THURSDAY, 1 OCTOBER 1942
ALASKA A Japanese reconnaissance airplane over Adak establishes US occupation of the island; 7 B-24s on a search-attack and
photo reconnaissance mission over Kiska hit hangars and ramps, starting
several fires; 4 fighters appearand are engaged; 1 probable victory is claimed;
2 other B-24s take off, aftera Navy PBY contact a transport, but cannot locate
it.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC B-17s and P-400s pound forces and communications
in the Owen Stanley Range, hitting Menari, Kagi, Myola Lake, the Kokoda area, Wairopi bridge, and the Buna-Wairopi trail; and the 71st Bombardment Squadron
(Medium), 38th BG (Medium), moves from Bredden Field, Australia to Port Moresby
with B-25s.
FRIDAY, 2 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): On Kiska,
11 B-24s and 6 P-39s bomb 2 cargo ships in the harbor (no hits observed), drop
demolition charges throughout the Main Camp area, and hit a hangar S of the seaplane
ramp; 4 floatplanes and 1 biplane are shot down. Enemy aircraft bomb the Adak Airfield without inflicting damage.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In the Owen Stanley Rangeof
New Guinea, A-20s bomb and strafe Japanese campsites around Myola and hitseveral
trails in the area, while P-400s strafe bridges at Sirorata and Wairopi and a
village NE of Wairopi. B-17s bomb shipping and airfield atRabaul on New Britain, Bismarck Archipelago.
SATURDAY, 3 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 6 B-24s, 4 P-38s,
and 8 P-39s bomb and strafe7 vessels in and around Kiska Harbor hitting
a beached cargo vesseland the camp; the fighters down 6 float fighters attempting
interception; the enemy bombs Adak Airfield but inflicts no damage. The
77th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 28th Composite Group, moves from Elmendorf Field to Adak (the squadron continues to operate from Umnak with B-25s and B-26s until Dec 42).
INDIA AIR TASK FORCE (IATF): The IATF is activated at Dinjan, India tosupport
Chinese resistance along the Salween River by hitting supply lines inC and
S
Burma; the new task force, commanded by Colonel Caleb V Haynes,includes all
AAF combat units in India, all based at Karachi-the 7thBombardment Group (Heavy),
the 51st Fighter Group, and the 341st BombardmentGroup (Medium).
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): HQ 347th Fighter Group
and the 339th Fighter Squadron are activated on New Caledonia with P-38s, P-39s,
and P-400s (a detachment of the 339th begins operating from Guadalcanal); the
67th, 68th and 70th Fighter Squadrons are transferred to the 347th Fighter
Group; the 67th is based on New Caledonia with P-39s and P-400s but is operating
from Guadalcanal; the 68th is based on Tongatabu with P-39s and P-40s;
and the 70th is based in the Fiji with P-39s.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, A-20s bomb andstrafe
Efogi and Myola Lake, P-40s strafe the Efogi-Buna trail, B-25's hit a bridge
at Wairopi, and a lone B-17 bombs a camp on the Kumusi River.
SUNDAY, 4 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 3 B-24s abort weather,
bombing and photomissions over Kiska due to weather and instead attack
a cargo vessel;the ship's rudder is probably damaged; 1 B-24 is damaged.
OREGON COAST Japanese Submarine I-25 sinks the tanker SS Camden off Coos Bay
on the south Oregon coast.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): The 72d Bombardment Squadron
(Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy), based on Espiritu Santo with B-17s, begins operating from Guadalcanal.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): P-40s strafe forces
and occupied areas at Myola Lake, Kokoda, Wairopi, Yodda, and Buna; a US reconnaissance
party from the 126th Infantry Regiment, 32d Infantry Division reaches Jauri,
completing a reconnaissance of the Kapa Kapa-Jauri Trail, which is found to be
difficult but practicable for use as a route ina contemplated offensive against
the Buna-Gona area.
