US NAVY
PACIFIC—Fleet Air Wing 6 (Captain Douglass P. Johnson) is
established at Seattle, Washington, for multi-engine aircraft training.
Small
reconnaissance seaplane from Japanese submarine I‑8 reconnoiters Efate
Island, New Hebrides.
Destroyer Conyngham
(DD‑371) and transport Fuller (AP‑14) are damaged in collision in
Sealark Channel, Guadalcanal.
Submarine Seawolf
(SS‑197) sinks Japanese water tender Gifu Maru west-southwest of
Cape San Augustin, Mindoro, P.I., 06°14'N, 126°07'E.
Submarine Tambor
(SS‑198) lays mines in Hainan Strait, Tonkin Gulf.
Submarine Tautog
(SS‑199) sows mines south of Cape Padaran, French Indochina.
USAAF B‑17s
sink Japanese army cargo ship Yasukawa Maru off Buna, New Guinea,
07°16'S, 156°00'E.
ATLANTIC—Dutch motorship Zaandam is torpedoed and
sunk by German submarine U‑174 at 01°25'N, 36°22'W. Lost with the ship
are men who have survived the loss of U.S. freighters: 18 (12 merchant seamen
and 6 Armed Guard sailors) from Chickasaw City (sunk 7 October 1942), 15
sailors from Swiftsure (8 October 1942), 6 men from Coloradan and
15from Examelia (9 October 1942) (see 24 January 1943).
US ARMY AIR FORCE
EIGHTH AF—CG VIII Air Support Command states that the
effort expended and personnel lost in organizing Twelfth AF and preparing for
its move from UK to N Africa has severely retarded organization of his HQ and
staff.
US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—British Eighth Army opens
assault (SUPERCHARGE) W of Tell el-Eisa, with 2d New Zealand Division in lead. B‑25’s bomb track extending
S from Rahman as British 9th Armored Brigade establishes bridgeheads across the
track. Other B‑25’s attack tanks and other targets in support of the assault. P‑40’s
fly escort and strafing missions in battle area. B‑17’s bomb shipping and
jetties in Tobruk harbor.
FIFTH AF—B‑26’s bomb Dili. B‑17’s attack shipping NE of
Buna while B‑25’s strike at convoy S of New Britain. In Owen Stanley Range,
Australian ground forces seize Kokoda with its airfield after long days of
fighting. This will greatly facilitate supply and reinforcement of troops in
this area as they push over the mountains toward Buna-Gona area.
US ARMY
GUADALCANAL—5th
Marines envelops enemy on coast at Pt Cruz. 3d Battalion joins 1st Battalion in
coastal battle E of Pt Cruz while 2d Battalion, on left, drives N to coast W of
Pt Cruz and turns E, trapping enemy. 2d Marines (- 3d Battalion) moves forward
on left of 5th Marines to continue westward attack. Stores, ammunition, and 1
Army and 1 Marine Corps 155-mm gun battery arrive at Lunga Pt. The 2 batteries
are the heaviest U.S. artillery to reach the island and the first capable of
countering enemy fire effectively. E of Lunga perimeter, 2d Battalion of 7th
Marines crosses Metapona River mouth and establishes itself near Tetere
village. During night 2–3, Japanese 17th Army lands supplies and about
1,500 men E of Koli Pt to supply and reinforced Japanese already there; orders
an airfield constructed.
NEW GUINEA—Australian 25th Brigade, which has reentered battle
for Kokoda Trail, seizes Kokoda and its airfield, greatly facilitating supply
and reinforcement of Australians in this area. Piecemeal movement by night of
128th Infantry, U.S. 32d Division, less elements still at Port Moresby, by
lugger from Wanigela to Pongani and Mendaropu is completed by this time and
supplies are being accumulated. General MacArthur sets 15 November as tentative
date for attack to reduce Buna-Gona beachhead and agrees to proposal by General
Blarney that troops be transferred by air to Pongani.
EGYPT—British Eighth Army’s 30 Corps opens breakout
assault, called SUPERCHARGE, at 0100. New Zealand 2d Division, in the lead,
advances W under cover of artillery barrage and secures new corridor through
enemy mine fields. 9th Armored Brigade passes through corridor in mine field
and establishes bridgehead across track extending S from Rahman. At daybreak,
the Armored brigade meets furious opposition from enemy Aniti Tank screen and sustains over 75% casualties, but
maintains the bridgehead. 10 Corps armor begins debouching through the
bridgehead, and 1st Armored Division becomes strongly engaged near Tel el
Aqqaqir.
US MARINE CORPS
—
