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The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II
Chapter V: 1943
January
1 January, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Rescuer (ARS-18) sinks after running aground off Scotch Cape, Aleutians.Submarine Nautilus (SS-168) evacuates 29 civilians from Teop Island, Solomons.
Submarine Porpoise (SS-172), in attack on Japanese convoy, sinks merchant cargo ship Renzan Maru off northeastern coast of Honshu, 39°11'N, 142°02'E.
Submarine Trigger (SS-237) damages Japanese transport Shozan Maru 35°55'N, 140°55'E.
Japanese army cargo ship Osaka Maru is damaged by mine, 16 miles off Ambon, N.E.I.
Mediterranean
German submarine U-73 torpedoes and sinks U.S. freighter Arthur Middletonoff Oran, Algeria, 35 45'N, 00 45'W; of the 81 souls on board (11 of whom are from the crew of tank landing craft LCT-21, which is also lost) 3 sailors of the 27-man Armed Guard detachment are the only survivors.2 January, Sat. 1943
Pacific
SBDs and F4Fs and USAAF B-17s, B-26s, and P-38s bomb ten Japanese supply-carrying destroyers (Rear Admiral Koyonagi Tomiji) west of Rendova, Solomons; SBDs damage destroyer Sukukaze. Eleven motor torpedo boats attack the force off Cape Esperance without success.U.S. Army I Corps (Lieutenant General Robert Eichelberger) captures Buna, New Guinea, significantly reducing the threat to Port Moresby.
Submarine Argonaut (SS-166) sinks Japanese guardboat Ebon Maru, Bismarck Sea, 04°30'S, 151°30'E.
Submarine Spearfish (SS-190) damages Japanese army cargo ship Akagisan Maru off New Ireland, Bismarck Archipelago, 03°30'S, 151°30'E.
3 January, Sun. 1943
Pacific
SOCs (VCS Detachment RINGBOLT) bomb footbridge and probable Japanese bivouac near Kukumbona, Guadalcanal.4 January, Mon. 1943
Atlantic
Submarine Shad (SS-235) sinks German minesweeper M 4242 (ex-French trawler Odet II) in Bay of Biscay, 43°55'N, 002°42'W.5 January, Tue. 1943
Pacific
TG 67.2 (Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth) bombards airfield and installations at Munda, New Georgia, Solomons. After the rest of TF 67 joins TG 67.2, Japanese planes attack the force, near-missing light cruiser Honolulu (CL 48) and damaging New Zealand light cruiser HMNZS Achilles, 18 miles south of Cape Hunter, Guadalcanal. In the action, light cruiser Helena (CL 50) becomes the first U.S. Navy ship to use Mk. 32 proximity-fuzed projectiles in combat, downing a Japanese Aichi Type 99 carrier bomber (VAL) with her second salvo.USAAF B-17s and B-24s bomb Japanese shipping at Rabaul, New Guinea.
Atlantic
Last nine survivors (including the Armed Guard unit commander) of U.S. freighter Alaskan, sunk by German submarine U-172 on 28 November 1942, utilizing a bailed-out lifeboat, reach Cayenne, French Guiana.6 January, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Motor torpedo boats PT-22 and PT-24 are damaged in collision during storm, Dora Harbor, Unimak Island, Aleutians.PBY sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Montreal Maru near Kiska, Aleutians, 53°28'N, 177°52'E.
USAAF B-24s sink Japanese merchant cargo ship Kotohira Maru off Holtz Bay, Attu, 53°00'N, 173°10'E.
USAAF B-17s and B-24s bomb Japanese shipping at Rabaul, New Britain, sinking army cargo vessel Keifuku Maru and damaging destroyer Tachikaze and cargo vessel Kagu Maru.
USAAF aircraft damage Japanese torpedo boat Tomozuru off Kai Island, Banda Sea.
Atlantic
PBY-5A (VP 83) sinks German submarine U-164 off Brazil, 01°58'S, 39°23'W.District patrol craft YP-492 is sunk in collision with YP-6713 off eastern Florida.
7 January, Thu. 1943
Pacific
USAAF B-17s, B-24s, B-25s and B-26s, supported by P-38s and P-40s, and RAAF or RNZAF Hudsons and RAF Catalinas, set upon Japanese convoy bound for Lae, New Guinea. During these attacks, army cargo ship Nichiryu Maru is sunk off Lae, 06°30'S, 149°00'E, and army cargo ship Myoko Maru is forced aground south of Arawe, 06°49'S, 147°04'E (see 8 January).Mediterranean
German planes attack convoy KMS 7 off Bougie, Algeria, bombing U.S. freighter William Wirt; there are no casualties among the ship's complement (including the 21-man Armed Guard).8 January, Fri. 1943
Pacific
USAAF B-17s, B-24s, B-25s and A-20s, supported by P-38s, attack Japanese convoy unloading off Lae, New Guinea. Army cargo ship Myoko Maru, forced aground south of Arawe, 06°49'S, 147°04'E, the previous day, is destroyed by bombs.Atlantic
Shortly before midnight, submarine U-124 attacks 12-ship Rio de Janeiro, Brazil-bound convoy TB 1, torpedoing U.S. tanker Broad Arrow at 07°21'N, 55°43'W, and freighter Birmingham City at 07°12'N, 55°37'W. On board the former, the initial explosion kills seven of the eight-man Armed Guard, and her complement abandons the blazing ship (which is illuminating the entire convoy) without orders. Birmingham City sinks in three minutes (see 9 January).9 January, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Gar (SS-206) damages Japanese oiler Notoro in Makassar Strait, N.E.I., 01°46'N, 119°01'E.Submarine Nautilus (SS-168) sinks Japanese transport Yoshinogawa Maru just east of Kieta, Bougainville, 06°13'S, 156°00'E; even though she is damaged early in the engagement, Yoshinogawa Maru depth-charges Nautilus, but the latter escapes unharmed.
Submarine Searaven (SS-196) damages Japanese army cargo ship Yubae Maru, 07°38'N, 134°12'E.
Submarine Tautog (SS-199) damages Japanese light cruiser Natori southeast of Ambon, 04°07'S, 128°32'E.
Atlantic
German submarine U-384 attacks Belfast, Ireland-bound U.S. freighter Louise Lykes in the North Atlantic at 58°55'N, 23°40'W; although the U-boat will ultimately destroy the merchantman, Armed Guard gunfire nearly turns the tables on the enemy. Sadly, none of Louise Lykes's people (including the 24-man Armed Guard) survive.German submarine U-124 continues assault on convoy TB 1, begun shortly before midnight the day before, about 100 miles northeast of Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana. U-124 torpedoes freighters Collingsworth and Minotaur at 07°12'N, 55°37'W; each ship sinks four minutes after being struck. Tanker Broad Arrow sinks as the result of damage received in U-124's initial attack. Submarine chaser PC-577 rescues survivors from all four ships sunk by the U-boat. Of the Armed Guards on the four merchantmen, only one sailor of the eight-man guard on board Broad Arrow survives; five of the 18-man Armed Guard perish in the abandonment of Birmingham City; Collingsworth's detachment loses four of 24 men; Minotaur's 15-man Armed Guard, however, survives intact.
10 January, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Transport submarine Argonaut (APS-1) is sunk by Japanese aircraft (582d Kokutai, 21st Air Flotilla) and destroyers Isokaze and Maikaze, as Argonaut attacks convoy southeast of New Britain, 05°40'S, 152°02'E.Destroyer Shaw (DD-373) is damaged by grounding, Bulari Passage, New Caledonia.
Motor torpedo boats PT-27 and PT-28 are damaged by storm, Dora Harbor, Unimak Island, Aleutians.
Submarine Trigger (SS-237) sinks Japanese destroyer Okikaze off Yokosuka, 35°02'N, 140°12'E.
RAAF Hudsons and Catalinas damage Japanese army cargo ship Brazil Maru off Lae. Navy planes attack the same convoy later but do not achieve any damage.
Mediterranean
U.S. freighter Norwalk is sunk in collision with Norwegian freighter Nidareid north of Cuba, 28°18'N, 80°00'W. While one of the 30-man merchant crew perishes in the accident, none of the 14-man Armed Guard are hurt.Norwegian freighter Dalvanger rescues 21 men from U.S. freighter Collingsworth, torpedoed and sunk by U-124 the previous day while in convoy TB 1.
11 January, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Nine motor torpedo boats operating from Tulagi, directed to the scene by a PBY, attack Japanese Reinforcement Unit (Captain Koyanagi Tomiji), eight destroyers strong, off Cape Esperance, Guadalcanal; destroyer Hatsukaze is damaged. Motor torpedo boat PT-112 is sunk and PT-43 damaged by Japanese destroyer gunfire (09°15'S, 159°42'E).Submarine Trout (SS-202) damages Japanese oiler Kyokuko Maru off Miri, 04°24'N, 113°51'E.
12 January, Tue. 1943
Pacific
TF 8 (Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid) covers unopposed landing of Army troops (Brigadier General Lloyd E. Jones) to occupy Amchitka, Aleutians. Destroyer Worden (DD-352) is lost when she sinks after running aground south of Kirilof Point, at entrance to Constantine Harbor.Motor torpedo boat PT-28 is damaged by grounding during storm, Dora Harbor, Unimak Island, Aleutians.
Submarine Guardfish (SS-217) sinks Patrol Boat No.1 about 10 miles southwest of the Tingwon Islands, located just southwest of the northern tip of New Hanover, Bismarck Archipelago, 02°51'S, 149°43'E.
New Zealand corvette scuttles hulk of motor torpedo boat PT-43 off Guadalcanal.
District patrol vessel YP-183 sinks after running aground off west coast of Hawaii, T.H.
13 January, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Transport Arthur Middleton (AP 55) is damaged when she runs aground at western end of Constantine Harbor, Amchitka, Aleutians.Submarine Triton (SS-201) damages Japanese oiler Maru north of the St. Matthias Island group, 00°26'S, 148°40'E.
Submarine Whale (SS-239) sinks Japanese collier Iwashiro Maru about 40 miles north of Kwajalein, 09°54'N, 167°07'E.
Atlantic
PBY-5As (VP 83) sink German submarine U-507 off Brazil, 01°38'S, 39°52'W.14 January, Thu. 1943
General
Casablanca (SYMBOL) Conference begins. President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, and their staffs meet to plan future operations against the Axis powers.Pacific
Submarine Gudgeon (SS-211) lands men and equipment near Catmon Point, Negros, P.I.Submarine Nautilus (SS-168) hits Japanese Toa Maru with dud torpedo off Bougainville, 05°13'S, 155°09'E.
Submarine Pike (SS-173) is damaged by bombs and depth charges off Ichie Saki, southern Honshu; she is forced to terminate her patrol.
Submarine Searaven (SS-196) attacks Japanese convoy northwest of the Palaus, sinking the sole escort, auxiliary submarine chaser No.1 Ganjitsu Maru, and army cargo ship Shiraha Maru, 09°12'N, 130°38'E.
Motor torpedo boat PT-28, previously damaged, is abandoned, Dora Harbor, Unimak Island, Aleutians.
Japanese naval auxiliary Shoan Maru is damaged by aircraft off Saipan.
SOCs (VCS Detachment RINGBOLT) locate and illuminate Japanese destroyers for PT-boats; the planes also bomb and strafe the enemy ships.
15 January, Fri. 1943
Pacific
SBDs from Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, and USAAF B-17s, escorted by F4Fs and USAAF P-39s, attack nine Japanese destroyers northeast of New Georgia, Solomons, and damage four: Arashi, Tanikaze, Urakaze, and Hamakaze.Japanese attempt to reinforce their troops in the Solomons begins as first group of ships--Section A-- three transports accompanied by destroyer Shigure, departs Truk for Bougainville. The soldiers are being transferred from China (see 17, 19, and 20 January).
USAAF B-24s bomb Japanese convoy, sinking army cargo ship Nichimei Maru and damaging army cargo ship Moji Maru, about 200 miles south-southwest of Rangoon, Burma, 13°30'N, 97°30'E. Unknown to the aviators, Nichimei Maru is transporting Allied POWs, 500 of whom are lost.
16 January, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Greenling (SS-213) sinks Japanese transport Kimposan Maru west of Kavieng, 02°47'S, 149°10'E; after forcing Greenling deep, submarine chaser Ch 17 rescues Kimposan Maru's survivors.Submarine Growler (SS-215) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking army passenger-cargo ship Chifuku Maru 11 miles north of Waton Island, 04°00'S, 151°55'E, and survives escorts' counterattacks.
17 January, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Naval Base and Naval Air Station, Brisbane, Australia, are established. The Brisbane base will eventually become the largest Navy facility in Australia. It will not be disestablished until 14 January 1946.Section B of Japanese Solomons reinforcement convoy sails from Truk, bound for the Shortlands.
Submarine Finback (SS-230) damages Japanese merchant cargo ship Yachiyo Maru off Tanega Shima, 30°33'N, 132°25'E.
Submarine Searaven (SS-196) torpedoes Japanese ship Gokoku Maru just off Palau, but the "fish" that hits proves a dud, 07°52'N, 134°02'E.
Submarine Whale (SS-239) damages Japanese troopship Heiyo Maru northeast of Truk, 10°13'N, 151°25'E.
SOC (VCS Detachment RINGBOLT) on night patrol locates Japanese submarine by lightning flash and attacks her, but the bomb fails to detonate.
18 January, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Greenling (SS-213) damages Japanese ammunition ship/survey vessel Soya in Queen Carola Channel, 02°04'S, 150°37'E.Submarine Silversidess (SS-236) sinks Japanese fleet tanker Genyo Maru about 90 miles southwest of Truk, 06°19'N, 150°15'E, but is damaged by depth charges from escorting warship and is forced to terminate her patrol.
USAAF B-24 sinks Japanese transport Senzan Maru off Kavieng, 03°29'S, 149°02'E; submarine chaser Ch 16 rescues survivors.
USAAF B-17s and P-39s sink Japanese cargo vessel Yamafuku Maru off Shortland Island.
Japanese collier Tokachi Maru is sunk by Japanese mine west of Surubaya, Java, N.E.I., 06°50'S, 112°12'E.
U.S. tanker Mobilube is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-21 off coast of New South Wales, Australia, 33°57'S, 157°20'E; Australian minesweeper HMAS Kapunda provides assistance as the tanker remains afloat. Other than three men killed in the initial explosion, no other members of the ship's complement (that includes an 11-man Armed Guard) perish. Mobilube is towed to Sydney by salvage tug St. Aristell, but is eventually declared a total loss.
19 January, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Japanese land at Wewak, New Guinea.Submarine Swordfish (SS-193) encounters Section A of the Japanese Solomons reinforcement convoy, and sinks army cargo ship Myoho Maru, 05°38'S, 156°20'E. Section C of the reinforcement convoy, meanwhile, departs Truk (see 20 January).
Submarine Greenling (SS-213) damages Japanese army cargo ship Shinai Maru north of Rabaul, 01°35'S, 150°57'E.
Submarine Haddock (SS-231) attacks Japanese convoy off south coast of Honshu, damaging transport Shunko Maru, 34°13'N, 136°59'E.
Submarine Nautilus (SS-168) damages Japanese destroyer Akizuki 270 miles west of Tulagi, 05°55'S, 156°20'E.
Submarine Spearfish (SS-190) en route to Pearl Harbor after completing her patrol, is damaged by aerial bombs off the Gilberts, 04°44'N, 175°28'E.
Atlantic
Carrier Ranger (CV-4) launches USAAF P-40s off Accra, Gold Coast, for further transfer to the North African theater.20 January, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Silversidess (SS-236) encounters Section C of Japanese Solomons reinforcement convoy, and sinks army transport Meiu Maru and irreparably damages army transport Surabaya Maru, 286 miles from Truk, 03°52'N, 153°26'E. Submarine chaser Ch 11 and gunboat No.2 Choan Maru rescue survivors; destroyer Asagumo arrives from Truk and scuttles Surabaya Maru.First destroyer escort type ship, Brennan (DE-13), is commissioned at Mare Island, California, Navy Yard.
Mediterranean
German planes attack United Kingdom-bound convoy MKS 6 off coast of Algeria; U.S. freighter Walt Whitman is torpedoed at 36°55'N, 03°07'E. Four sailors of the 17-man Armed Guard are blown overboard by the explosion but are recovered by an escort vessel within a quarter-hour. There are no casualties and the ship ultimately reaches Algiers under her own power.Atlantic
U.S. tanker Brilliant departs St. John's, Newfoundland, under tow, bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia, but breaks up in storm (see 24 January).21 January, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Rear Admiral Robert H. English, Commander Submarines, Pacific Fleet, is killed in the accidental crash of the Pan American Airways Martin 130 Philippine Clipper in California.Submarine Gato (SS-212) encounters Section B of Japanese Solomons reinforcement convoy and damages army transport Kenkon Maru just east of Kieta, Bougainville, 06°12'S, 155°51'E; escorts scuttle the ship to hasten her sinking.
Submarine Pollack (SS-180) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Asama Maru off Kushiro, Japan, 42°41'N, 145°37'E.
USAAF B-24 damages Japanese light cruiser Natori off Ambon.
Atlantic
Naval Base and Naval Auxiliary Air Facility, Corinto, Nicaragua, are established.22 January, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Tautog (SS-199) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Yashima Maru (ex-Dutch passenger-cargo ship Mijer), five miles east of Salier Strait, off southern tip of Celebes, N.E.I., 05°40'S, 120°30'E.USAAF B-17s (5th Air Force) sink Japanese merchant cargo ship Tetsuzan Maru in Rabaul harbor; 30 landing craft on board are lost, 04°15'S, 152°10'E.
U.S. freighter Peter H. Burnett is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-21 about 500 miles east of Newcastle, Australia, 32°54'S, 159°32'E, and abandoned; other than one sailor of the 26-man Armed Guard who dies of injuries received in the explosion, there are no casualties. When I-21 withdraws, the freighter is reboarded (see 24 January).
23 January, Sat. 1943
General
Casablanca (SYMBOL) Conference ends. Major accomplishments of the talks include the American decision to invade Sicily, and to delay a cross-channel invasion of the European continent until 1944. With German U-boats taking an increasing toll of Allied shipping in the Battle of the Atlantic, U.S. and Britain agree to accord priority to building antisubmarine weapons. President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill declare that the Allies will pursue a policy of "Unconditional Surrender" of the Axis.District patrol craft YP-577 is destroyed by explosion of undetermined origin, Great Lakes, Illinois.
Pacific
Submarine Guardfish (SS-217) sinks Japanese destroyer Hakaze south of Steffen Strait, between New Ireland and New Hanover, 02°47'S, 156°38'E.Japanese submarine I-8 bombards Canton Island.
Japanese planes bomb U.S. shipping in Milne Bay, New Guinea; fragments from near-misses damage freighter Stephen Johnson Field. One Armed Guard sailor and one merchant crewman are injured; there are no other casualties among the 23-man Armed Guard and 43 merchant seamen.
Atlantic
German submarine U-175 torpedoes and sinks U.S. freighter Benjamin Smith off Cape Palmas, Liberia, 04°05'N, 07°50'W. The 23-man Armed Guard detachment (as well as the 43-man merchant complement) survives intact; all hands reach Sassandra, French Ivory Coast, the next day.24 January, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Bombardment group of destroyers (Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth) bombards Japanese fuel and munitions dumps in the Stanmore area, Kolombangara, Solomons. Later that same day, TBFs, SBDs and F4Fs from carrier Saratoga (CV-3) air group (Rear Admiral DeWitt C. Ramsey) bomb the same objectives.Submarine Wahoo (SS-238) damages Japanese destroyer Harusame eleven miles west of Wewak, New Guinea, 03°23'S, 143°34'E.
High speed minesweeper Zane (DMS-14) recovers one boatload of crewmen from torpedoed freighter Peter H. Burnett and then proceeds to aid the stricken merchantman. Zane then tows the freighter to Sydney, Australia, for repairs.
Japanese light cruiser Nagara is damaged by marine casualty off Anatahan Island.
Atlantic
Submarine chaser PC-576 rescues one Armed Guard sailor (Seaman First Class Basil D. Izzi, USNR) and two Dutch seamen from Dutch motorship Zaandam at 08°39'N, 58°46'W. Zaandam had been sunk by German submarine U-174 on 2 November 1942. The three survivors have spent 83 days on the small raft, subsisting on raw fish, fowl, and rainwater.Survivors of U.S. tanker Brilliant, which had broken in two on 20 January, are rescued by Canadian minesweeper from the after portion of the ship. Of the 54 men on board, 31 merchant seamen are saved; 13 of the Armed Guard survive.
25 January, Mon. 1943
Atlantic
Submarine Shad (SS-235) torpedoes German blockade runner (ore transport) Nordfels in Bay of Biscay, 43°28'N, 02°59'W.German submarine U-575 torpedoes and sinks U.S. freighter City of Flint, straggling from Casablanca-bound convoy UGS 4, about 300 miles south of the Azores, 34°47'N, 31°40'W; 4 of 24 Armed Guard sailors are lost (see 28 January).
26 January, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) damages Japanese transport Tokai Maru at Port Apra, Guam, 13°27'N, 144°37'E.Submarine Grayling (SS-209) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Ushio Maru in Verde Island Passage, north of Mindoro, P.I., 13°26'N, 121°16'E.
Submarine Gudgeon (SS-211) is damaged by depth charges in the Banda Sea, 03°59'S, 127°54'E, but remains on patrol.
Submarine Wahoo (SS-238) attacks Japanese convoy about 270 miles north of Dutch New Guinea and torpedoes and sinks army cargo ships Buyo Maru and No.2 Fukuei Maru, 02°00'N, 139°14'E. After dispatching the freighters, which are serving as transports, Wahoo (Lieutenant Commander Dudley W. Morton) surfaces to recharge her batteries and mans her guns. Firing her 4-inch gun at the largest of the craft draws Japanese return fire from automatic weapons. As Morton later writes, "We then opened fire with everything we had." Subsequently, Wahoo pursues and torpedoes armed merchant cruiser Ukishima Maru, 02°37'N, 139°42'E, and army cargo ship Pacific Maru, 02°30'N, 139°44'E (see 27 January).
27 January, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Whale (SS-239) damages Japanese transport Shoan Maru in the central Pacific, 14°24'N, 153°30'E; towed to Saipan and grounded to facilitate salvage, Shoan Maru performs no more active service.Japanese ship No.2 Choko Maru rescues about 1,000 survivors of army cargo ship Buyo Maru, sunk the previous day by submarine Wahoo (SS-238).
Japanese destroyer Karukaya is damaged off Takao, Formosa, by marine casualty.
Submarine I-27 is damaged by marine casualty off Penang, Malaya.
Atlantic
U.S. freighter Cape Decision, steaming independently from Charleston, South Carolina to Freetown, Sierra Leone, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-105 at 23°00'N, 46°40'W; all 45 merchant sailors, 26-man Armed Guard, and six passengers, survive the sinking (see 5 and 10 February).U.S. freighter Charles C. Pinckney, a straggler from convoy UGS 4, is torpedoed by German submarine U-514 about 200 miles southwest of the Azores, 36°37'N, 30°55'W. When U-514 surfaces nearby, Armed Guard gunners hold fire until well within range, at which point they open up and score hits on their assailant, driving her off for the time being (see 28 January).
28 January, Thu. 1943
Mediterranean
German submarines continue operations against stragglers from convoy UGS 4. U-514 resumes attack on freighter Charles C. Pinckney. The freighter is abandoned for a second time, after which time U-514's officers question the survivors. The U-boat then sinks Charles C. Pinckney with gunfire; a storm separates the four boatloads of survivors (see 8 February). U-442 torpedoes and sinks freighter Julia Ward Howe about 175 miles south of the Azores, 35°29'N, 29°10'W, 1 of the 29-man Armed Guard is lost with the ship (see 29 January).Portuguese destroyer Lima rescues 48 survivors from sunken U.S. freighter City of Flint. (see 12 March)
29 January, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Battle of Rennell Island begins as Japanese land attack planes (701st and 705th Kokutai) attack TF 18 (Rear Admiral Robert C. Giffen), cruisers and destroyers covering the movement of transport force (TG 62.8) toward Guadalcanal. Japanese 701st Kokutai land attack planes damage heavy cruiser Chicago (CA 29); in the retirement from the area, heavy cruiser Louisville (CA 28), in a masterful piece of seamanship, takes her damaged sistership in tow in complete darkness.New Zealand corvettes HMNZS Kiwi and HMNZS Moa sink Japanese submarine I 1 off Kamimbo Bay, Guadalcanal, 09°13'S, 159°40'E.
Submarine Gato (SS-212) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Nichiun Maru off southeast tip of Bougainville, Solomons, 06°22'S, 156°04'E, despite proximity of escorting submarine chaser Ch 22.
Atlantic
Portuguese destroyer Lima recovers survivors from U.S. freighter Julia Ward Howe, sunk by German submarine U-442 about 350 miles southwest of the Azores.30 January, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Battle of Rennell Island ends as F4Fs (VF 10) engage Japanese land attack planes (751st Kokutai) attacking the retiring TF 18. Japanese land attack planes torpedo and sink crippled heavy cruiser Chicago (CA 29), now under tow of tug Navajo (AT-64), and torpedo destroyer LaVallette (DD-448). Consequently, Chicago sinks 30 miles east of Rennell Island, 11°26'S, 160°56'E.Japanese submarine I-10 torpedoes and sinks U.S. freighter Samuel Gompers 115 miles from Amadee Lighthouse, New Caledonia, 24°28'S, 166°20'E; one of the 17-man Armed Guard dies, and three of the 43-man merchant complement perish in the sinking. French fishermen and U.S. Army crash boat P 111 rescue the survivors.
Naval Station, Akutan Harbor, Fox Island, Alaska, is established.
Floating dry dock YFD-220 founders and sinks in heavy weather off California coast.
Atlantic
Grossadmiral Karl Doenitz succeeds Grossadmiral Erich Raeder as Commander in Chief of the German Navy.31 January, Sun. 1943
Pacific
USMC SBDs (VMSB 233), TBFs, F4Fs and USAAF P-39s, flying from Guadalcanal sink Japanese transport Toa Maru between Vella Lavella and Kolombangara, 07°50'S, 156°50'E. Torpedo boat Hiyodori and minelayer Kamime, damaged in the air attacks, rescue survivors and transport them to Kolombangara.February
1 February, Mon. 1943
Pacific
High speed transport Stringham (APD-6) and five tank landing craft (LCT) land Army 2d Battalion, 132d Infantry, at Verahue, Guadalcanal, covered by four destroyers. After unloading, three LCTs, escorted by destroyers Nicholas (DD-449) and DeHaven (DD-469), come under attack from Japanese planes about three miles south of Savo Island. DeHaven is sunk by three bombs, 09°09'S, 159°52'E, while Nicholas is damaged by near-misses. Tank landing craft LCT-63 and LCT-181, aided by SOCs (VCS Detachment RINGBOLT), rescue 146 DeHaven sailors, including 38 wounded.To deny the Japanese "Tokyo Express" access to the channel between Savo Island and Cape Esperance, light minelayers Tracy (DM-19), Montgomery (DM-17) and Preble (DM-20) sow 255 mines in those waters. The three ships clear the mining area as Japanese men-of-war are only 12,000 yards away and closing (see 2 February).
Two waves of aircraft from Henderson Field (TBFs, SBDs, F4Fs, and USAAF P-38s, P-39s, and P-40s) attack Japanese destroyer force (Rear Admiral Hashimoto Shintaro), en route to evacuate Japanese troops from Guadalcanal (Operation KE), damaging Makinami (Hashimoto's flagship). U.S. motor torpedo boats later attack the Japanese force, but in that action PT-111 and PT-37 are sunk by gunfire from destroyer Kawakaze; a Japanese floatplane sinks PT-123. Hashimoto's force extracts 4,935 soldiers.
Submarine Tarpon (SS-175) sinks Japanese merchant passenger-cargo ship Fushimi Maru about 20 miles south of Omai Zaki, 34°08'N, 138°11'E.
Japanese torpedo boat Kari is damaged by aircraft, Rangoon, Burma.
2 February, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Japanese destroyer Makigumo is damaged by mine laid by light minelayers Tracy (DM-19), Montgomery (DM-17) and Preble (DM-20) off Cape Esperance the previous night; she is scuttled by destroyer Yugumo, 09°10'S, 159°45'E. Admiral William F. Halsey Jr., Commander South Pacific Force, lauds the success of the mining mission as resulting from "bold execution of a sound plan," while Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet, calls it a "splendidly conducted operation... carried out by old ships, inadequate in speed and gun power..."USAAF B-17s and P-39s sink Japanese cargo vessel Keiyo Maru off the Shortlands.
USAAF B-24s (5th Air Force) sink Japanese cargo vessel Kenkoku Maru while en route from Kokope to New Guinea, between Lolobau Island and New Britain, 04°58'S, 151°12'E.
Atlantic
German submarine U-456 attacks convoy HX 224 in the North Atlantic and torpedoes U.S. freighter Jeremiah Van Renssalaer at 54°50'N, 28°55'W; 10 of the 28-man Armed Guard are lost; the ship is scuttled by escorts later the same day.3 February, Wed. 1943
Mediterranean
Command designated U.S. Naval Forces Northwest African Waters is established with headquarters at Algiers.Caribbean Open lighters YC-886 and YC-887 founder and sink in heavy weather, Guantanamo, Cuba.
Pacific
Submarine Tunny (SS-282) damages Japanese army transport No.1 Shinto Maru in the South China Sea, 22°03'N, 114°23'E.Atlantic
German submarine U-223 attacks Greenland-bound supply convoy SG 19 which is escorted by Coast Guard cutters Tampa (WPG-48), Escanaba (WPG-77), and Comanche (WPG-76), and sinks War Department-chartered transport Dorchester about 150 miles west of Cape Farewell, Greenland, 59°22'N, 48°42'W, and damages Norwegian freighter Biscaya. Casualties on board Dorchester are heavy, 675 men (including 15 of 24 Armed Guard sailors) being lost. Four Army chaplains, representing four different faiths, bravely give up their lifebelts to soldiers who have none; all four perish with the ship.German submarine U-255 attacks convoy RA 52 600 miles northeast of Iceland, torpedoing U.S. freighter Greylock, 70°50'N, 00°48'W; there are no casualties, British escort trawler HMS Lady Madeleine rescues all hands.
4 February, Thu. 1943
Pacific
SBDs, TBFs, F4Fs, and USAAF P-40s from Henderson Field attack Japanese destroyer force (Rear Admiral Hashimoto Shintaro) en route to evacuate Japanese troops from Guadalcanal, damaging Shirayuki (Hashimoto's flagship), Maikaze, Kuroshio, and Kawakaze. Hashimoto's force, however, extracts 3,921 soldiers. SOC (VCS Detachment RINGBOLT) sights, tracks, and illuminates the Japanese ships.Submarine Tunny (SS-282) damages Japanese transport Tatsuwa Maru in the South China Sea, 21°30'N, 113°42'E.
Atlantic
German submarines attack convoy SC 118; Coast Guard cutter Bibb (WPG-31) pinpoints location of U-187, which is sunk by British destroyers HMS Vimy and HMS Beverly, 50°12'N, 36°34'W. Bibb later participates in driving off the four U-boats that try to close the convoy during the night.5 February, Fri. 1943
Pacific
USAAF aircraft sink Japanese cargo vessels Shunko Maru off Finschafen and Hoshikawa Maru off Talasea.Atlantic
Battle to protect convoy SC 118 continues; destroyers Babbitt (DD-128) and Schenck (DD-159), and Coast Guard cutter Ingham (WPG-35) arrive to reinforce the harried escorts. German submarine U-413 sinks U.S. freighter West Portal, a straggler from SC 118, in the North Atlantic, 52°00'N, 33°00'W. There are no survivors (12 Armed Guard sailors lost among them).Forty survivors in boat from U.S. freighter Cape Decision, sunk by U-105 on 27 January, reach safety at Barbados (see 10 February).
6 February, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) damages transport Nagizan Maru off Tinian, Marianas.USAAF planes sink Japanese cargo ship Gisho Maru, 04°30'S, 151°30'E.
Atlantic
Efforts to protect SC 118 continue; Babbitt (DD-128) helps prevent attacks by three U-boats attempting to close the convoy.Mediterranean
North African Theater of Operations (Lieutenant General Dwight D. Eisenhower) is established.7 February, Sun. 1943
Pacific
SBDs, TBFs, F4Fs, and P-40s from Henderson Field attack Japanese destroyer force (Rear Admiral Hashimoto Shintaro), 18 ships strong, on the final mission to evacuate Japanese troops from Guadalcanal, damaging Isokaze and near-missing Urakaze.Submarine Growler (SS-215) is damaged by accidental ramming of Japanese storeship Hayasaki and gunfire from the same vessel, 70 miles northwest of Rabaul, 03°34'S, 151°09'E. During this action, Growler's commanding officer, Commander Howard W. Gilmore, is mortally wounded. Rather than further hazard his ship, he orders Growler taken down. For his gallantry, Gilmore is awarded the Medal of Honor, posthumously. Hayasaki is damaged in the encounter; Growler is forced to terminate her patrol.
Submarine Swordfish (SS-193) is damaged when mistakenly attacked by USAAF B-17, 150 miles north of New Ireland, 00°12'N, 152°00'E, and terminates her patrol as a result.
Submarine Trout (SS-202) damages Japanese tanker Nisshin Maru off Miri, 04°31'N, 114°52'E.
Atlantic
During continued fight to defend SC 118, Coast Guard cutter Bibb (WPG-31) drives off U-402, only to battle that submarine and U-456 later the same day. U-402, however, torpedoes and sinks U.S. tanker Robert E. Hopkins about 650 miles west of Northern Ireland, 55°14'N, 26°22'W. Only 1 of the 19-man Armed Guard detachment is lost; survivors are rescued by British corvette HMS Mignonette. U-402 also torpedoes and sinks U.S. passenger ship Henry R. Mallory at 55°30'N, 29°33'W; 49 of the 77-man merchant crew perish, as do 15 of the 34-man Armed Guard and 208 of 283 embarked passengers, primarily to exposure. Coast Guard cutters Bibb and Ingham (WPG-35) rescue 227 men, five of whom die of their injuries.German submarine U-160 torpedoes and U.S. freighter Roger B. Taney, en route to Bahia, Brazil, 22°00'S, 07°00'W. Three crewmen perish in the explosion of the initial torpedo, but the rest of the 47-man merchant complement and the sole passenger survive, in addition to the 17-man Armed Guard (see 28 February and 20 March).
8 February, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Operation KE: Japanese destroyer force (Rear Admiral Hashimoto Shintaro) completes the evacuation of 1,796 troops from Guadalcanal.Submarine Tunny (SS-282) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Kusuyama Maru off southwest coast of Formosa about 55 miles west of Takao, 22°40'N, 119°12'E.
Japanese cargo ship Shotoku Maru is sunk by storm near Hinomizaki, Honshu, 35°26'N, 132°38'E.
Atlantic
During continued efforts by German submarines against SC 118, U-608 unsuccessfully attacks destroyer Schenck (DD-159).Swiss freighter Caritasi rescues 14 survivors of U.S. freighter Charles C. Pinckney, sunk on 28 January 1943 by U-514; eight of the 27-man Armed Guard survive their ordeal, as do six merchant sailors.
9 February, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Organized Japanese resistance on Guadalcanal ends, thus concluding the bitter 6-month struggle to capture Guadalcanal and other islands in the southern Solomons. The campaign proves extremely costly in men, ships, and materiel for both sides.Submarine Tarpon (SS-175) sinks Japanese transport Tatsuta Maru 42 miles east of Mikura Jima, 33°45'N, 140°25'E.
Japanese submarine I-21 sights U.S. freighter Starr King one day out of Sydney, Australia, and begins pursuit of the freighter (see 10 and 11 February).
Atlantic
Destroyer Boyle (DD-600) rescues 54 survivors of U.S. freighter Pan Royal, which sinks at 36°40'N, 67°20'W, after being accidentally rammed by motor vessel Evita and freighter George Davis, while proceeding in convoy UGS 5. Eight merchant sailors are lost in the mishap; there are no casualties to the 26-man Armed Guard.10 February, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Pickerel (SS-177) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Amari Maru off Sanriku, 40°10'N, 142°04'E.Japanese submarine I-21 continues pursuit of U.S. freighter Starr King and torpedoes her, 34°15'S, 154°20'E; there are no casualties among the merchant crew or Armed Guard. Australian destroyer HMAS Warramunga rescues survivors but has to abandon attempt to tow the crippled freighter when a line fouls her port screw. Starr King, however, sinks that night.
Atlantic
USAAF B-24s (2d Antisubmarine Squadron) sink German submarine U-519 northwest of Spain, 47°05'N, 18°34'W.Thirty-seven survivors in boat from U.S. freighter Cape Decision, sunk by U-105 on 27 January, reach St. Barthelemy, French West Indies.
11 February, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Destroyer Fletcher (DD-445) and SON (VCS 9) from light cruiser Helena (CL 50) sink Japanese submarine I-18 in Coral Sea, 14°15'S, 161°53'E.Submarine Grayling (SS-209) damages Japanese army cargo ship Hoeizan Maru off Corregidor, 14°16'N, 120°28'E.
12 February, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Grampus (SS-207) sails from Brisbane, Australia, for her sixth war patrol. U.S. forces never hear from her again.Oiler Salamonie (AO 26) is damaged in collision with merchant vessel Uruguay, 36°54'N, 49°29'W.
14 February, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Amberjack (SS-219) is probably sunk by Japanese naval aircraft (958th Kokutai), torpedo boat Hiyodori and submarine chaser Ch 18 off Cape St. George, New Britain, 05°05'S, 152°37'E.Submarine Runner (SS-275) unsuccessfully attacks Japanese cargo vessel Tokyo Maru north of Biak, New Guinea, 07°31'N, 134°21'E.
Submarine Thresher (SS-200) damages Japanese submarine I-62 off the Lesser Sundas, 06°05'S, 105°47'E.
Submarine Trout (SS-202) sinks Japanese gunboat Hirotama Maru at south entrance to Makassar Strait, 04°11'S, 117°45'E. Return fire from the enemy warship in the last phases of the action fought on the surface wounds seven sailors.
PB4Ys (VB 101) strafe and damage ammunition ship Hitachi Maru off Buin, Bougainville, 06°48'S, 155°50'E; USAAF B-17s bomb shipping at Buin as well, completing the destruction of Hitachi Maru.
15 February, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Joint air command designated Aircraft, Solomons (Rear Admiral Charles P. Mason) is established with headquarters at Guadalcanal.Submarine Gato (SS-212) sinks Japanese stores ship Suruga Maru in Bougainville Strait, 06°27'S, 156°02'E.
Submarine Pickerel (SS-177) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking cargo vessel Tateyama Maru off the east coast of Honshu, 39°18'S, 142°08'E.
USAAF aircraft sink Japanese cargo ship Kokoku Maru in the Bismarck Sea, 05°32'S, 150°09'E.
Atlantic
U.S. tanker Atlantic Sun, straggling from convoy ON 165, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-607, 150 miles off Cape Race, 51°00'N, 41°00'W; other than one deckhand rescued by U-607, all hands (45 merchant sailors, a 19-man Armed Guard and one passenger) perish with the ship.16 February, Tue.
Pacific
Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) sinks Japanese stores ship Hyuga Maru 24 miles off Pagan, Marianas, 18°30'N, 145°57'E.Submarine Triton (SS-201) departs Brisbane for her sixth war patrol. She will never be seen again (see 6 March).