MONDAY, 5 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 6 B-24s, 3 P-38s
and 3 P-39s abort a bombing,weather, and photo mission over Kiska due
to weather.CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Tenth Air Force):
INDIA AIR TASK FORCE (IATF): The 9th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment
Group (Heavy), returns to Karachi, India from Lydda, Palestine.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-25s attack
a convoy off Buna, lost is B-25D "Battlin' Biffie" 41-29701; A-20s hit AA positions at Sanananda Point
and bomb the village of Sanananda;
B-17s bomb airfields at Buna and also hit airfields at Rabaul. Lost is B-17E 41-9196.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA: B-17F "Aztec's Curse" 41-24457 bombs Gizo.
USN - Two F4F Wildcats from TF-17 CV Hornet, piloted by Lt. Cdr. H. G. Sanchez and Lt. (jg) W. V. Roberts Jr were escorting SBD's & TBD's bombing Tonlei Harbor, flew 20 miles south to Faisi (Korovou) in the Shortlands. They straffed 2 lines of Type 97 (Mavis) flying boats moored in the channel. Sanchez estimated there were 10 aircraft and they probably destroyed 4. He noted they didn't burn so hadn't been refuelled. The main strike of Avengers arrived less than an hour later and destroyed or damaged a number of ships in the harbour. This later strike was attacked by up to 11 Type 2 floatplanes (Rufe) but either due to very bad weather (squalls) or good fortune very few of these seaplane fighters were able to engage the carrier bombers so no losses were reported by US forces. Japanese reports put JNAF losses at 3 Type 97 (Mavis) flying boats badly damaged and 1 Type 0 (Jake) floatplane destroyed.
TUESDAY, 6 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 8 B-24s, 1 B-17,
10 P-39s, and 8 P-38s flybombing and weather missions over Kiska; a large
transport is bombedin the harbor which is left sinking; hits are scored on a
corvette and on alarge freighter at Gertrude Cove and on a hangar in Main Camp;
the radiostation is damaged; a float fighter is strafed and set afire, and 6
Zekes arehit on the water.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): Fifth Air Force
aircraft complete the movement of the reinforced Australian 18 Brigade to Wanigela
on the peninsula between Dyke Acland and Collingwood Bays on the Ecoast of
Papua; this is part of the move aimed at capture of the Buna-Gona area.
WEDNESDAY, 7 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Aleutians, 3 B-24s taking off tobomb Kiska and patrol Near abort
mission due to mechanicalfailure and instead fly reconnaissance over Agattu,
Attu, and Semichiswith negative results.
Guadalancal - Fighting on Matanikau
THURSDAY, 8 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 9 B-24s, 3 B-17s,
and 12 P-38s blast KiskaIsland Harbor installations (starting fires in Main
Camp), and strafe AApositions, hangars, a corvette (silencing her guns), and
a freighter.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-25s bomb the Buna area while A-20s pound the Buna-Kokoda trail; the Japanese withdrawal NE across
the Owen Stanley Range slows as they prepare to make a stand at Templeton's Crossing
N of Myola.
Guadalancal - Fighting on Matanikau
FRIDAY, 9 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 7 B-17s and 10 B-24s
escorted by 6 P-38s and 4P-39s bomb the harbor at Kiska, installations,
and shipping 6 times;targets include shipping in Gertrude Cove, small cargo
vessels in KiskaHarbor, installations at North Head, a hangar, Main Camp area
(hit severaltimes), and various shore facilities.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): 30 B-17s pound numerous targets
at Rabaul. 14 B-25s hit the airfield at Lae;
and HQ 49th Fighter Group moves from Darwin to Port Moresby.
Guadalcanal - Fighting on Matanikau & Japanese 17th army HQ lands at Tassafaronga.
USMC - Crashed after a night take off from Tontouta Airfield is R4D-1 01981.
