11/01 Mon. Amphibious force (Rear Adm. T. S. Wilkinson) lands First
Marine Amphibious Corps (Lt. Gen. A. A. Vandegrift) at Cape
Torokina, Bougainville, Solomon Islands; assault is covered
by aircraft and destroyer gunfire.
Cruiser and destroyer force (Rear Adm. A. S. Merrill) and
carrier task force (Rear Adm. F. C. Sherman) shell and bomb
Japanese airfields and installations in Buka-Bonis area,
Solomon Islands. Rear Admiral Merrill's force later bombards
enemy airfields on Shortland Island, Solomon Islands.
United States naval vessel damaged:
Destroyer FULLAM (DD-474), by grounding,
Solomon Islands area,
06 d. 25' S., 154 d. 53' E.
German submarine sunk:
U-405, by destroyer BORIE (DD-215), North Atlantic area,
49 d. 00' N., 31 d. 14' W.
11/02 Tue. Battle of Empress Augusta Bay is fought during darkness as
task force comprising 4 light cruisers and 8 destroyers (rear
Adm. A. S. Merrill) intercepts Japanese force of 2 heavy and
2 light cruisers and 6 destroyers steaming to attack
transports at Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville, Solomon
Islands. Two United States light cruisers and three
destroyers are damaged. One Japanese light cruiser and one
destroyer are sunk; two enemy heavy cruisers and two
destroyers are damaged. Japanese force is turned back.
Carrier task force (rear Adm. F. C. Sherman) attacks enemy
airfields in Buka area, Solomon Islands.
United States naval vessel sunk:
Destroyer BORIE (DD-215), by intentional ramming and
gunfire in encounter with U-405 on 1 November,
eastern Atlantic area,
50 d. 12' N., 30 d.48' W.
United States naval vessels damaged, Battle of Empress
Augusta Bay, Solomon Islands:
Light cruiser MONTPELIER (CL-57), by dive bomber.
Light cruiser DNEVER (CL-58), by naval gunfire.
Destroyer FOOTE (DD-511), by torpedo from surface craft.
Destroyer SPENCE (DD-512), by naval gunfire and collision
with destroyer THATCHER (DD-514).
Japanese naval vessels sunk, Battle of Empress Augusta Bay,
Solomon Islands:
Light cruiser SENDAI, by surface craft.
Destroyer HATSUKAZE, by surface craft.
11/04 Thu. Japanese na val vessels sunk:
Auxiliary submarine chaser No. 30, by submarine TAUTOG
(SS-199), off Palau Islands,
07 d. 34' N., 134 d. 00' E.
Surveying ship TSUKUSHI, by mine, off New Ireland.
11/05 Fri. Aircraft from carrier task group (Rear Adm. F. C. Sherman)
bomb Japanese warships at Rabaul, New Britain.
United States naval vessel damaged:
PT-167, by aircraft torpedo, Solomon Islands area,
06 d. 46' S., 154 d. 46' E.
German submarine sunk:
U-848, by naval land-based aircraft (VB-107) and Army
aircraft, South Atlantic area,
10 d. 09' S., 18 d. 00' W.
11/06 Sat. United States naval vessel sunk:
Destroyer BEATTY (DD-640), by aircraft torpedo, off
Northwest Africa,
37 d. 10' N., 06 d. 00' E.
Japanese naval vessel sunk:
Submarine chaser No. 11, by aircraft, Solomon Islands area.
11/07 Sun. Japanese troops, transported by destroyers, land near Cape
Torokina, Bougainville, Solomon Islands.
11/08 Mon. United States Advanced Amphibious Training Base, Plymouth,
England, is established.
United Sta tes naval vessels damaged, Cape Torokina,
Solomon Islands.:
Light crui ser BIRMINGHAM (CL-62), by dive bombers,
06 d. 00' S., 154 d. 00' E.
