Air Operations, Bismarcks

• V Bomber Command B-25s attack barges near Gasmata and villages near Talasea.
• 22nd Medium Bomb Group B-26s attack the Cape Hoskins airfield on New Britain and 1 B-24 attacks Cape Gloucester. A 49th Fighter Group P-38 downs a Ki-46 'Dinah' reconnaisance plane over Cape Hoskins.

Air Operations, CBI

• 5 14th Air Force P-40 fighter-bombers attack Yangtze River traffic near Chiuchiang.

Air Operations, East Indies

380th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack targets on Amboina Island.

Air Operations, Europe

• 294 Lancasters of Nos. 1, 5 and 8 Groups are sent to Munich along with 2 American B-17s.
• Visibility over the target is clear but the initial marking is scattered. Heavy bombing develops over the southern and southeastern districts of Munich, but later stages of the raid 'creeps back' up to 15 miles along the approach route. Most of this inaccurate bombing comes from No. 5 Group aircraft, who are again attempting their 'time-and-distance' bombing method independently of the Pathfinder marking. The No. 5 Group crews are unable to find Wurmsee, a lake which is to be the starting point for their run.
• 8 Lancasters are lost.

• 8 Mosquitos are sent to Cologne and Gelsenkirchen, 117 aircraft lay mines at various places from Lorient to Heligoland and there are 21 OTU sorties. 1 mine-laying Halifax is lost.

Due to poor visibility, just 6 of 72 3rd Medium Bomb Wing B-26s attack the St.-Omer/Longuenesse Airdrome at 1715 hours.

• With 2 H2S-equpped 482nd Heavy Pathfinder Bomb Group B-17s guiding them, 339 1st and 3rd Bomb Division B-17s attack aircraft-industry targets at Emden through thick cloud cover with 953 tons of bombs between 1557 and 1603 hours.
• 2 B-17s are lost; 34 damaged
• A total of 227 VIII Fighter Command escort sorties are flown. 6 Luftwaffe are downed over the Netherlands and northern Germany between 1600 and 1635 hours by P-47s of the 4th, 56th, and 353rd Fighter Groups.

Bad weather limits air operations. Some XII Air Support Command aircraft are able to attack roads, bridges, and motor vehicles while conducting armed-recon missions.

Air Operations, Solomons

42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s and AirSols SBDs attack barges near Vila.

Baltic Sea

German shipping in the area comes under increasing attack from Russian torpedo planes.

Central Pacific

The US 27th Div, which was to have been getting ready for a landing on Nauru, is ordered to prepare plans for the capture of a new objective, suggested by Vice-Adm Spruance to Adm Nimitz

Makin Atoll in the Gilbert Islands.

Eastern Front

The great Russian Smolensk offensive grinds to a stop, midway between Smolensk and Vitebsk-Orsha.

The bitter, two-month long offensive around Smolensk finally dies down, having cost the Kalinin Front 28,000 killed and missing and the West Front 79,500 killed and missing and 253,600 wounded. The two fronts have also lost 863 tanks, 234 arty pieces and 303 aircraft.

Russian Anti-Aircraft Crew in Action

Germany, Preparations

Germany infantry divisions are reformed to include 10,708 men each including 2,000 Russian POWs who had volunteered for non-combat duty. There are known as 'Hiwis', short for Hilfswilliger.

Italy

In the US VI Corps sector, the 3rd Div on the left of the line makes for the Volturno River while the 34th and 45th Divs move by separate routes toward Benevento, an important road junction. At the same time the advance units of 78th Div on the east coast cross the Biferno River. During the night Royal Marine Commandos, supported by tanks, make a surprise landing near Termoli and take the harbor and the town. The commander of the German garrision, Maj Rou, is captured in bed. The Germans send 16th Pzr Div from positions on the Volturno to meet this attack. The commandos succeed in joining up with 78th Div as the battle continues.

Canadian Soliders in Italy

New Guinea

The Australian 20th Bde captures the village and harbor of Finschhafen after hard fighting and joins up with the 23rd Bde, which has advanced in the meantime from Lae. However, the Japanese still hold 2 strongpoints overlooking the harbor.

Pacific

US submarine begin mining the waters off the Celebes to cut traffic through the Makassar Straig.

Scenes from October 2, 1943

Corp E.H. Pruner with an Anti-Tank Weapon and Submachine Gun

German Tank West of Smolensk

Canadian Soldier Eating in Italy