SATURDAY, 10 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 10 B-24s, 7 B-17s,
and 4 P-38s fly 4 missionsto Kiska; the third mission (3 B-17s) does
not make contact; theothers bomb and strafe the Main Camp area, hit shipping
in Trout Lagoon andoff South Head, where gun positions and installations are
also blasted; firesare started in the Main Camp and hangar areas. The 344th
Fighter Squadron, 343d Fighter Group, is activated at Elmendorf Field with P-40s.
CBI THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Tenth Air Force):
INDIA AIR TASK FORCE (IATF): HQ 51st Fighter Group and the 26th FighterSquadron
move from Karachi to Dinjan, India with P-40s.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-17s pound Rabaul and nearby Lakunai. A-20s hit targets along the Buna-Kokoda
trail and, with P-400s, strike villages in the area of Asisi and Sanananda;
and the 9th Fighter Squadron moves from Darwin to Port Moresby
with P-40s.
SUNDAY, 11 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Kiska is
hit by 3 bombing and strafingmissions flown by 10 B-24s and 3 B-17s; the B-17s
make no contact; the B-24sblast harbor targets and Main Camp.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): B-17s sight a Japanese TaskForce
of cruisers and destroyers bearing down on Guadalcanal in theafternoon;
during the night of 11/12 Oct, in the Battle of Cape Esperance,Rear Admiral
Norman Scott's cruisers drive away the vessels; search has beenand continues
to be the most useful service of the B-17s in the SOPAC.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): The 22d Troop CarrierSquadron,
Air Carrier Service, Air Service Command, Fifth Air Force, movesfrom Essendon
Airdrome to Garbutt Field, Australia with C-47s.
Guadalcanal - (Night of October 11 - 12) "Battle of Cape Esperance".
American forces consist of four cruisers and four destroyers led by Admiral
Scott. The Japanese squadron, commanded by Admiral Goto, has three cruisers
and two destroyers. Confused night action ensues during which both sides fire
on their own ships. Despite heavy casualties, both sides' transports get through.
The Japanese loose Furutaka, Fubuki and Natsugumo sunk
MONDAY, 12 OCTOBER 1942
ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 2 B-24s abort bombing of Kiska due toovercast
and instead fly shipping search W of Attu.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): 5 B-17s bomb installations at
Buka, Solomons.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): A-20s hit the village
of Isivita and targets on the trail near Wairopi; B-25s bomb Buna, Wairopi bridge,
and targets along the Buna-Kokoda trail. The 64th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy),
43d Bombardment Group (Heavy), arrives at Fenton Field from Iron Range with B-17s.
New Guinea - Murakumo sunk off New Guinea by US planes
RAAF - Wirraway A20-51 is lost on a strike to Buna before reaching the target.
TUESDAY, 13 OCTOBER 1942
ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): A search mission is not completed due toweather.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): 6 B-17s bomb Buka and Tonolai; Japanese aircraft from Rabaul pound Henderson Field during the day and
hit troops of the Americal Division disembarking at Lunga Point; artillery also
begins shelling the airstrip; during the night of 13/14 Oct the Japanese battleships
Kongo and Haruna hit Henderson Field with a terrific bombardment; the field is
damaged severely and many aircraft are destroyed or damaged.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-17s bomb Vunakanau and Lakunai Airfields.
A B-17 bombs Buna. A pair of B-25s search for Japanese warships off Goodenough, but fail to locate them. Instead they hit the Japanese landing party at Waytutu Point. On the return flight, lost is B-25C 41-12501. The 6th Troop Carrier Squadron, 63d Troop
Carrier Group, arrives at Port Moresby from the US with C-47s. The 65th Bombardment
Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Torrens Creek to Iron Range with B-17s.
Guadalcanal - 64th Infantry Regiment of Americal Division arrives to reinforce
1st Marine Division. Japanese warships Kongo and Haruna bombard Henderson
Field in an attempt to knock the airfield out of action, and cover landings
on both the east and west sides of the.
