Thursday 15 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Base, Fremantle-Perth, Australia, is established.

            Patrol Wing 14 (Captain William M. McDade) is established at San Diego, California, for operations in Western Sea Frontier.

            Heavy cruiser Portland (CA‑33) bombards Japanese shipping and installations at Tarawa, Gilberts.

            Japanese heavy cruisers Chokai and Kinugasa (Vice Admiral Mikawa Gunichi) bombard Henderson Field, covering the movement of six destroyers and eleven transports to Tassafaronga, Guadalcanal. Planes from Henderson Field, including USMC and Navy SBDs (VMSB 141, VB 6, other unidentified units), USAAF B‑17s and P‑39/P‑400s, Navy F4Fs (VF 5), and USMC PBY (personal "flag" plane of Commanding General 1st Marine Aircraft Wing), conduct a succession of attacks upon Japanese supply convoy off Tassafaronga undamaged by VS 3's strike the previous day. USAAF B‑17s damage transport Azumasan Maru which, along with merchant cargo ship Kyushu Maru, is run aground, where uncontrollable fires destroy both ships. Air attacks also sink Sasago Maru and damage destroyer Samidare.

            Off San Cristobal, Solomons, destroyer Meredith (DD‑434) takes on board the crew of tug Vireo (AT-144) at approach of planes from Japanese carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku. Before Meredith can scuttle the tug with a torpedo to prevent her from falling into enemy hands, however, the destroyer is overwhelmed and sunk in the ensuing air attack, by bombs and aerial torpedoes; Vireo and her tow (a gasoline barge), though, having been abandoned, drift off, untouched by the enemy. Some Meredith survivors reach safety on board the tug (see 21 September 1942).

            Submarine Skipjack (SS‑184) engages Japanese auxiliary Kifuku Maru at 04°36'N, 146°59'E. Skipjack's torpedoes miss; Kifuku Maru returns fire with her guns and escapes into a rain squall.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

FIFTH AF—A‑20’s and P‑40’s pound forces S of Templeton’s Crossing and at Popondetta. B‑25’s bomb Salamaua and hit targets in Owen Stanley Range and in area around bridge at Wairopi. A single B‑17 attacks shipping near Treasury Islands.

SOUTH PACIFIC—Aviation fuel arrives at Henderson Field from Espiritu Santo by aircraft and ship.

ELEVENTH AF—3 B‑26’s bomb and 1 B‑24 flies photo reconnaissance over Kiska and Attu. The B‑26’s hit a large cargo ship in Gertrude Cove, starting fire, and hit buildings on Attu. AA claims 1 B‑26.

ZONE OF THE INTERIOR—AAF Antisub Command is activated to take over antisub operations of I Bomber Command, which is inactivated.

US ARMY

GUADALCANAL—Japanese 17th Army issues tactical orders for assault on Lunga Pt, setting date tentatively for 18th. 5 escorted enemy transports unload final elements of assault force (3,000–4,000 men) and most of cargo at Tassafaronga. Aircraft from Guadalcanal and New Hebrides join in attacks on enemy, sinking 2 vessels and damaging others. Vitally needed gasoline arrives from Espiritu Santo on Army and Marine transport planes and on seaplane tender MacFarland.

US MARINE CORPS

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Wednesday 14 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Motor torpedo boats PT-60, PT-38, PT-46, and PT-48 (Lieutenant Commander Alan R. Montgomery) engage Japanese surface force (Rear Admiral Kurita Takeo) comprising battleships Haruna and Kongo, light cruiser Isuzu, and seven destroyers bombarding Henderson Field, Guadalcanal. Destroyer Naganami turns back the motor torpedo boats; Japanese bombardment destroys 48 of 90 planes at the field, putting the facility temporarily out of action. PT-60 is damaged by grounding on coral reef off Guadalcanal.

            SBDs (Guadalcanal-based VS 3) attack six-ship Japanese convoy escorted by eight destroyers heading southward toward Guadalcanal between Santa Isabel and Florida Islands, 08°50'S, 160°00'E, but inflict no damage.

            Japanese submarine I‑7 shells Espiritu Santo.

            Submarine Finback (SS‑230), attacking Japanese convoy, sinks army transport Teison Maru about 20 miles off Tansui harbor, on northwest tip of Formosa, 25°20'N, 121°25'E.

            Submarine Greenling (SS‑213) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Takusei Maru six miles off Todo Zaki, off northeast coast of Honshu, 39°33'N, 142°15'E.