Atlantic
Fleet Air Wing 16 (Captain Rossmore D. Lyon) is established at Norfolk, Virginia.Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter Deer Lodge is torpedoed by German submarine U-607 about 60 miles east of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and abandoned (see 17 and 20 February).17 February, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Sawfish (SS-276) accidentally sinks Soviet cargo ship Ilmen off east coast of Kyushu, 30°56'N, 135°30'E.Atlantic/Mediterranean
Moroccan Sea Frontier (Rear Admiral John L. Hall) is established.Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter Deer Lodge, torpedoed by German submarine U-607 about 60 miles east of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, the previous day, sinks at 33°46'S, 26°57'E. Two merchant seamen are lost with the ship, but the survivors (37 civilians and an 18-man Armed Guard) are rescued by South African minesweeper Africana (13 men) and British trawler Havorn (32 men) (see 20 February).18 February, Thu. 1943
Pacific
TG 8.6 (Rear Admiral Charles H. McMorris), consisting of light cruiser Richmond (CL 9), heavy cruiser Indianapolis (CA 35), and four destroyers, bombards Japanese installations at Holtz Bay and Chichagof Harbor, Attu, Aleutians.Heavy cruiser HMAS Australia and three U.S. destroyers of TF 44.3 operate south of Australia to cover passage of five-ship convoy transporting the 30,000 troops of the 9th Australian Division to Sydney.
Submarine Grampus (SS-207) damages Japanese transport Keiyo Maru, 05°04'S, 152°18'E.
German auxiliary cruiser Michel (Schiffe 28) arrives at Singapore; the next day she turns over to the Japanese the merchant and Armed Guard sailors she had captured when she sank U.S. freighter Sawokla on 29 November 1942.
19 February, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Heavy cruiser Indianapolis (CA 35) and destroyers Coghlan (DD-606) and Gillespie (DD-609) (TU 8.6.2), intercept Japanese army cargo ship Aragane Maru bound for the Aleutians and engage her northwest of Attu, Aleutians.Submarine Gato (SS-212) torpedoes Japanese ammunition ship Hibari Maru off eastern Bougainville, 06°27'S, 156°05'E. Hibari Maru is beached off Buin (see 28 February).
Submarine Grampus (SS-207) torpedoes Japanese transport/aircraft ferry Keiyo Maru, 04°55'S, 152°26'E.
Submarine Runner (SS-275) is damaged by aerial bomb off the Palaus, 07°35'N, 134°25'E, and is forced to terminate her patrol.
USAAF B-17s bomb Japanese shipping off Buin, Bougainville, damaging transport Tokai Maru, 06°45'S, 155°50'E.
Atlantic
Submarine Blackfish (SS-221) torpedoes and sinks German patrol craft VP 408 (ex-trawler Haltenbank), 43°30'N, 002°54'W, but is damaged by depth charges from what she reports as two converted trawlers, and is forced to terminate her patrol.20 February, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Motor minesweeper YMS-founders and sinks, Coos Bay, Oregon.Submarine Albacore (SS-218) torpedoes and sinks Japanese destroyer Oshio about 140 miles north-northwest of Manus, Admiralty Islands, 00°50'S, 146°06'E. Albacore escapes damage in the resultant depth-charging by an accompanying enemy warship.
Submarine Halibut (SS-232) torpedoes and sinks Japanese transport Shinkoku Maru about 450 miles north of Ponape, Carolines, 15°09'N, 159°30'E.
Japanese auxiliary patrol vessel Yoshida Maru is damaged by mine (probably laid by submarine Sunfish (SS-281) between 14-17 December 1942), 34°28'N, 137°20'E.
Japanese army cargo ship Aragane Maru sinks as the result of damage inflicted by gunfire from heavy cruiser Indianapolis (CA 35) and destroyers Coghlan (DD-606) and Gillespie (DD-609) off Attu, 53°05'N, 171°22'E.
Atlantic
German submarines sight New York-bound convoy ON 166, which is escorted by Coast Guard cutters Spencer (WPG-36) and Campbell (WPG-32), one British and four Canadian corvettes. During the night of 20-21 February, Coast Guard cutter Spencer (WPG-36) depth charges U-604.USAAF B-24 locates German prize tanker Hohenfriedberg 500 nautical miles southwest of Cape Finisterre; consequently, British heavy cruiser HMS Sussex intercepts and sinks the Axis vessel.
Indian Ocean
Hospital ship Atlantis rescues the last 10 survivors of U.S. freighter Deer Lodge, torpedoed by German submarine U-607 about 60 miles east of Port Elizabeth, South Africa on 16 February.21 February, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Marines (3d Marine Raider Battalion and 10th Defense Battalion detachment) and Army troops (elements of the 43rd Division) occupy Russell Islands in Operation CLEANSLATE, the inaugural movement through the central Solomons. Supported by TU 62.7.2 (Captain Ingolf N. Kiland), the landings are made with no opposition. Four light cruisers and four destroyers of TF 68 (Rear Admiral Aaron S. Merrill) and Henderson Field, Guadalcanal-based Saratoga (CV-3) Air Group provide cover.Submarine Sawfish (SS-276) damages Japanese oiler Ose off Oagari Jima, 29°29'N, 132°48'E.
Submarine Thresher (SS-200) attacks Japanese convoy northeast of Soembawa Island, N.E.I., damaging army cargo ship Kuwayama Maru, 07°53'N, 119°13'E (see 22 February).
Dutch submarine O 24 sinks Japanese merchant motor vessel Bandai Maru off Salang Island, 07°50'N, 098°09'E.
Atlantic
Battle to protect ON 166 from German submarines begins as U-332 and U-603 torpedo and sink Norwegian motor tanker Stigstad; U-92 torpedoes British steamer Empire Trader (she will be scuttled by Canadian corvette HMCS Dauphin). Coast Guard cutter Campbell (WPG-32), British corvette HMS Dianthus and Canadian corvette Dauphin, aided by flying boats, temporarily drive off U-332, U-454, and U-753 threatening the merchantmen. Coast Guard cutter Spencer (WPG-36) sinks German submarine U-225 at 51°25'N, 27°28'W.U.S. freighter Rosario, steaming in convoy ON 167, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-664 at 50°13'N, 24°48'W. Fourteen of the 17-man Armed Guard, and 14 of 44 merchant crewmen are picked up by British rescue ship Rathlin; the rest perish with the ship.
British merchantman Penrith Castle rescues 15 merchant seamen and 13 Armed Guard sailors, survivors of freighter Roger B. Taney, that had been sunk by U-225 on 7 February (see 20 March).
22 February, Mon. 1943
Atlantic
Battleship Iowa (BB 61) is commissioned at New York, New York, the first of the four-ship Iowa class that will be the last American battleships built.Battle to protect convoy ON 166 in the North Atlantic continues. British rescue ship Stockport rescues Empire Trader's survivors; German submarine U-92 torpedoes Norwegian motor tanker Nielson Alonso (which is again torpedoed by U-92 and then by U-753, but is eventually scuttled by Polish destroyer Burza); U-606 torpedoes a trio of merchantmen: U.S. freighters Chattanooga City at 46°54'N, 34°30'W, and Expositor at 46°52'N, 34°26'W, as well as British steamer Empire Redshank. Chattanooga City sinks. Canadian corvette HMCS Trillium rescues all hands (including the 21-man Armed Guard) from Chattanooga City as well as 34 of 41 merchant sailors (two of whom die of their wounds) and the entire 21-man Armed Guard from Expositor. Trillium scuttles Empire Redshank. U-606's opportunity to savor her triple play is short-lived, for Canadian corvette HMCS Chilliwack and Polish destroyer Burza depth charge U-606 and drive her to the surface, where Coast Guard cutter Campbell (WPG-32) rams and sinks her at 47°44'N, 33°43'W. Campbell, damaged in the encounter, is taken in tow by Burza.
German submarines locate Curacao, N.W.I.-bound convoy UC 1; four U.S. destroyers comprise part of the escort force (see 23 February).
Pacific
District patrol craft YP-72 sinks after grounding off Spruce Cape entrance to Kodiak, Alaska.Japanese army cargo ship Kuwayama Maru sinks off Soembawa Island as the result of damage inflicted by submarine Thresher (SS-200) the previous day, 07°53'N, 119°13'E.
23 February, Tue. 1943
Atlantic
Battle to protect convoy ON 166 continues as German submarines continue the onslaught. After Canadian corvette HMCS Trillium's attempt to scuttle U.S. freighter Expositor (torpedoed the previous day by U-606) with depth charges fails; it falls to German submarine U-303 to administer the coup de grace to the hardy American merchantman. U-186 then torpedoes and sinks U.S. freighter Hastings at 46°30'N, 36°23'W as well as British motor tanker Eulima; from Hastings, nine merchant sailors (of the 41-man civilian complement) perish, but all 20 Armed Guards and the ship's sole passenger survive, rescued by Canadian corvette HMCS Chilliwack. U-707 torpedoes and sinks straggling U.S. freighter Jonathan Sturges at 46°15'N, 38°11'W; no. 1 lifeboat (with 19 survivors on board) from Jonathan Sturges encounters one from torpedoed Dutch motorship Madoera (three men on board) and transfers eight men to the Dutch lifeboat to equalize the number of survivors in each craft; Jonathan Sturges's no. 3 lifeboat (nine men) locates one merchant sailor in the no. 2 boat and four Armed Guards from the ship; that second group of survivors is then divided between boats no. 2 and no. 3 to distribute them evenly (see 12 March and 6 April).German submarines attack Curacao, N.W.I.-bound convoy UC 1, which is shepherded by four U.S. destroyers, two British frigates and three corvettes. Despite the proximity of the Anglo-American escort force, U-382 torpedoes Dutch motor tanker Murena; U-202 torpedoes British tankers Empire Norseman and British Fortitude, and U.S. tanker Esso Baton Rouge, the last-named ship at 31°15'N, 27°22'W. British sloop HMS Totland rescues Esso Baton Rouge's survivors, who include 24 of the 25-man Armed Guard and 41 of the 43-man merchant complement.
District patrol craft YP-336 sinks after running aground, Delaware River.
24 February, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Naval Air Facility, Amchitka, Alaska, is established.Mediterranean
U.S. freighter Nathanael Greene, en route to join Algiers-bound convoy MKS 8, is first torpedoed by German submarine U-565 about 40 miles northeast of Oran, 35°56'N, 00°05'N, and then is hit with an aerial torpedo during an air attack, forcing her abandonment. British minesweeper HMS Brixham takes on board 26 survivors directly from the sinking ship, and plucks others from the water. Brixham tows the ship out of further danger, transferring the tow to rescue tug Restive, which beaches Nathanael Greene off Oran, where salvage vessel Redwing (ARS-4) saves 400 of the 1,300 tons of cargo. Nathanael Greene will be written off, however, as a total loss. Of her complement, four merchant sailors die in the initial explosion but the Armed Guard (16 men) survives intact.Atlantic
Carrier Ranger (CV-4) launches USAAF P-40s off Accra, Gold Coast, for further transfer to the North African theater in her second such ferry mission of 1943.PBM-3 (VP 74) sights Italian submarine Barbarigo attacking Spanish merchantman Monte Igueldo, 04°46'S, 31°55'N, and attacks the enemy submersible, which comes to the surface and fights it out with the flying boat. Neither side, however, inflicts damage on the other.
Defense of convoy ON 166 continues; German submarine U-604 is damaged by depth charges from Coast Guard cutter Spencer (WPG-36) or corvettes HMCS Chilliwack, HMCS Rosthern or HMCS Trillium. U-621 conducts unsuccessful attack on Spencer.
25 February, Thu. 1943
Atlantic
Battle to protect convoy ON 166 comes to a close; U-92 and U-600 conduct unsuccessful attacks on Coast Guard cutter Spencer (WPG-36); U-628 torpedoes and sinks British steamer Manchester Merchant at 45°10'N, 43°23'W, bringing to a close enemy operations against ON 166, for the enemy loses contact with the convoy this evening.26 February, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Kyo Maru No. 3 is mined and sunk off Rangoon, Burma, 15°36'N, 96°15'E.27 February, Sat. 1943
Pacific
USN SBDs and F4Us, escorted by USAAF P-38s and P-40s, attack Japanese convoy off northeast coast of Vella Lavella, damaging transport Kirikawa Maru despite efforts of escorting minesweeper W.22 and submarine chaser Ch 26, one of which scuttles the burning ship.Submarine Grampus (SS-207) possibly damages Japanese minesweeper W 22 off Kolombangara, Solomons.
Submarine Plunger (SS-179) torpedoes Japanese oiler Iro 130 miles west of Jaluit, 06°09'N, 167°18'E; Katori Maru tows the crippled ship to Kwajalein for repairs.
USAAF B-24s (10th Air Force) sink Japanese cargo vessel Asakasan Maru 95 miles southeast of Rangoon, Burma, 15°53'N, 97°40'E.
28 February, Sun. 1943
Pacific
TBF (VGS 11) bombs Japanese shipping at Buin, and completes destruction of previously damaged ammunition ship Hibari Maru.Japanese cargo ship Kashii Maru is sunk in collision with Kasagisan Maru off Shimoda, Honshu, 34°39'N, 138°58'E.
Mediterranean
U.S. freighter Daniel Carroll, in convoy TE 16, is torpedoed by German submarine U-371 off the coast of Algeria, 37°05'N, 04°02'30"E, but is towed by a British tug to Algiers, arriving there the following day; she suffers no casualties to either her merchant crew or her 27-man Armed Guard or 30 passengers.March
1 March, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Japanese submarine I-10 torpedoes U.S. tanker Gulfwave at 22°30'S, 174°45'E; Gulfwave reaches Suva, Fiji, under her own power and suffers no casualties to either her merchant crew or the Armed Guard.Naval Auxiliary Air Facility, Annette Island, Alaska, is established.
Atlantic
Atlantic Convoy Conference meets in Washington, D.C.U.S. freighter Wade Hampton, straggling from convoy HX 227, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-405 at 59°55'N, 35°55'E; British corvette HMS Vervain rescues 41 merchant seamen and 26 Armed Guard sailors (see 3 March 1943). Lost with Wade Hampton are Soviet motor torpedo boats RPT 1 (ex-PT-85) and RPT 3 (ex-PT-87), lend-lease craft being carried as deck cargo.
U.S. freighter Fitz John Porter, in Bahia, Brazil-to-Trinidad convoy BT 6, is torpedoed by German submarine U-518, 12°25'S, 36°55'E, and abandoned. While there are no casualties among the merchant sailors, one Armed Guard seaman is blown overboard and lost. Brazilian minelayer Carioca rescues the survivors, and Fitz John Porter sinks the following evening.
2 March, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Battle of the Bismarck Sea opens this morning as USAAF and RAAF planes bomb eight Japanese transports and cargo vessels (with troops of the Japanese 51st Division embarked) in a convoy (Captain Matsumoto Kametaro) escorted by eight destroyers (Rear Admiral Kimura Masatomi, his flag in Shirayuki) in Bismarck Sea en route to Lae, New Guinea. Army cargo ship Kyokusai Maru is sunk by USAAF B-17s; destroyers Yukikaze and Asagumo rescue the survivors, steam ahead to Lae to disembark them, and then rejoin the convoy.Submarine Permit (SS-178) damages Japanese army cargo ship Tsurushima Maru off northeast coast of Honshu, 39°00'N, 141°54'E.
Submarine Thresher (SS-200) sinks Japanese fleet tanker Toen Maru in southern Makassar Strait, 03°29'S, 117°17'E.
Atlantic
German submarine U-759's attack on U.S. freighter Meriwether Lewis, straggling from convoy HX 227, fails, but U-634, summoned to the scene by U-759, torpedoes the U.S. merchantman at 62°10'N, 28°25'W. After Meriwether Lewis breaks in two, U-634 sinks the after part of the ship with gunfire. Despite a two-day search by Coast Guard cutter Ingham (WPG-35), however, no trace of the freighter's crew (44 merchant sailors and a 25-man Armed Guard) is ever found.Submarine chaser SC-1024 is sunk in collision off North Carolina.
3 March, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Battle of the Bismarck Sea continues as Allied aircraft renew the offensive with relentless low-level bombing and strafing runs against the luckless enemy convoy. Rear Admiral Kimura is wounded on board his flagship, destroyer Shirayuki. Destroyer Asashio is sunk by USAAF B-25s, 45 miles southeast of Finschafen, New Guinea, 07°15'S, 148°15'E; destroyers Arashio, Tokitsukaze, and Shirayuki are sunk by other aircraft (Arashio by USAAF B-17s), 55 miles southeast of Finschafen, 07°15'S, 148°30'E; supply ship Noshima, damaged by U.S. aircraft and collision with destroyer Arashio, sinks 50 miles southeast of Finschafen, 07°15'S, 148°30'E. Japanese army cargo ship Oigawa Maru, damaged by Allied aircraft, is sunk by motor torpedo boats PT-143 and PT-150, 06°58'S, 148°16'E; army cargo vessels Aiyo Maru, Shinai Maru, Taimei Maru, and Kembu Maru and transport Teiyo Maru are sunk by U.S. and Allied aircraft, east of New Guinea, 06°56'S, 148°08'E.Japanese guardboat Choei Maru is sunk by U.S. aircraft, off Vella Lavella, Solomons.
Submarine Halibut (SS-232) torpedoes Japanese naval auxiliary Nichiyu Maru about 170 miles south of Guam, 10°25'N, 145°25'E. Nichiyu Maru reaches Apra harbor under tow, but deemed beyond salvage by 17 June, never resumes active service (see 12 and 25 June 1944).
Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter Harvey W. Scott, bound for Iran in convoy DN 21, is torpedoed by German submarine U-160 off the coast of South Africa, 31°54'S, 30°37'E; first boatload of survivors (there are no casualties among the 42 merchant sailors or the 19-man Armed Guard) reaches shore (see 4 March).Atlantic
British destroyer HMS Beverly rescues last survivor of freighter Wade Hampton, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-405 on 28 February.U.S. freighter Staghound, proceeding independently from New York to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is torpedoed and sunk by Italian submarine Barbarigo in the South Atlantic off the coast of Brazil, 16°44'S, 36°33'E (see 4 March).
4 March, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Battle of the Bismarck Sea continues with further Allied attacks on the harried Japanese convoy en route to Lae.Japanese merchant cargo ship Hokuto Maru is sunk by mine south of Muroran, 39°30'N, 142°08'E.
Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter Harvey W. Scott, torpedoed by German submarine U-160 off the coast of South Africa, the previous day, sinks; a second boatload of survivors reaches shore safely (see 6 March).Atlantic
Survivors from U.S. freighter Staghound, torpedoed and sunk by Italian submarine Barbarigo in the South Atlantic off the coast of Brazil the day before, are rescued by Argentine steamship Rio Colorado. There are no casualties among the 59-man merchant complement or the 25-man Armed Guard.5 March, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Battle of Bismarck Sea concludes, although attacks on survivors found on rafts and in landing barges ("grim and bloody work for which the crews had little stomach") continue over the ensuing days by Allied aircraft and U.S. motor torpedo boats. Failure of that operation, Japanese navy officials admit later, proves "the impossibility of surface transport in the Lae area." Of the sixteen ships which sail for Lae, all eight transports are sunk, as are four of the escorting destroyers. Motor torpedo boats PT-143 and PT-150, patrolling 25 miles northeast of Cape Ward Hunt, New Guinea, in the wake of the battle, encounter a Japanese submarine rescuing survivors of the engagement and force her to submerge.Submarine Tambor (SS-198) lands men, ammunition, and currency at Pagadian Bay, Mindanao, P.I.
Atlantic
Escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) begins escort of convoy duty in North Atlantic. This is first time a ship of her type is assigned antisubmarine operations as primary duty; she will operate in support of convoy HX 228 until 14 March.German submarine U-255 attacks Loch Ewe, Scotland-bound convoy RA 53, torpedoing U.S. freighter Executive and freighter Richard Bland at 72°45'N, 11°40'E; the former is abandoned without orders, with the survivors (one Armed Guard sailor and four merchant seamen are lost with the ship) being rescued by British trawlers HMS St. Elstan and HMS Northern Pride. Executive is scuttled. Richard Bland although damaged by a dud torpedo that nevertheless passes clean through the ship, remains with the convoy; she has suffered no casualties (see 10 March).
6 March, Sat. 1943
Pacific
TF 68, comprising three cruisers and seven destroyers (Rear Admiral Aaron S. Merrill), bombards Vila and Munda, Solomons and sinks Japanese destroyers Minegumo and Murasame in Kula Gulf, 08°05'S, 157°15'E.Submarine Sawfish (SS-176) damages Japanese army cargo ship Clyde Maru southeast of Toizaki, 31°04'N, 131°48'E.
Submarine Triton (SS-201) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kiriha Maru about 145 miles northwest of the Admiralties, 00°37'N, 145°30'E. Triton, which reports her success on 11 March, is never heard from again.
Indian Ocean
Last boatload of survivors from U.S. freighter Harvey W. Scott, torpedoed by German submarine U-160 off the coast of South Africa on 3 March, reaches shore safely.Atlantic
German submarines locate convoy SC 121; escort group (Commander Paul R. Heineman) consists of Coast Guard cutter Spencer (WPG-36), destroyer Greer (DD-145), two Canadian corvettes, a British corvette and a rescue ship. Operations against this convoy will continue until 11 March.7 March, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Permit (SS-178) damages Japanese merchant fishing vessel Shoshin Maru off northeast coast of Honshu, 41°55'N, 143°50'E.Submarine Tautog (SS-199) lays mines off southeast coast of Borneo.
8 March, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Permit (SS-178), attacking Japanese convoy off northern tip of Honshu, sinks merchant cargo ship Hisashima Maru, 41°16'N, 142°27'E.Atlantic
PBY-5 (VP 53) sinks German submarine U-156, West Indies area, 12°18'N, 54°39'W.Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter James B. Stephens, independently bound for Durban, is torpedoed by German submarine U-160 off the coast of South Africa, 28°53'S, 33°18'E; one Armed Guard sailor drowns in the abandonment after the ship breaks in two. The forward half ultimately sinks while under tow toward Durban; the after half is scuttled with gunfire (see 11 and 14 March).9 March, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Naval aircraft bomb Japanese installations at Munda, Solomons. Bombing of this area becomes a regular occurrence.Submarine S-32 (SS-137) is damaged by Japanese depth charges off Holtz Bay, Attu Island, Aleutians.
Atlantic
Battle to protect convoy SC 121 continues (see 6 March 1943) as Coast Guard cutters Bibb (WPG-31) and Ingham (WPG-35) and destroyer Babbitt (DD-128) reinforce the escorts. Babbitt proves her worth this day as she helps keep U-boats down. Despite the efforts of the escorts, however, German submarine U-409 torpedoes U.S. freighter Malantic at 59°30'N, 24°00'W, which is abandoned in a gale; 19 merchant seamen, five Armed Guard sailors and the ship's sole passenger perish in the attempt to reach British rescue vessel Melrose Abbey. Malantic will sink the next day.German submarine U-510 carries out series of attacks on ships of convoy BT 6, which is escorted by destroyer Borie (DD-215), gunboats Courage (PG-70) and Tenacity (PG-71) and two submarine chasers, off Cayenne, French Guayana. U-510 torpedoes U.S. freighters George G. Meade, Mark Hanna, James Smith, Thomas Ruffin and James K. Polk at 07°11'N, 52°30'W. George G. Meade suffers no casualties to either her merchant crew or the Armed Guard, and returns to service; Mark Hanna is abandoned by most of the crew, submarine chaser PC-592 rescuing the men while a portion of the complement remains on board to prepare the ship to be towed; after repairs, she returns to active service. James Smith suffers the loss of six merchant sailors and five Armed Guard seamen in the initial explosion, and is partially abandoned, with submarine chaser PC-592 rescuing a portion of the crew. The ship, however, will be towed to Trinidad by British tug Zwarte Zee and will eventually re-enter active service. Thomas Ruffin is partially abandoned, with Courage and PC-592 rescuing crewmen (four of the ship's merchant complement and two of the 15-man Armed Guard are killed); the ship will eventually be written off as a total loss. James K. Polk (one Armed Guard sailor is killed when the ship is torpedoed--the only casualty) is partially abandoned, with PC-592 serving as the rescuing agent; the master and a volunteer crew rig tarpaulins and with those makeshift sails proceed some 360 miles. Eventually towed to Trinidad and thence to Mobile, Alabama, James K. Polk will be written off as a total loss.
U.S. freighter Puerto Rican, straggling from convoy RA 53, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-586 at 66°44'N, 10°41'W'; of the 40-man merchant complement and 25-man Armed Guard, only one man of the former will survive the abandonment in the below-freezing environment in which the sinking takes place (see 12 March).
10 March, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Acting on intelligence that 18 Japanese in a lifeboat (survivors from Battle of the Bismarck Sea) had drifted ashore on Kiriwina in the Trobriand Islands, motor torpedo boat PT-114 captures the enemy soldiers and takes them to Milne Bay the following day.USAAF B-24 (5th Air Force) damages Japanese fleet tanker Kaijo Maru south of Buton Passage, Celebes, 04°45'S, 123°10'E; Kaijo Maru is run aground on Landaila Reef, where she is abandoned (see 17 March and 23 September).
Atlantic
Light cruiser Savannah (CL-42) and destroyer Eberle (DD-430) intercept German blockade runner Karin (ex-Dutch Kota Nopan) in the South Atlantic 400 miles west northwest of Ascension Island, 07°00'S, 21°00'W. Boarding party from Eberle, while attempting to retrieve intelligence documents, suffers seven killed and two wounded when scuttling charges explode on board Karin. Savannah takes on board the German survivors as POWs.German submarine U-185 attacks convoy KG 123, torpedoing U.S. tanker Virginia Sinclair at 20°11'N, 74°04'W, and freighter James Sprunt at 19°49'N, 74°38'W. Submarine chaser SC-742 rescues all but seven of Virginia Sinclair's complement, but James Sprunt, laden with general cargo and explosives, disintegrates, killing all hands (44 merchant sailors and the 25-man Armed Guard) and showering nearby ships with debris.
German submarines attack convoy HX 228; U-221 torpedoes U.S. freighter Andrea F. Luckenbach at 51°04'N, 29°40'W. Explosion of the after magazine blows off the stern and kills 10 of the 28-man Armed Guard outright. British oiler Appleleaf rescues 17 Armed Guard sailors and 46 of the 55-man merchant complement. U-444 torpedoes freighter William C. Gorgas at 51°35'N, 28°30'W; British destroyer HMS Harvester rescues the 27-man Armed Guard and 33 of the 43-man merchant complement, but is herself later torpedoed and sunk by U-432. Ultimately, only four Armed Guard sailors and eight merchant seamen from William C. Gorgas survive Harvester's sinking, rescued by Free French-manned British corvette HMS Aconit. U-757 administers the coup de grace to William C. Gorgas.
German submarine U-255 torpedoes U.S. freighter Richard Bland, straggling from convoy RA 53, at 66°48'N, 14°15'W; the ship breaks in two. During the abandonment in rough seas, 17 of the 26-man Armed Guard and 19 of 42-man merchant complement perish. Survivors are rescued (27 by British destroyer HMS Impulsive); the forward portion of the ship is eventually towed to Iceland and salvaged.
Open lighter YC-1278 is destroyed off Atlantic Coast.
Indian Ocean
German submarine U-182 torpedoes U.S. freighter Richard D. Spaight in the Mozambique Channel, 28°00'S, 37°00'E; after the freighter is abandoned, the U-boat completes the work of destruction with gunfire, then questions and aids the crew before clearing the area. Two boats of survivors (42 of 43 merchant sailors and the entire 24-man Armed Guard survive) reach Richards Bay, South Africa (within three days), Cape St. Lucia, and Cuanalobi Beach (five days later).British light cruiser HMS Nigeria rescues 30 survivors of U.S. freighter James B. Stephens, torpedoed by German submarine U-160 off the coast of South Africa on 8 March 1943; British trawler HMS Norwich City rescues 19 (see 14 March).
12 March, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Plunger (SS-179) sinks Japanese water carrier Taihosan Maru off Ponape, Carolines, 07°15'N, 159°10'E.Atlantic
German submarines begin gathering to attack convoy UGS 6, which is being shepherded by seven U.S. destroyers (Captain Charles Wellborn, Jr.). Champlin (DD-601) sinks U-130 (which had first sighted UGS 6), 37°10'N, 40°21'W.HMS Quadrant rescues ten survivors from sunken U.S. freighter City of Flint after 46 days on a lifeboat. Survivors include 3 Naval Armed Guards (see 25 January and 28 January).
Destroyer Belknap (DD-251) rescues seven Armed Guard sailors, survivors from freighter Jonathan Sturges, along with three Dutch seamen from torpedoed motorship Madoera, both merchantmen the victims of U-707 on 23 February 1943 (see 6 April).
Sole survivor of U.S. freighter Puerto Rican, torpedoed and sunk on 9 March by German submarine U-586 as the former straggled from convoy RA 53, is rescued by British trawler HMS St. Elstan.
13 March, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Grayback (SS-208) damages Japanese transport Noshiro Maru 100 miles northwest of Bismarck Archipelago, 00°10'S, 151°06'E.Submarine Sunfish (SS-281) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Kosei Maru near Tokara Jima, Ryukyus, 29°04'N, 129°17'E.
Dutch submarine O 21 sinks Japanese cargo ship Kasuga Maru off Port Blair, Andaman Islands, 11°40'N, 92°50'E.
USAAF B-17s bomb Japanese convoy off Wewak, sinking cargo vessel Momoyama Maru; submarine Greenling (SS-213) witnesses attacks.
Atlantic
German submarine U-68 attacks Aruba-bound convoy GAT 49, and torpedoes U.S. tanker Cities Service Missouri, at 14°10'N, 74°40'W. Destroyer Biddle (DD-151) rescues survivors, who include the 11-man Armed Guard.Mediterranean
German submarine U-172 torpedoes U.S. freighter Keystone, straggling from convoy UGS 6, at 38°10'N, 37°58'W. The initial explosion kills one Armed Guard sailor and a merchant seaman; these are the only casualties suffered by the ship, which is abandoned. Portuguese steamship Sines rescues the survivors.14 March, Sun. 1943
Atlantic
Fleet Operational Training Command, Atlantic Fleet (Rear Admiral Donald B. Beary) is established.Indian Ocean
Off Durban, South Africa, SAAF crash boat rescues 13 survivors of U.S. freighter James B. Stephens, torpedoed by German submarine U-160 on 8 March.15 March, Mon. 1943
General
ComInCh establishes numbered fleet system; fleets in the Pacific to have odd numbers and those in the Atlantic even.Pacific
Submarine Trigger (SS-237) attacks Japanese convoy about 150 miles northwest of the Admiralties, damaging transport Florida Maru, 00°00'N, 145°00'E, and sinking army cargo ship Momoha Maru, 00°02'S, 145°05'E.Naval Auxiliary Air Facility, French Frigate Shoals, T.H., is established.
16 March, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Four U.S. destroyers (Commander Francis X. McInerney) shell Japanese positions at Vila.Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) sinks Japanese victualling stores ship Hyuga Maru west of the Marianas.
Submarine S-32 (SS-137) damages Japanese submarine RO 103 off Silipuaka Island, 52°54'N, 173°13'E.
Mediterranean
Vice Admiral H. Kent Hewitt becomes Commander Naval Forces Northwest African Waters.Atlantic
SBDs (VC 29) from aircraft escort vessel Santee (AVG-29) attack German submarine, 07°15'S, 29°15'W.German submarine U-172, stalking convoy UGS 6, torpedoes U.S. freighter Benjamin Harrison at 39°09'N, 24°15'W. Precipitately abandoned, the ship is scuttled by gunfire of destroyer Rowan (DD-405), which rescues three survivors. Freighter Alan A. Dale rescues the remainder.
German submarines attack convoy HX 229 as it proceeds toward the British Isles; U-758 torpedoes U.S. freighter James Oglethorpe at 50°00'N, 36°00'W; 13 merchant seamen, 15 Armed Guard sailors and two passengers are rescued by British corvette HMS Pennywort. U-435 torpedoes freighter William Eustis at 49°57'N, 37°06'W; British destroyer HMS Volunteer rescues the entire crew (which includes a 30-man Armed Guard). Both "Liberties" remain afloat (see 17 March ).
17 March, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Motor torpedo boats PT-67 and PT-119 are destroyed by fire off eastern New Guinea, 09°02'S, 149°20'E.Submarine Kingfish (SS-234) damages Japanese transport Tenryugawa Maru in Formosa Strait, 24°32'N, 120°15'E.
Submarine Tautog (SS-199) inflicts further damage to Japanese fleet tanker Kaijo Maru, driven aground and abandoned on 10 March (see 23 September).
Atlantic
Destroyer Upshur (DD-144), from convoy ON 170, having joined the escort force for convoy SC 122 the previous day, helps turn away U-boats attempting to stalk the merchantmen.German submarine U-167 attacks convoy UGS 6 and damages U.S. freighter Molly Pitcher about 500 miles west of Lisbon, Portugal, 38°21'N, 19°54'W; destroyer Champlin (DD-601) which, along with destroyer Rowan (DD-405) and merchantman William Johnson rescues survivors, attempts, unsuccessfully, to scuttle the crippled freighter with a torpedo. U-521 finishes off Molly Pitcher later the same day. Two of the 24-man Armed Guard and two merchant seamen perish in the sinking.
German U-boat operations against convoy HX 229 continue: U-91 administers the coup de grace to U.S. freighters James Oglethorpe, torpedoed by U-758 the previous day, and the abandoned William Eustis, torpedoed the day before by U-435. Lost with the former are the 31 men who had remained on board. U-91 also torpedoes and sinks U.S. freighter Harry Luckenbach at 50°38'N, 34°46'W; British corvette HMS Pennywort is the only escort vessel that sights Harry Luckenbach's survivors but, already crammed with 108 men retrieved from other sunken ships from HX 229, is unable to recover them. Harry Luckenbach is thus lost with all hands (54 merchant sailors and a 26-man Armed Guard). U-600 torpedoes and sinks freighter Irenee Du Pont at 50°36'N, 34°30'W with the loss of 6 of the 26-man Armed Guard, 1 of 9 Navy passengers and six of the 49-man merchant complement; Dutch merchantman Tekoa rescues 55 survivors, Canadian destroyer HMCS Mansfield 16 (one of whom dies of wounds). British corvette HMS Anemone fails to scuttle Irenee Du Pont with gunfire and a depth charge; it thus falls to U-91 to finish off the battered "Liberty."
18 March, Thu. 1943
Atlantic
As German operations against Allied convoys continue, destroyer Babbitt (DD-128) reinforces the escort for HX 229 and Coast Guard cutter Ingham (WPG-35) SC 122. U-221 attacks HX 229 and torpedoes U.S. freighter Walter Q. Gresham at 53°39'N, 27°53'W; British corvettes HMS Pennywort and HMS Anemone rescue 42 survivors (23 merchant seamen and five of the 26-man Armed Guard perish with the ship).19 March, Fri.
Pacific
Submarine Kingfish (SS-234) sinks Japanese army hospital ship Takachiko Maru in Formosa Strait, 26°00'N, 122°18'E.Submarine Sawfish (SS-276) damages Japanese guardboat Shinsei Maru, southeast of Japan, 32°54'N, 152°11'E.
Submarine Wahoo (SS-238), operating in the Yellow Sea, sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Zogen Maru just east of Dairen, Kwantung Peninsula, Manchukuo, 38°29'N, 122°19'E, and damages merchant cargo ship Kowa Maru, 38°27'N, 122°18'E.
USAAF A-20s damage Japanese submarine I-176 as she is unloading at Lae, New Guinea. I-176, however, is able to continue her voyage to Rabaul.
Atlantic
German U-boat onslaught against Atlantic convoys continues: U.S. freighter Mathew Luckenbach departs convoy HX 229, believing her chances greater of completing the voyage independently than in company with other ships, but runs afoul of U-527 in the vicinity of SC 122. U-527 torpedoes Mathew Luckenbach at 54°20'N, 25°07'W; Coast Guard cutter Ingham (WPG-35) rescues the freighter's entire complement (42 merchant sailors and a 26-man Armed Guard). Subsequently, U-523 administers the coup de grace to Mathew Luckenbach. With the loss of Mathew Luckenbach and Greek freighter Carras (a straggler from SC 122) to U-533 on this date, German U-boats will break off operations against SC 122 and HX 229 and conclude what is regarded as the largest convoy battle of the war. Despite the valiant efforts of the escorts, the merchantmen suffer heavy losses.Mediterranean
[May 19th according to some sources]
Axis planes bomb shipping in Oran harbor; U.S. freighter Examiner is damaged by near-misses that kill one Armed Guard sailor [Rafael Santiago] and wound six (an additional Armed Guard sailor is killed on shore during the raid). Merchant casualties amount to three crewmen wounded on board ship and one killed while ashore.20 March, Sat.
Atlantic
Brazilian merchantman Baje rescues 27 survivors of freighter Roger B. Taney, that had been sunk by U-225 on 7 February.District patrol craft YP-438 sinks after running aground on submerged breakwater at entrance to Port Everglades, Florida.
Pacific
Submarine Sawfish (SS-276) sinks Japanese guardboat Shinsei Maru in the northern Pacific, 32°55'N, 152°11'E.Submarine Scamp (SS-277) damages Japanese merchant cargo ship Seinan Maru off Tomari, 41°06'N, 141°26'E.
Submarine Trigger (SS-237) damages Japanese gunboat Choan Maru off the Admiralties, 03°44'N, 144°12'E, with a dud torpedo.
21 March, Sun. 1943
Atlantic
Submarine Herring (SS-233) sinks German submarine U-163, Bay of Biscay, 44°13'N, 08°23'W.Pacific
Submarine Finback (SS-230) damages Japanese transport (ex-aircraft tender) Sanuki Maru south of the Carolines, 07°40'N, 139°48'E.Submarine Scamp (SS-277) damages Japanese transport Manju Maru off east coast of Honshu, 41°45'N, 142°14'E.
Submarine Wahoo (SS-238), operating in the Yellow Sea off Korea, sinks Japanese merchant cargo ships Hozan Maru, 38°11'N, 124°33'E and Nittsu Maru, 38°05'N, 124°33'E.
22 March, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Gudgeon (SS-211) attacks Japanese convoy 30 miles north of Surabaya, Java, sinking army cargo ship Meigen Maru, 06°31'S, 112°47'E, and survives the resultant depth-charging by escort vessels.Submarine Tambor (SS-198) damages Japanese transport Bugen Maru in the Sulu Sea, off Negros, P.I., 08°58'N, 123°08'E.
Atlantic
USAAF aircraft (1st Antisubmarine Squadron) sink German submarine U-524 north of Canary Islands, 30°15'N, 18°13'W.USAAF heavy bombers raid Wilhelmshaven U-boat pens, sinking German tanker Eurosee.
23 March, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Open lighter YC-869 sinks after grounding off Imperial Beach, California.Submarine Kingfish (SS-234) is damaged by depth charges off Formosa, 26°20'N, 121°55'E, and is forced to terminate her patrol.
Submarine Whale (SS-239) sinks Japanese transport Ken'yo Maru about 130 miles northwest of Saipan, 17°20'N, 145°00'E; one of Whale's torpedoes circles back toward her, forcing the boat to "go deep" but then heads back and hits the target.
Atlantic/Mediterranean
Naval Station and Naval Air Facility are established at Arzeu, Algeria; Advanced Amphibious Training Bases are established at Port Lyautey, Morocco, and at Nemours, Tenes, Beni Saf, and Mostaganem in Algeria.24 March, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Operating in the Yellow Sea near Port Arthur, submarine Wahoo (SS-238) sinks Japanese merchant passenger-cargo ship Teisho Maru at 39°01'N, 122°25'E, cargo ship Takaosan Maru at 38°13'N, 123°24'E and cargo ship Satsuki Maru, 38°10'N, 123°26'E.26 March, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Battle of the Komandorski Islands: TG 16.6 (Rear Admiral Charles H. McMorris), comprising one heavy cruiser, one light cruiser, and four destroyers, outfights and repulses a Japanese force of two heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, and four destroyers (Rear Admiral Hosogaya Boso) escorting two transports with reinforcements for Kiska, Aleutians. In this daylight surface action, heavy cruiser Salt Lake City (CA-25) is damaged by gunfire from heavy cruisers Maya and Nachi and light cruiser Abukuma, 52°47'N, 172°45'E, but damages Nachi in return; destroyers Bailey (DD-492) and Coghlan (DD-606) are also damaged by gunfire, 53°20'N, 168°36'E.PBYs and USAAF B-24s bomb Nauru Island, South Pacific.
