Air Operations, Central Pacific

A VMF-441 F4F based at the airfield at Funafuti downs a G3M 'Nell' medium bomber over Nui Island at 1215 hours.

Air Operations, Europe

A week of hell begins for the big cities in the north of Italy. Milan is bombed 4 times by a total of 916 RAF aircraft, which drop 4,000 tons of bombs on the city, completely destroying 11,700 buildings and seriously damaging 15,000 others. British bombers, 380 strong, carry out 3 violent raids on Turin, causing tremendous damage and many deaths, and Genoa is laid waste by an attack by 73 aircraft, again with many casualties.

Air Operations, Mediterranean

8 Luftwaffe are downed in the theater during the day which include 1 Ju-88 reconnaissance bomber off Algiers, and 7 fighters over Italy at various times and places between 0940 and 1830 hours.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-24s attack Larat, barges at Kokas, and ships at Semboh.

The SU-152 Self-Propelled Gun

Air Operations, Solomons

23 42nd Mediums Bombardment Group B-25s, escorted by Air Corps and Marine Corps fighters, attack Buki and Vila on Kolombangara.

Eastern Front

The remnants of the LII Corps retreat to the area east of Akhtyrka where the Grossdeutschland Division holds off units of the 1st Tank Army. III Panzer Corps continues to attack the 1st Tank Army, forcing the Soviets onto the defensive south and east of Bogodukhov. Zolochev falls to 5th Guards Tank Army as the III Panzer Corps pulls back from the town. Aleksandrovka also falls to the Soviets.

With the Borisovka pocket destroyed the Soviets regroup their 27th and 6th Guards Armies. These armies are to push southwest toward Akhtyrka and Kotevka while 40th Army pushes toward Trostyanets.

Germany, Home Front

Berlin radio announces that over 1,000,000 women, children, and elderly and infirm persons are being evacuated from Berlin.

Italy, Politics

Benito Mussolini is imprisoned on Maddalena Island, off the northeast coast of Sardinia.

New Georgia

Although Munda has been captured, fighting on the island continues. The Americans are trying to prevent more Japanese escaping to Kolombangara.

Sicily

In the north in an amphibious operation supported by 1 cruiser and 3 destroyers, the Americans land a small force east of Sant' Agata. The Germans pull back and Sant' Agata falls to the main US forces, as does Cesaro inland. On the British sector the 78th Div takes Bronte as well as Acireale.[MORE]

C-47 Dakotas at Wau Airfield