WEDNESDAY, 14 OCTOBER 1942
ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 9 B-24s, 6 B-26s, 1 B-17 and 12 P-38s bomb andstrafe
Kiska installations and shipping; fire bombs are dropped onhangars and
the Main Camp area where a large fire is started; 2 torpedoattacks on shipping
in Gertrude Cove score no hits; the P-38s destroy 3floatplanes on water; 1 P-38
is shot down.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-25s attack Lae, a bridge 40 miles (64 km) N of Port Moresby, and the area of the Wairopi bridge;
on the Kokoda trail Japanese offer fierce resistance to Australians pushing
NE in the vicinity of Templeton's Crossing; and Fifth AF aircraft begin flying
a force of Australians and Americans from Port Moresby at Laloki
(12-Mile) to Wanigela.
Guadalcanal - Japanese battleships Chokai and Kinugasa shell Henderson Field.
48 out of 90 American aircraft are destroyed.
THURSDAY, 15 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 3 B-26s bomb and
1 B-24 flies photoreconnaissance over Kiska and Attus; the B-26s hit
a large cargo shipin Gertrude Cove, Kiska, starting a fire, and hit buildings
on AttuIsland; AA claims 1 B-26.
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA HQ 318th Fighter Group is activated
at Hickam Field; squadrons assigned, all equipped
with P-40s, are the 44th and 72d Fighter Squadrons at Bellows Field and the 73d
Fighter Squadron on Midway.SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of
Staff): Aviation fuel arrives atHenderson Field, Guadalcanal from Espiritu
Santo by aircraftand ship.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, A-20s and P-40s
pound forces S of Templeton's Crossing and at Popondetta; B-25s bomb Salamaua
and hit targets in the Owen Stanley Range and in the area around the bridge at Wairopi. A single B-17 attacks shipping near Treasurys in the Solomons.
FRIDAY, 16 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 1 B-17, 6 B-26s,
and 4 P-38s bomb Kiskaand lowlevel bomb and sink 2 destroyers just N
of there; duds hit a large freighter beached off Trout Lagoon; 1 B-26 is shot
down. Oboro sunk in Aleutians, US planes.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): Seabees on Guadalcanal
patch up Henderson Field runways enough for use by fighters; US MarineCorps
(USMC) fighters and AAF P-400s and P-39s begin pounding the invasionforce landing
at the Kokumbona-Doma Reef area just 8 miles (12.8 km) away;however, the enemy
continues to bombard Henderson Field by air strike andartillery and to land
troops.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): A-20s and B-25s
hit the village of Pawaia, trails in the Kokoda area, the Buna-Kokoda trail,
and villages at the mouth and along the Mambare River; and B-25s also bomb
the Mubo-Salamaua trail. B-17s bomb airfield at Rabaul, New Britain
and attack targets in the Solomons, including the airfield at Buin,
and shipping off Moila Point and the Shortland
Islands. Lost on a cargo drop is C-47 "Maxine" 41-18585.
IJN - Nine Vals attack tanker off Guadalcanal and destroyer. One is shot down by a Grumman, two lost over the target and a third is MIA: D3A1 3122.
USN - Aircraft from USS
Hornet,
Task Group 17 hit targets in
the Buin-Tonolei-Faisi area.
SATURDAY, 17 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 5 B-24s bomb the
Main Camp area on Kiska Island and a beached vessel in Trout Lagoon; the results
are unobserved dueto clouds; 1 B-24 flying weather reconnaissance finds no trace
of 2destroyers, confirming their sinking on 16 Oct.
Guadlacanal - B5N2 Kates from Junyo and Hiyo escorted by A6M2 Zeros attack ships at Lunga Point off Guadalcanal. During the mission, A6M2 Zero piloted by Harada had a head-on gun battle with American pilot Bill Freeman who shot him down. Also lost was B5N2 Kate piloted by Kuno.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): The 403d BombardmentSquadron
(Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Torrens Creek to Iron Range with B-17s.