            Submarine Grampus (SS‑207) lands Australian coastwatchers on coast of Vella Lavella (see 19 October 1942).

            Submarine Sculpin (SS‑191) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Sumiyoshi Maru 75 miles southwest of Kavieng, New Ireland, 03°51'S, 151°21'E.

            Submarine Skipjack (SS‑184) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Shunko Maru about 450 miles west-southwest of Truk,05°35'N, 144°25'E.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑17’s hit shipping at Tobruk, scoring 2 direct hits on a large vessel and demolishing a smaller ship moored alongside. P‑40’s fly patrols, reconnaissance and interception missions between El Alamein and Burg el Arab.

FIFTH AF—B‑25’s attack Lae, a bridge 40 mi N of Port Moresby, and area of Wairopi bridge. On Kokoda trail Japanese offer fierce resistance to Australians pushing NE in vicinity of Templeton’s Crossing. Fifth AF airplanes begin flying a force of Australians and Americans to Wanigela.

SOUTH PACIFIC—B‑17’s which have been temporarily operating out of Henderson Field are evacuated. Field is again pounded by artillery and naval bombardment, and by afternoon is out of operation. Aviation fuel supply is low.

ELEVENTH AF—9 B‑24’s, 6 B‑26’s, 1 B‑17 and 12 P‑38’s bomb and strafe Kiska installations and shipping. Fire bombs are dropped on hangars and Main Camp area where a large fire is started. 2 torpedo attacks on shipping in Gertrude Cove score no hits. The P‑38’s destroy 3 float-planes on water. 1 P‑38 is shot down.

US ARMY

GUADALCANAL—Further enemy bombardment of Henderson Field puts it out of action temporarily, forcing aircraft to use Fighter Strip No. 1, a rough runway SE of Henderson. Strength of operational aircraft is reduced during 13th and 14th from 90 to 42. Supply of aviation gasoline is critically low, but SBD’s and P–39’s take to the air in effort to halt enemy convoy of transports escorted by DD’s proceeding toward Guadalcanal. The planes fail to stop the convoy but sink a transport and set another vessel on fire.

NEW GUINEA—Fifth Air Force begins f lying coastal force (128th Infantry of U.S. 32d Division and 2/6th Australian Independent Company, under command of Brigadier General Hanford MacNider) to Wanigela. Australians advancing along Kokoda Trail are meeting stubborn opposition in vicinity of Templeton’s Crossing.

US MARINE CORPS

—Japanese battleships and cruisers bombard Henderson Field.

Tuesday 13 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—1st Marine Division is reinforced by 164th Infantry Regiment of Americal Division, the first major U.S. Army unit to reach Guadalcanal.

            Small reconnaissance seaplane from Japanese submarine I‑7 reconnoiters Espiritu Santo.

            Japanese submarine I‑30 is sunk by mine, three miles east of Singapore (see 9 September 1942).

NORTH RUSSIA—German torpedo bombers attacking convoy PQ.18

ATLANTIC—U.S. freighter Susana, in convoy SC 104 and bound for Cardiff, Wales, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U‑221, 53°41'N, 41°23'W; 27 of the 42 man crew perish with the ship, as do 10 of the 16 man Armed Guard. British rescue ship Gothland rescues the six Armed Guard survivors and the 15 merchant seamen who survive Susana's loss.

            U.S. freighter West Humhaw rescues 18 survivors of freighter John Carter Rose, sunk by U‑201 and U‑202 on 8October 1942. Argentinean tanker Santa Cruz picks up the remainder of those who survive the merchantman's loss.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—P‑40’s fly fighter sweep, patrol, and interception missions W of El Alamein. Fighters claim 2 Me-109’s destroyed and 1 damaged.

FIFTH AF—B‑17’s again pound Rabaul, concentrating on Vunakanau and Lakunai airfields. A B‑17 bombs Buna.

SOUTH PACIFIC—6 B‑17’s bomb Buka and Tonolai. Japanese aircraft from Rabaul pound Henderson Field during the day and hit troops of the American Division disembarking at Lunga Pt. Artillery also begins shelling the airstrip. During 13/14 Oct the battleships Kongo and Haruna hit Henderson with a terrific bombardment. The field is damaged severely and many airplanes are destroyed or damaged.

ELEVENTH AF—A search mission is not completed due to weather.