Atlantic
Naval Operating Facility, Belem, Brazil, is established.Escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) operates in support of convoy SC 123; her aircraft keep U-443 and U-415 down and prevent their attacking the convoy.
27 March, Sat. 1943
Pacific
PBYs damage Asaka Maru, position unspecified.Atlantic
Naval Air Facility, Natal, Brazil, and Naval Operating Facilities at Victoria, Florianopolis, Fortaleza, Maceio, Recife, Rio Grande do Sul, Santos, and Sao Luiz, Brazil, are established.Coast Guard cutter CG-85006 (ex-motor boat Catamount) is sunk by explosion off Long Island, New York.
28 March, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Tunny (SS-282) damages Japanese troopship Suwa Maru off Wake Island, 19°13'N, 166°34'E; to prevent her from sinking, Suwa Maru is run aground off Wake's southern shore (near the wrecks of two patrol boats beached there on 23 December 1941) (see 5 April and 27 July).Japanese cargo ship Funakawa Maru is stranded off Shiraya Zaki and sinks, 41°22'N, 141°22'E.
29 March, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Gato (SS-212) evacuates certain military and civilian people (including 9 women, 3 nuns, and 27 children) from Teop Island, Solomons.Submarine Gudgeon (SS-211) sinks Japanese fleet tanker Toho Maru in Makassar Strait, 00°00'N, 118°18'E, and damages tanker Kyoei Maru, 00°54'N, 119°01'E.
Submarine Wahoo (SS-238) sinks Japanese auxiliary cable ship Yamabato Maru south of Kyushu, 30°26'N, 129°41'E.
Atlantic
German submarine U-160 torpedoes U.S. freighter William Pierce Frye, straggling from convoy HX 230, at 56°57'N, 26°15'W. Heavy seas have previously damaged most of her lifeboats, and the only serviceable one is swamped; life rafts and floats drift away from the ship. One tank landing craft (LCT) being carried as deck cargo breaks free as the ship sinks, but only seven men reach it (see 3 April).30 March, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Tuna (SS-203) attacks Japanese convoy north of Manus, Admiralty Islands, sinks army cargo ship Kurohime Maru, 00°22'S, 147°46'E, and survives the resultant depth-charging by escort vessels.31 March, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Japanese cargo ship Nanshin Maru is sunk in collision with Ona Maru west of Oshima, off Hakata, Honshu, 34°13'N, 133°06'E.April
1 April, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Gato (SS-212) is damaged by depth charges off New Ireland, 03° 08'S, 153° 00'E, and is forced to terminate her patrol.USAAF B-17s bomb Japanese convoy off Kavieng, sinking merchant cargo ship Kokoko Maru.
Atlantic
Naval Operating Facility, Grondal, Greenland, is established.Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, Maryland, is established.
District patrol craft YP-235 is sunk by explosion of undetermined origin, Gulf of Mexico.
Submarine Shad (SS-235) torpedoes Italian blockade runner Pietro Orseolo, 44°37'N, 02°18'W, shortly after the Italian ship had reached the Bay of Biscay and her escort of four German destroyers.
2 April, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Tunny (SS-282) sinks Japanese transport Toyo Maru west of Truk, 07°23'N, 149°13'E.3 April, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Haddock (SS-231) sinks Japanese fleet tanker Arima Maru north of Palau, 10°26'N, 135°00'E.Submarine Pickerel (SS-177) sinks Japanese submarine chaser Ch 13 southeast of Shiriyasaki, Japan, 40°03'N, 141°58'E, but is afterwards sunk by minelayer Shirakami and auxiliary subchaser Bunzan Maru off northern Honshu.
USAAF B-17s (5th Air Force) sink Japanese transport Florida Maru in Kavieng harbor, 02°35'S, 150°49'E. B-17s and B-24s damage heavy cruiser Aoba and destroyer Fumizuki off Kavieng.
Japanese destroyer Kazagumo is damaged by mine, Kahili Bay, Bougainville.
Atlantic
German submarine U-155 torpedoes and sinks U.S. tanker Gulfstate off Key West, Florida, 24°22'N, 80°27'W. USCG plane rescues three survivors, district patrol craft YP-351 15; 34 merchant seamen and 9 Armed Guard sailors perish with the ship.British destroyer HMS Shikari rescues seven survivors (five merchant seamen and two Armed Guard sailors) from U.S. freighter William Pierce Frye, sunk by German submarine U-160 on 29 March. Thirty-five merchant seamen have perished, as have 22 of the 24-man Armed Guard.
4 April, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Haddock (SS-231), damaged by depth charges off Palaus, 09°31'N, 133°39'E, is forced to terminate her patrol.Submarine Porpoise (SS-172) sinks Japanese whaling ship Koa Maru near Eniwetok atoll, 13°10'N, 162°05'E.
5 April, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Destroyer O'Bannon (DD-450) sinks Japanese submarine RO 34 near Russell Island, Solomons, 08°15'S, 158°58'E.Submarine Finback (SS-230) inflicts further damage upon Japanese troopship Suwa Maru (previously damaged by Tunny (SS-282) on 28 March and beached) off Wake Island, 19°20'N, 166°35'E (see 27 July).
Atlantic
German submarine U-563 torpedoes U.S. tanker Sunoil, a straggler from convoy HX 231, at 58°16'N, 38°00'W. Armed Guard gunfire forces the attacker to submerge, but U-563 torpedoes and finishes off the ship later the same day. British destroyer HMS Vidette, sent from HX 231 in response to the tanker's distress call, never locates any survivors; Sunoil is lost with all hands (43 merchant seamen and a 26-man Armed Guard).6 April, Tue. 1943
Mediterranean
USAAF B-17s bomb Axis convoy off Bizerte, Tunisia, sinking German freighter San Diego and damaging Italian transport Rovereto; the latter is beached to prevent her sinking.Atlantic
German submarine U-336 picks up six survivors (four merchant seamen and two Armed Guard sailors) from U.S. freighter Jonathan Sturges, torpedoed and sunk by U-707 on 23 February 1943. These men (who will ultimately be interned at a POW camp near Bremen, Germany) will be the last of Jonathan Sturges's survivors to be rescued.Gulf of Mexico
German submarine U-185 attacks Mobile, Alabama-bound convoy GTMO 83, torpedoing and sinking U.S. freighter John Sevier at 20°35'N, 74°00'W. Destroyer Bennett (DD-473) rescues all hands (39 merchant seamen, 17-man Armed Guard, and one passenger)7 April, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Operation I: last Japanese air offensive in the Solomons. Carrier bombers (VAL) strike U.S. and Allied shipping near Tulagi, Solomons, damaging destroyer Aaron Ward (DD-483) and sinking New Zealand corvette HMNZS Moa and damaging oilers Kanawha (AO-1) and Tappahannock (AO-43) and tank landing ship LST-449 (the latter two ships by near-misses). Submarine rescue vessel Ortolan (ASR-5) and tug (ex-minesweeper) Vireo (AT-144) attempt to beach Aaron Ward, but the destroyer sinks as the result of bomb damage at 09°10'S, 160°12'E. Destroyer Farenholt (DD-491) is near-missed by at least three bombs. Tug (ex-minesweeper) Rail (AT-139) is damaged by friendly fire as motor torpedo boat tender Niagara (AGP-1), moored alongside, fires through the former's rigging. Rail fire party boards abandoned Kanawha and attempts, assisted by minesweeper Conflict (AM-85), to put out the raging fires until told to withdraw. Later, Rail, tug Menominee (AT-73) and net tender Butternut (YN-9), tow Kanawha into Tulagi harbor, where the damaged oiler is beached. Rail suffers further damage alongside Kanawha (see 8 April 1943). Elsewhere off Tulagi, destroyer Sterett (DD-407) is damaged by friendly fire from adjacent ships (six men are wounded), while attack cargo ship Libra (AKA-12), off Lunga Point, is near-missed. Adhara (AK-71), loading cargo off the Tenaru River, is damaged by near-misses and suffers one dead and eight wounded. Of the freighters, two bombs land near William Williams, Louis Joliet is strafed, and Dona Nati is shaken by two near-misses; none of those three ships suffer casualties.Submarine Grayling (SS-209) unsuccessfully attacks Japanese cargo ship Lima Maru off Mindoro, 13°20'N, 121°33'E.
Submarine Trout (SS-202) lays mines near Sarawak, Borneo.
Submarine Tunny (SS-282), despite presence of escort vessel, torpedoes Japanese victualling stores ship Kosei Maru about 250 miles northwest of Truk, 08°50'N, 147°06'E. Attempt to tow the damaged vessel fails, and Kosei Maru sinks en route to Truk.
Submarine Pickerel (SS-177) sinks Japanese cargo ship Fukuei Maru near Shiriya Zaki, Honshu, 41°00'N, 142°00'E.
8 April, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Oiler Kanawha (AO-1), damaged by Japanese dive bombers the day before, and beached off Tulagi by tugs Rail (AT-139) and Menominee (AT-73), sinks.Japanese merchant cargo ship Toyo Maru is sunk by aircraft, Rabaul, 05°04'N, 139°43'E.
9 April, Fri. 1943
General
Rank of Commodore, U.S. Navy, is reestablished.Pacific
Submarine Drum (SS-228) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking army cargo ship Oyama Maru about 180 miles north-northwest of Kavieng, New Ireland, 00°32'N, 150°05'E.Submarine Grayling (SS-209) in attack on Japanese convoy off Mindoro, sinks army cargo ship Shanghai Maru about ten miles east of Dumali Point, 13°11'N, 121°45'E.
Submarine Tautog (SS-199) attacks Japanese convoy in Buton Passage, off southeastern Celebes, sinking army cargo ship Penang Maru, 05°31'S, 123°06'E. Tautog then sinks destroyer Isonami as the enemy warship attempts to rescue Penang Maru's survivors 05°26'S, 123°04'E.
10 April, Sat. 1943
Mediterranean
USAAF B-17s sink Italian heavy cruiser Trieste and motor torpedo boats MAS 501 and MAS 503 and damage heavy cruiser Gorizia, La Maddalena, Sardinia. Gorizia will subsequently be towed to La Spezia for repairs.Atlantic
U.S. freighter Edward B. Dudley, straggling from United Kingdom-bound convoy HX 232, is torpedoed by German submarine U-615 in the North Atlantic, 53°00'N, 38°00'W, but the torpedo that hits the freighter is a dud. U-615 stalks her quarry (see 11 April).11 April, Sun. 1943
Atlantic
U.S. freighter Edward B. Dudley is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-615 in the North Atlantic, 53°00'N, 39°00'W. Debris from the explosion that follows the coup de grace damages U-615's conning tower. Those survivors of the 42 merchant sailors and the 25-man Armed Guard who manage to lower boats are never recovered.U.S. freighter James W. Denver, straggling from convoy UGS 7, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-195 in the North Atlantic, 28°46'N, 25°40'W. All hands (42 merchant seamen, one passenger and 25 Armed Guards) survive the loss of the ship and set sail for the coast of Africa (see 18 and 24 April, and 4, 6 and 16 May).
U.S. freighter Matt W. Ransom, steaming in Casablanca-bound convoy UGS 6A, is mined at 33°59'N, 07°51'W. All hands (42 merchant seamen, 2 passengers and 28 Armed Guards) abandon ship, rescued by submarine chasers PC-471 and PC-481; the master and six men, however, return to the damaged ship and take her to Gibraltar under her own power.
12 April, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship No.12 Sapporo Maru at eastern entrance to Tsugaru Strait, just off Shiriyazaki, northern Honshu, 41°23'N, 141°30'E.USAAF B-17s and B-24s (5th Air Force) bomb Japanese shipping in Hansa Bay, sinking army cargo ship Sydney Maru, 03°18'S, 143°38'E.
14 April, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Pike (SS-173) damages Japanese army cargo ship Madras Maru north of the Admiralties, 01°25'N, 148°22'E.USAAF B-17s (5th Air Force) bomb Japanese shipping in Hansa Bay, sinking army cargo ship India Maru, 03°18'S, 143°38'E.
15 April, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Seawolf (SS-197) sinks Japanese transport Kaihei Maru about 275 miles south-southwest of Marcus Island, 21°15'N, 152°00'E.Atlantic
District patrol craft YP-453 sinks after grounding on Bahamas Bank.PBY (VP 83) sinks Italian submarine Archimede off coast of Brazil, 03°23'S, 30°28'W.
German submarine U-262 makes contact with convoy HX 233, whose escort (Commander Paul R. Heineman) includes Coast Guard cutters Spencer (WPG-36) and Duane (WPG-33), a Canadian destroyer, two Canadian and three British corvettes. Escorts will drive off U-262 the next day.
16 April, Fri. 1943
Pacific
USAAF B-17s bomb Japanese shipping at Wewak, damaging destroyer Tachikaze.17 April, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Japanese transport Shinnan Maru is sunk by mine (laid by USN TBFs on 30 March), near Buin, Bougainville, 06°50'N, 155°45'E.Japanese ex-whale factory ship Nissho Maru is sunk by unknown agent about 160 miles east of Formosa, 23°36'N, 124°18'E.
Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Amaho Maru off Yerimozaki, Hokkaido, 42°04'N, 143°22'E.
Atlantic
While escorting convoy HX 233, Coast Guard cutter Spencer (WPG-36) attacks German submarine U-175, which had located the convoy on the night of 16-17 April after U-262 had been driven off, and sinks her at 48°50'N, 21°20'W.18 April, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku, Commander in Chief Japanese Combined Fleet, is killed when the land attack plane (BETTY) in which he is travelling is shot down by USAAF P-38s off Bougainville. Interception of Yamamoto, brought about through signals intelligence, eliminates one of the Imperial Japanese Navy's more charismatic leaders.Submarine Drum (SS-228) sinks Japanese ammunition ship Nisshun Maru about 200 miles north-northwest of Mussau Island, Bismarck Archipelago, 01°55'N, 148°24'E. Submarine chaser Ch.18 rescues survivors, who include a number of Army prostitutes among them.
Atlantic
Spanish merchantman Cabo Huertas rescues 11 survivors from U.S. freighter James W. Denver, sunk by German submarine U-195 in the North Atlantic on 11 April (see 24 April, and 4, 6 and 16 May).Open lighter YC-891 founders while in tow of harbor tug Mauvila (YT-328) off Key West, Florida.
Arctic
German planes bomb Allied shipping at Murmansk, USSR, damaging U.S. freighter Thomas Hartley.19 April, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Scorpion (SS-278) mines waters off Kashima Nada, Japan.Submarine Seawolf (SS-197) sinks Japanese depot ship No.5 Banshu Maru, 26°15'N, 139°35'E.
Navy planes bomb Japanese shipping off Buin, Bougainville, damaging cargo vessel Shirogare Maru.
20 April, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Runner (SS-275) mines waters near Hong Kong.Submarine Scorpion (SS-278) sinks Japanese gunboat No.1 Meiji Maru off east central coast of Honshu, 37°10'N, 141°25'E.
USAAF aircraft sink Japanese cargo ship Kosei Maru north of Wewak, 03°30'S, 143°30'E.
USAAF planes sink Japanese ship Nojima Maru north of Kiska.
Japanese transport/cargo ship Sumerusan Maru is sunk by accidental explosion, Surabaya, Java, 03°30'S, 143°30'E.
Mediterranean
U.S. freighter Michigan, steaming in convoy UGS 7, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-565 off the coast of North Africa, 36°01'N, 01°25'W. All hands (37 merchant seamen, 23 Armed Guards and the one passenger) survive; some remain in the boats to help rescue survivors (Senegalese soldiers) from French steamship Sidi-Bel-Abbes, also torpedoed and sunk by U-565, thus preventing the toll in human life from the loss of that Allied vessel from being much larger. Michigan's survivors are rescued by British escort trawlers HMS Stella Carina and HMS Foxtrot, and transferred thus to sloop HMS Felixstowe, in which they are transported to Oran.21 April, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Grenadier (SS-210) is damaged by Japanese plane (936th Kokutai) near Straits of Malacca (see 22 April).Submarine Stingray (SS-186) mines waters off Wenchow, China.
Admiral Koga Mineichi is appointed Commander in Chief Japanese Combined Fleet.
Atlantic
Destroyer Swanson (DD-443) drives German submarine U-129 away from NG convoy in the Greater Antilles.Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter John Drayton is torpedoed by Italian submarine Leonardo da Vinci off the coast of South Africa, 34°00'S, 34°40'E, and abandoned. Leonardo da Vinci then surfaces, finishes off the freighter with gunfire, and temporarily detains a member of the crew on board for questioning before returning him to his shipmates (see 23 and 27 April and 21 May).22 April, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Grenadier (SS-210) is scuttled off Penang, Malaya, 06°30'N, 97°40'E, after having been damaged by Japanese plane (936th Kokutai) the previous day.Submarine Stingray (SS-186) mines waters off Wenchow, China.
Dutch submarine O 21, despite presence of escort vessel, sinks Japanese army cargo ship Yamazato Maru in Malacca Straits, 03°28'N, 99°47'E.
Japanese aircraft bomb airfield at Funafuti, Ellice Islands.
Atlantic
PBYs (VP 84), flying from bases in Iceland and Greenland, drive off German U-boats threatening convoy HX 234.23 April, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Pike (SS-173) is damaged by depth charges off central Carolines, 04°20'N, 152°02'E, and is forced to terminate her patrol.Submarine Seawolf (SS-197) sinks Japanese Patrol Boat No.39 off east central coast of Formosa, 23°45'N, 122°45'E, while the enemy warship is screening the towing of the wrecked Nisshin Maru.
District patrol craft YP-422 founders after grounding on Tumbo Reef, three miles southeast of entrance to North Bulari Passage, New Caledonia.
Atlantic
U.S. freighter Robert Gray, straggling from convoy HX 234, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-306 in the North Atlantic at 57°30'N, 43°00'W, with all hands (39-man merchant complement and a 19-man Armed Guard).U.S. freighter Santa Catalina, bound for Basra, Iraq, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-129 at 30°59'N, 70°57'W, and abandoned (see 24 April).
Indian Ocean
Swedish merchant ship Oscar Gorthon rescues 11 survivors from U.S. freighter John Drayton, sunk by Italian submarine Leonardo da Vinci in the Indian Ocean on 21 April 1943 (see 27 April and 21 May).24 April, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) sinks Japanese merchant passenger-cargo ship Kasuga Maru in Tsugaru Strait, 41°44'N, 141°21'E.Submarine Runner (SS-275) damages Japanese army hospital ship Buenos Aires Maru south of Hong Kong, 21°41'N, 116°24'E.
Atlantic
British freighter Campana rescues 15 survivors from U.S. freighter James W. Denver, sunk by German submarine U-195 in the North Atlantic on 11 April (see 4, 6 and 16 May).Swedish motor vessel Venezia rescues all hands (57 merchant seamen, 28-man Armed Guard and 10 passengers) from U.S. freighter Santa Catalina, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-129 the previous day.
25 April, Sun. 1943
Atlantic
District patrol craft YP-481 founders after running aground off Charleston, South Carolina.Mediterranean
U.S. freighter Samuel Parker is damaged by fire on board gasoline lighter moored alongside, Tripoli harbor. There are no casualties to the merchant crew. Armed Guard, or Egyptian stevedores working cargo.26 April, Mon. 1943
Pacific
TG 16.6, three light cruisers and six destroyers (Rear Admiral Charles H. McMorris), bombards Japanese installations at Attu, Aleutians.Atlantic
District patrol craft YP-47 is sunk in collision with motor minesweeper YMS-110 in Ambrose Channel, off Staten Island, New York.Mediterranean
Naval Station, Mers el Kebir, Morocco, is established.27 April, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Scorpion (SS-278) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking merchant cargo ship Yuzan Maru off east coast of Honshu, 38°08'N, 143°03'E.U.S. freighter Lydia M. Child is torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-178 about 100 miles east of Sydney, Australia, 33°08'S, 153°24'E; Australian minesweepers HMAS Warrambool and HMAS Deloraine rescue the entire crew (including the 21-man Armed Guard).
Atlantic
PV-1 (VB 125) providing coverage for convoy SC 128 off Halifax sinks German submarine U-174, North Atlantic, 43°35'N, 56°18'W.Indian Ocean
British destroyer HMS Relentless rescues 14 survivors from U.S. freighter John Drayton, sunk by Italian submarine Leonardo da Vinci in the Indian Ocean on 21 April (see 21 May).28 April, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Gudgeon (SS-212) sinks Japanese transport/hospital ship Kamakura Maru 30 miles southwest of Naso Point, Panay, P.I., 10°18'N, 121°44'E.Atlantic
Escort group formed around escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) and four destroyers drives off five German submarines against convoy HX 235. Another group of U-boats threatens convoy ONS 5, which is protected by British escort vessels and PBYs (VP 84) (see 29 April).29 April, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Gato (SS-212) lands coast watchers at Teop Island, Solomons Islands, and evacuates missionaries.Atlantic
German submarine U-404 attacks carrier, misidentified as Ranger (CV-4), in screen of convoy ONS 4. Although U-404's Korvettenkapitan Otto von Bulow claims to have heard four detonations, leading the German Navy to credit him with Ranger's destruction, U-404's intended victim, however, is British escort carrier HMS Biter, which emerges unscathed from the encounter. The "sunken" Ranger will prove, much to the Germans' distress, a very potent adversary (see 5 October).PBY (VP 84) damages German submarine U-528 as it threatens convoy ONS 5.
U.S. freighter McKeesport, in convoy ONS 5, is torpedoed by German submarine U-258 at 60°52'N, 34°20'W, and abandoned. British trawler HMS Northern Gem rescues all hands: 43 merchant seamen (one of whom dies subsequently) and the 25-man Armed Guard. British frigate HMS Tay scuttles McKeesport with gunfire.
30 April, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Gudgeon (SS-212) lands men and equipment on Panay, P.I.Submarine Scorpion (SS-278) sinks Japanese guardboat No.5 Ebisu Maru east of Japan, 37°24'N, 154°40'E.
Submarine Snook (SS-279) lays mines off Saddle Island, China.
U.S. freighter Phoebe A. Hearst is torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-19 about 240 miles southeast of Suva, Fiji Islands, 19°48'S, 176°44'E (see 1, 5 and 14 May).
Atlantic
Atlantic Fleet turns over responsibility for convoys between Halifax and United Kingdom to British and Canadian naval forces.May
1 May, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Pogy (SS-266), in attack on Japanese convoy, sinks gunboat Keishin Maru off Iwaki, Japan, 37°04'N, 141°06'E.PBY rescues eight survivors from U.S. freighter Phoebe A. Hearst, torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-19 about 240 miles southeast of Suva the day before (see 5 and 14 May).
2 May, Sun.
Pacific
Submarine Gar (SS-206) sinks Japanese guardboat No.12 Jimbo Maru in Makassar Strait, 00°41'S, 117°50'E.Submarine Stingray (SS-186) attacks Japanese convoy off Wenchow, China, sinking army transport Tamon Maru about 12 miles off Nanki Shan, 27°18'N, 121°38'E.
U.S. freighter William Williams is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-19 near Suva, Fiji Islands, 20°09'S, 178°04'W. There are no casualties among the 40-man merchant crew and the 15-man Armed Guard; the latter remains on board with a fire-fighting crew to battle the blaze in two compartments (see 4 and 7 May).
Atlantic
U.S. tanker Livingston Rowe, loaded with aviation gasoline, catches fire at Recife, Brazil, near warehouses containing ammunition and dynamite; prompt firefighting efforts by crews of U.S. and British naval vessels in the harbor, from U.S. Navy and U.S. Army shore establishments, and from Brazilian army, naval, and civilian organizations prevent a major catastrophe.Coast Guard cutter CG-58012 is destroyed by explosion off Manomet Point, Massachusetts.
3 May, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Oiler Neches (AO-47) is damaged when she accidentally runs aground at entrance to Cold Bay, Aleutians.Atlantic
Tank landing craft LCT-23 is destroyed by explosion of undetermined origin off Algiers, Morocco.4 May, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Gudgeon (SS-212) sinks Japanese merchant trawler Naku Maru west of Panay, P.I., 10°11'N, 121°43'E.Submarine Seal (SS-183) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking fleet tanker San Clemente Maru about 50 miles southeast of Palau, 06°30'N, 130°30'E.
Net tender Catalpa (YN-5) begins towing damaged U.S. freighter William Williams, torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-19 near Suva on 2 May (see 7 May).
Atlantic
German submarine attacks on ships of convoy ONS 5 continue: U.S. freighter West Maximus is torpedoed and sunk by U-264 at 55°00'N, 43°00'W; during the abandonment, one sailor of the 21-man Armed Guard drowns, while five of the 39-man merchant complement are lost with the ship. British trawler HMS Northern Spray rescues the survivors (who also include two Army passengers).Portuguese fishing trawler Albufeira rescues 11 survivors from U.S. freighter James W. Denver,torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-195 in the North Atlantic on 11 April (see 16 May).
5 May, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Permit (SS-178) damages Japanese transport Tokai Maru, Apra Harbor, Guam, 13°27'N, 144°35'E.Submarine Sawfish (SS-276), despite proximity of escort vessel, sinks Japanese gunboat Hakkai Maru off Ise-Wan, Honshu, Japan, 34°11'N, 137°41'E.
Submarine Snook (SS-279) attacks Japanese merchant shipping in the Yellow Sea, sinking cargo ships Kinko Maru, 38°39'N, 122°35'E, and Taifuku Maru, 38°38'N, 122°39'E.
Twenty-three survivors from U.S. freighter Phoebe A. Hearst, torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-19 about 240 miles southeast of Suva on 30 April, reach Tofua Island; motor minesweeper YMS-89 picks them up and transfers them to Tongatabu (see 14 May).
Atlantic
German submarine attacks upon ships of convoy ONS 5 continue: U.S. freighter West Madaket is torpedoed by U-707 at 54°47'N, 44°12'W, and abandoned. British frigate HMS Pink rescues the 39-man merchant complement and the 22-man Armed Guard and then scuttles the crippled vessel with depth charges.6 May, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Gar (SS-206) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Kotoku Maru, Tarakan, Borneo, harbor, 03°14'N, 117°58'E.Atlantic
U.S. freighter Samuel Jordan Kirkwood, bound for Bahia, Brazil, is torpedoed by German submarine U-195 in the South Atlantic at 15°00'S, 07°00'W, and abandoned (see 7 May 1943).Fourteen survivors from U.S. freighter James W. Denver, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-195 in the North Atlantic on 11 April 1943, reach Port Etienne (see 16 May 1943).
Covered lighter YF-575 founders after grounding off Atlantic City, New Jersey.
7 May, Fri. 1943
Pacific
TG 36.5, composed of light minelayers Gamble (DM-15), Preble (DM-20), and Breese (DM-18), covered by destroyer Radford (DD-446), lays minefield across Blackett Strait, western approaches to Kula Gulf, Solomons. Four Japanese destroyers encounter the field later that night (see 8 May 1943).Submarine Snook (SS-279) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ships Tosei Maru and No. 3 Shinsei Maru in the Yellow Sea, 36°05'N, 123°21'E.
Submarine Wahoo (SS-238) sinks Japanese merchant passenger/cargo ship No.5 Tamon Maru off Benten Zaki, Honshu, 40°05'N, 141°53'E.
Net tender Catalpa (YN-5), escorted by minesweeper Dash (AM-88), brings damaged U.S. freighter William Williams, torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-19 on 2 May 1943, into Suva, Fiji Islands.
Vichy French steamship Gouverneur General Pasquir is sunk by mine off coast of French Indochina, 20°14'N, 107°00'E.
Atlantic
U.S. freighter Samuel Jordan Kirkwood, torpedoed by German submarine U-195 in the South Atlantic the previous day, sinks (see 16 May 1943).8 May, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Japanese destroyer Kuroshio is sunk by mine laid the day before, Blackett Strait, Solomons; destroyer Oyashio, damaged by mine off Rendova, is sunk by Navy aircraft; destroyer Kagero, damaged by mine off Rendova is sunk by USMC aircraft; destroyer Michisio is damaged by aircraft, Blackett Strait.Submarine Plunger (SS-179) sights Japanese Saipan-bound convoy about 60 miles northwest of Truk (see 9-11 May 1943).
USAAF B-25s (5th Air Force) sink Japanese merchant cargo ship Tomioka Maru and army cargo ship Sumida Maru, Madang harbor, New Guinea, 05°12'S, 145°50'E.
Mediterranean
U.S. freighter Pat Harrison is mined in Gibraltar Bay; she is later written off as a total loss. One merchant seaman dies in the incident, but there are no casualties among the 26-man Armed Guard or the two Army security officers.Allied forces occupy Sfax, Tunisia, capturing Italian water tanker Pro Patria.
9 May, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Gar (SS-206) sinks Japanese gunboat Aso Maru southeast of Cagayan Island, 09°09'N, 122°50'E.Submarine Pogy (SS-266) damages Japanese transport Uyo Maru off Iwaki, Japan, 37°05'N, 141°06'E.
Submarine Wahoo (SS-238) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ships Takao Maru and Jimmu Maru off Kone Zaki, northeastern Honshu, 38°57'N, 141°49'E.
Atlantic
Light cruiser Marblehead (CL-12), on patrol in the South Atlantic, rescues the crew of a crashed USAAF B-26, 06°42'S, 21°35'W.Mediterranean
Organized German and Italian resistance in North Africa ceases. Although resistance on land has ended, opposition from air attacks continues. Axis planes bomb Allied shipping in harbor at Bone, Algeria. A fragment from a near-miss ignites a portion of the cargo (7,000 tons of drummed gasoline) on board U.S. freighter Daniel Huger; although the efforts to fight the blaze (initially conducted by two Merchant Marine cadet-midshipmen and a volunteer) are ultimately successful (aided by efforts of a well-equipped British firefighting party), one merchant sailor and one of the 27-man Armed Guard perish in the attack.10 May, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Destroyer MacDonough (DD-351) and light minelayer Sicard (DM-21) are damaged in collision about 100 miles north-northwest of Holtz Bay, Attu Island, Aleutians, 54°34'N, 173°58'E.Submarine Plunger (SS-179) attacks Japanese convoy tracked since the day before, sinking merchant passenger/cargo ship Tatsutake Maru and damaging transport Kinai Maru about 200 miles east of Saipan, 14°29'N, 149°00'E; the latter is abandoned. Torpedo boat Hiyodori is damaged in collision with Tatsutake Maru and Kinai Maru, probably during the rescue of survivors.
11 May, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Army troops (Seventh Division) land on Attu Island, Aleutians in Operation LANDCRAB; TF 16 (Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid) and TF 51 (Rear Admiral Francis W. Rockwell) cover the landing. Submarine Nautilus (SS-168) and Narwhal (SS-167) land scouts on Attu Island.Submarine Grayback (SS-208) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking collier Yodogawa Maru about 125 miles northwest of Kavieng, 00°47'S, 149°02'E.
Submarine Plunger (SS-179) finishes off abandoned Japanese transport Kinai Maru, damaged the day before east of Saipan, 14°29'N, 149°00'E.
12 May, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Battleship Pennsylvania (BB 38) neutralizes Japanese positions on the west arm of Holtz Bay, Attu Island, while battleship Nevada (BB 36) renders Japanese positions at head of Massacre Bay, Attu, ineffective. Japanese submarine I-31 attacks Pennsylvania nine miles northeast of Holtz Bay but the torpedoes miss their mark; I-35 likewise conducts an unsuccessful attack against light cruiser Santa Fe (CL-60). Destroyer Edwards (DD-619), assisted by destroyer Farragut (DD-348), subsequently sinks I-31 about five miles northeast of Chichagof Harbor, Attu, 53°00'N, 173°21'E.Submarine Gudgeon (SS-212), despite her quarry's being skillfully camouflaged and moored close inshore, sinks Japanese army cargo ship Sumatra Maru off Bulusan, Luzon, 12°43'N, 124°08'E.
Submarine Steelhead (SS-280) lays mines off Erimo Zaki, Japan.
Mediterranean
Advanced Amphibious Training Base, Bizerte, Tunisia, is established.Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter Cape Neddick, bound for Suez, via Durban, South Africa, is torpedoed by German submarine U-195 in the South Atlantic at 23°21'S, 01°22'W; she eventually reaches Walvis Bay, South Africa, under her own power. There are no casualties among the 51-man merchant complement or the 25-man Armed Guard.13 May, Thu. 1943
Pacific
TF 18 (Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth) bombards Munda and Vila airfields, Solomons, while minelayers (TG 36.5) sow mines across northwestern approaches to Kula Gulf. Light cruiser Nashville (CL-43) is damaged by turret explosion, Solomons, 08°28'S, 158°49'E, and destroyers Chevalier (DD-805) and Nicholas (DD-449) are damaged by gun mount explosions, 08°30'S, 158°01'E.Battleship Idaho (BB 42) and destroyer Phelps (DD-360) silence enemy batteries on Attu, permitting U.S. Army artillery units to move up at Holtz Bay.
Atlantic
German submarine U-176 attacks convoy DM 69 in the Greater Antilles, sinking U.S. tanker Nickeliner and Cuban-registry tanker Mambi, 21°25'N, 76°40'W, and eludes destroyer escort Brennan (DE-13), eight submarine chasers, and a blimp. There are no casualties on board Nickeliner (23 merchant sailors, seven Armed Guards and one passenger), whose survivors are rescued by a Cuban submarine chaser.Mediterranean
USAAF aircraft sink Italian submarine Mocenigo at Cagliari, Sardinia.Enemy resistance in North Africa ends with surrender of German and Italian forces in Tunisia.
14 May, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Motor torpedo boats PT-150 and PT-152 sink Japanese submarine RO 102 in Vitiaz Strait, New Guinea, 06°55'S, 147°34'E.USMC TBFs (VMSB 143) damage Japanese army cargo ship Houn Maru and force her aground off Tonolei, Bougainville, 06°48'N, 155°49'E, a total loss.
Minesweeper Dash (AM-88) rescues 25 survivors from U.S. freighter Phoebe A. Hearst, torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-19 about 240 miles southeast of Suva on 30 April 1943. With this recovery, all hands from the lost freighter (including the 16-man Armed Guard) are accounted for.
Atlantic
PBY (VP 84) sinks German submarine U-657 threatening convoy ONS 7, North Atlantic area, 60°10'N, 31°52'W.European
USAAF B-17s and B-24s bomb harbor installations at Kiel, Germany, sinking submarine U-235, U-236, and U-237.15 May, Sat. 1943
TRIDENT Conference begins, with President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, and the Combined Chiefs of Staff meeting in Washington, D.C.
Pacific
Naval Advanced Base and Naval Air Facility, Russell Islands, Solomons, are established.Naval Air Station, Adak, Aleutians, is established.
Submarine Gar (SS-206) attacks Japanese convoy screened by escort vessel Matsuwa, at eastern entrance of Verde Island passage, and sinks Japanese army cargo ships Meikai Maru and Indus Maru between Dumali Point, Mindoro, and Marinduque Island, P.I., 13°07'N, 121°49'E.
USAAF B-24s, flying from Midway, bomb Wake Island.
Atlantic
OS2U/OS2N (VS 62) and Cuban Submarine Chaser 13 sink German submarine U-176 off Cuba, 23°21'N, 80°18'W.16 May, Sun. 1943
Atlantic
Destroyer MacKenzie (DD-614) sinks German submarine U-182 west of Madeira Islands, 33°55'N, 20°35'W.Spanish sailing ship Juan rescues 18 survivors from U.S. freighter James W. Denver, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-195 in the North Atlantic on 11 April 1943; two of the ship's 42-man merchant complement perish of exposure.
USAAF crash boat spots boatloads of survivors (41-man merchant complement, 25-man Armed Guard and four passengers) of U.S. freighter Samuel Jordan Kirkwood (which had sunk on 16 May 1943 as the result of damage inflicted by German submarine U-195 the previous day) and tows them to Ascension Island.
Pacific
Submarine Grayback (SS-208) damages Japanese destroyer Yugure northwest of Kavieng, 01°00'S, 148°44'W.U.S. freighter William K. Vanderbilt is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-19 southwest of Suva, Fiji Islands, 18°41'S, 175°07'E, and abandoned by the 41-man merchant complement. The 16-man Armed Guard remains on board to the last, but abandons after a second torpedo splits the ship in twain. I-19 then fires upon one lifeboat and two rafts, and questions the ship's master before departing; throughout the ordeal only the ship's chief engineer is killed (see 17 May 1943).
17 May, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Grayback (SS-208) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking army cargo ship England Maru about 60 miles northwest of Mussau Island, 01°00'S, 148°40'E.Minesweeper Dash (AM-88) rescues 56 survivors from U.S. freighter William K. Vanderbilt, torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-19 the previous day southwest of Suva.
Japanese cargo ship Woosung Maru strikes reef and sinks off Chiba Prefecture, southern Honshu, 35°00'N, 140°00'E.
Atlantic
PBM (VP 74) damages German submarine U-128 in South Atlantic, at 11°02'S, 35°35'W; destroyers Moffett (DD-362) and Jouett (DD-396) then sink U-128 at 11°08'S, 35°38'W.18 May, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Pollack (SS-180) sinks Japanese gunboat Terushima Maru southwest of Maleolap Atoll, Marshalls, 08°00'N, 171°00'E.U.S. tanker H.M. Storey is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-25 while en route from Noumea, New Caledonia, to San Pedro, California, 17°30'S, 173°02'E, and abandoned by the 48-man civilian complement (two merchant seamen are lost when the ship is hit), 2 passengers and 15-man Armed Guard. I-25 then hastens the sinking by shelling the burning ship. Destroyer Fletcher (DD-445) subsequently rescues H.M. Storey's survivors and takes them to Vila, Efate.
19 May, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Gar (SS-206) sinks Japanese guardboat Asuka Maru in Makassar Strait, 01°02'N, 119°08'E.Mediterranean
Axis planes bomb Allied shipping in Oran harbor, Algeria, damaging U.S. freighters Samuel Griffin and Luther Martin; the former suffers 15 men injured among her complement of 44 merchant seamen and 26 Armed Guards; the latter suffers no injuries. Both ships are repaired and returned to service.20 May, Thu. 1943
Tenth Fleet with headquarters in Washington, D.C., is established under Commander in Chief U.S. Fleet (Admiral Ernest J. King) to control U.S. antisubmarine operations in the Atlantic.
Pacific
Submarine Pollack (SS-180) sinks Japanese armed merchant cruiser Bangkok Maru southeast of Jaluit, Marshalls, 06°47'N, 169°42'E. Pollack is damaged by depth charges during counterattacks by what she describes as a "Chidori-class torpedo boat," but remains on patrol.21 May, Fri. 1943
Atlantic
TBFs (VC 9) from escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) damage German submarine U-231; destroyer Osmond Ingram (DD-255) and Canadian destroyer HMCS St. Laurent drive off U-boats menacing ON 184.Mediterranean
Destroyer Nields (DD-616) sinks Italian submarine Gorgo as she attacks a U.S. convoy off Algeria, 36°01'N, 00°34'W.Indian Ocean
Last eight survivors from U.S. freighter John Drayton, sunk by Italian submarine Leonardo da Vinci in the Indian Ocean on 21 April 1943, are rescued. Originally, 24 men had been in the boat found this date, only the eight remain. A total of 21 merchant seamen and six Armed Guard sailors perish in the loss of John Drayton.22 May, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Japanese aircraft attack gunboat Charleston (PG-51) and destroyer Phelps (DD-360) off Attu Island, Aleutians; both ships emerge unscathed and splash one attacker.Atlantic
As the battle to protect ON 184 in the North Atlantic area continues, TBFs (VC 9) from escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) sink German submarine U-569, 50°40'N, 35°21'W, and damage U-305.Mediterranean
Advanced Amphibious Training Base, Tunis, Tunisia, is established.23 May, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Motor torpedo boat tender Niagara (AGP-1), damaged by horizontal bomber while en route from Tulagi to New Guinea, is scuttled by motor torpedo boat PT-147, 11°00'S, 163°00'E.Motor torpedo boats PT-165 and PT-173 are lost on board U.S. tanker Stanvac Manila when Japanese submarine I-17 torpedoes the tanker (which is transporting the boats) 100 miles south of Noumea, New Caledonia, 23°45'S, 166°30'E.
