September 21st, 1942 (MONDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: London: Figures released by the Allies claim that 207,373 non-Jews have been executed by the Germans in occupied Europe.
DENMARK: During the night of 21/22 September, nine RAF Bomber Command Wellingtons laid mines in the Great Belt, the strait between the main Danish islands of Zealand and Funen.
SWEDEN: The national elections show the pro-Nazi candidates doing very poorly.
BALTIC SEA: U-446 (Type VIIC) allocated to the Danzig (training) flotilla 8, is sunk by a mine near Kahlberg in the Gulf of Danzig, . 23 dead. Raised 8 Nov, 1942, the submarine was not recommissioned and was scuttled at Kiel on 3 May 1945, before finally being broken up in 1947. (Alex Gordon)
GERMANY: During the night of 21/22 September, two RAF Bomber Command Wellingtons laid mines off Kiel.
U.S.S.R..: Most of southern Stalingrad is now in German hands, except for the vast grain elevator, held by 30 Guards and 18 Sailors. Soviet Sailors used as infantry win a tremendous reputation with friend and foe alike for their tenacity, as those at Stalingrad are Arctic Fleet veterans. In Stalingrad's center, German troops try to break through to the left flank of the Tsaritsa River, but are slowed by heavy Soviet artillery fire.
After three days of continuous fighting the Soviet 92nd Naval Rifle Brigade captures an important strongpoint - an elevator. Having removed their peacoats and wearing only their striped undershirts, subunits of naval infantrymen rose to the counterattack 10 to12 times a day fighting with fire and bayonet.
There were but 20 to 30 persons left in the companies, and there
were 17 in 1st Company, 4th battalion (CO,Senior Lieutenant G.S. Filimonov;
political instructor Junior Political Instructor D.N. Zolotnikov). In just two
days 17 seamen repelled 14 attacks, destroyed eight tanks and over 150 Germans.
Senior Lieutenant F.S.Zhukov, the communist battalion commander, killed 18
Germans. Petty Officer 2nd Class V.V. Borisoglebskiy hit three tanks with an
anti-tank rifle, and Red Navy Seaman V.N.Balatsin, a Komsomol member,
annihilated two tanks. Communist Red Navy Seaman A.L. Kudrevatyy,who allowed the
Germans to get within 25 to 30 meters of his position, cut down 26 of them with
fire from his machinegun.
Machinegunner I.V. Repin destroyed an enemy tank and killed 10 Germans with an
anti-tank rifle he picked up from the battlefield. The brigade's military
commissar, S.N.Shapin, was mortally wounded in the fighting. (Russell Folsom)(215 Chap. 3)
LIBYA: German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel hands over command of Italian-German Panzer Army to General Georg Stumme and proceeds to Germany.
BURMA: The British go on the offensive with the Indian 14th Division advancing in the Arakan, from Chittagong via Cox's Bazar down the Mayu peninsula. The intention is to seize the peninsula, then from there to Akyab and seize Japanese airfields that the British fear may be used to bomb Calcutta and other Indian cities. Lord Wavell's troops are not ready for jungle warfare, and he lacks the seaborne component planned for this operation. He launches it anyway, even though the Arakan "is not fit to fight in." To reach Akyab, British and Indian troops must traverse more than 160 miles (257 kilometres) of mangrove swamps, river and rice paddies.
NEW GUINEA: Artillery of the
Australian 14th Field Regiment sited at Ower’s Corner, about 3 miles (4,6
kilometres) south of Imita Ridge, pounds the Japanese all day.
In the air, USAAF Fifth Air Force P-40s bomb and strafe bridges and targets
of opportunity along the Buna-Kokoda trail. The two RAAF P-40 squadrons at Milne
Bay, Nos 75 and 76, are relieved by the USAAF's 35th and 36th Fighter Squadrons
flying P-39s.
PACIFIC OCEAN: USN submarines sink two Japanese ships: (1) USS Grouper (SS-214) sinks an army cargo ship in the China Sea, east of Shanghai and (2) USS Trout (SS-202) sinks an auxiliary netlayer south of Truk Atoll in the Caroline Islands.
TERRITORY OF ALASKA: ALEUTIAN ISLANDS: US Eleventh Air Force bombers fly reconnaissance over Kiska Island and bomb and fire Constantine Harbor installations at Amchitka Island.
U.S.A.: The Boeing XB-29-BO Superfortress, USAAF s/n 41-002, msn 2482, makes its first flight at Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington.
Destroyer USS Abbot laid down.
Submarine USS Corvina laid down.
Minesweepers USS Palisade and Opponent laid down.
Destroyer USS De Haven commissioned.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-606 shot down RAF Catalina aircraft (Squadron 330/Z). The battle took place around convoy QP-14. Crew of aircraft rescued by HMS Marne.
U-772
laid down.
U-854 laid down.
U-175 sank SS Presednik
Kopajtic.