US ARMY

GUADALCANAL—Japanese aircraft, long-range artillery from Kokumbona area, and naval TF that includes 2 BB’s alternate in bombarding Henderson Field during day and throughout night 13–14, severely damaging field and sharply reducing U.S. air strength. First ground force units of U.S. Army, 164th Infantry of Americal Division, arrive on McCawley and on Zeilin, which also bring 210 men of 1st Marine Air Wing and 85 Marine casuals plus weapons and supplies. Unloading despite air attacks, the vessels embark 1st Raider Battalion and sail for New Caledonia. Troop strength of 1st Marine Division is thus brought up to 23,088, excluding forces on Tulagi. 1st Marine Division CG divides Lunga perimeter into 5 regimental sectors, massing greatest strength on W.

CHINA—General Stilwell presents to Chiang Kai-shek President Roosevelt’s reply of 12 October to the Generalissimo’s 3 demands.

US MARINE CORPS

—164th Infantry Regiment of Americal Division arrives to reinforce 1st Marine Div.

Monday 12 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Battle of Cape Esperance continues as TG 64.2 engages Japanese cruiser and destroyer force. As the result of damage received in the battle, Japanese heavy cruiser Furutaka sinks, 09°02'S, 159°34'E; destroyers Murakumo and Shirayuki rescue survivors of Rear Admiral Goto's ships sunk in the engagement with TG 64.2.

            Despite efforts of a salvage party from destroyer McCalla (DD‑488), destroyer Duncan (DD‑485) sinks as a result of damage received off Cape Esperance. McCalla also conducts unsuccessful attempt to sink Japanese submarine I‑2 off Guadalcanal.

            Destroyers Gwin (DD‑433), Nicholas (DD‑450), and Sterett (DD‑407) shell Japanese artillery positions on Guadalcanal.

            SBD (VS 71) sinks Japanese destroyer Natsugumo off Savo Island; destroyer Murakumo, after being damaged by TBF (VT 8), Navy and Marine SBDs (VS 3, VS 71, VMSB 141) and Marine F4Fs (VMF 121, VMF 212, and VMF 224) off New Georgia, Solomons, is scuttled by destroyer Shirayuki.

            Submarine Nautilus (SS‑168) is damaged by depth charges off northern Honshu, 41°05'N, 141°58'E, but remains on patrol.

            Motor torpedo boats PT-38, PT-46, PT-48 and PT-60 arrive at Tulagi, having been towed from Espiritu Santo to a point 300 miles south of that place by high-speed minesweepers Southard (DMS‑10) and Hovey (DMS‑11).

            Transport Mount Vernon (AP‑22) is stranded by storm, Sydney, Australia, harbor, but is not damaged in the accidental grounding.

ATLANTIC—U.S. freighter Pan Gulf, in convoy TAG 18S, blunders into U.S. minefield at 10°01'N, 61°50'16"W; she returns to Trinidad under her own power. There are no casualties among the 38 man merchant complement and 21 man Armed Guard.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—VIII Fighter Command is made responsible for preparation and movement of air echelons of Twelfth AF from UK to N Africa.

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—Bomber Command USAMEAF is organized at Cairo with Col Patrick W Timberlake as CO. This step comes about as part of a move to preserve Arnold-Portal-Towers agreement that US combat units in theaters of British strategic responsibility are to be organized in homogeneous ‘American formations’ and under ‘strategic control only’ of a British CinC. B‑17’s hit shipping at Tobruk harbor.

FIFTH AF—A‑20’s hit village of Isivita and targets on trail near Wairopi. B‑25’s bomb Buna, Wairopi bridge, and targets along Buna-Kokoda trail.

SOUTH PACIFIC—5 B‑17’s bomb installations at Buka.

ELEVENTH AF—2 B‑24’s abort bombing of Kiska due to overcast and instead fly shipping search W of Attu.

US ARMY

BATTLE OF CAPE ESPERANCE—Henderson-based planes conclude action against retiring enemy naval force, sinking DD’s Murakumo and Natsugumo.

SOLOMON ISLANDS—4 boats of MTB Sq 3, the first naval craft to be permanently based at Tulagi except for harbor patrol boats, are towed in.

CHINA BURMA INDIA—General Stilwell requests that a second 30 Chinese divisions be equipped.

