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• Operation Supercharge was launched at El Alamein, Egypt, destroying many Axis tanks and guns. Axis tanks counterattacked at 1100 hours, which failed to stop the Allied advances. During the night, Rommel requested permission from Hitler to fall back, which was denied on the next day. ww2dbase [Second Battle of El Alamein | TH]
• USS S-31 departed the Kurile Islands waters and sailed for the Aleutian Islands. ww2dbase [S-31 | CPC]
• Two 155mm gun batteries, one of the US Army and the other US Marine Corps, landed in the Lunga Perimeter on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. ww2dbase [Guadalcanal Campaign | CPC]
• German submarine U-586 sank British freighter Empire Gilbert of Operation FB southwest of Jan Mayen island, Norway at 0118 hours; 60 were killed, 3 survived. In Iceland, US Liberty ship William Clark and British freighter Empire Scott departed; they were also of Operation FB. ww2dbase [Arctic Convoys | CPC]
• US 503rd Parachute Battalion was redesignated as the 2nd Battalion, 509th infantry Regiment prior to participating in Operation Torch. ww2dbase [AC]

• Isaac Sweers made rendezvous with Allied convoy KMF 1. ww2dbase [Isaac Sweers | CPC]
• Leonardo da Vinci detected British freighter Empire Zeal in the Atlantic Ocean at 0713 hours. At 0756 hours, she fired two bow torpedoes, both hit their target. Between 0805 and 0820 hours, the Italian submarine attacked the British freighter with gunfire, expending 12 100-millimeter and 90 13.2-millimeter rounds. She paused for 45 minutes to allow the British crew to take to lifeboats, and then gunfire continued at 0905 hours, sinking the ship shortly after. The Italians kept Master William MacPherson and First mate Samuel Haines as prisoners, while the other 49 took to lifeboats, to be picked up by American destroyer USS Winslow two days later. At 1740 hours, she sighted Dutch ship Frans Hals at the distance of 7,000 meters. At 1918 hours, she surfaced to pursue at greater speed. ww2dbase [Leonardo da Vinci | CPC]
• Alpino Bagnolini sighted a freighter in the Atlantic Ocean at 1530 hours. She identified the target as a Spanish ship and thus did not pursue. ww2dbase [Alpino Bagnolini | CPC]

• 13.Panzer of German III Panzer Korps reached what will be the farthest point to the southeast reached by the German military when it was halted by Soviet forces 5 miles outside Ordshonikidze, Azerbaijan. ww2dbase [Caucasus Campaign | Ordshonikidze | TH]

• Tenryu, Yugure, and six other destroyers transported 240 men belonging to Japanese 38th Infantry Division and supplies to Tassafaronga Point, Guadalcanal in rough waters; upon unloading, the group took on 65 evacuees. ww2dbase [Tenryu | Yugure | Guadalcanal Campaign | Tassafaronga Point | CPC]
• Destroyer USS Shaw arrived off Lunga Point, Guadalcanal and commenced shore bombardment west of the Mantanikau River in support of United States Marines ashore. Shaw then retired toward Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. ww2dbase [Guadalcanal Campaign | Shaw | Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands | DS]

• Shokaku depart Truk, Caroline Islands screened by Destroyer Division 4 with the damaged Zuiho and Chikuma, for Japan for permanent repairs. ww2dbase [Shokaku | Truk | CPC]
• Repair ship Akashi completed the repair work for carrier Shokaku at Truk, Caroline Islands. ww2dbase [Akashi | Truk | CPC]
• Tanikaze began escorting Zuiho and Kumano from Truk, Caroline Islands toward Japan. ww2dbase [Tanikaze | Truk | CPC]

• USS Wahoo completed her scheduled overhaul at Submarine Base Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. During the overhaul, a 4-inch (100-millimeter) gun and two 20-millimeter guns were installed. She immediately began a 3-day training period. ww2dbase [Pearl Harbor Navy Base and Ford Island Naval Air Station | Wahoo | Honolulu, Oahu | CPC]

• The keel of submarine Ling was laid down by the Cramp Shipbuilding Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. ww2dbase [Ling | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | CPC]

2 Nov 1942 Interactive Map