Tuesday, 7 July 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Japanese merchant cargo ship Haruna Maru founders and sinks near Omaesaki, Japan.

ATLANTIC—Naval Air Facility, Reykjavik, Iceland, is established.

            USAAF A-29 sinks German submarine U-701 off North Carolina coast, 34°50'N, 74°55'W--the first submarine "kill” by a USAAF plane in World War II.

GULF OF MEXICO—U.S. tanker Paul H. Harwood is torpedoed by German submarine U-67 off Southwest Pass, Louisiana, 29°26'N,88°38'W; there are no casualties among the 40 man crew or 16 man Armed Guard, and the ship puts into Burrwood, Louisiana, under her own power. She returns to service in September.

ARCTIC—Ordeal of dispersed USSR-bound convoy PQ 17 to German submarines and planes continues: U.S. freighter Olopanais is torpedoed by German submarine U-255 about 10 miles west of Novaya Zemlya, 72°10'N, 51°00'E, and abandoned; five merchant seamen and two Armed Guard sailors perish in the attack. U-255 then surfaces and shells the ship, after which time the Germans conduct a brief interrogation of some of the survivors before clearing the area (see 9 July). U.S. freighter Alcoa Ranger is torpedoed by German submarine U-255 at 71°38'N, 49°35'E, and abandoned by the 34 man crew and the 6 man Armed Guard. U-255 surfaces and conducts a brief interrogation of some of the survivors, as she had done in the case of John Witherspoon and Olopana earlier, before the U-boat shells and sinks the ship. Two of three lifeboats from Alcoa Ranger reach Novaya Zemlya later that day (see 14 July).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

SOUTH PACIFIC—General Millard F Harmon is designated COMGENSOPAC.

ELEVENTH AF—1 B‑17 and 7 B‑24’s fly weather, bombing and photo missions to Kiska, Attu, and Agattu. All bombs are returned to base due to weather. 1 seaplane is shot down.

ZONE OF THE INTERIOR—An A‑29 of 396th Bomb Squadron sinks German sub, U-701, off North Carolina 34-50N 74-55W. This is first sub sunk by AAF aircraft during World War II.

US ARMY

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA—Carrier Saratoga, followed by carrier Enterprise, each with supporting ships, sails from Pearl Harbor for S Pacific. Elements of the Enterprise support force leave main force at sea and proceed to New Caledonia to embark 1st Raider Battalion.

AUSTRALIA—Admiral Ghormley arrives in Australia and confers with General MacArthur on coming offensive.

NEW GUINEA—Company B, Australian 39th Battalion, leaves Port Moresby for Kokoda, traveling on foot along tortuous trail over Owen Stanley Range.

USSR—German 6th Army effects junction with 4th Pz Army NE of Valuiki.

US MARINE CORPS

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