Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Bomber Command B-24s mount light anti-shipping strikes at Cape Gloucester and Talasea, but planned attacks against Rabaul are canceled due to bad weather over the target area.

Air Operations, CBI

• 8 14th Air Force P-40 fighter-bombers attack the airfield at Lashio.

• 21 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack the port at Kowloon. 9 11th Medium Bomb Group B-25s and 9 P-40s attack targets around Hwajung, Owchihkow, and Shihshow.
• 74th Fighter Squadron P-40s down 3 A6M Zeros near Canton during the early afternoon.

Air Operations, Europe

A daylight raid by 500 B-17s and 100 B-24s of the US 8th Air Force escorted by Lightnings and Thunderbolts devastates Wilhelmshaven harbor through dense cloud using H2X ('Mickey Mouse') radar.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-25s attack targets around Madang. V Fighter Command P-39s strafe Bogadjim.

Air Operations, Solomons

19 XIII Bomber Command B-24s that attack a convoy near Mussau Island claim hits on 3 ships.

Eastern Front

The Russian 2nd Ukraine Front of 40 divisions under Marshal Nicholas Vatutin launches a final assault on the outnumbered and outgunned German garrison of Kiev.

At dawn the 1st Ukrainian front unleashes a storm of arty fire upon the XIII and VII Corps opposite the Lyutezh bridgehead, more than 2,000 arty pieces firing upon the 4th Panzer Army. The 38th and 60th Armies lead the Soviet attack while the 2nd Air Army provides support and interdiction.

In all the 1st Ukrainian Front commits 671,000 men to this next phase of attacks, Not realizing that the 1st Ukrainian has switched its strength to Lyutezh, the 4th Panzer is caught by surprise. The 38th Army smashes into 3 infantry divisions, inflicting crippling casualties. In a vain attempt to quell the Soviet tide, Hoth moves the 20th Panzer Grenadier and 8th Panzer Divisions up to counterattack. The 7th Panzer Division also move later and counterattacks, all to no avail.

On the southern flank the XLIV Corps successfully evacuates its forces to the west bank of the Dniepr at Kherson. The 13th Panzer is then detached from the corps and ordered up to Krivoi Rog. On the Kerch peninsula the 56th Army establishes a secure bridgehead.

Italy

The British forces attacking near San Salvo meet heavy resistance from 16th Pzr Div, soon to be withdrawn to refit for the Soviet Union, but manage to break into the main defensive positions. In the 5th Army sector Sessa Aurunca falls to X Corps.

Occupied Soviet Union

Following the rebellion at Sobibor, and to prevent further revolts, SS Chief Heinrich Himmler orders Jakob Sporrenberg, senior commander of the SS and the police in the Lublin district, to liquidate the Jewish forced labor camps. The operation is codenamed HARVEST FESTIVAL. During the next two days the SS will murder the prisoners at Trawniki, Poniatowa and Majdanek camps, a total of 43,000 victims.

Solomons

The US Marines continue to extend their beachhead at Cape Torokina on Bougainville. A patrol lands on the island off the coast, also called Torokina, but finds it deserted.

Scenes from November 3, 1943

Wednesday, November 3, 1943

386th BG Mission No. 37. Target: Airdrome, located at Amsterdam Schiphol, Holland. "BUZZ-N-BITCH II" 131953 RG-T piloted by Lt. Ansel Brandstrom as four 1,000 pound bombs are unleashed on the target at 1552 hours.

Bombing an Airfield near Amsterdam

Gunners of 1st Air Landing Light Artillery Regiment, serving with 5th Division, in action with a 75mm howitzer during the advance on Isernia, 3 November 1943.

Artillery with the 5th Division

November 3, 1943 First operational H2X pathfinder led mission of 8th AAF to Wilhelmshaven, Germany. (Courtesy USAAF via Roger Freeman).

8th AAF Mission to Wilhelmshaven

On 3 November 1943 the battleship USS Oklahoma (BB-37), sunk at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, was refloated.

USS Oklahoma Refloated