Air Operations, Aleutians

Arriving in at least four waves, a total of 11 28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s, 9 B-25s, and 32 343rd Fighter Group P-38s bomb and stafe various installations at Kiska.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

B-17s from the 43rd Heavy Bomb Group mount individual attacks against Gasmata and Cape Gloucester.

Air Operations, CBI

• 8 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the viaduct at Gokteik.
• 8 B-25s attack Myitnge.
• 8 51st Fighter Group P-40 fighter-bombers attack a bridge at Kadrangyang.

Air Operations, Europe

The Russians bomb the German pontoon bridges over the Don.

• 11 Venturas bomb La Pleine airfield in Brittany.
• 1 Ventura is lost in the sea.

Air Operations, Mediterranean

NASAF B-17s attack Axis shipping off northern Tunisia.

Air Operations, New Guinea

90th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s, V Bomber Command B-25s, and RAAF bombers attack Dobo and Wokam.

Air Operations, Pacific

Australian and Dutch bombers drive off a Japanese convoy approaching Aru Island in the East Indies.

Air Operations, Solomons

• XIII Bomber Command B-24s mount individual attacks against Munda Point airfield on New Georgia and the Vila airfield on Kolombangara.
• 347th Fighter Group P-38s attack Viru, New Georgia.

Air Operations, Tunisia

• NASAF B-26s attack the Italian Air Force airdrome Mezzouna.
• 25 321st Medium Bomb Group B-25s, in their combat debut and escorted by 33rd Fighter Group P-40s, also attack Mezzouna later in the afternoon. The escort is attacked by fighters of which 2 Bf-109s and 1 Mc-202 are downed.
• IX Bomber Command B-25s, escorted by 79th Fighter Group P-40s, attack Axis troop positions at Zarat, and IX Fighter Command fighters strafe and bomb various ground targets.
• In two separate fither actions in southern Tunisia, an 82nd Fighter Group P-38 pilot downs a Bf-109 near Maknassy at 1455 hours, and a 31st Fighter Group Spitfire pilot downs a Bf-109 over Sbeitla about 1500 hours.

Atlantic

• British MTBs sink 2 transports in a convoy off Terschelling.
• The troop transport Empress of Canada (21,500t) is sunk by the Italian submarine Leonardo da Vinci.

Axis Diplomacy

A trade agreement is made between Finland and Germany.

Burma

Almost all the columns making up the 77th Indian Bde's Chindits have crossed the Irrawaddy, having cut the strategic Burma Railway in a dozen places. They continue with their bold guerilla activities. But their logistic situation is getting precarious, since they have to depend very largely on supplies dropped by aircraft at fixed points from one day to another. The Japanese are making plans to eliminate the menace presented by the Chindits.

Eastern Front

The Germans complete the conquest of Kharkov when the last Red Army defenders withdraw from the tractor factory. In the central sector the Soviets take Kholm and Zharkovsky, respectively north and east of Velikiye Luki.

The XLVIII Panzer Corps advances east from the Mzha River while the SS Das Reich Division pushes along the Kharkov-Chuguyev road.

North Africa

Gen Eisenhower visits US II Corps headquarters as preparations for an offensive contiue. While the corps line from Sbiba to Kasserine is held by the 34th Div and from Kasserine to El Ma el Abiod by the 9th Div, assault forces consisting of the 1st Infantry and the 1st Armored Divs prepart to attack on the 17th. The 1st Div, reinforced by the 1st Ranger Battalion and artillery and tank destroyer units, assembles in the Bou Chebka area.

Lt. Gen. George S. Patton (second from right) personally directs the drive toward Gabes, Tunisia in a M3A1 scout car, March 15, 1943. (General George Patton Museum photo)

General Patton Directs Drive toward Gabes

Pacific

• The US 7th Fleet, under Vice-Adm Arthur S. Carpenter, is formed in the Southwest Pacific to control naval operations there under Gen MacArthur's operational control. CINCUSFLEET maintains administrative control. The fleet consists of 2 Australian cruisers and a few US and Australian destroyers. Suspicious of MacArthur, Adm Ernest J. King, the COMINCH, keeps the majority of US naval power in the area under 3rd Fleet, commanded by Adm William F. Halsey, COMSOPAC.
• The US submarine Trigger (SS-237) attacks a Japanese convoy about 150 miles northwest of the Admiralties, damaging the transport Florida Maru and sinking the army cargo ship Momoha Maru (3103t).