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07/01/42
Eighth AF
The first B-17 (assigned to 97th Bomb Gp) of the BOLERO ail movement
via N Atlantic route lands at Prestwick.
07/01/42
Middle East
British forces check Axis adv at El Alamein.
07/01/42
USAMEAF
B-24's bomb harbor at Tobruk during 1/2 Jul.
07/01/42
Tenth AF
First combat mission of CATF takes place before the formal activation
(4 Jul) of the unit. 4 B-25's from Hengyang, escorted by P-40's, bomb
docks at Hankow. Bad weather handicaps the bombardiers, and the
effects of the raid are inconsequential.
07/01/42
Fifth AF
B-26's bomb Salamaua. Other MB and HB strikes abort due to bad
weather.
07/01/42
Eleventh AF
The XI Prov BC comprising the 28th Comp Gp and its assigned sqs is
activated. Col William O Eareckson in cmd. A B-17 flies weather rcn
over Kiska and lands early due to weather.
07/02/42
International
CCS approve of Arnold-Portal-Towers agreement.
07/02/42
USAMEAF
B-17's and B-24's bomb Tobruk harbor during 2/3 Jul.
07/02/42
Tenth AF
CATF B-25's and P-40's hit Hankow dock area for second consecutive
day. This raid, more successful than the first, causes considerable
damage. The Japanese retaliate during the night by attacking Hengyang
but fail to hit the A/F.
07/02/42
Eleventh AF
7 B-24's and 1 B-17 fly photo and bombing missions to Attu--which
appears deserted--and to Kiska and Agattu. Near misses are scored on
a transport and a destroyer at Agattu.
07/03/42
USAMEAF
B-24's attack Tobruk harbor during daylight hrs and B-17's bomb
supplies at Tobruk during 3/4 Jul.
07/03/42
Tenth AF
CATF airplanes bomb and strafe A/F at Nanchang, the probable base of
the preceding night's raiders on Hengyang. Several parked aircraft
are destroyed. During the night Japanese airplanes again strike at
Hengyang and once more fail to hit A/F.
07/03/42
Fifth AF
B-17's attack barracks area at Koepang and AF at Lae. 1 A-24 bombs
Tulagi.
07/03/42
Eleventh AF
7 B-24's and 2 B-17's bomb Kiska and Near Is, encountering neither
ftr opposition nor AA. Results not observed.
07/04/42
Eighth AF
First AAF air operation over W Europe. 15th Bomb Sq, flying 6
American-built Bostons belonging to RAF, join RAF low-level attack on
4 A/Fs in the Netherlands. Aircraft flown by Capt Charles C Kegelman,
sq CO, is severely damaged, but Kegelman succeeds in bringing it back
to base at Swanton Morley. VIII AF Comp Cmd is activated in US.
Second B-17 arrives in UK via N Atlantic ferry route.
07/04/42
USAMEAF
B-24's attack convoy in Mediterranean during 4/5 Jul, setting 1
tanker aflame.
07/04/42
Tenth AF
CATF is activated under cmd of Gen Chennault. This new cmd is
successor to Chennault's AVG, which had attained 300 confirmed
victories over Japanese airplanes at a cost of less than 50 aircraft
and only 9 pilots. Only 5 pilots and a few ground personnel of AVG
choose to join the AAF, although 20 other pilots agree to stay until
replacements arrive in Kunming. Combat elements of CATF are 23d Ftr
Gp, 16th Ftr Sq, and 11th Bomb Sq. Col Robert L Scott is to cmd the
ftrs and Col Caleb V Haynes the bmrs. In air action in China, 5
B-25's, with ftr escort, heavily damage buildings, runways, and
parked aircraft at Tien Ho A/F. P-40's over Kweilin intercept a
formation of FBs, claiming 13 destroyed. The Japanese fail to bomb
tgt.
07/04/42
Fifth AF
B-17's, B-26's, and B-25's bomb A/Fs at Lae and Salamaua.
