Monday, 9 November 1942

US NAVY

MEDITERRANEAN—Transport Leedstown (AP‑73), bombed and torpedoed by German planes, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarineU‑173 near Algiers.

INDIAN OCEAN—U.S. freighter Marcus Whitman, proceeding independently to Dutch Guiana from Cape Town, South Africa, is torpedoed by Italian submarine Leonardo da Vinci at 05°45'S, 32°40'W, and abandoned without loss. Leonardo da Vinci then finishes off the merchantman with gunfire (see 11 November).

ATLANTIC—Destroyer Biddle (DD‑151) rescues survivors (3 of 10 Armed Guard sailors, 10 of the 40 man merchant crew and 1 of the 2 passengers) from U.S. freighter Nathanael Hawthorne, sunk by German submarine U‑508 on 7 November.

PACIFIC—Destroyer Russell (DD‑414) rescues that portion of the crew of U.S. freighter Edgar Allen Poe who abandoned ship after she was torpedoed by I‑21 the night before.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—General Spaatz, in memo to General Eisenhower, agrees that any increase in air commitments to N Africa must necessarily be made at expense of US forces in UK as US forces in other theaters are considered irreducible. VIII Bomber Command attacks U-boat base at Saint-Nazaire from reduced altitude. 12 B‑24’s at 17,500 to 18,300 ft suffer little AA damage, but 31 B‑17’s at 7,500 to 10,000 ft lose 3 of their number and have 22 damaged by AA fire. This ends experiment with low-level attacks of Heavy Bombers against submarine bases.

TWELFTH AF—Spitfires of 31st Fighter Group attack and halt an armored column moving N toward Tafaraoui, and also attack artillery and AA batteries SE of Tafaraoui and along coastal road. At 1605, General Doolittle arrive in Algeria from Gibraltar by B‑17, escorted by 12 Spitfires from 52d Fighter Group.

TENTH AF—IATF Heavy Bombers raid Rangoon.

FIFTH AF—A‑20’s hit troops at Oivi in support of Australian offensive in Owen Stanley Range. B‑26’s bomb Buna while B‑25’s score hit on merchant vessel off S tip of New Ireland and attack schooner off Salamaua. Airlift of elements of 126th Infantry, US 32d Division, from Port Moresby to forward areas begins. First elements are flown to Abel’s Field and moved overland to Pongani.

ELEVENTH AF—2 B‑26’s and 4 P‑38’s bomb a cargo ship in Gertrude Cove. No hits. 2 P‑38’s then strafe Kiska Harbor area. 1 B‑17 and 4 P‑38’s attack Holtz Bay and Attu airfield, destroying 8 float Zeros. 1 B‑17 flies weather reconnaissance over Attu, Kiska, and Segula.

US ARMY

GUADALCANAL—7th Marines, committing 2d Battalion of 164th Infantry to its S, completes encirclement of enemy along Gavaga Creek except for small gap on S at creek line; repels spirited attempts of enemy to break out. In preparation for renewing attack on Kokumbona, 164th Infantry units (Hq, Anti Tank Company, and 3d Battalion) and Company B of 8th Marines are withdrawn from Koli Pt area to Lunga perimeter.

NEW GUINEA—Advance elements of 2d Battalion, 126th Infantry, U.S. 32d Division, arrive at Natunga. Airlift of 126th Infantry, less 2d Battalion, from Port Moresby to forward area begins. Leading elements of 1st Battalion, under Lt Col Edmund J. Carrier, are flown to Abel’s field, since Pongani Field is temporarily unserviceable, and start toward Pongani on foot. Rest of 1st Battalion (Companies D and C, less 2 platoons), under Maj Richard D. Boerem, is flown to Pongani and starts march toward Natunga.

EGYPT—British Eighth Army resumes pursuit of enemy as weather improves. New Zealand 2d Division reduces opposition at Sidi Barrani and continues W.

TUNISIA—Germans invade Tunisia without opposition from French, initial elements landing on El Aouïna airport, Tunis.

ALGERIA—General Giraud arrives on front. General K. A. N. Anderson takes command of British First Army at Algiers and prepares to move light forces as rapidly as possible to Tunis and Bizerte in order to forestall enemy seizure of these important objectives. Enemy sinks U.S. transport Leedstown off Algiers. Flanking attack on Oran continues to meet resistance as it reaches outskirts of city, but La Senia airport is captured and French resistance at St Cloud is bypassed and contained.

MOROCCO—Western Task Force establishes hq at Fedala, where Admiral Hewitt, USN, transfers to Maj General George S. Patton, Jr., USA, command of troops ashore. French continue to resist strongly at approaches to Port-Lyautey and airport. 3d Division delays advance on Casablanca to await unloading of heavy equipment and artillery. RCT 47, 9th Division, organizes Safi beachhead.

US MARINE CORPS

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