Air Operations, Aleutians

While an 11th Air Force LB-30 photographs Kiska, 2 54th Fighter Squadron P-38s strafe a seaplane tender and ground targets. 1 P-38 shoots down a A6M2-N 'Rufe' seaplane fighter over Kiska, but the other P-38 is damaged by ground fire and the LB-30 is damaged by a 'Rufe'. All 3 return to base safely.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Bomber Command B-17s attack a Japanese cruiser near Rabaul, but record no hits.

Air Operations, Europe

• 446 aircraft to Bremen; included are planes from OTUs again.
• Lloyd dynamo works is hit and put out of action for 2 weeks; parts of the Focke-Wulf factory also hit and out of action for various periods; 7 cultural and historic buildings hit along with 6 schools and 2 hospitals; 70 people are killed and 371 injured.
• 15 Wellingtons, 2 Lancasters, 1 Halifax, 1 Hampden, 1 Stirling and 1 Whitley are lost.

Air Operations, New Guinea

22nd Medium Bomb Group B-26s attach the airfield at Lae and V Fighter Command strafe buildings on Goodenough Island.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 11th Heavy Bomb Group B-17s attack a Japanese Navy seaplane base at Rekata Bay, Santa Isabel.
• 28 G4M 'Betty' bombers and an unknown number of A6M Zeros attack Henderson Field at 0950, but no US aircraft are airborne to defend. F4Fs are in the air during the next attacks. 4 'Bettys' and 3 Zeros are shot down by Marine Corps F4Fs between 1100 and 1420 hours. During the same period, VF-5s shoot down 2 'Bettys' and 2 Zeros. 6 F4Fs are lost and 2 are badly damaged in the day's action.
• At 1730 hours, 2 low-flying A6M2-N 'Rufe' seaplanes based at Rekata Bay, Santa Isabel, shoot down a Marine Corps SBD returning from a search mission. Both the pilot and the gunner are killed.

Allied Planning

Eisenhower takes over commmand of Operation TORCH with headquarters in London.

Arctic Ocean

During the next 6 days, the convoy PQ-18 passes to the USSR with none of the disasters of its predecessor. It is provided with a large escort including an escort carrier. 13 ships are lost, but the Germans lose 2 U-boats and 20 planes.

Torpedo Attack on Outbound Arctic Convoy PQ-18, September 1942

Convoy PQ 18 at sea. An underwater detonation erupts next to HMS ASHANTI. The destroyer HMS ESKIMO is seen in the foreground. Merchant ships are in the background. After the disastrous Convoy PQ-17 which was decimated by German bombers and U boats after the convoy was ordered to scatter, there had been a delay before the next Arctic convoy was organised. More consideration was given to the defence of Convoy PQ-18’s escort and it became the first Arctic convoy to be accompanied by an Escort carrier – HMS Avenger. Nevertheless the convoy still had to pass around the North Cape and pass within range of German bombers located in northern Norway.

Eastern Front

The battle for Stalingrad begins its fourth week. The German 6th Army has now penetrated into the city. By November 18th the Germans will have taken almost all the city, with the Russians holding no more that three bridgeheads across the Volga. The mass of the Russian artillery, however, is dug in on the other side of the Volga and is relatively protected from German air attacks.

To avoid the sufferings endured by German troops the previous winter, Hitler appoints Generals Franz Halder, Jacob and Wietersheim to look after military requirements and supplies.

A massive German assault begins at Stalingrad. The 71st, 76th and 295th Infantry Divs attack from Gumrak against the center of the 62nd Army. Farther south, the 94th Infantry, 29th Panzergrenadier and 14th and 24th Panzer Divs smash through the Yelshanka and Dar Gova suburbs and reach the Volga. The fighting rages throughout the night. Stalin orders the 13th Guards Rifle Div to cross the Volga into the city to reinforce the 62nd Army.[MORE]

Guadalcanal

Yamamoto orders the 11th Air Fleet at Rabaul to send a scouting mission to Henderson Field to see if the Japanese have taken it. 2 observation planes and 20 Zeros take off. They arrive over Henderson early in the morning but are met by F4Fs. Just before this 18 new F4Fs had arrived from the carrier Hornet (CV-8). Only 17 Zeros return home, but 1 US pilot is shot down and 2 others are wounded, 2 F4Fs lost and another badly damaged. Adms Turner and McCain leave just before noon. 10 minutes later the daily Japanese bomber raid appears. New, untried pilots are among the Japanese and they drop their bombs on Japanese positions at Taivu Point instead of on the Americans. US pilots make the mistake of engaging Zeros in dog fights, which is not recommended. 2 Zeros are shot down but 3 US pilots are also shot down. 2 more F4Fs are so badly damaged they could only be used for parts. 4 of the 18 that have just arrived are already lost.

Adm Ghormley orders the 7th Marines to reinforce the garrison. Later in the afternoon the air defense is strengthened by the arrival of 12 dive bombers and 6 TBFs from the Saratoga (CV-3). The Japanese launch air, naval, and ground attacks against the Lunga perimeter in an attempt to recapture the airfield. The provisional raider-parachute battalion is unable to advance on Bloody Ridge and digs in on a central knoll about 250 yards north of the previous bivouac area. After nightfall, the main enemy assault force of at least 2 battalions drives northward to the northernmost knoll where the provisional raider-parachute battalion, with close artillery support, holds firm against further determined attacks. Another 2 companies of Japanese attack the 3rd Battalion of the 1st Marines on the eastern flank of the Ilu River, but are unable to break through. While this action is going on the Japanese land another 1,700 troops of a 17th Army detachment. Col Kawaguchi will need them. He had sent 2,000 men against the marine lines, 600 had been killed and 500 wounded. 40 marines have been killed, 100 wounded on the ridge.[MORE]

Madagascar

East African troops spearhead the Allied drive toward Tananarive.

Malta

The Governor, Lord Gort, presents the George Cross to the Chief Justice at a ceremony in bomb-shattered Palace Square, Valletta. The entire population of Malta received the award in April.

North Africa

During the night Operation AGREEMENT, a combined operation against Tobruk by seaborne and land-based commandos, is launched. After a heavy aerial bombardment, British units of the Long Range Desert Group from Kufra Oasis attack airfields at Benghazi and Barce. There are also amphibious landings at Tobruk supported at sea by 6 cruisers and destroyers in an attempt to destroy Axis depots and port installations. Both attempts fail with heavy casualties. Stukas sink the AA cruiser Coventry, a German flak battery disables the destroyer Sikh and Italian Macchi fighter-bombers sink the Zulu and 3 MTBs. The damaged MTB-314 is captured and redesignated RA-10. It will be sunk by British aircraft in April 1943. About 9:00a.m. the Tobruk landing forces have to re-embark. In the operation 579 commandos and naval personnel are taken prisoner.

Vichy France

Compulsory labor for all men between the ages of 18 and 50 and single women between 20 and 35 is ordered by the government.