Chronology of World War II

December 1943

Wednesday, December 1


Air Operations, Bismarcks

35 V Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack Borgen Bay. 16 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack the Cape Gloucester area.

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Air Operations, CBI

BURMA
  • In the final attack of the joint USAAF-RAF bombing offensive against strategic targets in Rangoon, 7th and 308th Heavy Bomb group B-24s attack the locomotive repair shops at Insein, but they are engaged by as many as 60 Japanese fighters. 6 B-24s and 1 P-51 are lost, and 6 B-24s are heavily damaged.
  • 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack a bridge at Myitnge and 4 14th Air Force P-40s attack motor vehicles near Lashio.
  • 459th Fighter Squadron P-38s and a 530th Fighter Squadron P-51 down 3 Japanese fighters over Rangoon between 1225 and 1235 hours.
  • During the night, RAF Wellingtons attack targets in Rangoon.
CHINA
  • 19 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s, 24 14th Air Force P-40s, and 10 P-51s attack the port area at Kowloon, 2 B-25s attack a port area at Hong Kong, and 16 P-40s attack boats in the Changte area.
FRENCH INDOCHINA
  • 8 14th Air Force P-40 fighter-bombers attack Bac Ninh and area.
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Air Operations, Central Pacific

2 VF-30 F6Fs down a G4M 'Betty' bomber at sea at 1230 hours.

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Air Operations, Europe

B-17s attack Solingen, east of Dusseldorf, for the second successive day.

USAAF
ALBANIA:
  • An 82nd Fighter Group P-38 downs 1 Ju-52 near Alessio at 1530 hours.
US 8th AIR FORCE
GERMANY:
  • 206 1st Bomb Division B-17s and 69 2nd Bomb Division B-24s, guided by 6 pathfinder B-17s, attack aircraft-industry targets at Solingen and Leverkusen with at total of 702 tons of bombs. Several targets of opportunity are also attacked. 3rd Bomb Division B-17s slated for the mission abort due to bad weather.
    • 19 B-17s and 5 B-24s are lost; 13 crewmen killed, 227 missing
  • 374 P-47s from 7 groups and 52 55th Fighter Group P-38s escort the heavy-bomber mission. 15 Luftwaffe fighters are downed over Balgium and Germany between 1130 and 1250 hours.
    • 5 P-47s and 2 P-38s are lost
US 9th AIR FORCE
FRANCE:
  • 176 IX Bomber Command B-26s attack the Cambrai/Epinoy, Cambrai/Niergnies, Chievres (Belgium), and Lille/Vendeville Airdromes.
  • 28 354th Fighter Group P-51s conduct their unit's maiden combat mission, an uneventful sweep over the Pas-de-Calais and Belgium.
US 15th AIR FORCE
ITALY:
  • B-24s of the 15th Air Force's 47th Heavy Bomb Wing dispatched against a marshalling yard at Bolzano in the early afternoon are recalled due to bad weather. 1st Fighter Group P-38 escorts down 2 Bf-109s between 1245 and 1305 hours.
  • 118 B-17s of the 15th Air Force's 5th Heavy Bomb Wing, escorted by 14th Fighter Group p-38s, drop 354 tons of bombs in a damaging attack on industrial targets in Turin, including the Fiat ball-bearing plant. A 14th Fighter Group P-38 downs 1 Bf-109 over the target shortly after 1400.
  • 15th Air Force B-26s attack bridges and rail facilities at three locations, XII Air Support Command B-25s attack gun emplacements, and NATAF fighter-bombers attack gun emplacements, motor vehicles, and other military targets in direct support of Allied ground forces.
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Air Operations, Marshalls

4 VII Bomber Command B-24s based at Funafuti attack the Mille Atoll.

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Air Operations, New Guinea

  • More than 40 V Bomber Command B-24s attack Wewak, but 3 B-24s are lost to Japanese fighters.
  • 348th Fighter Group P-47s down 4 Ki-61 'Tony' fighters over Wewak at 1245 hours, and an 8th Fighter Group P-47 downs an A6M Zero over Wewak at 1305 hours.
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Air Operations, Solomons

  • 18 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s and 8 XIII Fighter Command P-38s attack Malai.
  • 6 B-25s attack Japanese Army ground positions in support of US Marine ground troops on Bougainville.
  • XIII Fighter Command P-39s strafe Tonolei and targets on Bougainville.
  • AirSols SBDs attack Kara, Ballale, and Japanese Army ground troops near Empress Augusta Bay.
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Eastern Front

According to Moscow, partisans in Byelorussia have killed 282,000 German troops since the beginning of the war and have destroyed 812 guns and 5,738 trains.

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Italy

There is growing air and ground activity in 5th Army's sector as diversionary attacks and other moves are made in preparation for the resumption of the offensive. At dusk the 139th Bde of the 46th Div begins a diversionary attack against Calabritto, but find it protected by obstacles and minefields. In the US VI Corps sector, too, the resistance put up by the retiring Germans is very effective.

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Pacific

  • The US submarine Bonefish (SS-223) sinks the Japanese transport Nichiryo Maru (2721t) in the Celebes Sea.
  • The US submarine Pargo (SS-264) sinks the Japanese transport Shoko Maru (1933t) north of Ulithi.
  • The US submarine Peto (SS-265) sinks the Truk-bound Japanese transport Konei Maru (2345t).
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Images from December 1, 1943

Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6


Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6

Canadian Mortar Fire


Canadian Mortar Fire

Tigers in the Ukraine


Tigers in the Ukraine

Tigers near Kirovohrad


Tigers near Kirovohrad

[November 30th - December 2nd]