Atlantic
British Swordfish from escort carrier HMS Archer sink German submarine U-752 in the North Atlantic with rocket projectiles; she is the first U-boat sunk by those weapons during World War II.25 May, Tue. 1943
TRIDENT Conference ends. President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill reaffirm earlier decisions to accord first priority to defeating Germany, agree to step up the strategic bombing of Germany and occupied Europe, and to plan the invasion of France to take place on 1 May 1944.
Atlantic
PBY (VP 84) sinks German submarine U-467, 62°25'N, 14°52'W.Mediterranean
USAAF aircraft bomb harbor installations at Messina, sinking Italian torpedo boat Groppo.26 May, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Japanese begin evacuation of troops from Kiska to Paramushiro via submarines. Between 26 May and 21 June 1943, 13 boats will be involved in the operation that will eventually extricate 820 men. Three boats will be sunk (see 10, 13, and 22 June 1943) and three (I-2, I-155, and I-157) damaged.Gunboat Charleston (PG-51) bombards Japanese positions in the Chichagof area, Attu Island, Aleutians, starting numerous fires.
Submarine Pogy (SS-266), in attack on Japanese convoy, sinks merchant cargo ship Tainan Maru off Shioyazaki, Honshu, 37°03'N, 141°09'E.
Submarine Saury (SS-189) attacks Japanese convoy south of Kyushu, sinking transport Kagi Maru some 10 miles north of Amami Oshima Nansei Shoto, 28°49'N, 129°40'E.
Submarine Trout (SS-202) lands men, currency, and equipment on Basilan Island, P.I.
Submarine Whale (SS-239) sinks Japanese gunboat Shoei Maru (transporting men of the Guam Base Detachment) about 17 miles north-northwest of Rota Island, Marianas, 14°17'N, 144°54'E.
Japanese merchant tanker Palembang Maru is damaged by mine (possibly laid by Trout (SS-202) on 7 April 1943) 02°00'N, 109°15'E.
27 May, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Finback (SS-230) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kochi Maru about 75 miles northwest of Palau, 08°23'N, 134°06'E.Submarine Runner (SS-275) departs Midway for her third war patrol. She is never heard from again.
Atlantic
Naval Station, Coco Solo, Canal Zone, is established.German submarine U-154 attacks Brazil-to-Trinidad convoy BT 14 at 03°56'S, 36°43'W, torpedoing three U.S. merchantmen: motor tanker Florida, freighter Cardinal Gibbons, and freighter John Worthington. Submarine chaser PC-592 rescues Florida's crew (there are no casualties among the 52-man merchant complement or the 27-man Armed Guard); gunboat Saucy (PG-65) takes the seriously damaged tanker in tow and takes her to Fortaleza, Brazil. Salvage vessel Crusader (ARS-2) subsequently tows Florida to Puerto Rico for repairs.
28 May, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Submarine S-41 (SS-146) sinks Japanese merchant barkentine/cargo ship Asuka Maru off Paramushiro, Kuriles, 50°38'N, 155°15'E.Submarine Saury (SS-189) torpedoes and sinks Japanese fleet tanker Akatsuki Maru about 90 miles northwest of Okinawa, 27°32'N, 126°08'E. Although early in the battle Akatsuki Maru responds to the submarine's attack with depth charges and gunfire, and later claims to have sunk her assailant, her efforts at self-defense prove unavailing and Saury emerges the victor in the encounter.
Submarine Trigger (SS-237) damages Japanese merchant tanker Koshin Maru off Irosaki, Japan, 34°33'N, 138°50'E.
Atlantic
German submarine U-177 attacks convoy CD 20 and torpedoes and sinks U.S. freighter Agwimonte, 34°57'S, 19°33'E; there are no casualties among the 46-man merchant complement or 23-man Armed Guard, and South African Navy whaler Vereeniging rescues most of Agwimonte's crew. An army crash boat rescues the remainder of the men the next day.29 May, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine chaser SC-669 sinks Japanese submarine I-178 30 miles west of Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, 15°35'S, 166°17'E.Submarine Gar (SS-206) sinks Japanese gunboat Aso Maru southeast of Cayagan, Sulu Sea, 09°09'N, 121°50'E.
Submarine Scamp (SS-277) sinks Japanese seaplane carrier Kamikawa Maru north of Kavieng, New Ireland, 01°36'S, 150°24'E, and survives attacks by one of the submarine chasers escorting her, Ch 12 or Ch 37.
Submarine Tambor (SS-198) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Eisho Maru (ex-Panamanian Folozu) in South China Sea about 60 miles southeast of Hainan Island, 17°30'N, 110°55'E.
Submarine Tinosa (SS-283) unsuccessfully attacks Japanese cargo vessel Shinto Maru, 32°00'N, 131°51'E .
30 May, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Organized Japanese resistance ends on Attu, Aleutians.Submarine Saury (SS-189) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking merchant cargo ship Hakozaki Maru and army cargo ship Takamisan Maru about 150 miles east-southeast of Shanghai, China, 30°07'N, 124°32'E.
Submarine Steelhead (SS-280) lays mines off Erimo Zaki, Japan.
Atlantic
German submarine U-126 torpedoes U.S. freighter Flora McDonald off the west coast of Africa, 07°20'N, 13°15'W; escorting trawler HMS Fandango rescues Flora McDonald's survivors and proceeds to Freetown, Sierra Leone. British tug HMS Zwarte Zee, escorted by British sloop HMS Milford and corvettes HMS Woodruff and HMS Tamarisk, proceed to the blazing freighter's assistance.Mediterranean
Tank landing craft LCT-28 is sunk by mine, Mediterranean Sea.31 May, Mon. 1943
Atlantic
Light cruisers Milwaukee (CL-5) and Omaha (CL-4) are damaged in collision off the coast of Brazil.June
1 June, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Trigger (SS-237) sinks Japanese merchant collier Noborikawa Maru off Kominato, southern Honshu, 35°02'N, 140°14'E.Atlantic
U.S. freighter Flora McDonald, torpedoed by German submarine U-126 off the west coast of Africa on 309 May 1943, is beached at Freetown, Sierra Leone, to facilitate salvage. She burns for 16 days, however (part of her cargo includes rubber) and she is subsequently written off as a total loss.2 June, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Tambor (SS-198) sinks Japanese transport/cargo ship Eika Maru (ex-Portuguese Wing Wah) in South China Sea, 20°29'N, 107°57'E.Atlantic
Submarine chaser PC-565 sinks German submarine U-521 off Virginia, 37°43'N, 73°16'W.3 June, Thu. 1943
Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter Montanan is torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-27 off the Arabian coast, 17°58'N, 58°09'E. Six of the 42-man merchant complement and two of the 23-man Armed Guard are lost. Dhow Naranpasha comes across one boatload of survivors and transfers them to Indian Navy trawler RINS Baroda, which eventually transports them to Port Okah, India; the remaining three boatloads of survivors reach shore on Masirah Island, off Oman.4 June, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Silversidess (SS-236) lays mines in Steffan Strait between New Hanover and New Ireland.Submarine chaser PC-496 is sunk by mine, 37°23'N, 09°52'W.
Atlantic
Aircraft (VC 9) from escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) damage German submarines U-228, U-603, and U-641, mid-Atlantic.5 June, Sat. 1943
Pacific
USN carrier planes sink Japanese army cargo ship Shintoku Maru southwest of Buin, 07°00'S, 155°33'E.Atlantic
Aircraft (VC 9) from escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) sink German submarine U-217, mid-Atlantic, 30°18'N, 42°50'W.6 June, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Submarine S-30 (SS-135) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship No. 3 Nagashige Maru south of Kamchatka, 50°45'N, 156°56'E.Submarine Tautog (SS-199) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Shinei Maru, 07°00'N, 123°37'E .
Japanese river gunboat Seta is damaged by Chinese planes, Yangtze River.
Indian Ocean
U.S. tanker William King is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-198 off the South African coast, 30°34'S, 33°56'E; while six of the 42-man merchant complement perish in the sinking, there are no casualties among the 23-man Armed Guard. U-198 surfaces and brings the lifeboats alongside, however, and takes ship's master Owen H. Reed prisoner before departing (see 8 and 12 June 1943).7 June, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Submarine chaser PC-496 is sunk by mine, 37°23'N, 09°52'E.8 June, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Naval Air Facility, Attu, Aleutians, is established.Submarine Finback (SS-230) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking auxiliary minelayer Kahoku Maru about 100 miles north of Palau, 08°14'N, 134°18'E.
Japanese battleship Mutsu is sunk by accidental explosion, Hiroshima Bay, Japan, 34°05'N, 132°20'E.
Indian Ocean
British trawler HMS Northern Chief rescues survivors from U.S. tanker William King, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-198 off the South African coast on 6 June 1943 (see 12 June 1943).Atlantic
Aircraft (VC 9) from escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) damage German submarine U-758, mid-Atlantic area.9 June, Wed. 1943
Submarine Greenling (SS-213) damages Japanese oiler Akebono Maru en route to Truk, 02°17'N, 145°38'E.
10 June, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Submarine chaser PC-487 is damaged when she intentionally rams and sinks Japanese submarine I-24 40 miles north-northeast of Shemya Island, Aleutians, 53°16'N, 174°24'E.Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) unsuccessfully attacks Japanese cargo vessel Fujikawa Maru, 24°55'N, 145°36'E.
Submarine S-30 (SS-135) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Jimbu Maru, 50°23'N, 155°36'E.
Submarine Tinosa (SS-283) damages Japanese oiler Iro 30 miles off Fuka Island, Kyushu, 31°14'N, 132°44'E. Although damaged in return by depth charges during enemy counterattacks, the submarine remains on patrol.
Submarine Trigger (SS-237) damages Japanese carrier Hiyo 18 miles off Irozaki, 34°13'N, 139°50'E.
Japanese river gunboat Atami is damaged by Chinese aircraft near Tung Ting Lake, China.
Atlantic
U.S. tanker Esso Gettysburg, en route from Port Arthur, Texas, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-66 at 31°02'N, 79°15'E; intense fires, fed by the ship's cargo of crude oil, prevent boats from being launched; only seven of the 27-man Armed Guard and eight of the 45-man merchant complement survive the inferno that consumes the ship. For his heroism in ordering the forward gun manned and opening fire on the attacking U-boat, Ensign John S. Arnold, II, USNR, commanding the Armed Guard, will receive the Navy Cross. Steamship George Washington rescues the few survivors.11 June, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Finback (SS-230) attacks Palau-bound convoy just west of Babelthuap, sinking Japanese army cargo ship Genoa Maru, 07°36'N, 134°17'E. Patrol Boat No.46's counterattack fails to inflict damage, and Finback escapes undamaged.Submarine Runner (SS-275) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Seinan Maru off Monomi Zaki, off northwest coast of Honshu, 41°00'N, 141°30'E.
Submarine S-30 (SS-135) sinks Japanese merchant cargo vessel Jimbu Maru, anchored in Kakumabetsu Wan, Paramushiro, Kuriles, 50°23'N, 155°36'E.
Submarine Silversides (SS-236) attacks Japanese convoy about 270 miles south of Truk, sinking transport Hinode Maru north of New Ireland, 02°43'N, 152°00'E.
12 June, Sat.
Pacific
Submarine Trout (SS-202) lands men and supplies on Mindanao.Atlantic
Aircraft (VC 9) from escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) sink German submarine U-118, mid-Atlantic area, 30°49'N, 33°49'W.Submarine R-12 (SS-89) sinks, cause unknown, off Key West, Florida, 24°24.30'N, 81°38.30'W.
Indian Ocean
British destroyer HMS Relentless rescues last survivors from U.S. tanker William King, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-198 off the South African coast on 6 June 1943.13 June, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Destroyer Frazier (DD-607) sinks Japanese submarine I-9 one and a half miles east of Sirius Point, Kiska, Aleutians, 52°08'N, 177°38'E.Submarine Guardfish (SS-217) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Suzuya Maru off the southwest coast of New Ireland, 03°08'S, 151°24'E.
Submarine Sargo (SS-188) attacks Japanese convoy 250 miles south of Yap, Carolines, and sinks army transport Konan Maru, 06°08'N, 138°28'E. The submarine is damaged by depth charges, 06°40'N, 136°59'E, but remains on patrol.
Atlantic
Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba (WPG-77) is sunk by explosion off Ivigtut, Greenland, 60°50'N, 52°00'W.14 June, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Sargo (SS-188) is damaged by depth charges off Palau Islands, 06°40'N, 136°59'E, but remains on patrol.Atlantic
U.S. freighter William H. Webb is mined while en route from Baltimore, Maryland, to Casablanca, French Morocco, and returns whence she had come for repairs. There are no casualties among the 42-man merchant complement, the sole passenger, and the 30-man Armed Guard.15 June, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Gunnel (SS-253) sinks Japanese merchant passenger-cargo ship Koyo Maru in Tsushima Straits, 33°55'N, 127°38'E.Submarine Sailfish (SS-192) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Shinju Maru south of Todozaki, Honshu, 39°00'N, 142°00'E.
Submarine Trout (SS-202) damages Japanese oiler Sanraku Maru in the Celebes Sea, off Sibitu, 05°09'N, 119°38'E; Sanraku Maru is eventually scuttled, 04°45'N, 119°48'E
16 June, Wed. 1943
Pacific
In the largest raid since 7 April 1943, Japanese aircraft attack ships off Guadalcanal; while a large number of enemy planes are shot down, tank landing ships LST-340, damaged by dive bombers, is beached off Lunga Point, 09°26'S, 160°05'E; cargo ship Celeno (AK-76) is also damaged, 09°24'S, 160°02'E.17 June, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Submarine chaser SC-740 sinks after running aground, 15°32'S, 147°06'E.Submarine Drum (SS-228) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking transport Myoko Maru about 175 miles east-northeast of Kavieng, New Ireland, 02°03'S, 153°44'E.
Mediterranean
Tank landing ships LST-6 and LST-326 are damaged in collision, North African area, 37°18'N, 09°51'E.18 June, Fri. 1943
Submarine S-33 (SS-138) damages two Japanese fishing craft off Paramushiro, Kuriles, 50°25'N, 155°02'E.
19 June, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Guardfish (SS-217) is damaged by depth charges north of Bismarck Archipelago, 02°00'N, 148°14'E, but remains on patrol.Submarine Growler (SS-215), in attack on Japanese convoy on the Palau-to-Rabaul route, sinks army cargo ship Miyadono Maru about 200 miles north-northwest of Mussau Island, 01°38'N, 148°14'E.
Submarine Gunnel (SS-253) damages Japanese gunboat Hong Kong Maru (ex-Philippine Argus) and sinks merchant cargo ship Tokiwa Maru, off Shirase, Japan, 32°40'N, 126°37'E, and sinks coastal minesweeper Tsubame 32°31'N, 126°17'E.
Submarine Sculpin (SS-191) sinks Japanese guardboat No.1 Miyasho Maru and army cargo ship Sagami Maru off Inubozaki, Japan, 37°11'N, 142°30'E.
Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter Henry Knox, en route from Fremantle, Australia, to Bandar Shahpur, Iran, is torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-37 at 00°05'S, 69°50'E. Although I-37 surfaces and conducts an extensive questioning of the survivors in one boat, the Japanese take no action against the men, who begin sailing toward the Maldive Islands, 200 miles distant, upon the enemy's departure (see 27, 28 and 30 June 1943).20 June, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Seawolf (SS-197) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Shojin Maru, 24°39'N, 118°58'E.Submarine Tautog (SS-199) sinks Japanese transport Meiten Maru west of the Marianas, 15°57'N, 140°55'E.
Atlantic
PBYs (VP 84) sink German submarine U-388, North Atlantic area, 57°36'N, 31°20'W, and damage U-420.U.S. freighter Santa Maria is damaged by mine laid by German submarine U-214 five miles off Dakar, French West Africa, 14°34'18"N, 17°28'23"W, and is towed back to Dakar by French tugs. While there are no casualties among the merchant complement, one sailor of the 30-man Armed Guard is blown overboard and lost.
Covered lighter YF-401 founders in heavy weather, 35°7'N, 69°W.
Mediterranean
Tank landing craft LCT-208 founders after grounding off coast of Algeria.21 June, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Fourth Marine Raider Battalion lands at Segi Point, New Georgia, Solomons.Submarine Harder (SS-257) damages Japanese oiler No. 3 Kyoei Maru east of Daiozaki, Japan, 34°30'N, 137°32'E.
Submarine Hoe (SS-258) attacks Japanese vessel Koyo Maru, 08°58'N, 131°13'E; although Hoe claims a sinking, Koyo Maru survives the encounter with no damage.
Japanese gunboat Hong Kong Maru sinks as the result of damage inflicted by submarine Gunnel (SS-253) off Shirase, Japan, lighthouse on 19 June 1943.
Atlantic
German auxiliary cruiser Michel sights U.S. convoy escorted by submarine chasers SC-1042 and SC-1045 but does not attack.22 June, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Japanese submarine I-7, damaged by destroyer Monaghan (DD-354) 10 miles south of Cape Hita, runs aground, irreparably damaged, 12 miles south-southwest of Kiska, Aleutians, 51°49'N, 177°20'E.Submarine Grayling (SS-209) damages Japanese merchant oiler Eiyo Maru, 04°03'N, 103°57'E.
Atlantic
Planes from escort carrier Santee (CVE-29) attack German submarine U-572, limiting the damage the latter can inflict on convoy UGS 10.Submarine chaser SC-751 sinks after grounding, 21°56'S, 113°53'E.
Mediterranean
Tank landing ships LST-333 and LST-387 (both carrying landing pontoons) are torpedoed by German submarine U-593 about five miles east of Dellys, Algeria, 36°59'N, 04°02'E. LST-333 is beached; LST-387 is towed to Dellys by tank landing craft LCT-294 and LCT-431. Damaging of these two ships hampers training for the forthcoming invasion of Sicily (Operation HUSKY).23 June, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Japanese submarine RO 103 torpedoes and sinks cargo ship Aludra (AK-72) and torpedoes cargo ship Deimos (AK-78) while both are in convoy en route to Guadalcanal, 11°26'S, 162°01'E. Deimos, irreparably damaged, is scuttled by destroyer O'Bannon (DD-450), 11°26'S, 162°01'E.Submarine Harder (SS-257) damages Japanese seaplane carrier Sagara Maru off southern Honshu, 33°45'N, 138°10'E (see 4 July 1943).
U.S. aircraft sink Japanese guardboat Nikka Maru north of Bougainville, 05°34'N, 155°07'E.
24 June, Thu.
Pacific
Submarine Snook (SS-279) damages Japanese oiler Ose west of Amami Oshima, 28°50'N, 126°56'E.Mediterranean
Harbor tug YT-211 is damaged by storm, North African area, 33°38'N, 07°32'W.Mediterranean
PBY (VP 84) sinks German submarine U-200, North Atlantic area, 59°00'N, 26°18'W.25 June, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Sailfish (SS-192) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking army collier Iburi Maru off northeast coast of Honshu, 39°00'N, 142°00'E.Mediterranean
U.S. tanker Eagle, en route to Bahia, is torpedoed by German submarine U-513 about eight miles southeast of Cape Frio, Brazil, at 31°02'N, 79°15'E; Armed Guard gunfire keeps the U-boat submerged while the ship returns to Rio de Janeiro for repairs. There are no casualties among the 41 merchant sailors or the 12-man Armed Guard.26 June, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Jack (SS-259) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking transports Shozan Maru and Toyo Maru off Hachijo Jima, southern Honshu, Japan, 33°22'N, 138°56'E. Although damaged by a Japanese aerial bomb during enemy countermeasures, Jack continues on patrol.Submarine Runner (SS-275) perhaps sinks Japanese army cargo ship Shinryu Maru off Matsuwa Island, Kuriles, 48°06'N, 153°15'E (see 28 May 1943).
27 June, Sun. 1943
Mediterranean
Salvage vessel Redwing (ARS-4) is sunk by underwater explosion (possibly an enemy mine) off coast of North Africa, 37°19'N, 09°56'E.Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter Sebastian Cermeno, en route from Mombasa, Kenya, to Bahia, Brazil, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-511 at 29°00'S, 50°10'E; after U-511 surfaces to question the survivors, the enemy submarine submerges and retires from the area (see 8, 13, 14, 23 and 27 July 1943).First group of survivors of U.S. freighter Henry Knox, torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-37 on 19 June 1943, reaches the Maldives (see 28 and 30 June 1943).
28 June, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Peto (SS-265) sinks Japanese hydrographic-meteorological research ship Tenkai, 01°47'N, 151°46'E.Submarine Tunny (SS-282) sinks Japanese gunboat Shotoku Maru off west coast of Rota, Marianas, 14°10'N, 145°03'E.
Indian Ocean
Second group of survivors of U.S. freighter Henry Knox, torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-37 on 19 June 1943, reaches the Maldives (see 30 June 1943).29 June, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Naval Auxiliary Air Facility, Shemya, Alaska, is established.Submarine Gurnard (SS-254) unsuccessfully attacks Japanese convoy, 07°34'N, 134°26'E.
Japanese cargo vessel No.8 Mikage Maru is sunk in collision with Nikko Maru 30 miles west of Iwanni, northern coast of Hokkaido, 45°04'N, 142°03'E.
30 June, Wed. 1943
Naval vessels and craft on hand (all types)-18,493. Personnel: Navy--1,741,750; Marine Corps--310,994; Coast Guard--154,976. Total Personnel--2,207,720.
Pacific
Beginning shortly before midnight on 29 June, four cruisers and four destroyers of TU 36.2.1 (Rear Admiral Aaron S. Merrill) bombard Vila-Stanmore on Kolombangara and Buin-Shortland, Bougainville, Solomons; TU 36.2.2--light minelayers Preble (DM-20), Gamble (DM-15), and Breese (DM-18)--sow mines off Shortland Harbor, Bougainville, between Alu and Munda Islands. Gamble lays mines off New Georgia.In Operation TOENAILS, Third Fleet Amphibious Force (Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner) supported by land-based aircraft (Vice Admiral Aubrey W. Fitch) lands Marines and Army troops on Rendova and other islands in the New Georgia area, Solomons. Destroyer Gwin (DD-433) is damaged off Munda, New Georgia, by Japanese shore battery.
Attack transport McCawley (APA-4), damaged by Japanese aerial torpedoes is torpedoed by what is most likely U.S. motor torpedo boat off New Georgia, Solomons, 08°25'S, 157°28'W.
High speed minesweeper Zane (DMS-14) is damaged by grounding, Solomons, 08°30'S, 157°25'E.
Seaplane tender (destroyer) Hulbert (AVD-6) is damaged by grounding off Alexai Point, Massacre Bay, Aleutians.
Indian Ocean
Last survivors of U.S. freighter Henry Knox, torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-37 on 19 June 1943, reaches the Maldives. From Henry Knox's complement, 13 of 42-man merchant sailors perish, as do 13 of the 25-man Armed Guard.Atlantic
Coast Guard Cutter No. 83421 is sunk in collision with submarine chaser SC-1330, en route to Miami, Florida. Submarine chaser SC-1330 is damaged.July
1 July, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Naval Operating Base, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, is established.Motor torpedo boat PT-162, operating out of Rendova, is damaged by Japanese plane, south of Mbalumbala Island.
Submarine Gar (SS-206) lands commandoes on south coast of Timor, N.E.I.
Submarine Gurnard (SS-254) unsuccessfully attacks Japanese landing craft transport/aircraft transport Akitsu Maru, 07°39'N, 134°20'E.
Submarine Thresher (SS-200) attacks Japanese convoy off the northwest coast of Celebes, in the Straits of Makassar, damaging destroyer Hokaze, 00°43'N, 119°34'E, and sinking army cargo ship Yoneyama Maru, 00°20'N, 119°32'E, 38 miles from Balikpapan. Hokaze is grounded in Sibaya harbor, Celebes, to prevent sinking and to permit salvage.
2 July, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Japanese naval and army aircraft bomb Rendova, Solomons; Japanese light cruiser Yubari and nine destroyers bombard the beachhead. Motor torpedo boats PT-156, PT-157, and PT-161 engage the enemy, but inflict no damage.Motor torpedo boats PT-153 and PT-158, damaged by grounding, Solomons, 08°20'S, 157°15'E, are beached and abandoned.
Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) sinks Japanese merchant troopship Canton Maru off China coast, about 80 miles northeast of Amoy, 25°07'N, 119°18'E.
Submarine S-35 (SS-140) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship (crab-catcher) No.7 Banshu Maru off the west coast of the Kamchatka peninsula, Aleutians, 52°30'N, 156°12'E.
Submarine Trout (SS-202) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Isuzu Maru off north coast of Marinduque Island, P.I., 13°36'N, 121°49'E.
USAAF B-25 and USN F4Us sink Japanese auxiliary minelayer Kashi Maru off New Georgia.
Atlantic
U.S. tanker Bloody Marsh, en route from Houston, Texas, to New York City, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-66 at 32°45'N, 78°45'W; three merchant sailors are lost in the initial explosion (see 3 July 1943).3 July, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Scorpion (SS-278) attacks Japanese convoy in the Yellow Sea and sinks merchant cargo ships Anzan Maru and Kokuryu Maru, 38°20'N, 124°25'E.Atlantic
U.S. freighter Elihu B. Washburne is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-513 off the coast of Brazil at 24°05'S, 45°25'W; all hands survive the attack (see 4 July 1943).Submarine chaser SC-1048 rescues survivors (previously sighted by Navy blimp) from tanker Bloody Marsh, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-66 the previous day.
4 July, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Jack (SS-259) attacks Japanese convoy off southeast coast of Honshu, sinking army cargo ship Nikkyu Maru, 34°33'N, 138°37'E.Submarine Pompano (SS-181) sinks Japanese seaplane carrier Sagara Maru, previously damaged by Harder (SS-257), 34°38'N, 137°53'E.
Submarine Snook (SS-279) attacks Takao, Formosa-bound Japanese convoy in the East China Sea, damaging transport Atlantic Maru and sinking army cargo ships Liverpool Maru and Koki Maru about 250 miles north-northeast of Keelung, 28°40'N, 124°10'E.
Mediterranean
Destroyer Wilkes (DD-441) is damaged by grounding, North African area, 37°18'N, 09°51'E.Atlantic
Survivors (42 merchant sailors, three passengers, and the 25-man Armed Guard) of U.S. freighter Elihu B. Washburne, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-513the previous day, reach safety on the island of Sao Sabastiao.5 July, Mon. 1943
Pacific
TG 36.1 (Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth) bombard Vila, Kolombangara, and Bairoko Harbor, New Georgia, Solomons. That night, shortly before midnight, Rear Admiral Ainsworth's ships engage a force of Japanese destroyers (Rear Admiral Akiyama Teruo) in the Battle of Kula Gulf. Destroyer Strong (DD-467) is sunk by Japanese destroyer torpedo (fired by either Niizuki, Yunagi or Nagatsuki) 08°05'S, 157°15'E.Marines (1st Marine Raider Battalion) and Army troops land at Rice Anchorage, New Georgia, Solomons.
RAAF Beaufighters sink Japanese auxiliary sailing vessel No.12 Koyo Maru, chartered to carry fuel, 35 miles west of Dobo, en route to Ambon.
Atlantic
U.S. freighter Maltran, in convoy GTMO 134 and en route from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Ponce, Puerto Rico, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-759 at 18°11'N, 74°57'W; submarine chaser SC-1279 rescues all hands (35 merchant sailors and the 12-man Armed Guard).Motor torpedo boat PT-250 is damaged when accidentally grounded off Looe Key, Florida, 24°33'N, 81°25'E.
Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter Alcoa Prospector, in convoy PA 44 and en route from Abadan, Iran, to Montevideo, Uruguay, is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-27 at 24°26'N, 58°20'E; Royal Indian Navy minesweeper RINS Bengal takes on board the survivors (see 6 July 1943).6 July, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Battle of Kula Gulf occurs in the pre-dawn darkness as three light cruisers and four destroyers of TG 36.1 (Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth) engage a Japanese reinforcement force of seven destroyers (Rear Admiral Akiyama Teruo), four of which (Amagiri, Hatsuyuki, Nagatsuki and Satsuki) are carrying troops and supplies to Kolombangara, Solomons. Light cruiser Helena (CL-50) is sunk by Japanese destroyers Suzukaze and Tanikaze, 07°46'S, 157°11'E, but Japanese destroyer Niizuki is sunk by gunfire of a "Brooklyn-class light cruiser" (what is most likely light cruiser Honolulu (CL-48)), 07°50'S, 157°15'E, and Nagatsuki, damaged by gunfire, is grounded and abandoned on the southeastern coast of Kolombangara; what is gunfire from most likely St. Louis (CL-49) and Honolulu damages destroyer Sukukaze; gunfire damages Amagiri; gunfire from Honolulu and what is likely destroyers Nicholas (DD-449) and O'Bannon (DD- 450) damage Hatsuyuki; Tanikaze is hit by a dud shell.In the wake of the battle, while engaged in rescuing some of Helena's survivors, Nicholas and Radford (DD-446) engage Amagiri and Hatsuyuki, damaging both. Still later, SBDs, TBFs, and F4Fs bomb the beached Nagatsuki (see 10 July 1943).
Three heavy cruisers, one light cruiser, and four destroyers of TG 16.7 (Rear Admiral Robert C. Giffen) bombards Kiska, Aleutians. American ships draw no return fire.
Submarine Gurnard (SS-254) is damaged by aerial bombs and depth charges off Palau, 07°33'N, 134°26'E, but remains on patrol.
Submarine Permit (SS-178) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship No.33 Banshu Maru, 43°35'N, 140°21'E.
PB4Y-1 (VB 102) attacks Japanese installations at Greenwich Island, but during the daring, low-level operation the plane is shot down by defending PETEs (902nd Kokutai). Nevertheless, for his "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity" displayed in this attack, the PB4Y's commander, Lieutenant Commander Bruce A. Van Voorhis, is awarded a Medal of Honor, posthumously.
Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter Alcoa Prospector, torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-27 the day before, is reboarded by the crew as Royal Indian Navy RINS Bengal stands by (see 9-10 July).7 July, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Motor torpedo boat PT-161, operating out of Rendova, is damaged by Japanese plane off Banieta Point.Destroyer Waller (DD-466) fires upon and depth-charges unidentified Japanese submarine, 08°00'S, 158°05'E.
Submarine Permit (SS-178) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Showa Maru off Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan, 43°14'N, 139°53'E.
Submarine Peto (SS-265) damages Japanese oiler Shinkoku Maru, 00°35'N, 148°00'E.
Submarine Plunger (SS-179) damages Japanese merchant cargo ship Anzan Maru, 37°14'N, 132°57'E.
Atlantic
German submarine U-185 carries out two attacks on convoy BT 18 off the coast of Brazil, torpedoing U.S. freighter James Robertson and tanker William Boyce Thompson at 04°00'S, 36°00'W, in the first assault. James Robertson careens through the columns of the convoy, colliding in succession with U.S. freighter Alcoa Banner and Brazilian Cotazaloide before she is abandoned. Submarine chaser PC-575 rescues 21 men. William Boyce Thompson, which loses three men in the initial explosion (a fourth dies subsequently of his injuries), is abandoned, with the survivors being picked up by gunboat Surprise (PG-63) and a boat from the torpedoed James Robertson; a Brazilian ship subsequently rescues the latter as well as the remainder of that ship's survivors (but not before one Armed Guard sailor from James Robertson drowns) (see 9 July 1943). William Boyce Thompson is later scuttled with gunfire and depth charges by escorts. In the second attack on BT 18, U-185 torpedoes U.S. tanker S.B. Hunt and freighter Thomas Sinnickson at 03°51'S, 36°22'W. The former suffers no casualties to either the 37-man merchant complement or the 11-man Armed Guard, and ultimately makes port at Trinidad for temporary repairs; the latter loses one of the 27-man Armed Guard in the initial explosion but no casualties from its 43-man merchant complement, and remains afloat into the night while gunboat Surprise stands by and takes off 18 men (see 8 July 1943).USAAF B-24 sinks German submarine U-951 in eastern Atlantic, 37°40'N, 15°30'W.
8 July, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Naval aircraft bomb Vila, Kolombangara, Solomons.Submarine Seal (SS-183) is damaged by bombs and depth charges off northern Honshu, 39°53'N, 142°10'E, and is forced to terminate her patrol.
Atlantic
USAAF aircraft sink German submarine U-232 off Portugal, 40°37'N, 13°41'W.U.S. freighter Thomas Sinnickson, torpedoed the previous day during German submarine U-185's attack on convoy BT 18, defies the valiant efforts of her crew and continues to sink. Gunboat Surprise (PG-63), which has remained close at hand during the attempted salvage, takes off the remainder of the crew and Armed Guard and scuttles the irreparably damaged freighter.
German submarine U-510 attacks convoy TJ 1 about 150 miles northeast of Cayenne, French Guiana, 05°50'N, 50°20'W and sinks U.S. freighter Eldena. Submarine chaser PC-495 rescues all hands (including the 26-man Armed Guard).
Indian Ocean
One group of survivors of freighter Sebastian Cermeno, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-511 on 27 June 1943, reaches safety at Madagascar (see 13, 14, 23 and 27 July 1943).9 July, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Destroyer Aylwin (DD-355), on Kiska blockade patrol, bombards Japanese positions in the Gertrude Cove area, drawing light and inaccurate return fire.Four U.S. destroyers bombard Lambert Plantation near Munda, New Georgia, Solomons.
Submarine Permit (SS-178), believing her quarry to be a Japanese trawler, shells Soviet oceanographic vessel Seiner No.20 27 miles off Kaiba To. Once the mistake is realized, Permit comes alongside the blazing vessel and rescues the survivors before the Russian craft sinks. The Soviet sailors are taken to Akutan, Alaska.
Submarine Thresher (SS-200) lands men, stores, and ammunition on west coast of Negros.
Atlantic
PBY (VP 94) sinks German submarine U-590 at mouth of Amazon River, Brazil, 03°22'N, 48°18'W.Two boats of survivors from freighter James Robertson, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-185 on 7 July 1943, reach the Brazilian coast, one at Fortaleza and the other at Cascavel.
Mediterranean
Ensign John J. Parle, USNR, officer-in-charge of small boats from tank landing ships LST-375 off the island of Sicily, as preparations for Operation HUSKY proceed, becomes aware of the accidental ignition of a smoke pot in one of LST-375's landing craft. Although fully aware of the hazards, Parle enters the boat, extinguishes a burning fuze and when unable to put out the burning smoke pot, seizes it and throws it over the side, thus saving the ship from serious damage and preventing the premature disclosure of the impending landings. For his bravery, Ensign Parle, who succumbs to his injuries on 17 July 1943, is awarded the Medal of Honor, posthumously.Indian Ocean
Royal Indian Navy RINS Bengal fails in attempt to tow damaged freighter Alcoa Prospector, torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-27 on 5 July 1943 (see 10 July 1943).U.S. freighter Samuel Heintzelman, en route from Fremantle, Australia, to Colombo, Ceylon, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-511 at 09°00'S, 81°00'E. There are no survivors from the 42-man merchant complement, the 27-man Armed Guard and six passengers.
10 July, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Halibut (SS-232) damages Japanese transport (ex-armed merchant cruiser) Aikoku Maru, 10°27'N, 150°50'E.Submarine Pompano (SS-181) damages Japanese oiler Kyokuyo Maru, 33°34'N, 136°07'N.
Submarine Steelhead (SS-280) damages Japanese escort carrier Un'yo, 10°00'N, 150°48'E.
USAAF B-25s bomb wreck of beached Japanese destroyer Nagatsuki (see 6 July 1943).
Mediterranean
Allies invade Sicily in Operation HUSKY. Troops land under cover of naval gunfire and aircraft. The overall commander is General Dwight D. Eisenhower, USA; naval commander is Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew B. Cunningham, RN. Western Naval Task Force (Vice Admiral H. Kent Hewitt) lands the U.S. Seventh Army (Lieutenant General George S. Patton, USA), and Eastern Naval Task Force (Vice Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay, RN) lands British Eighth Army (British General Sir Bernard L. Montgomery). Naval gunfire will support the forces ashore throughout the Sicilian campaign. Off Sicily, Axis planes bomb invasion shipping and screening ships, sinking destroyer Maddox (DD-622), 36°52'N, 13°56'E; tank landing ships LST-313, 37°01'N, 14°15'E; and minesweeper Sentinel (AM-113), 37°06'N, 13°55'E. Collisions in the crowded waters off the beaches account for damage to destroyers Roe (DD-418) andSwanson (DD-443) at 37°03'N, 13°36'E, and LST-345 and submarine chaser PC-621 at 37°02'N, 14°15'E.German submarine U-371 attacks convoy off the Algerian coast, torpedoing U.S. freighter Matthew Maury at 37°00'N, 05°00'E, and tanker Gulfprince at 37°13'N, 05°12'E. There are no casualties on board the former (including the 28-man Armed Guard), which is towed to the Algerian port of Bougie and subsequently returns to service. The latter is abandoned by the 36-man merchant complement and 28-man Armed Guard, the survivors being rescued by British trawler HMS Sir Gareth and freighter Empire Commerce; one Armed Guard sailor dies of his wounds on board the latter. A salvage crew later boards Gulfprince and the ship is towed to Algiers by British salvage tugs HMS Weazel and HMS Hudson; she subsequently is chartered by the Navy for use as a mobile storage facility in North African waters.
Indian Ocean
Anglo-Iranian oil company tugs tow damaged freighter Alcoa Prospector, torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-27 on 5 July 1943, into Bandar Abbas, Iran. Although there are no casualties inflicted by I-27's attack, one merchant seaman dies of pneumonia.U.S. freighter Alice F. Palmer, bound for Durban, is torpedoed by German submarine U-177 at 26°30'S, 44°10'E, and abandoned by the 43 merchant seamen and the 25-man Armed Guard. After the Germans question the survivors, U-177 hastens the freighter's sinking by shelling her before she clears the area (see 13, 25, 26 and 30 July 1943).
11 July, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Destroyer Monaghan (DD-354) bombards Japanese positions at Gertrude Cove, Kiska Island, Aleutians.Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) sinks Japanese guardboat No.8 Takatori Maru between Okino Daito Jima and Kazan Retto, 24°00'N, 135°25'E.
Submarine Gurnard (SS-254) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking army cargo ship Taiko Maru about 375 miles northeast of Palau, 13°08'N, 132°00'E.
PBYs attack Japanese guardboats off Kamchatka, sinking Seiun Maru and damaging Koshin Maru.
USAAF B-24s damage Vichy French customs vessel Albert Sarraut and Japanese cargo vessel No. 3 Kiri Maru 45 miles east of Haiphong, French Indochina.
Mediterranean
U.S. cruiser and destroyer gunfire stops German tank attack on landing beaches near Gela, Sicily; Army observers report 13 of the 50 tanks that make the attack are destroyed. Off the invasion beaches at Sicily, enemy air attacks account for damage to tank landing ships LST-158 off Licata (she is then beached and abandoned), 37°05'N, 13°55'E (LST 318, beached adjacent to her burning sistership, retracts immediately to avoid damage from exploding ammunition and gasoline); attack transport Barnett (APA-5) and transport Orizaba (AP 24); near-misses damage transport Monrovia (AP-64), 37°02'N, 14°15'E, and attack transport Joseph T. Dickman (APA-13); attack transport William P. Biddle (APA-8) and LST-382 are damaged in collision, 36°41'N, 14°23'E. Off Gela, Sicily, U.S. freighter Robert Rowan is set afire by bomb during German air attack, and is abandoned. Once the blaze reaches her ammunition cargo, the freighter then explodes. Destroyer McLanahan (DD-615) attempts to sink Robert Rowan with gunfire to extinguish the flames from the burning vessel that are illuminating all ships within miles, but the attempt is frustrated because the water is too shallow and the abandoned merchantman will not sink. Navy landing craft and transport Orizaba, however, rescue all hands: 41-man merchant complement, 32-man Armed Guard and 348 troops.12 July, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Four light cruisers and two destroyers of TG 36.9 (Rear Admiral Aaron S. Merrill) bombard Munda, New Georgia, Solomons.Coast Guard cutter Taney (WPG-37), reconnoitering Baker Island, is bombed, but not damaged, by Japanese flying boat.
