Wednesday, 23 September 1942

US NAVY

ATLANTIC—U.S. freighter Antinous is torpedoed by German submarine U-515 off Georgetown, British Guiana, 08°58'N, 59°33'W; Armed Guard gunfire forces U-515 to submerge. All hands abandon Antinous; a volunteer crew returns to the ship to try and get her underway (see 24 September 1942).

            U.S. freighter Penmar, straggling from convoy SC-100 and steering toward Cape Farewell, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-432 at 58°12'N, 34°35'W. One man dies as the ship is being abandoned, but 38 merchant sailors and the 22 man Armed Guard are rescued by Coast Guard cutter Bibb (WPG-31) and transported to Iceland.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

TWELFTH AF—General Doolittle assumes command of Twelfth AF in Great Britain.

FIFTH AF—P‑40’s, P‑39’s, P‑400’s, and B‑17’s hit tanks, buildings, and airfield at Buna, Wairopi bridge and targets of opportunity on Buna-Kokoda trail, and Taupota Mission near Goodenough Bay.

SOUTH PACIFIC—72d Bomb Squadron (B‑17’s) of 5th Bomb Group joins 11th Bomb Group on Espiritu Santo.

SEVENTH AF—Movement of 72d Bomb Squadron to SOPAC, plus subsequent movement of other squadrons of 5th Bomb Group to SOPAC, makes it difficult for some time to maintain the minimum force of 35 Heavy Bombers considered necessary for defense of the Hawaiian Islands. This situation is relieved by 90th Bomb Group, which stops in Hawaii while en route to SWPA, and by 307th Bomb Group, which is assigned to Seventh AF for a time.

ELEVENTH AF—Weather causes mission abort to Kiska. Photo reconnaissance over Attu confirms abandonment by enemy. A Navy PBY escorted by 2 P‑38’s lands off Amchitka with a scouting party which determines that the island is unsuited as an airfield. The P‑38’s also bomb a radio shack and sink a submarine at Amchitka.

US ARMY

GUADALCANAL—1st Marine Division begins limited operation to W of Lunga perimeter to eliminate enemy within striking distance of Henderson Field: 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, is directed to advance along N slopes of Mt Austen, cross the Matanikau, and push W to Kokumbona; 1st Raider Battalion is to establish patrol base at Kokumbona at point where inland trails intersect coastal road.

NEW GUINEA—General Blarney arrives in Port Moresby to take direct command of New Guinea forces. Lt General Edmund F. Herring becomes Commander, Advance New Guinea Force, succeeding General Rowell. 128th Infantry of U.S. 32d Division reaches Port Moresby by air and is assigned to garrison force under operational control of Australian 6th Division.

MADAGASCAR—East African 22d Brigade enters Tananarive, which has been declared an open city.

USSR—German Army Group B continues to make slow progress in Stalingrad against bitter opposition. Army Group A assembles an assault force for drive on Black Sea port of Tuapse.

US MARINE CORPS

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