USMC - Lost after a search mission to Rekata Bay is SBD 03361.
SUNDAY, 18 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Aleutians, on Kiska 4B-24s bomb Main Camp, score near misses on a beached
vessel in Trout Lagoon, and hit a gasoline storage area; weather aircraft flies
reconnaissance overAttu, Segula, Little Sitkin, and Garelois.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): Admiral William F Halseysucceeds
Vice Admiral Robert L Ghormley as Commander-in-Chief, South Pacific (COMSOPAC).
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-17s attack shipping and
aircraft in the Faisi area, schooners and buildings
at Lorengau, Kahili Airfield, and shipping
off Kahili, Pupukuna Point, and Buin. B-25s
hit Wairopi bridge, the village of Mubo, and the dock
and occupied area on PileloIsland; the Fifth AF completes the air movement
of
most of the 128th InfantryRegiment, 32d Infantry Division, to Wanigela; and
the 39th Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, moves from Townsville, Australia
to Port Moresby's 14 Mile
Drome with P-38s.
MONDAY, 19 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Aleutians,
a B-17 flies weather reconnaissance and bomb runs over Attu, Semichi, Kiska,
and Amchitka; 6 B-24s dispatched to bomb Kiska abort the
mission due to weather.
TUESDAY, 20 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 6 B-24s take off
for Kiska but returndue to weather; reconnaissance is flown to 70 miles
(113 km) E of AttuIsland; a negative search is made for a missing C-53.
The detachment of the 56th Fighter Squadron, 54th Fighter Group, moves from Nome to Elmendorf Field with P-39s (the squadron is based at Harding
Field, Louisiana).
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA The 19th Fighter Squadron, 18th Fighter
Group, moves from Kualoa Field to Bellows Field with P-40s.
SOUTH PACIFIC
AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): Admiral William F Halsey sends the
Army's 147th Infantry Regiment to Guadalcanal and also institutes construction
of another bomber strip to be located at Koli Point, 12 miles (19 km) SE of
Henderson Field.
WEDNESDAY, 21 OCTOBER 1942
CBI (Tenth Air Force): INDIA AIR TASK FORCE (IATF): B-24s of the IATF stage
through Chengtu, Chinato bomb Lin-hsi, China coal mines; the plan is to blast
nearby power stationsand pumping facilities and flood the mines; the attack
fails to flood themines but inflicts considerable damage to the target area;
this marks thefirst use of heavy bombers in China and the first AAF strike N
of the Yangtzeand Yellow Rivers.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-25s hit Luscan Harbor onthe
S coast of New Britain.
Los in the central Pacific is B-17D 40-3089 aboard as a passenger is Eddie Rickenbackre
THURSDAY, 22 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Weather reconnaissance
aircraft reports asubmarine at 52-08N 177-21 W; a US Navy (US) aircraft later
makes contact anddrops depth bomb; the result is unknown.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): Henderson Field onGuadalcanal is out of operation again as result of enemy action.
FRIDAY, 23 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Armed reconnaissance
by 7 bombers, escorted by6 P-38s, is flown over Kiska installations,
chiefly the submarine baseand Main Camp; visibility is excellent and direct
hits are scored, including1 on the submarine base. A detachment of the 56th
Fighter Squadron, 54th Fighter Group, based at Harding Field, Louisiana, begins
operating from Elmendorf Field with P-39s.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): Henderson Field,Guadalcanal, is again made operational by the Seabees, and USMC andAAF fighters begin
to inflict heavy losses on Japanese naval aircraft;Japanese ground forces assault
defensive lines around the airfields but arethrown back.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): A-20s bomb and strafe Denikiand
Deniki-Kokoda trail in New Guinea. B-17s thoroughly pound shipping at Rabaul. HQ 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy), which has been fighting
since 8 Dec 41, begins a movement from Mareeba to the US.
