1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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Sidi Rezegh and feint toward El Adem. El Adem
garrison withdraws after nightfall.
17 June
U.S.—German submarine lands 4 enemy agents
on Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
MIDDLE EAST—Maj Gen Russell L. Maxwell accepts
appointment as head of USAFIME.
Libya—Enemy gains control of coastal road to
Bardia, completing isolation of Tobruk.
18 June
U.S.—Prime Minister Churchill arrives for
series of Anglo-American conferences with President
Roosevelt in Washington.
LIBYA—Axis forces drive to Gambut. This is a
blow to the Tobruk garrison, since air support from
forward landing grounds in Gambut area is now
denied the garrison.
USSR—Germans report reduction, after 12 days
of hard fighting, of northern part of Sevastopol fortifications
except for one coastal fort.
U.K.—Gen Spaatz, in London, takes command
of U.S. Eighth Air Force.
19 June
POA—Adm Ghormley takes command of South
Pacific Area and South Pacific Force.
MIDDLE EAST—USAFIME is activated by order
of Gen Maxwell, with hq in Cairo, Egypt, replacing
U.S. North African Military Mission.
20 June
U.S.—President Roosevelt and Prime Minister
Churchill, in a closed session in Washington,
decide upon a northwest African campaign.
POA—Maj Gen Willis H. Hale becomes commander
of U.S. Seventh Air Force, although Navy
has operational control of the force.
LIBYA—Axis forces, with strong arty and close air
support, open assault on Tobruk and penetrate
deeply into the fortress, destroying tanks and arty
of Br garrison. Gen Klopper receives permission to
break out but is unable to do so since his transport
is cut off in harbor area. 30 Corps sends 7th Armd
Div to relief of Tobruk garrison, but it fails to arrive
in time to assist.
USSR—Germans reach N shore of Sevastopol
harbor and continue assault on last coastal fort in
N fortifications.
21 June
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS—Arnold-Portal-
Towers agreement, stemming from London con-
[ 17–23 JUNE 1942 ]
ference of 26 May and subsequent discussions in
Washington, is signed. This agreement, which concerns
U.S. air commitments and provides strong air
force for BOLERO, is approved by U.S. Joint Chiefs
of Staff on 25 June and by Combined Chiefs of Staff
on a July.
LIBYA—Tobruk falls to enemy. Gen Ritchie decides
to withdraw to Matruh, Egypt, and orders 13
Corps to delay enemy while 30 Corps begins organization
of the Matruh position.
22 June
U.S.—Japanese submarine shells Fort Stevens
military reservation in Oregon at mouth of Columbia
R, doing no damage. The shelling is the first
foreign attack on a continental military installation
since the War of 1812 and the only one of World
War II.
War Department orders all units and individuals
under Gen Stilwell’s command assigned under a
permanent change of station to American Army
Forces in “India, China, and Burma” rather than to
Army Group, Washington, D.C. This is the first step
in the evolution of a U.S. theater of operations on
the Asiatic mainland.
SWPA—Maj Gen Robert L. Eichelberger is
named commander of U.S. I Corps, replacing Maj
Gen Charles F. Thompson. I Corps eventually comes
under operational command of Gen Blarney, Commander
Allied Land Forces. Gen MacArthur authorizes
small airfield at Merauke, on S coast of Dutch
New Guinea, to protect Port Moresby from the W.
Initial force to garrison Milne Bay, New Guinea (2
cos and an MG platoon on loan from Aus 14th Brig
at Port Moresby, sails from Port Moresby.
INDIA—First CO of USAFCBI SOS Base Section
2 assumes his duties at Calcutta.
EGYPT-LIBYA—Br Eighth Army begins withdrawal
to Matruh without interference as enemy reorganizes.
Small enemy force moves into Bardia. Gen
Auchinleck visits Eighth Army hq,
USSR—German Army Group South begins limited
attack in Izyum area to improve positions E of the
Donets; continues battle for Sevastopol. Fall of the
last of the northern coastal forts at Sevastopol is announced.
23 June
CBI—Gen Brereton is ordered to Middle East
with all available bombers because of crisis there.
Flight of 24 B–17’s intended for China is diverted
at Khartoum, Egypt, for the same reason.
MIDDLE EAST—U.S. Military Mission is redesignated
Iran–Iraq Service Command under Hq,
USAFIME, effective 24 June. Col Shingler, with hq
at Basra, heads the new command.