Monday, 14 September 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—USAAF B-17s damage Japanese heavy cruiser Myoko as she is en route from Truk, Carolines, to carry out support operations off Guadalcanal,

            USAAF planes (13 B-24s and 1 B-17 take part in the raid) sink Japanese ammunition ship Nojima Maru off Kiska, Aleutians; USAAF P-39s damage submarines RO 63 and RO 64 also in the area.

NORTH RUSSIA—German torpedo planes continue attacks upon Archangel-bound convoy PQ 18, sinking U.S. freighter Mary Luckenbach about 600 miles west of North Cape, Norway, 76°00'N, 16°00'E; she is lost with all hands (41 merchant seamen and a 24 man Armed Guard). The violent explosion of Mary Luckenbach's ammunition cargo rains debris on nearby freighter Nathanael Greene, 76°00'N, 16°00'E, injuring 11 men (five of whom are transferred to British destroyer HMS Onslaught for medical attention), but the merchantman makes port under her own power. Concussion from the explosion also disables U.S. freighter Wacosta, which is later torpedoed and sunk about 400 miles northeast of Jan Mayen Island, 76°05'N, 10°00'E; she suffers no casualties. British light cruiser HMS Scylla and minesweeper HMS Harrier rescue all hands: 38 merchant sailors and the 11 man Armed Guard survive Wacosta's loss.

ATLANTIC—Norwegian steamship Talisman rescues 18 survivors (one of the original 19 has succumbed to exposure during the 32 day ordeal) of U.S. freighter California, sunk by Italian submarine Reginaldo Giuliani on 13 August 1942.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

TWELFTH AF—HQ of Twelfth AF, XII Fighter Command, XII AF Service Command, and XII Bomber Command are attached to corresponding units of Eighth AF in UK. The Eighth subsequently handles the buildup of the Twelfth by assigning a large number of its own units to the new AF (appropriately dubbed JUNIOR) and supervises its training. The first increment of tactical and service units includes 2 Heavy Bomber groups, 3 Medium Bomber groups, 1 Light Bomber group, 4 fighter groups, 3 Troop Carrier groups, and several engineer, signal, and service units of varying sizes.

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑24’s attack shipping at Suda Bay, setting 1 vessel afire, while other Heavy Bombers hit Tobruk P‑40’s fly sweep with RAF over front-lines.

FIFTH AF—A single A‑20 bombs ground forces and installations at Myola.

ELEVENTH AF—In the first combined heavy mission over Kiska 13 B‑24’s, 1 B‑17, 14 P‑38’s, and 14 P‑39’s fly low-altitude and photo runs. The P‑39’s shell 3 subs in the harbor. The other aircraft bomb and strafe many installations including AA guns and the submarine base. A single aircraft also strafes Segula. Enemy losses are 5 float planes shot down and 1 flying boat destroyed on the water; 2 mine sweepers sunk and another vessel slightly damaged; while a large cargo vessel and several small barges and vessels sustain hits. 2 P‑38’s are lost, colliding head-on while after a fighter.

US ARMY

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS—Kiska undergoes its first major air raid, by 12 heavy bombers with 28 fighters from Adak.

NEW HEBRIDES—TF 65, organized to transport 7th Marines to Guadalcanal, leaves Espiritu Santo.

GUADALCANAL—Japanese break off attacks on Bloody Ridge at dawn and withdraw under air attack, leaving about 600 dead; Marine casualties are 143. 2d Battalion of 5th Marines starts relief of Provisional raider-parachute Battalion. On E flank along the Ilu, 3d Battalion of 1st Marines moves 6 light tanks against enemy, but 3 are disabled; Japanese continue sporadic fire in this sector. In afternoon, Japanese attack 3d Battalion of 5th Marines on ridge commanding coastal road to W sector of perimeter but are driven off. 3d Battalion of 2d Marines arrives on Guadalcanal from Tulagi.

NEW GUINEA—Advance elements (2/31st and 2/33d Battalions) of 25th Brigade, Australian 7th Division, reach Ioribaiwa, where they take over defense of ridge from Australian 21st Brigade. Japanese, with 2 full regiments in line, force a further withdrawal, to Imita Ridge, the last before Port Moresby, lying 32 miles from that objective. This is the last withdrawal of Australian forces on this front.

LIBYA—To assist withdrawal of Benghazi raiding party, diversionary raids are made on Gialo and Barce.

US MARINE CORPS

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