Air Operations, Aleutians6 28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s, 6 B-25s, and 12 343rd Fighter Group P-38s, based at the airfield on Adak, attack Kiska, as do 12 Amchitka-based P-38s. [ | ]Air Operations, Bismarcks43rd Heavy Bomb Group B-17s mount individual attacks against a launch at Talasea and barges near Cape Gloucester. [ | ]Air Operations, CBIBURMA
Air Operations, Europe
Daylight Ops:
Air Operations, New Guinea
BurmaWingate's column crosses the Irrawaddy south of Inywa, the last group to do so. The Japanese have now assembled considerable forces to hunt the Chindits and their operations are being increasingly circumscibed. In the Arakan the more regular British operations are not going well either. Htizwe falls to a pincer attack and on the Mayu Peninsula an attack by the 6th Bde of the British 2nd Div and the 71st Indian Bde on Donbaik fails. They then have to withdraw north on account of enemy infiltration. The plans for cutting the Mandalay-Lashio rail line are abandoned for now. [ | ]Diplomatic RelationsFrench Guiana formally disassociates itself from Vichy and declares for the Free French. [ | ]Eastern FrontTroops from SS Gross Deutschland Div attack. Belgorod, on the Donets River northeast of Kharkov, in the last act of von Manstein's offensive. In this phase the Soviets have lost 40,000 casualties and at least 600 tanks. The whole operation has been an unqualified technical success for the Germans, but cannot make up for their 1,000,000 dead since November 1942. As activity begins to die down all along the front in the mud of the spring thaw, German and Soviet attention begins to be drawn toward the Soviet salient aroung Kursk. SOUTHERN SECTORThe Grossdeutschland Division and SS Panzer Corps launch a full-scale attack upon Belgorod, throwing back 69th Army and taking the town. The Stavka immediately move up the 6th Guards Army (formerly 21st Army) to support the failing 69th while the 1st Tank Army assembles at Oboyan. The loss of Belgorod ended the German counteroffensive in the Ukraine. The onset of the spring thaw brought movement to a halt and prevented Manstein from continuing his drive north to re-establish a strong junction with Army Group Center. Despite this, Manstein had pulled off an amazing feat, restoring the German southern wing and inflicting a salutary lesson upon Stalin and the Stavka.[ | ]
IndiaA group of B-24 bombers arrives to reinforce the American 14th Air Force. [ | ]LebanonA provisional government is set up under Dr Ayoub Tabet. []North AfricaTUNISIAGen Patton's II US Corps takes Gafsa and pushes forward toward El Guettar which they occupy as the Axis troops fall back. The US II Corps' 1st Div, continuing its attack with the attached 1st Ranger Battalion, takes El Guettar without opposition. Very heavy rains immobilize the 1st Armored Div, but plans are made for an attack on Sened Station on the 19th. In the British 1st Army area, Gen Anderson orders the V Corps, which is reinforced by the 1st Parachute Brigade of the Corps Franc d'Afrique and one Tabor of French Goumiers, to cease their withdrawal and to prepare to recover at least a part of the lost ground as a necessary prerequisite to launching a major assault toward Tunis and Bizerte. The enemy is attacking in the Djebel Abiod area.
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[March 17th - March 19th] |