Air Operations, Aleutians

28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s attack the submarine base at Kiska through heavy cloud cover.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• 1 90th Heavy Bomb Group B-24 attacks the Gasmata airfield on New Britain. P-38s from the 39th Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, down 9 Ki-35 'Oscar' fighters near Gasmata between 1700 and 1715 hours.
• 5th Air Force reconnaissance aircraft locate a Japanese convoy heading toward Lae, New Guinea from Rabaul. The convoy is attacked by various 5th Air Force planes, but is able to proceed toward its destination.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-26s attack Sanananda while 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20 hit the airfield at Lae.

Air Operations, Tunisia

• Two formations of XII Fighter Command A-20s attack the military base at Kairouan.
• XII Bomber Command B-25s attack Kairouan's rail facilities.
• A 52nd Fighter Group Spitfire pilot downs 1 FW-190 near Cape Rosa at 1305 hours.

Battle of the Atlantic

The German submarine U-164 is sunk by naval land-based air craft (VP-83) off Brazil.

U-164

Burma

The 14th Indian Div renews the offensive in the Arakan region - an offensive undertaken more for psychological than for strategic reasons. The advance is firmly checked by Japanese dug in at Donbaik and Rathedaung. Skirmishing in this sector goes on for many weeks with no definite outcome.

Eastern Front

Wohler's relief force is being bled white by the Soviets as losses continue to mount. Insice Velikiye Luki the garrison struggles to hold against overwhelming odds. The fighting rages incessantly for the next 9 days but the relief attack has already failed.

As its withdrawal continues, the XL Panzer Corps reaches the Kuma. A brief stand is made while the main forces move north.

Germany, Command

Following the fiasco of the attack on the convoy JW-51B (see December 30-31, 1942), Adm Erich Raeder resigns his post as Commander-in-Chief of the navy. Adm Karl Dönitz replaces him.

North Africa

Free French, advancing north from Chad, capture Oum-el-Aramab in southern Libya after heavy fighting.

Pacific

The US light cruiser San Juan (CL-54) is damaged by a dive bomber in the Solomon Islands area.

Southwest Pacific

The Battle of Huon Gulf. Allied reconnaissance aircraft sight a convoy carrying reinforcements and supplies for Lae, New Guinea. Over the next 3 days the convoy is repeatedly attacked by US fighters and dive-bombers. 3 transports and about 80 Japanese aircraft are destroyed. The Allied losses are light.