Posted on 11/08/2012 4:12:56 AM PST by Homer_J_Simpson
Michael Korda, Ike: An American Hero
William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
The News of the Week in Review
Twenty News Questions – 13
A New Chapter Opens in the See-Saw Battle for North Africa (map) – 14
Pattern of Victory is Seen in Egypt (Baldwin) – 15-16
Winter Finds the Axis at the Caucasus Barrier (map) – 17
Rommel’s Defeat Linked to Nazis’ Caucasus Push (by Ralph Parker) – 18
New Pacific Clash Awaited (by Charles Hurd) – 19
The South Pacific Battle Zone (map) – 20
Major Sports Yesterday (from page 1) – 20
How Navy Drafts Its Communiques (by Robert F. Whitney) – 21
Answers to Twenty News Questions – 21
The News of the Week in Review
Twenty News Questions – 13
A New Chapter Opens in the See-Saw Battle for North Africa (map) – 14
Pattern of Victory is Seen in Egypt (Baldwin) – 15-16
Winter Finds the Axis at the Caucasus Barrier (map) – 17
Rommel’s Defeat Linked to Nazis’ Caucasus Push (by Ralph Parker) – 18
New Pacific Clash Awaited (by Charles Hurd) – 19
The South Pacific Battle Zone (map) – 20
Major Sports Yesterday (from page 1) – 20
How Navy Drafts Its Communiques (by Robert F. Whitney) – 21
Answers to Twenty News Questions – 21
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1942/nov42/f08nov42.htm
Allies invade French North Africa
Sunday, November 8, 1942 www.onwar.com
US troops coming ashore as part of Operation Torch [photo at link]
In Algeria and Tunisia... Operation Torch. The Allies land in French North Africa. There are three main task forces: The Western Task Force, commanded by General Patton, is comprised of 35,000 troops. It is supported by naval forces under Admiral Hewitt (two battleships, one fleet carrier, four escort carriers and numerous cruisers and destroyers); the Central Task Force, commanded by General Fredendall is comprised of 39,000 American troops. Commodore Toubridge commands its naval support force (two escort carriers and many smaller ships); the Eastern Task Force, contains 52 warships and 33,000 soldiers, led by General Ryder and Admiral Burroughs. The British contingent, 87th Division is supported by Admiral Syfret commanding British Force H, comprised of three battleships, three fleet carriers and a strong force of cruisers and destroyers. The Western Task force lands at three places along a 200 mile front around Casablanca. The Central is to land in and around Oran and the Eastern Task force lands in Algiers. The Eastern force at Algiers makes good early progress and quickly captures the town. A prize prisoner is found in Admiral Darlan, a prominent leader of the Vichy government, who is there on private business. At Oran, the Central Force is not as quickly successful and two destroyers are lost in an attempt to rush the harbor. By night, however the landings are well established and the airfield at Tafaraiu is in Allied hands. An American manned Spitfire force is ready to begin operations. The Western Task force at Casablanca runs into the greatest opposition. The French battleship Jean Bart, at anchor but armed fights a gun battle with the USS Massechusetts. The French destroyer flotilla in the port fights as well but are driven off or sunk. Landings at Port Lyautey face fierce fighting, those at Safi go well. In total there are 1800 casualties. The landings receive some help from Free French supporters. This is most effective at Algiers where General Mast limits the French reaction so that the landings are not hindered. Both Mast and the Allied leaders are surprised to find Admiral Darlan a prisoner and negotiations for an armistice begin with him immediately. In Casablanca the pro-Allied General Bethouart is less successful in stemming resistance. Support for the invasion is lower as General Nogues is less sympathetic to the Allied cause and Admiral Michelier, head of the naval forces there, is virulently anti-British. The Allies take care to present Operation Torch to the French as an American operation to minimize the anti-British feeling prevalent with many French officials. The British have been responsible for allaying Spanish fears to enlist their support against a possible German move through Gibraltar. Both the American and the British assure Spain her neutrality will be respected.
From Berlin... Upon hearing news of the invasion, all U-boats capable are ordered to North Africa. There are 25 in all. They have some successes in strikes on the escort forces.
On the Eastern Front... In the Caucasus, Soviet forces go on the offensive on the Terek front and threaten to cut off some units of 3rd Panzer Corps.