Destroyer Taylor (DD-468) sinks Japanese submarine RO 107 east of Kolombangara, Solomons, 08°00'S, 157°19'E.
Submarine Mingo (SS-261) stalks Japanese convoy but her attack, principally directed against cargo vessel Ryoyo Maru, is not successful, 00°54'N, 143°01'E. Counterattacks by two of the ships of Submarine Chaser Division 23 (Ch 22, Ch 23, and Ch 24), which are escorting Ryoyo Maru and two other merchantmen, likewise do not succeed in their object.
Submarine Plunger (SS-179) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Niitaka Maru in the Sea of Japan, west of Hokkaido, 43°02'N, 140°00'E.
Submarine Spearfish (SS-190) damages Japanese destroyer Kawakaze 11°12'N, 161°50'E.
USAAF B-24s (14th Air Force) bomb Japanese shipping in Dulong Bay, 18 miles east of Haiphong, French Indochina, and sink cargo ships Chikuzan Maru (ex-Ariadne Moller) and Tairyu Maru, 20°52'N, 106°41'E.
Atlantic
USAAF B-24s sink German submarine U-506 off coast of Portugal, 42°30'N, 16°30'W.U.S. freighter African Star is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-172 off the coast of Brazil at 25°46'S, 40°35'W. One of the 31-man Armed Guard is lost in the initial explosion, but the 56-man merchant complement survives intact. U-172 surfaces after sinking the ship, questions a few of the survivors and then provides them with directions to the nearest land before she retires (see 13 July 1943).
Mediterranean
German air attacks against invasion shipping off Sicily continue. U.S. freighter Joseph G. Cannon is struck by a bomb and sinks in shallow water; she suffers no casualties to the 40-man merchant complement or the 25-man Armed Guard, although a number of British soldiers on board perish when the bomb hits the ship.13 July, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Battle of Kolombangara is fought in the darkness off Kolombangara, Solomons, as three light cruisers and ten destroyers of TG 36.1 (Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth) engage Japanese light cruiser and five destroyers (Rear Admiral Izaki Shunji) escorting troop-carrying destroyers. Japanese torpedoes damage U.S. light cruisers Honolulu (CL-48), 07°31'S, 157°19'E, and St. Louis (CL-49), 07°37'S, 157°16'E; and New Zealand light cruiser HMNZS Leander (which has replaced the lost Helena (CL-50)). Destroyer Gwin (DD-433), damaged by torpedo, is scuttled by Ralph Talbot (DD-390), 07°41'S, 157°27'E. Destroyers Woodworth (DD-460) and Buchanan (DD-484) are damaged by collision, 07°40'S, 157°14'E. Japanese light cruiser Jintsu is sunk by cruiser gunfire and destroyer torpedo, 07°38'S, 157°06'E; and destroyer Yukikaze is damaged.Indian Ocean
Second group of survivors of freighter Sebastian Cermeno, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-511 on 27 June 1943, reaches Durban, South Africa (see 14, 23 and 27 July 1943).RAF Catalina rescues one group of survivors from U.S. freighter Alice F. Palmer, torpedoed, shelled and sunk by German submarine U-177 on 10 July 1943, 60 miles southeast of Madagascar (see 25, 26 and 30 July 1943).
Atlantic
Aircraft (VC 13) from escort carrier Core (CVE-13) sink German submarine U-487, 720 miles south-southwest of Fayal, Azores, 27°15'N, 34°18'W.Brazilian destroyer Maranhao rescues survivors of U.S. freighter African Star, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-172 off the coast of Brazil the previous day.
Mediterranean
German air attacks continue on invasion shipping off the beaches at Sicily; off Avola, freighter Timothy Pickering, hit by a bomb, catches fire. The blaze spreads with a rapidity that denies escape to those on board: 127 of 128 embarked British troops perish, as do 22 of the 43-man crew and 16 of the 23-man Armed Guard. Timothy Pickering is scuttled by a torpedo from a British destroyer.Naval Advanced Base, Gela, Sicily, is established.
14 July, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Naval Operating Base, Adak, Aleutians, is established.Destroyer Monaghan (DD-354) bombards Japanese positions at Gertrude Cove, Kiska Island, Aleutians. She repeats the bombardment on 15 July. On neither occasion do enemy guns reply.
Japanese reconnaissance planes sight small seaplane tender Chincoteague (AVP-24) as she tends patrol planes at Saboe Bay, Vanikoro (see 16 and 17 July 1943).
Japanese submarine I-179 sinks, accidentally, off Akizaki, Japan, 33°40'N, 132°40'N.
Indian Ocean
Third group of survivors of freighter Sebastian Cermeno, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-511 on 27 June 1943, is located by U.S. freighter Theodore Parker and taken to Durban, South Africa (see 23 and 27 July 1943).U.S. freighter Robert Bacon is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-178, 35 miles off Mozambique Light, 15°25'S, 41°13'E. U-178 surfaces after sinking the ship, questions the survivors, provides them with directions to the nearest land and then retires. Two of the 44-man merchant complement perish in the attack, but the 27-man Armed Guard survives intact (see 16, 27 and 28 July, 3 and 27 August 1943).
Atlantic
TBF and F4F (VC 29) from escort carrier Santee (CVE-29) sink German submarine U-160 south of Azores, 34°02'N, 26°02'W.Mediterranean
Tank landing craft LCT-19 is sunk by aircraft off Salerno, Italy.Light cruiser Brooklyn (CL-40) is damaged by mine off Licata, Sicily, 36°57'N, 14°06'E.
15 July, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) shells airfield on Matsuwa Island, Kuriles.Submarine Tinosa (SS-283) sinks Japanese armed merchant cruiser Aikoku Maru, 10°16'N, 151°27'E.
USAAF B-25s and fighters bomb Japanese small cargo vessels west of Canongga Island, 08°03'S, 156°35'E, damaging Wada Maru.
Japanese light cruiser Nagara is damaged by mine laid by submarine Silversidess (SS-236) on 4 June 1943 off Kavieng, 02°36'S, 150°34'E.
Atlantic
PBY (VP 92) and British destroyer HMS Rochester and frigates HMS Mignonette and HMS Balsam sink German submarine U-135, 28°20'N, 13°17'W.Caribbean
PBM (VP 32) damage sinks German submarine U-159 in Caribbean area, 15°58'N, 73°44'W.Aircraft (VC 29) from escort carrier Santee (CVE-29) sink German submarine U-509 south of Azores, 34°02'N, 26°02'W.
Mediterranean
Minesweeper Staff (AM-114) is damaged by mine off Port Empedocle, Sicily, 37°17'N, 13°30'E; sistership Skill (AM-115) enters the minefield and tows Staff to safety.16 July, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Small seaplane tender Chincoteague (AVP-24) is attacked by Japanese bombers off Vanikoro, but suffers no damage (see 14 and 17 July 1943).High speed transports Waters (APD-8) and Dent (APD-9) rescue last two groups of survivors from light cruiser Helena (CL-50) (see 6 July 1943) from Japanese-held Vella Lavella.
Atlantic
TBFs (VC 13) from escort carrier Core (CVE-13) sink German submarine U-67 in mid-Atlantic, 30°05'N, 44°17'W.U.S. freighter Richard Caswell is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-513, about 200 miles off the coast of Brazil, 28°10'S, 46°30'E. U-513 surfaces, questions the survivors, provides them with cigarettes and then retires. Nine of the 42-man merchant complement perish in the attack; there are no casualties among either the 24-man Armed Guard or the two passengers (see 19 and 22 July 1943).
Mediterranean
German planes bomb Allied shipping in Algiers harbor. U.S. freighters John H. Eaton and Stephen C. Foster are damaged by falling debris and concussion when nearby Allied merchantmen are destroyed by bombs. There are no casualties to either the merchant complements or Armed Guards on board either U.S. vessel.German planes bomb Allied shipping off Sicily; U.S. freighter William T. Coleman is damaged by near-miss of bomb.
Indian Ocean
First group of survivors from U.S. freighter Robert Bacon, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-178 on 14 July 1943 off Mozambique Light, arrives at Mozambique harbor (see 27 and 28 July, 3 and 27 August 1943).17 July, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Navy and USMC SBDs (VB 11 and VMSB 132), Navy TBFs (VT 11 and VT 21), escorted by USMC F4Us (VMF 122, VMF 211 and VMF 221) (other F4U-equipped units also participate), and USAAF B-24s, escorted by USAAF P-39s and P-40s and RNZAF P-40s, attack Japanese shipping at Buin, Bougainville, Solomons. The pilots press home their strikes in the face of heavy fighter opposition and sink destroyer Hatsuyuki and damage destroyers Hatsukaze and Yunagi and auxiliary minesweeper W.15, 06°50'S, 155°46'E.Small seaplane tender Chincoteague (AVP-24) is damaged by Japanese bombers off Vanikoro; seaplane tender (destroyer) Thornton (AVD-11), high speed minesweeper Trever (DMS-18), and destroyer Jenkins (DD-447) render timely assistance in the battle to save the crippled ship.
18 July, Sun. 1943
Pacific
SBDs and TBFs, and USAAF B-24s, attack Japanese shipping in the Buin-Kahili area, Bougainville, Solomons, and damage destroyer Mochizuki.Tank landing ships LST-342 is sunk by Japanese submarine RO 106, Solomons, 09°03'S, 158°11'E.
Atlantic
Airship K 74 is shot down by German submarine U-134 in the Florida Straits (only naval airship lost to enemy action during World War II), but U-134 is also damaged in the encounter.Covered lighter YF-487 is lost in Caribbean Sea.
Mediterranean
Submarine chaser PC-562 is damaged by mine off Port Empedocle, Sicily, 37°10'N, 12°35'E.19 July, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Japanese planes bomb airfield at Funafuti.Submarine Porpoise (SS-172) sinks Japanese transport No.20 Mikage Maru 50 miles south of Wake Island, 18°45'N, 166°04'E; vessels of Submarine Chaser Division 32 (Ch 28, Ch 29, and Ch 30 comprise the division) carry out unsuccessful counterattacks.
Atlantic
PBM (VP 74) sinks German submarine U-513 off Santos, Brazil, 27°17'S, 47°32'W; small seaplane tender Barnegat (AVP-10) rescues survivors. Ironically, this same day two boatloads of survivors from U.S. freighter Richard Caswell, torpedoed and sunk by U-513 on 17 July 1943, are rescued by Argentine steamship Mexico (see 22 July 1943).German submarine U-134 is damaged by aircraft, DM 2925.
Mediterranean
During German air attack upon shipping off Avola, Sicily, U.S. freighter Samuel Parker is straddled and damaged by near-misses of bombs, but suffers no casualties to either the merchant complement or the Armed Guard.20 July, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Searching PBY detects movement of Japanese surface force (Rear Admiral Nishimura Shoji) through the "slot" between Vella Lavella and Choiseul. TBFs from Henderson Field attack Nishimura's ships, sinking destroyer Yugure and damaging heavy cruiser Kumano and destroyer Minazuki. After a second wave of American planes (TBFs and USAAF B-25s) attack the enemy ships without success, a third wave (B-25s) sinks destroyer Kiyonami.USAAF B-25s, unaware of friendly naval vessels in their patrol area, mistakenly sink motor torpedo boat PT-166 (08°15'S, 156°53'E) and damage PT-164 and PT-168 in Ferguson Passage, Solomons.
Submarine Pompano (SS-181) damages Japanese transport Uyo Maru, east of Miki Zaki, 33°55'N, 136°26'E.
Atlantic
USAAF aircraft sink German submarine U-588 in Bay of Biscay, 45°10'N, 09°42'W.Mediterranean
German planes bomb Allied shipping off Augusta, Sicily; U.S. freighter William T. Coleman is damaged when British tanker Fort Pelly, moored to same buoy, is set afire by direct hits. Getting underway, William T. Coleman runs aground, and while thus immobile, is menaced by burning oil from Fort Pelly, which then explodes, further damaging the freighter by flying debris.21 July, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Destroyers Monaghan (DD-354) and Aylwin (DD-355) carry out an unopposed bombardment of Japanese positions in the Gertrude Cove area, Kiska Island.Tank landing ships LST-343 is damaged by Japanese bomb off Rendova; among the casualties is Captain Elphege M. Gendreau, Pacific Fleet Medical Officer.
Japanese planes bomb airfield at Funafuti.
Submarine Haddock (SS-231) sinks Japanese army transport Saipan Maru (whose passenger list includes 180 geishas) and endures counterattacks by [IJN] Hato, 16°18'N, 134°04'E.
Atlantic
PBY (VP 94) sinks German submarine U-662 off mouth of Amazon River, Brazil, 03°36'N, 48°46'W.22 July, Thu. 1943
Pacific
TG 16.21 (Rear Admiral Robert C. Giffen) and TG 16.22 (Rear Admiral Robert M. Griffin), consisting of two battleships, three heavy cruisers, one light cruiser, and nine destroyers, bombard Kiska, Aleutians. Enemy return fire proves ineffective. USAAF B-25s, P-38s and P-40s and F5As (P-38s modified for photo reconnaissance) also bomb the Japanese positions.Three waves of Navy and USAAF planes, including B-17s and B-24s, attack Japanese resupply convoy off Cape Friendship; SBDs and TBFs sink seaplane carrier Nisshin.
USAAF B-24s raid Surabaya, Java, targeting refineries, dock areas, and railroad yards; auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 111 is damaged in the attack on harbor facilities.
Submarine Sawfish (SS-276) damages Japanese ammunition ship Seia Maru, 30°54'N, 125°15'E.
Atlantic
U.S. tanker Cherry Valley, proceeding independently from New York to Aruba, N.W.I., is torpedoed by German submarine U-66 at 25°10'N, 68°35'W. U-66's second torpedo attack fails, and as she surfaces to shell her quarry and finish her off in that fashion she finds herself hotly engaged by Armed Guard gunfire. The 28-man Armed Guard serves its weapons efficiently; Cherry Valley escapes her assailant and reaches San Juan, Puerto Rico, under her own power and with no casualties.Third boatload of survivors from U.S. freighter Richard Caswell, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-513 off the coast of Brazil on 17 July 1943, reaches safety at Florianapolis. Small seaplane tender Barnegat (AVP-10), which had ironically rescued survivors from U-513 (which had sunk Richard Caswell) when the enemy submarine had been sunk on 19 July 1943, rescues the last of Richard Caswell's survivors from a raft.
Mediterranean
During German air attack upon shipping off Avola, Sicily, U.S. freighter Samuel Parker is straddled and damaged by near-misses of bombs, as well as strafed. The latter attacks result in the death of two Armed Guard sailors.23 July, Fri. 1943
Atlantic
VP 63, equipped with PBYs, the first U.S. naval aircraft squadron to operate from the United Kingdom, arrives in South Wales for antisubmarine patrol duty over the Bay of Biscay.Destroyer George E. Badger (DD-196) sinks German submarine U-613 (en route to mine the waters off Jacksonville, Florida) south of Azores, 35°32'N, 28°36'W.
Planes (VC 9) from escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) break up a rendezvous between German submarines U-527 and U-648 south of the Azores. U-527 is sunk at 35°25'N, 27°56'W, but U-648 escapes.
PB4Ys (VB 107) sink German submarine U-598 off Brazil, 04°05'S, 33°23'W.
Indian Ocean
Fourth group of survivors of freighter Sebastian Cermeno, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-511 on 27 June 1943, reaches Durban, South Africa, on board a British corvette (see 27 July 1943).24 July, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Destroyers bombard Bairoko Harbor, New Georgia, Solomons.Submarine Tinosa (SS-283) torpedoes Japanese oiler No. 3 Tonan Maru, 06°56'N, 147°52'E; towed to Truk, the oiler is utilized as a floating oil tank. Tinosa, however, fires 15 torpedoes; 13 hit but only two explode! The incident highlights torpedo exploder problems that have plagued the submarine force since the beginning of the war.
Japanese army cargo ship Mie Maru is sunk by mine, Babo harbor, 02°31'S, 133°26'E.
Atlantic
USAAF aircraft sink German submarine U-622 off Norway, 63°27'N, 10°23'E.Planes (VC 29) from escort carrier Santee (CVE-29) damage German submarine U-373 about 130 miles west of Madeira Islands.
USAAF B-24s damage German submarine U-466 off Cayenne, French Guiana, 07°30'N, 50°15'W.
25 July, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Destroyers and aircraft strike enemy position at Munda, Solomons.Submarine Pompon (SS-267) damages Japanese transport Kinsen Maru and sinks army cargo ship Thames Maru, 02°46'N, 148°35'E.
Indian Ocean
Second group of survivors from U.S. freighter Alice F. Palmer, torpedoed, shelled and sunk by German submarine U-177 on 10 July 1943, reaches safety at Mozambique (see 26 and 30 July 1943).26 July, Mon. 1943
Pacific
TG 16.7 (Rear Admiral Robert C. Giffen) and TG 16.17 (Rear Admiral Robert M. Griffin) engage radar targets 90 miles southwest of Kiska. The contacts, however, prove to be phantom echoes on the U.S. radar screens, and the engagement becomes known as the "Battle of the Pips."Indian Ocean
Third group of survivors from U.S. freighter Alice F. Palmer, torpedoed, shelled and sunk by German submarine U-177 on 10 July 1943, reaches safety at Mozambique (see 30 July 1943).Caribbean
PBM (VP 32) sinks German submarine U-759, 18°06'N, 75°00'W.Mediterranean
Off Palermo, Sicily, destroyer Mayrant (DD-402) is bombed and damaged by German horizontal bomber, 38°16'N, 13°20'E; minesweeper Skill (AM-115) helps tow the damaged destroyer into port where she can be repaired. Motor torpedo boat PT-202 is damaged by gunfire from German F-lighter.27 July, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Sawfish (SS-276) damages Japanese minelayer Hirashima off Kyushu, Japan, 32°32'N, 127°41'E.Submarine Scamp (SS-277) sinks Japanese submarine I-168, 02°50'S, 149°01'E, and damages oiler Kazahaya, 02°38'S, 149°20'E.
Submarine Seadragon (SS-194) inflicts further damage on the previously damaged Japanese transport Suwa Maru off Wake Island, 19°15'N, 166°30'E.
Japanese merchant cargo ship Teikin Maru is sunk by mine (laid by submarine Tambor (SS-198) on 2 November 1942) off Hainan Island, 19°57'N, 109°05'E.
Indian Ocean
Last group of survivors of freighter Sebastian Cermeno, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-511 on 27 June 1943, reaches Durban, South Africa, on board a British destroyer. From the 42-man merchant complement, five passengers and 27-man Armed Guard, five of the crew perish in either the initial attack, die of their wounds or from exposure in the lifeboats.Second and third groups of survivors from U.S. freighter Robert Bacon, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-178 on 14 July 1943 off Mozambique Light, are rescued from their boats, one by British steamship English Prince the other by British tanker Steaua Romana. Three rafts with survivors are still at sea (see 28 July, 3 and 27 August 1943).
28 July, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Japanese complete evacuation of Kiska Island, Aleutians (Vice Admiral Kawase Shiro), undetected by U.S. forces; among the materiel wrecked by the evacuating enemy are three midget submarines.Destroyer Farragut (DD-348) on Kiska blockade patrol sinks an empty Japanese landing craft (perhaps cast adrift by the evacuating enemy garrison) four miles east of Sobaka Rock, off the south coast of Kiska.
Japanese submarine RO 103 is last reported on this date; subsequent attempts to contact her are unsuccessful and she never returns to her base at Rabaul. Her fate is uncertain; she may have been mined.
USAAF B-25s sink Japanese destroyers Ariake and Mikazuki off Cape Gloucester, New Britain.
USAAF B-24s sink Japanese army cargo vessel Tamishima Maru off Tavoy Island, 13°53'N, 097°40'E.
Indian Ocean
Fourth group of survivors from U.S. freighter Robert Bacon, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-178 on 14 July 1943 off Mozambique Light, reaches safety after two weeks at sea (see 3 and 27 August 1943).Atlantic
PBY (VP 32) sinks German submarine U-359, West Indies area, 15°57'N, 68°30'W.USAAF and British aircraft sink German submarine U-404, Bay of Biscay, 45°53'N, 09°23'W.
U.S. freighter John A. Poor, straggling from convoy BX 65 in a heavy fog, fouls mine laid by German submarine U-119 at 42°51'N, 64°55'W, but reaches port under tow; there are no casualties among the 42-man merchant complement or the 28-man Armed Guard.
Mediterranean
U.S. Naval Operating Base, Palermo, Sicily, is established.29 July, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Tuna (SS-203) is mistakenly damaged by RAAF Catalina off Woodlark Island, 08°02'S, 152°07'E, and is forced to terminate her patrol.USAAF B-25s and P-38s bomb the already damaged Japanese destroyer Mikazuki (see 28 July 1943) aground off Cape Gloucester.
USAAF B-24s damage Japanese guardboat No.1 Kyo Maru off Ross Island, Andamans.
Atlantic
U.S. Advanced Amphibious Training Base, Appledore, England, is established.Mediterranean
Motor torpedo boat PT-218 is damaged by Italian MAS boat.30 July, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Destroyers Farragut (DD-348) and Hull (DD-350), unaware that the Japanese garrison has been evacuated, bombard the Gertrude Cove and main camp areas on Kiska Island.Atlantic
German submarine U-230 lays mines off entrance to Chesapeake Bay.PV-1 (VB 127) providing coverage for convoy TJ-2 sinks German submarine U-591 off Pernambuco, Brazil, 08°36'S, 34°34'W.
PV-1 (VB 129) attacks German submarine U-604, South Atlantic (see 3 and 11 August 1943).
Aircraft (VC 29) from escort carrier Santee (CVE-29) sink German submarine U-43 in mid-Atlantic, 34°57'N, 35°11'W, breaking up a rendezvous between U-43 and U-403 and preventing U-43 from sowing mines in waters off Lagos, Nigeria, West Africa.
Submarine chaser PC-624 sinks German submarine U-375 off Tunisia, 36°40'N, 12°28'E.
Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter William Ellery, en route from Basra, Iraq, to Durban, South Africa, is torpedoed by German submarine U-197 some 300 miles from her destination, 32°00'S, 36°00'E, but reaches it under her own power; there are no casualties among the 39-man merchant complement and the 27-man Armed Guard.Fourth and last group of survivors from U.S. freighter Alice F. Palmer, torpedoed, shelled and sunk by German submarine U-177 on 10 July 1943, reaches safety at Mozambique. All hands survive the ordeal of the loss of the ship and the ensuing open boat voyages.
31 July, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Finback (SS-230) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Ryuzan Maru, 06°30'S, 111°30'E.Submarine Grayling (SS-209) lands supplies and equipment at Pucio Point, Panay.
Submarine Guardfish (SS-217) lands survey party on west coast of Bougainville, Solomons.
Submarine Pogy (SS-266) sinks Japanese aircraft transport Mogamigawa Maru northwest of Truk, 11°08'N, 153°18'E.
Submarine Saury (SS-189), at periscope depth, is rammed by Japanese destroyer and damaged, Philippine Sea, 27°03'N, 135°27'E; consequently, Saury terminates her patrol.
Atlantic
PBM (VP 74) and Brazilian A-28 and Catalina sink German submarine U-199 off Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 23°45'S, 42°57'W. Small seaplane tender Barnegat (AVP-10) rescues German survivors.August
1 August, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Rendova-based motor torpedo boats patrolling off Vanga Vanga and Gatere, Solomons, encounter Japanese destroyers in Blackett Strait off Kolombongara (see 2 August 1943).Motor torpedo boat PT-117, damaged by dive bomber, Rendova Harbor, Lumbari Island, Solomons, 08°24'S, 157°19'E, is beached and abandoned; PT-164 is sunk by horizontal bomber, Rendova Harbor, 08°25'S, 157°20'E.
Submarine Finback (SS-230) damages Japanese transport Atlas Maru, 04°10'S, 112°10'E.
Submarine Mingo (SS-261) bombards Sorol Island, Carolines. USAAF planes initiate daily bombings of Kiska, Aleutians.
Submarine Steelhead (SS-280) attacks same Japanese convoy harassed by Pogy (SS-266) the previous day and damages auxiliary vessel Seiko Maru as she tries to reach Truk, 11°20'N, 153°30'E.
Atlantic
Naval Station, Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, is established.Gunboat Brisk (PG-89) attacks German submarine U-732, driving her away from Guantanamo-bound convoy NG 376.
Mediterranean
Minesweeper Skill (AM-115) is damaged by horizontal bomber off Sicily.2 August, Mon. 1943
Pacific
TG 16.6 (Rear Admiral Wilder D. Baker) and TG 16.17 (Rear Admiral Howard F. Kingman), consisting of two battleships, two heavy cruisers, three light cruisers and nine destroyers, bombard Kiska, Aleutians. Kiska is bombarded ten times between 2 and 15 August 1943.Motor torpedo boats continue to engage Japanese destroyers off Kolombongara (see 1 August 1943); motor torpedo boat PT-109 is rammed and sunk by Japanese destroyer Amagiri, Blackett Strait, Solomons, 08°03'S, 156°58'E. Amagiri is damaged in the collision.
USAAF B-25s and P-38s sink Japanese motor torpedo boats Gyoraitei No.112 and Gyoraitei No.113 at Lae, New Guinea, 07°00'N, 147°00'E.
RAAF Catalinas damage Japanese destroyer Akikaze south of Rabaul, 06°50'N, 151°10'E.
Atlantic
USAAF aircraft sink German submarine U-706, eastern Atlantic, 46°15'N, 10°25'W.3 August, Tue. 1943
Mediterranean
PBM (VP 205) sinks German submarine U-572, north of Dutch Guiana, 11°33'N, 54°05'W.Aircraft (VC 1) from escort carrier Card (CVE-11) damage German submarine U-66 about 457 miles west-southwest of Flores Island, Azores.
PB4Ys (VB 107) damage German submarine U-604, south Atlantic.
Destroyer Moffett (DD-362) is accidentally damaged by PB4Y (VB 107), approximately 09°40'S, 30°07'W.
Pacific
German auxiliary cruiser Michel (Schiffe 28) sights transport Hermitage (AP-54) off Pitcairn Island, but does not attack (see 7 August 1943).Indian Ocean
Fifth group of survivors from U.S. freighter Robert Bacon, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-178 on 14 July 1943 off Mozambique Light, reaches safety after 20 days at sea (see 27 August 1943).Mediterranean
Destroyer Buck (DD-420) sinks Italian submarine Argento off Tunisia, 36°52'N, 12°08'E.U.S. tanker Yankee Arrow, in convoy KMS 20, is mined as she nears the Bizerte, Tunisia, harbor channel, 37°10'N, 11°06'E; two of the 25-man Armed Guard perish, as do five merchant sailors. The ship reaches port under her own power, but is adjudged unfit for further sea service.
4 August, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Radar-equipped PBY carries out pre-dawn bombing of submarine base and main Japanese camp area on Kiska. The Catalina also drops 92 empty beer bottles (for the disconcerting whistling effect they produce) on those targets.U.S. motor torpedo boats engage Japanese guardboats off Vanga Vanga, Kolombangara, sinking No. 3 Matsue Maru and driving Banyo Maru ashore, damaged.
Submarine Finback (SS-230) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kaisho Maru, 05°18'S, 111°50'E.
Submarine Seadragon (SS-194) damages Japanese transport Kembu Maru, 07°33'N, 161°12'E.
Atlantic
Aircraft damage German submarine U-604, [...]Mediterranean
Destroyer Shubrick (DD-639) is damaged by dive bomber off Palermo, Sicily, 38°06'N, 13°20'E.U.S. freighter Harrison Grey Otis, anchored in Gibraltar harbor, is irreparably damaged by Italian limpet mine. Of the ship's 45-man merchant complement, one man dies and eight are injured; there are no casualties among the 23-man Armed Guard.
5 August, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Munda, New Georgia, Solomons, falls to U.S. Army forces.Submarine Pike (SS-173) sinks Japanese transport Shoju Maru west of Marcus Island, 24°30'N, 158°50'E.
Submarine Silversides (SS-236) damages Japanese minelayer Tsugaru north-northeast of Rabaul, 01°53'N, 153°52'E.
USAAF B-24 and USN/USMC F4Us sink Japanese fishing boat No.9 Kaiyo Maru off Kolombangara.
Atlantic
Destroyer Black (DD-666) is damaged when accidentally rammed by ferryboat Staten (YFB-36) at New York Navy Yard.Gunboat Plymouth (PG-57) is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-566, 120 miles southeast of Cape Henry, Virginia, 36°17'N, 74°29'W.
6 August, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Battle of Vella Gulf is joined shortly before midnight, as six destroyers of TG 36.2 (Commander Frederick Moosbrugger) attack four Japanese destroyers attempting to bring troops and supplies to Kolombangara, Solomons, in Vella Gulf; destroyers Dunlap (DD-384), Craven (DD-382), and Maury (DD-401) sink Japanese destroyers Kawakaze, Hagikaze, and Arashi, 07°50'S, 156°47'E. U.S. force suffers no damage.Submarine Pike (SS-173) unsuccessfully attacks Japanese aircraft carrier Taiyo, 21°03'N, 153°31'E.
Atlantic
PV-1 (VB 130), PBMs (VP 204, VP 205), and USAAF B-18 sink German submarine U-615, Caribbean, 12°53'N, 64°54'W.Mediterranean
Tank landing ships LST-3 is damaged by horizontal bomber off Sicily, 38°01'N, 14°20'E.7 August, Sat. 1943
Atlantic
Destroyer Moffett (DD-362) is again accidentally damaged by a PB4Y (VB 107) while both are hunting for a German submarine, approximately 09°00 S, 26°00'W.Aircraft (VC 1) from escort carrier Card (CVE-11) sink German submarine U-117, North Atlantic, 39°32'N, 38°21'W.
Pacific
German auxiliary cruiser Michel (Schiffe 28) again sights transport Hermitage (AP-54) off Pitcairn Island, but, again, does not attack.8 August, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Motor torpedo boat PT-113, damaged by grounding, eastern New Guinea, 09°12'S, 146°29'E, is beached and abandoned.Submarine Salmon (SS-182) unsuccessfully attacks Japanese vessel Shinko Maru, 46°50'N, 144°40'E.
Submarine Whale (SS-239) sinks Japanese ammunition ship Naruto Maru northwest of the Marianas, 24°12'N, 142°52'E, and survives counterattack by destroyer Asanagi.
Japanese gunboat Tozan Maru is wrecked in storm on the south coast of Hokkaido, 42°25'N, 143°20'E.
Atlantic
Aircraft (VC 1) from escort carrier Card (CVE-11) damage German submarine U-262, North Atlantic. U-262 unsuccessfully attacks destroyer Borie (DD-215); U-664 conducts unsuccessful attack on Card. VC 1 fliers find U-664 on the surface but did not damage the U-boat.9 August, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Sculpin (SS-191) sinks Japanese merchant passenger/cargo ship Sekko Maru, 24°55'N, 122°00'E.Japanese merchant cargo ship Esutoru Maru is damaged by mine laid by submarine Scorpion (SS-278) on 19 April 1943, 36°05'N, 140°45'E.
Atlantic
Aircraft (VC 1) from escort carrier Card (CVE-11) sink German submarine U-664, 570 miles west of Fayal, Azores, 40°12'N, 37°29'W.Tank landing ships LST-318 is damaged by dive bomber off Sicily, 38°04'N, 14°30'E.
LCT-311 founders in heavy weather off Bizerte, Tunisia.
10 August, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Motor torpedo boat PT-161, operating from Rendova, is damaged by Japanese floatplane off Gatere. Other motor torpedo boats engage Japanese craft (fishing boats) in Blackett Strait, sinking Suiko Maru.Submarine Salmon (SS-182) sinks Japanese merchant fishing boat Wakanoura Maru, 46°55'N, 143°30'E.
Submarine Tullibee (SS-284) is damaged when rammed by Japanese cargo ship during the submarine's attack on a three-ship convoy on the Saipan-Truk route.
USAAF B-24 damages (with a near-miss) Japanese auxiliary sailing vessel No.5 Shinsei Maru west of Cape St. George, 04°50'S, 152°55'E.
Mediterranean
Off Sicily, tank landing ships LST-318, damaged by dive bomber on 9 August 1943 off Sicily, 38°04'N, 14°30'E, is beached and abandoned; salvage vessel Brant (ARS-32) is damaged by friendly fire from destroyer Benson (DD-421), 36°49'N, 13°27'E.11 August, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Finback (SS-230) damages Japanese auxiliary vessel Tatsumiya Maru, bound for Singapore, at 05°30'S, 120°48'E, and endures counterattack by escorting auxiliary submarine chaser Toseki Maru.U.S. freighter Matthew Lyon is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-11 as the ship proceeds toward Espiritu Santo, 13°42'S, 165°59'E, but reaches her destination under her own power. Of the 59 men on board, 41 merchant sailors and an 18-man Armed Guard, only one is injured in the attack.
USAAF B-24 attacks Japanese convoy, bombing minesweeper W.22, 01°20'S, 148°55'E.
Atlantic
Aircraft (VC 1) from escort carrier Card (CVE-11) sink German submarine U-525 about 376 miles west-southwest of Corvo Island, Azores, 41°29'N, 38°55'W.German submarine U-604, previously damaged by PV-1s (VB 129) and PB4Ys (VP 107), and destroyer Moffett (DD-362) in South Atlantic, 05°00'S, 20°00'W, is scuttled. Her crew, embarked in U-185, will be further divided between U-185 and U-172 for the voyage home.
12 August, Thu. 1943
Pacific
TU 16.6.1 (Rear Admiral Wilder D. Baker), consisting of two heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, and five destroyers, bombards Kiska.Motor torpedo boat PT-168, operating from Rendova, is damaged by Japanese aircraft off Sandfly Harbor and Ferguson Passage.
Submarine chaser SC-526 is damaged by grounding off Sicily, 38°01'N, 13°27'E.
13 August, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Japanese bomber and torpedo planes raid shipping at Guadalcanal, sinking attack transport John Penn (APA-23), 09°23'S, 160°30'E.Motor torpedo boat PT-181, operating out of Rendova, is damaged by near-miss of Japanese bomb off Hunda Cove.
Submarine Paddle (SS-263) damages Japanese transport Hidaka Maru, 34°42'N, 136°13'E.
Submarine Sunfish (SS-281) sinks Japanese gunboat Edo Maru 180 miles from Chichi Jima, 24°04'N, 142°21'E.
U.S. freighter M.H. De Young is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-19 as the ship proceeds toward Espiritu Santo, 21°50'S, 175°10'E, but though damaged remains afloat due to barge pontoons stowed in each hold. The 25-man Armed Guard remains on board along with the master and two merchant marine officers while the crew and passengers remain nearby (see 14 August 1943).
U.S. aircraft sink Japanese guardboat No.15 Dai Nippon Maru in Bismarck Archipelago.
Mediterranean
German planes attack convoy MKS 21 off the coast of Algeria, strafing and holing U.S. freighters Jonathan Elmer, 36°07'N, 03°07'E, and Anne Bradstreet, 36°19'N, 02°18'E; one man is wounded on board the latter. Freighter Francis W. Pettygrove is torpedoed at 36°08'N, 02°14'E; partially abandoned, the survivors that clear the ship are taken on board British minesweeper HMS Hythe. The rest of the crew and Armed Guard remain on board to prepare the ship for tow (see 14 August 1943).14 August, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine chaser SC-67 makes rendezvous with damaged U.S. freighter M.H. De Young, torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-19 the previous day, and takes off wounded men to transport to Tongatabu. M.H. De Young is subsequently towed to that port by Canadian steamship Quebec two days later.Open lighter YC-970 sinks in Puget Sound, Washington.
Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 109 is damaged by aircraft off Balikpapan, Borneo.
USAAF B-25 aircraft sink three Japanese fishing craft, Iboki, 05°33'S, 149°08'E.
Mediterranean
U.S. freighter Francis W. Pettygrove, torpedoed while in convoy KMS 21 the day before by German plane, is taken in tow by British minesweeper HMS Hythe.15 August, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Third Amphibious Force (Rear Admiral Theodore S. Wilkinson) lands Navy, Marine, and Army personnel at Vella Lavella, Solomons, thus by-passing enemy positions on Kolombangara, Solomons.Naval task force under Commander North Pacific Force (Vice Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid) lands U.S. Army and Canadian troops at Kiska, Aleutians. They find Kiska had been evacuated by the Japanese on 28 July 1943. Only casualties in the operation occur because of accidents or friendly fire incidents.
Submarine Wahoo (SS-238) damages Japanese fleet tanker Terukawa Maru, 43°15'N, 140°03'E, and merchant fishery mother ship Ryokai Maru, 43°12'N, 140°00'E.
16 August, Mon.
Mediterranean
U.S. freighter Benjamin Contee is hit by aerial torpedo 16 miles north of Bone, Algeria; while the explosion kills 264 and injures 142 of the 1,800 Italian POWs on board there are no casualties to the 43-man merchant complement, 27-man Armed Guard, 26 British guards and 7 Army security people. Italian-speaking crewmen reassure the anxious prisoners that the ship is in no danger of sinking; Benjamin Contee ultimately returns to service.17 August, Tue. 1943
QUADRANT Conference at Quebec, Canada, begins with President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill and the Combined Chiefs of Staff to discuss worldwide strategy, with the principal concern to eliminate Italy from the war.
Pacific
Destroyers Waller (DD-466) and Philip (DD-498) are damaged by collision off Barakoma, Solomons, 08°11'S, 156°43'E, while defending convoy against Japanese air attack.USAAF B-24s damage Japanese cargo vessel Amagisan Maru off Balikpapan.
Atlantic
Portugal agrees to grant bases in the Azores to Great Britain.Mediterranean
Army troops enter Messina terminating the campaign in Sicily. Commander Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 15 (Lieutenant E.A. Dubose, USNR), after unopposed landings from motor torpedo boats PT-215, PT-216 and PT-217 on islands of Lipari and Stromboli, accepts the unconditional surrender of the Lipari Islands (Alicudi, Filicudi, Vulcano, Stromboli, Salina and Lipari). Destroyer Trippe (DD-403) covers the operation.Infantry landing craft LCI-1 is sunk by aircraft off Bizerte, Tunisia.
18 August, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Task group composed of four destroyers (Captain Thomas J. Ryan) attacks Japanese convoy north of Vella Lavella, Solomons; destroyers Nicholas (DD-449), Chevalier (DD-451), O'Bannon (DD-450), and Taylor (DD-468) sink auxiliary submarine chasers Cha 5 and Cha 12.In the first step toward acquiring airfields in the Ellice Islands to support projected operations in the Marshalls and Gilberts, an advanced survey party moves onto Nanomea atoll.
Tank landing ships LST-396 is sunk by explosion (believed to have been caused accidentally by own ship's force), en route to Barakoma, Solomons, 08°18'S, 156°55'E.
Destroyer Abner Read (DD-526) is damaged by mine off Conquer Point, Kiska Island, Aleutians, 52°01'N, 177°26'E.
Submarine Plunger (SS-179) damages Japanese merchant cargo ship Okuni Maru, 43°30'N, 140°30'E.
Atlantic
Advanced Amphibious Training Base, St. Mawes, Cornwall, England, is established.Mediterranean
Light cruisers Philadelphia (CL-41) and Boise (CL-47) and four destroyers shell Gioia Taura and Palmi on Italian mainland.19 August, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Destroyer Warrington (DD-383) is damaged when she strikes a shoal at 09°21'S, 160°21'E .OS2N (VS 57) sinks Japanese submarine I-17 off eastern Australia, 23°26'S, 166°50'E.
Submarine Finback (SS-230) sinks Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 109 (ex-Dutch patrol vessel Kawi) off east coast of Celebes, 03°01'S, 125°50'E.
