Today in World War II History—Dec. 13, 1942

German Enigma code machines captured from U-505, Chicago Museum of Science and Industry (Photo: Sarah Sundin, September 2016).

75 Years Ago—Dec. 13, 1942: Montgomery’s British Eighth Army launches offensive at El Agheila, Libya, takes Mersa Brega.

British cryptographers at Bletchley Park crack German Enigma 4-rotor Triton (“Shark”) U-boat code after ten months.

US Fifth Air Force B-17s & B-24s attack a Japanese convoy off Buna, New Guinea—Japanese will make no further attempts to reinforce Buna and Gona.