Air Operations, Bismarcks8 V Bomber Command B-17s and 3 B-24s attack the Vunakanau airfield at Rabaul in support of US Army landings in the Trobriand Islands. 1 heavy bomber attacks a cargo ship off Cape Gloucester. [ | ]Air Operations, East IndiesV Bomber Command B-25s attack the the Cape Chater airfield on Timor. [ | ]Air Operations, MediterraneanB-17s raid Palermo. [ | ]Air Operations, New GuineaV Bomber Command B-25s support Australian Army ground troops in the Nassau Bay beachhead and attack Logui and Salamaua. Making its combat debut on this mission is the 345th Medium Bomb Group. [ | ]Air Operations, PacificThe Japanese bomb Darwin again. [ | ]Air Operations, Solomons
AtlanticThe battleships Alabama (BB-60) and South Dakota (BB-57) arrive in Scapa Flow. The Free French take over the Vichy warships at Martinique. [ | ]CaribbeanVichy's high commissioner in the French West Indies, Adm Georges Robert, in Martinique, asks the US to send a 'plenipotentiary to fix the terms for a change of French authority . . . to avoid bloodshed.' Robert had previously kept the island and other French possessions in the Caribbean loyal to Pétain. Fighting does break out, however, between military units, some of which are insisting on aligning the islands with de Gaulle. [ | ]Eastern FrontThere are numerous small-scale engagements in many locations all along the front. The armies are becoming more active again as the ground hardens and the winter's losses are being made good as far as is possible. THE OSTHEERThe Ostheer has 3,100,000 men under arms, of whom approximately 1,200,000 are combat troops. The armies in the line also have 2,270 panzers, of which 500 are obsolete models, nearly 1,000 assault guns and 2,500 aircraft. Around Kursk the Germans deply 10,000 arty pieces and 2,400 tanks. The Germans commit the 328th Infantry Division to the combat line, bringing their strength up to 16 panzer, 14 motorized and 147 infantry divisions. THE RED ARMYThe Soviets have 6,422,000 men mobilized, of whom around half are combat soldiers equipped with 103,000 arty pieces, nearly 10,000 tanks and Su's and over 8,300 aircraft. In the Kursk salient there are 1,300,000 men and 3,500 tanks. The Red Army and Navy have lost 191,904 killed and missing in action and 490,637 wounded during the second quarter of 1943. [ | ]New GeorgiaThe US 43rd Division has taken the island of Rendova, within artillery range of the New Georgian mainland and the important airfield at Munda. The occupation of Munda is vital to enabling the next 'hop' up the Solomon Islands toward Bougainville. Other US landings are made at Wickham, Viru and Segi Point.
The US attack transport McCawley (APA-4) is damaged by an enemy submarine torpedo and later sunk by a US motor torpedo boat off New Georgia. [ | ]New GuineaA mixed Australian and American unit known as MacKechnie Force lands at Nassau Bay at Salamaua from Morobe and immediately is involved in heavy fighting to consolidate and extend a bridgehead. They push north towards the Bitoi River and to the south towards the Tabali River. There is heavy resistance by the Japanese. The enemy salient at Mubo is held despite constant pressure by the Australian 17th Bde. [ | ]
SolomonsOperation CARTWHEEL begins according to plan with a series of assaults and amphibious operations carried out by the South Pacific and Southwest Pacific forces, with the object of capturing Rabaul, New Britain, advance post of the Japanese Empire. The forces of the US army and navy act in coordimation under the overall command of Gen MacArthur. The amphibious force of the US 3rd Fleet, organized as Task Force 51 under the command of Rear-Adm R. K. Turner and with land-based air support commanded by Vice-Adm A. W. Fitch, lands the New Georgia occupation force. The landing force is made up of the US 43rd Div and contingents of Marines under to overall command of Gen John K. Hester. The landings are on several islands in the New Georgia group. The Main landing is on Rendova Island. The troops landed here are to occupy the island and then cross to New Georgia to take Munda airfield. The landing on Rendova takes place with no difficulty; the units from the 43rd Div press on inland for over half a mile before they meet any resistance from the few Japanese patrols. In New Georgia units of the 103rd Inf, not getting the signal agreed with the Raiders that they have already occupied Viru harbor, are put ashore at Segi Point. The Raiders occupy Viru in the evening. Other landings are made on smaller islands: Sasavele, Baraulu and Vangunu. Here the Japanese, while not holding up the landing, as they have elsewhere, put up a strenuous resistance to the Marines' penetration from Oleana, where they land, towards Wickham Anchorage. The Japanese air force is very active, sinking the transport McCawley and damaging other ships. US fighters break up the Japanese formations operating in the area losing 17 of their own. [ | ]Trobriand IslandsThe main body of the occupation forces of the US 6th Div lands on Woodlark and Kriwina Islands, together with a contingent of Seabees who are to build 2 airfields. [ | ] |
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[June 29th - July 1st] |