07/04/42
ZI
ATC, which was established on 30 Apr 42, is redesignated I TCC and
made responsible for trg and preparing units and personnel for TC
(airborne) operations. Ferrying Cmd, which was established on 29 May
41, is redesignated ATC and made responsible for air transport and
ferrying operations.
07/05/42
USAMEAF
B-24's bomb harbor and ships at Bengasi during 4/5 Jul.
07/05/42
Fifth AF
B-17's and B-26's attack Lae and Salamaua.
07/05/42
Eleventh AF
A B-17 flies a weather mission."
07/06/42
Eighth AF
RAF invites Eighth to share membership in important RAF operational
committees dealing with tgts, operational research, interception, and
bmr operations. VIII AFSC sets up HQ at Bushy Park with Gen Frank as
CG. 6 B-17's arrive in UK via N Atlantic ferry route.
07/06/42
Tenth AF
CATF B-25's bomb waterfront at Canton, marking their initial action
against coastal facilities of Japanese-held Chinese ports.
07/06/42
Eleventh AF
4 B-24's and 1 LB-30 fly bombing and weather missions to Kiska.
Results are not observed.
07/06/42
Sixth AF
German sub, U-153, is damaged in attack by aircraft of 59th Bomb Sq
off Panama, 12-50N 72-21W. The sub is sunk a week later by US
destroyer Landsdowne.
07/07/42
SOPAC
Gen Millard F Harmon is designated COMGENSOPAC.
07/07/42
Eleventh AF
1 B-17 and 7 B-24's fly weather, bombing and photo missions to Kiska,
Attu, and Agattu. All bombs are returned to base due to weather. 1
seaplane is shot down.
07/07/42
ZI
An A-29 of 396th Bomb Sq sinks German sub, U-701, off NC 34-50N
74-55W. This is first sub sunk by AAF aircraft during World War II.
07/08/42
USAMEAF
B-24's bomb harbor and shipping at Bengasi during 8/9 Jul, while
B-17's hit harbor at Tobruk.
07/08/42
Tenth AF
A single B-25 piloted by Col Caleb V Haynes, bombs Japanese HQ at
Tengchung near Burma border. Bad weather, pilot fatigue, and
maintenance halt major operations for several days.
07/08/42
Eleventh AF
404th Bomb Sq arrives in the Alaskan Theater with B-24's--originally
destined for N Africa. 1 B-24 flies 2 photo missions over S shore of
Kiska and over Little Kiska. Bombing mission canceled due to weather.
07/09/42
Eighth AF
7 P-38's arrive in UK via N Atlantic route, this being the first time
single-seater AAF aircraft have flown this route.
07/09/42
USAMEAF
6 B-24's dispatched against shipping are attacked by ftrs; 1 B-24 is
lost and the others return to base without bombing tgts.
07/09/42
Eleventh AF
5 B-24's fly photo, weather, and bombing missions to Kiska but return
with the bombs due to weather."
07/10/42
AAF
AAF planners for BOLERO build-up estimate 137 AAF gps in UK by 31 Dec
43.
07/10/42
USAFMEAF
57th Ftr Gp, en route from US, is assigned to USAMEAF.
07/10/42
Seventh AF
Ground echelon of 11th Bomb Gp leaves Hawaii for S Pacific aboard USS
Argonne.
07/10/42
Eleventh AF
1 B-24 aborts a rcn mission to Kiska due to weather.
07/11/42
Eighth AF
First formal decoration ceremony held in Eighth AF takes place when
Gen Spaatz pins DSC on Maj Charles C Kegelman for extraordinary
gallantry and heroism during the raid of 4 Jul.
07/11/42
USAMEAF
B-24's attack harbor and shipping at Bengasi during 11/12 Jul.
07/11/42
Eleventh AF
4 B-24's taking off for weather, bombing and photo mission to Kiska
are attacked by seaplane ftrs. No losses. A cruiser is bombed with
unobserved results.
