18 Oct 1942
- US Navy Vice Admiral William F. Halsey was designated the commander of the South Pacific Area, and was made directly responsible for the campaign in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. ww2dbase [William Halsey | TH]
- Adolf Hitler issued his Kommando Befehl, ordering that any captured Soviet commandos be shot. ww2dbase [Adolf Hitler | TH]
- Norwegian commandos parachuted near Telemark, Norway, to conduct reconnaissance. ww2dbase [TH]
- USS Finback damaged a large Japanese freighter east of Taiwan, hitting her with 2 of torpedoes fired. ww2dbase [Finback | CPC]
- US Navy Pacific Fleet's chief communications officer John Redman sent Joseph Wenger a message noting Redman's wish to relieve radio intelligence officer Joseph Rochefort. ww2dbase [CPC]
- Alpino Bagnolini sighted an aircraft in the Atlantic Ocean at 1554 hours; she submerged to avoid detection. At 1715 hours, she sighted four aircraft, heading toward Freetown, Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate; she again submerged. ww2dbase [Alpino Bagnolini | CPC]
- During the night, Japanese warships again shelled Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. ww2dbase [Guadalcanal Campaign | Henderson Field | Lunga Point, Guadalcanal | TH]
- The German Ministry of Justice transferred the responsibility for Jews and citizens of Eastern European countries within Germany to the Gestapo. ww2dbase [Discovery of Concentration Camps and the Holocaust | CPC]
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Yokosuka, Japan. ww2dbase [Hikawa Maru | Yokosuka, Kanagawa | CPC]
- French troops attempted a counter offensive at Andriamanalina, Madagascar, but it was soundly repulsed by British and Commonwealth troops. ww2dbase [Madagascar Campaign | Andriamanalina | CPC]
- Four Norwegian agents of the British Special Operations Executive were parachuted near the Vemork heavy water production plant in Telemark, Norway on a reconnaissance mission code named Grouse. ww2dbase [Vemork Heavy Water Plant | Special Operations Executive | Tinn, Telemark | CPC]
- British Captain Pat Reid and Canadian Flying Officer Hank Wardle, having escaped from Oflag IV-C prisoners of war camp at Colditz Castle in Germany on 14 Oct 1942, successfully made it to Switzerland. ww2dbase [CPC]
18 Oct 1942 Interactive Map
Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis
Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you. Share this article with your friends: Stay updated with WW2DB: |
Search WW2DB
News
- » WW2DB's 19th Anniversary (29 Dec 2023)
- » Looted Painting "Madonna with Child" Returned to Poland (2 Jun 2023)
- » Wreck of USS Mannert L. Abele Found (29 May 2023)
- » Wreck of Montevideo Maru Found (25 Apr 2023)
- » Accidental Detonation of a WW2-Era Bomb in Great Yarmouth (10 Feb 2023)
- » See all news
Random Photograph
Current Site Statistics
- » 1,147 biographies
- » 337 events
- » 43,435 timeline entries
- » 1,237 ships
- » 349 aircraft models
- » 207 vehicle models
- » 372 weapon models
- » 123 historical documents
- » 259 facilities
- » 468 book reviews
- » 28,403 photos
- » 432 maps
Famous WW2 Quote
"All that silly talk about the advance of science and such leaves me cold. Give me peace and a retarded science."Thomas Dodd, late 1945
Support Us
Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!
Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!