Posted on 10/05/2013 4:53:57 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
Winston S. Churchill, Closing the Ring
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1943/oct1943/f05oct43.htm
Panzer attack pushes back British
Tuesday, October 5, 1943 www.onwar.com
In Italy... The US 5th Army captures Aversa and Maddaloni. Elements of the British 10th Corps reach the Volturno River. On the east coast, in fighting around Termoli, the German 16th Panzer Division successfully pressures the British 78th Division (part of 13th Corps, 8th Army).
In the Central Pacific... Wake Island is shelled and bombed by Task Force 14 (Admiral Montgomery). There are 6 carriers, 7 cruisers and 25 destroyers involved.
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces continue the effort to establish bridgeheads over the Dniepr River.
http://www.etherit.co.uk/month/thismonth/05.htm
October 5th, 1943 (TUESDAY)
FRANCE: German troops complete the evacuation of the island of Corsica.
GERMANY: U-869 is launched.
ITALY: The US 5th Army captures Aversa and Maddaloni.
In U.S. Fifth Army area, the British X Corps gets forward elements to the Volturno River.
In the British Eighth Army’s XIII Corps area, indecisive fighting for the Biferno bridgehead at Termoli continues, with Germans penetrating into Termoli itself.
One hundred twenty four USAAF XII Bomber Command B-17 Flying Fortresses hit the Bologna marshalling yard with the loss of one aircraft; B-25 Mitchells and B-26 Marauders bomb the Formia road, a road loop north of Mignano, and the Isernia chokepoint; Northwest African Tactical Bomber Force, XII Air Support Command, and RAF Desert Air Force (DAF) aircraft bomb numerous targets in and north of the battle area, including heavy traffic in the Isernia area, gasoline dumps at Alfedena, trains at Termoli, and towns of Venafro and Isolella.
During the night of 5/6 October, 51 RAF bombers of No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group attack Grossetto Airfield.
GREECE: Seventeen USAAF Twelfth Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb Eleus Airfield at Athens. Three aircraft are lost.
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: Lieutenant General James H Doolittle assumes command of the Twelfth Air Force during the absence of General Carl Spaatz. In Italy, XII Bomber Command B-17s hit the Bologna marshalling yard; B-25s and B-26 Marauders bomb the Formia road, a road loop north of Mignano, and Isernia chokepoint; Northwest African Tactical Bomber Force, XII Air Support Command, and RAF Desert Air Force (DAF) aircraft bomb numerous targets in and north of the battle area, including heavy traffic in the Isernia area, gasoline dumps at Alfedena, trains at Termoli, and towns of Venafro and Isolella.
CHINA: The Fourteenth Air Force dispatches a few B-25s and P-40s to attack a foundry at Shihhweiyao; damaging hits are scored on a barrack, on AA positions, blast furnaces, hoppers, and a steam plant. 10 USAAF fighters intercept a force of about 50 “Zeke” fighters west of Kweilin, shoot down 1 enemy fighter; the enemy force turns back.
NEW GUINEA: In North East New Guinea, Japanese documents captured near Finschhafen reveal that the Japanese are not in full retreat but intend some offensive operation. Lieutenant General Sir Edmund Herring, Commander of I Australian Corps, issues an operations order to the Australian 9th Division stating that Finschhafen is to be defended and developed and the troops are to gain control of the east coast of the Huon Peninsula up to and including Sio.
Fifth Air Force B-25s carry out a coastal sweep west to Madang, bombing and strafing villages and barges; B-17s hit the Bogadjim Road and jetties at Erima; and B-24s bomb the Babo area.
PACIFIC OCEAN: Today Admiral Montgomery’s US Naval TF 14 (Rear Admiral Alfred E. Montgomery) will shell and bombard Wake Island. They will do it again tomorrow.
TF 14 consists of the aircraft carriers USS Essex (CV-9) with Carrier Air Group Nine (CVG-9), USS Yorktown (CV-10) with CVG-5 and USS Lexington (CV-16) with CVG16; the light aircraft carriers USS Cowpens (CVL-25) with Light Carrier Air Group Twenty Five (CVLG-25), USS Independence (CVL-22) with CVLG-22) and USS Belleau Wood (CVL-24) with CVLG-24; three heavy cruisers, four light cruisers, 24 destroyers and two oilers. A predawn strike consisting of 48 F6F Hellcat fighters and 24 TBF Avenger bombers attacks the airfield and other installations while F6F pilots shoot down 30 “Zeke” fighters (Mitsubishi A6M, Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighters).
The USN submarine USS Wahoo (SS-238) sinks the Japanese army transport Konron Maru (formally of the Shimonoseki-to-Fusan Ferry Line) in Tsushima Straits, about 126 nautical miles (233 kilometers) south of Pusan, Korea, at 34.00N, 129.00E. (The Tsushima Strait is a channel between Tsushima Island and northwest Kyushu, Japan, connecting the Sea of Japan with the East China Sea.) The ship is ferrying troops across the Tsushima Strait. Only 72 of the 616 soldiers and crewmen aboard the vessel survive because of heavy seas. This loss prompts the cancellation of night ferry trips across Tsushima Straits.
