Tuesday 13 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—1st Marine Division is reinforced by 164th Infantry Regiment of Americal Division, the first major U.S. Army unit to reach Guadalcanal.

            Small reconnaissance seaplane from Japanese submarine I‑7 reconnoiters Espiritu Santo.

            Japanese submarine I‑30 is sunk by mine, three miles east of Singapore (see 9 September 1942).

NORTH RUSSIA—German torpedo bombers attacking convoy PQ.18

ATLANTIC—U.S. freighter Susana, in convoy SC 104 and bound for Cardiff, Wales, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U‑221, 53°41'N, 41°23'W; 27 of the 42 man crew perish with the ship, as do 10 of the 16 man Armed Guard. British rescue ship Gothland rescues the six Armed Guard survivors and the 15 merchant seamen who survive Susana's loss.

            U.S. freighter West Humhaw rescues 18 survivors of freighter John Carter Rose, sunk by U‑201 and U‑202 on 8October 1942. Argentinean tanker Santa Cruz picks up the remainder of those who survive the merchantman's loss.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—P‑40’s fly fighter sweep, patrol, and interception missions W of El Alamein. Fighters claim 2 Me-109’s destroyed and 1 damaged.

FIFTH AF—B‑17’s again pound Rabaul, concentrating on Vunakanau and Lakunai airfields. A B‑17 bombs Buna.

SOUTH PACIFIC—6 B‑17’s bomb Buka and Tonolai. Japanese aircraft from Rabaul pound Henderson Field during the day and hit troops of the American Division disembarking at Lunga Pt. Artillery also begins shelling the airstrip. During 13/14 Oct the battleships Kongo and Haruna hit Henderson with a terrific bombardment. The field is damaged severely and many airplanes are destroyed or damaged.

ELEVENTH AF—A search mission is not completed due to weather.

US ARMY

GUADALCANAL—Japanese aircraft, long-range artillery from Kokumbona area, and naval TF that includes 2 BB’s alternate in bombarding Henderson Field during day and throughout night 13–14, severely damaging field and sharply reducing U.S. air strength. First ground force units of U.S. Army, 164th Infantry of Americal Division, arrive on McCawley and on Zeilin, which also bring 210 men of 1st Marine Air Wing and 85 Marine casuals plus weapons and supplies. Unloading despite air attacks, the vessels embark 1st Raider Battalion and sail for New Caledonia. Troop strength of 1st Marine Division is thus brought up to 23,088, excluding forces on Tulagi. 1st Marine Division CG divides Lunga perimeter into 5 regimental sectors, massing greatest strength on W.

CHINA—General Stilwell presents to Chiang Kai-shek President Roosevelt’s reply of 12 October to the Generalissimo’s 3 demands.

US MARINE CORPS

—164th Infantry Regiment of Americal Division arrives to reinforce 1st Marine Div.