07/12/42
Eighth AF
6 Bostons flown by US crews attack Abbeville/Drucat A/F.
07/12/42
Eleventh AF
3 B-24's dispatched on weather, photo, and bombing missions to Kiska
abort due to weather.
07/13/42
USAMEAF
During 13/14 Jul, B-17's bomb Tobruk harbor, and B-24's hit ships and
harbor at Bengasi. Heavy AA fire accounts for loss of I B-24.
07/15/42
USAMEAF
B-24's strike harbor and ships at Bengasi during 15/16 Jul.
07/15/42
Tenth AF
India-China Ferrying Cmd is activated to replace Assam-Burma-China
Cmd.
07/15/42
Eleventh AF
3 B-24's on a bombing mission to Kiska turn back due to weather.
07/16/42
Tenth AF
4 B-25's from Kweilin, with P-40 escort, bomb storage area at Hankow,
starting a fire that is later reported to have burned 3 days. The MBs
land at Hengyang during return flight to refuel, but are attacked by
Japanese airplanes and have to take off immediately. Amidst the
confusion a P-40 pilot mistakes a B-25 for a Japanese aircraft and
shoots it down, the first bmr lost since CATF began operations in
China. The crew is saved."
07/16/42
Fifth AF
1 B-17 bombs Salamaua.
07/16/42
Seventh AF
B-17's of 11th Bomb Gp begin leaving Hickam Field for S Pacific.
07/17/42
USAMEAF
Halverson Det is redesignated Hal Bomb Sq. B-24's bomb Bengasi
harbor. B-17's hit Tobruk.
07/17/42
Fifth AF
B-17's bomb harbor at Rabaul.
07/17/42
Eleventh AF
3 B-17's and 7 B-24's fly weather, bombing and photo missions.
Shipping is bombed- North and South Heads of Kiska are photographed.
Ftrs down 1 B-17.
07/18/42
International
Hopkins, Gen Marshall, Adm King, Churchill, and British COS begin
conference in London on proposed invasion of N Africa (TORCH) .
07/18/42
Tenth AF
3 B-25's from Kweilin bomb Tien Ho A/F.
07/18/42
Eleventh AF
A B-17 flying weather and photo rcn over Kiska crashes on Umnak I.
07/19/42
USAMEAF
B-24's hit Bengasi while B-17's attack Tobruk in continuing effort to
disrupt movement of supplies.
07/19/42
Tenth AF
In response to a Chinese request, 2 B-25's strike in pt of Chinese
ground forces at Linchwan, a Japanese-held city under siege for some
time. The Chinese CO later reports that the raid broke the stalemate
and the city was entered the next day.
07/19/42
Eleventh AF
Search missions are flown over Attu and Agattu.
07/20/42
USAMEAF
Hal Bomb Sq and 9th Bomb Sq (19 B-24's and 9 B-17's) are organized as
1st Prov Gp under Col Harry A Halverson's cmd at Lydda.
07/20/42
Tenth AF
3 B-25's bomb docks and warehouses at Chinkiang on the Yangtze R. 4
escorting P-40's strafe junks on the river. This is last CATF bombing
raid of Jul.
07/20/42
Eleventh AF
Gen Butler moves adv HQ to Umnak. 3 B-17's bomb Kiska (especially
barracks) with incendiaries and demolition charges. 4 P-38's try to
intercept 4 ftrs reported by Navy aircraft. No contact made.
07/21/42
US
Roosevelt calls Adm Leahy, Ambassador to France and former Chief of
Naval Operations, to serve as CoS to CinC of US Army and Navy.
07/21/42
Eighth AF
Gen Eisenhower assigns to Eighth AF the mission of carrying out, in
collaboration with RAF, the degree of air ops with the view of
attaining air domination over W France by 1 Apr 43.
07/21/42
Fifth AF
B-26's attack convoy off Salamaua as invasion force heads for Buna,
where it begins landings during 21/22 Jul. This move by the enemy
forestalls Allied ops which were to have secured the same general
area.
07/21/42
SOPAC
Initial sq of B-17's of 11th Bomb Gp arrives at Plaines des Gaiacs
from Hawaii.
