Aegean

In Operation LEOPARD German forces from the 22nd Inf Div under Gen Muller land on the Dodecanese island of Leros. They complete the capture of the island by Novermber 16 and 3,500 British and 5,350 Italian troops surrender. In additon the British lose 1 destroyer offshore.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

The Japanese Navy terminates Operation RO and withdraws all of its 52 surviving carrier aircraft (of 173 committed) from Rabaul to Japan via Truk Atoll. Although still heavily defended by an infusion of land-based aircraft forwarded via the base at Truk (Caroline Islands), Rabaul’s aviation force moves predominantly to the defensive and so no longer poses a serious threat to Allied forces in the Solomon Islands or New Guinea.

Air Operations, CBI

• During the night, 2 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s sow mines in the Rangoon River.

• 10 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s and 24 14th Air Force P-40s attack rail yards, antiaircraft batteries, and warehouses in Yoyang. 5 B-25s attack port areas at Puchi and Yangchi Kang. 1 B-25 and 15 P-40s attack targets of opportunity while on armed reconnaissance missions.

Air Operations, East Indies

380th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack various targets on Amboina and Java.

Air Operations, Europe

• 7 Mosquitos attack Düsseldorf, Essen and Krefeld without a loss.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack Japanese-held villages between Finschhafen and Saidor.

Air Operations, Pacific

Allied planes begin daily raids on Japanese positions in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands.

Air Operations, Solomons

• At 0420 hours, 4 G4M 'Betty' bombers attempt a torpedo attack against US warships in Empress Augusta Bay. Next, at 0455 hours, 4 'Bettys' attack a US light cruiser with torpedoes and score one hit that severely damages the ship, kills 20 crewmen, and wounds 11.
• 18 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Tarlena, 6 B-25s attack Matchin Bay, and 8 XIII Fighter Command P-38s attack the Bonis airfield on Bougainville.
• 18 US Navy land-based TBFs from VC-38 and VC-40, responding to an air-support mission request lodged the previous afternoon, drop 100-pound bombs on Japanese Army defensive positions within only 100 yards of friendly troops. As a result of the attack, the Japanese force abandons its positions.

Battle of the Atlantic

• U-220 lays mines off St John's, Newfoundland. 2 ships are sunk.
• US Naval land-based aircraft (VB-103) sink the German submarine U-508 in the Bay of Biscay.

Eastern Front

The Soviets capture Korostyshev, west of Kiev, and move on to enter Zhitomir, only 75 miles from the Polish frontier. Zhitomir is a vitally important rail center on the last lateral rail line available to the Germans east of the Pripet marshes.

Zhitomir and Korostychev fall to the 1st Ukrainian Front. Manstein is poised to launch his counterattack. As the Soviets push west they increase the exposure on their left wing. Manstein plans to retake the territory that had been lost on the west bank and recapture kiev. To the southeast the 52nd Army forces a crossing of the Dniepr at Cherkassy, pushing back the XI Corps of the 8th Army.

Germany, Home Front

Adm Dönitz records in his diary the plight of the German U-boat fleet, which is losing the battle of the North Atlantic: 'The enemy holds every trump card, covering all areas with long-range air patrols and using location methods against which we still have no warning. . . . The enemy knows all our secrets and we know none of his.' What Dönitz did not know was that Ultra the decoding of intercepted German radio messages gave the Allies precise knowledge of German submarine locations and plans.

Italy

The Allied attacks are grinding to a halt before the 'Reinhard' line. The British 56th Div, after long and fruitless attacks, is forced to retire from some of the positions on Monte Camino. In the US VI Corp sector very little progress is made. Units of the 45th Div make unsuccessful attempts to reach Acquafondata.

Lebanon

Lebanon is placed under martial law while the Gaullist government in Algiers said the actions taken in Beirut did not have its approval. The US government deplored Lebanese developments.

New Britain

The remnants of the Japanese carrier aircraft transferred to Rabaul on October 20 are withdrawn because of their recent heavy losses. Of the 173 planes committed, 121 have been lost, with many irreplaceable pilots. The Japanese base no longer represents any serious danger to the Allies.

Pacific

The British submarine Taurus sinks the Japanese submarine I-34 off Penang.

Solomons

In the Treasury Islands the 8th Bde of the New Zealand 3rd Div wipes out all enemy resistance in the island of Mono. The Japanese lose 205 dead, the New Zealanders and Americans, 52.

Scenes from November 12, 1943

US Navy bombing VB-16 squadron, US battleship USS Washington and USS Lexington (in background) are heading towards invading Japanese base at Gilbert and Marshall Islands on November 12, 1943.

US Naval Forces on the Move

November 12, 1943: USS Monterey (CVL-26) en route to the Gilbert Islands with USS Alabama (BB-60) and USS Indiana (BB-58) (in distance).

US Naval Forces En Route to the Gilbert Islands