July 24th, 1942 (FRIDAY)
U.S.S.R.: Rostov is captured by German troops.NORTH AFRICA: In Libya during the night of
23/24 July, US Army, Middle East Air Force (USAMEAF) B-17 Flying Fortresses attack Tobruk
harbor while B-24 Liberators hit the harbour at Benghazi.
RAF Beauforts
stage attacks in the MEDITERRANEAN SEA:.
Auchinleck orders the attacks codenamed Operation Splendour, to be renewed. the
GOC 9th Infantry Division (Australian), Lieutenant General Leslie Morshead
questiond this order, explaining that his men had done enough attacking and have
no faith that they will receive armoured support. Morshead insists on appealing
to the Australian government before agreeing to the plan. (Jay Stone)(139)
NEW GUINEA: Allied Air Force B-26 Marauders,
A-24 Dauntlesses, and fighters continue to pound AA positions and enemy troops at Gona as
the Japanese continue to push inland toward Kokoda.
FIJI: US troops arrive on the
island. (Denis Peck)
U.S.A.: The U.S. Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics issues a Planning
Directive calling for the procurement of 4 Sikorsky helicopters for study and development
by Navy and Coast Guard aviation forces.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) issue a statement that heavy and medium bomber groups will
he shifted from Operation BOLERO assignments, i.e., the buildup of U.S. armed forces in
the UK for an attack on Europe, to Africa for Operations TORCH, the plan for Allied
landings in North and Northwest Africa in November 1942. BOLERO resources are further
depleted by a decision to send 15 combat groups to the Pacific theater.
The British and Americans finally agree that an invasion of Europe, "Sledgehammer," is out of the question for 1942. But they do agree to action in North Africa, in the form of an American-led invasion of Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, all controlled by the pro-Axis Vichy French. The Allies believe that an American-led invasion of French North Africa could shift wavering French generals towards the Allied side, thus putting powerful Vichy French holdings, if not the country, into the war on the Allied side, and trapping Rommel's Afrika Korps in Libya in a giant vice. (Denis Peck)
Alabama Gov. Frank Dixon refuses to accept a US prison work defence supply contract because it bars discrimination. Dixon fulminates against Federal agencies trying to "break down the principle of race segregation." Gov. Eugene Talmadge of Georgia, another fire-eater, writes that he will enforce Jim Crow laws and warns any blacks opposing segregation to "stay out of Georgia." (Denis Peck)
ATLANTIC OCEAN: While attacking convoy ON 113, German submarine U-90 (Type VIIC) is sunk by the destroyer HMCS St. Croix at 48.12N, 40.56W; all 44 crewman are lost. (Jack McKillop and Dave Shirlaw)