Aegean

Cos in the Dodecanese is occupied by British SBS, 11th Parachute Battalion and Durham Light Infantry members and a squadron of Spitfires is flown in.

Air Operations, CBI

• 6 11th Medium Bomb Group B-25s escorted by 14 23Rd Fighter Squadron P-40s attack cotton mills at Wuchang.
• 1 16th Fighter Squadron P-40 downs an A6M Zero near Hankow during the afternoon.

• 5 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s are intercepted by more than 50 Japanese fighters over Haiphong. 3 B-24s are shot down, 1 is severely damaged, and the last must be written off after landing.

Air Operations, Europe

• 369 aircraft of Nos 3, 4, 6 and No 8 Groups are sent to Montluçon. Included in the total are 209 Halifaxes, 120 Stirlings, 40 Lancasters and 5 American B-17s.
• This is a moonlit raid on the Dunlop rubber factory in central France. The Pathfinders mark the target accurately, and the Master Bomber, Wing Commander D.F.E.C. Deane, brings in the Main Force well to carry out an accurate bombing. All the buildings of the factory are hit and a large fire is started.
• 2 Halifaxes and 1 Stirling are lost.
• 8 Lancasters of 617 Squadron take off to carry out the postponed raid on the Dortmund-Ems Canal but the area is misty and 5 aircraft are lost, including those of Pilot Officer L.G. Knight, another of the Dams Raid survivors, and the new squadron commander, Squadron Leader G. Holden. These heavy losses, and the losses of the Dams Raid, confirm that low-level attacks on German targets, even when away from major defended areas, are not viable with heavy bombers and this type of operation is not repeated. 617 Squadron now starts retraining as a specialist high-altitude-bombing unit.

• 87 1st Bomb Divsion B-17s attack the Romilly-sur-Seine Airdrome with about 268 tons of bombs at 1650 hours.
• 47 2nd Bomb Division B-24s attack the Chartres Airdrome with 141 tons of boms about 0905 hours.
• 78 3rd Bomb Division B-17s attack the Hispano-Suiza aircraft-engine factory in Paris with 229 tons of bombs about 1855 hours.
• 21 3rd Bomb Division B-17s attack the Billancourt-Renault works in Paris with 63 tons of bombs at 1854 hours.
• 40 3rd Bomb Division B-17s attack the Caudron-Renaul aircraft factory in Paris with 119 tons of bombs at 1855 hours.
• 5 B-17s and 1 B-24 are lost
• 68 3rd Medium Bomb Wing B-26s attack the Merville Airdrome with 100 tons of bombs at 1745 hours.
• During the night about 2340 hours, 5 B-17s from the 8th Air Force independent 422nd Heavy Bomb Squadron join RAF bombers on a mission against an aircraft-industry target in France.

• XII Bomber Command B-17s, B-25s, and B-26s attack numerous highways and road junctions surrounding the Salerno beachhead area.
• IX Bomber Command B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Potenza, various rail lines, and several warehouses.
• NATAF aircraft attack rail lines, highways, motor vehicles, and German occupied buildings.
• Luftwaffe attempts to penetrate to the beachhead area throughout the day result in the confirmed downing, between 0730 and 1900 hours, 11 FW-190s by aircraft of the 31st and 33rd Fighter Groups and the 86th Fighter-Bomber Group.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 90th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attacking the airfields in the Wewak area destroy 10 Japanese aircraft on the ground.
• 43rd Heavy Bomb Group B-17s attack targets in the Lae area.
• V Bomber Command B-25s attack ammunition and supply dumps near Bogadjim, antiaircraft emplacements at Bostrem Bay, and barges between Alexishafen and Finschhafen.
• P-38s of the 8th Fighter Group’s 80th Fighter Squadron down 9 Japanese fighters over Wewak and Boram at 1000 hours.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the Kahili and Kara airfields on Bougainville and the Vila airfield on Kolombangara.
• XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack the Kahili airfield on Bougainville and Parapatu Point. B-25s attack the Kahili airfield on Bougainville again, as well as the airfield at Ballale.
• AirSols SBDs and fighters attack the airfield at Ballale Airdrome.
• VF-33, VF-38, and VF-40 F6Fs down 9 A6M Zeros over the airfields at Ballale and Bougainville at 1115 hours. P-39s from the 18th Fighter Group’s 12th Fighter Squadron down 2 Zeros over Ballale between 1125 and 1140 hours. VMF-222 F4Us down 2 Zeros over Ballale between 1130 and 1150 hours.

China

Chiang Kai-shek and the Chinese Nationalists begin urging Roosevelt to recall Stilwell from China. The Chinese leaders regard the caustic American general as an obstacle who does not understand the 'realities' of China.

Eastern Front

In the central sector the Russians go over to the offensive towards Smolensk. Rokossovsky's forces take Nezhin, on the railroad from Konotop to Kiev. To the north of Bryansk the Germans are pushed out of Dyatkovo. The Russians break through the Yelnya-Desna defense line.[MORE]

Italy

There is something of a lull at Salerno as the Germans regroup. They now have available the equivalent of about 4 divs, including perhaps 100 tanks. The Allies have 7 divs and twice as much armor and can now take practical plans to expand the beachhead. The battleships Valiant and Warspite join the bombarding forces. Alexander visits the beachhead on the morning of the 15th and firmly squashes any remaining ideas of withdrawal. He orders the US 5th Army to continue its advance across the Volturno and he also decides to replace Gen Dawley in charge of VI Corps.

8th Army's advance continues, gradually quickening the pace. The British 5th Div reaches Sapri in an effort to join up with the US VI Corps, which has landed south of Salerno. A group of war correspondents actually drives on ahead by minor roads and tracks and makes contact with 5th Army.

The island of Procida in Naples Bay is taken by the Allies.

Italy, Politics

Mussolini re-establishes his Fascist régime in northern Italy along 'National Socialist' lines, as the 'Italian Social Republic' (Repubblica Sociale Italiana, or RSI).

Mediterranean

German planes bomb Allied shipping off Salerno. The US freigher James W. Marshall is damaged by glide bombs and 2 tank landing craft alongside catch fire. The resultant blaze force the abandonment of the freighter. 13 of the ship's crew perish as do 50 Army stevedores working cargo. The amphibious command ship Biscayne (AVP-11) provides aid for many survivors. LCT-241 is sunk by an aerial bomb, LCT-19 is sunk by a rocket bomb and LCT-109 is destroyed when freighter Bushrod Washington explodes when the uncontrolled fires (started the previous day) reach the 500-pound bombs stowed forward.

New Guinea

The Australians have now crossed the Busu in force and build bridges. The front line is within 2 miles of Lae. Gen MacArthur orders an operation with special air support to take Kaiapit and Dumpu.

Pacific

• The US destroyer Saufley (DD-465) and a PBY (VP-23) sink the Japanese submarine RO-101 100 miles east of San Cristobal, Solomons.
• The US submarine Haddock (SS-231) sinks the Japanese collier Sansei Maru north of Truk.

United States, Home Front

The US War Dept states that the 'Bazooka' 'has penetrated the armor of any enemy tank encountered on any front'.

Pics from September 15, 1943

Jews in the Kovno Ghetto Assembled for Deportation

German Soldiers Take Cover

Mortar Battery in Action at Salerno

German 'Tiger' Tank

At the Führer's Headquarters

German Troops Heading for the Dodecanese