I don’t know how I am posting the ping list reply twice. I will be extra careful tomorrow.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/frame.htm
November 8th, 1942
UNITED KINGDOM: Aircraft carrier HMS Ocean laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)
FRANCE: Paris: Anti-semitic newspaper Au Pilori carries a headline from the paper’s political editor Maurice de Séré, “The Jewish question must be resolved immediately by the arrest and deportation of all Jews without exception.”
VICHY FRANCE: Ministers announce that the US, by “carrying the war to French territory, had by that very fact broken off diplomatic relations.”
GERMANY: Munich: In his traditional speech on the anniversary of the Beercellar Putsch, Hitler says that Stalingrad has fallen “apart from some very small parts” and victory is certain.
U.S.S.R.: Soviet forces have begun an attack on the Terek front in the Caucasus. This threatens to cut off some units in the German III Panzer Corps.
NORTH AFRICA: Operation Torch begins. There are three sectors for landings.
Casablanca is the Western Area, sailing from the United States there are 35,000 troops of the US 2nd Armoured, 4rd Infantry and part of the 9th Infantry Divisions. They will land on three beaches around Casablanca with a 200 mile front. General George Patton is in command of the Ground Forces. Admiral Hewitt commands the naval forces which include two battleships, one fleet carrier, five escort carriers and escorting cruisers and destroyers.
Oran is the Centre Area. General Gredendall commands 39,000 troops of the US 1st Infantry and 1st Armored Divisions. Commodore Troubridge commands the naval forces of two escort carriers and escorting cruisers and destroyers.
The Eastern Area is Algiers. General Ryder commands 33,000 troops of the US 34th Infantry and parts of the 9th Infantry and 1st Armored Divisions. The British 78 Division is part of this force. Admiral Burrough commands the naval forces of the Eastern Area. Force H at Gibraltar, under Admiral Syfret has 3 battleships, three fleet carriers and escorting cruisers and destroyers, is on guard against the still formidable Italian Fleet.
Algiers landings make good early progress capturing the town of Algiers and French Admiral Darlan. The Oran landings are not so successful, but by nightfall the landing is well established and the Tafaraiu Airfield is in Allied hands and operational following a military combat parachute jump by the US 509th PIB (Parachute Infantry Brigade) to seize the airfield. (Mike Yared) The French battleship Jean Bart, armed and anchored, fights a gunnery duel with the USS Massachusetts. She had some near misses but not hits. MASSACHUSETTS hit her five times in return and damaged her, then the JEAN BART was hit by American dive bombers. The JEAN BART is only 80% complete and has one four-gun forward turret installed. The French destroyers also put up a fight. The landings at Safi go well, those at Port Lyautey are resisted. Escort sloops HMS HARTLAND and HMS WALNEY (ex USCG SEBANGO) are lost attempting to storm Oran harbour. WALNEY is fired on by shore batteries and ships in the harbour as she attempts to come alongside the jetty. She drifts out of control and is later abandoned, before exploding. Ex-US coast guard cutter Hartland receives similar treatment as well as firing from the destroyer Typhoon and drifts out into the harbour where she is later abandoned.
V and W class destroyer HMS Broke manages to get alongside the Quai de Falaise at Algiers, lands her US Rangers but has to recall them when her position is made untenable by light field guns. Broke leaves harbour on fire, and is then taken in tow by Zetland until she founders in heavy weather on 9 November.
Flower class corvette HMS Gardenia collides with the trawler Fluellan and sinks in fog off Oran at 35 49N 01 05W. There are no casualties. (Charles R. Gregory and Alex Gordon(108))
There is some help from the French, most helpful is General Mast at Algiers. While the troops are mostly US, the shipping is mostly British; this is an effort to present Torch as a US operation to pacify the French. General de Gaulle makes a suitable approving broadcast at the last minute, since he was not told in advance of the landings.
The 70th tank battalion is split with B Company and the 47th Infantry Regiment landing at Safi, French Morocco, C Company and the 60th at Port Lyautey, French Morocco , and A Company and the 39th at Algiers, Algeria. Combat is over in a day except at Port Lyautey where it lasts three days. (Mike Yared)
The ground echelon of the USAAF 31st Fighter Group land at the Arzeu beach in Algeria, and the pilots fly their aircraft to Tafaraoui, Algeria, to join the 52nd Fighter Group. (Jack McKillop)
Light cruiser HMS Jamaica assisted in the invasion of North Africa. She was part of the Center Task Force (Oran area). (Dave Shirlaw)
Ships lost (by James Paterson).
