December, 1942

No. 207 December 1, 1942

Pacific and Far East.

1. U. S. submarines have reported the following results of operations against the enemy in the waters of these areas.

(a) One destroyer sunk.

(b) One 9,000-ton tanker sunk.

(d) One 6,300-ton cargo ship sunk.

(e) One 2,000-ton cargo ship sunk.

(f) One 12,000-ton cargo ship damaged and believed sunk.

(g) One 6,000-ton cargo ship damaged.

These actions have not been announced in any previous Navy Department communiqué.

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

2. On November 30th routine patrol activity on Guadalcanal Island was supported by artillery fire and fighter planes.

No. 208 December 2, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

1. On December 1st, Army and Marine Corps troops on Guadalcanal Island engaged in extensive patrols along the outskirts of our positions.

(a) An Army patrol killed 11 Japanese and captured a 70-mm. gun.

(b) A Marine Corps patrol killed 25 Japanese and captured one 75-mm. and one 30-mm. gun along the upper Lunga River.

(d) Army planes carried out four attacks on enemy positions.

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No. 209 December 3, 1942

Africa:

1. The following U. S. naval transports were lost during the early part of November as a result of enemy submarine torpedoes during the occupation of North Africa by U. S. forces.

(a) The Tasker H. Bliss, Hugh L. Scott, and the Edward Rutledge were sunk off Casablanca.

(b) The Joseph Hewes was sunk off Rabat.

2. Three other U. S. transports, one U. S. destroyer, and one U. S. tanker were damaged during the operation.

3. The next of kin of personnel killed, wounded, or missing are being notified by telegram as soon as information is received.

No. 21O December 3, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

1. On December 1st:

(a) Army and Navy aircraft continued daylight attacks on enemy positions on Guadalcanal Island.

2. On December 2d:

(a) U. S. Marines attacked a patrol of 60 Japanese near the upper Lunga River. Thirty-five of the enemy were killed and a quantity of arms and ammunition was captured.

(b) In another encounter between U. S. and enemy patrols in the Matanikau area, 20 Japanese were killed.

No. 211 December 3, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

1. On the night of November 30-December 1 a Japanese force of troop transports, escorted by combatant fleet units, was intercepted and engaged by a task force of U. S. naval vessels in the waters immediately north of Guadalcanal Island.

2. The enemy was interrupted in his attempt to reinforce and supply his troops on the island and no landing was effected.

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3. During the night action which followed our interception of the landing force one U. S. cruiser was sunk and other U. S. vessels were damaged.

4. The enemy suffered the following losses during the engagement:

(a) Two large destroyers (or cruisers) sunk.

(b) Four destroyers sunk.

(d) One cargo ship sunk.

5. Japanese sailors rescued from life rafts on the following day identified one of the enemy destroyers as the Takanami.

6. No list of casualties has, as yet, been received. The next of kin of personnel killed, wounded, or missing in the above action will be notified by telegram as soon as information is received.

No. 212 December 4, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

1. On December 3d ground activity on Guadalcanal Island was confined to routine patrol operations during which 14 Japanese were killed. Army fighters supported ground forces on 5 attacks missions.

No. 213 December 5, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

1. On December 3d an air striking group of dive bombers and torpedo planes from Guadalcanal attacked a small enemy force of light surface vessels about 150 miles northwest of Guadalcanal. Results of the attack are not known.

2. On December 4th:

(a) A Marine Corps "Raider" patrol on Guadalcanal killed 16 Japanese, captured a mortar, several machine guns, and some ammunition in the region of the upper Lunga River.

(b) Another U. S. patrol killed five Japanese and destroyed a machine gun position in the area west of Point Cruz.

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No. 214 December 6, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

1. On December 4th on Guadalcanal Island:

(a) Army patrols killed seven Japanese in the vicinity of the Matanikau River.

(b) Army "Airacobra" fighters made a number of attacks against the enemy and strafed 15 landing barges and rafts near Tassafaronga.

(c) Marine Corps "Raiders" returned to their base from extended operations in the mountainous jungle. The "Raiders" destroyed 5 enemy bases and killed 400 Japanese during the operations with a loss to themselves of 17 dead.

