1st » USS Grouper SS-214 6 torpedoes 'Lisbon Maru' not knowing she is carrying British prisoner of war PoWs from Hong Kong
1st » First flight of the Bell Aircraft called Bell XP-59 "Aircomet".
2nd » World War II: Ocean Liner RMS Queen Mary accidentally rams and sinks her own escort ship, HMS Curacoa D41 6, off the coast of Ireland.
3rd » Spaceflight: The first successful launch of a V-2 /V-2 rocket e.g A4-rocket from Test Stand VII at Peenemünde, Germany. It is the first man-made object to reach space.
6th » World War II: The October Actions along the Matanikau (September – October 1942) or Matanikau action on Guadalcanal begins as United States Marine Corps forces attack Imperial Japanese Army units along the Matanikau River.
7th » World War II: The October Actions along the Matanikau (September – October 1942) or Matanikau action on Guadalcanal begins as United States Marine Corps forces attack Imperial Japanese Army units along the Matanikau River.
9th » Statute of Westminster 1931 formalises Australian autonomy.
10th » The Soviet Union establishes diplomatic relations with Australia.
11th » World War II: Battle of Cape Esperance On the northwest coast of Guadalcanal, United States Navy ships intercept and defeat a Japanese fleet on their way to reinforce troops on the island.
12th » World War II: Japanese ships retreat after their defeat in the Battle of Cape Esperance with the Japanese commander, Aritomo Gotō dying from wounds suffered in the battle and two Japanese destroyers sunk by Allies of World War II known as Allied air atta
23rd » World War II: Second Battle of El Alamein: At El Alamein in northern Egypt, the British Eighth Army (United Kingdom) Eighth Army under Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein Field Marshal Montgomery begins a critical offensive to expel
23rd » All 12 passengers and crewmen aboard an American Airlines DC-3 airliner are killed when it is struck by a U.S. Army Air Forces bomber near Palm Springs, California. Amongst the victims is award-winning composer and songwriter Ralph Rainger ("Thanks for t
23rd » World War II: The Battle for Henderson Field begins during the Guadalcanal Campaign and ends on October 26.
26th » World War II: In the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands during the Guadalcanal Campaign, one U.S. aircraft carrier, USS Hornet (CV-8) known as 'Hornet', is sunk and another aircraft carrier, USS Enterprise (CV-6) called 'Enterprise', is heavily damaged, whi
28th » The Alaska Highway (Alcan Highway) is completed through Canada to Fairbanks, Alaska.
30th » Lt. Tony Fasson, Able Seaman Colin Grazier and canteen assistant Tommy Brown (GM) Tommy Brown from HMS Petard G56 6 board German submarine U-559 'U-559', retrieving material which would lead to the decryption of the German Enigma code.