Guadalcanal - 23,000 American, 22,000 Japanese troops on Guadalcanal
SATURDAY, 24 OCTOBER 1942
ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 3 B-17s hit the Kiska submarine base;results
are not observed; and a weather reconnaissance flight is made overAttu.
CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI)): The 11th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 341stBombardment
Group (Medium), based at Kunming with B-25s, sends a detachment to operate
from
Nanning.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): USMC and AAF fighters atHenderson
Field, Guadalcanal, continue to inflict damaging losses uponthe Japanese
naval air force; Japanese ground forces, attacking aggressively,are again repulsed
by defenses around Henderson area.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-25s hit Lae
Airfield. Organized Japanese resistance on Goodenough ceases.
GUADALCANAL: Having nearly destroyed a Japanese regiment single handedly during
the Battle of Bloody Ridge, Sergeant John Basilone earns the Medal
of Honor, the first enlisted marine ever to recieve the award.
SUNDAY, 25 OCTOBER 1942
CHINA AIR TASK FORCE (CATF): 12 B-25s and 7 P-40s, led by Colonel Merian Cooper,
hit Kowloon Docks at Hong Kong; 21 aircraft intercept; 1 B-25 and 1P-40 are
shot down; this marks the first loss of a CATF B-25 in combat; the Japanese interceptors
are virtually annihilated; during the night of 25/26Oct 6 B-25s, on the first
CATF night strike, continue pounding Hong Kong, bombing the North Point power
plant which provides electricity for the shipyards; 3 other B-25s bomb the secondary
target, the Canton warehousearea, causing several large explosions and fires.
INDIA AIR TASK FORCE (IATF): In India, Japanese aircraft attack airfieldsconnected
with the the India-China air transport route, heavily bombingDinjan and Chabua
fields and scoring hits also at Mohanbari and Sookerating;10 US aircraft are
destroyed and 17 badly damaged; 9 Japanese aircraft aredowned. The 492d Bombardment
Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy),arrives at Karchi, India from
the US with B-24s; and the 493d BombardmentSquadron is activated at
Karachi and assigned to the 7th BombardmentGroup (the 492d and 493d
will fly their first mission on 24 and 26Jan 43 respectively).
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): On Guadalcanal, Japanese
ground assaults on the defensive lines around Henderson Field are again thrown
back; USMC and AAF fighters continue to inflict telling losseson Japanese Navy
aircraft. During the afternoon, a B-17 on sea-searchmission sights a powerful
Japanese Task Force NW of Santa Cruz, Solomons, heading for Guadalcanal. A detachment of the 33d Troop Carrier Squadron, 315th Troop Carrier Group,
which is enroute from the US to Australia, begins operating from New Caledonia. Japanese ship Yura sunk
GUADALCANAL / USN - "Battle of Santa Cruz" (east of the Solomons)
Admiral Halsey's task forces meet the numerically superior Japanese forces commanded
by Admiral Yamamoto. The forces never come within gun range of each other. The
battle is fought entirely by aircraft. The Americans lose the carrier Hornet
and the carrier Enterprise is damaged and forced to withdraw. Damage to the
Japanese fleet temporarily paralyzes their movements by sea.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): 13 B-17s bomb shipping at Rabaul,
New Britain. In New Guinea, A-20s bomb and strafe the Isurava-Kokoda
trail, the W bank of the Kumusi River, and the area N of Asisi as Australian
ground forces push toward Kokoda in the Owen Stanley Range; and HQ 38th Bombardment
Group (Medium) and the 405th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) move from Townsville to Port Moresby with B-25s. The 93d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy),
19th Bombardment Group (Heavy), begins a movement from Mareeba to
the US.
MONDAY, 26 OCTOBER 1942
CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Tenth Air Force): CHINA AIR TASK
FORCE (CATF): CATF B-25s move to W China to carry outthe neutralization of Lashio,
Burma, where the Japanese have aircraft theyare using against the Dinjan, India
area; P-40's continue to hit the HongKong-Canton area, using dive-bombing tactics
for first time in the area.
