Wednesday 28 October, 1942

US NAVY

INDIAN OCEAN—Thirty-seven survivors from U.S. freighter Anne Hutchinson, torpedoed and shelled by German submarine U‑504 on 26 October 1942, are rescued by civilian fishing trawler and taken to Port Alfred, South Africa. Aircraft sight the drifting freighter, now broken into two pieces, at 34°13'S, 26°55'E (see 31 October 1942).

ATLANTIC—German submarines continue to stalk British Isles-bound convoy HX 212: U.S. tanker Gurney E. Newlin, abandoned after being torpedoed the previous day by German submarine U‑436, is given the coup de grace by U‑606 and sinks (see 29 October 1942).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑17’s, dispatched to attack convoy at sea, fail to locate target but attack cruisers in Pylos Bay. B‑25’s attack tanks, motor transports, and landing grounds. P‑40’s fly Medium Bomber and Light Bomber escort, bomb and strafe landing grounds and other targets, and engage aircraft in combat, mostly in area between El Alamein and El Daba. Fighters claim 3 Me-109’s destroyed. Attacks by US and RAF aircraft cause enemy to abandon plan for counterattack on Kidney Ridge.

FIFTH AF—B‑17’s pound shipping in harbor at Rabaul, while B‑25’s bomb Gasmata airfield.

ELEVENTH AF—6 B‑24’s turn back from an attempted attack on Kiska sub base because of adverse weather. A B‑17 bombs Attu with unobserved results and flies weather reconnaissance over Kiska, Amchitka, and Tanaga.

US ARMY

NEW GUINEA—2d Battalion of 126th Infantry, U.S- 32d Division, and portable hospital begin difficult march from Jaure toward Natunga and Bofu, preceded by Companies E and F, which are to secure dropping grounds.

EGYPT—After probing British positions in Kidney Ridge area, enemy begins forming for attack but is forced by Allied aircraft to abandon it. During night 28–29, Australian 9th Division of 30 Corps, British Eighth Army, begins northward attack toward the sea in effort to eliminate enemy’s coastal salient and secure coastal road and Railroad. Narrow wedge is driven almost to the road despite stubborn opposition from Thompson’s Post, key point in enemy’s coastal positions.

US MARINE CORPS

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