Air Operations, Bismarcks90th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s mount single-plane attacks against the Gasmata airfield on New Britain, Pondo Harbor, and the sawmill at Ubili. [ | ]Air Operations, EuropeBOMBER COMMANDDaylight Ops:
Air Operations, New Guinea90th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s mount single-plane attacks against Babo. [ | ]Air Operations, Solomons
Atlantic15 Germant MTBs lay mines off Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. [ | ]Battle of the AtlanticDuring the night S-71 is rammed and sunk by the British destroyer Garth.
BurmaThe 47th and 55th Indian Bdes on the Arakan front attacks Japanese positions at Donbaik, but without success. [ | ]Eastern FrontHitler flies to von Manstein's HQ at Zaporozhye. He stays until February 19 and is eventually persuaded to agree to von Manstein's plans for a counterattack. The inexorable Russian advance continues. The Red Army captures Slavyansk, north of Kramatorsk. The OKW can now foresee the collapse of the whole southern front and issues directives for the launching of a vigorous counter-offensive.[MORE]
North AfricaTUNISIABoth von Arnim's and Rommel's attacks are making good progress. The northern wing is now approaching Sbeitla, having virtually destroyed two-thirds of US 1st Arm Div including 2 tank bns. Rommel to the south enters Fériana. The limited attack that von Arnim envisaged has certainly come off; he diverts 10th Pzr Div toward Foundouk, which has in fact been abandoned, instead of pressing on vigorously toward Sbeitla. Having observed the weak American command and the understandable inexperience of the American troops, Rommel wants to be more ambitious. He puts his plans to the Italian and German High Command, who fail to make a quick decision. In the British 1st Army area, the French XIX Corps withdraws to the west to conform with the withdrawal of the US II Corps. The 18th Regimental Combat Team, US 1st Div, is attached to the British 6th Armored Div at Sbiba. The US II Corps falls back to Western Dorsal and stations troops to defend the passes at Sbiba, Kasserine, Dernaïa, and El Ma El Abiod. Defensive positions are being organized. Combat Command B covers the withdrawal of the 1st Armored Div from Sbeïtla. The Germans enter Fériana and overcome rear-guard opposition and take the Thélepte air base. The 3rd Battalion of the 39th Regimental Combat Team, 9th Div, which has moved forward from Souk Ahras, Algeria, comes under corps command. The British 8th Army, attacking with the 51st Div and the 7th Armored Div, captures Médenine and its airfields. [ | ]
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[February 16th - February 18th] |