Hold for release-a. m. paper-Sunday, December 6, 1942. Radio release 9 p. m., e. w. t.-December 5, 1942

THE JAPANESE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, DECEMBER 7, 1941

On the morning of December 7, 1941, Japanese aircraft temporarily disabled every battleship and most of the aircraft in the Hawaiian area. Other naval vessels, both combatant and auxiliary, were put out of action, and certain shore facilities, especially at the naval air stations, Ford Island and Kaneohe Bay, were damaged. Most of these ships are now back with the fleet. The aircraft were all replaced within a few days, and interference with facilities was generally limited to a matter of hours.

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, 2 surface ship task forces of the Pacific Fleet were carrying out assigned missions at sea, and 2 such task forces were at their main base following extensive operations at sea. Discounting small craft, 86 ships of the Pacific Fleet were moored at Pearl Harbor. Included in this force were 8 battleships, 7 cruisers, 28 destroyers and 5 submarines. No U. S. aircraft carriers were present.

As result of the Japanese attack five battleships, the Arizona, Oklahoma, California, Nevada, and West Virginia; three destroyers, the Shaw and Downes; the mine layer Oglala; the target ship Utah, and a large floating drydock were either sunk or damaged so severely that they would serve no military purposes for some time. In addition, three battles, the Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Tennessee, three cruisers, the Helena, Honolulu, and Raleigh, the seaplane tender Curtiss and the repair Vestal were damaged.

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Of the 19 naval vessels listed above as sunk or damaged, the 26-year-old battleship Arizona will be the only one permanently and totally lost. Preparations for the righting of the Oklahoma are now in process, although final decision as to the wisdom of accomplishing this work at this time has not been made. The main and auxiliary machinery, approximately 50 percent of the value, of the Cassin and Downes were saved. The other 15 vessels either have been or will be salvaged and repaired.

The eight vessels described in the second sentence of paragraph three returned to the fleet months ago. A number of the vessels described in the first sentence of paragraph three are now in full service, but certain others, which required extensive machinery and intricate electrical overhauling as well as refloating and hull repairing, are not yet ready for battle action. Naval repair yards are taking advantage of these inherent delays to install numerous modernization features and improvements. To designate these vessels by name now would give the enemy information vital to his war plans; similar information regarding enemy ships which our forces have subsequently damaged but not destroyed is denied to us.

On December 15, 1941, only 8 days after the Japanese attack and at a time when there was an immediate possibility of the enemy's coming back, the Secretary of the Navy announced that the Arizona, Shaw, Cassin, Downes, Utah, and Oglala had been lost, that the Oklahoma had capsized and that other vessels had been damaged. Fortunately, the salvage and repair accomplishments at Pearl Harbor have exceeded the most hopeful expectations.

Eighty naval aircraft of all types were destroyed by the enemy. In addition, the Army lost 97 planes on Hickam and Wheeler Fields. Of these 23 were bombers, 66 were fighters, and 8 were other types.

The most serious American losses were in personnel. As result of the raid on December 7, 1941, 2,117 officers and enlisted men of the Navy and Marine Corps were killed, 960 are still reported as missing and 876 were wounded but survived. The Army casualties were as follows: 226 officers and enlisted men were killed or later died of wounds; 396 were wounded, most of whom have now recovered and have returned to duty.

At 7:55 a. m. on December 7, 1941, Japanese dive bombers swarmed over the Army Air Base, Hickam Field, and the naval air station on Ford Island. A few minutes earlier the Japanese had struck the naval air station at Kaneohe Bay. Bare seconds later enemy torpedo planes and dive bombers swung in from various sectors to concentrate their attack on the

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heavy ships at Pearl Harbor. The enemy attack, aided by the element of surprise and based on exact information, was very successful.

Torpedo planes, assisted effectively by dive bombers, constituted the major threat of the first phase of the Japanese attack, lasting approximately a half-hour. Twenty-one torpedo planes made 4 attacks, and 30 dive bombers came in in 8 waves during this period. Fifteen horizontal bombers also participated in this phase of the raid.

