Kingfish Sneakin' Around Again

WED 6 OCT 1943
Pacific
Battle of Vella Lavella takes place at night when three destroyers (Captain Frank R. Walker) intercept and attack nine Japanese destroyers (Vice Admiral Ijuin Masuji) evacuating troops from Vella Lavella, in what proves to be the last surface engagement in the central Solomons. Three U.S. destroyers are damaged: O'Bannon (DD-450) in collision with destroyer Chevalier (DD-451), 07°30'S, 156°15'E; Selfridge (DD-357) by torpedo fired from either of Japanese destroyers Shigure or Samidare, 07°27'S, 156°13'E; and Chevalier by torpedo from Japanese destroyer Yugumo. Chevalier is scuttled by destroyer LaVallette (DD-448), 07°30'S, 156°14'E. Torpedoes from Chevalier and Selfridge sink Japanese destroyer Yugumo.

Submarine chaser PC-478 and tank landing ships LST-451 are damaged in collision while en route from Adak to Amchitka, Aleutians.

Submarine Kingfish (SS-234) lands men and supplies on northeast coast of Borneo.

Submarine Skate (SS-305), lifeguarding for the Wake Island strikes (see 5 October 1943), is strafed and damaged by Japanese aircraft off the atoll, but remains on patrol.

Submarine Steelhead (SS-280) damages Japanese fast fleet tanker Kazuhaya, 10°30'N, 146°37'E;
Tinosa (SS-283) later finishes off Kazuhaya 240 nautical miles northwest of Truk, 10°30'N, 148°20'E.

Submarine Wahoo (SS-238) probably sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kanko Maru, 37°18'N, 129°33'E.

Atlantic
Submarine Dorado (SS-248) departs New London, Connecticut, for the Panama Canal. She is never heard from again. [No one knows to this day. Friendly depth charges or mines are possibilties, unless the squids decided just to forget the whole thing & hide in South America. — M.B.]

Indian Ocean
Last boatload (16 men) from U.S. freighter Cornelia P. Spencer, torpedoed by German submarine U-188 on 21 September 1943, reach safety on the coast of Somalia.