INDIA AIR TASK FORCE (IATF): In India, the Japanese again hit airfields in Assam
connected with the India-China transport route, concentrating onSookerating;
a freight depot, containing food and medical supplies for China,is destroyed
but no US aircraft are lost; due to a lack of warning, nofighters intercept
the attacking force.
USN - USS Hornet, in Task Group 17 (Rear Admiral G. D. Murray),
and, with the Enterprise, fought in the Battle of Santa Cruz (26-27 Oct) in
which she was sunk by air attack.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): Naval Battle of Santa Cruz: U.S. force sustains heavy loss, but checks Japanese movement toward
Guadalcanal Carrier aircraft from theaircraft carriers USS Hornet (CV-8) and
USS Enterprise (CV-6) fight a fierceair action with a Japanese Task Force in
the Battle of Santa Cruz;B-17s also attack the task force but report
no hits; with 3 of his carriershit and almost 100 airplanes lost, Vice Admiral
Chuichi Nagumo retires toward Truk in the Carolines; the USS Hornet
is severely damaged andis sunk the following day by Japanese aircraft and US
destroyers with bombsand torpedos.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-25s hit Salamaua
and the airfield at Lae; A-20's, escorted by P-40s, bomb and strafe trails in
the Missima-Kaile-Deniki area.
Sunk after an accidental colission with an American mine is SS President Coolidge.
TUESDAY, 27 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 6 B-24s flying an
attack on the Kiskasubmarine base turn back due to weather; a weather
aircraft fliesreconnaissance over Gareloi, Segula, Kiska, and Attus,
AleutianIslands.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, A-20s hittrails
in SE Papua around Alola, Isurava, and Abuari; P-39s escort RoyalAustralian
Air Force (RAAF) Hudsons in strike against small craft at FergusonIsland in
the D'Entrecasteauxs.
WEDNESDAY, 28 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 6 B-24s turn back
from an attempted attack onthe Kiska submarine base because of adverse
weather; a B-17 bombs Attu with unobserved results and flies weather reconnaissance
over Kiska, Amchitka, and Tanagas, Aleutians. ASW OPERATIONS (AAF
Antisubmarine Command): The 20th, 49th and 96thBombardment Squadrons (Heavy),
2d Bombardment Group (Heavy), cease flying ASWpatrols from Langley Field, Virginia.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Joint Chiefs of Staff): The 68th Fighter Squadron,
347th Fighter Group, begins moving from Tongatabu to New Caledonia.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-17s pound shipping in theharbor
at Rabaul, New Britain, while B-25s bomb the airfield on Gasmata.
THURSDAY, 29 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): The Japanese reoccupy
Attu Island; a specialreconnaissance flown with Lieutenant General Simon
B Buckner, covers Tanaga, Amchitka, and Kiska.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-17s bomb harbor and shipping
at Buin-Faisi area. Lost is B-17E "Clown House" 41-9235 (crew rescued). Lost taxing is A-20A 40-082 at Charters Towers.
FRIDAY, 30 OCTOBER 1942
USMC - Fighters of VMF-212 shot down "float planes" at Rekata Bay, claiming 5 victories at 0515:
1/Lt Jack Conger: 2, 1/Lt Frank Drury: 1, 1/Lt Robert Sout: 1, 1/Lt. William Watkins Jr; : 1
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): Lost on a recon flight is B-25D "Lil De Icer" 41-29731.
SATURDAY, 31 OCTOBER 1942
AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Weather and reconnaissance
flight over Attuand Kiska Islands; over Kiska Island, the weather aircraft draws
AA firefrom Little Kiska Island; no other missions as all combat aircraft arealerted
for a possible naval target.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, A-20s bomb
and strafe Nauro and the area to N; B-25s strafe supply trucks SE of Gona.
B-17s bomb shipping at Rabaul and in Buin-Faisi-Tonolai area.
