Air Operations, CBI

11th Medium Bomb Group B-25s, based temporarily at Yunnani, China, attack the communications center at Lashio, Burma.

Air Operations, Europe

Soviet aircraft raid Berlin and other German cities.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 12 8th Fighter Group's 80th Fighter Squadron P-400s strafe aircraft on the ground at the airfield in Buna and down 6 A6M Zeros at 0725 hours.
• 5th Air Force B-17s, B-25s, B-26s and P-400s and RAAF Hudson bomber and P-40s based at Milne Bay and Australia attack a Japanese Army ground force fighting west toward Milne Bay from Rabi. Supplies on shore are destroyed and 1 transport is sunk.

Air Operations, Solomons

During the noon hour 12 VMF-223 F4Fs intercept 16 G4M 'Betty' bombers withdrawing after an attack on Henderson Field, Guadalcanal. The Marine pilots claim 13 victories, but only 3 bombers fail to return to Rabaul. Damage on the ground includes aviation fuel lost and splinter damage to several parked aircraft. 1 F4F with it pilot is lost in the action.

Britain, Home Front

The government lifts the ban on the publication of the Daily Worker, a Communist Party newspaper.

Eastern Front

The Russians announce that a successful offensive on the Moscow front began two weeks ago. Their claim of a 15- or 20-mile penetration on a 75-mile front is exaggerated however.

The Battle of Stalingrad intensifies with an estimated million German troops attacking Russian defenders. The Red Army attempts to ease the pressures on Stalingrad by launching diversionary attacks in the areas of Rzhev and Vyazma.

Heavy fighting rages as the 16th Panzer Division fights on the bank of the Volga. The 6th Army is fully committed to the battle for Stalingrad but only manages a slow advance, pushingh the Soviet forces closer to the city. The advance actually forces the Soviets out of the danger of encirclement, the Soviet pocket to the west and southwest of the city being flattened by Paulus' uninspired frontal assaults. Hoth's failed attack at Tundutovo compounds the German failure to isolate the Soviets west of the city. With the defense of Stalingrad a priority, Stalin appoints Gen Zhukov as his deputy.

India

A training center for Chinese troops is opened at Ramgarh, India.

Pacific

• The Japanese occupy Ocean Island, west of the Gilbert Islands.
• The Japanese merchant cargo ship Teishun Maru (2251t) is sunk by the US submarine Haddock (SS-231) off the China coast about 100 miles north-northwest of Keelung, Formosa.

Guadalcanal

The 5th Marines of the 1st Marine Division prepare for a limited attack to eliminate resistance on the western flank of the Lunga perimeter.

The Japanese Rabaul air force sends 16 Bettys to bomb Henderson Field. They reach Guadalcanal at 1124 but the raid has been announced by coastwatchers. Every US aircraft is in the air to meet them. 3 bombers are shot down and several others are damaged. 2 Zeros are also shot down for the loss of 1 F4F. The airfield is hit by several planes despite the harassment, damaging several planes and hitting the aviation fuel dump. Now only 11 F4Fs and 9 SBDs are available along with the Enterprise contingent.

New Guinea

Allied aircraft attack the Japanese at Milne Bay, at the eastern end of the island, destroying supply and ammunition depots and damaging some transports. In the evening a Japanese convoy from New Ireland lands more troops in the bay. In the area of Isurava the Japanese advancing on Port Moresby across the mountains force the Australian units to withdraw.

Australian militia forces successfully overcame a Japanese attempt to land at Milne Bay. This picture shows one of two Japanese type 95 Ha-go light tanks that became bogged on the track near the Gama River and were abandoned during the Japanese attack.

Abandoned Japanese Tank