Solomons Bug-Out Continues

THU 7 OCT 1943
Pacific
Japanese complete evacuation of Vella Lavella, Solomons.

Light cruiser Concord (CL-10) is damaged by on-board explosion (leaking gasoline tank) off Nukahiva Island, Marquesas.

Submarine S-44 (SS-155) is sunk by Japanese escort destroyer Ishigaki north-northeast of Araito Island, east of the Kamchatka Peninsula, Kuriles.

Japanese guardboat No.20 Inari Maru is destroyed by fire off Wake Island.

Japanese transport Kikukawa Maru is destroyed by fire at Truk.

Mediterranean
Tank landing craft LCT-215 and LCT-216 sink after breaking in half in heavy seas off coast of North Africa; LCT-196 breaks in half in heavy seas off coast of North Africa; the after section is scuttled by British surface ship but the forward section is towed to Bizerte, Tunisia.

Atlantic
U.S. freighter Yorkmar, in convoy SC 143, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-645 at 56°48'N, 20°30'W. Of the 39-man merchant complement, 11 drown in the abandonment; 2 of the 28-man Armed Guard perish as well. Canadian corvette HMCS Kamloops and British frigate HMS Duckworth rescue the survivors.