July 22nd, 1943 (THURSDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: The results of the first phase of the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO) are good according to a report of the British Joint Intelligence Committee. The report maintains the CBO has caused Germany to adopt a defensive air strategy resulting in more than half its fighter strength being employed on the Western Front at the expense of the Eastern and Mediterranean Fronts as well as causing considerable damage to transportation, the synthetic rubber industry, and the fuel, iron, and coal industries of the Ruhr.Destroyer HMS Ursa launched .
Minesweeper HMS Frolic launched.
Corvette HMS Allington Castle laid down.
GERMANY:
U-989 commissioned
ITALY: US forces enter Palermo on Sicily. This
cuts off 50,000 Italian troops on the west side of the island. It does not stop the mobile
German troops from escaping.
As advance units of Lt-Gen Patton's Seventh Army swept down from the
mountains and raced along the coastal road towards this city today, the Axis
garrison fled in complete disorder.
Patton's advance across Sicily has been spectacular, with opposition weakening daily as the American strength grew. Now the race for Messina, in the east of the island, can really start.
The 1st Infantry Division continues north, taking Bompietro.
The British Eighth Army, fighting in the shadow of Mount Etna, is facing a much more difficult task against the German paratroopers whose 88mm anti-tank guns are again proving a formidable weapon - particularly in hilly terrain.
Canadians of Lord Tweedsmuir's Hastings and Prince Edwards Regiment have managed to take the hill town of Assoro using a ruse employed by General Wolfe in his capture of Quebec almost 200 years ago. The town stands on a precipitous cliff face, and it was this that the Canadian scaled "in 40 sweating, tearing minutes", surprising the German defenders completely. The Canadians began to advance on the main objective, the town of Leonforte, which was cleared today after street fighting which lasted all night.
In the air, Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAF) light bombers hit Randazzo, the railroad at Falcone, the road west of Marina, Adrano, Paterno, Troina, and Misterbianco.
During the night of 21/22 July, Northwest African Strategic Air Force (NASAF) Wellingtons bomb Capodichino Airfield and Salerno marshalling yard. During the day, 100+ B-17s bomb the Battipaglia marshalling yard and Foggia; B-26s hit a Salerno bridge and marshalling yard; and fighters fly a sweep over Maddalena Island, strafing factories, trucks, and small vessels.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: During the afternoon,
20+ B-17s and B-24s, 12 Navy PB4Y-1 Liberators, 18 SBD Dauntlesses and 18 TBF Avengers
escorted by 134 Allied fighter aircraft attack shipping in the area off Buin, Bougainville
Island. A sea-plane carrier is sunk, and damaging hits are claimed on several other
vessels. Navy F4F Wildcat pilots shoot down 5 A6M "Zekes."
A US reconnaissance party lands in Vella Lavella.
PACIFIC OCEAN: USS Sculpin (SS-191) sinks the seaplane carrier HIJMS Nisshin east of Kokoda Island off New Guinea at position 3.47S 151.36E. (Jack McKillop and Massmiliano Stola)
TERRITORY OF ALASKA: ALEUTIAN ISLANDS: The USN's Task Groups 16.1 and 16.2, under Rear Admiral Robert C. Griffin, bombard Kiska Island.
TG 16.1, composed of the heavy cruisers USS Louisville (CA-28), USS San Francisco (CA-38) and USS Wichita (CA-45), the light cruiser USS Santa Fe (CL-60) and five destroyers, fires 1,719 rounds for 21 minutes at the Main Camp and Little Kiska Island.
TG 16.2, composed of the battleships USS Mississippi (BB-41) and USS New Mexico (BB-40), the heavy cruiser USS Portland (CA-33) and four destroyers, fires 1,084 rounds for 18 minutes on North and South Head, Sunrise Hill and the Submarine Base.
The Japanese return fire but it is ineffective. IJN submarines are reported but they turn out to be two porpoises and three whales.
The USAAF's Eleventh Air Force dispatches 26 B-25 Mitchells, 17 B-24s, 13 P-40s, and 20 P-38 Lightnings hit North Head, Main Camp, and the submarine base at Kiska Island, as well as coastal defenses and Anti-Aircraft guns at both Kiska and Little Kiska Islands, starting numerous fires.
Intense and heavy AA fire downs one B-25 (crew saved) and damages 18 aircraft of which another B-25 crashes at base.
One B-25 photographs the southern and western Kiska Island shores while a
B-24 flies radar reconnaissance over Kiska Island.
CANADA: HMC ML 125 commissioned.
Minesweeper HMCS Middlesex launched
Port Arthur, Ontario.
Henry Asbjorn Larsen 1899-1964 leaves Halifax on the RCMP patrol ship St. Roch
to return to Vancouver via Northwest Passage; completes trip 86 days later.
U.S.A.:
Escort carrier USS Bolinas commissioned.
Destroyer escort USS Canfield commissioned.
Destroyer escorts USS Eichenberger and James E Craig launched.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 0921, the unescorted Cherry Valley was hit by two torpedoes from U-66, while steering a zigzagging course at 15.5 knots. The torpedoes struck the starboard side between the #6 and #7 tanks. The explosions ripped open the #5, #6, #7 and #8 starboard and centre tanks. The engines and steering gear were not damaged and the tanker tried to escape at a reduced speed of 13 knots. U-66 followed the tanker and fired a spread of three torpedoes at 1130; one was seen passing ahead and one other astern. The U-boat then surfaced to stop the vessel with gunfire. The tanker was armed with one 5in, one 3in and eight 20mm and fired back, forcing the U-boat to break off the attack. The list to port was adjusted by emptying the #1 starboard tank and the Cherry Valley successfully escaped. She arrived at San Juan, Puerto Rico, under her own power, escorted into port by the HNLMS Jan van Brakel on 24 July. There were no casualties among the eleven officers, 40 crewmen and 28 armed guards. Eventually she was repaired and returned to service.
At 1510, U-81 torpedoed the
Empire Moon, which was sailing in an unidentified convoy, escorted by HMS Stroma.
The ship reached port safely.