Chronology of World War II

January 1943

Thursday, January 21


Air Operations, Bismarcks

43rd Heavy Bomb Group B-17s attack airfields and shipping at Rabaul.

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Air Operations, East Indies

1 90th Heavy Bomb Group B-24 attacks a Japanese cruiser in the harbor at Amboina Island in the Molucca Islands.

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Air Operations, Europe

BOMBER COMMAND
Daylight Ops:
  • 36 Bostons and 15 Venturas are sent to hit the docks at Flushing and Cherbourg, but do not because of heavy cloud cover.
Evening Ops:
  • 79 Lancasters and 3 Mosquitos are sent to Essen.
  • There is heavy cloud cover over the target area and bombs are dropped blindly on estimated positions.
    • 4 Lancasters are lost.
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Air Operations, Libya

  • IX Bomber Command B-24s attack Tripoli harbor.
  • IX Bomber Command B-25s attack targets of opportunity along an interior road.
  • 9th Air Force P-40s support ground attacks by the British 8th Army.
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Air Operations, Mediterranean

  • During a morning anti-shipping mission, 6 319th Medium Bomb Group B-26s, escorted by 82nd Fighter Group P-38s, attack an Axis convoy bound from Sicily to Tunisia, sinking 1 freighter and damaging another near Cap Bon.
  • In a running battle between Bizerte and Cap Bon, 82nd Fighter Group P-38 escort pilots down a total of 7 German and Italian fighters and transports.
    • 2 P-38s and their pilots are lost
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Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-25s attack supply and ammo dumps.

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Air Operations, Solomons

XIII Bomber Command B-17s and B-26s and 347th Fighter Group P-39s attack the Munda Point airfield on New Georgia and B-17s attack shipping near Kieta.

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President Roosevelt inspects US troops during the Casablanca Conference, January 21, 1943.

Roosevelt Inspecting Troops


Roosevelt Inspecting Troops

Allied Strategic Bombing

The Casablanca Directive is issued to the British and American strategic bombing forces in Europe by the Combined Chiefs of Staff. It sets out the priorities for the continuing Allied attacks. Most of the reasoning is in line with the precision bombing ideas of the American leaders. As yet the US Air Forces have too few resources to carry out the full scheme and RAF Bomber Command is probably not yet able to attack with enough accuracy. The RAF Command will continue its area bombing policy.


Air Operations, Tunisia

  • XII Bomber Command B-25s attack the highway and rail bridge just north of Pont-du-Fahs.
  • While strafing a long German Army road column along the Gabes-Ben Gardane road in southern Tunisia, 24 1st Fighter Group P-38 pilots destroy 65 vehicles and down 2 Bf-109s at 1430 hours.
  • XII Fighter Command A-20s attack advancing German Army tanks and troops in the Ousseltial Valley in support of a ground attack by the US 1st Armored Division.
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Eastern Front

The Soviets recapture Voroshilovsk between Stavropol and Armavir. In Stalingrad the Germans lose Gumrak Airport and are now completely cut off. From now on all supplies must be dropped by parachute.

SOUTHERN SECTOR

The 28th Army recaptures Salsk, a major supply base for the airlift into Stalingrad.

German Army 7.5 cm Gebirgsgeschütz 36 mountain gun operating at 3,000-meter altitude in the Caucasus Mountains in southern Russia, 21 Jan 1943

German Army 7.5cm Mountain Gun


German Army 7.5cm Mountain Gun
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Guadalcanal

The XIV Corps completes its preparations for the offensive on the 22nd. The 2nd Battalion receives armor support when a tank manned by soldiers from the 25th Division's Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop makes it to the top of Mount Austen. Supported by 16 infantrymen, the tank drives into the northeast part of the Gifu line, on G Company's left flank at 1040. It pulls close to 3 pillboxes destroying them with 37-mm high explosive shells and shoots the Japanese soldiers with canister and machine guns. Turning left (south), the tank breaks through the east end of the Gifu. At 1500 it makes one more attack against the north side of the Gifu and destroys 5 more pillboxes. The infantry then move forward before dark to occupy the gap. E Company, on the west, is again held in place by pillboxes on its front. One platoon attempts to outflank them in the afternoon, but darkness falls before it can complete its move. But the tank, in a few hours, has torn a 200-yard hole in the line which had withstood infantry assaults for a month. The 3rd Battalion, 27th Infantry, moves forward to Snake to follow the 1st Battalion, the main assault force, turning over positions on Hill 57 to the 2nd Battalion. Action against the Gifu is continued by the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry.

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Mediterranean

HM Submarine Sahib is returning to Algiers after a successful patrol in the Gulf of Genoa when she surprises U-301 on the surface and sinks her.

U-301

ClassType VIIC
CO Kapitänleutnant Willi Korner
Location Mediterranean, W of Bonifacio
Cause Submarine attack
Casualties 45
Survivors 1
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New Guinea

The Japanese resistance at Sanananda and Giruwa is now almost completely overcome as the Australians and Americans join up east of Sanananda. Mopping up operations leave 500 Japanese dead. An American column coming from the east penetrates into the village of Giruwa, meeting little Japanese resistance, and joins up with the Australian units west of the village.

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North Africa

LIBYA

The British 8th Army continues to press toward Tripoli. The 51st Div overcomes resistance in the Corradini area. Learning through an Ultra intercept that the enemy has strengthened Tarhuna at the expense of the Homs front, Gen Montgomery changes his plans and orders the drive for Tripoli be directed along the coastal road rather than to the south.

TUNISIA

Gen Eisenhower gives Gen K. A. N. Anderson, commander of the British 1st Army, responsibility for co-ordinating operations of the British, French and US forces. Maj-Gen Laurence S. Kuter, USAAF, is assigned to Gen Anderson's headquarters as executive air commander with the mission of co-ordinating air action. Combat Command B, 1st Armored Div, with strong artillery and air support, begins an attack late in the afternoon to drive the enemy back in the Ousseltia Valley and makes considerable progress until halted by darkness.

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Pacific

  • The US submarine Gato (SS-212) encounters a section of the Japanese Solomons reinforcement convoy and damages the army transport Kenkon Maru (4575t) just east of Kieta, Bougainville. Her escorts scuttle the ship to hasten her sinking.
  • The US submarine Pollack (SS-180) sinks the Japanese merchant cargo ship Asama Maru (2934t) off Kushiro, Japan.
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[January 20th - January 22nd]