Air Operations, Aleutians

9 28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s, 3 B-17s and 12 XI Fighter Command P-38s attack installations at Kiska harbor. A corvette and a freighter are damaged.

Air Operations, Europe

• 1 Mosquito goes to Saarbrücken; bombs a factory believed to be in the nearby town of Bous.

• 57 aircraft are involved in mine-laying ops.
• Areas mined include Lorient, St Nazaire, Brest, Ostend, Texel and the Frisians.
• 2 Wellingtons are lost.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-25s attack Buna and 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack various targets along the Buna-Kokoda trail.

Air Operations, Solomons

Between 1655 and 1745 hours, VF-5 F4Fs down 3 Japanese Navy float fighters near Guadalcanal and a VS-71 SBD gunner downs a float fighter in the same area around 1825 hours.

Belgium, Home Front

German decrees are issued ordering the registration for war work of all males between the ages of 18-50 and of all unmarried women between 21-35.

Britain, Policy

Britain threatens to retaliate and place German PoWs under chains if Germany carries out its threat to chain the Dieppe prisoners.

China

Chennault submits a letter to Roosevelt asking for a significant increase in US air power in China for eventual attacks on the Japanese homeland which he claims will end the war.

Eastern Front

There is further fighting in the factories, 193rd Rifle Division suffering heavy casualties as German infantry penetrates into the Red October bathhouse. Near the Tractor factory, the XIV Panzer Corps conquers the workers' houses after a bitter struggle with the 37th Guards. The guards fall back to the sports stadium, already the scene of heavy fighting.

German 5 cm Pak 38 Anti-Tank Gun in open artillery position on a street crossing in Stalingrad (October 8, 1942)

German 5 cm Pak 38 Anti-Tank Gun

In the Caucasus, Group Ruoff grinds to a halt in the face of strong resistance from the Coastal Group.

German Raiders

The German auxiliary cruiser Komet leaves Hamburg for her second war cruise, under the command of Kapitän zur See Ulrich Brocksien.

Guadalcanal

The Marine attack across the Matanikau River is postponed because of heavy rains, but the 5th Marines and the raiders reduce the enemy bridgehead on the east bank in costly fighting. At 1800 some of the Japanese attempt to break out through the right of the line which was lightly held. They strike against the raiders' right flank in mass formation. Running abreast, the front ranks fire small arms while the rear ranks throw grenades over the heads of the first rank. In the gathering dusk sharp hand-to-hand fighting erupts between the two forces. Casualties are heavy on both sides. Some Japanese break out, but are trapped and killed against a barbed wire barricade the Marines had erected over the sand bar.

When the Japanese plans for a counteroffensive are discovered, the commanding general of the 1st Marine Division changes the plan of attack. Instead of driving toward Kokumbona and the Poha, a large-scale raid is to be launched against the Point Cruz area. With the enemy threatening to attack in strength, it becomes necessary to hold the Lunga perimeter with all available forces.

The US Marines receive their first US Army reinforcements as the 164th Infantry Regiment of the Americal Division arrive.

The seaplane tender Nisshin makes a run to island and successfully lands heavy guns, tanks and supplies for the 2nd Div.

A Japanese fighter base is completed at Buin in southern Bougainville. This is done to cut the distance 11th Air Fleet fighters have to travel. 30 planes of Zero and Hamp variety are flown in.

New Guinea

The Japanese rearguard makes a stand at Templeton's Crossing. They will retreat on October 29.

An infantry patrol setting out into no-man’s land in the Western Desert, 8 October 1942.

Infantry Patrol in the Western Desert