Sunday 18 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Vice Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. relieves Vice Admiral Robert L. Ghormley as Commander South Pacific Area and South Pacific Force, on board auxiliary Argonne (AG-31) at Nouméa, New Caledonia.

            Submarine Grampus (SS‑207) torpedoes Japanese light cruiser Yura, 07°47'S, 157°19'E, but her "fish" fails to explode.

            Submarine Greenling (SS‑213) sinks Japanese transport Hakonesan Maru close inshore off northeast coast of Honshu, 38°46'N, 142°03'E.

ATLANTIC—U.S. freighter Angelina, straggling from New York-bound convoy ON 137, is again torpedoed by German submarine U‑618 at 49°39'N, 30°20'W, and abandoned; an "exceptionally heavy sea" claims 33 crewmen and 13 Armed Guards; British rescue ship Bury rescues six men (one of whom dies later) from a raft and three from a lifeboat. Only four merchant seamen and four Armed Guards thus survive the ship's loss.

            U.S. freighter Steel Navigator, also straggling from convoy ON 137, takes on 40° list as her sand ballast shifts; Armed Guard volunteers shovel ballast for 30 hours without relief (reducing the list to 12°) until financial bonus offered by ship’s master induces reluctant merchant sailors to lend a hand in the arduous work (see 19 October 1942).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

FIFTH AF—B‑25’s hit Wairopi bridge in Owen Stanley Range, village of Mubo, and dock and occupied area on Pilelo Island. B‑17’s attack shipping and aircraft in Faisi area, schooners and buildings at Lorengau on Manus, Kahili airfield, and shipping off Kahili, Pupukuna Pt, and Buin. Fifth AF completes air movement of most of 128th Infantry, 32d Division, to Wanigela.

SOUTH PACIFIC—Admiral Halsey succeeds Admiral Ghormley as COMSOPAC.

ELEVENTH AF—4 B‑24’s bomb Main Camp, score near misses on beached vessel in Trout Lagoon, and hit gasoline storage area. Weather aircraft flies reconnaissance over Attu, Segula, Little Sitkin, and Gareloi.

US ARMY

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA—Admiral Halsey succeeds Admiral Ghormley as Commander, South Pacific Area.

NEW GUINEA—Air movement of most of 128th Infantry, U.S. 32d Division, to Wanigela is completed. Elements are left at Port Moresby temporarily when Wanigela field becomes unserviceable because of rains. Hard fighting continues on Kokoda Trail in vicinity of Eora Creek.

US MARINE CORPS

—Vice Admiral Halsey relieves Vice Admiral Ghormley as Commander South Pacific Area and South Pacific Force.