Sunday, 8 November 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Motor torpedo boats PT-61, PT-39, and PT-37 engage two Japanese destroyers south of Savo Island, Guadalcanal; PT-61 and PT-39 and Mochizuki are damaged in the encounter.

            Submarine Seawolf sinks Japanese gunboat Keiko Maru off Cape San Augustin, Mindanao, P.I., 06°22'N, 126°03'E.

            U.S. freighter Edgar Allen Poe is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I‑21 in a spirited fight 56 miles southeast of Amadee Light, Nouméa, New Caledonia, 22°14'S, 166°30'E, during which two crewmen are killed. A part of the crew (including the 14 man Armed Guard) remains on board while New Zealand minesweeper HMNZS Matai and corvette HMNZS Kiwi tow the vessel to Nouméa, where she will be declared a total loss (see 9 November 1942).

ATLANTIC/MEDITERRANEAN—French North Africa is invaded in Operation TORCH. Allied Expeditionary Force under the supreme command of

            Lieutenant General Dwight D. Eisenhower, USA, lands at Casablanca, Oran, and Algiers. Allied Naval Force(Admiral Sir Andrew B. Cunningham, RN) is composed of three principal parts: Western Naval Task Force (Rear Admiral H. Kent Hewitt) lands troops (Major General George S. Patton, USA) near Casablanca; Center Naval Task Force (Commodore Thomas H. Troubridge, RN) lands troops (Major General Lloyd R. Fredendall, USA) at Oran; and Eastern Naval Task Force (Rear Admiral Sir Harold M. Burrough, RN) put troops (Major General Charles W. Ryder, USA) ashore at Algiers.

            U.S. naval vessels and carrier aircraft engage French naval forces at Casablanca, Morocco. On the morning of 8 November, French force (Rear Admiral Gervais de Lafonde in destroyer leader Milan) makes a valiant attempt to disrupt the landings off Casablanca, but is overwhelmed by gunfire from covering American ships. U.S. ships damaged at Casablanca are battleship Massachusetts (BB‑59), heavy cruiser Wichita (CA‑45), light cruiser Brooklyn (CL‑40), destroyers Ludlow (DD‑438) and Murphy (DD‑603), and high-speed minesweeper Palmer (DMS‑5) by French shore batteries off North Africa; high speed minesweeper Stansbury (DMS‑8) by mine; and transport Leedstown (AP‑73) by German aerial torpedo.

            French ships sunk at Casablanca are merchant passenger liner Savoie Marseille and cargo ship Ile de Edienruder by Massachusetts; destroyer Fougeux by Massachusetts and heavy cruiser Tuscaloosa (CA‑37); destroyer Boulonnais by light cruiser Brooklyn (CL‑40) at 33°40'N, 07°34'W; destroyers Brestois and Frondeur by U.S. ships; submarines Oréade, Amphitrite, and Psyché by U.S. Navy carrier-based planes; submarine Sidi-Ferruch by planes (VGS‑27) from aircraft escort vessel Suwannee (AVG-27); and merchant passenger liner Porthos, tanker Ouessant, and cargo ship Lipari. French ships damaged are battleship Jean Bart by battleship Massachusetts; submarine Le Tonnant by U.S. Navy ships; submarine Meduse by aircraft (VGS 29) from aircraft escort vessel Santee (ACV‑29); and light cruiser Primaguet, destroyer leader Milan, and destroyers Albatros and Alcyon by naval aircraft.

            French sloops Grandiere, Commandant Delage, and Gracieuse sortie on the afternoon of 8 November and pick up survivors from the French warships sunk in battle that morning. The latter two sloops will repeat the operation on 10 November.

            French submarine Amazone makes unsuccessful attack upon light cruiser Brooklyn (CL‑40).

            Submarine Herring (SS‑233) damages French cargo ship Ville du Havre off French Morocco, 33°34'N, 07°52'W.

            German planes bomb Allied shipping off Algiers. U.S. freighter Exceller is damaged by near-misses; there are no casualties to the 32 merchant seamen and the 19 man Armed Guard.

ATLANTIC—British patrol boat rescues 34 survivors of U.S. freighter West Kebar, sunk on 29 October by German submarine U‑129, and transports them to Barbados, British West Indies (see 10 and 18 November).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—41 Heavy Bombers bomb the Abbeville/Drucat airfield and the Atelier d’Hellemmes locomotive works at Lille.

TWELFTH AF—Invasion of N Africa (TORCH) begins. C‑47’s of 60th Troop Carrier Group attempting to land troops at La Senia airfield find the French unexpectedly hostile and have several aircraft shot down by fighters and AA; several other C‑47’s are damaged when trying to land on a dry lakebed of Sebkra d’Oran. Spitfires of 31st Fighter Group, flying from Gibraltar into Tafaraoui airfield during afternoon of D-Day claim 3 hostile French fighters destroyed.

FIFTH AF—A‑20’s hit forces in Oivi area in Owen Stanley Range as Australian ground forces push over mts toward Gona-Buna area. Fifth AF transports fly final elements of 128th Infantry, 32d Division, from Port Moresby to Wanigela. B‑25’s bomb radio station and airfield at Gasmata.

