Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Fighter Command P-40s attack barges off New Britain, but bombing missions against Rabaul are canceled because of bad weather over the target.

Air Operations, CBI

• 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack a rail bridge at Meza.
• 10th Air Force P-40s armed with 1,000-pound bombs mount 4 separate bombing and strafing attacks against facilties and antiaircraft batteries at the Myitkyina airfield.

Air Operations, Europe

• 11 Mosquitos are sent to the Ruhr and 6 to Emden. All targets are bombed but 1 Mosquito on the Ruhr sorties is lost.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 19 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack the Kara airfield on Bougainville. The Kara airfield is next hit by 34 AirSols SBDs, 24 TBFs, and 54 fighters attacking runways and antiaircraft batteries. The last attack of the day on Kara is delivered by 23 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s and 16 fighters.
• A VF(N)-75 F4U night-fighter downs a G4M 'Betty' bomber near Vella Lavella at 2300 hours.

Battle of the Atlantic

Aircraft (VC-9) from the US escort carrier Card (CVE-11) sink the German submarine U-584 in the North Atlantic area.

Eastern Front

The Soviets capture Chaplinka and have now, therefore, cut all the railroad lines leading out of the Crimea, cutting off German supplies.

In the year since November 1942 the Ostheer has suffered 1,886,000 casualties. Some 250,000 had been lost at Stalingrad and of the remainder, 240,000 had been killed, 993,000 wounded and 106,000 captured, plus many more missing in actino. However, only 1,260,000 men had been replaced. In the four months since Operation CITADEL the Germans had lost 911,000 men. Equipment levels had also fallen, German armored strength standing at 700 operational vehicles. There were in fact 2,300 tanks and assault guns available, but a lack of spare parts prevent many being put back into the line. The Red Army had 6,500 tanks and Su's.

Despite its falling strength, the Ostheer had committed another 3 panzer, 2 infantry and 1 security divisions to the fighting but 4 infantry divisions left the line. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd SS Panzer-Grenadier divisions had also been redesignated panzer divisions. German strength stood at 22 panzer, 9 panzer grenadier and 150 infantry divisions.

Italy

In the British X Corps sector Teano is taken by the 56th Div in the course of attacks toward Monte Santa Croce by the 7th Arm Div and the 46th Div. To the left attacks also go in against Monte Massico. In the east, where the British 8th Army is operating, the 5th Div captures Cantalupo.

The Italian 1st Motorized Group is incorporated into the U.S. 5th Army, the first Italian unit to enter the war as an Allied co-belligerent.

Solomons

Task Force 31 sails for Bougainville, having taken on board in the Central Solomons the 20,000-odd men of the 1 Amphibious Corps of the US Marines, made up of the 37th Inf Div and 3rd Marine Div, under the command of Gen Alexander Vandegrift. The Americans are well aware that they are outnumbered, but rely on support from their powerful navy and air force, which in the course of the last weeks has put every enemy airfield in the south of Bougainville out of action.

United States, Home Front

Max Reinhardt, a German-Jewish theatrical producer, dies at age 70.

Scenes from October 31, 1943

Pensacola (center) and New Orleans (right) (with Salt Lake City) at Pearl Harbor on October 31, 1943 after completion of repairs.

US Cruisers at Pearl Harbor

NZ4003 after water looping, and crashing into a liberty ship, Segond Channel between between Espiritu Santo and Aore Islland, October 31, 1943.

The Perils of a Night Landing!

German 'Tiger' Moving through a Burning Village

Russian soldiers who are constructing a bridge to one of the brdigeheads across river Dnieper, watching for attacking German aircrafts.

Constructing a Bridge over the Dnieper