Saturday 3 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—SBDs (VS 71, VMSB 141, VMSB 231, VS 3) and TBFs (VT 8) from Henderson Field attack Japanese supply convoy en route to Guadalcanal, damaging seaplane carrier Nisshin.

            Submarine Greenling (SS‑213) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Kinkai Maru, 38°46'N, 142°02'E.

            Submarine Trout (SS‑202) is damaged by Japanese aerial bomb off Truk, forcing the submarine to end her patrol.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑24’s attack shipping in Pylos Bay during 3/4 Oct. The Heavy Bombers claim 2 fighters shot down.

TENTH AF—India Air Task Force is activated at Dinjan to support Chinese resistance along Salween River by hitting supply lines in C and S Burma. The new task force, command by Col Caleb V Haynes, includes all AAF combat units in India— the 7th and 341st Bomb and 51st Fighter Groups.

FIFTH AF—A‑20’s bomb and strafe Efogi and Myola Lake, P‑40’s strafe Efogi-Buna trail, B‑25’s hit bridge at Wairopi, and a lone B‑17 bombs camp on Kumusi River.

ELEVENTH AF—6 B‑24’s, 4 P‑38’s, and 8 P‑39’s bomb and strafe 7 vessels in and around Kiska Harbor hitting a beached cargo vessel and the camp. The fighters down 6 float fighters attempting interception. Enemy bombs Adak airfield but inflicts no damage.

US ARMY

INDIA—India Air Task Force is activated in upper Assam under Brigadier General Caleb V. Haynes to protect the India end of the Hump ferry route.

USSR—On Caucasian front, Army Group A captures Elkhotovo, within 7 miles of Darg Kokh. Fierce fighting continues in Stalingrad area.

US MARINE CORPS

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Friday 2 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—5th Defense Battalion, USMC, occupies Funafuti, Ellice Islands.

            Transport St. Mihiel (AP‑32) is damaged when she strikes uncharted underwater object off Turn Island, Alaska.

            USAAF B‑17s bomb Rabaul harbor, damaging Japanese light cruiser Tenryu.

ATLANTIC—USAAF B‑18 (99th Bombardment Squadron) sinks German submarine U‑512 off French Guiana, 06°50'N, 52°25'W.

            U.S. freighter Alcoa Transport is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U‑201 about 100 miles southeast of Trinidad, 09°03'N, 60°10'W. Submarine chaser PC‑490 rescues the surviving 31 merchant seamen (three crewmen are killed; a fourth dies of wounds later) and five man Armed Guard sailors.

            British steamship Loch Dee rescues 23 survivors from lifeboat from U.S. tanker Patrick J. Hurley, sunk by German submarine U‑512 on 12 September 1942. All told, 31 of 44 merchant seamen and 14 of 18 Armed Guard sailors survive the loss of Patrick J. Hurley.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—Avions Potez aircraft factory at Meaulte is bombed by 30 B‑17’s. A small group attacks Saint-Omer/Longuenesse airfield. Some 400 fighter escorts provide cover which is frequently penetrated by German fighters. The B‑17’s show remarkable defensive strength.

FIFTH AF—In Owen Stanley Range, A‑20’s bomb and strafe Japanese campsites around Myola and hit several trails in the area, while P‑400’s strafe bridges at Sirorata and Wairopi and village NE of Wairopi. B‑ 17’s bomb shipping and airfield at Rabaul.

SIXTH AF—German sub, U-512, is sunk off French Guiana, 06-50N, 52-25W, by aircraft of 99th Bomb Squadron.

ELEVENTH AF—11 B‑24’s and 6 P‑39’s bomb 2 cargo ships at Kiska Harbor (no hits observed) drop demolition charges throughout Main Camp area, and hit hangar S of seaplane ramp. 4 float-planes and 1 biplane are shot down. Enemy aircraft bomb Adak airfield without inflicting damage.

US ARMY

ELLICE Islands.—5th Defense Battalion force from Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, occupies Funafuti.

MADAGASCAR—British forces take Antsirabe.

US MARINE CORPS

—5th Defense Battalion occupies Funafuti, Ellice Islands