Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Fighter Command P-40s attack Gasmata, but bad weather forces a planned heavy-bomber attack against Rabaul to be recalled.

Air Operations, Central Pacific

In support of the upcomng invasion of the Gilbert Islands, the 7th Air Force, VII Bomber Command, VII Fighter Command, and VII Air Force Services Command all establish advance headquarters at the airfield on Funafuti.

Air Operations, Europe

• 19 Mosquitos are sent to Bochum, Duisburg and Düsseldorf, 16 Wellingtons lay mines off Texel, Brest, Lorient and St Nazaire and there are 8 OTU sorties.
• There are no losses.

• 7 B-17s attack rail bridges at Orbetello.
• P-38 Fighter-Bombers attack bridges near Orvieto and Monte Molino, and strafe the Tarquinia Airdrome, motor vehicles, and a train.
• NATAF aircraft attack road, rail, and tactical targets.

• NATAF aircraft attack road and rail targets.

Air Operations, New Guinea

Japanese bombers mount uncontested attacks against Dumpu, Finschhafen, and Nadzab.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 9 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the harbor and airfield at Buka. 1 B-25 attacks Kieta.
• AirSols SBDs and fighters attack the Kara airfield on Bougainville, followed by 24 42nd Medium Bombardment Group B-25s hitting the Kara airfield again. 17 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack the Bonis airfield on Bougainville.
• ;4 VF-17 F4Us down a G4M 'Betty' bomber over Bougainville at 1040 hours. A 6th Night Fighter Squadron P-38 downs an A6M Zero near Santa Isabel at 1300 hours.

Battle of the Atlantic

• Capt F. J. Walker's Second Support Group is carrying out an Anti-Submarine sweep southeast of Newfoundland when U-226 is spotted. The submarine is lining up to attack the escort carrier Tracker when the British sloop Kite forces her to dive. Contact is maintained until another sloop, the Woodcodk, makes a creeping attack and sinks the U-boat.

U-226 Class Type VIIC CO Oberleutnant zur See Albrecht Gange Location N Atlantic, E of Cape Race Cause Depth charge Casualties 51 Survivors None

U-842 Class Type IXC/40 CO Kapitänleutnant Wolfgang Heller Location N Atlantic Cause Depth charge Casualties 56 Survivors None

• A few hours after the sinking of U-226 Capt Walker's Group finds another U-boat. The British sloop Starling attacks U-842 unsuccessfully, but this attack is followed by a successful attack by the sloop Wild Goose.

Bougainville

The 21st Marine Regiment lands at Empress Augusta Bay. A hastily organized Japanese landing force of 800 men attacks the left flank of the perimeter defended by the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines, near the Laruna River. In a daylong, confused fight both the marines and Japanese are surprised by what they encounter after US Marine combat patrols beyond the perimeter stumble upon Japanese infantry in the swampy jungle. The Japanese establish a small defensive perimter and hold off an attack by elements of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines.

Central Pacific

7th Air Force's VII Air Service Command and VII Bomber Command establish advanced headquarters on Funafuti Atoll in the Ellice Islands, Baker, Nukufetau, and Nanumea Islands in the Ellice Islands will have airfields built on them to support the planned offensives against Tarawa Atoll and Makin in the Gilbert Islands, as well as Japanese strongholds in the Carolines and the Marshalls.

Eastern Front

The Soviet Union's third city, Kiev, is re-taken by Vatutin's forces. Kiev has been occupied by the Germans since September 19, 1941 and has almost totally ruined during the fighting. Stalin issues a special order of the day and makes a broadcast to celebrate the achievement. Only 6,000 prisoners have been taken, however. Once more the Germans have managed to slip away after destroying most of Kiev's ancient buildings. The few surviving Jews tell how the Germans have massacred tens of thousands of Kiev's Jewish men, women and children.

The 38th Army completes the capture of Kiev. Only 6,000 Germans have been captured during the battle as the VII Corps has evacuated the city quickly. The 1st Ukrainian Front now fans out to the north, west and south, threatening to rip the 4th Panzer Army apart. Manstein begins to move the XLVIII Panzer Corps up from Veliki Bukrin to Belaya Tserkov, from where it will be poised to strike the base of the rapidly expanding Soviet salient.

Italy

In the US 5th Army's British X Corps area, the 56th Division continues its attack toward Monte Camino, with elements taking Calabritto. In the VI Corps' 3rd Division sector, the 7th Infantry is fighting for Monte la Difensa while the efforts of the 15th Infantry to take Hill 253, the southeast nose of Monte Lungo are unsuccessful, as are those of the 30th Infantry to take Monte Rotondo. The the east, the 45th and 34th Division batter at hills and mountains with little success.

Mediterranean

The troopships Marnix van St Aldegonde and Santa Elena and the US destroyer Beatty (DD-640) are sunk by Heinkel torpedo planes off Algeria.

Solomons

The 1st Battalion, 21st Marines, arrives on Bougainville to reinforce the 3rd Marine Division's beachead.

Scenes from November 6, 1943

Soviet Troops During Kiev Offensive

University of Kiev Burning

Destroyed City of Kiev