Air Operations, Bismarcks

• B-17s from the 43rd Heavy Bomb Group mount a major attack against Rabaul-area airfields.
• 90th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s mount single-plane missions against the Gasmata airfield on New Britain.

Air Operations, CBI

• 9 341st Medium Bombardment Group B-25s attack rail facilities, warehouses, barracks, and the airfield at Meiktila.

• 23rd Fighter Group P-40s attack a Japanese Army headquarters and a road convoy carrying troops.

Air Operations, Europe

• 15 Mosquitos attack the railway engine works at Nantes. Direct hits are scores and there are no losses.

Dramatic photo taken by one of the Mosquitos during its attack at Nantes. Workers, unaware of the impending raid, leave work at the end of their shift as two bombs (circled at the top of the picture) throw up plumes of smoke as they impact workshop roofs before exploding.

Mosquito Attack on Nantes

Recce picture taken shortly after the raid showing the extensive damage to the workshops and large fires still burning.

Damage Picture after the Raid

• 45 aircraft lay mines in the Frisians and south of Texel and there are 21 OTU planes dropping leaflets over French towns.
• 1 Wellington is lost on each of the operations.

Spitfire LF Mk Vs of No. 244 Wing flying over the Tunisian coast after escorting light bombers on a sortie to Mareth, 23 March 1943.

Spitfires over the Tunisian Coast

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 90th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s mount individual attacks against the airfield at Salamaua.
• B-25s attack numerous targets of opportunity.
• 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack Japanese Army ground forces around Mubo and the mouth of the Bitoi River.

Air Operations, Tunisia

• While attacking numerous ground targets throughout eastern Tunisia, pilots of the 31st, 52nd and 82nd Fighter Groups are engaged in several aerial actions in which 2 Bf-109s are downed and 6 are damaged between 0950 and 1030 hours.
• NASAF B-17s attack shipping in Bizerte harbor. 1st Fighter Group P-38 escort pilots down 3 Bf-109s at 1235 hours.

Eastern Front

The Soviet Rzhev-Vyazma Operation, conducted by the Kalinin and Western Fronts, comes to an end. Red Army losses are 38,862 killed or missing and 99,715 wounded. Total Red Army losses this year on the Eastern Front amount to 726,714 killed and missing and 1,425,692 wounded.

Rokossovsky's Central Front abandons Sevsk and takes up defensive positions east of town.

Japan, Planning

In response to the disaster in the Bismarck Sea, the Japanese plan to regain air superiority over Guadalcanal and Tulagi and over Papua. A total of 300 aircraft are to be employed in this effort. The Solomons are the target for the first half of April, to be followed by Papua in the second half of April. The Japanese stake inexperienced pilots against an increasingly confident and powerful US air fleet.

Mediterranean

• The troopship Windsor Castle is sunk by He-111 torpedo planes off Algeria.

March 23, 1943: HMT Windsor Castle sinking in the Mediterranean Sea after being attacked by a German aircraft.

Windsor Castle Sinking in the Mediterranean

• The British submarine Turbulent is declared lost after failing to return from a patrol off Sardinia. All 67 crew members are lost.

North Africa

In the US II Corps area, the 1st Armored Div continues its futile efforts to take Djebel Naemia, where the Germans are build up strength. The 1st Div contains 2 strong enemy thrusts toward El Guettar. There are heavy losses on both sides. The Southeast Algerian Command is meeting strong opposition as it continues to move forward south of the US II Corps.

An American tank destroyer battalion on reconnaissance at El Guettar on March 23, 1943, during the spoiling attack by the German 10th Panzer Division.

American Tank Destroyer Battalion on Reconnaissance

Bishop 25-pdr Self-propelled Guns in Action near Grenadier Hill, 23 March 1943

In the British 8th Army area, the XXX Corps withdraws the Wadi Zigzaou bridgehead during the night under cover of artillery fire. The Indian 4th Div begins operations to clear the Médenine-Hallouf-Bir Soltane road during the night. The X Corps headquarters and the 1st Armored Div move out after dark to join up with the New Zealand Corps in preparation for an assault against the enemy's western flank. The New Zealand Corp is still being held up in a bottleneck between Djebel Tebaga and Djebel Melab.

For the moment the Germans halt the American advance near El Guettar and Djebel Naemia, but 10th Pzr Div loses heavily in trying to exploit early successes. Already the American tactical performance is much improved. Montgomery decides to transfer his main attack to the Tebaga Gap and therefore sends 1st Arm Div and Gen Horrocks over the Matmata Hills to join the New Zealanders. This move is slowed by traffic problems.

Occupied Denmark

General Election results: National Coalition (anti-Nazi), 143 seats; Danish Nazi Party, 3 seats; Peasant Party (pro-Nazi), 2 seats.

Pacific

The US submarine Whale (SS-239) sinks the Japanese transport Kenyo Maru (6486t) about 130 miles northwest of Saipan.