Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Bomber Command B-25s attack barges near Cape Gloucester.

Air Operations, CBI

• 6 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s attack the Tienho airfield at Canton.
• 74th Fighter Squadron P-40s down 2 A6M Zeros over Kweilin during the morning and 23rd Fighter Group P-40 escorts down 4 A6M Zeros over the Tienho airfield at Canton during the afternoon. 3 P-40s are lost over Kweilin.

Air Operations, Europe

There are further Allied air raids on Naples, Avellino and Salerno provinces.

• NASAF B-25s attack a marshalling yard at Benevento.
• B-26s attack marshalling yards at Aversa and Capua.
• NATAF and IX Fighter Command P-40s attack road and rail targets while conducting several sweeps across the toe of Italy.
• In a large fighter battle near the Naples coast about 1230 hours, 1st and 82nd Fighter Group P-38s down 13 Axis fighters and damage many others.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 24 V Bomber Command B-25s, escorted by 46 P-38s, attack the airfield at Boram in the late morning. 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack Lae and Salamaua.
• P-38s of the 35th Fighter Group’s 39th Fighter Squadron and the 8th Fighter Group’s 80th Fighter Squadron down 13 Japanese fighters over and around Wewak in the late morning.

Air Operations, Sardinia

NAAF P-40s attack a marshalling yard at Monserrato.

Air Operations, Solomons

B5N 'Kate' torpedo bombers mount a dawn torpedo attack against US destroyers and LSTs approaching Barakoma via Gizo Channel. The torpedo attack is ineffective, but 1 US destroyer is damaged and 27 crewmen are killed or wounded when a bomber strafes the ship. An afternoon Japanese Navy bombing attack is ineffective, but a late-afternoon attack by B5N 'Kates' and D3A 'Val' dive bmobers against LSTs unloading supplies at Barakoma results in damage to 3 LSTs from near misses and the loss of several Japanese bombers to antiaircraft fire.

Baltic Sea

U-670 is lost in a collision with the target ship SS Bolkoburg the circumstances of which are unknown.

U-670

Diplomatic Relations

The talks between Gen Castellano and Gens Bedell Smith and Strong finish. The Allies insist on Italy's unconditional surrender. Gen Castellano is given 10 days to inform his government of the decisions.

Eastern Front

The Soviets take Liberdin, to the west of Kharkov.

Lebedin falls to the 40th Army as it moves west. At Kharkov, Rotmistrov's 5th Guards Tank Army tries to force the XI Corps from the city by direct frontal assault. The Germans are lying in wait with concealed panzers and anti-tank guns and exact terrible punishment on the 5th Guards Tank Army.

Panzers Rush to the Defense

Finland, Home Front

A peace petition is handed to Prime Minister Ryti.

Indian Ocean

U-197 is sunk by Catalinas of No 259 Squadron. Catalina 'C' is on a routine A/S patrol when she spots the U-boat and attacks with six depth charges. The U-boad slows down and lists to port, but the aircraft had no more depth charges. Catalina 'N' appears a short time later and drops three depth charges one of which explodes on the casing as the U-boat begins to dive.

U-197

New Guinea

Allied forces fight fiercely to take Babdubi Ridge, southwest of Salamaua.

Pacific

• The US submarine Gar (SS-206) sinks the Japanese transport Siezan Maru (955t).
• The US submarine Plunger (SS-179) sinks the Japanese merchant cargo ship Seitai Maru (3404t) off the southwest coast of Hokkaido.
• The US submarine Wahoo (SS-238) sinks the Japanese merchant sampan No.1 Inari Maru.
• The Dutch submarine O-24 sinks the Japanese gunboat Chosa Maru (2538t) south of Penang, Malasia.

Solomons

In New Georgia the Americans are still mopping up the last pockets of enemy resistance in the Bairoko area. The Japanese evacuate the southern part of Baanga Island.

American Soldiers Man a Light Tank