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

• In its largest daylight mission to date, VIII Bomber Command sends a total 566 B-17s and B-24s against the Wilhelmshaven port area. Led by 11 482nd Heavy Pathfinder Bomb Group B-17s equipped for the first time with new H2X guidance radar, a total of 434 B-17s and 105 B-24s drop a record 1,448 tons of bombs on the briefed target area between 1307 and 1335 hours. The opposition is light.
• 7 B-17s are lost; 70 crew members are missing
• 333 VIII Fighter Command P-47 and 45 P-38 escorts down 14 Luftwaffe fighters over the Netherlands and the Wilhelmshaven area between 1226 and 1350 hours.
• 2 P-47s are lost, 5 damaged; 2 pilots missing

• 71 IX Bomber Command B-26s attack the Tricqueville Airdrome and 71 B-26s attack the St.-Andre-de-L'Eure Airdrome.
• 1 B-26 is lost

• 65 IX Bomber Command B-26s attack the Amersterdam/Schipol Airport.

• 12th Air Force B-25s, escorted by 15th Air Force P-38s, attack Axis aircraft on the ground at Araxos Airdrome.

• NATAF aircraft attack the Cisterna di Latina Airdrome and the landing grounds at Ancona and Pescara, plus numerous road, rail, and tactical targets in and around the battle area, especially in support of the British 8th Army.

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

Bombing an Airfield near Amsterdam

Artillery with the 5th Division

8th AAF Mission to Wilhelmshaven

USS Oklahoma Refloated