US MARINE CORPS

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Sunday 11 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Japanese transport force (Rear Admiral Joshima Koji), formed around seaplane carriers Chitose and Nisshin and six destroyers, reaches Tassafaronga, Guadalcanal, to disembark elements of the Japanese Army's 2d Infantry Division. Three heavy cruisers and two destroyers (Rear Admiral Goto Aritomo, his flag in heavy cruiser Aoba) are to provide cover by shelling Henderson Field. Battle of Cape Esperance commences shortly before midnight, however, as naval surface force TG 64.2 (Rear Admiral Norman Scott) bars Goto's way. Heavy cruiser Salt Lake City (CA‑25) and light cruiser Boise (CL‑47) are damaged, but combine to cripple Japanese heavy cruiser Furutaka; destroyers Duncan (DD‑485) and Farenholt (DD‑491) are also damaged by Japanese gunfire, the latter possibly by friendly fire from either Boise or Helena (CL‑50). American cruiser and destroyer gunfire sinks Japanese destroyer Fubuki (09°06'S,159°38'E) and damages heavy cruiser Aoba (Rear Admiral Goto is killed on board his flagship) and destroyer Hatsuyuki.

            Japanese submarine I‑25, homeward bound from her deployment off the U.S. West Coast, torpedoes and sinks Russian submarine L 16 (bound from Dutch Harbor, Alaska, to San Francisco, California), 46°41'N, 138°56'E.

            Submarine Searaven (SS‑196) torpedoes German blockade runner Regensburg in Sunda Strait, N.E.I.

            British destroyer HMS Active rescues 23 survivors from No.2 lifeboat from U.S. freighter Coloradan, which had been torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U‑159 on 9 October 1942 (see 19 October 1942).

ATLANTIC—U.S. freighter Steel Scientist, en route to Paramaribo, British Guiana, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U‑514, 05°48'N, 51°39'W; one crewman is killed in the attack. Survivors (who include 37 merchant seamen and the 9 man Armed Guard) take to a gig and three lifeboats (see 19 and 20 October 1942).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑24’s attack convoy in the Mediterranean, hitting 1 vessel and claiming 1 fighter shot down.

SOUTH PACIFIC—B‑17’s sight Task Force of cruisers and destroyers bearing down on Guadalcanal in the afternoon. During 11/12 Oct, in the Battle of Cape Esperance, Adm Scott’s cruisers drive away the vessels. Search has been and continues to be the most useful service of the B‑17’s in SOPAC.

ELEVENTH AF—Kiska is hit by 3 bombing and strafing missions flown by 10 B‑24’s and 3 B‑17’s. The B‑17’s make no contact. The B‑24’s blast harbor targets and Main Camp.

US ARMY

BATTLE OF CAPE ESPERANCE—After Japanese naval force moving toward Guadalcanal is spotted by U.S. planes in afternoon, Task Force of 4 cruisers and 5 DD’s under Rear Admiral Norman Scott, standing off Rennell Island to protect convoy bringing elements of Americal Division to Guadalcanal, moves toward Cape Esperance to engage enemy and at 2346 opens fire. During 34-minute battle, the Task Force sinks Furutaka (CA) and Fubuki (DD) and damages Aoba and Kinugasa (CA’s). Enemy retires northward, leaving DD’s Natsugumo and Murakumo to rescue survivors. U.S. losses are light: Duncan, Boise, Salt Lake City, and Farenholt are damaged; of these, only the DD Duncan sinks, on 12th.

MADAGASCAR—General Platt, CG E African Command, relinquishes command on island to Maj General Smallwood, General Officer Commanding Islands Area.

US MARINE CORPS

—Naval Battle of Cape Esperance. U. S. forces under Admiral Spruance engage Japanese ships of the “Tokyo Express. ”

 

Saturday 10 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Amberjack (SS‑219) damages Japanese transport Tenryu Maru and auxiliary Tonan Maru off Kavieng, 02°36'S, 150°48'E.

            Submarine Seadragon (SS‑194) sinks Japanese transport Shigure Maru off Samarinda, Borneo, 01°01'S, 117°22'E.

            Submarine Wahoo (SS‑238) sinks Japanese collier Kamoi Maru off Bougainville, Solomons.

            Japanese submarine chaser Ch 14 is damaged by planes (USAAF B‑24s and B‑17s, accompanied by P‑38s, bomb shipping in Trout Lagoon and off South Head) off Kiska, Aleutians.

            U.S. tanker Camden, torpedoed by Japanese submarine I‑25 on 4 October 1942, catches fire and sinks off the mouth of the Columbia River, 46°46'38"N, 124°31'15"W.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑24’s bomb shipping and dock area at Bengasi, while B‑25’s hit landing grounds.

