11/01 Sun. Patrol Wings are redesignated Fleet Air Wings. 11/02 Mon. Submarine TAMBOR (SS-198) lays mines in Tonkin Gulf and submarine TAUTOG (SS-199) lays mines south of Cape Padaran, French Indochina Fleet Air Wing 6 is commissioned at Seattle, Wash., for multi-engine aircraft training. 11/04 Wed. Cruisers and destroyers bombard Japanese positions near Koli Point, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. 11/05 Thu. German submarine sunk: U-408, by naval land-based aircraft (VP-84), off Iceland, 67 d. 40' N., 18 d. 32' W. 11/06 Fri. United States naval vessel damaged: Transport ZEILIN (AP-9), by dive bomber, Solomon Islands area, 09 d. 24' S., 160 d. 02' E. 11/07 Sat. Aircraft from Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, damage two Japanese destroyers off Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. United States naval vessel damaged: Transport THOMAS STONE (AP-59), by submarine torpedo, western Mediterranean area, 37 d. 32' N., 00 d. 01' E. Italian submarine sunk: ANTONIO SCIESA, by Army aircraft, off coast of Libya, 32 d. 05' N., 23 d. 59' E. 11/08 Sun. North Africa is invaded. Allied Expeditionary Force under the supreme command of Lt. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, USA, lands at Casablanca, Oran and Algiers. Allied Naval Force (Adm. Sir Andrew Cunningham, RN) is composed of three principal parts: Western Naval Task Force (Rear Adm. H. K. Hewitt, USN) lands troops (Maj. Gen. G. S. Patton, USA) near Casablanca; Center Naval Task Force (Commodore T. Troubridge, RN) lands troops (Maj. Gen. L. R. Fredenhall, USA) at Oran; Eastern Naval Task Force (Rear Adm. Sir H. M. Burrough, RN) puts troops (Maj. Gen. C. W. Ryder, USA) ashore at Algiers. Motor torpedo boats damage Japanese destroyer by torpedo attack, off Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. United States naval vessels damaged: Battleship MASSACHUSETTS (BB-59), heavy cruiser WICHITA (CA-45), light cruiser BROOKLYN (CL-40), destroyers LUDLOW (DD-438) and MURPHY 9dd-603), and high speed minesweeper PALMER (DMS-5), by gunfire from coastal defense guns, North African landings. High speed minesweeper STANSBURY (DMS-8), by mine, off North Africa. Transport LEEDSTOWN (AP-73), by aircraft torpedo, off North Africa. 11/09 Mon. United States naval vessel sunk: Transport LEEDSTOWN (AP-73), by submarine and aircraft torpedo and horizontal bomber, near Algiers. 11/10 Tue. United States naval vessels and carrier aircraft engage French naval forces at Casablanca, Morocco. Oran, Algeria, surrenders to United States forces. United States Naval Station, Puerto Castillo, Honduras, is established German submarine lays mines off New York, east of Ambrose Light. Japanese submarine sunk: I-72, by high speed minesweeper, SOUTHARD (DMS-10), Solomon Islands area, 10 d. 13' S., 161 d. 09' E. 11/11 Wed. Casablanca surrenders to United States forces. Allied-French armistice is signed. United States Naval Operating Base, Oran, is established. German troops occupy France, south to the Mediterranean Sea. Italian troops land on Corsica and move into France. United States naval vessel sunk: Transport JOSEPH HEWES (AP-50), by submarine torpedo, Fedala Roads, North Africa. United States naval vessel damaged: Destroyer HAMBLETON (DD-455), and oiler WINOOSKI (AO-38), by submarine torpedoes, Fedala Roads, North Africa. 11/12 Thu. Naval Battle of Guadalcanal (q2-15 November) opens as transports (Rear Adm. R. K. Turner) unloading troops in Lunga Roads, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, under the protection of air and surface forces, are attacked by Japanese aircraft. United States Naval Operating Base, Casablanca, Morocco, is established. United States naval vessels sunk: Transports TASKER H. BLISS (AP-42), HUGH L. SCOTT (AP-43), and EDWARD RUTLEDGE (AP-52), by submarine torpedoes, off Morocco, North Africa. Gunboat ERIE (PG-50), by submarine torpedo, Caribbean area, 12 d. 03' N., 68 d. 58' W. United States naval vessels damaged, Naval Battle of Guadalcanal: Heavy cruiser SAN FRANCISCO (CA-38), by Japanese aircraft. Destroyer Buchanan (DD-484), accidentally by United States naval gunfire. Japanese submarine sunk: I-22, by PT-122, southwest of New Guinea, 08 d. 32' S., 148 d. 17' E. 11/13 Fri. Landing Support Group (Rear Adm. D. J. Callaghan) encounters Japanese Raiding Group, including two battleships, steaming to bombard Henderson Field, Guadalcanal; a devastating naval action ensues in the darkness off Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. Heavy damage is inflicted on United States force before Japanese Raiding Group retires northward. Carrier force (Rear Adm. T. C. Kinkaid) arrives close to battle area and launches air search and attacks against the enemy (Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 12-15 November). United States naval vessels sunk, Battle of Guadalcanal: Light cruiser ATLANTA (CL-51), by naval gunfire. Light cruiser JUNEAU (CL-52), by submarine torpedo, as she leaves the Solomon Islands area to proceed to Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, after Battle of Guadalcanal. Destroyer CUSHING (DD-376), by naval gunfire. Destroyer MONSSEN (DD-436), by naval gunfire. Destroyer LAFFEY (DD-459), by gunfire and torpedo from surface craft United States naval vessels damaged Battle of Guadalcanal:. Heavy cruiser PORTLAND (CA-33) ,by torpedo from surface craft. Light cruiser HELENA (CL-50), by naval gunfire. Destroyer STERETT (DD-407), by naval gunfire. Destroyer O'BANNON (DD-450), accidentally by United State naval gunfire. Destroyer AARON WARD (DD-483), by naval gunfire. Japanese naval vessels sunk, Battle of Guadalcanal: Battleship HIEI, by naval gunfire, carrier-based aircraft, and Marine land-based aircraft. Destroyer AKATSUKI, by naval gunfire. Destroyer YUDACHI, by naval gunfire. 11/14 Sat. Japanese cruisers and destroyers engaged in night bombardment of Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, area attacked by motor torpedo boats. In the morning this enemy force, while retiring, is struck by Marine and Naval aircraft from Henderson Field, and aircraft from carrier ENTERPRISE (CV-6). The same aircraft sink seven Japanese transports during the afternoon. Beginning shortly before midnight and continuing on 15 November, battleship force (Rear Adm. W. W. Lee) composed of 2 battleships and 3 destroyers engages and turns back large Japanese Naval Group (Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 12-15 November). United States naval vessels sunk, Battle of Guadalcanal: Destroyer PRESTON (DD-379), by naval gunfire. Destroyer WALKE (DD-416), by gunfire and torpedo from surface vessel. Japanese naval vessels sunk, Battle of Guadalcanal: Heavy cruiser KINUGASA, by Naval and Marine aircraft. 11/15 Sun. Naval Battle of Guadalcanal ends. [Although the United States suffered greater loss in warships, the Japanese withdrew and never again sent large naval forces into the waters around Guadalcanal; the ultimate outcome of the struggle for the island was decided.] United States naval vessel sunk: Destroyer BENHAM (DD-397), damaged by torpedo from surface vessel and sunk by United States forces, off Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. United States naval vessels damaged: Battleship SOUTH DAKOTA (BB-57), by naval gunfire, Battle of Guadalcanal. Destroyer GWIN (DD-433), by naval gunfire, Battle of Guadalcanal. Cargo ship ELECTRA (AK-21), by submarine torpedo, off North Africa, 33 d. 45' N., 07 d. 52 W. Cargo ship ALMAACK (AK-27), by submarine torpedo, off North Africa, 36 d. 19' N., 07 d. 52 W. Japanese naval vessels sunk, Battle of Guadalcanal: Battleship KIRISHIMA, by naval gunfire. Destroyer AYANAMI, by naval gunfire. 11/16 Mon. Army forces land south of Buna, New Guinea. German submarine sunk: U-173, by destroyers WOOLSEY (DD-437), SWANSON (DD-443), and QUICK (DD-490), off Casablanca, Morocco. 11/17 Tue. Naval Air Station, De Land, Fla., is established. 11/24 Tue. Japanese forces land at Munda Point, New Georgia, Solomon Islands. United States naval vessel damaged: Transport THOMAS STONE (A--59), by horizontal bomber, North African area, 36 D. 48' N., 03 d. 10' E. Japanese naval vessel sunk: Destroyer HAYASHIO, by Army aircraft, of Lae, New Guinea. 11/25 Wed. United States naval vessel lost: Transport THOMAS STONE (A--59), damaged by grounding, North African area; beached and abandoned, 36 D. 49' N., 03 d. 07' E. 11/27 Fri. French Fleet at Toulon is scuttled. 11/28 Sat. United States naval vessel damaged: Cargo ship ALCHIBA (AK-23), by submarine torpedo, Lunga Point, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. 11/30 Mon. Battle of Tassafaronga, occurs at night when cruiser and destroyer force (Read Adm. C. H. Wright) engages Japanese destroyers (Rear Adm. Tanaka) off Tassafaronga Point, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands; enemy torpedoes do heavy damage. United States naval vessels damaged: Heavy cruiser PENSACOLA (CA-24), NORTHAMPTON (CA-26), NEW ORLEANS (CA-32), and MINNEAPOLIS (CA-36), by torpedoes from Japanese destroyers, off Tassafaronga, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. Japanese naval vessel sunk: Destroyer TAKANAMI, by surface craft, Tassafaronga, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.