Air Operations, East Indies

During the night, 380th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack the Laha airfield on Ceram.

Air Operations, Europe

• 8 Mosquitos are sent to Cologne and Duisburg, 20 Stirlings and 14 Wellingtons lay mines south of Texel and off Brest and the Biscay ports, and there are 13 OTU sorties.
• 2 mine-laying Stirlings are lost.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 24 XIII Bomber Command B-17s and B-24s, 24 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s, and more than 50 Marine Corps F4Us and SBDs attack Rekata Bay.
• 20 XIII Fighter Command P-39s and P-40s attack Tanagaba Harbor.
• VMF-214 and VMF-221 F4Us down 6 A6M Zeros and 2 E13A 'Jake' reconnaissand floatplanes over and around Morgusaisai Island at 0920 hours.

Axis Politics

German and Italian representatives meet at Verona(?Tarvisio, on the border between Italy and Austria). The purpose of the meeting is to clarify relations between the 2 countries. Foreign Ministers | ]

Battle of the Atlantic

The German submarine U-615 is sunk by US naval land-based aircraft (VB-130, VP-204, VP-205) and Army aircraft in the Caribbean.

Eastern Front

In Moscow 120 guns fire 12 salvos in honor of the forces that liberated Orel and Belgorod. The daily bulletin announces that Kromy, 25 miles southwest of Orel, and 70 other places have been liberated, and that the great offensive in the direction of Kharkov is developing favorably. The Soviets also capture Zolochev, northwest of Kharkov.

The 9th Army falls back upon the Hagen line, Kromy being given up to the advancing 13th Army.

During the early hours of the morning the 1st Tank Army launches an attack aimed at isolating the Germans at Borisovka. Lead units of the 27th Army, supporting the attack, smashes the Germans aside and drives upon Grayvoron. Near the town elements of the LII Corps launch a counterattack.

The 5th Guards Tank Army attacks the redeploying III Panzer Corps near Zolochev and becomes embroils in heavy fighting. The ferocity of the German defense halts further Soviet progress.

Italy

German reinforcements begin arriving in Italy. | ]

Mediterranean

The British submarine Parthian is lost in the South Adriatic probably to a mine with the loss of her entire crew of 65. She is due to arrive in Beirut on the 11th.

The initial patrol from the 16th Infantry Regiment moves up into the town to see if the Germans have departed, 6 August 1943.

US 16th Infantry on Patrol

Sicily

At first light the 16th Regiment of the American 1st Div finally enters Troina after 5 days of heavy fighting. The British 78th Div take the important position of Adrana.

American MP standing on a large pile of Italian weapons on a street in Palermo, Italy, on August 6, 1943.

Italian Weapons in Palermo

Solomons

During the night the Battle of the Gulf of Vella takes place. 6 US destroyers under the command of Commodore F. Moosbrugger meet 4 Japanese destroyers having sailed from Rabaul carrying men and supplies to Kolombangara in Vela Gulf. The engagement lasts until a little after midnight and ends in a brilliant victory for the Americans. 3 of the Japanese ships, the Kawakaze, the Hagikaze and the Arashi, are sunk by torpedoes while the Americans suffer no damage. About 300 Japanese manage to reach Vella Lavella in the one remaining destroyer, and are later transferred to Kolombangara. About 1,500 others, soldiers and seamen, lose their lives.