Air Operations, CBI

• 23rd Fighter Group P-40s attack warehouses, port facilities, and barges at Bhamo.

• And on their return flight to China from Bhamo, the P-40s attack road targets between Chefang and Mangshih.

Air Operations, Europe

• 4 Pathfinders Mosquitos and 72 Lancasters of Nos. 1 and 5 Groups continue trials with Oboe on Essen.
• 1 Lancaster is lost.
• Naples is heavily bombed by Allied aircraft.

Air Operations, Libya

In two separate afternoon actions, 57th Fighter Group P-40 pilots down 3 Bf-109s and 1 Italian Air Force Mc-202.

Air Operations, Solomons

• Cactus Air Force B-26s and P-39s attack the airfield at Munda Point, New Georgia.
• VMF-121 F4Fs down 10 A6M Zeros over Guadalcanal.

Air Operations, Tunisia

• XII Bomber Command B-17s attack fortifications in and around Gadames and the rail and highway bridge spanning the Oued el-Akarit River, near Gabes.
• In a 25-minute running battle, 2 escorting P-38s and their pilots are lost against 1 Bf-109 destroyed.
• XII Bomber Command B-25s attack Axis shipping at sea off the northern Tunisian coast. While escorting the B-25s, 14th Fighter Group P-38 pilots down 2 Ju-52s and a 6-engine flying boat.
• While attacking German Army tanks near Fondouk el-Aouareb, 33rd Fighter Group P-40 pilots down 2 FW-109s.
• Luftwaffe fighters strafe the advance fighter strip at Thelepte.

Diplomatic Relations

Britain and the US formally relinquish their 'extra-territorial' rights in Peking, Tientsin and Chinese 'Treaty Ports', all presently under Japanese occupation.

Eastern Front

The Siege of Leningrad is partially broken. A narrow corridor is opened south of Lake Ladoga by concerted attacks by the Leningrad garrison and the troops of the Volkhov Front which include the 42nd, 55th, Neva Assault Group, 8th, 2nd Assault, 54th and 67th Armies. Supplies can now reach the besieged city.

In the Caucasus von Kleist's Army Group A falls back from the line of the Terek and Kuma Rivers, and the Russians take Georgivesk, Pyatigorsk, Mineralnye Vody and 6 other towns in the area. Slightly farther north Kuberle, on the railroad line from Zimovniki to Proletarskaya, also falls.

The Soviet forces in the Leningrad sector begin to bombard German positions along the Neva.

The Marinovka sector of the Stalingrad pocket is crushed, the Soviets herding the Germans back to the Rossoshka. The last remnants of the 29th Motorized and 376th Infantry Divisions are wiped out in bitter fighting. With his army falling apart, Paulus receives an order from OKH which states that 6th Army must not under any circumstances surrender without prior approval.

The advance toward Rostov continues as 51st Army and 2nd Guards Army reaches the Manych River, threatening the rear of Army Group A.

In the Caucasus Georgievsk, Pyatigorsk and Mineralnye Vody falls as Army Group A withdraws to the north to avoid isolation. Both 46th and 18th Armies are preparing to attack the XLIV Corps of the 17th Army and force it back toward the Maikop oilfields, this attack being intended to act as a diversion to draw off German forces from the main attack to the east.

Guadalcanal

The 3rd Battalion of the 27th Infantry, 25th Div, continues its attack on Galloping Horse but is again unable to take Hill 53. Stiff opposition coupled with insufficient drinking water make action on this front very difficult. The 3rd Battalion, 35th Infantry, completes a circle about the Gifu with the capture of Sea Horse, where it is forced to rely on air supply until a boat line can be completed. The 3rd Battalion, 182nd Infantry, Americal Div, attached to the 35th Infantry, closes the gap between Galloping Horse and Sea Horse. The 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry, continues to meet heavy fire from the Gifu as it probes the position with combat patrols. Capt Beach's 147th Infantry force, less the elements holding the beachhead, starts to march to Vurai, southwest of Kokumbona, to block this escape route from Kokumbona.[MORE]

North Africa

The 6th Armored Div, V Corps, British 1st Army, improves its positions in a local attack north of Bou Arada.

In the face of growing Allied strength Hitler now put his faith in a number of super weapons such as the Tiger tank, seen here in Tunisia.

German Tiger Tank

Pacific

9 motor torpedo boats operating from Tulagi attack a Japanese Reinforcement Unit of 8 destroyers off Cape Esperance, Guadalcanal. The destroyer Hatsukaze is damaged, PT-112 is sunk and PT-43 is damaged in the action.

United States, Home Front

A $100 billion defense budget is approved.