07/21/42
Eleventh AF
4 B-24's fly search and bomb missions over Kiska but make no contact
because of weather.
07/22/42
USAMEAF
B-24's bomb Suda Bay claiming hits on 2 vessel. B-17's hit Tobruk.
07/22/42
Fifth AF
P-40's and P-39's hit shipping and landing barges at Gona as Japanese
forces continue to land in NE New Guinea with ultimate aim of pushing
across the Owen Stanley Range to the Allied base at Port Moresby.
07/22/42
Eleventh AF
Of 8 B-24's and 2 B-17's dispatched to Kiska only 8 reach tgt and due
to fog drop only 7 bombs with unobserved results. 1 B-24 missing on
return flight.
07/23/42
USAMEAF
98th Bomb Gp is assigned to USAMEAF."
07/23/42
Fifth AF
B-17's, B-26's, A-24's, and ftrs pound shipping, landing barges,
storage dumps, AA positions, and troop concentrations at Buna and
Gona as the enemy pushes inland along Kokoda trail. Ftrs also hit
harbor at Salamaua.
07/23/42
SOPAC
11th Bomb Gp B-17's in New Caledonia begin photo rcn of
Guadalcanal-Tulagi-Gavutu area.
07/23/42
Seventh AF
3 B-17's, staging through Canton I, carry out photo rcn of Makin.
07/24/42
US
JCS issue statement that HB and MB gps will be shifted from BOLERO
assignments to Africa for TORCH. BOLERO resources are further
depleted by decision to send 15 combat gps to Pacific theater.
07/24/42
USAMEAF
During 23/24 Jul, B-17's attack Tobruk harbor. B-24's hit harbor at
Bengasi. A B-24 crashes on return to base, killing 1 crew member.
07/24/42
Fifth AF
B-26's, A-24's, and ftrs continue to pound AA positions and enemy
troops at Gona as Japanese continue to push inland toward Kokoda.
07/25/42
USAMEAF
Reinforcements begin arriving from US as air echelon of 344th Sq of
98th Bomb Gp reaches Palestine.
07/25/42
Fifth AF
B-25's, and P-39's pound barges and concentrations at Gona and troops
on the Gona and Kokoda trails. Japanese forces push to Oivi, within 6
mi of Kokoda.
07/25/42
SOPAC
Daily search missions over S Solomons are begun from New Caledonia.
07/26/42
Eighth AF
Lt Col Albert P Clark, Executive Officer of 31st Ftr Gp, is shot down
while flying an RAF ftr on a sweep over France, thus becoming the
first Eighth AF ftr pilot to be shot down in ETO. He survives and is
taken prisoner by the Germans."
07/26/42
USAMEAF
During 25/26 Jul, B-17's and B-24's bomb harbor at Tobruk.
07/26/42
Fifth AF
A B-25 strike against Gasmata is repulsed by ftr interception. B-26's
attack destroyer o Gona but fail to score hits. Australian troops
flown into Kokoda fail to halt Japanese adv and Kokoda is evacuated.
07/27/42
Eighth AF
HQ VIII BC issues order establishing 1st Bomb Wg at Brampton Grange
(replacing 1st Bomb Wg, Prov, established there on 15 Jun) and 2d
Bomb Wg at Old Catton. 1st Wg is commanded by Col Claude E Duncan, 2d
Wg by Col Newton Longfellow. US aircraft of 97th Bomb Gp and 1st Ftr
Gp land at Prestwick, thus completing first series of flights in
BOLERO, air movement across N Atlantic ferry route. 97th Bomb Gp
becomes first US HB gp complete with air and ground echelons in UK.
Gen Eaker and officers of RAF FC agree to use Spitfire IX's as high
ftr cover for B-17's of VIII BC until VIII FC is ready for escort
duty. This also will provide test of Spitfire IX's against FW-190's
at high altitude.
07/27/42
Fifth AF
B-26's and A-24's hit Gona and tgts along Buna trail.
