Air Operations, Aleutians

Throughout the day, 11th Air Force aircraft attack Kiska in several missions amounting to 13 B-24 sorties, 9 B-25 sorties, 52 P-38 and F-5 sorties, and 16 P-40 sorties.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

43rd Heavy Bomb Group B-17s and 90th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s mount individual attacks on shipping.

Air Operations, CBI

• 15 B-24s of the 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack the viaduct at Gokteik. 6 B-24s that are unable to locate the viaduct because of haze attack a bridge at Myitnge.
• 51st Fighter Group P-40 dive-bombers attack a bridge and the town area at Mogaung.

• Several 51st Fighter Group P-40s attack targets of opportunity in northern French Indochina.
• 23rd Fighter Group P-40s based in China attack a phosphate mine at Lao Kay.

Battle of the Atlantic

The US submarine Herring (SS-233) sinks U-163 in the Bay of Biscay.

Britain, Home Front

After tunnelling for 5 months, 21 IRA men escape from Londonderry Jail. 15 of them reach Eire and are interned.

Eastern Front

The Germans mop up the remaining pockets of resistance in Belgorod. Holding the Russian thrust in the Kursk salient, they succeed in restoring communications with Army Group Center, under von Kluge, in the Orel area, which had been cut. The Russians take Durovo, 56 miles northeast of Smolensk.

The thaw brings operations to a temporary and almost total halt as no vehicles can move. The German losses during the winter campaign have been terrible; a reliable estimate puts it at over a million dead. The Russians claim the destruction or capture of 9,000 tanks, 20,000 guns and 5,000 aircraft, as well as thousands of trucks. But Russian losses have also been serious. However, the Russian war potential is rising, while the German is in decline.

North Africa

The New Zealanders at Tebaga are held up by a mixed Italian force. In the main attack by morning the British have managed to establish a small force across the natural antitank obstacle of Wadi Zigraou, but ground conditions prevent any real buildup during the day.

In the US II Corps area, Combat Command C and Combat Command A of the 1st Armored Div bypass Sened village, which surrenders to the 60th Regimental Combat Team, and continue to the east to Maknassy, placing it under artillery fire in preparation for an attack on the 22nd. The 1st Div pushes eastward from El Guettar. The 1st Ranger Battalion, circling north of the El Guettar-Maharés road (called Gumtree), gets behind the enemy at the Djebel el Ank defile while the 26th Infantry drives directly along the road. In this successful action, over 700 prisoners are taken. To the right, the 18th Infantry takes Hill 336, south of Gumtree road, and presses on toward Djebel el Mcheltat.

In the British 8th Army area, the New Zealand Corps makes slow progress toward the El Hamma switch line. The XXX Corps strengthens the bridgehead on the bank of Wadi Zigzaou somewhat but can get only a few tanks across. Covered by heavy artillery fire, the 50th Div broadens and deepens the bridgehead during the night.

In the British 1st Army area, the V Corps is severely menaced on its northern flank as the enemy forces the defenders of an important lateral road between Mateur and Djebel Abiod back to Djebel Abiod.

Action in the Yellow Sea. After sinking two freighters on the 19th, Wahoo scores again. Hozan Maru, a Seiwa Maru class freighter, has just been hit by a single torpedo from a spread of three.

Wahoo Hits Japanese Ship

The US submarine Wahoo sends the cargo ship Nittsu Maru to the bottom on March 21, 1943.

Wahoo Sinks Nittsu Maru