Air Operations, Bismarcks
- In support of the landings at Bougainville and the Treasury Islands, 78 V Bomber Command B-25s, escorted by 70 V Fighter Command P-38s and P-47s attack antiaircraft batteries and shipping in Simpson Harbor. The masthead-high bombing is highly accurate, and 3 Japanese destroyers and 8 freighters are claimed as sunk or sinking. Nevertheless, in the strongest opposition encountered by the 5th Air Force in World War II, Japanese Navy fighters and antiaircraft down 8 B-25s and 9 P-38s.
- V Fighter Command P-38s and P-47s down 31 Japanese fighters in the Rabaul area between 1315 and 1400 hours.
- During the night, RAAF Beauforts attack the Tobera airfield at Rabaul.
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]Air Operations, CBI
CHINA- 5 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s and 12 14th Air Force P-40s attack warehouses and port facilities at Shasi.
| ]Air Operations, Europe
US 15th AIR FORCEAUSTRIA:
- In its first Combined Bomber Offensive mission of the war, the 15th Air Force dispatches 139 B-17s and B-24s, escorted by 72 P-38s, against the Bf-109 factory at Wiener-Neustadt. Opposition from flak and about 160 Luftwaffe fighters is heavy, but the attack is considered punishing when 74 B-17s and 38 B-24s drop 327 tons of bombs with results that are reported as being 'excellent'.
- 6 B-17s and 5 B-24s are lost
- 15th Air Force B-25s attack a marshalling yard at Ancona.
- 15th Air Force B-26s attack a rail bridge at Amelia and the harbor at Civitavecchia.
- NATAF A-20s and B-25s attack an ammo dump and gun emplacements in the zone of the British 8th Army, the coastal road at Terracina, the town of Fondi, rail facilities at Aquila, and several bridges and road junctions near the battle area.
- A 31st Fighter Group Spitfire downs a Bf-109 near Rome at 1135 hours.
| ]Air Operations, New Guinea
V Bomber Command B-25s attack lines of communication around Fortification Point. V Fighter Command P-39 fighter-bombers attack targets in the Bogadjim area.
[ | ]Air Operations, Solomons
- In a continuation of the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, more than 100 Japanese Navy carrier bombers and fighters based at Rabaul attack the US Navy surface force at 0800 hours. Antiaircraft fire deflects most of the attackers, and only very light damage is sustained by a light cruiser from two direct hits.
- 20 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack the Kahili airfield on Bougainville. US Navy aircraft from Task Force 38 mount two punishing strikes against Buka and the Bonis airfield on Bougainville. Task Force 38 then departs the area to refuel.
- VF-33 F6Fs down 1 G4M 'Betty' bomber, 3 D3A 'Val' dive bombers, and 2 A6M Zeros over the US task force in Empress Augusta Bay at 0815 hours. 1 VF-12 F6F downs 1 Ki-21 'Sally' bomber at sea at 0838 hours. 1 VMF-221 F4U downs 2 'Vals' over a US Navy task force at 1830 hours. 1 Marine Corps F4U is lost.
| ]Atlantic
- The British blockade-runner Master Standfast, 1 of 5 fast boats plying between Hull and Lysekil, Sweden, is captured by a German patrol boat in the Skagerrak.
- During the night German MTBs sink 3 coasters in the convoy CW-221 off Hastings. It is the first torpedo attack in the eastern English Channel since 1941.
| ]CBI
BURMAOn the Tarung River the Japanese drive off attacks by the 112th Regiment of the Chinese 38th Div which suffers heavily.
[ | ]Eastern Front
The Soviets take Kakhovka on the lower Dniepr and hold the German attacks around Krivoy Rog.
SOUTHERN SECTORThe fighting around Kiev and Veliki Bukrin continues as the 1st Ukrainian Front tries to smash its way through the German defenses.
[ | ]Italy
8th Army's operations across the Trigno are stepped up into a full-scale attack. In the main coastal sector the advance of 78th Division is supported by a naval bombardment. During the night the 78th Division and the 8th Indian Division make repeated attacks across the Trigno River where the area is being held by the German 16th Panzer Division.
On the west coast the Allied forces continue to make ground slowly. Patrols of the 7th Armored Division and the 46th Division from British X Corps reach the Garigliano. The VI Corps prepares to cross 2 divisions, the 45th and the 34th, over the Volturno. During the night, Company F of the 180th Infantry, crosses below Sesto Campano.
[ | ]Mediterranean
U-340 is sunk just inside the Mediterranian by the British destroyers Active and Witherington, and the sloop Fleetwood. Assisting in the demise of the U-boat are Wellingtons 'R' and 'W' of No 179 Squadron RAF.
| Class | Type VIIC |
| CO | Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Joachim Klaus |
| Location | Strait of Gibraltar, E of Ceuta |
| Cause | Depth charge |
| Casualties | 1 |
| Survivors | 48 |
| ]New Britain
The Japanese base at Rabaul is attacked by 75 B-25 US bombers escorted by 80 P-38 Lightning fighters from 5th Air Force. The attack is met with very strong resistance by Japanese aircraft and anti-aircraft batteries. 18 Japanese aircraft are destroyed on the ground but the Americans lose 8 bombers and 9 fighters in the action. Perhaps 20 aircraft on each side are lost. The US sinks 2 merchant ships and 1 submarine hunter in the harbor.
[ | ]Pacific
The US submarines Seahorse (SS-304), Halibut (SS-232) and Trigger (SS-237), each operating independent of the other, attack a Japanese convoy south of Honshu. Seahorse sinks the transport Chihaya Maru (7089t) and army cargo ship Yawata Maru (1852t). Halibut sinks the army cargo ship Ehime Maru (4653t). Trigger sinks the army transport Delagoa Maru (7148t). Together, Seahorse and Trigger sink the army cargo ship Ume Maru (5859t).
[ | ]`
Solomons
BATTLE OF EMPRESS AUGUSTA BAYJust after midnight Adm Sentaro Omori's squadron steaming for Bougainville is detected by the radar of the American Task Force 39, led by Adm Aaron S. Merrill. A confused night action ensues in which the American radar proves crucial. The Japanese lose the cruiser Sendai and the destroyer Hatsukaze and most of their other ships are damaged. 2 cruisers, the Montpelier (CL-57) and the Denver (CL-58), and 2 destroyers, the Foote (DD-511) and the Spence (DD-512), are damaged on the American side, but the Japanese are forced to turn away. During the day, air attacks on Merrill's ships fail.
BOUGAINVILLEThe 3rd Marine Division is slowly expanding the beachhead and organizing defenses. The 3rd Marines, which has had hard fighting on its right flank, is exchanging places with the 9th Marines. Puruata Island is cleared by noon. Carrier planes from Task Force 38 make 2 strikes against Bonis, continuing the neutralization of the airfields, before departing to refuel.
[ | ]United States, Command
Gen Carl Spaatz takes command of all US Air Forces in the Mediterranean.
[ | ]
Scenes from November 2, 1943
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