Air Operations, Aleutians

28th Composite Bomb Group bombers join a US Navy task force in the preinvasion bombardment of Kiska. 8 B-24s, 9 B-25s, and 8 343rd Fighter Group P-38s attack the island in two waves.

Air Operations, Europe

• 740 aircraft are sent to Hamburg. In this total are 329 Lancasters, 235 Halifaxes, 105 Stirlings, 66 Wellingtons and 5 Mosquitos.
• The bombing force runs into a large thunderstorm area over Germany. Many of the crews turn back early or bomb alternate targets. At least 4 aircraft are lost because of icing, turbulence or are struck by lightning. No Pathfinder marking is possible at Hamburg and only scattered bombing takes place there. Many other towns in a 100-mile area of northern Germany receive bombs from this raid. A sizeable raid develops on the small town of Elmshorn, 12 miles from Hamburg. It is believed that a flash of lightning set a house on fire there. Bomber crews see the fire through a gap in the clouds and drop their loads there.
• 13 Lancasters, 10 Halifaxes, 4 Wellingtons and 3 Stirlings are lost.

Aftermath of the Bombing of Hamburg

Photo #1 after Hamburg Bombing

Photo #2 after Hamburg Bombing

Photo #3 after Hamburg Bombing

Photo #4 after Hamburg Bombing

Lucky Escape for Stirling and Halifax Crews
Halifax and Crew	Sterling and Crew

• 5 Mosquitos are sent to Duisburg, 6 Wellingtons lay mines in the Elbe River and there are 12 OTU sorties.
• 1 Wellington mine-layer is lost.
• The 'Battle of Hamburg' ends with night raids by 425 RAF bombers in very bad weather. 30 planes are lost. In the bombing of Hamburg by the RAF 2,752 planes dropped a total of 8,621 tons of bombs. Casualties include about 42,600 killed and 37,000 seriously wounded. 580 factories are hit, 170,000 tons of shipping and 3 U-boats are lost.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 43rd Heavy Bomb Group B-17s attack supply dumps at Hansa Bay and targets of opportunity along the Francisco River.
• V Bomber Command B-17s and B-24s attack the harbor at Lae, Salamaua, and the Voco Point area and B-25s attack barges between Bogadjim and Lae and elsewhere along the coast.
• P-38s from the 49th Fighter Group’s 9th Fighter Squadron down 11 Ki-43 'Oscar' fighters near Saidor at 1310 hours.

Air Operations, Sardinia

The only confirmed aerial victories in the theater are awarded for 4 Luftwaffe fighters downed during an afternoon mission by 14th Fighter Group P-38s.

Air Operations, Sicily

• NATAF aircraft attack ammunition and supply dumps, motor vehicles, and road junctions throughout southeastern Sicily; docking facilities and shipping at Messina and Milazzo, and various targets of opportunity in the battle area.
• IX Bomber Command B-25s attack Adrano.
• IX Fighter Command P-40s attack shipping off Milazzo and in the Straits of Messina.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 6 XIII Bomber Command B-17s and 12 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s, escorted by XIII Fighter Command P-40s, attack the Bairoko Harbor area.
• 13th Air Force B-24s, B-25s, and P-40s, and Marine Corps F4Us attack the Webster Cove area.

Aleutians

The Americans bombard Kiska with 2 battleships, 5 cruisers and 9 destroyers, yet again unaware that the Japanese have gone. Kiska is also being bombed every day from the air. Between August 2 and August 15, the scheduled date of the landing, the island will be shelled from the sea 10 more times.

Battle of the Atlantic

• German submarine U-706 is sunk in the eastern Atlantic by US Army aircraft.

U-706 Class Type VIIC CO Korvettenkapitän Alexander von Zitzewitz Location Atlantic, NW of Cape Ortegal Cause Air attack Casualties 42 Survivors 4

U-106 Class Type IXB CO Oberleutnant zur See Dietrich Damerow Location Atlantic, NW of Cape Ortegal Cause Air attack Casualties 22 Survivors 36

• U-106 is sunk in an attack by Sunderlands 'N' of No 228 Squadron and 'M' of No 461 Squadron. The submarine had been previously damaged by a Mosquito of No 407 Squadron RCAF and had requested assistance. While attempting to find those coming to his aid she surfaces and is spotted by the two aircraft. Both planes carry out a series of attacks resulting in the sinking of the U-boat stern first.

China

Pres Lin Sen dies at the age of 81. Chiang Kai-shek is appointed Acting-President.

Diplomatic Relations

The Italian Ambassador in Lisbon contacts Allied representatives.

Eastern Front

The Russian offensive continues on all fronts. On the Orel front the Soviets take Znamenskaya.[MORE]

Action at the Battle of Kursk

Italy, Home Front

A message from the Allies to the people of Italy, broadcast from Algiers, announces the imminent invasion of the peninsula by the British and Americans.

Prisoner Uprising at Treblinka

Pacific

US Army aircraft sink two Japanese torpedo boats, Nos. 112 and 113, near Lae, New Guinea.

Sicily

The American 1st Div continues its attacks on Troina which is resolutely defended by the Axis troops. The advance of the US 3rd Div along the coast road is slowed down a good deal by minefields, the destruction of bridges and similar obstacles.[MORE]

In the British sector the Canadians take Regalbuto and the British 78th Div fights its way into Centuripe. The Gerbini airfield complex is also captured.

Solomons

The Americans on New Georgia are now fighting on the edge of the Munda airfield. The Japanese have decided not to reinforce the island any more and are concentrating instead on Kolombangara. They are able to withdraw some of their forces to Kolombangara from New Georgia. Meanwhile another American infantry division, the 37th, has landed on the island.