Tuesday, 25 August 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—USAAF B-17s sink Japanese destroyer Mutsuki off Santa Isabel, Solomons, as she stands by the sinking transport Kinryu Maru, damaged by planes from Enterprise (CV-6) north of Guadalcanal, 07°47'N, 160°13'E. USMC SBDs (VMSB 232) from Henderson Field damage light cruiser Jintsu and destroyer Uzuki off Guadalcanal.

                                                       Submarine Growler (SS-215) sinks Japanese gunboat Sen-Yo Maru 20 miles south of Takao, Formosa, 22°33'N,120°10'E, and survives several ensuing depth-chargings.

                                                       Submarine Seawolf (SS-197) sinks Japanese cargo ship Showa Maru off northeast coast of Borneo, 03°55'N,118°59'E.

                                                         Japanese occupy Nauru, Gilberts, and Goodenough Island, off southeast coast of New Guinea.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—Units of Provisional Troop Carrier Command, organized in UK on 31 Jul pending arrival of VIII Troop Carrier Command, are transferred to VIII Ground Air Support Command after plans to organize VIII Troop Carrier Command have been abandoned.

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑25’s bomb shipping and landing grounds. B‑24’s attack Corinth Canal.

FIFTH AF—Amphibious forces bound for Milne Bay from Buna are stranded on Goodenough Island when P‑40’s from Milne Bay destroy all of their beached barges. P‑40’s also attack a convoy proceeding from New Ireland toward Milne Bay but are hampered by bad weather and fail to halt landings at 3 points E of Rabi during 25/26 Aug. P‑400’s hit airfield and AA positions at Buna.

SOUTH PACIFIC—The invasion force sailing toward Guadalcanal (see 24 Aug) is hit hard by Marine dive bombers 125 mi from the island at 0835. B‑17’s from Espiritu Santo sink the destroyer Mutsuki as it is attempting to sink the damaged transport Kinyru Maru. By noon the force is heading N in retreat. The enemy has lost about 90 aircraft in the battle.

ELEVENTH AF—Photo reconnaissance airplane flies over Kiska, Attu, and Adak, then turns back because of mechanical failure.

US ARMY

BATTLE OF EASTERN SOLOMONS—U.S. carrier forces are unable to locate enemy fleet units, but U.S. Marine and Army land-based bombers attack Japanese transport force continuing toward Guadalcanal and cause it to delay landings and retire northward. Enemy transport and DD are sunk and cruiser is damaged.

NEW GUINEA—Enemy amphibious force bound for Milne Bay from Buna is stranded on Goodenough Island., D’Entrecasteaux Islands., when P–40’s from Milne Bay destroy all 7 of their beached barges. Aircraft from Australia and Milne Bay attack enemy convoy proceeding from New Ireland toward Milne Bay but are hampered by weather conditions and fail to stop it. After shelling beaches, Japanese begin landing, night 25–26, at 3 points E of Rabi, their intended landing site, and push W at once. Elements of Australian 61st Militia Battalion stationed at K. B. Mission, E of Rabi and in path of Japanese advance, engage enemy who retires at dawn of 26th to landing point. Other elements of 61st Battalion are moving from Ahioma to head of Milne Bay at Gili Gili by sea and lose to the enemy 1 of 2 ketches loaded with troops.

MIDDLE EAST—Col Shingler is directed by General Maxwell to take responsibility for construction, maintenance, supply, and administration of installations in new PGSC area, which comprises Iraq, Iran, and parts of Saudi Arabia bordering on Persian Gulf.

US MARINE CORPS

Naval Battle of Eastern Solomons.