Air Operations, Aleutians
11th Air Force B-17s and B-24s hit 2 Japanese cruisers at Kiska.
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]Air Operations, Australia
49th Fighter Group P-40s down 4 A6M Zeros in the Darwin area at 1330 hours.
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| ]Allied Preparations
Advance units of the 1st US Marine Div lands in New Zealand.
[ | ]Caribbean
- The US bulk carrier Lebore (8289t) is torpedoed and sunk by U-172 about 200 miles north of the Canal Zone.
- The US freighter Scottsburg (8001t) is torpedoed and sunk by U-161 losing 5 men in the attack.
| ]Italy, Preparations
The Roma, the newest and last Italian battleship, is completed at Trieste. She will join the fleet in November 1942.
Japan, Planning
The Imperial General Staff determines to invade New Caledonia, Samoa and Fiji.
[ | ]Mediterranean
- The first air attacks, by German and Italian forces, hit the ships involved in Operation HARPOON. 1 merchantman is sunk and 1 cruiser is hit.
- During the night Axis torpedo boats attack the ships of Operation VIGOROUS and damage a cruiser and sink a destroyer.
| ]North Africa
Gen Ritchie orders the most advanced divisions of XIII Corps, the South African 1st and the British 50th to fall back. With the loss of El Adem and the loss of so many tanks, their positions have become too exposed. The two divisions pull back to the Egpytian frontier, the former along the coast road and the latter inland. The Germans and Italians attack towards Acroma, but make little progress in spite of the numerical superiority of their armor. Auchinleck says, 'Although I have made it clear to you that Tobruk must not be invested, I realize that its garrison may be isolated for short periods until out winter offensive can be launched.' General Headquarters in Cairo may not know the true condition of the 8th Army.
Gen Auchinleck tells Churchill that Gen Ritchie, commanding 8th Army, foresees the possibility that the British may have to withdraw to the 'old frontier', the Egyptian border.[MORE]
Churchill is alarmed and telegraphs Auchinleck: 'Presume there is no question in any case of giving up Tobruk.' The reply from Auchinleck is reassuring, 'War Cabinet interpretation is correct. Gen Ritchie is putting into Tobruk what he considers an adequate force to hold it, even should it become temporarily isolated by the enemy. Basis of garrison is four brigade groups, with adequate stocks of ammunition, food, fuel and water.'
Meanwhile, in the Gazala sector, the Axis have bypassed Acroma and the Via Balboa and reach the coast west of the Torbruk perimeter.
[ | ]Secret War
In Operation PASTORIUS 2 U-boats each land a 4-man team of saboteurs on the US eastern seaboard. 1 team is landed at Amagansett, Long Island on the 14th and another near Jacksonville, Florida(date?). All are subsequently captured before they commence operations. 6 are executed.
[ | ] US Submarine Trout Returns to Pearl Harbor |
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