Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Bomber Command B-25s sweep New Britain’s northern and western coasts.

Air Operations, CBI

• Early in the day, 27 Japanese bombers and 21 fighters based at Canton are intercepted on their way to the airfield at Suichwan Airdrome by 7 23rd Fighter Group P-40s and forced to retire without attacking. 76th Fighter Squadron P-40s down 2 A6M Zeros over Suichwan.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 24 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s and 14 XIII Fighter Command P-38s attack the Kahili airfield on Bougainville at low-level.
• AirSols F4Us and 8 P-39s attack barges off western Choiseul.

Black Sea

3 Russian destroyers are sunk by Stukas. Stalin imposes strict curbs on subsequent operations by the Black Sea Fleet.

Burma

The Allied Eastern Command receives a new C-in-C, Gen Sir William Slim, who alwo takes command of the newly formed 14th Army.

Eastern Front

The 3rd and 4th Shock Armies of the Kalinin front launch new attacks against the junction of Army Groups Center and North. The main weight of the attack falls upon Luftwaffe field divisions of the II Luftwaffe Corps on the left wing of the 3rd Panzer Army. A rapid Soviet advance leads to the early capture of Nevel during the afternoon, severing communications between groups North and Center.

Fighting in the Lyutezh bridgehead rages unabated as the Soviets fend off constant counterattacks by the XIII and LIX Corps. The latter units have been brought down from the Central Sector to reinforce the weak left wing of Army Group South. Only once Soviet armored units are brought up is the bridgehead strengthened significantly.

Italy

5th Army takes Caserta and reaches the south bank of the Volturno about 15 miles northwest of Naples while troops of the British 10th Div capture Capua. This brings another phase of the advance up the Italian peninsula to a successful conclusion. On the east coast the British gain the upper hand in the fighting around Termoli.

German troops systematically loot Rome's treasures using Herman Göring's 'shopping list'. Also thousands of former Italian soldiers are rounded up and taken to Germany as forced labor.

New Britain

Small parties of US troops land secretly around Cape Gloucester to spy out the land.

New Guinea

Elements of the Australian 7th Div take Dumpu unexpectedly easily. A landing strip for fighters is begun.

Solomons

The American 25th Div lands unopposed at Vila on Kolombangara. The whole island is occupied by the October 9th.

During the night 2 Japanese destroyers of the 'Tokyo Night Express' are sent to evacuate 600 men from Vella Lavella. 6 more destroyers escorting them under the command of Rear-Adm Matsuji Ijuin are engaged by 3 American ships. In a torpedo action each side loses 1 destroyer, the Japanese destroyer Yugumo and the US destroyer Chevalier (DD-451) and both the other American vessels are damaged. Among the damaged US ships are the destroyer O'Bannon (DD-450) in a collision with the Chevalier and the Selfridge (DD-357) from an enemy destroyer torpedo.

The Japanese do succeed, however, in completing their mission. Excluding Vella Lavella, which is not yet completely occupied, the campaign has cost the Americans 1,094 dead and about 4,000 wounded; Japanese dead counted by the Americans, 2,483. The Allies now have 4 airfields, Munda, Barakoma, Segi and Ondonga, from which their aircraft can attack the next objective, Bougainville.

Scenes from October 6, 1943

Imperial Japanese Navy destroyers Shigure and Samidare operating off the coast of Bougainville in the Solomon Islands hours prior to the Naval Battle of Vella Lavella on 6 October 1943.

Japanese Destroyers off Bougainville

The heavily damaged USS Selfridge on the left and the USS O’Bannon with hull damage after ramming USS Chevalier.

Heavily Damaged US Ships

A closer view of the damage to the USS O’Bannon.

Damage to the O'Bannon

Private J.E. McPhee of The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, who is armed with a sniper rifle, under German mortar fire, Foiano, Italy, 6 October 1943.

Canadian Sniper under German Mortar Fire