Chronology of World War II

October 1943

Thursday, October 28


Air Operations, Bismarcks

  • 348th Fighter Group P-47s attack barges and ground targets at Talasea.
  • V Fighter Command P-40s attack the Gasmata area.
  • More than 170 Japanese Navy carrier aircraft—40 B5N 'Kate' dive bombers, 45 D3A 'Val' dive bombers, 82 A6M Zeros, and 6 reconnaissance planes—are ordered to depart their ships to bolster the 373 Japanese Navy and Army aircraft already at Rabaul. All the carrier aircraft will arrive by November 1.
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Air Operations, CBI

CHINA
  • 7 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack Mangshih.
  • 3 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s and 7 449th Fighter Squadron P-38s attack Fort Bayard.
  • 2 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s attack shipping in the South China Sea.
  • 6 P-40s attack a warehouse and revetments at Yoyang.
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Air Operations, Europe

US 12th AIR FORCE
ITALY:
  • XII Air Support Command A-36s attack gun emplacements and several highways and bridges between Rome and the battel area.
  • During a mission to the Rome area, 27th Fighter-Bomber's 522nd Fighter-Bomber Squadron A-36s down 6 Bf-100s between 1100 and 1130 hours.
      • During an afternoon engagement over Civita Castellana, A-36s from the 86th Fighter-Bomber's 526th Fighter-Bomber Squadron down 3 Bf-109s.
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      Air Operations, New Guinea

      348th Fighter Group P-47s strafe coastal tagets around Sio.

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      Air Operations, Solomons

      19 AirSols TBFs, 38 SBDs, and 46 fighters attack the Kara airfield on Bougainville followed by 19 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attacking the same target. 21 TBFs, 38 SBDs, and 32 fighters attack the airfield at Ballale.

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      Battle of the Atlantic

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      The German submarine U-220 is sunk by aircraft (VC-1) from the US escort carrier Block Island (CVE-21) in the North Atlantic area.

      U-220

      ClassType XB
      CO Oberleutnant zur See Bruno Barber
      Location North Atlantic
      Cause Air attack
      Casualties 56
      Survivors None
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      Eastern Front

      As Russian advances continue, Berlin radio admits 'the main German defenses have been broken'.

      SOUTHERN SECTOR

      The IV Corps of the 6th Army launches a counterattack from Nikopol against the flank of 4th Ukrainian Front.

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      New Zealand, Home Front

      Butter is rationed.

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      Pacific

      The US submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) sinks the Japanese fleet oiler Koryu Maru (589t) north of Palau.

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      United States, Home Front

      530,000 coal miners go on strike. On November 1 Roosevelt commandeers the mine. The strike ends 2 days later.

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      Scenes from October 28, 1943

      Action at the Airfield on Munda


      Action at the Airfield on Munda

[October 27th - October 29th]