SAT 20 NOV 1943 Pacific Theater
U.S. Naval Base, Cairns, Australia, is established.
Navy, Marine, and Army forces land on Tarawa and Makin, Gilberts, in Operation GALVANIC. The operation is under overall command of Commander Central Pacific Force (Vice Admiral Raymond A. Spruance). Marines (5th Amphibious Corps) landing on Tarawa encounter bitter resistance. During operations supporting GALVANIC, four ships are damaged: battleship Mississippi (BB-41) by turret explosion, 03°10'N, 172°58'E; small carrier Independence (CVL 22) by aircraft torpedo, 01°30'N, 172°40'E; destroyer Ringgold (DD-500) by Tarawa shore battery, 01°24'N, 172°58'E, and destroyer Dashiell (DD-659) by grounding, 01°00'N, 173°00'E.
Submarine Harder (SS-257) continues stalking convoy attacked the previous day and sinks Japanese transport Nikko Maru northeast of the Marianas, 23°20'N, 147°30'E.
PBYs sink Japanese cargo vessel Naples Maru, 03°22'S, 151°45'E; submarine chasers Ch 17 and Ch 18 rescue survivors.
No comments:
Post a Comment