Although the Japanese launched their initial attack as a surprise, battleship ready machine guns opened fire at once and were progressively augmented by the remaining antiaircraft batteries as all hands promptly were called to general quarters. Machine guns brought down two and damaged others of the first wave of torpedo planes. Practically all battleship antiaircraft batteries were firing within 5 minutes; cruisers, within an average time of 4 minutes, and destroyers, opening up machine guns almost immediately, average 7 minutes in bringing all antiaircraft guns into action.

From 8:25 to 8:40 a. m. there was a comparative lull in the raid, although air activity continued with sporadic attack by dive and horizontal bombers. This respite was terminated by the appearance of horizontal bombers which crossed and recrossed their targets from various directions and caused serious damage. While the horizontal bombers were continuing their raids, Japanese dive bombers reappeared, probably being the same ones that had participated in earlier attacks; this phase, lasting about a half-hour, was devoted largely to strafing. All enemy aircraft retired by 9:45 a. m.

Prior to the Japanese attack 202 U.S. naval aircraft of all types on the Island of Oahu were in flying condition, but 150 of these were permanently or temporarily disabled by the enemy's concentrated assault, most of them in the first few minutes of the raid. Of the 52 remaining naval aircraft, 38 took to the air on December 7, 1941, the other 14 being ready too late in the day or being blocked from take-off positions. Of necessity therefore, the Navy was compelled to depend on antiaircraft fire for its primary defensive weapon, and this condition exposed the fleet to continuous air attack. By coincidence, 18 scout bombing planes from a U. S. aircraft carrier en route arrived at Pearl Harbor during the raid. These are included in the foregoing figures. Four of these scout bombers were shot down, 13 of the remaining 14 taking off again in search of the enemy. Seven patrol planes were in the air when the attack started.

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It is difficult to determine the total number of enemy aircraft participating in the raid, but careful analysis of all reports makes it possible to estimate the number as 21 torpedo planes, 48 dive bombers, and 36 horizontal bombers, totaling 105 of all types. Undoubtedly certain fighter planes also were present, but these are not distinguished by types and are included in the above figures.

The enemy lost 28 aircraft due to Navy action. In addition, three submarines, of 45 tons each, were accounted for.

The damage suffered by the U. S. Pacific Fleet as result of the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941, was most serious, but the repair job now is nearly completed, and thanks to the inspired and unceasing efforts of the naval and civilian personnel attached to the various repair yards, especially at Pearl Harbor itself, this initial handicap soon will be erased forever.

***

ADDITIONS TO NAVY DEPARTMENT PEARL HARBOR RELEASE

Insert in 2d sentence, 1st paragraph, page 1:

. . . facilities, especially at the Army Bases, Hickam and Wheeler Fields, and the naval air stations . . .

Insert after paragraph 3, page 3:

There were a total of 273 Army planes on the Island of Oahu on December 7, 1941. Very few of these were able to take off because of the damage to the runways at Hickam and Wheeler Fields.

Insert in 1st sentence, last paragraph, page 3:

. . . Navy action, and the few Army pursuit planes that were able to take off shot down more than 2O Japanese planes.

No. 215 December 9, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

1. The following report of action amplifies the report of the air attack on enemy surface forces which was announced in Navy Department Communiqué No. 213.

2. On December 3d an air striking group of dive bombers, torpedo planes and fighters from Guadalcanal attacked an enemy force of about 10 cruisers and destroyers approximately 150 miles northwest of and headed for Guadalcanal.

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3. The enemy suffered the following damage during the attack:

(a) Two 1,000-lb. hits on one cruiser.

(b) One 1,000-lb. hit on a second cruiser.

(d) Two possible torpedo hits on a second destroyer (or cruiser).

(e) Ten float-type planes shot down by U. S. fighters.

4. One of the above vessels was seen to sink on December 4th and three other enemy vessels were sighted in flames in the vicinity of the previous day's action.