Attack transports FULLER (APA-7) and PRESIDENT JACKSON
(APA-18), by dive bombers,
06 d. 15' S., 155 d. 05' E.
11/09 Tue. United States naval vessel sunk:
Submarine WAHOO (SS-238), Pacific Ocean area,
reported as presumed lost.
11/10 Wed. German submar ine sunk:
U-966, by United States naval land-based aircraft (VB-103
and VB-110) and Czechoslovakian aircraft,
off northwest Spain,
44 d. 00' N., 08 d. 30' W.
11/11 Thu. Aircraft from 2 carrier task groups (Rear Adm. F. C. Sherman
and Rear Adm. A. E. Montgomery) which include 5 carriers,
attack enemy ships at Rabaul, New Britain.
Japanese naval vessel sunk:
Destroyer SUZUNAMI, by carrier-based aircraft,
Rabaul, New Britain.
11/12 Fri. German submarine sunk:
U-508, by naval land-based aircraft (VB-103),
Bay of Biscay,
46 d. 00' n., 07 d. 30' W.
11/13 Sat. Carrier and land-based aircraft begin daily bombings of
Japanese positions in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands.
Submarine NARWHAL (SS-167) lands personnel and supplies at
Paluan Bay, Mindoro, P. I.
Cruiser and destroyer task force (Rear Adm. A. S. Merrill) is
attacked by Japanese aircraft off Empress Augusta Bay,
Bougainville, Solomon Islands.
United States naval vessel damaged:
Light cruiser DENVER (CL-58), by aircraft torpedo,
off Bougainville, Solomon Islands,
06 d. 45' S., 154 d. 15' E.
11/15 Mon. Submarine NARWHAL (SS-167) lands supplies at Nasipit,
Mindanao, P. I., and evacuates certain personnel.
United States Advanced Naval Base and Naval Auxiliary Air
Facility, Funafuti, Ellice Island, are established.
11/16 Tue. Japanese naval vessel sunk:
Minelayer UKISHIMA, by submarine torpedo, off Japan.
11/17 Wed. Destroyers bombard Japanese airfield at Buka, Bougainville,
Solomon Islands.
Japanese aircraft attack convoy carrying Marine
reinforcements to Cape Torokina, Bougainville, Solomon
Islands.
United States naval vessels sunk:
High speed transport MCKEAN (APD-5), by aircraft torpedo,
off Bougainville, Solomon Islands,
06 d. 31 S., 154 d. 52' E.
Submarine CAPELIN (SS-289) departs Darwin, Australia for
Molucca and Celebes Seas and is never heard from again.
11/18 Thu. United States naval vessel sunk:
PT-311, by mine, off Corsica,
40 d. 41' N., 09 d. 37' E.
Japanese naval vessel sunk:
Old destroyer SANAE, by submarine BLUEFISH (SS-222),
Celebes Sea,
04 d. 52' N., 122 d. 07' E.
11/19 Fri. United States naval vessels sunk:
Submarine SCULPIN (SS-191), by destroyer gunfire,
Central Pacific area.
PT-147, damaged by grounding, eastern New Guinea area,
05 d. 55' S., 147 d. 20' E.; sunk by United States forces.
Submarine chaser SC-1067, foundered,
off Attu, Aleutian Islands.
United States naval vessel damaged:
Submarine NAUTILUS (SS-168), accidentally by United States
naval gunfire, Gilbert Islands area,
01 d. 05' N., 173 d. 03' E.
11/20 Sat. Naval, Marine, and Army force land on Tarawa and Makin,
Gilbert Islands. The operation is under the overall command
of Commander Central Pacific Force (Vice Adm. R. A.
Spruance).
Bitter resistance is encountered on Tarawa. [The Gilbert
Islands are in east longitude, but since west longitude dates
are used in most of the operational reports, they have
likewise been used in these entries concerning the Gilbert
Islands.]
