Air Operations, Aleutians

14 28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s and 1 B-17, sent in two waves, attack shore and harbor facilities at Kiska. 13 of 18 fighter escorts abort due to bad weather.

Air Operations, CBI

4 11th Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Japanese Army ground forces and a supply convoy at Mengshih and claim 400 soldiers killed and 30 trucks destroyed. B-25s also attack Tengchung. 23rd Fighter Group P-40s claim 15 trucks destroyed and 5 groups of barracks damaged in strafing attacks along the Burma Road in southwestern China.

Air Operations, Libya

USAMEAF B-24s attack an 8,000-ton vessel in Benghazi harbor but fail to score any hits.

Air Operations, New Guinea

3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack 4 ground targets in the Owen Stanley Mountains in support of Australian ground forces.

Air Operations, Solomons

After nearly two weeks of bad weather, 18 Rabaul-based G4M 'Betty' bombers escorted by 27 A6M Zeros renew their attacks against Guadalcanal. They are met by 16 Marine Corps F4Fs and 18 VF-5 F4Fs. Marine Corps F4Fs down 6 'Bettys' and 2 Zeros about 1400 hours. VF-5 F4Fs down 4 Zeros during the same attack. Bombs destroy 1 SBD and damage 3 others along with 5 TBFs.

Aleutians

Japanese forces at Attu begin secretly transferring to Kiska to strengthen the garrison there.

Atlantic

The US freighter Stephen Hopkins engages the German auxiliary cruiser Stier and supply ship Tannenfels in a surface gunnery action in the central South Atlantic on the shipping lande between Capetown, South Africa and Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana. The Stephen Hopkins is sunk by the Stier, but the German ship also sinks from the damage received in the exchange.

Battle of the Atlantic

U-165 is sunk by depth charges from Wellington 'Q' of Squadron 311 in the Bay of Biscay.

U-165

Eastern Front

Expecting the renewal of the German attack on the factory district, at 0600 hours Chuikov begins a spoiling attack in order to disrupt the German assault. While the 62nd Army tries to pin the Germans down, the 36th Guards Rifle Division of the 64th Army attempts to retake Kuporosnoye. After heavy fighting at 0800 hours, the Luftwaffe arrives over the city and begins to pound the Soviets, pinning down the 62nd Army. The 64th Army also fails to break the German positions. Furious attacks with aircraft and artillery strike the Mamayev Kurgan followed by and armored attack with 150 panzers upon the factory district. Throughout the morning, the 95th Rifle Division is almost wiped out on the Mamayev Kurgan, the Germans flailing away with the 100th Jaeger, 295th Infantry and 24th Panzer Divisions. By mid-afternoon, panzers penetrate to the western wall of the Red October factory, reaching the Banny Gully and southwestern corner of the Barrikady factory, where they are involved in heavy fighting. At dusk the 95th Rifle has been forced off the summit of Mamayev Kurgan and only holds the northern and eastern slopes.

The remnants of the 92nd Rifle Division disintegrate, allowing the Germans to reach the Volga on a 5-mile front south of the river. The 10th NKVD Division continues to fight on in the German rear south of the Tsaritsyn.

By the end of the day the 6th Army has bludgeoned its way a few hundred yards forward at a cost of 2,000 killed and 50 panzers destroyed. Chuikov calls upon the Southwest Front to support his hard pressed army. During the night the 193rd Rifle Division begins to cross the Volga, taking up positions in the Red October coke houses.

In the Caucasus, the 13th Panzer Division, 370th Infantry and the 5th SS Wiking Motorized Divisions fight their way into Elchetovo and capture the town. The Germans lack the strength to punch their way forward to Ordzhonikidzhe.

Germany, Command

(24th?)Gen Frans Halder, COGS, is replaced by Gen Kurt von Zeitzler.

German Raiders

(24th?)In one of the most notable small actions of the war the Liberty ship Stephen Hopkins, armed with only 1 4-inch gun, fights an attack by the much more powerful German raider Stier which has 6 5.9-in guns and 2 torpedo tubes. Both ships sink. In its cruise Stier has sunk 4 ships of 29,400 tons. The German crew is rescued by the SS Tannenfels, but the Americans make a 31-day voyage to Brazil. 15 out of a crew of 57 survive.

Gilbert Islands

The Japanese take Kuria Island, having taken Maiana on the 24th and Beru on the 25th.

Guadalcanal

The 1st Raider Battalion attempts to attack enemy strongpoints in Matanikau village area from the rear but is unable to cross the river. The 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, attacks frontally at the river mouth but cannot force a crossing. 3 companies of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, lands near Point Cruz and takes the ridge inland from the beach but is prevented from advancing further by enemy fire. They call for help by spelling word out the word in a grassy meadow using clothing. They are signalled from the seaplane tender(?) (destroyer?) Monssen (DD-436) by Puller, who is now on board, to move down the coast while their retreat is covered by guns from the ship. The marines also call Henderson for air support to help in their retreat. With naval and air support the battalion returns to shore and re-embarks for Kukum. The 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, covers the withdrawal of the 1st Raider Battalion and returns during the night to the Lunga perimeter.

A US Marine patrol crosses the Matanikau River on Guadalcanal in September 1942

Marine Patrol Crosses the Matanikau River

Map of the Matanikau Action, 23–27 September. Green represents U.S. Marine units and movements and red Japanese positions and actions. Point Cruz is misidentified as "Koli Point" and the destroyer USS Monssen that supported the operation is misidentified as USS Ballard.

Map of the Matanikau Action

Japan, Politics

Japan's new foreign minister, Masayuki Tani, vows to continue a policy of nonaggression toward the Soviet Union.

New Guinea

The Japanese begin to withdraw back down the Kokoda Trail in the face of Australian attacks.