Sunday 25 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Whale (SS‑239) lays mines off Honshu, Japan, at entrance to Inland Sea.

            Second division of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three, consisting of motor torpedo boats PT-37, PT-39, PT-45, andPT-61, arrives at Tulagi.

            Off Guadalcanal, tug Seminole (AT-65) and district patrol craft YP‑284 are sunk by gunfire of Japanese destroyers Akatsuki, Ikazuchi, and Shiratsuyu; submarine Amberjack (SS‑219), which has arrived that morning to deliver her cargo and passengers at Tulagi, is unable to attain a firing position to help Seminole and YP‑284. Later, high speed minesweeper Zane (DMS‑14) is damaged by the same trio of enemy warships in Sealark Channel. Japanese destroyers, however, do not emerge from the day's action unscathed. Off Lunga Point, Marine shore batteries (and VMF 121 F4Fs) damage Akatsuki, while USMC F4Fs (VMF 121) damage Ikazuchi; USAAF P‑39s damage Samidare and Akizuki. Amberjack later disembarks USAAF enlisted men (67th Fighter Squadron and 347th Fighter Group), 200 100-pound bombs and 9,000 gallons of aviation gasoline at Tulagi. Released from duty under ComAirSoPac, Amberjack sets course for Brisbane.

            USAAF B‑17s sink Japanese auxiliary minelayer Kotobuki Maru at Rabaul.

            Japanese light cruiser Yura, damaged by SBD (VS 71) and USAAF B‑17 or P‑39 off Santa Isabel, Solomons, is scuttled by destroyers Harusame and Yudachi, 08°40'S, 160°00'E.

            Dutch submarine O 23 damages Japanese army cargo ship Shinyu Maru off Penang, Malaya, 05°28'N, 99°56'E.

ATLANTIC—Master and one merchant seaman from U.S. freighter Reuben Tipton, sunk by German submarine U‑129 on 23October 1942, are recovered by PBM and transported to Trinidad (see 26 October 1942).

CARIBBEAN—U.S. freighter Daniel Boone strikes mine while off coast of Panama; there are no casualties to the 42 man crew and11 man Armed Guard, and the ship reaches port under her own power.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—Battle of El Alamein continues as General Montgomery decides to make main effort on N flank of 30 Corps. Australian 9th Division drives N toward coastal road to Rahman. B‑25’s disperse motor transport and other targets in support of ground forces. P‑40’s on escort attack vehicles and other targets. Fighters claim several airplanes destroyed in combat. Heavy Bombers sent to bomb Bengasi harbor and a convoy at sea fail to reach targets as bad weather prevails.

TENTH AF—Japanese aircraft attack airfields connected with the India-China air transport route, heavily bombing Dinjan and Chabua fields and scoring hits also at Mohanbari and Sookerating. 10 US airplanes are destroyed and 17 badly damaged; 9 Japanese aircraft are downed. 12 B‑25’s and 7 P‑40’s of CATF, led by Col Merian C Cooper, hit Kowloon Docks at Hong Kong. 21 airplanes intercept. 1 B‑25 and 1 P‑40 are shot down. This marks the first loss of a CATF B‑25 in combat. The Japanese interceptors are virtually annihilated. During 25/26 Oct 6 B‑25’s, on first CATF night strike, continue pounding Hong Kong, bombing North Pt power plant which provides electricity for the shipyards. 3 other B‑25’s bomb the secondary target, Canton warehouse area, causing several large explosions and fires.

FIFTH AF—B‑17’s bomb shipping at Rabaul. A‑20’s bomb and strafe Isurava-Kokoda trail, W bank of Kumusi River, and area N of Asisi as Australian ground forces push toward Kokoda in the Owen Stanley Range.

SOUTH PACIFIC—Japanese ground assaults on def lines around Henderson Field are again thrown back. Marine and AAF fighters continue to inflict telling losses on Japanese Navy aircraft. During the afternoon, a B‑17 on sea-search mission sights powerful TF NW of Santa Cruz Islands, heading for Guadalcanal.

ELEVENTH AF—Alert only as weather permits.

US ARMY

BERMUDA—Air group for TORCH (carriers) sails for North Africa.

GUADALCANAL—Japanese artillery and aircraft are very active during day but ground attacks are withheld until night 25–26, when 2 enemy regiments attack 1st Battalion of 7th Marines and 3d Battalion of 164th Infantry on S flank of Lunga perimeter and other enemy forces attack 2d Battalion of 7th Marines E of Hill 67 and Matanikau River. Both attacks are repulsed and lull in ground action follows.

EGYPT—As El ‘Alamein battle continues, General Montgomery decides to make main effort on N flank of 30 Corps and withhold attacks of 13 Corps in order to preserve strength of 7th Armored Division. On N flank of 30 Corps, Australian 9th Division drives N toward coastal road to Rahman; 1st Armored Division, attempting to push W in Kidney Ridge area, is unable to advance. Series of determined enemy counterattacks with strong tank support is repulsed. In 13 Corps sector, 50th Division attempts to improve positions in Munassib area with little success.

US MARINE CORPS

—Marines and Army troops fight off heavy ground attacks of major Japanese counteroffensive.