Air Operations, Bismarcks

• 40 V Bomber Command B-24s attack Cape Gloucester.
• 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack small craft near New Britain.

Air Operations, CBI

• During the night, 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s sow mines in the Rangoon and Salween rivers. RAF Wellingtons attack the airfield at Heho.

• 14th Air Force P-40s attack supply craft in the Changte area.
• During the morning, an estimated 20 Japanese fighters attack 75th Fighter Squadron P-40s engaged in supporting Chinese Army ground forces near Changte. 1 P-40s is set afire and must crash-land, but 74th Fighter Squadron P-40s down a Ki-43 'Oscar' fighter and a Ki-44 'Tojo' fighter.

• Japanese bombers mount a daring strategic daylight attack against the dock area at Calcutta inflicting heavy damage. 350 people are killed.

Air Operations, Central Pacific

As Task Force 50 departs the Marshall Islands area, US Navy F6Fs down a G4M 'Betty' bomber at sea at 1114 hours, and a B5N 'Kate' torpedo bomber at sea at 1210 hours. Many other Japanese Navy bombers fail to locate the US ships.

Air Operations, Europe

The US 9th Air Force opens Operation CROSSBOW against the bases where the Germans are experimenting with secret weapons, namely V-1 launching sites in the Pas de Calais.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s, and V Fighter Command P-40s attack targets on the Bogadjim road.
• 3nd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack Japanese Army ground troops in the Finschhafen area.

Air Operations, Solomons

More than 20 AirSols SBDs, 23 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s, and numerous AirSols fighters attack ground targets on Bougainville.

Italy

Monte Camino is the scene of more fierce fighting as both sides dispute possession of its summit. In the British 8th Army sector the V Corps pushes on to Ortona, where there is a harbor that can be used for supplies. The 8th Indian Div crosses the Moro River.

Solomons

An American destroyer force shells enemy installations in Choiseul Bay on Choiseul Island.

Images from December 5, 1943

This photo, showing what remained of aircraft 42-7556 after it caught fire in the early morning of 5 December 1943, is ample proof of how dangerous the situation was; it also testifies to how ably the men of the 392nd BG contained the fire and minimized the damage to other airplanes, vehicles, and personnel.

The Remains of a Bomber Fire

New Zealand Artillery personnel, probably from 6 NZ Field Regiment, carrying ammunition to their guns through mud and slush on the Italian Front, December 1943

New Zealand Artillery Personnel