Air Operations, Aleutians
- 1 28th Composite Bomb Group B-25 mounts a ground-support attack at Attu.
- 6 343rd Fighter Group P-40s attack Kiska.
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]Air Operations, Europe
BOMBER COMMANDDaylight Ops:
- 14 Mosquitos of 105 and 139 Squadrons are sent at low level to attack a glassworks and optical instruments factory at Jena. The round flight from the Dutch coast is more than 500 miles. 2 Mosquitos of 130 Squadron collide on the outward flight near Paderborn and crash. Another plane of 105 Squadron is also lost. Despite the balloon barrage and flak, 11 aircraft bomb the 2 targets with great accuracy.
- On the return to England, 2 more planes, 1 from each squadron, crash in Norfolk and the crews are killed.
Armourers move the bomb trolley under the belly of a Mosquiton |
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Mosquito of No 139 Squadron |
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- 518 aircraft including 274 Lancasters, 151 Halifaxes, 81 Wellingtons and 12 Mosquito are sent to Essen.
- The weather is cloudy and skymarking is uses. The main bombing is scattered with many of the bombs falling short. The limited damage in Essen is in the northern and central districts. Bombs fall in 10 surrounding Ruhr towns.
- 11 Halifaxes, 6 Lancasters, 5 Wellingtons and 1 Mosquito are lost.
- 23 aircraft lay mines in the Frisians and there are 19 OTU sorties.
- 1 mine-laying Stirling is lost.
| ] Green Hornet, Louie Zamperini's Plane |
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B-17s Damaged in Accidental Explosion |
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Damaged B-17s |
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Air Operations, New Guinea
- 43rd Heavy Bomb Group B-24s and V Bomber Command B-25s attack both the town and airfield at Lae.
- B-25s attack Japanese Army ground troops.
- B-24s and B-25s mount individual attacks against Finschhafen, Langgoer, and Saidor.
| ]Aleutians
On Attu forces of the US 7th Inf Div finally seize Fish Hook Ridge. The construction of a fighter runway near Alexai Point is begun.
[ | ]Allied Planning
Churchill and Gen Marshall leave Washington for North Africa for talks with Gen Eisenhower on what is to be attempted in the coming Italian campaign. Marshall wishes to avoid any commitment that could interfere with a later cross-Channel operation, while Churchill is keen for opportunities in the Mediterranean to be explained and Italy knocked out of the war.
[ | ]Britain, Home Front
Arthur Mee, author of children's books and editor of the 'Children's Newspaper', dies at age 67.
[ | ]Diplomatic Relations
The Pope appoints Monsignor Godfrey the Papal Chargé d'Affaires to the Polish Government.
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Eastern Front
In the Kuban another Soviet attack goes in but fails to penetrate the German defenses.
[ | ]France, Resistance
The Comite National de la Resistance, Council of National Resistance, meets in Paris for the first time. This nationwide organization for the various resistance groups has largely been the achievement of de Gaulle's lieutenant, Jean Moulin. Politically this is of considerable benefit to de Gaulle's position with the Allies.
[ | ]United States, Home Front
All contractors involved in the production of US war materials are barred from practicing racial discrimination.
[ | ]United States, Planning
The Joint Committee for War Planning is asked to work out the requirements in men and materials, and to suggest possible dates, for the invasion of the Marshall Islands in the Pacific.
[ | ]Yugoslavia, Resistance
British officers are dropped to rendezvous with Tito's Partisan forces in Montenegro near Mount Durmitor. For some time the SOE, Special Operations Executive, have been receiving reports that Gen Draza Mihailovic and his Chetniks are cooperating with the Germans, but only now are they able to contact Tito and the real resistance. Tito's forces are in trouble at this time. They are hemmed in by superior German, Italian and Bulgarian forces and have been under attack for 10 days but are beginning now to concentrate their force in preparation for fighting their way out. One reason for this slowness has been the desire to keep the appointment with the British.
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