5. One U. S. dive bomber one torpedo plane and one fighter were lost during the engagement.

6. On December 8th, U. S. patrols on Guadalcanal, supported by heavy artillery fire, maintained contact with the enemy to the westward of our positions.

No. 216 December 11, 1942

South Pacific.

1. An Army "Flying Fortress" on a reconnaissance flight over the island of New Georgia was attacked recently by 15 "Zero" fighters. The "Fortress" returned to its base after shooting down 5 of the enemy fighters.

2. The U. S. S. Alchiba, an auxiliary cargo ship, was lost recently as the result of enemy action. Reports indicate that total casualties amounted to three missing.

No. 217 December 12, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude.)

1. On December 9th:

(a) Eleven Army "Flying Fortresses" (Boeing B-17) and 8 "Lightning" fighters (Lockheed P-38) attacked enemy surface vessels in Faisi Harbor near Shortland Island. Three bomb hits were scored on an enemy tanker and 2 bomb straddles were observed on a second tanker. The Army "Lightnings" shot down 5 intercepting "Zeros" and the 9 "Fortresses" destroyed another. All Army planes returned undamaged.

(b) Army "Flying Fortresses" bombed the Japanese flying field at Munda on New Georgia Island.

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(c) Ground activity on Guadalcanal Island was limited to patrol contacts with small enemy groups. A Japanese artillery position containing mortars and machine guns was silenced.

December 12, 1942

S. S. PRESIDENT COOLIDGE LOST ON WAR MISSION; VERY FEW CASUALTIES

The former liner S. S. President Coolidge, owned by the American President Lines, San Francisco, Calif., chartered and operated by the War Shipping Administration for the U. S. Army, was lost in recent weeks in the South Pacific.

The vessel, operating as a transport, was fully loaded with troops and equipment when it struck a mine and sank.

Through prompt and efficient rescue efforts casualties were limited to four men.

Henry Nelon, 3714 Irving Street, San Francisco, Calif., who is a survivor, was master of the S. S. President Coolidge.

The S. S. President Coolidge, of 21,936 gross tons, was completed in 1931 at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Newport News, Va. It was 615 feet 6 inches in length, had a beam of 81 feet 3 inches, and a draft of 28 feet 2 inches.

NO. 218 December 13, 1942

North Pacific.

1. On December 11th three Army "Marauders" (Martin B-26) scored two 500-pound bomb hits on a vessel formerly aground in Trout Lagoon on the island of Kiska and bombed and strafed shore installations.

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

2. On December 11th at 6 p. m. Douglas "Dauntless" dive bombers supported by Army "Airacobra" fighters (Bell P-39) from Guadalcanal attacked a formation of 11 Japanese destroyers which was headed for Guadalcanal, apparently for the purpose of reinforcing and supplying Japanese troops on the island. Bomb hits were scored on 5 of the destroyers.

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3. At 12:35 a. m. on December 12th enemy formation, which was continuing toward Guadalcanal, was attacked by U. S. surface forces guarding the island.

4. The enemy suffered the following damage as a result of this attack:

(a) One destroyer sunk.

(b) One destroyer set on fire and probably sunk.

5. One U. S. motor torpedo boat was lost during this action.

6. On the morning of December 11th Army "Flying Fortresses" (Boeing B-17) dropped 155 100-pound bombs on the Japanese airfield at Munda on New Georgia Island. Clouds prevented observation of results. All of our planes returned.

7. On the morning of December 12th 7 "Flying Fortresses" escorted by Grumman "Wildcat" fighters scored four 1,000-pound bomb hits on the landing strip at Munda and dropped eighty 100-pound bombs in the general area. All of our planes returned.

No. 219 December 14, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are cast longitude).

1. On December 13th:

(a) Ground action on Guadalcanal Island was limited to routine patrol activity.

(b) A lone enemy plane dropped three bombs in the vicinity of our airfield.

No. 220 December 15, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude)

1. On December 14th, U. S. air forces continued to attack the Japanese installations and airfield which are being constructed in the Munda area Of New Georgia Island.

(a) Seven Army "Flying Fortresses" (Boeing B-17) attacked the area during the morning.

