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• The first transport of deported Czech Jews departed for various locations in Eastern Europe. ww2dbase [Discovery of Concentration Camps and the Holocaust | CPC]
• German submarine U-97 attacked a small Allied convoy 50 miles west of Alexandria, Egypt at 0325 hours, sinking Greek ship Samos (31 killed, 3 survived) and British tanker Pass of Balmaha (all 20 aboard were killed). ww2dbase [CPC]
• German SS Reich and 10th Panzer Divisions made slow advances along the Moscow Highway and Minsk Highway toward the Soviet capital of Moscow, Russia. The Soviet 5th Army slowly fell back toward Mozhaysk, Russia. ww2dbase [Battle of Moscow | CPC]
• Cruiser HMS Latona and destroyers HMS Jackal, HMS Havock, and HMAS Nizam departed Alexandria, Egypt for Tobruk, Libya. ww2dbase [Siege of Tobruk | CPC]

• American destroyer USS Kearny, escorting Allied convoy SC-48, was damaged by a torpedo from German submarine U-568 off Iceland, killing 11. On the same day, U-432 and U-558 each sank three freighters in this convoy. ww2dbase [United States Neutrality Patrol | CPC]

• The US began evacuating non-essential personnel from Guam, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Invasion of Guam | CPC]

• Harold Stark informed Husband Kimmel that in his personal opinion that while he expected Japan to take action some time in the near future, an attack on Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii was not likely. ww2dbase [Attack on Pearl Harbor | Pearl Harbor Navy Base and Ford Island Naval Air Station | Harold Stark | Honolulu, Oahu | Detailed Timetable | CPC]

• The German propaganda ministry declared Luxembourg Judenfrei, "Free of Jews". ww2dbase [Discovery of Concentration Camps and the Holocaust | CPC]

• German troops captured Taganrog in southern Russia, a port city on the Sea of Azov. ww2dbase [Taganrog, Rostov | TH]

17 Oct 1941 Interactive Map