FIFTH AF—B‑17’s pound Rabaul and nearby Lakunai airfield. A‑20’s hit target along Buna-Kokoda trail and, with P‑ 400’s, strike villages in area of Asisi and Sanananda.

ELEVENTH AF—10 B‑24’s, 7 B‑17’s, and 4 P‑38’s fly 4 missions to Kiska. Third mission (3 B‑17’s) does not make contact. The others bomb and strafe Main Camp area, hit shipping in Trout Lagoon and off South Head, where gun positions and installations are also blasted. Fires are started in the Main Camp and hangar areas.

US ARMY

GUADALCANAL—In anticipation of enemy counteroffensive, marines strengthen defense positions and patrol aggressively. 3 Battalions of 1st and 7th Marines plus elements of Special Weapons Company take responsibility for E bank of the Matanikau, where permanent positions are established at river mouth. By this time, 12 P–39’s of 67th Fighter Squadron are at Henderson Field. B–17’s are occasionally staging through the field.

NEW GUINEA—Main body of 2d Battalion, 126th Infantry, U.S. 32d Division, with supporting units, leaves Kalikodobu on foot for Jaure.

US MARINE CORPS

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Friday 9 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—U.S. troop convoy, TG 62.6, consisting of transports McCawley (AP‑10) and Zeilin (AP‑9) and eight high speed transports (Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner) sails from Nouméa, New Caledonia, for Guadalcanal with the U.S. Army 164^th Infantry Regiment embarked.

            Auxiliary aircraft carrier Copahee (ACV 12) ferries 20 USMC F4Fs (VMF 121) to Henderson Field, Guadalcanal.

            Small reconnaissance seaplane from Japanese submarine I‑7 reconnoiters Espiritu Santo.

            Submarine Drum (SS‑228) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Yawatasan Maru, 33°27'N, 136°01'E.

ATLANTIC—U.S. freighter Coloradan is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U‑159 approximately 214 miles southwest of Cape Town, South Africa, 35°47'S, 14°34'E; six crewmen are killed in the attack. Survivors (who include 33 merchant seamen and the 15 man Armed Guard) divide themselves between two lifeboats; the men in lifeboat no.1 are questioned by the Germans and are given a course to Cape Town (see 11 and 19 October and 2 November 1942).

            German submarine U‑505 is damaged by aircraft off Trinidad, B.W.I.

            U.S. freighter Examelia is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U‑68 20 miles south of the Cape of Good Hope,34°52'S, 18°30'E; U‑boat officers question the survivors before the enemy submersible leaves the area. U.S. freighter John Lykes subsequently rescues the survivors (30 of 38 merchant sailors and 10 of the 13 man Armed Guard) (see 2 November 1942).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—B‑24’s join air assault in first US mission in which more than 100 bombers are dispatched from UK. The principal targets are the steel and engineering works of the Compagnie de Fives at Lille and the locomotive and freight car works of Ateliers d’Hellemmes at Lille, which are attacked by 69 B‑17’s and B‑24’s. Other targets attacked (by 10 Heavy Bombers) are Courtrai/Wevelghem and Saint-Omer airfields and the city of Roubaix.

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑24’s strike shipping and harbor facilities at Bengasi. P‑40’s fly escort and strafe a landing ground W of El Daba and emplacements in battle area W of El Alamein.

FIFTH AF—14 B‑25’s hit airfield at Lae. 30 B‑17’s pound numerous targets at Rabaul.

ELEVENTH AF—7 B‑17’s and 10 B‑24’s escorted by 6 P‑38’s and 4 P‑39’s bomb Kiska Harbor, installations and shipping 6 times. Targets include shipping in Gertrude Cove, small cargo vessels in Kiska Harbor, installations at North Head, hangar, Main Camp area (hit several times), and various shore facilities.

US ARMY

GUADALCANAL—Rear echelon of 2d Marines, 2d Marine Division, arrives. 164th Infantry of Americal Division sails to Guadalcanal from Nouméa, New Caledonia. Whaling Group and 7th Marines force cross the Matanikau and, with artillery assistance of 11th Marines, drive N to coastal area; retire eastward across Matanikau River mouth, covered by 5th Marines, concluding 3-day action during which Japanese lose nearly 700 men as against 65 marines killed and 125 wounded.

FRANCE—In heaviest daylight raid to date, about 100 U.S. heavy bombers with strong RAF and U.S. fighter support attack industrial targets at Lille. Many enemy planes are encountered and more than 100 are damaged or destroyed.

US MARINE CORPS

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