07/27/42
SOPAC
Gen Millard Harmon arrives at Noumea to assume cmd of USAFISPA with
responsibility for trg all army (air and ground) personnel. Air units
in the theater are under operational control of COMAIRSOPAC.
07/28/42
USSR
Soviet High Command admits Rostov's fall to the Germans.
07/28/42
USAMEAF
B-17's hit Tobruk during 27/28 Jul, while B-24's attack convoy in
Mediterranean, claiming hits on 2 merchant ships.
07/28/42
Eighth AF
HQ VIII FC opens at Bushey Hall following move from temporary HQ at
High Wycombe. Gen Hunter, designated CG VIII FC on 14 May in US,
assumes cmd in England. Gen Candee, CG VIII GASC, announces staff
assignments and begins organization of his cmd in UK.
07/28/42
Fifth AF
1 B-26 bombs installations at Gona. Gen Kenney, cmdr-designate of
Allied AF, arrives in Australia.
07/28/42
Eleventh AF
Air coverage survey for Army ground operations to Adak and Tanaga Is
is flown. Weather cancels bombing mission to Kiska.
07/29/42
Fifth AF
A-24's, with P-39 escort, and RAAF aircraft attack shipping off Gona,
partially frustrating Japanese attempts to land more troops and
supplies. Japanese recapture Kokoda, which they temporarily lost the
previous day.
07/29/42
Eleventh AF
4 B-24's and 5 B-17's bomb vessels and installations in Kiska Harbor
area with unobserved results due to clouds.
07/30/42
USAMEAF
During 30/31 Jul, B-24's bomb convoy in Pylos Bay claiming hits on 2
merchant ships. B-17's hit Tobruk harbor.
07/30/42
Tenth AF
The Japanese send about 120 airplanes against the base at Hengyang
from which CATF is harassing the Yangtze Valley. The attacks last
about 36 hrs. Fierce opposition by US P-40's prevents major damage to
the base. 17 Japanese aircraft are shot down, 4 of them at night. 3
P-40's are lost.
07/30/42
Fifth AF
B-17's attack shipping in Solomon Sea E of Huon Gulf and S of New
Britain.
07/30/42
SOPAC
B-17's of 11th Bomb Gp begin arriving at Espiritu Santo where they
are to constitute a rcn and strike force over
Guadalcanal-Tulagi-Gavutu area in preparation for amphibious assault
by US Marines on Guadalcanal on 7 Aug.
07/30/42
Eleventh AF
1 LB-30, 3 B-17's and 3 B-24's fly photo rcn and bombing missions to
Tanaga and Kiska. Missions are unsuccessful due to weather.
07/31/42
UK
Units of Prov TCC are organized in UK."
07/31/42
USAMEAF
The complete air echelon of 57th Ftr Gp, commanded by Col Frank H
Mears, has arrived in Palestine by this date; 12th Bomb Gp commanded
by Col Charles G Goodrich, is now arriving in Palestine. Thus USAMEAF
has P-40's and B-25's to add to its B-24's and B-17's.
07/31/42
Fifth AF
B-17's hit Gona and a nearby transport which had been previously
damaged, and bomb Kukum Beach and Lunga landing strip on N coast of
Guadalcanal as US invasion forces leave Fiji Is for the Solomons.
07/31/42
SOPAC
Col LaVerne G Saunders leads 9 B-17's of his 11th Bomb Gp from Efate
on strike against Guadalcanal, bombing landing strip and area about
Lunga Pt. From this date until 7 Aug, the 11th Gp flies 56 strike and
22 search sorties in spt of the invasion of Guadalcanal.
07/31/42
Seventh AF
1 B-17, from Midway, flies photo rcn of Wake. The HB is intercepted
by 6 ftrs. In the ensuing fight US gunners claim 4 ftrs destroyed.
07/31/42
Eleventh AF
1 B-24 and 1 LB-30 fly weather and photo rcn. Weather cancels combat
mission to Kiska.
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