Air Operations, Aleutians

23 28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s, 20 B-25s, 25 343rd Fighter Group P-38s, and 44 P-40s attack Kiska in 2 seperate missions. 1 B-24 is brought [ | ]
down by antiaircraft fire.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

43rd Heavy Bomb Group B-17s attack the Gasmata airfield on New Britain and Rabaul-area airfields.

Air Operations, CBI

• 8 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack the oil refinery at Thilawa.
• 7 B-24s attack Prome.
• 10 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the marshalling yard at Mandalay.
• 9 B-25s attack the marshalling yard at Ywataung.

Air Operations, Europe

• 13 Venturas bomb a whaling factory ship in dry dock at Cherbourg. Bomb bursts are seen straddling the target.
• There are no losses.

• 23 aircraft lay mines from Brest to Lorient and there are 5 OTU sorties.
• There are no losses.

Air Operations, Mediterranean

Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur William Tedder's new 'Mediterranean Air Command' includes the following formations: Middle East Command, Northwest African Air Forces, including the Free French, RAF Malta, Strategic AF, Tactical AF, Coastal AF, (Western) Desert AF, and the 12th US Air Support Command.

Air Operations, New Guinea

43rd Heavy Bomb Group B-17s attack Lae.

Aleutians

America begins preparations for an attack on Attu Island. It is to be carried out by 7th Div which has in fact been training for North Africa. Units of the 7th Infantry Div are to be taken to Adak and Dutch Harbor, then embarked in a destroyer and two submarines for the final phase of the operation.

Axis Planning

Hitler signs the operational order for Operation ZITADELLE (CITADEL) - a 'decisive' spring offensive against the Kursk Salient to begin May 3. It will be postponed to May 9 on April 29.

Battle of the Atlantic

• The British submarine P-615 is sunk by U-123 about 100 miles southwest of Freetown. All 40 of the crew are lost.

The British submarine P-615 was originally built for the Turkish Navy as Uluc Ali Reis, but was taken over by the Royal Navy on April 3, 1942.

British Submarine P-615

• The Italian submarine Archimede is sunk by naval land-based aircraft (VP-83) off the coast of Brazil.

Eastern Front

After protracted debate Hitler issues Operational Order 6, calling for the destruction of the Soviet forces in the Kursk salient. The operation is given the code name CITADEL. With speed the crucial element in the plan, the offensive is to begin May 3.

North Africa

Gen Bradley assumes command of the US II Corps, replacing Lt-Gen George S. Patton, Jr, who returns to his previous task of preparing for the invasion of Sicily.

In the British 1st Army area, the V Corps' 78th Div loses Djebels el Ang and Tanngouche to an enemy counterattack but recaptures the former and part of the latter.

Russell Islands

On Banika Island the Americans complete the first of two airfields they have decided to build there.

Soviet Union, Armed Forces

Lt Lakov Stalin, the son of the Soviet dictator who has been a German prisoner since July 1941, dies in Sachsenhausen camp after running into the electric fence surrounding the camp, apparently so overcome by shame at the news of his father's massacre of Polish officers at Katyn. The Germans had wanted to exchange him for Gen Paulus, but Stalin would not hear of it.

United States, Command

Gen Omar Bradley assumes command of the US II Corps from Patton who is assigned to plan the invasion of Sicily.

Film actor Joe E. Brown autographs a 1,000-pound bomb, ‘To Tojo from Joe,’ and says, There, boys, is the address with U.S. forces somewhere in New Guinea on April 15, 1943. Now go and deliver it. He is with the crew of the heavy B-24 bomber which is named "Yanks from Hell". (AP Photo)

Joe E. Brown Autographs Bomb