Air Operations, CBI

• 14 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s and 7 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s, escorted by 11 23rd Fighter Group P-40s, are sent to attack the airfield at Hankow. The P-40s are delayed when the airfield at Hengyang Airdrome is attacked by Japanese bombers. The unescorted B-24s fail to locate the primary target, but they are able to attack the city’s dock area despite determined attacks by as many as 50 Ki-43 'Oscar' fighters. 1 B-24 is shot down. A second B-24, which is severely damaged, later crash-lands with 3 dead and 2 seriously wounded crewmen. A third B-24 is written off following an emergency landing at the airfield at Lingling. It is later reported through Chinese sources that bombs from the B-24s, in addition to causing massive material damage, are responsible for the deaths of 3 Imperial Army generals and several other high-ranking officers.
• 449th Fighter Squadron P-38s and 23rd Fighter Group P-40s down 6 A6M Zeros over the airfield at Hengyang at 1000 hours.

Air Operations, East Indies

380th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack Pombelaa, Celebes.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 43rd Heavy Bomb Group B-17s attack Bogadjim.
• 18 V Bomber Command B-25s, escorted by 60 V Fighter Command P-38s, attack the airfields at But and Dagua and B-24s mount individual attacks against Salamaua and targets of opportunity around Malahang.
• In an aerial engagement from Dagua to Wewak, 8th, 35th, and 475th Fighter group P-38s down 35 Japanese fighters between 0935 and 1015 hours.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s, escorted by AirSols fighters, attack barges.
• Throughout the day, Japanese Navy aircraft mount piecemeal attacks against Allied shipping off Vella Lavella, but little damage results.
• Marine Corps F4Us down 3 D3A 'Val' dive bombers and 10 A6M Zeros in the Vella Lavella area between 0945 and 1530 hours.

Australia, Politics

In the General Election, | ]

Diplomatic Relations

Gromyko becomes the Soviet Ambassador in Washington.

Eastern Front

The Red Army vice tightens around Kharkov.

The fighting along the Mius line since July 17 has cost Hollidt's 6th Army 23,830 casualties and the 1st Panzer Army 6,174.

(5th AF) 38th BG, 71st BS B-25's pound But Airfield, New Guinea. Aircraft burns at But Airfield with B-25 at far right.

B-25s Attack But Airfield

Germany, Armed Forces

Army Group South reports on the current strength of its divisions. It is a telling indication of how German divisions have been worn down by their participation in the Battle of Kursk and battling subsequent Soviet offensives. The 6th Army had 10 infantry divisions, whose fighting power is equivalent to 3.5 divisions. Its one panzer division has the fighting power equivalent to half a panzer division. The 1st Panzer Army posses 8 infantry and 3 panzer and panzergrenadier divisions, which have the fighting power equivalent to 5.5 and 1.25 divisions respectively. The 8th Army has an impressive 12 infantry and 5 panzer divisions, but these only have the fighting power equivalent to 5.75 and 2.3 divisions respectively, while the 4th Panzer Army has 8 infantry and 5 panzer divisions, which have a fighting power equivalent to 3 and 2 divisions respectively.

B-25's attack Dagua Airfield

(5th AF) 38th BG B-25's attack Dagua Airfield, with close escort by sixteen P-38s of the 80th FS. There were scattered clouds over the target and an overcast en route over the mountains. The formation was attacked by between 20 and 40 Ki-43 Oscars about 15 miles south of Dagua, eleven of which were claimed to have been shot down. Lost are P-38G piloted by Guttel, P-38 piloted by Feehan and P-38G piloted by Krisher also P-38F 42-12637 ditched, pilot DeGraffenreid survived. Japanese sources indicate 25 fighters intercepted from 13th Sentai (mostly flying Type 1 fighters at this time), 59th Sentai and 68th Sentai, and seven were lost (another source lists 6 pilots killed: 2 from 68th Sentai and three from 13th Sentai and one from 59th Sentai). Japanese claims 11 plus 4 uncertain.

New Guinea

Australian troops occupy Komiatum, 6 miles southwest of Salamaua.

United States, Home Front

A new 100,000,000-volt X-ray machine is announced by the General Electric Co.

Entertaining the troops: Hal Block (1913–1981), Bob Hope (1903–2003), Barney Dean (1903–1954), General George S. Patton, Frances Langford (1913–2005), and Tony Romano (1915–2005) in Sicily, August 21, 1943.

Entertaining the Troops