Air Operations, Aleutians

9 28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s, a B-17 and a B-24 photo-reconnaissance bomber, escorted by 11 42nd Fighter Squadron P-39s and 11 RCAF 11th Squadron P-40s, attack Kiska. An 11th Fighter Squadron P-39 downs an A6M2-N 'Rufe' fighter-bomber about 1000 hours as dows an RCAF 11th Squadron P-40.

In a second attack against Kiska and neighboring Little Kiska, 2 B-24s, a B-17 and 15 P-39s attack shipping, buildings and stores severely damaging a transport with a direct hit. The P-39s also strafe 2 submarines at the Kiska submarine base and sink 5 float planes on the water.

Air Operations, CBI

4 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s escorted by 10 23rd Fighter Squadron P-40s attack the Gia Lam airfield at Hanoi, French Indochina. 6 of 10 Ki-45 'Nick' fighters are shot down in the attack about 1515 hours.

Air Operations, Europe

• 4 Mosquitos leave Leuchars, Scotland to attack the Gestapo headquarters in Oslo.
• The raid is intended to boost morale for the Norwegians and to coincide with a rally of Norwegians who support the Germans. The planes are intercepted by FW-190s on their low-level bombing run and 1 Mosquito is shot down. 4 bombs hit the headquarters building, 3 passing through it, but all failed to explode.

The Gestapo HQ attack as viewed from a photo-reconnaissance Mosquito. Point A - smoke from a damaged building, Point B - Nazi flag flying from cupola on HQ building and Point C - The University.

Attack on Gestapo HQ

• 10 Wellingtons lay mines in the Frisians without a loss.
• The Germans attack Penzance in Cornwall in a night raid.

Air Operations, New Guinea

One end of an often-attacked bridge at Wairopi in the Owen Stanley Mountains is destroyed in a direct hit by a V Fighter Command P-40.

Air Operations, Solomons

In the days action, 4 5th Heavy Bomb Group B-17s attack Japanese warships in Tonolei harbor, and 11th Heavy Bomb Group B-17s attack shipping in Buka Passage and strafe the seaplane base at Rekata Bay.

Battle of the Atlantic

U-253 sinks on a mine in a British field off Iceland.

U-253

Eastern Front

The Russian counterattack in the northwest area of Stalingrad continues to make progress. The Germans report bitter hand-to-hand fighting.

Chuikov learns of the desertion of the command of the 92nd Rifle Brigade but is unable to help the men of the brigade, who are still under heavy German attack.

Taking advantage of the lull, Chuikov regroups his army in preparation for the expected German attacks. The Mechetka River and Mamayev Kurgan sectors are reinforced and the defenses around the factories strengthened.

Between the Sarpa lakes, the 51st and 57th Armies begin a series of limited attacks aimed at gaining control of the high ground around the lakes in order to observe the movement of the 4th Rumanian Army. The capture of the hills is largely achieved by October 4 as the Rumanian VI Corps relinquishes ground readily, the Rumanians proving no match for the combat hardened Red Army.

This picture, received by the Associated Press on September 25, 1942 through a neutral source, shows a bomb falling after it has just left the plane on its descent to Stalingrad below. (AP Photo)

A Bomb Falling on Stalingrad

Guadalcanal

The 2nd Battalion of the 5th Marines joins the 1st Battalion of the 7th Marines on the northwest slope of Mount Austen to continue the attack against the enemy in the Matanikau-Kokumbona area. 2 companies of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, return to the Lunga perimeter. A patrol of the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, reconnoiters Koil Point without incident.

Madagascar

The British now control the central part of the island as 2 East African brigades link up there. It is announced that Madagascar has been placed under military jurisdiction 'in order to ensure law and order and to provide for the administration pending the establishment of a friendly regime.'

New Guinea

The Australians open their counteroffensive in the mountains along the Port Moresby-Kokoda track, attacking Ioribaiwa in force.

Papua, September 1942. 25-Pounder guns of B Troop, 14th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, being pulled through dense jungle in the vicinity of Uberi on the Kokoda Track. They are being assisted by the 2/1st Australian Pioneer Battalion.

British Artillery near Uberi on the Kokoda Track

New Zealand

The Waikato Miners' Strike ends.

Pacific

The US submarine Sargo (SS-188) sinks the Japanese merchant cargo ship Teibo Maru (4472t) off the coast of French Indochina, 180 miles east of Saigon.

United States, Production

In Washington the Maritime Commission announces that 488 cargo ships have been built in the last year.