Atlantic
Aircraft (VC 25) from escort carrier Croatan (CVE-25) attack German submarine U-134, northwest of the Azores, but the latter escapes.20 August, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Destroyer Pringle (DD-477) is damaged by Japanese strafing and near-miss of bombs while transiting Gizo Strait, Solomons; tank landing ships LST-354 is damaged by near-misses of bombs, off Barakoma.Submarine Gar (SS-206) sinks Japanese transport Seizan Maru, 01°00'N, 119°00'E.
Submarine Pompano (SS-181) departs Midway on her seventh war patrol. She is never heard from again.
Submarine Plunger (SS-179) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Seitai Maru off the southwest coast of Hokkaido, 42°15'N, 139°58'E.
Submarine Wahoo (SS-238) sinks Japanese merchant sampan No.1 Inari Maru, 45°50'N, 146°22'E.
Dutch submarine O 24 sinks Japanese gunboat Chosa Maru south of Penang, Malaya, 05°09'N, 100°10'E.
Atlantic
Naval Base, Rosneath, Scotland, is reestablished.German submarine U-670 is accidentally rammed and sunk during night training exercises in Baltic Sea.
21 August, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Motor torpedo boats PT-181 and PT-183, operating from Rendova, are damaged by strafing of Japanese floatplane, northwest of Turovilu Island.Mediterranean
U.S. freighter Cape Mohican is damaged (most likely by drifting mine) while in convoy MKF 22, off coast of North Africa, 33°42'N, 16°43'E, but reaches Malta under tow. There are no fatalities among the complement of 41 merchant sailors and a 24-man Armed Guard.22 August, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Marines (2d Airdrome Battalion) begin occupation of Nukufetau Atoll, Ellice Islands, as efforts proceed to acquire airfields to support the projected operations in the Marshalls and Gilberts (see 27 and 28 August 1943).Submarine Pike (SS-173) damages Japanese army cargo ship Toun Maru, 21°22'N, 137°50'E.
Submarine Plunger (SS-179) sinks Japanese merchant fishery mother ship Ryokai Maru, 42°40'N, 139°48'E.
Submarine Swordfish (SS-193) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Nishiyama Maru off Palau, 02°53'N, 136°21'E .
Submarine Tullibee (SS-284) sinks Japanese transport Kaisho Maru, 10°09'N, 147°25'E, and survives depth-charge attack by Ikazuchi.
23 August, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Coastal minesweeper Crow (AMc-20) is sunk by erratic running friendly aircraft torpedo, Puget Sound, Washington.Submarine Grayling (SS-209) delivers supplies to Filipino guerrilla forces on Panay.
Submarine Paddle (SS-263) sinks Italian merchant passenger/cargo ship Ada off Hamamatsu, Japan, 34°37'N, 137°53'E.
Japanese transport Heito Maru is sunk by Allied aircraft east of Car Nicobar.
Mediterranean
Tug Narragansett (AT-88) is damaged, and submarine chasers SC-694 and SC-696 are sunk, by German JU-88s off Palermo, Sicily, 38°08'N, 13°22'E.U.S. freighter Pierre Soule, en route from Sicily to Bizerte, Tunisia, is torpedoed by German submarine U-380, 38°21'N, 12°50'E. Tug Nauset (AT-89) tows the damaged freighter to Bizerte, arriving the following morning. There are no casualties.
24 August, Tue. 1943
QUADRANT Conference ends. President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill agree to intensify the war against Japan without relaxing the effort against Germany in Europe, and to intensify the war against Italy. Additionally, steps will be taken to include the Russians to a greater degree in the western Allies and to recognize General Charles DeGaulle's French Committee of National Liberation as representative of the Free French.
Pacific
New Georgia, Solomons, campaign ends as U.S. Army troops occupy Bairoko Harbor.Motor torpedo boats PT-175, PT-176, and PT-164, operating from Rendova, are damaged by Japanese floatplanes, Gizo Strait.
Submarine Whale (SS-239) damages Japanese fleet tanker San Diego Maru, 31°30'N, 128°35'E.
Small reconnaissance seaplane from Japanese submarine I-25 reconnoiters Espiritu Santo.
Atlantic
Aircraft (VC 13) from escort carrier Core (CVE-13) sink German submarines U-84 at 27°09'N, 37°03'W, and U-185at 27°00'N, 37°06'W, southwest of the Azores.Mediterranean
German planes bomb U.S. tanker Esso Providence off Port Augusta, Sicily; there are no fatalities among the ship's merchant and Armed Guard complement.25 August, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Rear Admiral Marc A. Mitscher is relieved as Commander Aircraft, Solomons, by Major General Nathan F. Twining, USA.TG 34.4, covered by four destroyers, sows mines off Wilson Cove, western Kolombongara; light minelayers Montgomery (DM-17) and Preble (DM-20) are damaged in collision as they retire from the area, 09°01'S, 159°50'E.
Destroyer Patterson (DD-392) sinks Japanese submarine RO 35, 170 miles southeast of San Cristobal Island, Solomons, 12°57'S, 164°23'E.
USAAF B-24 damages Japanese vessel Mito Maru 60 miles west-northwest of Mussau Island.
26 August, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Tunny (SS-282) attacks Japanese convoy consisting of transport Amagisan Maru and oiler (ex-seaplane carrier) Tsurumi, escorted by submarine chaser Ch 4, off Palaus, 07°30'N, 134°20'E; Tunny's attack is unsuccessful but Ch 4 damages the submarine and forces her to terminate her patrol.USAAF B-24s bomb Japanese destroyers attempting to reach Buin, 45 miles from Buka, damaging Hamakaze and forcing her to put into Rabaul for repairs.
Mediterranean
German submarine U-410 attacks convoy UGS 14 off the coast of Algeria, torpedoing U.S. freighters John Bell, 37°11'30"N, 08°21'E, and Richard Henderson, 37°12'N, 08°21'E; one of the 43-man merchant complement perishes on board the former while there are no casualties on board the latter. Both ships, irreparably damaged, sink the next morning. British motor minesweeper HMS BYMS 23 and South African armed whaler Southern Maid rescue John Bell's survivors; Southern Maid also participates in rescuing Richard Henderson's survivors as well.27 August, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Marines (2d Airdrome Battalion) and Seabees (16th Construction Battalion) complete occupation of Nukufetau, Ellice Islands. Army troops (RCT 172 of 43d Infantry Division) are landed on Arundel Island, Solomons.Tank landing craft LCT-319 sinks after running aground, Kiska, Aleutians.
Submarine Drum (SS-228) damages Japanese transport Yamagiri Maru, 01°31'S, 148°41'E.
Submarine Grayling (SS-209) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Meizan Maru, 13°35'N, 120°45'E.
Submarine Pollock (SS-180) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Taifuku Maru, 32°28'N, 132°23'E, although minesweeper W.17 arrives on the scene in time to open fire on Pollock, the submarine escapes.
Submarine Snapper (SS-185) inflicts further damage on the previously damaged Japanese transport Tokai Maru (see 26 January and 5 May 1943), Apra Harbor, Guam, 13°31'N, 144°37'E.
USAAF B-17s and B-24s, escorted by P-38s, bomb Japanese installations in the Hansa Bay area, damaging small cargo vessel No.8 Manryu Maru.
USAAF B-24s bomb Japanese shipping off western tip of New Hanover, damaging army cargo ship No.18 Shinsei Maru.
USAAF B-25s bomb Japanese shipping and installations at Choiseul, damaging fishing vessel Kokusei Maru.
Indian Ocean
Last group of survivors from U.S. freighter Robert Bacon, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-178 on 14 July 1943 off Mozambique Light, reaches safety after 44 days at sea. Only one survivor perishes from exposure.Atlantic
Aircraft (VC 1) from escort carrier Card (CVE-11) attack German submarines U-508, but the enemy escapes; other VC-1 aircraft sink U-847, mid-Atlantic area, 28°19'N, 37°58'W.28 August, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Marines (7th Defense battalion) occupy Nanumea, Ellice Islands.Submarine Tarpon (SS-175) damages Japanese stores ship Shinsei Maru, 33°39'N, 138°28'E.
Navy PBY aircraft attacks Japanese minelayer Hoko off Buka; although the Catalina crew claims damage, the enemy auxiliary escapes unscathed.
USAAF B-25 and P-38 aircraft bomb Japanese installations in Hansa Bay region, sinking fishing vessels Owaru Maru and Seio Maru.
29 August, Sun. 1943
Atlantic
German auxiliary cruiser Michel (Schiffe 28) eludes light cruiser Trenton (CL-11) off the coast of Chile.During turmoil in Denmark following the Danish government's refusal to yield to German demand for the death penalty for saboteurs, the Danish government resigns and the Danish army is disarmed. The Danish fleet (coast defense ship, nine submarines, a tender, three minesweepers, five patrol boats, five small minesweepers, and four minelayers) is scuttled at Copenhagen; one coast defense ship is scuttled at Isefjord. Germans capture three minesweepers, and two patrol boats, but one patrol boat, three motor minesweepers and nine small auxiliary vessels escape to Sweden.
30 August, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Halibut (SS-232) sinks Japanese cargo ship Taibun Maru, 41°50'N, 141°13'E.31 August, Tue. 1943
Pacific
TBFs, SBDs, and F6Fs from TF 15 (Rear Admiral Charles A. Pownall), consisting of two carriers, one small carrier, one battleship, two light cruisers, and 11 destroyers, supported by an oiler, bomb Marcus Island in the prototype fast carrier strike. TBFs from small carrier Independence (CVL 22) sink three Japanese small craft. Submarine Snook (SS-279) operates in support of TF 15.Tank landing craft LCT-154 is lost during amphibious operations, 37°8'N, 10°58'E.
Submarine Seawolf (SS-197) damages Japanese torpedo boat Sagi and sinks army cargo ship Shoto Maru and merchant cargo ship Kokko Maru, 28°30'N, 123°05'E.
U.S. tanker W.S. Rheem is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-20 near Espiritu Santo, 15°51'S, 167°02'E, but reaches port under her own power; there are no casualties to either the 49-man merchant complement or the 25-man Armed Guard.
USAAF aircraft sink small Japanese coastal vessel Shirogane Maru off coast of south China between Amoy and Hong Kong, 22°13'N, 114°10'E.
2>September
1 September, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Naval Air Station, Kahului, Maui, T.H., is established.Army occupation troops (804th Aviation Battalion) land on Baker Island, supported by TF 11 (Rear Admiral Willis A. Lee, Jr.), formed around small carriers Princeton (CVL 23) and Belleau Wood (CVL 24). Ashland (LSD 1) in this operation pioneers the use of the dock landing ship.
Destroyer Wadsworth (DD-516) sinks Japanese submarine I-182 off Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, 15°38'N, 166°57'E.
Submarine Pompano (SS-181) sinks Japanese merchant vessel Nankai Maru off Miyako.
Atlantic
Navy assumes full responsibility for airborne antisubmarine operations by U.S. forces in Atlantic.2 September, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Destroyer Kendrick (DD-612) is damaged by aerial torpedo, 36°42'N, 00°47'E.Submarine Bowfin (SS-287) delivers supplies and evacuates certain people from Binuni Point, Mindanao.
Submarine Seawolf (SS-197) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Fusei Maru, 31°28'N, 127°24'E.
Submarine Snapper (SS-185) sinks Japanese escort vessel Mutsure, 85 miles north-northwest of Truk, Carolines, 08°40'N, 151°31'E.
USAAF B-25s and P-38s pound Japanese convoy off Wewak, sinking army cargo ships Nagato Maru and Hankow Maru, and damaging Nagano Maru.
3 September, Fri. 1943
Allies sign armistice with Italy.
Pacific
Destroyer Ellet (DD-398) sinks Japanese submarine I-25, 150 miles northeast of Espiritu Santo, 13°10'S, 165°27'E.Submarine Pollack (SS-180) sinks Japanese transport Tagonoura Maru off Mikura Jima, 33°38'N, 140°07'E.
Submarine Pompano (SS-181) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Akama Maru, 41°00'N, 144°34'E.
Mediterranean
British troops, with naval and air support, land on the Italian mainland.4 September, Sat. 1943
Pacific
TF 76 (Rear Admiral Daniel E. Barbey) lands Australian 9th Division on Huon Peninsula near Lae, New Guinea, in Operation POSTERN. In Japanese retaliatory air strikes, infantry landing craft LCI-339 is sunk; destroyer Conyngham (DD-371) is damaged by dive bomber, 07°28'S, 147°44'E; and tank landing ships LST-471 and LST-473 are damaged by torpedo and dive bombers, 07°45'S, 148°01'E.Japanese aircraft attack four Rendova-based U.S. motor torpedo boats off Meresu Cove, damaging PT-124 and PT-125.
Submarine Albacore (SS-218) sinks Japanese gunboat Heijo Maru southwest of Ponape, Carolines, 05°25'N, 156°37'E.
Submarine Pargo (SS-264) damages Japanese fleet tanker Ryuei Maru, 30°06'N, 128°02'E.
Submarine Sunfish (SS-281) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kozan Maru, 22°06'N, 119°50'E.
Submarine Tarpon (SS-175) sinks Japanese guardboat Yulin Maru in northern Pacific, 35°56'N, 157°59'E.
5 September, Sun. 1943
Pacific
District patrol craft YP-279 founders in heavy weather off Townsville, Australia.Salvage vessel Yusho Maru is sunk by mine in Makassar Strait, 05°00'S, 119°00'E.
Submarine Albacore (SS-218) hits Japanese transport Hokusho Maru with two dud torpedoes, 03°50'N, 160°20'E (see 11 September 1943).
Submarine Swordfish (SS-193) sinks Japanese army transport Tenkai Maru, 01°35'N, 141°45'E.
6 September, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Halibut (SS-232) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Shogen Maru, 42°13'N, 142°00'E, and later hits heavy cruiser Nachi with one dud torpedo, 40°07'N, 142°20'E.Submarine Seahorse (SS-304) is damaged by depth charges off the Palaus, 07°31'N, 134°21'E, shortly after attacking a convoy, but remains on patrol.
USAAF B-24 damages Japanese hospital ship America Maru, 01°37'S, 149°19'E.
RAAF Beauforts sink small Japanese cargo vessel Seicho Maru 21 nautical miles east of Garove Island, 04°39'S, 152°59'E.
7 September, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Japanese aircraft bomb Nanumea, Ellice Islands.Motor torpedo boats PT-118 and PT-172, damaged by grounding, Solomons area, 07°34'S, 165°35'E, are scuttled.
Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter Lyman Stewart, en route to Durban, South Africa, from Colombo, Ceylon, is attacked by Japanese submarine I-27 at 03°30'N, 75°00'E, and slightly damaged by a dud torpedo. I-27's gunfire attack proves equally ineffective, and Lyman Stewart proceeds on her way. There are no casualties on board the freighter.8 September, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Four U.S. destroyers bombard Lae, New Guinea.Submarine Drum (SS-228) sinks Japanese army cargo ship No. 13 Hakutetsu Maru off Hollandia, 02°44'S, 141°36'E.
Japanese land attack planes (755th Kokutai) bomb Nanomea, Ellice Islands.
Mediterranean
General Dwigth D. Eisenhower announces from Algiers that an armistice has been concluded with the Italian government. German forces in Italy, however, remain in place; among other actions, they occupy harbors along the Tyrrhenian Sea, as well as Sardinia and Corsica (see 9 September).Operation SPALSTICK: Light cruiser Boise (CL-47), withdrawn temporarily from the bombardment force being massed for Operation AVALANCHE, transports British troops from Bizerte and is the only U.S. Navy ship to participate in the British occupation of Taranto, Italy.
Convoy FSS 1, bound for Salerno to participate in Operation AVALANCHE, is attackedf by German JU 88s; large infantry landing craft LCI(L)-87 is damaged by near misses. German planes bomb TG 85.1; tank landing ship is damaged by direct hit and near misses.
Arctic
Operation SIZILIEN: German battleship Tirpitz, accompanied by a destroyer flotilla, shells Barentsburg, Spitsberge, Norway; battleship Scharnhorst and two destroyer flotillas land troops (349th Grenadier Regiment) that destroy facilities at Gronfjord and Advent Bay before reembarking. The German force returns to its Norwegian bases unhindered.9 September, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Four high-speed transports bombard Lae, New Guinea.Submarine Grayling (SS-209) is sunk, possibly rammed by Japanese transport Hokuan Maru in the South China Sea west of Luzon.
Submarine Harder (SS-257) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Koyo Maru, 35°30'N, 140°40'E.
Submarine Permit (SS-178) damages Japanese cargo vessel Tateyama Maru 09°00'N, 168°40'E.
Submarine Pompano (SS-181) damages Japanese army cargo ship Nanking Maru, 40°12'N, 141°55'E.
Caribbean
German submarine U-214 lays mines off Colon, Canal Zone, off the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal.Mediterranean
Italian mainland is invaded in Operation AVALANCHE. Under protection of the Western Naval Task Force TF 80 (Vice Admiral H. Kent Hewitt, USN), the Allied Fifth Army (Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark, USA) lands on the assault beaches in the Gulf of Salerno. Off the invasion beaches, tug Nauset (AT-89) is sunk by dive bomber, 40°38'N, 14°38'E; tank landing ships LST-336, LST-375, and LST-385 are damaged by shore batteries, and LST-386 is mined, 40°40'N, 14°44'E; LST-389 is damaged by shore batteries, 40°22'N, 14°59'E.Tank landing craft LCT-366 founders and sinks in heavy weather, 53°01'N, 152°00'W.
11 September, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Japanese minesweeper W.16 is sunk by Allied aircraft south of Makassar, Celebes, 06°08'S, 119°20'E.Submarine Harder (SS-257) sinks Japanese transport Yoko Maru south of Mikura Island, 33°48'N, 139°37'E.
Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) sinks Japanese transport Hokusho Maru (hit earlier by dud torpedoes) five miles northwest of Nauru Island, 00°30'S, 166°50'E.
Submarine Spearfish (SS-190) damages Japanese army transport Tsuyama Maru, 30°56'N, 132°47'E.
Atlantic
German submarine U-107 lays mines off Charleston, South Carolina.Mediterranean
Italian Fleet surrenders to the Allies.Off Salerno, Italy, destroyer Rowan (DD-405) is sunk by German motor torpedo boats (3d Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla), 40°07'N, 14°18'E; light cruisers Philadelphia (CL-41) and Savannah (CL-42) are damaged by radio-controlled bombs, 40°24'N, 14°51'E, and 40°21'N, 14°55'E, respectively.
Tank landing craft LCT-71 founders and sinks in heavy weather, 53°38'N, 146°05'W.
12 September, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Tank landing ships LST-455 is damaged by dive bomber, eastern New Guinea area, 08°59'S, 149°10'E.Tug Navajo (AT-64), towing gasoline barge YOG-42, is sunk by Japanese submarine I-39, 150 miles east of Espiritu Santo.
Submarine Permit (SS-178) damages Japanese aircraft transport Fujikawa Maru, 08°23'N, 165°12'E.
Mediterranean
U.S. freighter William B. Travis is damaged (most likely by mine) about 25 miles north of Bizerte, Tunisia, 37°17'N, 10°30'E, but reaches port under her own power. While there are no casualties among the 47-man merchant complement or the 27-man Armed Guard, one of the 41 passengers perishes in the explosion.13 September, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Permit (SS-178) damages Japanese fleet tanker Shiretoko, 08°33'N, 164°40'E.Submarine Snook (SS-279) sinks Japanese army transport Yamato Maru, 30°08'N, 123°32'E, and although escorting destroyer Shiokaze claims her destruction, Snook emerges from the encounter to fight again.
Mediterranean
Submarine chaser SC-666 is damaged by collision off coast of Italy, 40°40'N, 14°44'E.German planes bomb Allied shipping off Salerno. U.S. freighter James W. Marshall is damaged by bomb and resultant fire. There are, however, no casualties among the crew.
14 September, Tue. 1943
Mediterranean
Off Salerno, U.S. freighter Bushrod Washington is set afire by a direct bomb hit and is abandoned; tug Hopi (AT-71) assists boats with the latter's survivors. One Armed Guard sailor, four merchant seamen and ten stevedores perish in the explosion and fires. Fire-fighting efforts, however, ultimately prove unavailing for Bushrod Washington (see 15 September 1943).15 September, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Fleet Air Wing 17 (Commodore Thomas S. Combs) is established in Brisbane, Australia, for operations in southwestern Pacific area.Destroyer Saufley (DD-465) and PBY (VP 23) sinks Japanese submarine RO 101 100 miles east of San Cristobal, Solomons, 10°57'S, 163°56'E.
Submarine Haddock (SS-231) sinks Japanese collier Sansei Maru north of Truk, 09°32'N, 150°38'E.
Mediterranean
German planes bomb Allied shipping off Salerno. U.S. freighter James W. Marshall is damaged by glide bomb; two tank landing craft (LCT) alongside catch fire, and the resultant blaze compels the abandonment of the freighter. Thirteen of the ship's merchant complement perish as do 50 Army stevedores working cargo. Amphibious command ship Biscayne (AVP-11) provides aid for many survivors. Liberty ship William Bradford is strafed by German planes; there are no casualties among the freighter's merchant or Armed Guard complements. LCT-241 is sunk by aerial bomb; LCT-209 is destroyed when freighter Bushrod Washington explodes when the uncontrolled fires (started the previous day when the ship suffers a direct bomb hit) reach the 500-pound bombs stowed forward; LCT-19 is sunk by rocket bomb.16 September, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Japanese gunboat Seikai Maru is sunk by mine (laid by submarine Silversidess on 4 June) off Kavieng, 02°36'N, 150°34'E.Submarine Gudgeon (SS-212) engages Japanese minelayer Fumi Maru in an inconclusive surface gunnery action off Rota Island, Marianas, 13°50'N, 145°02'E (see 28 September 1943).
PBY sinks small Japanese cargo vessel Taira Maru en route to Hansa Bay, 04°10'S, 144°55'E.
Mediterranean
German planes bomb Allied shipping off Bizerte, Tunisia; U.S. freighter Edward P. Costigan is damaged by near-miss of bomb; there are no casualties to either merchant or Armed Guard complements.17 September, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Motor torpedo boat PT-136, damaged by grounding, eastern New Guinea area, 05°55'S 148°01'E, is scuttled.18 September, Sat. 1943
Pacific
TF 15 (Rear Admiral Charles A. Pownall) aircraft [attack] Tarawa, Makin, and Abemama, Gilberts, to decrease Japanese pressure on the Ellice Islands and provide operational training. During the attack on Tarawa, TBFs, SBDs, and F6Fs from carrier Lexington (CV-16), and small carriers Princeton (CVL 23) and Belleau Wood (CVL 24) sink Japanese motor torpedo boats Gyoraitei and Gyoraitei No. 3.Submarine S-42 (SS-153) damages Japanese gunboat Chowa Maru, 50°22'N, 155°43'E.
Submarine Scamp (SS-277) attacks Japanese convoy north of New Guinea, sinking army cargo ship Kansai Maru, 00°41'N, 146°28'E, but although damaged by depth charges (perhaps dropped by submarine chasers Ch 38 and/or Ch 16, known to be among the escorts) remains on patrol.
Submarine Spearfish (SS-190) damages Japanese torpedo boat Sagi (premature explosion of two torpedoes), 29°08'N, 134°29'E.
Submarine Trigger (SS-237) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Yowa Maru, 27°20'N, 126°53'E.
Atlantic
U.S. freighter William Pepperell is attacked by German submarine U-260, 55°02'N, 29°27'E, but the torpedo detonates in the ship's torpedo streamer, causing only minor damage to the freighter herself; there are no casualties to either the 42-man merchant complement or the 26-man Armed Guard (see 20 September 1943).19 September, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Harder (SS-257) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Kachiyama Maru, 33°25'N, 135°38'E.Submarine Scamp (SS-277) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kansai Maru, 00°25'N, 146°21'E.
20 September, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Covered lighter YF-579 sinks off San Francisco, California.Submarine Haddock (SS-231) damages Japanese fleet tanker Notoro east of the Palaus, 07°23'N, 150°11'E; auxiliary submarine chaser Takunan Maru conducts fruitless search for Haddock.
Submarine S-28 (SS-133) sinks Japanese gunboat Katsura Maru 165 miles southwest of Paramushiro, Kuriles, 49°05'N, 151°45'E.
Repair ship Hayase is sunk by Chinese aircraft, Ch'iu-Chiang, Yangtze River, China.
Atlantic
U.S. freighter William Pepperell is again attacked by German submarine U-260, but with the same result as two days before. Again, there are no casualties and the ship ultimately reaches port under her own power.German submarine U-238 attacks New York-bound convoy ON 202, torpedoing U.S. freighters Frederick Douglass, 57°03'N, 28°08'W, and Theodore Dwight Weld, 57°03'N, 28°12'W. British rescue ship Rathlin rescues all hands (40-men merchant complement, 29-man Armed Guard, and one female stowaway) from Frederick Douglass, which remains afloat until finished off later the same day by U-645. Theodore Dwight Weld sinks so quickly that 20 of the 42-man merchant complement and 13 of the 28-man Armed Guard perish. Rathlin rescues the survivors.
21 September, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Haddock (SS-231) torpedoes Japanese collier Shinyubari Maru west-northwest of Truk, 08°53'N, 148°30'E.Submarine Trigger (SS-237) sinks Japanese fleet oilers Shiriya and Shoyo Maru and merchant cargo ship Argun Maru, and damages fleet oiler No.1 Ozura Maru north of Keelung, Formosa, 26°27'N, 122°40'E.
Submarine Wahoo (SS-238) sinks Japanese merchantfishing vessel Hokusei Maru, 45°45'N, 145°46'E.
USAAF B-24 aircraft sink Japanese transport Takashima Maru southeast of the Admiralties, 03°45'S, 149°20'E.
Mediterranean
U.S. freighter William W. Gerhard, in Salerno-bound convoy, is torpedoed by German submarine U-238 at 40°07'N, 14°43'E, and abandoned by the 46-man crew, 29 of the 30-man Armed Guard (one man perishes in the initial explosion) and 191 Army troops. After the crew returns to the ship to prepare her for towing, tug Moreno (AT-87) takes the torpedoed merchantman in tow and heads for Salerno. Fires break out on board, however, and after unavailing efforts by the crew, aided by tug Narragansett (AT-88) and British rescue tug HMS Weazel, the crew abandons ship a second time, transferring en masse to Moreno. William W. Gerhard explodes that night and breaks in two; the bow section sinks immediately (see 22 September 1943).Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter Cornelia P. Spencer is torpedoed by German submarine U-188 at 02°08'N, 50°10'E; when the U-boat surfaces to finish off the merchantman, however, the Armed Guard gunfire proves so accurate that the U-boat submerges and torpedoes the ship again (the explosion kills two merchant sailors). Cornelia P. Spencer is then abandoned. Torpedoed a third time she sinks soon thereafter. The survivors (39 merchant sailors and the 27-man Armed Guard) are divided amongst four lifeboats (see 22 September and 6 October 1943).22 September, Wed. 1943
Pacific
TF 76 (Rear Admiral Daniel E. Barbey) puts 20th Australian Brigade ashore at Finschhafen, New Guinea.Coastal transport APc-35, irreparably damaged by grounding en route to Renard Sound, New Georgia, 08°48'S, 157°46'E, is beached and abandoned.
Gunboat Charleston (PG-51) is damaged when accidentally rammed by U.S. merchant ship Sam Jackson, Kuluk Bay, Adak, Alaska.
Submarine Harder (SS-257) sinks Japanese merchant tanker Daishin Maru and cargo ship Kowa Maru, 34°46'N, 140°55'E.
Submarine Hoe (SS-258) attacks Japanese fleet tanker Gen'yo Maru, 10°08'N, 147°01'E.
Submarine Snook (SS-279) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Katsurahama Maru, 39°00'N, 124°20'E, and damages merchant cargo ship Hakutetsu Maru, 39°15'N, 123°30'E.
Submarine Trigger (SS-237) damages Japanese army cargo ship Gyoku Maru, 26°27'N, 122°40'E.
Mediterranean
U.S. freighter Richard Olney, in convoy KMS 26, is mined off Bizerte, Tunisia, 37°25'N, 09°54'E; two of the 43-man merchant complement perish in the explosion. There are no casualties among the 31-man Armed Guard or among the 143 troop passengers. Although Richard Olney reaches Bizerte under tow of British (ex-Coast Guard) cutter HMS Landguard, the freighter will be written off as a total loss.Ocean going tugs Moreno (AT-87) and Narragansett (AT-88) and British rescue tug HMS Weazel scuttle the stern section of U.S. Liberty ship William W. Gerhard with gunfire off Salerno.
Indian Ocean
British destroyer HMS Relentless rescues 34 survivors from two boats from U.S. Liberty ship Cornelia P. Spencer, torpedoed by German submarine U-188 the day before. Freighter Sandown Castle rescues 16 men from a third boat (see 6 October 1943).23 September, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Trout (SS-202) sinks Japanese transport Ryotoku Maru and merchant cargo ship Yamashiro Maru northwest of the Marianas, 20°45'N, 142°10'E, and eludes counterattacks of the escort, auxiliary minesweeper Keinan Maru.Submarine Tuna (SS-203) attacks Japanese cargo vessel Shinwa Maru, 04°50'N, 105°50'E.
Atlantic
U.S. freighter Steel Voyager, in convoy ONS 202, is torpedoed by German submarine U-952 at 53°30'N, 40°40'W, and abandoned. Although reboarded when Canadian corvette HMCS Morden and Free French corvette Renoncule arrive to provide assistance, Steel Voyager is abandoned a second time when it becomes obvious that the ship cannot be gotten underway. All hands (39-man merchant complement and 27-man Armed Guard) are taken on board the two corvettes.24 September, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Cabrilla (SS-288) attacks Japanese carrier Taiyo, escort carrier Chuyo, and destroyer Shimakaze northwest of Chichi Jima, torpedoing Taiyo at 28°00'N, 146°10'E. Chuyo tows the disabled carrier to Yokosuka. Taiyo is saved from worse damage because two of the three torpedo warheads that hit the ship (of the six fired by Cabrilla) detach upon impact.USAAF B-24 sinks small Japanese cargo vessel Shonan Maru off Mussau Island, 00°27'S, 147°43'E.
Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter Elias Howe is torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-10 about 75 miles southeast of Aden, 11°40'N, 44°35'E. Subsequently, British seaplanes rescue one boatload of survivors and those on board two rafts; British trawler HMS Aiglon rescues the remainder. Two of the 42-man merchant complement are killed in the initial explosion; the 18-man Armed Guard survives intact.25 September, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Tank landing ships LST-167 is damaged by dive bomber off Vella Lavella, Solomons, 07°45'S, 156°30'E.Submarine Bluefish (SS-222) damages Japanese merchant cargo ship Akashi Maru, 06°23'S, 118°55'E, and escapes counterattack by escorting auxiliary minesweeper Wa 4 (see 29 September 1943).
Submarines Bowfin (SS-287), Billfish (SS-286), and Bonefish (SS-223) attack Japanese convoy; Bowfin sinks tanker Kirishima Maru 220 nautical miles north of Nha Trang, French Indochina, 09°50'N, 112°03'E. None of the other attacks prove successful, and the enemy ships continue their passage to Manila.
Mediterranean
Minesweeper Skill (AM-115) is sunk by German submarine U-593 in the Gulf of Salerno, 40°19.5'N, 14°35.5'E. Sistership Speed (AM-116) rescues the few survivors, screened by Seer (AM-112). Pilot (AM-104) conducts a followup search for survivors without success.26 September, Sun. 1943
Atlantic
Naval Operating Facility, Natal, Brazil, is established.27 September, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Bluefish (SS-222) sinks Japanese torpedo boat Kasasagi 25 miles south of the Flores Sea, N.E.I., 05°45'S, 121°50'E.Submarine Bonefish (SS-223) sinks Japanese army transport Kashima Maru, and damages cago ship Chihaya Maru, 10°10'N, 109°40'E
USAAF B-24s and P-38s bomb Japanese shipping at Wewak, sinking merchant transport Taisei Maru and cargo vessels Sakihana Maru, Taisho Maru, Fuji Maru, and Kiri Maru.
Malayan saboteurs, promised a livelihood after the British reoccupy Malaya, sink Japanese cargo ship Hakusan Maru and damage cargo ship Kizan Maru at Singapore. Efforts to salvage the latter are eventually abandoned and the ship written off as a total loss.
Atlantic
PBMs (VP 74) sink German submarine U-161 off Brazil, 12°30'S, 35°35'W.28 September, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Cisco (SS-290) is sunk, probably by Japanese naval aircraft (954th Kokutai) and gunboat Karatsu (ex-U.S.-river gunboat Luzon (PR-7)) in Sulu Sea, off Panay Island, 09°47'N, 121°44'E.Submarine Grouper (SS-214) lands men and supplies on south coast of New Britain.
Submarine Gudgeon (SS-212) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Taian Maru, 15°22'N, 145°38'E. Minelayer No.2 Fumi Maru (which Gudgeon had engaged on 16 September 1943), counterattacks, but does not damage the submarine as Gudgeon and No.2 Fumi Maru encounter each other for the second time.
Japanese minelayer Hoko is sunk by aircraft off New Britain.
Mediterranean
Salvage vessel Brant (ARS-32) is damaged when she is accidentally rammed by British landing craft HMS LCF 16 during a gale in the Gulf of Salerno, Italy.29 September, Wed. 1943
Pacific
During a sweep to destroy Japanese barge traffic north of Kolombangara, destroyers Patterson (DD-392) and McCalla (DD-488) are damaged in collision, 07°36'S, 157°12'E.Submarine Bluefish (SS-222) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Akashi Maru, 06°11'S, 126°00'E (see 25 September 1943).
Submarine Gudgeon (SS-212) damages Japanese gunboat Santo Maru off Saipan, 15°28'N, 145°57'E. Transport Kenryu Maru tows the gunboat into Saipan.
Mediterranean
Off Salerno, Italy, tank landing craft LCT-342 sinks after running aground; LCT-537, LCT-553, LCT-556, LCT-583, LCT-603, LCT-605, LCT-606, LCT-614, LCT-616, LCT-618, LCT-621, and LCT-626 are all damaged when gale strands them off Salerno's south beaches.30 September, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Motor torpedo boat PT-219 founders and sinks off Attu, Aleutians, sometime during September (exact date unspecified).In the Solomons area, tank landing ships LST-334 is damaged by dive bombers, 07°43'S, 156°40'E; motor torpedo boat PT-126 is damaged, accidentally, by USMC F4Us, 07°50'S, 157°05'E.
Motor torpedo boat PT-68 is damaged by grounding off Vincke Point, Huon Peninsula, eastern New Guinea, 05°56'S, 147°18'E.
Submarine Bowfin (SS-287) delivers supplies and evacuates people from Siquijor Island, P.I., and sinks small Japanese cargo ship Mitake Maru, 05°17'N, 121°57'E.
Submarine Harder (SS-257) sinks Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser No.3 Shosei Maru, 34°10'N, 150°45'E.
Submarine Pogy (SS-266) sinks Japanese army transport Maebashi Maru 300 miles east of Palau, 06°01'N, 139°08'E.
USAAF B-25s and P-40s sink Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Chikushi Maru in Kwangchow Bay, China, 21°12'N, 110°24'E; the vessel is later salvaged, however, and resumes active service.
Atlantic
Coast Guard cutter (ex-Menhaden fisherman) Wilcox (WYP-333) founders and sinks 94 miles off Nags Head, North Carolina.October
1 October, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Motor torpedo boat PT-68, damaged by grounding off Vincke Point, Huon Peninsula, eastern New Guinea, 05°56'S, 147°18'E, is scuttled by motor torpedo boat PT-191 to prevent capture.Destroyer Saufley (DD-465) is damaged by near-miss of bombs from Japanese horizontal bomber, Solomons, 07°42'S, 160°14'E.
Tank landing ships LST-448 is damaged by horizontal bomber, Solomons, 07°45'S, 156°30'E.
Mobile degaussing barge YDG-4 sinks nine miles southeast of Bulari Passage, after running aground off New Caledonia.
Submarine Peto (SS-265) sinks Japanese transport Tonei Maru and Japanese army cargo ship Kinkasan Maru, Southern Carolines, 04°00'N, 143°50'E.
Submarine Wahoo (SS-238) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Masaki Maru in Sea of Japan.
Atlantic
Naval Air Facility, Recife, Brazil, is established.Naval forces under Commander Naval Forces Europe (Admiral Harold R. Stark) are designated the Twelfth Fleet.
Escort carrier Block Island (CVE-21) and destroyer Black (DD-666) are damaged in collision in Elizabeth River channel, Norfolk, Virginia.
PV-1s (VB-128) attack German submarines U-402 and U-448 as the latter seek (unsuccessfully) convoy HX 258 in the North Atlantic.
Mediterranean
U.S. freighter Metapan, in convoy UGS 15, is mined and sunk at 37°20'N, 10°35'E. Fuel-oil barge Syncline (YO-63) rescues the 50-man merchant complement, the 23-man Armed Guard and the one passenger.2 October, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Kingfish (SS-234) lays mines off southern Celebes, N.E.I.Tank landing ships LST-203 is damaged by grounding near Nanumea, Ellice Islands.
Japanese minesweeper W.28 is damaged by mine (laid by submarine Silversidess (SS-236) on 4 June 1943) off Kavieng, 02°36'S, 150°34'E.
3 October, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Japanese complete evacuation of Kolombangara, Solomons.Destroyer Henley (DD-391) is sunk by Japanese submarine RO 108 off eastern New Guinea, 07°40'S, 148°06'E.
Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru is damaged by mine, Surabaya, Java.
4 October, Mon. 1943
Atlantic
Operation LEADER, the only U.S. Navy carrier operation carried out in northern European waters during World War II, causes "appreciable losses" to two convoys off the Norwegian coast and to shipping in the harbor of Bodo, Norway. Ranger (CV-4)'s TBFs (VT 4), SBDs (VB 4), and F4Fs (VF 4) sink Norwegian steamer Vagan and damage Norwegian steamer Topeka; sink German steamers Kaguir, LaPlata, and Rabat and transport Skramstad; and damage German tanker Schleswig and steamers Kerkplein and Ibis. German steamer Malaga is damaged by a dud bomb. Only two German planes approach the task force: both (JU 88 and HE 115) are shot down by combat air patrol F4Fs.Planes (VC 9) from escort carrier Card (CVE-11) attack three German submarines--U 264, U-422, and U-455--rendezvousing with a milch cow, U-460, north of the Azores. U-460 and U-422 are sunk, 43°13'N, 28°58'W, and 43°18'N, 28°58'W, respectively. This action in the central Atlantic allows convoy UGS 19 to pass through the vicinity unmolested by the enemy.
PV-1 patrol bombers (VB 128) sink German submarine U-336, North Atlantic area, 60°40'N, 26°30'W, during operations to protect convoy ONS 204.
Mediterranean
German bombers attack convoy UGS 18; a near-miss damages U.S. freighter Hiram S. Maxim about 12 miles northwest of Cape Tenes, Algeria, 36°42'N, 01°17'E; abandoned by all but a skeleton crew of 7 merchant seamen and 6 Armed Guard sailors, the ship is towed to Algiers for repairs. Freighters Leslie M. Shaw and Harry Lane rescue the remainder of the crew (33 merchant and 22 Armed Guard). There are no casualties.5 October, Tue. 1943
Pacific
TF 14 (Rear Admiral Alfred E. Montgomery), including 3 carriers, 3 small carriers, 3 heavy cruisers, 4 light cruisers, 24 destroyers, and 2 oilers, bombs and shells Wake Island; attack is repeated on 6 October. Fearing that the strikes portend a landing and that an escaped POW could communicate the weakness of his garrison, the Japanese island commander (Rear Admiral Sakaibara Shigematsu) orders the execution of the 98 remaining civilians captured on 23 December 1941.Tank landing ships LST-448, damaged on 1 October 1943, sinks while in tow of tug Bobolink (AT-131), Solomons, 08°03'S, 156°43'E.
Submarine Wahoo (SS-238) sinks Japanese army transport Konron Maru in Tsushima Straits, 34°00'N, 129°00'E. Loss of Konron Maru, of the Shimonoseki-to-Fusan ferry line, prompts the cancellation of night ferry trips across Tsushima Straits. Only 72 people, of the 616 on board, are rescued because of heavy seas.
