N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 470, OCTOBER 1, 1943

South Pacific (all dates are east longitude).

 

1. During the morning of September 27, a U. S. reconnaissance plane engaged five Zero fighters in the vicinity of Nauru Island. One Zero was destroyed and one other was probably shot down.

 

 

N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 471, OCTOBER 1, 1943

Mediterranean Area.

 

1. The mine layer, USS Skill, was sunk on the morning of September 25, 1943, as the result of an underwater explosion in the Gulf of Salerno. The next of kin of all casualties in the Skill have been notified.

 

 

N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 472, OCTOBER 3, 1943

 

1. On the night of September 30, a U. S. reconnaissance plane engaged nine Zero fighters fifteen miles north of Nauru Island. One enemy plane was shot down.

 

 

N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 473, OCTOBER 6, 1943

 

1. The U. S. Coast Guard patrol craft Wilcox, formerly a fishing vessel, foundered in a storm off the Atlantic coast on September 30, 1943, and was lost. One crew, member is missing and his next of kin has been notified.

 

78

 

 

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 14, OCTOBER 6, 1943

 

A strong Pacific Fleet task force, commanded by Rear Admiral Alfred E. Montgomery, USN, heavily attacked enemy held positions on Wake Island with carrier aircraft and ship bombardment commencing at dawn on October 5, 1943, west longitude date. Further details are not now available.

 

 

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 15, OCTOBER 10, 1943

 

Supplementing Pacific Ocean Areas Communiqué No. 14, the following information is available concerning our operations against Wake Island:

The initial heavy and protracted attack made by carrier aircraft and ship bombardment, beginning at dawn on 5 October, west longitude date, was fol­lowed late the same afternoon by an attack by a group of Navy Liberator Bombers led by Commander John T. Hayward, U. S. Navy, and on the morning of 6 October by a further carrier aircraft bombing by the force commanded by Rear Admiral Alfred E. Montgomery, U. S. Navy.

In the extended attacks our planes dropped 320 tons of bombs. An in­tensive bombardment by the ships combined to inflict considerable damage to enemy installations on Wake, Peale and Wilkes Islands. Enemy defenses were so neutralized in the initial bombardment that the heavy bombers encountered only weak and ineffective antiaircraft fire and no air opposition in their low altitude bombing attack in the late afternoon of 5 October.

Our forces destroyed 30 or more enemy planes in the air and 31 on the ground. Many fires were started in the plane dispersal areas, shops, barracks, and storage areas throughout the three Islands. Two small vessels, one loaded with gasoline, were destroyed.

Damage by enemy action to our ships and ships' personnel was negligible. We lost 13 planes in combat.

 

 

JOINT STATEMENT, OCTOBER 10, 1943

 

The following joint Anglo‑American statement on submarine and anti­submarine operations in September is issued under the authority of the Presi­dent and the Prime Minister:

 

1. Until the third week in September no Allied ship was lost by German U‑boat attack. Then, on the 19th of September, the U‑boats ended the four months' lull in the North Atlantic, and a pack of at least fifteen U‑boats concentrated on a west‑bound convoy. The combat lasted four and a half days. The loss of three escort vessels has already been announced. A small number of merchant ships were sunk, but as a result of vigorous counterattacks by the surface and air escorts a larger number of U‑boats were sunk or damaged.

2. In spite of the increase in U‑boat activity at the end of the month, the average merchant‑ship losses from all causes in September and August together are the best record of the war.

3. Nevertheless, this resumption of pack tactics is evidence of the enemy's intention to spare no efforts to turn the tide of the U‑boat war, and the utmost exertion and vigilance will be required before its menace is finally removed.

 

79

 

 

N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 474, OCTOBER 14, 1943

North Pacific.

 

1. On October 13, ten Japanese bombers flew over Massacre Bay, Attu Island, at great height and dropped bombs without causing damage. There was no damage to the U. S. intercepting fighters or to enemy planes.

 

Mediterranean Area.

 

2. The USS Buck, destroyer, was sunk off Salerno on October 9, as the result of an underwater explosion.

3. The USS Bristol, destroyer, was sunk in the Mediterranean on October 13, as the result of an underwater explosion.

4. The next of kin of all casualties aboard the USS Buck and the USS Bristol will be notified by telegram immediately upon receipt of casualty re­ports.

 

 

CINCPAC PRESS RELEASE NO. 157, OCTOBER 15, 1943

 

Navy Liberator bombers carried out a light bombing attack on Makin Island on 13 October, West Longitude Date. No damage was suffered by our forces.

 

 

CINCPAC PRESS RELEASE NO. 158, OCTOBER 18, 1943

 

Shortly after midnight Sunday morning an unidentified airplane approach­ing from seaward was illuminated by searchlights at the Naval Air Station, Barber's Point, Oahu.

The plane, which appeared to be a small, float‑type monoplane, immedi­ately dived in an attempt to elude the lights, reversed its course, and sped out to sea, at low altitude.

The circumstances of the plane's approach would appear to indicate it was an enemy craft on a reconnaissance mission. It is considered that the mission was unsuccessful. The probability exists that the plane was launched from a submarine.

 

 

N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 475, OCTOBER 19, 1943

Pacific and Far East.

 

1. According to the latest available information, U. S. submarines; operat­ing over wide areas and carrying the war to the enemy's closest home waters, have sunk a total of 319 Japanese ships, have probably sunk and have damaged 105 others since December 7, 1941.

2. In previous Navy Department communiqués, the sinking of 221, the probable sinking of 31, and the damaging of 60 enemy vessels were announced. To bring the score of damage inflicted on Japanese shipping by U. S. sub­marines up to date, the following additional details of results are reported for the first time by types:

 

Sunk:

6 large tankers

17 large cargo‑supply ships

45 medium‑sized cargo‑supply ships

3 large transports

2 medium‑sized tankers 

5 small cargo‑supply ships

20 miscellaneous vessels

98 Total

 

80

 

Probably Sunk:

5 medium‑sized cargo vessels

 

Damaged:

4 large tankers

2 transports

2 large cargo‑supply vessels

31 medium‑sized cargo‑supply vessels

5 miscellaneous vessels

1 small cargo‑supply vessel

45 Total

 

 

CINCPAC PRESS RELEASE NO. 161, OCTOBER 21, 1943

 

A small force of Navy Liberator bombers attacked Japanese held Tarawa Island, in the Gilbert Group, on 19 October, West Longitude Date. Consider­able antiaircraft opposition was encountered, but no enemy aircraft were sighted. Our forces suffered no damage.

 

 

N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 476, OCTOBER 24, 1943

 

1. The U. S. Submarine Dorado is overdue and must be presumed to be lost. The next of kin of personnel in the Dorado have been so informed.

 

 

N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 477, OCTOBER 27, 1943

 

1. The U. S. Submarine Runner is overdue and must be presumed to be lost. The next of kin of personnel in the Runner have been so informed.

 

 

N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 478, OCTOBER 29, 1943

Pacific and Far East.

 

1. U. S. submarines have reported the sinking of ten enemy vessels and the damaging of four others in operations against the enemy in waters of these areas, as follows:

 

Sunk:

1 large freighter

1 large tanker

1 large transport

5 medium freighters

2 small freighters

 

Damaged:

1 large freighter

2 medium freighters

1 small freighter

 

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

 

81

 

 

N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 479, OCTOBER 30, 1943

South Pacific (east longitude date).

 

1. A number of enemy planes ineffectively dropped bombs on Guadalcanal luring the night of October 28, 1943.