship, however is unmanned; the fate of its two man crew remains a mystery.

ATLANTIC—Surviving 38 merchant seamen and the 13 man Armed Guard of U.S. freighter Cripple Creek, sunk by German submarine U-171 on 13 August, are rescued by British armed trawler HMS St. Wistan and transported to Sierra Leone.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—Personnel strength is greatly increased and supply and maintenance prospects are much improved by arrival of ground echelons of 57th Fighter, 12th and 98th Bomb, and 323d Service Groups.

ELEVENTH AF—A B‑24 aborts photo reconnaissance flight over Adak because of mechanical failure.

US ARMY

EGYPT—Enemy installations on Egyptian front are bombed for first time by U.S. medium bombers in support of British Eighth Army.

US MARINE CORPS

—

Saturday, 15 August 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island, Washington, is established.

            Marine Aircraft Wings, Pacific (Major General Ross E. Rowell, USMC) is established at San Diego, California.

CARIBBEAN—Patrol Wing 11 (Commander Stanley J. Michael) is established at San Juan, Puerto Rico, for operations in Caribbean Sea Frontier.

            Naval Auxiliary Air Facility, Jamaica, British West Indies, is established.

ATLANTIC—U.S. freighter Balladier, in convoy SC 95, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-705 (one of 13 boats deployed to intercept Allied transatlantic convoys) approximately 550 miles southeast of Iceland at 55°00'N, 25°00'W; eleven of the 34 man crew and two of the 11 man Armed Guard die in the attack. Merchantman Norluna rescues survivors.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑24’s bomb Tobruk harbor during 14/15 Aug.

FIFTH AF—B‑17’s attack shipping off Gona.

ELEVENTH AF—A B‑24 trying to fly photo reconnaissance over Tanaga and Adak aborts over Kiska due to weather.

ZONE OF THE INTERIOR—AAF Foreign Service Concentration Command is redesignated I Concentration Command.

US ARMY

GUADALCANAL—Marine rations are cut. First destroyer-transports arrive with supplies and aviation ground crews.

MIDDLE EAST—General Alexander takes command of MEF from General Auchinleck.

EGYPT—General Montgomery is rapidly reorganizing and strengthening British Eighth Army, for which 10 Corps is to serve as reserve. Considering ‘Alam el Halfa ridge, far in rear of El ‘Alamein Line, of vital importance, 44th Division and 10th Armored Division (—9th Brigade) are ordered to this area from Delta region, where they have been training. 132d Brigade of 44th Division is attached to New Zealand 2d Division.

USSR—Germans report capture of Georgievsk.

US MARINE CORPS

Marine Aircraft Wings, Pacific, established at San Diego, California, under Major General Ross E. Rowell

Friday, 14 August 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine S-39 (SS-144) is damaged when she strikes submerged reef off Rossel Island, Louisiade Archipelago.

            Submarine Seawolf (SS-197) sinks Japanese merchant passenger-cargo ship Hachigen Maru (ex-British Wenchow) in Sibitu Passage, 05°07'N, 119°37'E.

EUROPE—Lieutenant General Dwight D. Eisenhower, USA, Commanding General, European Theater of Operations, is appointed Commander in Chief of Allied Expeditionary Forces; Admiral Sir Andrew B. Cunningham, RN, is appointed Allied Naval Commander.

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. freighter California is torpedoed, shelled and sunk by Italian submarine Reginaldo Giuliani at 09°24'N,33°02'W; all hands (38 men) abandon the sinking ship under fire (see 4, 5 and 14 September).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

ICELAND—2d Lt Joseph D Shaffer (33d Fighter Squadron) and 2d Lt Elza E Shahan (27th Fighter Squadron) jointly shoot down FW- 200 off coast of Iceland. This is first aerial victory of AAF in ETO.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—Directive is sent to General Eisenhower as CinC TORCH.

US MARINE CORPS

—