Operation TOENAILS

WED 30 JUN 1943
Naval vessels and craft on hand (all types)--18,493. Personnel: Navy--1,741,750; Marine Corps--310,994; Coast Guard--154,976. Total Personnel--2,207,720.

Pacific
Beginning shortly before midnight on 29 June, four cruisers and four destroyers of TU 36.2.1 (Rear Admiral Aaron S. Merrill) bombard Vila-Stanmore on Kolombangara and Buin-Shortland, Bougainville, Solomons; TU 36.2.2--light minelayers Preble (DM-20), Gamble (DM-15), and Breese (DM-18)--sow mines off Shortland Harbor, Bougainville, between Alu and Munda Islands. Gamble lays mines off New Georgia.

In Operation TOENAILS, Third Fleet Amphibious Force (Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner) supported by land-based aircraft (Vice Admiral Aubrey W. Fitch) lands Marines and Army troops on Rendova and other islands in the New Georgia area, Solomons. Destroyer Gwin (DD-433) is damaged off Munda, New Georgia, by Japanese shore battery.

Attack transport McCawley (APA-4), damaged by Japanese aerial torpedoes is torpedoed by what is most likely U.S. motor torpedo boat off New Georgia, Solomons, 08°25'S, 157°28'W.

High speed minesweeper Zane (DMS-14) is damaged by grounding, Solomons, 08°30'S, 157°25'E.

Seaplane tender (destroyer) Hulbert (AVD-6) is damaged by grounding off Alexai Point, Massacre Bay, Aleutians.

Indian Ocean
Last survivors of U.S. freighter Henry Knox torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-37 on 19 June 1943, reaches the Maldives. From Henry Knox's complement, 13 of 42-man merchant sailors perish, as do 13 of the 25-man Armed Guard.

Atlantic
Coast Guard Cutter No. 83421 is sunk in collision with submarine chaser SC-1330 en route to Miami, Florida. Submarine chaser SC-1330 is damaged.