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS: Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander of the Pacific Ocean Area, issues a plan for an offensive in the Central Pacific. Admiral Raymond A. Spruance Commander of the Fifth Fleet, is to seize Makin, Tarawa, and Abamama in the Gilbert Islands, cover amphibious landings on each with air and naval surface forces, and deny the Japanese the use of land bases in the Marshall Islands and at Nauru during the operation. D-Day for landings is set for 19 November and later postponed to 20 November.
U.S.A.: The Joint Chiefs of Staff approve a gradual strengthening of the western Aleutian Islands.
Escort carrier USS MANILA BAY (CVE-61) is commissioned.
Destroyer USS RICKETS is commissioned. Destroyer escorts USS Wilhoite and Koiner are launched.
Destroyer escort USS John C Butler and Frigate USS Sandusky are launched.
Baseball!
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-336 is sunk in the Straits of Denmark southwest of Iceland, in position 62.43W, 27.17W, by rockets fired by an RAF Hudson. (Sqdn. 269/F). 50 dead (all crew lost). (22)(Alex Gordon)
U-188 sinks the SS BRITANNIA.
GREENLAND: Patrol Squadron Six (VP-6 CG), was established as a U.S. Coast Guard squadron under U.S. Navy operational control at NAS Argentia, Newfoundland. Squadron personnel have actually been arriving since 23 July 1943, by Naval Air Transport Service. Upon arrival they commence training and indoctrination in cold weather operations. The squadron’s home port is Narsarssuak, Greenland, code name Bluie West-One (BW-1). Upon establishment it came under the administrative control of the USN’s Fleet Air Wing Nine (FAW-9). Personnel matters continue to be handled by Coast Guard Headquarters. The squadron flew the PBY-5A Catalina, with ten aircraft (one designated as a spare), 22 officers and 145 enlisted men, including eight enlisted pilots. Operational flights begin on 13 October 1943, after the first three PBY-5A Catalinas arrive at Narsarssuak. Two of the squadron’s nine operational aircraft are detached to NAS Argentia. These aircraft and crews are rotated frequently to allow maintenance and repair work to be done on the other seven. At Narsarssuak all the squadron’s aircraft sit outside and all maintenance, refueling and arming takes place in the open regardless of weather conditions because it is found that moving aircraft from warm hangars to the cold outside results in condensation and subsequent freezing in fuel pumps, controls and instruments. Herman Nelson F-1 portable heaters are needed to warm the engines and the aircraft interiors before starting. Crews are relieved every 12 months, with relief crews staggered every four months. The USAAF provides aerology support and daily weather briefings.
That p5 article on the captured Japanese diary detailing the ceremonial beheading of an allied POW would never be printed today.
“The USN submarine USS Wahoo (SS-238) sinks the Japanese army transport Konron Maru (formally of the Shimonoseki-to-Fusan Ferry Line) in Tsushima Straits, about 126 nautical miles (233 kilometers) south of Pusan, Korea, at 34.00N, 129.00E. (The Tsushima Strait is a channel between Tsushima Island and northwest Kyushu, Japan, connecting the Sea of Japan with the East China Sea.) The ship is ferrying troops across the Tsushima Strait. Only 72 of the 616 soldiers and crewmen aboard the vessel survive because of heavy seas. This loss prompts the cancellation of night ferry trips across Tsushima Straits.”
Wahoo is commanded by the legendary Dudley “Mush” Morton, the United States Navy’s first superstar sub skipper. Morton was a legend in the service. He will be lost with Wahoo and all hands on October 11, as he attempts to exit the Sea of Japan. Wahoo and Morton will be credited with 19 ships sunk, making him one of the top three skippers of the war in terms of numbers of ships. He will be posthumously awarded his 4th Navy Cross. The sinking will have a profound effect on morale and for a while US subs will not penetrate the Sea of Japan.
Morton’s legacy will endure with the next superstar of the Silent Service; his long time XO, Richard O’Kane, who has already left Wahoo for the new sub USS Tang. O’Kane will be the top skipper in terms of numbers of ships sunk and a close 2nd in tonnage sunk.
Morton had a unique way of commanding during an attack. Most skippers manned the scope and had the XO compute the setup and firing solutions. Morton had O’Kane man the scope, and he sat by the chart and more or less acted as supervisor of all the sub’s activities. That way he was able to keep aware of everything during an attack. It was highly effective in making multiple attacks on a convoy, as like a good pool player, he was setting up firing solutions with the next shot already in mind.
Once again, I will tout Clay Blair Jr.’s “Silent Victory” as the source of my info and THE Bible of United States Navy submarine warfare in WW2. If you don’t have Silent Victory in your library, you’re a wanker.
We’re bombing Frankfort? I dated a girl from Frankfort! Oh, wait; that should be “Frankfurt” not Frankfort, Indiana.
Had me going for a second...
I noticed Frederick Graham allowed his personal feelings toward Joseph Goebbels to creep into the first paragraph of his account of the mission. Not exactly objective.
Well, not really:
Or, maybe yes:
Does Frankfort rock? Not so much anymore. Back around 1980 it was your sleepy Indiana county seat farm community. Today, it’s overrun with illegal Mexicans and meth heads. Like most Indiana farm communities, I’m afraid.
The girl I dated, on the other hand, DID rock. Very much so. I, however, was an idiot. But it all works out for the best; the young lady who instead wound up being Mrs. henkster is a saint.
I believe the centimeter radar made snorkeling to charge batteries while submerged a detectable activity.
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