Air Operations, Libya

During the night, 1st Provisional Heavy Bomb Group B-17s attack the harbors at Tobruk amd Benghazi.

Air Operations, New Guinea

22nd Medium Bomb Group B-26s, 3rd Light Bomb Group A-24s and 5th Air Force fighters attack Japanese troops and antiaircraft batteries at Gona.

Battle of the Atlantic

U-90 is sunk while operating against Convoy ON-113. She is detected on the surface by the Canadian destroyer St Croix. The destroyer is joined by HMS Barham and they make two depth-charge attacks destroying the U-boat.

U-90

Eastern Front

Army Group A takes Rostov and Novocherkassk. Large Russian forces are wiped out or completely surrounded.

Vasilevsky proposes a counterattack to defeat the Germans in the Don Elbow. Moskalenko's 1st Tank Army, with 2 tank corps, 1 tank brigade and 1 rifle division, is to attack from Kalach toward Verkhne Buzinovka from where it will strike at Kletskaya. The 4th Tank Army, under Kryuchenkin, is to cross the Don at Kachalinskaya with its 2 tank corps, tank brigade and a rifle division during July 28, push west of Verkhne Golubaya and then link up with the 1st Tank Army. Danilov's 21st Army will also attack from Serfimovich and Kletskaya at 0300 hours on July 27 to break into the rear of the German forces facing the 62nd Army. The 1st and 4th Tank Armies assemble 550 tanks for the attack, many being new T-23 and Kv models, but neither army is up to full strength.

Fighting in Rostoiv intensifies as the NKVD tries to hold on to the Taganrog road bridge. The sheer weight and ferocity of the German attacks force the Soviets to give ground.

The fighting since the start of the German offensive at the end of June has been costly to the Soviets. Bryansk Front's 13th, 40th and 5th Tank Armies have lost 37,000 killed and missing and 29,000 wounded, while the South front has lost 128,000 killed and missing and 65,000 wounded. The new Voronezh Front suffers 43,000 killed and missing and 32,000 wounded in the short period form July 9. The 3 units also have lost 2,400 tanks, 13,700 artillery pieces and 780 aircraft.

Germany, Home Front

Adm Dönitz, broadcasting from Berlin, describes the ever-increasing threat to his submarine operations from British and American warships and aircraft, which are 'always on the heels of our U-boats'.

New Guinea

The Australians have to retire to Kokoda after blowing up the bridge over the Kumusi River at Wairopi.

Occupied Yugoslavia

A Lend-Lease Agreement is made between the US and Yugoslavia.

Pacific