Wednesday 14 October, 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Motor torpedo boats PT-60, PT-38, PT-46, and PT-48 (Lieutenant Commander Alan R. Montgomery) engage Japanese surface force (Rear Admiral Kurita Takeo) comprising battleships Haruna and Kongo, light cruiser Isuzu, and seven destroyers bombarding Henderson Field, Guadalcanal. Destroyer Naganami turns back the motor torpedo boats; Japanese bombardment destroys 48 of 90 planes at the field, putting the facility temporarily out of action. PT-60 is damaged by grounding on coral reef off Guadalcanal.

            SBDs (Guadalcanal-based VS 3) attack six-ship Japanese convoy escorted by eight destroyers heading southward toward Guadalcanal between Santa Isabel and Florida Islands, 08°50'S, 160°00'E, but inflict no damage.

            Japanese submarine I‑7 shells Espiritu Santo.

            Submarine Finback (SS‑230), attacking Japanese convoy, sinks army transport Teison Maru about 20 miles off Tansui harbor, on northwest tip of Formosa, 25°20'N, 121°25'E.

            Submarine Greenling (SS‑213) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Takusei Maru six miles off Todo Zaki, off northeast coast of Honshu, 39°33'N, 142°15'E.

            Submarine Grampus (SS‑207) lands Australian coastwatchers on coast of Vella Lavella (see 19 October 1942).

            Submarine Sculpin (SS‑191) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Sumiyoshi Maru 75 miles southwest of Kavieng, New Ireland, 03°51'S, 151°21'E.

            Submarine Skipjack (SS‑184) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Shunko Maru about 450 miles west-southwest of Truk,05°35'N, 144°25'E.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑17’s hit shipping at Tobruk, scoring 2 direct hits on a large vessel and demolishing a smaller ship moored alongside. P‑40’s fly patrols, reconnaissance and interception missions between El Alamein and Burg el Arab.

FIFTH AF—B‑25’s attack Lae, a bridge 40 mi N of Port Moresby, and area of Wairopi bridge. On Kokoda trail Japanese offer fierce resistance to Australians pushing NE in vicinity of Templeton’s Crossing. Fifth AF airplanes begin flying a force of Australians and Americans to Wanigela.

SOUTH PACIFIC—B‑17’s which have been temporarily operating out of Henderson Field are evacuated. Field is again pounded by artillery and naval bombardment, and by afternoon is out of operation. Aviation fuel supply is low.

ELEVENTH AF—9 B‑24’s, 6 B‑26’s, 1 B‑17 and 12 P‑38’s bomb and strafe Kiska installations and shipping. Fire bombs are dropped on hangars and Main Camp area where a large fire is started. 2 torpedo attacks on shipping in Gertrude Cove score no hits. The P‑38’s destroy 3 float-planes on water. 1 P‑38 is shot down.

US ARMY

GUADALCANAL—Further enemy bombardment of Henderson Field puts it out of action temporarily, forcing aircraft to use Fighter Strip No. 1, a rough runway SE of Henderson. Strength of operational aircraft is reduced during 13th and 14th from 90 to 42. Supply of aviation gasoline is critically low, but SBD’s and P–39’s take to the air in effort to halt enemy convoy of transports escorted by DD’s proceeding toward Guadalcanal. The planes fail to stop the convoy but sink a transport and set another vessel on fire.

NEW GUINEA—Fifth Air Force begins f lying coastal force (128th Infantry of U.S. 32d Division and 2/6th Australian Independent Company, under command of Brigadier General Hanford MacNider) to Wanigela. Australians advancing along Kokoda Trail are meeting stubborn opposition in vicinity of Templeton’s Crossing.

US MARINE CORPS

—Japanese battleships and cruisers bombard Henderson Field.