Chronology of World War II

August 1943

Thursday, August 5

Air Operations, Bismarcks 1 V Bomber Command B-24 attacks an island in Marien Harbor, New Britain. [ | ] Air Operations, Europe RAF BOMBER COMMAND Evening Ops: 5 Mosquitos, out of 8 sent, bomb Duisburg and Düsseldorf without a loss. [ | ] Air Operations, New Guinea More than 30 V Bomber Command B-25s attack Bogadjim and Saidor, barges at Alexishafen and Madang, and a bridge while 1 B-24 attacks Finschhafen. [ | ] Air Operations, Solomons XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack Rekata Bay. 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s and Marine Corps F4Us strafe barges at Gizo Island. US Army ground forces capture the Munda Point airfield on New Georgia. [ | ] Diplomatic Relations Sweden revokes the agreement permitting the passage of German troops and munitions along her railways. [ | ] Eastern Front The attacks of

Russian Infantry Supported by Tanks is Fighting for Belgorod

Inhabitants of the Falcon Greet Soldiers of the Red Army, August 5, 1943

The Soviet 3rd and 63rd Armies recapture Orel.

The Soviet 5th Guards and 6th Armies batter enemy forces around Tomarovka as the 27th and 40th Armies advance to the west of the town. Toward evening, the units of the XLVIII Panzer Corps begin a fighting withdrawal from the town to save themselves. The Soviet 1st Tank and 27th Armies approach Bogodukhov as the 53rd Armies severs the Belgorod-Kharkov road. Inside the city, the 7th Guards and 69th Armies eject the German defenders and establish bridgeheads over the Donets.[MORE]

North Sea

In a raid by the German 2nd and 6th Motor Torpedo Boat Flotillas in the Harwich area, the British minesweeping trawler Red Gauntlet is sunk by S-86 with the loss of 21 of her crew.

Sicily

The British enter Catania at 8:30a.m.. and also capture Paterno a few miles inland. On the coast the American 3rd Div's advance is held up by German defenses on the crest of San Fratello hill, between Sant' Agata and the sea.

British Troops Scramble over Rubble in a Devastated Street in Catania, 5 August 1943

Solomons

In New Georgia, after 12 days of savage jungle warfare, the Americans finally take their main objective, Munda airfield, and begin the mopping-up of the whole island. US engineers set about making the airfield fit to US aircraft to use a a forward base for the Solomon Islands campaign.

Soviet Union, Home Front

120-gun 'Victory Salute' is fired in Moscow at midnight to celebrate the liberation of Orel.