While the RAF attacked at night, so too would the USAAF during the day. This B-17F, 'Bad Check', is pictured at Molesworth on 11 September 1943.

B-17F at Molesworth

Air Operations, CBI

• 10 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s, escorted by 11 23rd Fighter Group P-40s, attack the port area at Hankow and cotton mills at Wuchang.
• 3 449th Fighter Squadron P-38s bomb fuel and ammunition depots at Tayeh and strafe barracks and warehouses at Yangsin.
• A 16th Fighter Squadron P-40 downs a Ki-27 'Nate' fighter and an A6M Zero near Hankow during a morning mission.

Air Operations, East Indies

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

Air Operations, Japan

8 28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s and 12 B-25s stage through the airfield on Attu to attack Paramushiro and nearby targets, including shipping. 40 Japanese Navy fighters attack the bombers. 1 B-24 is downed by antiaircraft fire, 7 B-25s and 1 B-24 are downed by the Japanese fighters, and 2 B-24s land in the Soviet Union, where they and their crews are interned. Bomber gunners claim to have shot down 13 fighters with 3 more probables.

Air Operations, Mediterranean

During the next 5 days Do-217s of KG100, formerly KGr100, commence a series of attacks on the Allied fleet off Salerno using Fritz X and Hs-293 missiles. The cruisers Savannah and Uganda and the battleship Warspite are seriously damaged. The hospital ship Newfoundland and 1 transport are sunk.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 18 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack ground targets on Kolombangara.
• 25 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack the Kahili airfield on Bougainville.
• Airsols SBDs and fighters attack gun emplacemants at Hamberi.
• A detachment of VMF-213, in F4Us, moves to the Munda Point airfield on New Georgia from the Advance Base Knucklehead at Banika and immediately mounts an attack against the Kahili airfield on Bougainville.
• 3 XIII Bomber Command B-24s mount an evening attack against the Vila airfield on Kolombangara.
• A VMF-222 F4U downs 1 A6M Zero over Kahili at 1205.
• VMF-213 F4Us down 1 Ki-61 'Tony' fighter and 5 A6M Zeros over the Shortlands and southern Bougainville at 1230 hours.
• A VF-33 F6F downs 1 Ki-61 'Tony' over Fauro Island at 1230 hours.

Aleutians

Gen Davenport Johnson takes over command of the 11th Air Force, which has begun an air offensive against the Kuril Islands from bases in the Aleutians. Japanese fighters and anti-aircraft guns have been causing heavy losses.

Balkans

Yugoslav Partisans occupy the port of Split.

Battle of the Atlantic

A German submarine lays mines off Charleston, South Carolina, but no damage is ever reported.

Eastern Front

A German counterattack succeeds in closing the gap between the 1st Panzer and 6th Armies.

USS Savannah (CL-42) Hit by German Glider Bomb

The USS Savannah (CL-42) is hit by a German radio-controlled glider bomb, while supporting Allied forces ashore during the Salerno operation, 11 September 1943. The bomb hit the top of the ship’s number three 6"/47 gun turret and penetrated deep into her hull before exploding. The photograph shows the explosion venting through the top of the turret and also through Savannah’s hull below the waterline. A motor torpedo boat (PT) is passing by in the foreground.

The Bodies of Dead Crewmen Are Laid out on Deck as Rescue Efforts Continue

Corpsmen Attend to Casualties on the USS Savannah, 11th September 1943

Corpsmen Attend to Casualties on the USS Savannah, 11th September 1943

Italy

The pattern of the previous day is repeated at Salerno. Early on both the British and American Corps advance with some success but both are later pushed back. The German reinforcements are beginning to come up and, in the bridgehead, the morale is poor because of the lack of progress.

There are major German air attacks on the landings throughout the day despite the efforts of the Allied air forces. The cruiser Savannah is badly damaged by a glider bomb.

Troops from British 1st Airborne Div take Brindisi without opposition. These units and those at Taranto have been sent simply to seize the ports and have virtually no transport to enable them to push north. The only opposition in that direction is the understrength German 1st Parachute Div, which is about a quarter of the British strength. The main forces of 8th Army move into Catanzaro and advance toward Crotone

Four Italian cruisers off St Paul’s Island during the morning of September 11, 1943, The Aosta (foreground) is still entering the bay. The others, already anchored, are the Garibaldi (left), the Abruzzi (right, background) and the Montecuccoli.

Italian Cruisers off St Paul’s Island

Mediterranean

Over the next 3 weeks 7,139 French and US troops are transported from Algiers to Corsica.

New Guinea

The Australian 5th Div crosses the Francisco River near Salamaua airfield. As the Japanese garrison of Salamaua pulls back the Australians take the airfield and enter the town.

7th Division Australian Army unloading supplies at Nadzab September 11, 1943

7th Division Australian Army Unloading Supplies

Occupied France

German SS troops begin raiding the homes and properties of Jews in Nice.

Solomons

On Arundel Island the American 27th Inf Regt of the 25th Div lands on the western point of the Bomboe peninsula and advances eastward to where the 172nd Inf is deployed. For the first time in the Pacific the Americans employ their new 105-mm mortars against the Japanese positions.