Air Operations, CBI

• 7 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s destroy a rail bridge at Meza.

• 8 14th Air Force P-40s attack an ammunition dump and match factory at Tengchung while 8 other P-40s attack a supply dump and targets of opportunity around Lungling.

• 20 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s, escorted by 18 P-40s, attack the Haiphong port area.

Air Operations, East Indies

During the night, V Bomber Command B-25s attack Saumlakki.

Air Operations, New Guinea

3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s and RAAF aircraft attack defensive positions at Sattelberg.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 5th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack Kahili.
• A Japanese Navy air strike against Allied shipping off Vella Lavella results in the sinking of 1 LST. 52 US servicmen are killed or missing.
• A VMF-214 F4U downs an A6M Zero off southeastern Bougainville at 1135 hours.
• 18th and 347th Fighter group P-38s down 5 A6M Zeros over Kahili between 1115 and 1145 hours.
• 347th Fighter Group P-38s down 5 Zeros near Choiseul in a large engagement between 1600 and 1630 hours.

Battle of the Atlantic

The Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal is mined by a German submarine.

Eastern Front

The Soviets take Dobrush, just to the east of Gomel.

Fighting erupts up on the southern wing of Army Group Center as Rokossovsky's Central Front attacks the Germans around Gomel.

The Southwest Front attacks the Zaporozhe bridgehead in force, its 8th Guards, 3rd Guards and 12th Armies attackin the XL Panzer and XVII Corps. The 12th Army attacks from the north, 8th Guards in the center and 3rd Guards on the left. Fierce fighting erupts as the Germans defend with great vigor.

The Spanish Blue Div, which has fought on the Eastern Front since 1941, is recalled by the Spanish Government. Gen Franco began negotiations with Hitler to withdraw his fighting men from the conflict in the spring of this year due to increased Allied pressure, as well as his own realization that Germany will lose the war on the Eastern Front. However, 3,000 Spaniards will choose to remain on the Eastern Front to carry on fighting.

Italy

Troops from 5th Army enter Portelandalfo, north of Benevento.

Occupied Soviet Union

Hitler orders the transfer of all Russian volunteers serving in the Wehrmacht to western Europe.

Scenes from October 10, 1943

"M'lle Zig Zig" on October 10, 1943 Munster Mission

Italian woman kisses the hand of a soldier of the US 5th Army after troops move into Naples in their invasion and advance northward in Italy, on October 10, 1943.

US Soldier in Naples

German Soldiers in Flooded Trenches, Spread the Food, October 1943