EPERVIER, Vichy French Destroyer Leader, 5.45am Damaged off Oran by 6in Gunfire from the cruiser HMS Aurora and two destroyers, and beached
TRAMONTANE, Vichy French Destroyer, 5.40am, sunk off Oran (35-55N 01-05W) by 6in gunfire from the cruiser Aurora. The first broadside swept the bridge of TRAMONTANE and disabled half of her armament. She runs aground under the cliffs off Cape Aiguille.
TORNADE, Vichy French Destroyer, 5.40am, damaged by gunfire from Aurora sank at 7.30am.
TYPHON, Vichy French Destroyer, Scuttled in Oran harbour following damage from Aurora.
LA SURPRISE, Vichy French Aviso, sunk off Oran by 4.7in gunfire from HMS Brilliant
BROKE, HMS, RN Destroyer, 8.30am damaged by Vichy shore batteries, abandoned and scuttled at 7pm.
Submarine FS Argonaute sunk off Oran during the Allied landings in North Africa by destroyer HMS Achates.
Destroyers FS Boulonnais, Brestois, Fougeaux, Frondeur, sunk by gunfire from Allied warships off Casablanca.
Destroyer FS Milan ran aground at Casablanca after being damaged by American naval gunfire and American aircraft.
Submarines FS La Psyche and Oreade sunk in Casablanca by US aircraft during Allied landings. Raised 1944 and not repaired. (Dave Shirlaw)
OPERATION TORCH: The invasion of North Africa. F4F Wildcats of VF-41 from the USS RANGER down 13 Vichy French fighters over Cazes Aerodrome, French Morocco. Five other French warplanes are destroyed by pilots from other fighter squadrons in the area.
1700 hours: The 308th FS and 309 FS of the 31st FG arrive at Tafaraoui Airdrome, south of Oran, Algeria after staging through Gibraltar from England. One 309th FS Spitfire is shot down in the landing pattern by Vichy French fighters and its pilot is killed.
The survivors shoot down three of the four Dewoitine D.520 fighters.
(Skip Guidry)
ALGERIA: Oran: Capt. Frederick Thornton Peters (b.1889) took HMS WALNEY into Oran harbour under blistering fire; of 17 on the bridge, only he survived. He died in an air crash on 13 November. (Victoria Cross)
LIBYA: Rommel’s army retreats back across the border from Egypt.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: In the action east of the Lunga perimeter, on Guadalcanal, Col Puller suffers multiple wounds. During the day Admiral Halsey lands to observe conditions for himself. Halsey is treated to a demonstration of why the Marines referred to the waters north of the island as “Sleepless Lagoon” by a shelling from the Tokyo Express.
U.S.A.: Escort carrier USS Card launched. (Dave Shirlaw)
CARIBBEAN SEA: British patrol boat rescues 34 survivors of US freighter WEST KEBAR , sunk on October 29, and transports them to Barbados, British West Indies. (Rodney Sanders)(83)
ATLANTIC OCEAN:
U-128 sank SS Maloja.
U-154 sank SS D´Entrecasteaux.
U-161 damaged SS Benalder and sank SS West Humhaw.
U-181 sank SS Plaudit.
U-67 damaged SS Capo Olmo.
While refuelling U-454 on 8 Nov Leutnant zur See der Reserve Helmut Schwenzel from U-117 was washed overboard. (Dave Shirlaw)
"An early and vocal opponent of the Nazis, Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver urged Americans to join in a boycott of German goods.
He chaired the United Palestine Appeal before joining Rabbi Stephen Wise as co-chair of the American Zionist Emergency Council.
Born in Lithuania and a rabbi for decades in Cleveland, Ohio, Silver parted company with Wise and others by arguing vociferously for the urgent need for a Jewish homeland in Palestine."
"A German soldier stands beside bodies of Jews murdered at the slave-labor camp at Skarzysko-Kamienna, Poland.
Well after the ghettos in Occupied Poland were liquidated, the Nazis continued to ship prisoners to this work camp."
"A sculpture by the American artist Gideon offers a moving image of human suffering.
Gideon joined the Army at age 18 and spent much of the war in Europe. Exposure to pain and suffering profoundly affected the artist and had a marked influence on his work."
Bottom of page 6, “Blended Muskrat”.
Sounds like a Cajun recipe.
“Let-Out” - I think I will steer clear of W. 57th for a while.
That overstates things a bit. The 'prevented response' resulted in 1200 allied casualties and about 3300 French.
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