Aegean

The Germans complete the occupation of the island of Leros and defeat the British attempt to seize the Dodecanese. Poor planning and enemy air superiority have led to the failure of the operation. Britain sustains more the 4,800 casualties, and loses 20 vessels and 115 aircraft. Germany has 12 merchant ships and 20 landing craft sunk, and suffers 4,000 casualties during the short campaign.

Air Operations, CBI

• P-38s with the 10th Air Force’s 459th Fighter Squadron down 3 Ki-43 'Oscar' fighters at 1100 hours while escorting bombers against Meiktila.

• 11 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s, 2 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s, and 4 14th Air Force P-40s attack the Kowloon port area. 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s mount anti-shipping attacks off the China coast. 1 B-25 and 12 P-40s attack a Japanese Army cavalry column and other targets around Shihmen.
• A 74th Fighter Squadron P-40 downs a Ki-43 'Oscar' fighter near Wuchow at 0945 hours.

• 6 14th Air Force P-40s strafe rail targets and barracks while on an armed reconnaissance mission.

Air Operations, Central Pacific

VII Bomber Command B-24s based at Nanomea and Funafuti begin daily intensive anti-shipping searches to help cover the approach of the Gilberts invasion fleet.

Air Operations, Europe

B-17s and B-24s attack the Knaben molybdenum mines and the Norsk Hydro power station in Norway. B-17s also hit the heavy-water production facility at Vemork, Norway. 175 tons of bombs are dropped, but the results are disappointing leaving production untouched. In the end, though, the raid achieved a basic Allied goal. The Germans decide it would be impractical to continue production at the site, effectively blocking the GErman effort to build an atomic bomb.

• 21 Mosquitos are sent to Cologne, Gelsenkirchen and Krefeld and 8 OTU Wellingtons make leaflet flights to France. There are no losses.

Air Operations, Gilberts

• VII Bomber Command B-24s based at Nanomea and Nukufetau mount individual attacks against the Makin and Tarawa atolls.
• VD-3 PB4Ys reconnoiter and photograph Tarawa Atoll.

Air Operations, Marshalls

• VII Bomber Command B-24s based at Canton Island, Nanomea, and Nukufetau attack the Jaluit, Maloelap, and Wotje atolls. B-24s mount individual attacks against Kwajalein Atoll. Several B-24s are damaged in attacks by A6M Zeros.
• VD-3 PB4Ys and VII Bomber Command B-24s reconnoiter and photograph defenses and facilities in the Jaluit Atoll.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command B-25s attack Finschhafen and nearby targets. V Fighter Command P-39 fighter-bombers attack barges between Madang and Saidor.
• 475th Fighter Group P-38s down 3 A6M Zeros over Wewak at 0950 hours, 1 Zero over Wewak at 1040 hours, and 1 Ki-61 'Tony' fighter over Finschhafen at 1040 hours. 2 P-38s are lost.

Air Operations, Pacific

Since November 13, US heavy bombers have been attacking the Gilbert and Marshal Islands every day dropping 173 tons of bombs on military installations.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 4 XIII Bomber Command B-24s and 20 B-25s attack the airfield at Buka. More than 20 B-25s and more than 30 XIII Fighter Command P-39s and P-40s attack targets of opportunity along the Bougainville coast.
• During the night, more than 30 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the airfield at Buka Airdrome. 8 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack the Bonis and Buka airfields on Bougainville at various times.

Eastern Front

The Soviets continue to attack as advance guards reach Korosten north of Zhitomir, which is threatened by a German attack from the south. Although the Germans only have a very small force in this attack, by its widespread penetrations it gives the appearance of greater strength. In the central sector the Russians advance on Gomel.

Korosten falls to the 60th Army.

Italy

The small British forces of the British 78th Div on the north bank of the Sangro consolidate their gains.

Lebanon

Gen Georges Catroux arrives in Beirut with full powers to settle constitutional crisis. The French reinstate Pres Bishara el-Khoury and on November 22 recall Gen Jean Helleu.

New Guinea

The Australian 9th Div has brought up tanks to help in their attacks on the Japanese strongholds near Sattelberg north of Finschhafen. These attacks now begin.

Pacific

The Japanese minelayer Ukishima is sunk by a submarine torpedo off the coast of Japane.

Scenes from November 16, 1943

Wellingtons Waiting for the Signal to Depart

USS Corvina, sunk by I-176 on November 16, 1943, the only US submarine sunk by a Japanese submarine during the war.

US Submarine Corvina

Burial at sea, off Tarawa: USS Zeilin, November 16, 1943

Burial At Sea

Pictured en route to the secret German heavy water plant near the Rjukan valley, 75 mls (121 km) west from Oslo, this B17G-5 BO belonged to 390 BG, 569 BS.

B17G En Route to Bomb Heavy Water Plant

Home Guard soldiers manning a Bofors gun, 16 November 1943.

Home Guard Soldiers

In the foreground StuG from III.Abt./Pz.Rgt.2 16.Panzer Division, the other is of the Panzer Abt.103 3.Pz.Grenadier Division. Piazza del popolo in Rome, Italy, around November 1943.

German Armored Vehicles in Rome