Mediterranean
German bombers attack convoy UGS 18; a near-miss damages U.S. freighter Cotton Mather about 15 miles north of Cape Tenes, Algeria, 36°00'N, 01°00'E. There are no casualties among the 53-man merchant complement and the 27-man Armed Guard; and the ship reaches Algiers under her own power.6 October, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Battle of Vella Lavella takes place at night when three destroyers (Captain Frank R. Walker) intercept and attack nine Japanese destroyers (Vice Admiral Ijuin Masuji) evacuating troops from Vella Lavella, in what proves to be the last surface engagement in the central Solomons. Three U.S. destroyers are damaged: O'Bannon (DD-450) in collision with destroyer Chevalier (DD-451), 07°30'S, 156°15'E; Selfridge (DD-357) by torpedo fired from either of Japanese destroyers Shigure or Samidare, 07°27'S, 156°13'E; and Chevalier by torpedo from Japanese destroyer Yugumo. Chevalier is scuttled by destroyer LaVallette (DD-448), 07°30'S, 156°14'E. Torpedoes from Chevalier and Selfridge sink Japanese destroyer Yugumo.Submarine chaser PC-478 and tank landing ships LST-451 are damaged in collision while en route from Adak to Amchitka, Aleutians.
Submarine Kingfish (SS-234) lands men and supplies on northeast coast of Borneo.
Submarine Skate (SS-305), lifeguarding for the Wake Island strikes (see 5 October 1943), is strafed and damaged by Japanese aircraft off the atoll, but remains on patrol.
Submarine Steelhead (SS-280) damages Japanese fast fleet tanker Kazuhaya, 10°30'N, 146°37'E; Tinosa (SS-283) later finishes off Kazuhaya 240 nautical miles northwest of Truk, 10°30'N, 148°20'E.
Submarine Wahoo (SS-238) probably sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kanko Maru, 37°18'N, 129°33'E.
Atlantic
Submarine Dorado (SS-248) departs New London, Connecticut, for the Panama Canal. She is never heard from again.Indian Ocean
Last boatload (16 men) from U.S. freighter Cornelia P. Spencer, torpedoed by German submarine U-188 on 21 September 1943, reach safety on the coast of Somalia.7 October, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Japanese complete evacuation of Vella Lavella, Solomons.Light cruiser Concord (CL-10) is damaged by on-board explosion (leaking gasoline tank) off Nukahiva Island, Marquesas.
Submarine S-44 (SS-155) is sunk by Japanese escort destroyer Ishigaki north-northeast of Araito Island, east of the Kamchatka Peninsula, Kuriles.
Japanese guardboat No.20 Inari Maru is destroyed by fire off Wake Island.
Japanese transport Kikukawa Maru is destroyed by fire at Truk.
Mediterranean
Tank landing craft LCT-215 and LCT-216 sink after breaking in half in heavy seas off coast of North Africa; LCT-196 breaks in half in heavy seas off coast of North Africa; the after section is scuttled by British surface ship but the forward section is towed to Bizerte, Tunisia.Atlantic
U.S. freighter Yorkmar, in convoy SC 143, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-645 at 56°48'N, 20°30'W. Of the 39-man merchant complement, 11 drown in the abandonment; 2 of the 28-man Armed Guard perish as well. Canadian corvette HMCS Kamloops and British frigate HMS Duckworth rescue the survivors.8 October, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Gato (SS-212) damages Japanese cargo ship Amagisan Maru with dud torpedo, 05°34'N, 152°10'E, and survives ensuing hunter-killer operations by escorting torpedo boat Hiyodori.Submarine Guardfish (SS-217) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kashu Maru, 00°20'S, 146°17'E.
Submarine Gurnard (SS-254) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Taian Maru and transport Dainichi Maru off northern tip of Luzon, 18°48'N, 119°21'E.
USAAF B-24 damages Japanese transport Heian Maru en route to Truk, 02°37'N, 150°46'E.
Atlantic
Naval Air Facility, Dakar, French West Africa, is established.9 October, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Guardfish (SS-217) unsuccessfully attacks Japanese stores ship Manko Maru, en route to Davao, 01°04'N, 146°08'E. Although Guardfish claims one hit out of four torpedoes fired, none actually hits Manko Maru.Submarine Kingfish (SS-234) torpedoes Japanese oiler Hayamoto in Sibitu Channel, 05°09'N, 119°18'E.
Submarine Puffer (SS-268) torpedoes Japanese tanker Kumagawa Maru in Makassar Strait, 01°08'N, 119°31'E, but is damaged by depth charges (possibly dropped by auxiliary submarine chasers Cha 37 and Cha 41, summoned to the scene as escorts for Shoyo Maru which will tow Kumagawa Maru to Balikpapan) and is forced to terminate her patrol.
Submarine Rasher (SS-269) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kogane Maru 28 miles from Ambon, 03°30'S, 127°45'E.
Submarine Wahoo (SS-238) sinks Japanese cargo ship Hankow Maru off Oga Peninsula, 37°18'N, 129°33'E.
Mediterranean
Destroyer Buck (DD-420) is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-616 in Gulf of Salerno, 39°57'N, 13°28'E.10 October, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Japanese planes attack three Lambu Lambu-based U.S. motor torpedo boats north of Vella Lavella, damaging PT-168 and PT-179.Submarine Bonefish (SS-223) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Isuzugawa Maru and merchant transport Teibi Maru off Cam Ranh Bay, French Indochina, 14°49'N, 110°10'E.
Submarine Grayback (SS-208) attacks Japanese troopship Hakozaki Maru, 28°41'N, 138°32'E; although the submarine crew believes one of the four torpedoes fired hit the ship, in fact all four miss.
Submarine Kingfish (SS-234) lays mines off Cape Pepe, Makassar Strait, Celebes.
USAAF B-24 sinks Japanese army cargo ship No.5 Hino Maru 20 miles southwest of Buka passage.
11 October, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Skipjack (SS-184) damages Japanese transport Matsutani Maru five miles off Kwajalein, 06°25'N, 171°40'E.Submarine Wahoo (SS-238) is sunk by Japanese naval aircraft, submarine chasers Ch 15 and Ch 43, and minesweeper W.18, in La Perouse Strait, 45°13'N, 141°56'E.
Japanese planes attack U.S. shipping off Koli Point, Guadalcanal, torpedoing freighters George H. Himes and John H. Couch; tug Menominee (AT-73) beaches George H. Himes (which suffers no casualties among the 41-man merchant complement, 27-man Armed Guard, and 20 CB stevedores) to save the ship's cargo of lumber, shells and bombs. Three men perish on board John H. Couch (a merchant seaman, one Armed Guard sailor and a CB stevedore), whose cargo of gasoline and diesel oil catches fire at the initial explosion. Firefighting efforts by two destroyer escorts prove as unsuccessful as the crew's in putting out the blaze and the ship is abandoned by the 42 merchant seamen, 25 Armed Guards, 28 troop passengers and 99 stevedores (see 13 October 1943).
USAAF B-25s attack small Japanese cargo vessels off Bougainville, sinking Sanwa Maru and damaging Muyo Maru with a near-miss.
Atlantic
Advanced Amphibious Training Base, Falmouth, Cornwall, England, is established.12 October, Tue. 1943
Pacific
USAAF B-24s, B-25s, and P-38s, and RAAF Beaufighters, raid Rabaul, pounding Japanese shipping, town, harbor, and airfields in the vicinity, sinking transports Keisho Maru and Kosei Maru, cargo lighters No.1 Wakamatsu Maru and Kurogane Maru, and guardboat Mishima Maru; and damaging destroyers Mochizuki, Minazuki and Tachikaze, submarines I-177, I-180 and RO 105, special service ship Tsukushi, oiler Naruto, and auxiliary sailing vessels Tenryu Maru and Koan Maru.Submarine Cero (SS-225) torpedoes Japanese stores ship Mamiya off Chichi Jima, 28°39'N, 137°28'E; collier Asakaze Maru tows the damaged vessel to Saeki, Japan.
Atlantic
Aircraft (VC 9) from escort carrier Card (CVE-11) break up another German U-boat refueling rendezvous when they attack U-488 about 600 miles north of Flores Island, Azores and damage U-731.13 October, Wed. 1943
Italy declares war on Germany.
Pacific
Japanese planes attack four Lambu Lambu-based U.S. motor torpedo boats southwest of Choiseul; PT-boaters shoot down attacking Japanese floatplane, an event that proves "the greatest lift" to the sailors who tangle almost nightly (and heretofore largely unsuccessfully) with nocturnal enemy aircraft in that theater.Submarine Rasher (SS-269) attacks Japanese convoy proceeding from Ambon to Kendari, sinking cargo ship Kenkoku Maru, 03°47'S, 127°41'E.
Submarine Seadragon (SS-194) attacks Kwajalein-bound Japanese ammunition ship Soya, escorted by auxiliary submarine chaser No.6 Shonan Maru, 08°50'N, 167°50'E; Seadragon damages neither enemy ship while No.6 Shonan Maru's attacks on the submarine prove equally unsuccessful.
Tug Pawnee (AT-74) tows gutted U.S. freighter John H. Couch, torpedoed by Japanese planes on 11 October 1943 off Koli Point, Guadalcanal, to a point two miles east of Koli Point, where the merchantman capsizes.
USAAF B-25 aircraft bomb Japanese shipping in Amoy, China, harbor, sinking auxiliary submarine chaser Kongo Maru.
Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Wa 101 is damaged by mine near Madoera Island, N.E.I., 07°11'S, 112°45'E.
Atlantic
TBF (VC 9) from escort carrier Card (CVE-11) sinks German submarine U-402, North Atlantic, 48°56'N, 29°41'E.Mediterranean
Destroyer Bristol (DD-453) is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-371, 70 miles west-northwest of Bone, Algeria, 37°25'N, 06°20'E.14 October, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Japanese planes attack six Lambu Lambu-based U.S. motor torpedo boats off Choiseul Bay, damaging PT-183.Submarine Grayback (SS-208) sinks Japanese fleet tanker Kozui Maru, 27°35'N, 127°30'E, and eludes hunter-killer operations carried out by aviation supply ship Takasaki.
Atlantic
Naval Air Facility, Igarape Assu, Brazil, is established.Coast Guard Cutter Dow (WYP-353) runs aground off Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, and is abandoned.
15 October, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Tullibee (SS-284) attacks 10-ship Japanese convoy, sinking transport Chicago Maru, 24°35'N, 120°30'E.Atlantic
Advanced Amphibious Training Base, Fowey, Cornwall, England, is established.U.S. freighter James Russell Lowell, in convoy GUS 18, is torpedoed by German submarine U-371 at 37°18'15"N, 07°10'30"E and abandoned. British whaler HMS Southern Sea rescues the 41-man merchant complement and the 28-man Armed Guard. With hopes high for saving the ship, the merchant crew reboards the ship and Southern Sea takes James Russell Lowell in tow. As weather conditions worsen, all but the master and two men abandon ship once more (see 16 October 1943).
16 October, Sat. 1943
Pacific
USAAF B-24 sinks Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 31 off Cape Lambert, New Britain, 04°00'N, 145°45'E.Submarine Mingo (SS-261) attacks Japanese escort carrier Chuyo north-northwest of Truk, 11°02'N, 151°21'E. Although Mingo claims two damaging hits, the carrier (see 18 October 1943) emerges from the encounter unscathed; destroyer Hatsukaze depth charges Mingo but does not damage her.
Atlantic
American-built destroyer escorts transferred under Lend-Lease to Great Britain (HMS Byard, HMS Bentinck, HMS Berry, HMS Drury, and HMS Bazely) enter combat for the first time as escorts for convoy ONS 20. Byard will sink U-841 on 17 October. The British classify the ships as "frigates."U.S. freighter James Russell Lowell, torpedoed by German submarine U-371 the day before, is beached off Colla, Algeria, by British tug. The ship breaks in twain and sinks two weeks later, a total loss.
17 October, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Small reconnaissance seaplane from Japanese submarine I-36 reconnoiters Pearl Harbor.Submarine Tarpon (SS-175) sinks German auxiliary cruiser Michel (Schiffe No.28) off Chichi Jima, Bonins, 33°42'N, 140°08'E.
USAAF B-24s damage Japanese troopship Hakusan Maru 80 miles from Kavieng.
18 October, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Small carrier Cowpens (CVL 25) and destroyer Abbot (DD-629) are damaged in collision during maneuvers in Hawaiian Operating Area.Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) attacks Yokosuka-bound Japanese escort carrier Chuyo, 19°27'N, 145°20'E. Although Flying Fish claims one hit, the enemy flattop bears a charmed life, having survived an attack by Mingo (SS-261) on 16 October 1943 as well, and continues on to her destination on schedule.
Submarine Lapon (SS-260) torpedoes and sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Taichu Maru, 33°59'N, 136°24'E, and scores two "dud" hits on auxiliary minesweeper Keijin Maru.
Submarine Silversides (SS-236) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Tairin Maru, 22'N, 143°23'E.
19 October, Tue. 1943
Moscow Conference, attended by the Secretary of State and British and Soviet foreign ministers, convenes.
Atlantic
Heavy cruiser Tuscaloosa (CA-37), accompanied by one U.S. and three British destroyers, transports Norwegian troops and equipment to Spitzbergen to reestablish bases destroyed in the German raid of 8 September 1943. A second allied force, with carrier Ranger (CV-4) included, provides cover for the operation.U.S. freighter Delisle, in convoy WB 65, fouls mine laid by German submarine U-220 as the merchantman lies to, 15 miles out of St. John's, Newfoundland, rescuing survivors of British freighter Penolver. Delisle suffers no casualties and is abandoned by the 32-man crew and 7-man Armed Guard, and three sailors from Penolver. British trawler HMS Miscou rescues the survivors.
20 October, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Gato (SS-212) sinks Japanese transport Tsunushima Maru between Truk and Kavieng, 01°26'N, 148°36'E.Submarine Kingfish (SS-234) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Sana Maru off Banbon Bay, French Indochina, 12°36'N, 109°30'E.
Atlantic
Aircraft (VC 13) from escort carrier Core (CVE-13), escorting convoy UGS 20, sink German submarine U-378 north of the Azores, 47°40'N, 28°27'W.Destroyer Cowie (DD-632) is damaged in collision with U.S. steamship Craigsmere in New York Harbor.
Mediterranean
USAAF B-25s and RAF Beaufighters attack German convoys north of Crete, sinking transport Sinfra which, unbeknownst to the attackers, is transporting POWs.21 October, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Steelhead (SS-280) damages Japanese aircraft transport Goshu Maru southeast of Ulithi, Carolines, 08°16'N, 141°53'E.RAAF Beaufort damages Japanese light cruiser Kiso 53 miles from Cape St. George, 04°23'S, 153°11'E.
Japanese cargo ship No.11 Chofoku Maru is sunk by mine while en route from Surabaya to Penang; cargo ship Rakuto Maru is damaged by mine off Padamarang Island.
Atlantic
Destroyer Murphy (DD-603) is cut in two when she is accidentally rammed by U.S. tanker Bulkoil 265 miles east-southeast of Ambrose Lightship, New York. Murphy's forward section sinks.Aircraft (VC 13) from escort carrier Core (CVE-13) damage German submarine U-271, north of the Azores.
Mediterranean
German planes attack convoy MKS 28, strafing and torpedoing U.S. freighter Tivives about 15 miles off Cape Tenes; one of 48 merchant seamen and one of the 25-man Armed Guard perish in the ensuing abandonment as the ship sinks swiftly. Free French-manned corvette HMS LaMalouine rescues the survivors, who also include the six-man staff of the convoy commodore and one passenger.22 October, Fri.
Pacific
Submarine Grayback (SS-208) sinks Japanese transport Awata Maru, China Sea, 26°40'N, 125°00'E.Submarine Shad (SS-235) attacks Japanese light cruisers Naka and Isuzu, en route from Shanghai to Rabaul, 28°40'N, 124°10'E. Although Shad claims damaging both, neither enemy warship is hit.
23 October, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Silversides (SS-236) sinks Japanese fleet tanker Tennan Maru and army cargo ships Johore Maru and Kazan Maru, 02°30'N, 144°45'E (see 24 October 1943).USAAF B-24 damages Japanese cargo vessel No.1 Kinpo Maru off Greenwich Island, 01°01'N, 154°08'E.
U.S. aircraft sink Japanese transport Kyowa Maru northwest of Buka Island, Solomons.
Mediterranean
German planes raid shipping off Naples, Italy; U.S. freighter James Iredell is hit by three bombs that set alight the ship's gasoline cargo. Although the ship is abandoned and the fire burns for 64 hours until it is ultimately put out, there are no casualties among the 44-man merchant crew, the 28-man Armed Guard or the 28 passengers.24 October, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Japanese army cargo ship Kazan Maru sinks as the result of damage inflicted by Silversides (SS-236) the previous day; attempt by Japanese submarine chaser Ch 24 to scuttle the immobilized Johore Maru fails. Silversides herself later finishes off Johore Maru.USMC land-based aircraft sink Japanese destroyer Mochizuki 90 miles south-southwest of Rabaul, 05°42'S, 151°40'E.
PBYs sink Japanese destroyer Mochizuki and damages destroyer Uzuki south of Jacquinot Bay, 05°35'N, 151°35'E.
USAAF B-24 sinks Japanese cargo vessel Nagaragawa Maru off Manokwari.
Japanese destroyer Satsuki is damaged by grounding off Utano Island, 05°31'S, 149°14'E (see 26 and 30 October 1943).
25 October, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Tullibee (SS-284) attacks Japanese transport Teisho Maru (ex-German Havenstein), escorted by auxiliary minesweeper No.11 Misago Maru 12 miles off Oshima, 26°05'N, 121°03'E. Although Tullibee claims damage to the larger vessel, Teisho Maru survives unscathed. No.11 Misago Maru carries out counterattacks but with equal lack of success.Atlantic
Destroyers Parrott (DD-218) and Paul Jones (DD-230) attack German submarine U-488, but the U-boat escapes destruction.26 October, Tue. 1943
Pacific
PBY damages Japanese destroyer Satsuki 15 miles east of Teop harbor, 05°34'S, 155°06'E.USAAF B-25s sink Japanese transport Yamatogawa Maru at Hai'ou, Hainan Island, 20°05'N, 11°25'E.
USAAF P-38s damage auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 20, transporting troops and cargo, five miles off Buka.
USAAF aircraft bomb Japanese shipping off Kiungshan, 20°05'N, 110°05'E, sinking transport Yamatogawa Maru, army cargo vessels No. 3 Shinwa Maru and Hokuzan Maru, and merchant cargo ship Hachiman Maru.
27 October, Wed. 1943
Pacific
U.S. and New Zealand troops land on Mono and Stirling Islands in the Treasury Island Group, Solomons; pre-invasion bombardment and covering for the landings are provided by U.S. naval vessels and aircraft. TG 39.3 (Captain Andrew G. Shepard) (two light cruisers and Destroyer Squadron 23) and aircraft from South Pacific Air Force provide cover for the landings. During Japanese retaliatory air strikes, destroyer Cony (DD-508) is damaged by horizontal and dive bombers 15 miles north of Mono, Treasury Islands, 07°23'S, 155°27'E. Tank landing ships LST-399 and LST-485 are damaged by mortar fire, 07°25'S, 155°34'E.Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) sinks Japanese transport Nanman Maru, 12°02'N, 134°28'E.
Submarine Shad (SS-235) and Grayback (SS-208) sink Japanese merchant cargo ship Fuji Maru, 28°20'N, 128°05'E, and damage cargo vessel Kamo Maru. Transport Oryoko Maru is hit by a dud torpedo.
28 October, Thu. 1943
Pacific
District patrol craft YP-88 sinks after running aground off Cape Amchitka, Aleutians.Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) sinks Japanese fleet oiler Koryu Maru, 12°54'N, 134°06'E.
Atlantic
Aircraft (VC 1) from escort carrier Block Island (CVE-21) sink German submarine U-220 east of Newfoundland, 48°53'N, 33°30'W. U-256 is attacked at the same time, but escapes unharmed (see 31 October 1943).29 October, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Seawolf (SS-197) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Wuhu Maru off Swatow, 22°28'N, 116°10'E.Navy or USMC F4Us damage small Japanese cargo vessel No.16 Kiku Maru near Tonolei, 06°47'S, 155°53'E.
30 October, Sat. 1943
Moscow Conference ends. Groundwork is laid for conference of President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill and Premier Stalin at Teheran, Iran. Other agreements include the decision that China should join the alliance as the fourth major power and that a postwar organization to keep peace should be established. The latter will be the future United Nations.
Pacific
U.S. aircraft sink Japanese transport Ujigawa Maru off Rabaul, near Kieta, Bougainville, Solomons, 06°20'S, 155°45'E.USAAF B-24 attacks Japanese destroyer Satsuki 20 miles south of Mussau, 04°40'S, 149°20'E.
31 October, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Rasher (SS-269) sinks Japanese oiler Koryu Maru, 00°25'N, 119°45'E.Atlantic
U.S. airship K 94, en route from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to San Juan, Puerto Rico, catches fire and crashes 35 miles north of Cape Borinquen, Puerto Rico.Aircraft (VC 9) from escort carrier Card (CVE-11) sink German submarine U-584 about 580 miles north of Flores Island, Azores, 49°14'N, 31°55'W. Other VC 9 aircraft attack U-91 at the same rendezvous point, but she escapes unharmed.
Destroyer Borie (DD-215) damages German submarine U-256 north of the Azores.
November
1 November, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Third Amphibious Force, TF 31 (Rear Admiral Theodore S. Wilkinson), lands 1st Marine Amphibious Corps (Lieutenant General Alexander A. Vandegrift) at Cape Torokina, Bougainville, Solomons; assault is covered by TBF aircraft and destroyer gunfire. During Japanese retaliatory air strikes, destroyer Wadsworth (DD-516) is damaged by near-miss of bomb.Cruiser and destroyer force TF 39 (Rear Admiral Aaron S. Merrill) and carrier task force TF 38 (Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman) shell and bomb Japanese airfields and installations in Buka-Bonis area, Solomons. Rear Admiral Merrill's force later bombards enemy airfields on Shortland Island, Solomons. Japanese return fire damages destroyer Dyson (DD-572).
Destroyer Fullam (DD-474) is damaged by grounding, Solomons area, 06°25'S, 154°53'E.
Submarine Haddock (SS-231) attacks Japanese cable-layer Tateishi and trawler Kitagami Maru off Rokutei Island, 09°02'N, 150°43'E. Although Haddock claims damage to both ships, neither is actually damaged.
U.S. aircraft sink Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 13 west of Shortland Island, Solomons, 07°00'S 155°30'E.
Atlantic
Destroyer Borie (DD-215) sinks German submarine U-405 north of the Azores, 49°00'N, 31°14'W, but is damaged in the battle.2 November, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Battle of Empress Augusta Bay is fought during darkness as TF 39, comprising four light cruisers and eight destroyers (Rear Admiral Aaron S. Merrill), intercepts and turns back a Japanese force of two heavy and two light cruisers and six destroyers (Rear Admiral Omori Sentaro) steaming to attack transports off Bougainville, Solomons. Light cruiser Denver (CL-58) is damaged by 8-inch gunfire; destroyer Foote (DD-511) by torpedo; and destroyer Spence (DD-512) by gunfire and collision with destroyer Thatcher (DD-514). Destroyers Charles Ausburne (DD-570), Spence (DD-512), Dyson (DD-572), Claxton (DD-571), and Stanly (DD-478) sink Japanese destroyer Hatsukaze (already damaged in collision with heavy cruiser Myoko); U.S. gunfire sinks light cruiser Sendai and damages heavy cruisers Myoko and Haguro. Destroyers Shiratsuyu and Samidare are damaged in collision during this night surface action. Japanese planes attack TF 39 during its retirement from the scene of battle, damaging light cruiser Montpelier (CL-57).Carrier task force TF 38 (Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman) attacks enemy airfields in Buka area, Solomons.
Submarine Haddock (SS-231) engages Japanese submarine chaser Ch 28, 09°12'N, 150°13'E, but neither side damages the other.
Submarines Seahorse (SS-304), Halibut (SS-232), and Trigger (SS-237), each operating independently of the other, attack Japanese convoy south of Honshu; Seahorse sinks transport Chihaya Maru, 29°31'N, 134°50'E, and army cargo ship Yawata Maru, 28°30'N, 135°35'E; Halibut sinks army cargo ship Ehime Maru, 28°40'N, 135°35'E; Trigger sinks army transport Delagoa Maru, 28°30'N, 135°35'; Seahorse or Trigger sinks army cargo ship Ume Maru, 28°40'N, 135°35'E.
USAAF B-25s, escorted by P-38s, raid airfields and harbor at Rabaul, sinking Japanese stores ship Manko Maru and damaging heavy cruisers Haguro and Myoko, destroyer Shiratsuyu, stores ship Hayasaki, and minesweeper W.26.
Atlantic
Destroyer Borie (DD-215), damaged in battle with U-405 the previous day (during which the destroyer had rammed the enemy submarine), 1,000 miles east of Cape Race, Newfoundland, is scuttled by TBF (VC 9) from escort carrier Card (CVE-11), 50°12'N, 30°48'W after attempt to scuttle Borie with gunfire, by destroyer Barry (DD-248), fails.3 November, Wed. 1943
Pacific
After months of arduous effort, battleship Oklahoma (BB-37), sunk on 7 December 1941 by Japanese aircraft, is refloated at Pearl Harbor.U.S. Navy PB4Ys sink Japanese stores ship Minato Maru 19 miles off Ocean Island, 00°53'S, 169°35'E.
USAAF B-24s bomb Japanese light cruiser Naka (near-miss) and transport (ex-armed merchant cruiser) Kiyozumi Maru off central New Ireland, 02°00'S, 151°30'E; light cruiser Isuzu takes the damaged auxiliary in tow.
USAAF B-24s bomb Japanese ships en route to Rabaul, but score no damage upon their targets, transport (ex-armed merchant cruiser) Gokoku Maru and destroyer Urakaze.
4 November, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Seawolf (SS-197) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Kaifuku Maru 90 miles south-southwest of Hong Kong, 21°22'N, 113°20'E.Submarine Silversides (SS-236) lays minefield off New Ireland; Japanese surveying ship Tsukushi and transport Ryosan Maru are sunk; light cruiser Isuzu and destroyer Isokaze, damaged.
Submarine Tautog (SS-199) unsuccessfully attacks Japanese convoy, 07°45'N, 134°09'E.
Navy fighter aircraft damage Japanese cargo vessel Giyu Maru, Matchin Bay, Bougainville, 05°28'S, 154°45'E.
USAAF B-25s sink Japanese cargo ship Chinko Maru, Swatow harbor, China, 23°20'N, 116°50'E; Chinko Maru carries down with her 100,000,000 Yuan in Central Reserve Bank notes.
USAAF B-24s damage Japanese cargo vessel Nissho Maru, in company with destroyer Amatsukaze, 00°20'N, 150°40'E.
Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 30 is sunk by aircraft off Palau Islands, 06°10'S, 155°35'E.
5 November, Fri. 1943
Pacific
TF 38 (Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman) aircraft attack Rabaul. Planes from carrier Saratoga (CV-3) and small carrier Princeton (CVL 23) bomb Japanese warships (Rear Admiral Takagi Takeo) damage heavy cruisers Atago, Takao, Maya, Chikuma, and Mogami; light cruisers Noshiro and Agano; and destroyers Fujinami and Amagiri.Open cargo lighter YCK-2 is lost, cause unspecified, 45°47'N, 58°57'W.
Submarine Halibut (SS-232) damages Japanese carrier Junyo, Bungo Channel, 32°19'N, 132°58'E; heavy cruiser Tone tows the damaged ship to Kure.
USAAF B-24s sink Japanese fishing vessel No.1 Kanto Maru seven miles north of Kieta, 06°15'S, 155°25'E.
Atlantic
PB4Ys (VB 107) and USAAF B-25s sink German submarine U-848, 480 miles southwest of Ascension Island, 10°09'S, 18°00'W.6 November, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Japanese torpedo planes attack infantry landing craft(gunboat) LCI(G)-70 and motor torpedo boat PT-167 as the U.S. ships retire from Cape Torokina to the Treasury Islands. Dud torpedoes damage both LCI(G)-70 and PT-167.Japanese troops, transported by destroyers, land near Cape Torokina, Bougainville, Solomons.
Submarine Haddock (SS-231) attacks Japanese Truk-to-Singapore convoy consisting of fleet tankers Gen'yo Maru and Hoyo Maru and escorting destroyer Yakaze, 08°04'N, 150°04'E. Haddock torpedoes Hoyo Maru at 08°08'N, 149°45'E, and during evasive maneuvers Yakaze is damaged when she accidentally rams Gen'yo Maru. Despite the damage, Yakaze counterattacks Haddock. Submarine Scorpion (SS-278) torpedoes fleet tanker Hoyo Maru, 07°54'N, 150°06'E.
USAAF B-25s hit Japanese shipping west of Buka, sinking submarine chaser Ch 11, auxiliary submarine chaser No.9 Asahi Maru, and cargo vessel Asayama Maru. Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 30 and small cargo vessel No. 3 Nissen Maru are sunk in the same general area.
U.S. aircraft sink submarine chaser Ch 11 and water tanker Chozan Maru west of Buka, Solomons.
Mediterranean
German planes attack Naples-bound convoy KMF 25A; destroyer Beatty (DD-640) is sunk by aerial torpedo 32 miles northwest of Phillippeville, Tunisia, 37°10'N, 06°00'E. Troop transport Santa Elena is also torpedoed about 27 miles off Phillippeville, 37°13'N, 06°21'E, and abandoned. Transport Monterey takes on board the 1,870 Canadian troops (and nurses) traveling in Santa Elena; the crew and Armed Guard returns to the ship (see 7 November 1943).7 November, Sun. 1943
Pacific
USAAF aircraft (14th Air Force) bomb Japanese shipping in Amoy, China, harbor, sinking army cargo ships No.28 Nagata Maru and No.6 Inushima Maru, and auxiliary sailing vessel Kanlu.Mediterranean
Troop transport Santa Elena, struck by aerial torpedo while in convoy KMF 25A the previous afternoon, suffers further damage when accidentally rammed by damaged Dutch transport Marnix Van St. Aldegonde (then under tow). The cumulative damage from the torpedo and the collision nullifies the efforts to tow the crippled Santa Elena to port and she sinks that morning. Four of the 133-man merchant crew perish in the abandonment, but the 44-man Armed Guard survives intact.8 November, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Japanese dive bombers attack U.S. ships off Cape Torokina, Bougainville, damaging light cruiser Birmingham (CL-62), 06°00'S, 154°00'E, and attack transports Fuller (APA-7) and President Jackson (APA-18), 06°15'S, 155°05'E.Destroyers Anthony (DD-515) and Hudson (DD-475) accidentally engage motor torpedo boats PT-163, PT-169, and PT-170; fortunately, neither side suffers any damage in the mistaken encounter.
Submarine Bluefish (SS-222) sinks Japanese army tanker Kyokuei Maru, 17°00'N, 116°19'E. Although Bluefish claims to destroy five more ships, none are damaged; escort vessel Tsushima counterattacks unsuccessfully.
Submarine Rasher (SS-269) sinks Japanese merchant tanker Tango Maru, 00°25'N, 119°45'E, and escapes attacks by auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 41.
Atlantic
Advanced Amphibious Training Base, Plymouth, England, is established. It will be one of the bases used in the buildup for the cross-channel invasions that will begin in June 1944; the command will not be disestablished until 7 December 1945.9 November, Tue.
Pacific
Submarine Rasher (SS-269) unsuccessfully attacks Balikpapan-bound Japanese fleet oiler Toa Maru, 00°34'N, 118°59'E.Submarine Sargo (SS-188) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Taga Maru, 21°40'N, 131°12'E.
Submarine Seawolf (SS-197) unsuccessfully attacks Japanese cargo vessel Hokuriku Maru, 20°38'N, 118°33'E.
10 November, Wed.
Pacific
Submarine Albacore (SS-218) is accidentally damaged by U.S. four-engine bomber off New Ireland, 03°08'S, 150°17'E, but remains on patrol.Submarine Barb (SS-220) engages Japanese Keelung-to-Sasebo convoy, unsuccessfully attacking cargo ships Yamahagi Maru and damaging Nishi Maru. Escorting auxiliary minesweeper No.7 Toshi Maru counterattacks, but does not damage, Barb.
Submarine Scamp (SS-277) torpedoes Japanese transport Tokyo Maru, 03°30'N, 150°10'E; transport Mitakesan Maru takes the crippled ship in tow (see 12 November 1943).
British submarine HMS Tally Ho sinks Japanese water carrier Kisogawa Maru, 06°12'N, 99°25'E.
Japanese cargo vessel Giyu Maru, damaged on 4 November 1943, sinks in Matchin Bay, 05°33'S, 154°45'E.
Atlantic
PB4Y-1s (VB 103, VB 105, VB 110), RAF No. 311 (Czechoslovakian) Squadron Liberator, and an RAF Wellington sink German submarine U-966 in Bay of Biscay off northwest Spain, 44°00'N, 08°30'W; Spanish fishing trawlers rescue the survivors.11 November, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Aircraft from TF 38 (Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman) and TG 50.3 (Rear Admiral Alfred E. Montgomery), which include three carriers and two small carriers, attack Japanese ships at Rabaul, sinking destroyer Suzunami and damaging light cruisers Yubari and Agano, and destroyers Naganami, Urakaze, and Wakatsuki.Submarine Capelin (SS-289) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kunitama Maru northwest of Ambon, 03°08'S, 127°30'E.
Submarine Drum (SS-228) engages Japanese Truk-to-Rabaul convoy, unsuccessfully attacking submarine depot ship Hie Maru, 00°19'N, 149°40'E (see 17 November 1943). Later that day, a USAAF B-24 bombs the same convoy, damaging Hie Maru. Despite those attacks, the enemy ships reach Rabaul the following day.
Submarine Sargo (SS-188) sinks Japanese transport Kosei Maru east of the Nansei Shoto, 27°40'N, 130°24'E.
U.S. freighter Cape San Juan, bound for Townsville, Australia, is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-21 at 28°08'S, 178°06'W; 16 of the 1,348 embarked troop passengers are killed in the initial explosion and a further 114 drown during the abandonment. Liberty ship Edwin T. Meredith begins picking up survivors, joined later by Allied planes, destroyer McCalla (DD-488), destroyer escort Dempsey (DE-26) and motor minesweeper YMS-241. Edwin T. Meredith attempts to scuttle Cape San Juan with gunfire but the ship will remain afloat for another two days.
12 November, Fri. 1943
Atlantic
President Roosevelt embarks in battleship Iowa (BB-61) at the start of his journey that will include his presence at conferences at Teheran and Cairo.Pacific
Submarine Harder (SS-257) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking auxiliary minesweeper No.11 Misago Maru, 21°40'N, 144°40'E, and damaging motor sailing vessel Hei Maru.Submarine Scamp (SS-277) torpedoes Truk-bound Japanese light cruiser Agano (damaged the previous day by TF 38's strike), 01°03'N, 149°15'E.
Submarine Thresher (SS-200) torpedoes and sinks Japanese transport Muko Maru north of Truk, 09°02'N, 152°46'E, but is damaged by depth charges and terminates her patrol.
Japanese transport Tokyo Maru, damaged by Scamp (SS-277) on 10 November, sinks at 05°42'N, 151°09'E. Destroyer Suzutsuki rescues survivors.
Transport Tokyo Maru, damaged by submarine Scamp (SS-277), sinks while under tow between Kavieng and Truk, 03°39'N, 150°37'E.
USAAF B-24s bomb Japanese naval base at Surabaya, Java, damaging submarine chasers Ch 6 and Ch 10.
Atlantic
Open lighter YC-857 sinks after grounding off Cape Cod, Massachusetts.PB4Y-1 (VB 103) sinks German submarine U-508 in Bay of Biscay, 46°00'N, 07°30'W.
13 November, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Carrier and land-based aircraft begin daily bombings of Japanese positions in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands.Japanese aircraft attack TF 39 (Rear Admiral Aaron S. Merrill) off Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville, Solomons; light cruiser Denver (CL-58) is damaged by aerial torpedo, 06°45'S, 154°15'E.
British submarine HMS Taurus sinks Japanese submarine I-34 30 miles south of Panang, Malaya, 05°17'N, 100°05'E.
Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) lands men and supplies at Paluan Bay, Mindoro, P.I.
Submarine Scorpion (SS-278) damages Japanese oiler Shiretoko northwest of the Marianas, 18°22'N, 142°50'E.
Submarine Trigger (SS-237) sinks Japanese transport Nachizan Maru in East China Sea, 32°55'N, 124°57'E; although damaged by depth charges, she remains on patrol.
14 November, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Apogon (SS-308) attacks Japanese Truk-bound convoy consisting of transports Akibasan Maru and Okitsu Maru, escorted by destroyers Asanagi and Inadzuma, 08°20'N, 154°15'E; although she claims one damaging hit on a transport, she is unsuccessful.Atlantic
During battle drills destroyer William D. Porter (DD-579) inadvertently fires a live torpedo at battleship Iowa (BB-61), in which President Roosevelt is traveling. Fortunately, the destroyer signals the battleship in time and a catastrophe is avoided.15 November, Mon. 1943
Pacific
U.S. Advanced Naval Base and Naval Auxiliary Air Facility, Funafuti, Ellice Islands, are established.Submarine Crevalle (SS-291) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kyokko Maru off San Antonio, Zambales province, 14°53'N, 119°56'E.
Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) lands supplies at Nasipit, Mindanao, and evacuates people.
16 November, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Corvina (SS-216) is sunk by Japanese submarine I-176, south of Truk, 05°05'N, 151°10'E.PBYs attack Japanese shipping off New Guinea, sinking cargo vessel Kyoritsu Maru, 03°51'S, 153°20'E.
USAAF B-24 aircraft bomb Japanese shipping at Jaluit and Imidj atolls.
Japanese minelayer Ukishima is lost to unknown cause, 11 miles off Hatsushima, Japan, 34°28'N, 137°20'E.
17 November, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Destroyers bombard Japanese airfield at Buka, Bougainville, Solomons.Japanese planes attack convoy carrying Marine reinforcements to Bougainville, Solomons. High speed transport McKean (APD-5) is sunk by aerial torpedo 19 miles southwest of Cape Torokina, 06°31'S, 154°52'E.
Submarine Capelin (SS-289) departs Darwin, Australia for Molucca and Celebes Seas. She is never heard from again (see 23 November 1943).
Submarine Drum (SS-228) sinks Japanese submarine depot ship Hie Maru (which had eluded Drum on 11 November) north-northwest of New Ireland, 01°45'N, 148°20'E.
18 November, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Carrier force TG 50.4 (Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman) attacks Nauru in support of the unfolding operations to capture the Gilberts.Submarine Bluefish (SS-222) sinks Japanese destroyer Sanae and damages oiler Ondo 90 miles south of Basilan Island, 05°00'N, 122°00'E. In return Ondo engages the submarine with gunfire.
Submarine Crevalle (SS-291) attacks Japanese landing ship/aircraft transport Akitsu Maru, escorted by torpedo boat Tomodzuru, 15°10'N, 119°40'E; although Crevalle claims destruction of her quarry, Akitsu Maru survives unscathed.
19 November, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Submarine chaser SC-1067 founders and sinks off Attu, Aleutians.Motor torpedo boat PT-147, damaged by grounding, eastern New Guinea, 05°55'S, 147°20'E, is scuttled by crew.
Submarine Harder (SS-257) attacks Japanese convoy escorted by escort vessel Fukue and destroyer Yuzuki, sinking transports Hokko Maru and Udo Maru, 22°28'N, 147°22'E (see 20 November 1943).
Submarine Nautilus (SS-168) is damaged by friendly fire from light cruiser Santa Fe (CL-60) and destroyer Ringgold (DD-500) off Tarawa, Gilberts, 01°05'N, 173°03'E. Nautilus remains on patrol until she accomplishes her mission of supporting the landings.
