Editing Operation Torch (section)

=== Western task force ===
The Western Task Force landed before daybreak on 8 November 1942, at three points in Morocco: In the South at [[Safi, Morocco|Safi]] ([[Operation Blackstone]]), in the North at Mehdiya-[[Kenitra|Port Lyautey]] ([[Battle of Port Lyautey|Operation Goalpost]]) and the main thrust was at the centre in [[Mohammedia|Fedala]], close to Casablanca, ([[Operation Brushwood]]).{{Sfn|Pack|1978|p=43}} Just like in Algiers, there was a failed attempt to neutralize Vichy French command in the morning of 8 November: General [[Antoine Béthouart|Béthouart]] was unable to convince Admiral [[Frix Michelier|Michelier]] nor General [[Charles Noguès|Noguès]] to side with the Allies. Instead they ordered the Army and Navy to oppose the invasion.{{Sfn|Breuer|1985|pp=110-113}} 

[[File:Seatrain Lakehurst after discharging tanks at Safi North Africa.png|thumb|[[USS Lakehurst (APV-3/APM-9)#Ship usage in World War II and Vietnam|USS ''Lakehurst'']] (formerly ''Seatrain New Jersey''), after discharging medium tanks at [[Safi, Morocco]]]]
At Safi the objective was to capture the port facilities intact and to land the Western Task Force's medium [[M4 Sherman|Sherman]] tanks, which would be used to reinforce the assault on Casablanca.{{sfn|Howe|1993|pp=97, 102}} Two old destroyers, {{USS|Cole|DD-155|6}} and {{USS|Bernadou}}, were to land an assault party in the harbor, whilst troops landed on the beaches would quickly move to the town. The landings were begun without covering fire, in the hope that the French would not resist at all. However, once French coastal batteries opened fire, Allied warships returned fire. Most of the landings occurred behind schedule, but met no opposition on the beaches. Under cover from fire of the battleship {{USS|New York|BB-34|6}} and cruiser {{USS|Philadelphia|CL-41|6}}, ''Cole'' and ''Bernadou'' landed their troops and the harbor was captured intact. Safi surrendered on the afternoon of 8 November. By 10 November, the landed troops moved northwards to join the siege of Casablanca.{{Sfn|Pack|1978|pp=91-92}}

At Port-Lyautey, the objective was to secure the port and the airfield, so that aircraft could be flown in from Gibraltar and from aircraft carriers. The landings were delayed because of navigational problems and the slow disembarkation of the troops in their landing ships. The first three waves of troops were landed unopposed on five beaches. The cruiser {{USS|Savannah|CL-42|6}} bombarded coastal batteries at [[Kasbah Mahdiyya]]. The next waves came under fire from coastal batteries and Vichy-French aircraft. A first attempt by the old destroyer {{USS|Dallas|DD-199|6}} to bring a raiding party inshore on the [[Sebou River]] to the airfield, failed on 8 November.{{Sfn|Pack|1978|pp=92-95}} Vichy French reinforcements coming from Rabat were bombarded by the battleship {{USS|Texas|BB-35|6}} and the cruiser ''Savannah''. A second attempt on 10 November to take the airfield was successful and over the next two days, the escort carrier {{USS|Chenango|CVE-28|6}} sent 77 [[Curtiss P-40 Warhawk]] to the airfield.{{Sfn|MacCloskey|1971|p=130}} With the support of aircraft from the escort carrier {{USS|Sangamon|CVE-26|6}}, the Kasbah battery was taken and ships could come closer to shore to unload supplies. On 11 November The cease-fire ordered by Darlan halted all hostilities.{{Sfn|Pack|1978|pp=92-95}}

[[File:Operation Torch - message from the president of United States to the citizens of Casablanca.jpg|thumb|A flyer in French and Arabic that was distributed by Allied forces in the streets of [[Casablanca]], calling on citizens to cooperate with the Allied forces]]At Fedala, a small port with a large beach {{convert|15|mi}} from Casablanca, weather was good but landings were delayed because troopships were not disembarking troops on schedule. The first wave reached shore unopposed at 05:00. Many landing craft were wrecked in the heavy surf or on rocks. At dawn the Vichy French shore batteries opened fire. By 07:30 fire from the cruisers {{USS|Augusta|CA-31|6}} and {{USS|Brooklyn|CL-40|6}} with their supporting destroyers, had silenced the shore batteries. At 08:00 when Vichy-French aircraft appeared and attacked, one battery reopened fire. Two Vichy-French destroyers arrived from Casablanca at 08:25 and attacked the American destroyers. By 09:05 the Vichy French destroyers had been driven away, but all available Vichy French ships sortied from Casablanca and at 10:00 renewed the attack on the American ships at Fedala. By 11:00 the battle was over, the two American cruisers had either sunk or driven ashore the light cruiser {{ship|French cruiser|Primauguet|1924|2}}, two flotilla leaders and four destroyers. Only one destroyer escaped back to Casablanca. Fedala surrendered at 14:30 and transport ships could move closer to shore to speed up the unloading.{{Sfn|Pack|1978|pp=95-98}} Meanwhile the American Covering force with the battleship {{USS|Massachusetts|BB-59|6}} had appeared before Casablanca and when coastal batteries opened fire at 07:00, the American ships responded at once and damaged the Vichy-French battleship ''Jean Bart'' with five hits, putting its one operational turret out of action.{{Sfn|MacCloskey|1971|p=122}} Of the eleven submarines in port, three were destroyed but the other eight took up attack positions. These submarines attacked ''Massachusetts'', the aircraft carrier {{USS|Ranger|CV-4|6}} and the cruisers ''Brooklyn'' and {{USS|Tuscaloosa|CA-37|6}}, but all their torpedoes missed and six submarines were sunk.{{Sfn|Rohwer|2005|p=210}}

On 9 November the small port of Fedala was in use and troops advanced on Casablanca. Despite having lost 55 aircraft the previous day, attacks by Vichy-French aircraft continued all day.{{Sfn|Pack|1978|pp=95-98}} On 10 November, ''Jean Bart'' was repaired, but when she opened fire, she was attacked by dive-bombers from the aircraft carrier ''Ranger'' and heavily damaged by two bomb hits.{{Sfn|Morison|1947|pp=162-163}} The Americans surrounded the port of Casablanca by 10 November but waited for the arrival of the tanks from Safi to start an all-out attack planned for 11 November at 07:15. Orders from Darlan, broadcast on 10 November, to cease resistance were ignored until 11 November 06:00, the city surrendered an hour before the final assault was due to take place.{{Sfn|Pack|1978|pp=95-98}}