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July 26th, 1942 (SUNDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: USAAF 31st Fighter Group makes its first sorties using RAF Spitfires.

While flying with 412 Squadron RCAF, Lieutenant Colonel Albert P. Clark, the Group Executive Officer of USAAF 31 FG became a prisoner of war after being shot down during a sweep over France. He is the first combat casualty in the European theater for the U.S. fighter forces. (Bob Castle)

Sweets and chocolate are rationed from today. Adults and children get the same allowance - half a pound must last them for the next four-week period. The ministry of food will announce the ration for subsequent periods.

"Personal Points" must be cut out and given to shopkeepers for each purchase of sweets. Chocolate is rated at 16 points a pound. Penny bars or tubes of sweets will be counted at one point, twopenny bars at two points.

If children want more, it is up to parents or grandparents to give up some of their own rations to them, said Lord Woolton, the minister of food.

NORTH AFRICA: In Libya during the night of 25/26 July, US Army, Middle East Air Force (USAMEAF) B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators bomb the harbor at Tobruk.

In the evening Eighth Army attacks the German at Ruweisat. The infantry make some progress but the tanks get bogged down in mine fields and do not keep up. (Jay Stone)(139)

SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC: Admiral Fletcher hosts Admirals McCain Kincaid, Turner, Crutchley and General Vandegrift aboard the USS Saratoga anchored off Koro Island in the Fiji Islands. This will be the only pre-landing conference of the major commanders prior the Operation Watchtower, the invasion of the southern Solomon Islands. Admiral Ghormley is represented by Captain Callaghan, Chief of Staff.

After much discussion of logistics, Admiral Fletcher asks Turner how much time unloading will take. When Turner replies "About five days." Admiral Fletcher declares that he will withdraw the carriers after two days to avoid air counterattacks.

Captain Callaghan notes Fletcher's skittishness, but he does not invoke his authority as Chief of Staff for Admiral Ghormley.

During the next four days, the 1st Marine Division and attached units will rehearse their landing plans. The rehearsal is a disaster and Vandegrift and Turner are reminded that "a bad rehearsal foreshadows a good performance.

NEW CALEDONIA: The Americal Division is assigned to the US Army Forces in South Pacific Area. (Yves J. Bellanger)

NEW GUINEA: USAAF B-26 Marauders attack a destroyer off Gona but fail to score hits; Australian troops flown into Kokoda by USAAF C-47 Skytrains fail to halt the Japanese advance and Kokoda is evacuated.   

There is a brief contact between the Japanese South Seas Detachment operating along the Kokoda Track and a platoon of the Australian 39th Battalion, who fire at advance Japanese elements before withdrawing. (Michael Alexander)



CANADA: Minesweeper HMCS Digby commissioned.
CAPT Joy Bright Hancock appointed Director, Women's Naval Reserve.

U.S.A.: Judy Garland and Gene Kelly record the song "For Me and My Gal" for Decca Records. The song is featured in the movie of the same name.

Minesweeper USS Pioneer launched.

GULF OF MEXICO: SS Oaxaca sunk by U-171 at 28.23N, 96.08W.

CARIBBEAN SEA: SS Tamandare sunk by U-66 at 11.34N, 60.30W.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 0757, U-607 attacked Convoy ON-113 about 300 miles east of Cape Race and observed two hits on a freighter and heard one detonation further away. At 0811, U-704 attacked the same convoy and saw one detonation. It seems that both U-boats had hit Empire Rainbow. The master, 38 crewmembers and eight gunners were picked up by destroyer HMS Burnham and corvette HMCS Dauphin and landed at St John's.

 

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