01/01 Fri. Submarine NAUTILUS (SS-168) evacuates 29 civilians from Teop
Island, Solomon Islands.
United States naval vessel sunk:
Salvage vessel RESCUER (ARS-18), by grounding, Aleutian
Islands area.
01/02 Sat. Japanese supply-carrying destroyers are bombed by Naval and
Army aircraft west of Rendova, Solomon Islands, and attacked
by motor torpedo boats off Cape Esperance, Solomon Islands.
One enemy destroyer is damaged.
Japanese submarine sunk:
I-18, by submarine GRAYBACK (SS-208), Solomon Islands area,
08 d. 49' S., 157 d. 09' E.
01/05 Tue. Cruiser and destroyer group (Rear Adm. W. L. Ainsworth)
heavily bombards airfield and enemy installations at Munda,
Solomon Islands.
01/06 Wed. United States naval damaged:
Light cruiser SAN JUAN (CL-54), by dive bomber, Solomon
Islands area, 08 d. 30' S., 166 d. 40' E.
German submarine sunk:
U-164, by naval land-based aircraft (VP-83) off Brazil,
01 d. 58' S., 39 d. 23' W.
01/10 Sun. United States naval vessel sunk:
Submarine ARGONAUT (APS-1), in attack on convoy southeast
of New Britain.
Japanese naval vessel sunk:
Destroyer OKIKAZE, by submarine TRIGGER (SS-237),
off Honshu, Japan,
35 d. 02' N., 140 d. 12 ' E.
01/11 Mon. Motor torpedo boats attack Japanese destroyers off Cape
Esperance, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands; two enemy destroyers
are damaged.
United States naval vessel sunk:
PT-112, by naval gunfire, Solomon Islands area,
09 d. 15' S., 159 d. 42' E.
United States naval vessel lost:
PT-43, damaged by naval gunfire, Solomon Islands area,
09 d. 15' S., 159 d. 42' E.;
beached and abandoned.
01/12 Tue. Army forces occupy Amchitka, Aleutian Islands.
United States naval vessels sunk:
Destroyer WORDEN (DD-352), by grounding,
Amchitka, Aleutian Islands.
PT-28, by grounding, Dora Harbor, Alaska.
Japanese naval vessel sunk:
Patrol boat No. 1, by submarine GUARDFISH (SS-217),
near New Ireland,
02 d. 51' S., 149 d. 43' E.
01/13 Wed. German submarine sunk:
U-507, by naval land-based aircraft (VP-83), off Brazil,
01 d. 38' S., 39 d. 52' W.
01/14 Thu. Submarine GUDGEON (SS-211) lands personnel and equipment near
Catmon Pt., Negros, P. I.
01/15 Fri. Aircraft from Henderson Field, Gudalcanal, attack 9 Japanese
destroyers off Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands; 2 enemy
destroyers are damaged.
01/17 Sun. United States Naval Base and Naval Air Station, Brisbane,
Australia, are established.
01/19 Tue. Japanese land Wewak, New Guinea.
01/20 Wed. Destroyer escort BRENNAN (DE-13), is commissioned at Mare
Island, Calif.; first ship of this type to be placed in
commission.
01/21 Thu. United States Naval Base and Naval Auxiliary Air Facility,
Corrinto, Nicaragua, are established.
United States naval vessel sunk:
Submarine chaser SC-709, by grounding, off Cape Breton,
Nova Scotia.
01/23 Sat. Casablanca Conference, in session since 14 January, ends.
President, British Prime Minister, and Combined Chiefs of
Staff reach decisions on invasion of Sicily and cross-channel
amphibious assault on Western Europe.
Japanese naval vessel sunk:
Destroyer HAKAZE, by submarine GUARDFISH (SS-217),
near New Ireland,
02 d. 47' S., 156 d. 38' E.
01/24 Sun. Bombardment group of cruisers and destroyers (Rear Adm. W. L.
Ainsworth) and carrier group (Rear Adm. D. C. Ramsey) bombard
and bomb Vila-Stanmore area, Kolombangara, Solomon Islands.
01/26 Tue. Submarine WAHOO (SS-238) sinks entire group of 4 Japanese
ships north of New Guinea; 2 freighters, 1 transport, and 1
tanker.
01/29 Fri. Battle of Rennell Island (29-30 January) commences as cruiser
and destroyer task force (Rear Adm. R. C. Giffen), covering
movement of troop transports to Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands,
is bombed near Rennell Island by Japanese aircraft.
01/30 Sat. Land and carrier-based naval aircraft engage Japanese
aircraft attacking Rear Admiral Giffen's cruiser and
destroyer force (Battle of Rennell Island, 29-30 January).
Naval Station, Akutan Harbor, Fox Island, Alaska, is
established.
Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz succeedss Grand Admiral Erich
Raeder as Commander of Chief of the German Navy.
United States naval vessel sunk:
Heavy cruiser CHICAGO (CA-29), by aircraft torpedo,
Battle of Rennell Island, Solomon Islands area,
11 d. 25' S., 160 d. 56' E.
United States naval vessel damaged:
Destroyer LA VALLETTE (DD-448), by aircraft torpedo,
Battle of Rennell Island, Solomon Islands area,
11 d. 25' S., 160 d. 56' E.