Bad Day For U-Boats; More Mine Irony

THU 15 JUL 1943
Pacific
Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) shells airfield on Matsuwa Island, Kuriles.

Submarine Tinosa (SS-283) sinks Japanese armed merchant cruiser Aikoku Maru, 10°16'N, 151°27'E.

USAAF B-25s and fighters bomb Japanese small cargo vessels west of Canongga Island, 08°03'S, 156°35'E, damaging Wada Maru.

Japanese light cruiser Nagara is damaged by mine laid by submarine Silversides (SS-236) on 4 June 1943 off Kavieng, 02°36'S, 150°34'E.

Atlantic
PBY (VP 92) and British destroyer HMS Rochester and frigates HMS Mignonette and HMS Balsam sink German submarine U-135, 28°20'N, 13°17'W.

Aircraft (VC 29) from escort carrier Santee (CVE-29) sink German submarine U-509 south of Azores, 34°02'N, 26°02'W.

Caribbean
PBM (VP 32) damage [sic] sinks German submarine U-159 in Caribbean area, 15°58'N, 73°44'W.

Mediterranean
Minesweeper Staff (AM-114) is damaged by mine off Port Empedocle, Sicily, 37°17'N, 13°30'E; sistership Skill (AM-115) enters the minefield and tows Staff to safety.

Perhaps not as ironic as a minelayer hitting a mine ...