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(b) Later in the day a striking force of Douglas "Dauntless" dive bombers and Grumman "Wildcat" fighters attacked the same objectives.

No. 221 December 16, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

1. On December 13th, U. S. patrols on Guadalcanal Island destroyed two Japanese machine gun positions and killed both gun crews.

2. On December 14th, U. S. bombers attacked the enemy airfield at Buin on the island of Bougainville. No enemy aircraft were encountered and no antiaircraft opposition was met. Results were not reported.

3. On December 15th, at noon, a striking force of Marine Corps dive bombers from Guadalcanal attacked Japanese installations at Munda, on New Georgia Island. No enemy resistance was encountered. Results were not observed.

No. 222 December 17, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

1. On December 16th:

(a) A number of Navy dive bombers (Douglas "Dauntless") attacked Japanese ships and installations in the Munda area of New Georgia Island. An enemy destroyer (or cruiser) was hit and damaged. One "Dauntless" failed to return.

(b) A group of Army "Flying Fortresses" (Boeing B-17) was intercepted by 12 land-type enemy "Zeros" in the vicinity of New Georgia Island. The entire intercepting force of "Zeros" was shot down. One "Fortress" was lost but the crew was rescued.

No. 223 December 18, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

1. On December 17th a force of Army "Flying Fortresses" (Boeing B-17), escorted by "Airacobra" fighters (Bell P-39) attacked the Munda area of New Georgia Island. Results were not reported.

2. Navy Department Communiqué No. 222 announced that 12 Japanese "Zero" fighters had been shot down in the vicinity of New Georgia

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Island on December 16th. A correction has been received from the South Pacific stating that the number shot down was 3 instead of 12.

No. 224 December 18, 1942

Pacific and Far East.

1. U. S. submarines have reported the following results of operations against the enemy in the waters of these areas:

(a) One large tanker sunk.

(b) One large cargo ship sunk.

(d) Two medium-sized cargo ships sunk.

(e) One medium-sized transport sunk.

(f) One trawler sunk.

These sinkings have not been announced in any previous Navy Department communiqué.

No. 225 December 20, 1942

North Pacific.

1. On December 17th a force of Army "Liberator" heavy bombers (Consolidated B-24) attacked Japanese shore installations on the island of Kiska. Heavy explosions and fires were observed.

South Pacific.

2. On December 18th Army "Flying Fortresses" (Boeing B-17), with fighter escort, carried out two bombing attacks against enemy installations in the Munda area of New Georgia Island. Results were not reported.

No. 226 December 20, 1942

South Pacific (all dates arc east longitude)

1. On December 19th:

(a) Navy dive bombers (Douglas "Dauntless") with Grumman "Wildcat" escort attacked Japanese installations in the Munda area of New Georgia Island. Several buildings were set on fire and destroyed.

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(b) Army "Flying Fortresses" with Lockheed "Lightning" escort also attacked the enemy positions at Munda and started several fires. Three of the 2o "Zeros" which intercepted were destroyed. No U. S. planes were lost.

No. 227 December 22, 1942

North Pacific.

1. On December 20th, U. S. bombers, escorted by fighters, executed a heavy, coordinated attack on Japanese shore installations on the island of Kiska. Hits were scored and heavy explosions were observed in the vicinity of the submarine base. Camp areas and buildings were bombed and strafed. All U. S. planes returned.

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

2. On December 20th, Army "Flying Fortresses" attacked enemy installations in the Munda area of New Georgia Island. Results were not reported.

3. On December 21st:

(a) Army "Flying Fortresses" again bombed Japanese shore facilities at Munda, but no report of the results has been received.

(b) Two Japanese cargo ships were attacked by "Flying Fortresses" near Kahili in the Buin area on Bougainville Island. One direct hit and several near hits were scored. One of the cargo vessels was last seen settling by the stern.

No. 228 December 24, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

1. On December 22d, U. S. dive bombers from Guadalcanal bombed and strafed the Japanese airfield at Munda, on New Georgia Island. Results were not reported.

No. 229 December 25, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are cast longitude).