United States naval vessels damaged, Gilbert Islands:
Battleship MISSISSIPPI (BB-41), by accidental explosion,
03 d. 10' N., 172 d. 58' E.
Light carrier INDEPENDENCE (CVL-22), by aircraft torpedo,
01 d. 30' N., 172 d. 40' E.
Destroyer RINGGOLD (DD-500), by coastal batteries on
Tarawa,
O1 d. 24' N., 172 d. 58' E.
Destroyer DASHIELL (DD-659), by grounding,
01 d. 00' N., 173 d. 00' E.
11/21 Sun. Marine reconnaissance company lands on Abemama, Gilbert
Islands, from submarine NAUTILUS (SS-168).
11/22 Mon. United States naval vessel damaged:
Destroyer FRAZIER (DD-607), by intentional ramming of
Japanese submarine I-35, Gilbert Islands area,
01 d. 25' N., 174 d. 40' E.
Japanese submarine sunk:
I-35, by destroyers MEADE (DD-602), and FRAZIER (DD-607),
Gilbert Islands area,
01 d. 22' N., 172 d. 47' E.
11/23 Tue. Betio, Tarawa Atoll, and Makin in the Gilbert Islands, are
declared secured.
Cruiser and destroyer force (Rear Adm. A. S. Merrill)
bombards Buka-Bonis area, Bougainville, Solomon Islands.
United States naval vessel sunk:
PT-322, by grounding, eastern New Guinea area,
06 d. 09' S., 147 d. 36' E.;
sunk by United States forces.
Japanese naval vessel sunk:
Frigate WAKAMIYA, by submarine GUDGEON (SS-211),
East China Sea,
28 d. 49' N., 122 d. 11' E.
11/24 Wed. Carrier WASP (CV-18) is commissioned at Quincy, Mass.; this
vessel is named for carrier WASP (CV-7) sunk 15 September
1942 near Espirtu Santo, New Hebrides.
United States naval vessel sunk:
Escort carrier LISCOMBE BAY (CVE-56), by submarine torpedo,
Gilbert Islands area,
02 d. 58' N., 172 d. 26' E.
11/25 Thu. Battle of Cape St. George is fought during the early hours as
squadron of 5 destroyers (Capt. A. A. Burke) intercepts 5
Japanese destroyers off Cape St. George, New Ireland. Three
enemy destroyers are sunk and one damaged. United States
ships suffer no damage.
Carrier-based aircraft bomb Kavieng, New Ireland.
United States Advanced Amphibious Base, Salcombe, Devonshire,
England, is established.
Japanese naval vessels sunk:
Destroyers ONAMI, MAKINAMI, and YUGIRI, by destroyer
torpedoes and gunfire, Battle of Cape St. George, New
Ireland.
Submarine I-19, by destroyer RADFORD (DD-446),
north of Gilbert Islands,
03 d. 10' N., 171 d. 55' E
11/26 Fri. United States Naval Air Facilities are established at Amapa,
Aratu, and Belem, Brazil; United States Naval Air Facilities
(Lighter than Air) are established at Fernando Noronha,
Fortaleza, and Ipitanga, Brazil.
First Cairo Conference attended by the President, British
Prime Minister, and Chinese Generalissimo, in session since
22 November, is ended.
11/29 Mon. Carrier HORNET (CV-12), is commissioned at Newport News, Va.;
this vessel is named for carrier HORNET (CV-8) sunk 27
October 1942 after Battle of Santa Cruz Islands.
United States naval vessel sunk:
Destroyer PERKINS (DD-377), by collision with Australian
troop ship, eastern New Guinea area,
09 d. 39' S., 150 d. 04' E.
German submarine sunk:
U-86, by aircraft (VC-19) from escort carrier BOGUE
(CVE-9), east of Azores Islands,
39 d. 33' N., 19 d. 01' W.
11/30 Tue. Destroyers bombard enemy positions on Empress Augusta Bay,
Bougainville, Solomon Islands.