Air Operations, Bismarcks

43rd Heavy Bomb Group B-17s attack the town and port area at Rabaul.

Air Operations, CBI

• 8 51st Fighter Group P-40s disable the rail bridge at Myitkyina, but 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s are unable to hit the bridge at Myitnge.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-25s and A-20s again attack Japanese Army-occupied villages.

Battle of the Atlantic

Over the next 2 days the U-boat group Rochen ('Castles') torpedo 7 tankers from Convoy UC-1. Acoustic homing torpedoes are used.

Eastern Front

The Russians capture Sumy in the Ukraine and Lebedin northeast of Kharkov, but farther south the German counteroffensive is beginning to make real progress, especially with the attack toward Barvenkovo by XLVIII Panzer Corps. Heavy fighting for Orel takes place in violent snow storms. Further south, however, the German counteroffensive makes progress, while in the Caucasus units of Army Group A under von Kleist hold a small bridgehead near Novorossiysk and contain the pressure of the Russian Black Sea Army Group and the northern group of the Trans-Caucasus Front.

Bitter fighting erupts at the base of the Demyansk salient as the Soviet 27th Army tries to isolated the 16th Army. However, the Germans have considerably strengthened this area and are able to hold off the Soviet assaults. The evacuation of the salient is almost complete by this time and have largely proceeded according to plan, the bulk of the X and II Corps having escaped the pocket.

There is heavy fighting around Rzhev and Orel as the Soviets press home their attacks against Army Group Center. Here also the Germans are preparing to withdraw from their long held salient.

In an effort to halt the German advance the Stavka begin to pile forces up before them. A rifle, cavalry and tank corps have dug in to try and halt SS Panzer Corps. However, SS forces unleash a fierce attack, drive to within 12 miles of Lozovaya, and close upon Pavlograd. In conjunction with this attack the XLVIII Panzer Corps moves from the southeast, advancing from Chaplino to link up with other forces pushing north toward Boguslav. Elements of XLVIII Panzer Corps cross the Samara.

With his 6th Army in tatters, Vatutin orders a flanking rifle corps from the 1st Guards Army to move to the aid of the 6th Army. In addition, 69th and 3rd Tank Armies are ordered to turn south from Bogodukhov to support the 6th.

North Africa

Rommel assumes command of the German Army Group, Africa, as Axis forces continue their reorganization.

Gen Alexander informs Gen Montgomery that the situation at Kasserine has improved and orders him not to take any undue risks.

In the British 1st Army's US II Corps area, the final enemy forces withdraw into Kasserine Pass during the morning, followed unaggressively by Allied forces. Axis and Allied planes are active during the day.

An AEC Matador tows a 4.5-inch field gun across a wooden track built across soft ground on the border between Libya and Tunisia, 23 February 1943.

An AEC Matador Tows a 4.5-inch Field Gun

Soviet Union, Home Front

Stalin issues an Order of the Day to the Red Army on its 25th Anniversary: 'For 20 months the Red Army has been waging an heroic struggle without parallel in history against the German Fascist hordes. It has become the terror of the Fascist armies.'