Navy Involved In Beantown Fire

SAT 28 NOV 1942
United States
"Cocoanut Grove" nightclub in Boston, Massachusetts, catches fire; Ensigns George W. Carlson and Mac A. Cason, SC-V(P), USNR, driving through the city at that hour, respond immediately when they see flames issuing from the burning building. Exhibiting courage, leadership and resourcefulness, these two Supply Corps officers, who organize rescue parties from enlisted men they see in the gathering crowd, are later deemed "the cause of saving more lives than any other single agency." Despite rescuers' efforts, however, 492 people perish in the tragedy.

Pacific
Cargo ship Alchiba (AK-23) is damaged by Japanese midget submarine Ha.10 (from submarine I-16) 3,000 yards northeast of Lunga Point, Guadalcanal (see 7 December).

USAAF B-17s attack Japanese convoy en route from Munda, New Georgia, to Guadalcanal, and damage cargo vessel Chihaya Maru.

Caribbean
Gunboat Erie (PG-50), torpedoed by German submarine U-163 on 12 November, is moved into the inner harbor at Willemstad, Curacao, N.W.I., to prevent her from sinking and to facilitate salvage (see 12 November and 5 December).

Atlantic
Aircraft escort vessel Chenango (ACV-28) is damaged by heavy seas, North Atlantic.

U.S. freighter Alaskan is torpedoed, shelled and sunk by German submarine U-172 about 400 miles north of St. Paul's Rocks, 03°58'N, 26°19'W; six merchant seamen and one Armed Guard sailor are killed in the attack (see 13 and 15 December 1942, and 5 January 1943).