ELEVENTH AF—Intermittent air alert. Weather airplane returns due to icing.

US ARMY

GUADALCANAL—7th Marines (-) and 2d Battalion of 164th Infantry, latter being attached to 7th Marines as reserve, move E along coast to surround enemy now disposed astride Gavaga Creek, W of Tetere. 1st and 2d Battalions of 7th Marines take up positions on W and E banks, respectively, of the creek. “Tokyo Express” has been landing reinforcements along coast from Kokumbona to Cape Esperance during the period 28 October to date.

NEW GUINEA—Final elements of TF Warren (1st Battalion of 128th Infantry, U.S. 32d Div) are flown from Port Moresby to Wanigela; from there are moved forward by boat.

EGYPT—British Eighth Army, although still delayed by rainfall, clears opposition in Mersa Matruh area.

NW AFRICA—Allied troops invade French NW Africa, landing on Algerian and Moroccan coasts. Warships and carrier planes provide close support.

ALGERIA—Eastern Naval Task Force lands Eastern Assault Force (RCT 39, U.S. 9th Div; RCT 168, U.S. 34th Div; 11th and 36th Brigs, British 78th Div; British 1st and 6th Commando Battalions), under command of Maj General Charles W. Ryder, USA, E and W of Algiers, beginning at 0100; 11th Brigade and RCT 168 go ashore W of Algiers near Castiglione and Sidi Ferruch, and RCT 39 lands E of Algiers near Cap Matifou. As troops move forward toward Algiers against little or no resistance, 2 British DD’s, with 3d Battalion of RCT 135, U.S. 34th Division, embarked, make frontal attack on Algiers Harbor in effort to take it intact; one DD is forced to withdraw; the other enters harbor and lands troops about 0530, but is forced to retire under heavy fire, leaving troops ashore. Eastern Assault Force takes Blida and Maison Blanche airfields; pushes to edge of Algiers, which capitulates at 1900. Center Naval Task Force lands Center Assault Force (U.S. II Corps assault force, consisting of 1st Division, 1st Ranger Battalion, and CCB of 1st Armored Div), under Maj General Lloyd R. Fredendall, USA, E and W of Oran, beginning at 0130, a half hour behind schedule. Rangers and RCT’s 16 and 18 of 1st Division land E of Oran in Arzew area; take Arzew, where harbor is secured by U.S.-British naval landing party without opposition; thrust SW toward Oran to St Cloud, which enemy retains, and Fleurus; elements drive SE along coast to La Macta. Passing through beachhead, TF Red of CCB seizes Tafaraoui airport, 15 miles S of Oran, enabling 31st Fighter Group planes to support operations from there. W of Oran, RCT 26 of 1st Division lands at Les Andalouses; takes Bou Sfer and Aïn et Turk but is halted short of Oran. TF Green of GCB, 1st Armored Division, debarks at Mersa Bou Zedjar, 16 miles W of Les Andalouses, and heads for La Senia airport, clearing Lourmel and reaching Sebkra d’Oran. 2d Battalion of 509th Parachute Infantry (trained as 2d Battalion, 503d Parachute Infantry) is dropped to assist in capture of La Senia and Tafaraoui airports, but drops are scattered and paratroopers arrive too late to help. Meanwhile, HMS Walney and Hartland, carrying detachments of 3d Battalion, 6th Armored Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, and British naval landing party, are sunk by enemy fire while attempting to take Oran Harbor intact.

MOROCCO—Western Naval Task Force, scheduled to land troops at 0400, is delayed at least an hour in landing Casablanca assault forces; engages French fleet at Casablanca. Northern Attack Group TF (60th Infantry of 9th Division and 1st Battalion of 66th Armored Regiment, 2d Armored Div) under Maj General Lucian K. Truscott, Jr., USA, lands on beaches N and S of Sebou River at Mehdia; attempts to reach Port-Lyautey and airfield 2 miles N but meets considerable opposition and cannot reach objective. TF of Center Attack Group (3d Division and 1st Battalion of 67th Armored Regiment, 2d Armored Div) under Maj General Jonathan W. Anderson, USA, lands NE of Fedala, sustaining serious loss of landing craft (242, 64 percent), and takes D-Day objectives. Surprised Fedala garrison surrenders and advance is continued toward Casablanca. Southern Attack Group’s landing force (47th Infantry of 9th Div; 2d and 3d Battalions of 67th Armored Regiment, 2d Armored Div; and special units) under Maj General Ernest N. Harmon, USA, secures 5,000-yard beachhead in Safi area and takes Safi. 2 U.S. DD’s, with Companies K and L of 47th Infantry, 9th Division, and naval contingent aboard, enter Safi Harbor ahead of landings; after silencing batteries with gunfire, land assault force, which takes harbor facilities without opposition.

GERMANY—Hitler reaffirms his intention of taking Stalingrad, despite very heavy losses in men and equipment, lack of reserves, and overextended supply lines.

FRANCE—Vichy France breaks off diplomatic relations with U.S.

US MARINE CORPS

Allied Expeditionary Force invades North Africa.