Air Operations, Aleutians

A force of 16 28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s and 6 B-25s attack the airfields on Kiska and Attu, and the Kiska base facilities. In a separate attack, 3 B-25s, 16 343rd Fighter Group P-38s, and 16 P-40s attack Kiska.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

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

Air Operations, CBI

• 5 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack rail facilities at Mahlwagon.
• 17 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack rail targets at Mandalay.
• 2 B-25s attack Ngamya.
• 1 B-25 and 12 51st Fighter Group P-40s provide direct support to Allied ground forces.

Air Operations, Europe

US bombers make a heavy raid on Antwerp causing heavy damage.

Collateral Damage near Antwerp

This small town near to Antwerp was a victim during world war 2 what is called now 'Collateral damage', could not avoid damage from a bombing. And always with civilian casualties. On April 5, 1943 at 15:30; 83 American bombers attacked the Erla-factories in ‘Mortselse Vredebaan’ . German planes were restored there. At 7000 meters altitude dropped the flying fortresses 225 tonnes bombs. Only a few bombs hitted the target. The other bombs went to the centre of Mortsel. On the Erla-factories were only 4 projectiles hits. The rain bombs killed 936 civilians and wounded 1,342. More than 200 children younger than 15 were killed.

• 12 Venturas attack a tanker at Brest. The ship is not hit but nearby dock installations are.
• 3 Venturas are lost.

View from one of the Venturas of the Raid on Brest

Air Operations, New Guinea

43rd Heavy Bomb Group B-17s mount individual attacks against a variety of targets.

Air Operations, North Africa

P-38 Lightnings shoot down 14 Ju-52 transports off the Tunisian coast.

Burma

The British military disaster in the Arakan continues to unfold. The Japanese have by now pushed the British forces halfway back up the Mayu Peninsula. The Japanese on the Mayu peninsula continue to advance northwestwards, in the direction of Indin on the Arakan coast. They overrun the headquarters of the 6th Indian Bde. Meanwhile the 26th Indian Div has replaced the 14th on the Burma front.

Germany, Home Front

Dietrich Bonhoeffer is arrested and Col Hans Oster is dismissed from the Abwehr.

North Africa

In his usual methodical style Montgomery is now ready to attack the Wadi Akarit Line. The defenses there have been improved in the past few days and are now occupied mostly by the Italian infantry with 15th Pzr and part of 90th Light in reserve. Most of the Axis armor is farther north, engaging Patton's Corps around El Guettar. Montgomery has been persuaded to begin his attack with a silent night advance by 4th Indian Div against the Djebel Fatnassa position. This gets under way on the evening of the 5th and soon makes good progress. They reach Hill 275 at midnight.

The follow-up attack in the morning is badly co-ordinated, however, and an untidy battle develops during the day as the Axis reserves are drawn in. The Axis troops are able to retire further north, towards the new Enfidaville defense line, a series of heights that reaches as far as Djebel Mansour, and which represents the final protective line in front of Tunis. Axis losses are enormous. The Italian Centauro Div has been smashed, less than 50% of the fighting force survives.

In the US II Corps area, a stalemate continues as the enemy halts all efforts of the 1st and 9th Divs to advance. The II Corps takes precautionary measures to meet an enemy attack, which hostile concentrations are interpreted to indicate. When no attack materializes, it is correctly anticipated that the enemy is preparing to withdraw. Gen Ernest Harmon assumes command of the 1st Armored Div, replacing Gen Ward.

In the British 1st Army's V Corps area, the 4th Div assumes command of the sector northeast of Bédja.

Pacific

The US destroyer O'Bannon (DD-450) sinks the Japanese submarine RO-34 in the Solomon Islands area.