The Allies lost at least 16 ships in their maritime invasion of North Africa. Last week Washington and London issued their first reports on the month-old landing operation.
Washington admitted: five U.S. transports totaling 53,000 tons sunk by submarines off Casablanca, Rabat and Algiers. The five, which went down with wartime paint and wartime names, were once well-known passenger ships: American Export Line's Excalibur and Exeter, American President Line's President Cleveland and President Pierce and Grace Line's luxury liner Santa Lucia. Casualties were "very small," said Washington.
London admitted: losses at Oran...