1. On December 24th:

(a) U. S. aircraft from Guadalcanal bombed and strafed the Japanese airfield and shore installations at Munda on New Georgia Island. Enemy

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planes and weak antiaircraft fire resisted the attack. Strafing silenced the antiaircraft batteries and 14 of the intercepting planes were shot down. Ten additional planes were destroyed on the ground. All U. S. planes returned undamaged.

(b) Later in the day U. S. aircraft bombed a group of landing barges engaged in reinforcing and supplying enemy troops in the Munda area. Four barges reached shore. The airfield was bombed from low altitude in the absence of any enemy resistance.

No. 230 December 26, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

1. On December 25th a flight of Army "Flying Fortresses" from the airfield at Guadalcanal bombed enemy shipping in the harbor of Rabaul on the island of New Britain. Three direct hits were scored on a large transport (or cargo ship) and several near hits fell close to three small cargo ships. A force of enemy fighters took off but did not attack our bombers.

No. 231 December 27, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

1. On December 25th Douglas "Dauntless" dive bombers from Guadalcanal attacked a small group of enemy ships south of Vangunu Island in the New Georgia group of the Solomons. An enemy ship of 3,000 tons was sunk near Wickham Island during the attack.

No. 232 December 28, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

1. Additional reports have been received of the attack by dive bombers from Guadalcanal Island on a small group of enemy ships south of Vangunu Island in the New Georgia group of the Solomons (previously announced in Navy Department Communiqué No. 231). In addition to the enemy ship of 3,000 tons, which was announced as sunk near Wickham Island, a second enemy ship also was sunk during this attack. The date of the attack was December 26th, instead of December 25th, as previously reported.

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2. On December 26th, Douglas "Dauntless" dive bombers, escorted by fighters, bombed and strafed the airfield at Munda on New Georgia Island. Results were not reported.

3. On December 27th:

(a) At dawn aerial observers discovered about 30 cargo-laden parachutes on the beach at Tassafaronga on Guadalcanal Island. Army "Airacobra" fighters (Bell P-39) subsequently bombed and strafed the enemy supplies which had been flown in.

(b) "Dauntless" dive-bombers and "Airacobra" fighters bombed and strafed a Japanese bivouac area northwest of Kokumbona on Guadalcanal Island.

North Pacific.

4. On December 26th (Washington, D. C., date), Army "Lightning" fighters (Lockheed P-38), strafed Japanese shore installations on the island of Kiska. Two "Lightnings" were lost, but the pilot of one was rescued.

No. 233 December 30, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

1. On December 27th:

(a) Army and Marine Corps troops on Guadalcanal Island killed 114 Japanese in patrol skirmishes with the enemy. U. S. casualties during these encounters were 2 killed.

(b) U. S. Marines, in an exchange of artillery and mortar fire destroyed an enemy mortar, a machine gun position, and killed between 30 and 40 Japanese. The Marines later ambushed and killed 11 more of the enemy. Marine casualties were 2 killed and 1 wounded.

2. On December 29th, U. S. planes made two attacks on enemy cargo vessels in Wickham Anchorage on the southeast coast of Vangunu Island in the New Georgia group of the Solomons. Bombing and strafing resulted in the sinking of two of the enemy vessels.

No. 234 December 31, 1942

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

1. On December 29th and 30th, "Catalina" patrol bombers (Consolidated PBY) made several harassing attacks on enemy installations in the Munda area of New Georgia Island. Results were not reported.

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2. On December 30th:

(a) At 2 a. m., a force of "Airacobra" (Bell P-39) and "Wildcat" (Grumman F4-F4) fighters attacked and destroyed five enemy barges at Vangunu Island in the central Solomons.

(b) At dawn a "Dauntless" (Douglas SBD) dive bomber destroyed a large caliber enemy gun on Guadalcanal.

(c) At 6 a. m., "Dauntless" dive bombers, with "Wildcat" escort, attacked enemy installations in the Rekata Bay area of Santa Isabel Island. Buildings on the east side of the bay were bombed and strafed and three float-type planes were strafed on the water.