Submarine Sculpin (SS-191), heavily damaged by Japanese destroyer Yamagumo about 154 miles north of Truk, Carolines, 00°00'N, 152°50'E, is scuttled. Captain John P. Cromwell, the embarked submarine squadron commander in Sculpin, familiar with secret details of upcoming operations, decides to go down with the ship rather than risk capture and inevitable interrogation. For his decision to accept certain death, Cromwell is awarded the Medal of Honor, posthumously.
20 November, Sat. 1943
Pacific
U.S. Naval Base, Cairns, Australia, is established.Navy, Marine, and Army forces land on Tarawa and Makin, Gilberts, in Operation GALVANIC. The operation is under overall command of Commander Central Pacific Force (Vice Admiral Raymond A. Spruance). Marines (5th Amphibious Corps) landing on Tarawa encounter bitter resistance. During operations supporting GALVANIC, four ships are damaged: battleship Mississippi (BB-41) by turret explosion, 03°10'N, 172°58'E; small carrier Independence (CVL 22) by aircraft torpedo, 01°30'N, 172°40'E; destroyer Ringgold (DD-500) by Tarawa shore battery, 01°24'N, 172°58'E, and destroyer Dashiell (DD-659) by grounding, 01°00'N, 173°00'E.
Submarine Harder (SS-257) continues stalking convoy attacked the previous day and sinks Japanese transport Nikko Maru northeast of the Marianas, 23°20'N, 147°30'E.
PBYs sink Japanese cargo vessel Naples Maru, 03°22'S, 151°45'E; submarine chasers Ch 17 and Ch 18 rescue survivors.
21 November, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Nautilus (SS-168) lands Marine reconnaissance company on Abemama, Gilberts.Submarine Trigger (SS-237) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Eizan Maru, Yellow Sea, 36°40'N, 125°31'E.
USAAF B-24s and B-25s strike Japanese shipping and installations in Aroe Islands and off Manokwari, New Guinea, sinking transport Shinwa Maru off Manokwari, 02°24'S, 134°36'E.
USAAF B-25s and RAAF Beaufighters sink Japanese fishing vessel Shinko Maru off Taberfane, 06°11'S, 134°07'E.
RAAF Bostons sink small Japanese cargo vessel Suisan Maru off south coast of New Britain, 06°03'S, 151°14'E.
22 November, Mon. 1943
President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Churchill, and Chinese Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek meet in Cairo, Egypt, for talks (SEXTANT Conference).
Pacific
Destroyer Frazier (DD-607) is damaged when she intentionally rams Japanese submarine I-35; the enemy submersible is sunk by Frazier and destroyer Meade (DD-602) off Tarawa, 01°22'N, 172°47'E.Submarine Drum (SS-228) is damaged by depth charges north of New Guinea, 02°53'N, 141°36'E, and is forced to terminate her patrol.
Submarine Seahorse (SS-304) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Taish Maru, 33°41'N, 128°35'E.
Submarine Tinosa (SS-283) sinks Japanese army cargo ships Kiso Maru and Yamato Maru off Palau, 07°09'N, 134°32'E; although damaged by depth charges, 07°09'N, 134°34'E, she remains on patrol.
USAAF B-24 sinks Japanese cargo ship Kinyamasan Maru, 01°00'N, 149°20'E, that had escaped damage the previous day; destroyer Asanagi continues on to Truk with survivors of Nichii Maru and Kinyamasan Maru.
Japanese army repair ship Kashima Maru is sunk by mine, laid by USAAF B-24 on 16 November 1943 off Macao.
U.S. tanker Elizabeth Kellogg, bound for Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, is torpedoed by German submarine U-516 at 11°10'N, 80°43'W, and abandoned (see 24 November 1943).
23 November, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Betio, Tarawa Atoll, and Makin are declared secured.Cruiser and destroyer force (Rear Admiral Aaron S. Merrill) bombards Buka-Bonis area, Bougainville, Solomons.
Motor torpedo boat PT-322, damaged by grounding, eastern New Guinea, 06°09'S, 147°36'E, is scuttled by U.S. forces.
Submarine Blackfish (SS-221) sinks Japanese transport Yamato Maru between New Guinea and Palau, 02°28'N, 140°06'E.
Submarine Capelin (SS-289) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kizan Maru, 01°50'N, 127°55'E (see 17 November 1943).
Submarine Gudgeon (SS-212) attacks Takao-bound Japanese convoy, sinking Japanese escort vessel Wakamiya and army transport Nekka Maru, East China Sea, 28°38'N, 122°00'E, and damaging fleet tankers Ichiyo Maru and Goyo Maru.
24 November, Wed. 1943
Pacific
The escort carrier USS Liscome Bay, with 916 crewmen on board, was torpedoed and sunk by the Japanese submarine I-175. The torpedo had made a direct hit on the aircraft bomb stowage compartment on the ship's starboard side, causing a massive explosion that incinerated most of the men below decks, and the ship sank within 23 minutes. In all, 644 men were killed — 53 officers and 591 enlisted men.
Escort carrier Liscome Bay (CVE-56) is sunk by Japanese submarine I-175, Gilberts, 02°34'N, 172°30'E. I-175 does not escape unscathed, however, for she undergoes six hours of counter attacks by Liscome Bay's escorts; of the 34 depth charges counted, six explode close enough to damage I-175 so that she cannot "go deep."In successive separate attacks, USAAF B-24s and Navy PBYs damage Japanese light cruiser Yubari, 04°20'S, 150°00'E, and 03°41'S, 150°15'E, respectively, as she attempts to transport soldiers and supplies to Garove. Damage to the ship prompts cancellation of her mission.
USAAF B-25s damage Japanese lighthouse tender Heicho Maru, Amoy, China.
Atlantic
Survivors of U.S. tanker Elizabeth Kellogg, torpedoed by German submarine U-516 on 22 November 1943, are rescued by submarine chaser SC-1017 and Army tanker Y 10. Eight of the tanker's 36-man merchant complement and two of the 12-man Armed Guard perish with the ship.Mediterranean
USAAF aircraft bomb Toulon harbor, sinking light cruiser Jeanne de Vienne, destroyer Aigle and sloop SG.21 (ex-second class sloop Chamois) (see 15 August 1944).Caribbean
U.S. freighter Melville E. Stone is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-516 about 100 miles northwest of Cristobal, Canal Zone, 10°29'N, 80°20'W; 12 of the 42-man merchant complement lose their lives, as do two of the 23-man Armed Guard and one of the 23 embarked passengers. Submarine chasers SC-662 and SC-1023 rescue survivors.25 November, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Battle of Cape St. George is fought during the early hours as the five ships of Destroyer Squadron 23 (Captain Arleigh A. Burke) intercept five Japanese destroyers (Captain Kagawa Kiyoto) off Cape St. George, New Ireland. Charles Ausburne (DD-570), Claxton (DD-571), and Dyson (DD-572) sink Onami with torpedoes and Yugiri with gunfire; the same three U.S. ships, joined by Spence (DD-512) and Converse (DD-509), sink Makinami with torpedoes and gunfire and damage Uzuki. DESRON 23 suffers no damage.Destroyer Radford (DD-446) sinks Japanese submarine I-19 north of Gilberts, 03°10'N, 171°55'E.
Submarine Albacore (SS-218) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kenzan Maru, 00°46'N, 144°50'E.
Submarine Searaven (SS-196) sinks Japanese fleet tanker Toa Maru north of Ponape, 08°22'N, 158°00'W.
USAAF B-24s bomb Japanese installations at Taroa, damaging guardboat Takeura Maru.
Japanese submarine RO 100 is sunk by mine two miles west of Omai Island, outside north channel to Buin.
Atlantic
Advanced Amphibious Base, Salcombe, Devonshire, England, is established.PB4Y (VB 107) sinks the Indian Ocean-bound German submarine U-849, South Atlantic, 06°30'S, 05°40'W.
Destroyer escort Harveson (DE-316) is damaged when she is accidentally rammed by Canadian fishing vessel O.K. Service off Bermuda, British West Indies.
26 November, Fri. 1943
First Cairo (SEXTANT) Conference between President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek ends.
PV-1 (VP 138) attacks what is most likely Japanese submarine I-177, which is engaged in rescuing survivors of the Battle of Cape St. George (see 25 November). I-177 rescues some 200 Japanese sailors in the aftermath of the battle.
USAAF B-25s sink Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Genchi Maru off Canton, China, 21°33'N, 112°00'E.
Submarine Bowfin (SS-287) sinks Japanese army tanker Ogurasan Maru and merchant cargo ship Tainan Maru, 13°00'N, 109°30'E.
Submarine Raton (SS-270) damages Japanese ammunition ship Onoe Maru, 00°40'N, 148°20'E; submarine chaser Ch 40 counterattacks but is damaged by the explosion of her own depth charges.
Submarine Ray (SS-271) carries out unsuccessful attacks on Japanese cargo vessel Sumiyoshi Maru, 02°32'N, 148°56'E, but sinks Japanese transport Nikkai Maru southwest of Truk, 04°12'N, 148°20'E.
Submarine Tinosa (SS-283) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Shini Maru, and damages army cargo ship Taiyu Maru, 07°08'N, 134°48'E.
Atlantic
Naval Air Facilities are established at Amapa, Aratu, and Belem, Brazil; Naval Air Facilities (Lighter than Air) are established at Fernando Noronha, Fortaleza, and Ipitanga, Brazil.27 November, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Bowfin (SS-287) sinks Vichy French cargo ship Van Vollenhoven off coast of French Indochina, 13°13'N, 109°27'E.Submarine Seahorse (SS-304) sinks Japanese fleet tanker San Ramon Maru in East China Sea, 33°36'N, 128°57'E.
USAAF B-24s sink Japanese army hospital ship Buenos Aires Maru in Steffen Strait, 02°40'S, 149°20'E.
USAAF B-25s attack Japanese convoy, sinking transport Hakone Maru and damaging torpedo boat Tomodzuru, 25°20'N, 120°00'E.
28 November, Sun. 1943
Teheran (EUREKA) Conference begins in Teheran, Iran, between President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, and Premier Stalin.
Pacific
Submarine Bowfin (SS-287) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Sydney Maru and merchant cargo ship Tonan Maru off central Philippines, 12°45'N, 109°41'E, but is damaged by Japanese gunfire and is forced to terminate her patrol.Submarines Pargo (SS-264) and Snook (SS-279) attack Japanese transport convoy escorted by destroyer Oite and auxiliary submarine chaser Choan Maru northwest of the Marianas (see 29 November 1943). Snook sinks Yamafuku Maru, 18°21'N, 140°08'E.
Submarines Raton (SS-270) sinks Japanese army cargo ships Hokko Maru and Yuri Maru, 01°40'N, 141°25'E.
29 November, Mon. 1943
Pacific
1st Marine Parachute Battalion is landed before dawn about six miles east of Cape Torokina from LCVPs and LCMs, covered by two LCI(G) and a motor torpedo boat; heavy Japanese opposition at daybreak, however, compels evacuation of the leathernecks. Destroyer Fullam (DD-474) aided by F4U, silences enemy artillery, mortar and sniper fire, and thus allows the successful extraction of the beleaguered marines.TG 74.2 (Captain Frank R. Walker), two U.S. destroyers and two Australian (HMAS Arunta and HMAS Warramunga), shell Japanese positions on Gasmata.
Destroyer Perkins (DD-377) is sunk in collision with Australian troop ship Duntroon off eastern New Guinea, 09°39'S, 150°04'E.
Submarine Bonefish (SS-223) sinks Surabaya-bound Japanese army cargo ship Suez Maru off Kangean Island, north of Bali, 06°57'S, 115°42'E. Unbeknown to the submariners, Suez Maru has on board 546 British POWs. Minesweeper W.12 rescues survivors.
Submarine Paddle (SS-263) attacks Japanese fleet tanker Nippon Maru 19 miles off Brown Island, 11°30'N, 162°15'E.
Submarines Pargo (SS-264) and Snook (SS-279) continue attacks against Japanese transport convoy northwest of the Marianas; Pargo torpedoes and sinks Manju Maru, 18°36'N, 140°04'E; Snook torpedoes and sinks Shiganoura Maru, 18°38'N, 139°35'E. Destroyer Oite and auxiliary submarine chaser Choan Maru counterattack to no avail.
Submarine Snapper (SS-185) sinks Japanese transport Kenryu Maru off Hachijo Jima, 33°16'N, 139°35'E.
Atlantic
Aircraft (VC 19) from escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) (from convoy UGS 24 or 27) sink German submarine U-86 about 385 miles east of Terceira, Azores, 39°33'N, 19°01'W; U-238 and U-764 survive the air attacks.30 November, Tue. 1943
Pacific
U.S. destroyers bombard Japanese positions on Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville, Solomons.Submarine Gato (SS-212) sinks Japanese army transport Columbia Maru, 01°54'N, 143°26'E; and escapes counterattacks by escorting submarine chaser Ch 24.
Submarine Skate (SS-305) attacks Japanese carrier Zuiho, 09°10'N, 151°30'E, which, along with carrier Un'yo and escort carrier Chuyo and escort vessels is proceeding back to Japan from Truk. Although Skate claims one damaging hit, none of her four torpedoes strikes home (see 4 December 1943).
PBY sinks Palau-bound Japanese cargo ship Himalaya Maru six nautical miles south of New Hanover.
Atlantic
Aircraft (VC 19) from escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) damage German submarine U-238 east of the Azores, 41°21'N, 18°19'W.December
1 December, Wed. 1943
Naval Air Ferry Command is established.
Pacific
Submarine Bonefish (SS-223) sinks Japanese transport Nichiryo Maru in Celebes Sea, 01°02'N, 120°52'E.Submarine Pargo (SS-264) sinks Japanese transport Shoko Maru north of Ulithi, 14°24'N, 140°40'E.
Submarine Peto (SS-265) sinks Truk-bound Japanese transport Konei Maru, 01°16'N, 146°45'E, and escapes countermeasures by torpedo boat Otori.
USAAF B-25s bomb Taikoo dockyard, Hong Kong, damaging Japanese transport Teiren Maru (ex-Vichy French Gouverneur General A. Varenne). Subsequently, the ship is written off as a total loss.
USAAF B-24s pound Japanese installations at Wewak; among the heavy damage inflicted, small cargo vessel No.16 Yoshitomo Maru is sunk.
2 December, Thu. 1943
Teheran (EUREKA) Conference ends.
Pacific
Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) lands ammunition and stores, and evacuates certain people from Mindanao.USAAF B-24 damages Japanese cargo ship Shinyu Maru off New Hanover.
RAAF Beaufighters damage Japanese paddle steamer Assam in Irrawaddy River (see 3 December 1943).
Japanese cargo vessel Koki Maru is sunk by mine, laid by USAAF B-24 on 16 November, off Macao.
Mediterranean
Tank landing craft LCT-242 is sunk by circling torpedo off Naples, Italy.Adriatic
German planes bomb Allied shipping at Bari, Italy, sinking and damaging a number of U.S. freighters moored there. John M. Schofield and Grace Abbott are damaged by flying fragments (the latter also by a dud bomb); the former suffers no casualties among the 44-man merchant complement, 28-man Armed Guard and an indeterminate number of British Army stevedores on board to work cargo while the latter has only one merchant seaman wounded from among her 41-man civilian and 28-man Armed Guard complement. Samuel J. Tilden is hit by two bombs and catches fire; 17 of the 209 embarked troops perish as the soldiers abandon ship. The 41-man merchant crew and the 28-man Armed Guard remain at their posts to battle the blaze that eventually burns out of control and forces her crew off the ship. Ten of the ship's civilian complement die in the conflagration (see 3 December 1943). John L. Motley, carrying a cargo of ammunition, is hit by at least three bombs; direct hits and near-misses set nearby John Bascom afire; four of 44 merchant seamen perish as do 10 of 28 Armed Guard sailors. The survivors, in addition to one passenger, abandon ship as the flames burn out of control. Her mooring lines burnt through, John Bascom drifts near the burning John L. Motley, which explodes, killing all on board (42 of the 46-man merchant complement and 22 of the 29-man Armed Guard) (the only survivors are on shore at the time of the attack and thus escape the fate of their shipmates). Debris from John L. Motley damages gasoline tanker Aroostook (AOG-14), 41°06'N, 16°52'E, and sets fire to Lyman Abbott. John Harvey, moored originally between John L. Motley and Joseph Wheeler, is showered by burning debris, and catches fire herself, drifting into the harbor where she explodes, showering debris on the unfortunate Lyman Abbott. Tragically, John Harvey's cargo includes mustard gas which subsequently kills and injures many of the local inhabitants, in addition to harming many among the 42 merchant seamen and 29 Armed Guards on board Lyman Abbott. Consequently, 2 of the ship's civilian crew and one Armed Guard sailor, in addition to the ship's sole passenger, succumb to shrapnel wounds or mustard gas burns. Joseph Wheeler is hit by one bomb that touches off her ammunition cargo and the ship disintegrates, killing all on board: 15 of 41 merchant seamen and 13 of the 28-man Armed Guard, in addition to the single passenger, perish in the cataclysmic blast. Fifteen Armed Guard sailors and 26 merchant sailors escape the fate of their shipmates only because they were away from the ship, on shore, when she explodes.3 December, Fri. 1943
Second Cairo Conference begins, attended by President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek.
Pacific
Submarine Guardfish (SS-217) is damaged in collision with unidentified tanker.Submarine Tinosa (SS-283) sinks Palau-bound Japanese fleet tanker Azuma Maru northwest of Sonserol, 06°34'N, 131°35'E.
USAAF B-24s bomb Japanese fishing boats off Garove, sinking No.13 Sansei Maru.
USAAF B-25s sink Japanese paddle steamer Assam, immobilized the day before by RAAF Beaufighters in Irrawaddy River.
Adriatic
Abandoned U.S. freighter Samuel J. Tilden, damaged in the German air raid on Bari, Italy, the night before, is scuttled by two torpedoes from British warships.Atlantic
U.S. tanker Touchet is torpedoed twice (the second torpedo is a dud) by German submarine U-193 at 25°15'N, 86°15'W, and abandoned by most of the 50-man merchant complement and 30-man Armed Guard. The latter's commander and nine men, however, stay with the ship, manning the 5-inch gun aft. U-193's third torpedo finishes off the tanker, though, and she sinks, taking nine of the ten Armed Guards who manage to reach a raft (they are swept off as the ship goes under), as well as the detachment commander, down with her (see 5 and 6 December 1943).Naval Air Facility, Sao Luiz, Brazil is established.
4 December, Sat. 1943
Pacific
TF 50 (Rear Admiral Charles A. Pownall) attacks Japanese installations on Kwajalein and Wotje Atolls, Marshalls. Planes from Lexington (CV-16) and small carrier Independence (CVL 22) sink collier Asakaze Maru, cargo ship Tateyama Maru, auxiliary submarine chaser No.7 Takunan Maru, and guardboat No.5 Mikuni Maru and damage light cruisers Nagara and Isuzu, stores ship Kinezaki, auxiliary vessel Fujikawa Maru, and transports Eiko Maru, Kenbu Maru, and No.18 Mikage Maru.During Japanese retaliatory air strikes, three U.S. ships suffer damage: carrier Lexington (CV-16) by aerial torpedo, 13°30'N, 171°25'E; light cruiser Mobile (CL-63) when one of her 5-inch mounts accidentally fires into one of her own 40-millimeter mounts, 12°47'N, 170°57'E; and destroyer Taylor (DD-468) by friendly fire from light cruiser Oakland (CL-95), 10°00'N, 170°00'E.
Submarine Apogon (SS-308) sinks Japanese gunboat Daido Maru northeast of Ponape, 08°22'N, 159°02'E.
Submarine Gunnel (SS-253) sinks Japanese transport Hiyoshi Maru northeast of Haha Jima, 29°436'N, 145°54'E, and eludes counterattacks by destroyer Inazuma.
Submarine Sailfish (SS-192) torpedoes and sinks Yokosuka-bound Japanese escort carrier Chuyo southeast of Honshu, 32°27'N, 143°49'E. Unbeknown to Sailfish, Chuyo is carrying survivors from sistership Sculpin (SS-191).
Japanese seaplane carrier Sanuki Maru is damaged by mine, Pomelaa, as she sails for Singapore.
5 December, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Destroyers bombard Choiseul Bay area, Choiseul Island, Solomons.Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) sinks Japanese cargo ship Himeno Maru (ex-U.S. Dos Hermanos) off Camiquin Island, 09°09'N, 124°29'E.
Indian Ocean
Japanese planes bomb Calcutta, India; U.S. freighter William Whipple is straddled and holed with fragments. There are no casualties among the 42-man merchant crew, but one man of the 28-man Armed Guard is injured.Atlantic
Norwegian freighter Lillemor rescues 43 survivors from tanker Touchet, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-193 on 3 December 1943; shortly thereafter, destroyer escort Falgout (DE-324) picks up 11 more men from the lost ship (see 6 December 1943).6 December, Mon.
Europe
General Dwight D. Eisenhower, USA, is named commander of Allied Expeditionary Force for invasion of Europe.Atlantic
Minesweeper Raven (AM-55) rescues 16 survivors from tanker Touchet, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-193 on 3 December 1943. All told, the entire merchant complement of 50 men survives Touchet's loss, but ten of the 30-man Armed Guard are lost with the ship.7 December, Tues. Second Cairo Conference ends.
Bay of Bengal
Tank landing ships LST-208 and LST-209 unload British tanks at Regu Creek, Burma, in Operation RATCHET.Pacific
Submarine Pogy (SS-266) sinks Japanese collier Soyo Maru north of Truk, 14°03'N, 152°20'E.Submarine Sailfish (SS-192) is attacked by Japanese plane off Kyushu, Japan, 31°21'N, 134°10'E, but although damaged by aerial bomb, remains on patrol.
8 December, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Task group including carriers, battleships, and destroyers (Rear Admiral Willis A. Lee) bombs and bombards Nauru Island; destroyer Boyd (DD-544) is damaged by shore battery fire. OS2Us (VO 6 and VO 9) from battleships strafe and photograph barracks area upon completion of ships' bombardment.Submarine Sawfish (SS-276) sinks Japanese transport Sansei Maru southwest of Chichi Jima, 25°19'N, 141°44'E.
TBFs sink Rabaul-bound Japanese fishing boats No. 3 Yusho Maru, No.7 Fukuei Maru, Takatori Maru, and No.1 Hoko Maru, 00°20'N, 152°10'E.
9 December, Thu. 1943
Following the Teheran and Cairo conferences, President Roosevelt reembarks in battleship Iowa (BB-61) at Dakar for the return voyage to the United States.
10 December, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Destroyer Sigourney (DD-643) is damaged by grounding, Solomons, 06°21'S, 155°10'E.11 December, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Bonefish (SS-223) damages small Japanese cargo vessel Toyohime Maru, 04°03'N, 118°22'E.Atlantic
German U-boats U-223, U-593 (see 13 December 1943) and U-73 (see 16 December 1943) attack convoy KMS 34 in the Mediterranean.12 December, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Tuna (SS-203) sinks Japanese naval transport Tosei Maru north of Halmahera, 02°44'N, 126°14'E.Atlantic
Aircraft (VC 19) from escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) damage German submarine U-172 south-southwest of the Canary Islands; U-219 escapes.13 December, Mon.
Pacific
Submarine Pogy (SS-266) damages Japanese army cargo ship Fukkai Maru off Palau Islands, 07°06'N, 134°30'E, but is damaged by depth charges, 07°06'N, 134°31'E, and forced to terminate her patrol.Submarine Pompon (SS-267) lays mines off Poulo Condore, southwest of French Indochina.
Submarine Puffer (SS-268) unsuccessfully attacks Japanese transport Teiko Maru (ex-Vichy French steamship D'Artagnan), 14°29'N, 119°59'E.
Submarine Sailfish (SS-192) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Totai Maru, 30°15'N, 132°30'E.
PBY sinks Japanese cargo vessel Tokiwa Maru, 03°30'S, 151°30'E.
Atlantic
Open cargo lighter YCK-8 sinks (cause unspecified) off Key West, Florida.Destroyer Osmond Ingram (DD-255) is damaged by gunfire of German submarine U-172, 660 miles west-southwest of the Canary Islands, 26°19'N, 29°58'W, but takes part in sinking U-172, along with aircraft (VC 19) from escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) and destroyers George E. Badger (AVD-3), Dupont (DD-152), and Clemson (DD-186).
USAAF aircraft bomb Kiel, Germany, sinking torpedo boat T 15 and minesweeper R 306, among other shipping.
Mediterranean
German submarine U-593 is sunk by destroyer Wainwright (DD-419) and British frigate HMS Calpe, 150 miles northeast of Algiers, 37°38'N, 05°58'E.14 December, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Faulty fuel pump ignites gasoline dump that in turn explodes ammunition dump; resultant fire destroys motor torpedo boat PT-239, Lambu Lambu Cove, Vella Lavella, Solomons, 07°42'S, 156°47'E.Submarine Herring (SS-233) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Hakozaki Maru, 33°01'N, 124°01'E.
Atlantic
Naval Air Facility, Maceio, Brazil, is established.15 December, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Naval Operating Base, Treasury Island, Solomons, is established.TF 76 (Rear Admiral Daniel E. Barbey) lands Army troops (112th U.S. Cavalry Regiment) on Arawe Peninsula, New Britain, in Operation DIRECTOR.
Destroyer escort Harveson (DE-316) is damaged in collision with U.S. merchantman William T. Barry, 36°47'N, 74°33'W.
USAAF aircraft sink Japanese cargo ship Senko Maru in Gulf of Tonkin, 21°05'N, 108°30'E.
RAAF Beaufighters sink Japanese army cargo ship Wakatsu Maru; and Dutch B-25s sink cargo ship Genmei Maru off Timor.
16 December, Thu. 1943
Pacific
District patrol craft YP-426 sinks after running aground, 31°59'N, 80°48'W.Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Ginyo Maru southwest of the Ryukyus, 22°18'N, 119°52'E.
USAAF B-24 sinks small Japanese cargo vessel No.6 Heiei Maru 150 miles northeast of Wewak.
Mediterranean
German submarine U-73 attacks convoy GUS 24 off the Algerian coast, torpedoing U.S. freighter John S. Copley at 46°00'N, 22°16'W. Partially abandoned, John S. Copley is deemed salvageable, and rescue tug ATR-47 takes the damaged ship in tow, bringing her into Oran. Submarine chasers PC-546 and SC-977 pick up the men who have abandoned ship (only two from among the 44-man merchant complement, 28-man Armed Guard and Army Security officer are injured). Subsequently, destroyers Trippe (DD-403), Woolsey (DD-437) and Edison (DD-439) sink U-73, 35 miles north-northwest of Oran, Algeria, 36°07'N, 00°50'W.Atlantic
U.S. freighter Blue Jacket, mistaken for a German blockade runner while proceeding toward her destination of Cardiff, Wales, is engaged in a running surface gunnery action by three British frigates. Armed Guard gunfire keeps the "friendly" ships at bay, saving the American merchantman. Once the mistake is realized, one of the Allied warships provides medical assistance; of the 56 merchant seamen and 33 Armed Guards, only seven men are injured. There are no fatalities.U.S. tanker McDowell, en route from New York to Aruba, N.W.I., is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-516at 13°08'N, 70°02'W. Later that day, U.S. tanker Fairfax rescues 63 survivors; motor minesweeper YMS-56 picks up eight. Two of the 45-man merchant complement drown in the abandonment; a third dies subsequently of injuries. There are no casualties to the 28-man Armed Guard.
17 December, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Coastal transport APc-21 is sunk by dive bomber, 06°15'S, 149°01'E, and motor minesweeper YMS-50 is damaged by horizontal bomber, 06°12'S, 149°03'E, off New Britain.18 December, Sat. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Aspro (SS-309) attacks Japanese convoy, damaging fleet tankers Sarawak Maru and Tenei Maru at about 24°10'N, 124°40'E, and escapes counterattacks by destroyer Shiokaze.Submarine Cabrilla (SS-288) lays mines off Saracen Bay, Cambodia, French Indochina.
Submarine Grayback (SS-208) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Gyokurei Maru east-northeast of Naha, Okinawa, 26°30'N, 128°19'E, and escapes counterattacks by destroyer Numakaze.
19 December, Sun. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Grayback (SS-208) sinks Japanese destroyer Numakaze, 50 miles east-northeast of Naha, Okinawa, 26°30'N, 128°26'E.USAAF B-24 and USN PBYs sink Japanese cargo ship Kaito Maru southwest of Kavieng, 03°17'S, 151°18'E.
USN PBY damages Japanese merchant cargo vessel Shoei Maru, Kwajalein; Shoei Maru sinks the next day.
20 December, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Destroyers bombard Japanese positions on northeastern coast of Bougainville, Solomons.Submarine Gato (SS-212) sinks Japanese transport Tsuneshima Maru, East China Sea, 01°26'N, 148°36'E, and although damaged by depth charges dropped by escorting torpedo boat Otori, remains on patrol.
Submarine Puffer (SS-268) sinks Japanese destroyer Fuyo 60 miles west of Manila, 14°45'N, 119°54'E, but the submarine's attack on cargo ship Gozan Maru is not successful.
PBYs sink Japanese transport Alaska Maru 30 miles north of northwestern Gazelle Peninsula, 03°43'S, 151°30'E.
Atlantic
Naval Air Training Command is established at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida.Coast Guard cutter Bodega (WYP-342) is damaged when she runs aground off Margarita Point, Canal Zone.
Aircraft (VC 19) from escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) sink Indian Ocean-bound German submarine U-850, 530 miles southwest of Fayal, Azores, 32°54'N, 37°01'W.
21 December, Tue. 1943
Pacific
PBYs from Attu, Aleutians, bomb Shimushu, Paramushiro Strait, Kuriles.Coastal transport APc-2 is damaged by dive bomber off New Britain, 06°12'S, 149°03'E.
Submarine Grayback (SS-208) sinks Japanese auxiliary netlayer Kashiwa Maru and merchant passenger/cargo ship Konan Maru south-southwest of Kagoshima, Japan, 30°26'N, 129°58'E.
Submarine Sailfish (SS-192) sinks Japanese transport Uyo Maru off Miyazaki, 32°38'N, 132°04'E.
Submarine Skate (SS-305) sinks Japanese fleet tanker Terukawa Maru northwest of Truk, Carolines, 09°45'N, 151°56'E.
USAAF B-25s sink small Japanese cargo vessel Matsushima Maru at Wewak.
Atlantic
Coast Guard cutter Bodega (WYP 342), damaged by grounding on 20 December off Margarita Point, is abandoned.22 December, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Gurnard (SS-254) damages German cargo ship Havelland east of Kashinosaki, 33°30'N, 135°57'E; the ship never returns to active service.Navy F6Fs and SBDs and USAAF P-39s raid Mili Atoll, Marshalls, sinking Japanese transport Nankai Maru, 06°05'N, 171°43'E.
USAAF aircraft sink Japanese merchant cargo vessel Ginrei Maru, 20°12'N, 113°40'E.
23 December, Thu. 1943
Pacific
USAAF B-25s sink Japanese gunboat Nan-Yo 35 miles south of Formosa Straits, 25°30'N, 119°30'E.Atlantic
Escort carrier Card (CVE-11) and destroyer Decatur (DD-341) are attacked unsuccessfully by German submarine U-415 as they steam toward Horta, Azores, from escorting convoy GUS 24. Destroyer Schenck (DD-159), in Card's screen, attacks and probably damages another enemy boat in the vicinity, U-645 (see 24 December 1943). FM aircraft from Card locates blockade runner Osorno, bound for the Gironde Estuary (see 25 December 1943).German submarine U-471 unsuccessfully attacks battleship Arkansas (BB-33) screening convoy TU 5 in the North Atlantic, 300 miles west of Rockall Bank.
24 December, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Task force of three cruisers and four destroyers (Rear Admiral Aaron S. Merrill) bombards Buka-Bonis area, Solomons.Allied aircraft sinks Japanese auxiliary minelayer Koa Maru, Marcus Bay, New Britain.
Destroyer escort Griswold (DE-7) sinks Japanese submarine I-39 off Koli Point, Guadalcanal, 09°23'S, 160°09'E.
Submarine Gurnard (SS-254) sinks Japanese transport Seizan Maru 27 nautical miles east of Miki cape, 33°57'N, 136°19'E, and auxiliary minesweeper Naruo Maru, 34°17'N, 136°55'E.
Submarine Raton (SS-270) torpedoes Japanese transport Heiwa Maru in Kaoe Bay, Halmahera, 02°57'N, 127°32'E; Heiwa Maru is intentionally run aground in shallow water to prevent her sinking.
USAAF B-24 aircraft damage Japanese cargo ship Kensho Maru, Kwajalein.
Atlantic
Advanced Amphibious Base, Dartmouth, England, is established.Escort carrier Card (CVE-11)'s screen continues to battle concentration of U-boats. Destroyer Schenck (DD-159) sinks German submarine U-645, North Atlantic, 45°20'N, 21°40'W; but Leary (DD-158) is torpedoed and sunk by U-275 and U-382, 585 miles west-northwest of Cape Finisterre, Spain, 45°00'N, 22°00'W,
25 December, Sat. 1943
Pacific
TG 50.2 (Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman) attacks Japanese ships at Kavieng. Planes from aircraft carrier Bunker Hill (CV-17) and small aircraft carrier Monterey (CVL 26) sink transport Tenryu Maru, 02°36'S, 150°49'E; and damage minesweepers W.21 and W.22 and transport (ex-armed merchant cruiser) Kiyozumi Maru.Submarine Skate (SS-305) torpedoes Japanese battleship Yamato northeast of Truk, Carolines, 10°05'N, 150°32'E.
USAAF B-25s damage Japanese Patrol Boat No.14 50 kilometers east of Hong Kong.
Atlantic
German blockade runner Osorno arrives off the Gironde Estuary, met by six destroyers and six torpedo boats. Although Osorno has run the gantlet and avoided damage from her foes, she fouls the submerged wreckage of sunken German auxiliary vessel Sperrbrecher 21, necessitating the blockade runner's being beached.26 December, Sun. 1943
Pacific
1st Marine Division (Major General William H. Rupertus, USMC) is landed at Cape Gloucester, New Britain, by Seventh Amphibious Force (Rear Admiral Daniel E. Barbey) after heavy preinvasion bombardment and bombing by ship gunfire and aircraft in Operation BACKHANDLER. During retaliatory Japanese air strikes, destroyer Brownson (DD-518) is sunk by dive bomber off Cape Gloucester, New Britain, 05°20'S, 148°25'E; destroyers Lamson (DD-367), Shaw (DD-373), and Mugford (DD-389) are damaged by dive bombers; and tank landing ships LST-66 is damaged by horizontal bomber.Caribbean
U.S. tanker Chapultepec en route from Aruba, N.W.I., to Cristobal, C.Z., is torpedoed by German submarine U-530 at 10°33'N, 79°10'W. While there are no fatalities among the 53-man merchant complement or the 28-man Armed Guard, two of that aggregate total are injured. The ship reaches her destination under her own power and discharges her cargo of fuel oil. Subsequently, U.S. tanker Esso Buffalo, en route from Aruba, N.W.I., to the Canal Zone (ultimate destination: Melbourne, Australia), most likely accidentally rams U-530 at 10°25'N, 78°28'W. There are no casualties among the 47-man merchant complement or the 28-man Armed Guard.27 December, Mon. 1943
Pacific
Two cruisers and four destroyers (Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth) bombard Kieta area, Bougainville, Solomons.Coastal transport APc-15 is damaged by dive bomber, New Britain, 06°12'S, 149°03'E.
Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) sinks Japanese fleet tanker Kyuei Maru, 21°25'N, 118°05'E.
Submarine Gurnard (SS-254) damages Japanese transport (ex-armed merchant cruiser) Gokoku Maru, 34°23'N, 138°24'E.
Submarine Ray (SS-271) sinks Japanese fleet tanker Kyoko Maru (ex-Dutch Semiramis) west of the Celebes, 05°00'S, 121°22'E.
Submarine Tautog (SS-199) damages Japanese seaplane carrier Kimikawa Maru off Shionomisaki, 33°25'N, 135°33'E.
Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter Jose Navarro, bound for Calcutta, India, is torpedoed by German submarine U-178 at 08°20'N, 73°35'E. A volunteer crew returns to the ship after she is abandoned in hopes of saving her but go over the side before U-178 finishes off the freighter in a second attack. There are no fatalities among the 46-man merchant complement, the 34-man Armed Guard, or the 86 embarked troops (only one man of that aggregate total is injured) (see 28 December 1943).28 December, Tue. 1943
Pacific
Amphibious Training Base, Kamaole, Maui, T.H., is established.Submarine Muskallunge (SS-262) unsuccessfully attacks Japanese convoy at 08°50'N, 147°20'E.
Navy PV-1 attacks Japanese net tender Katsura Maru off Kwajalein.
USAAF B-25s and P-40s sink Japanese merchant cargo vessels Heizan Maru, Unyo Maru and Koka Maru in Yangtze River, 30°40'N, 117°30'E.
Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter Robert F. Hoke, en route from Abadan, Iran, to Mombasa, Kenya, is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-26 at 20°05'N, 59°58'E, and abandoned by all but the 27-man Armed Guard, who remain at their guns and fire upon the I-boat's periscope to keep the enemy down. I-26 abandons any further attacks and retires while Robert F. Hoke remains afloat. The crew reboards the ship but is not able to get the ship underway and she is abandoned a second time. An RAF crash boat rescues all hands (41 merchant sailors and the Armed Guard) and the abandoned freighter is later towed to Aden by British rescue tug HMS Masterful. Robert F. Hoke is later towed to Suez but never returns to active service and is written off as a total loss.Indian Navy minesweeper RINS Rajputana rescues the survivors of U.S. freighter Jose Navarro, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-178 the day before, and transports them to Cochin.
Atlantic
PB4Y (VB 105) on patrol over Bay of Biscay sights five German destroyers and six torpedo boats returning from attempt to rendezvous with blockade runner Alsterfurer, sunk the day before by an RAF No. 311 (Czech) Squadron Liberator. Of 15 PB4Ys dispatched as a strike force, six (five from VB 105 and one from VB 103) contact the enemy force and attack it. Contact reports by Navy planes, meanwhile, draw British light cruisers HMS Glasgow and HMS Enterprise to the scene, resulting in the sinking of German destroyers Z 27 and torpedo boats T 25 and T 26, the survivors of which are rescued by the British ships, an Irish steamer, and four Spanish destroyers.29 December, Wed. 1943
Pacific
Off Palau, submarine Silversides (SS-236) sinks Japanese transport Tenposan Maru, 08°09'N, 133°51'E; army cargo ship Shichisei Maru, 08°00'N, 133°51'E; and merchant cargo ship Ryuto Maru, 08°03'N, 134°04'E; and damages army cargo ship Bichu Maru.USAAF B-24 attacks Truk-bound Japanese cargo ship Katori Maru, 06°12'N, 167°45'E.
USAAF aircraft sink Japanese merchant cargo ship Kakuzan Maru and transport Daitei Maru in the middle Yangtze River.
30 December, Thu. 1943
Pacific
Submarine Bluefish (SS-222) sinks Japanese oiler Ichiyu Maru, Java Sea, 02°45'S, 109°10'E.U.S. aircraft sink Japanese guardboat Ukui Maru off Rabaul.
31 December, Fri. 1943
Pacific
Four PBY-5As from Attu, Aleutians, bomb Shimushu and Kashiwabara, Kuriles.Submarine Greenling (SS-213) sinks Japanese transport Shoho Maru in Eastern Carolines, 05°40'N, 160°20'E, and evades counterattacks by submarine chaser Ch 30.
Submarine Herring (SS-233) attacks Japanese convoy, 31°46'N, 138°22'E (see 1 January 1944).
Atlantic
Destroyer Lea (DD-118) is damaged when she is accidentally rammed by U.S. freighter Elihu Yale, 33°29'30"N, 48°12'30"W.
The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II
USAAF Military History Section
Editor for Asisbiz: Matthew Laird Acred
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