Air Operations, Bismarcks

Nearly 100 V Bomber Command B-24s and B-25s attack Arawe, Borgen Bay, and Cape Gloucester. V Fighter Command P-40s attack Cape Hoskins.

Air Operations, CBI

• 14th Air Force fighters attack rail targets at Hopong and Hsipaw.
• During the night, RAF Wellingtons attack Moulmein.

• 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s mount more than 30 effective sorties against Changte throughout the day. 14th Air Force fighters also mount numerous strikes against the city.
• 23rd Fighter Group and 3rd CACW Fighter Group P-40s, and a 449th Fighter Squadron P-38 down 4 Ki-43 'Oscar' fighters and Ki-44 'Tojo' fighters over the Changte airfield during the course of several engagements during the day.

Air Operations, Europe

• P-39s of the 350th Fighter Group's 345th Fighter Squadron down 2 Ar-196 float recon planes near Cannes about 1500 hours.

• 12th Air Force A-36s and P-40s attack bridges at two locations.

• Many 15th Air Force heavy bomber are unable to locate targets due to poor weather conditions, but 45 47th Heavy Bomb Wing B-24s attack the Athens/Eleusis Airdrome, and 56 Heavy Bomb Wing B-17s attack the Athens/Kalamaki Airdrome. 82nd Fighter Group P-38 escorts down 4 Luftwaffe fighters over Athen between 1150 and 1230 hours.
• 1 B-24 is lost

• Bad weather cancels most flight operations, but 15th Air Force B-17s are able to attack a marshalling yard and rail bridges at Grizzano.

Air Operations, Marshalls

During the night, VII Bomber Command B-24s stage through Hawkins Field on Betio to attack the Maloelap and Wotje atolls.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-25s and A-20s attack dumps and occupied villages in the Finschhafen area.

Air Operations, Solomons

• A VMF(N)-531 PV crew downs an E13A 'Jake' reconnaissance floatplane off Mutupina Point at 0400 hours.
• 24 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack an occupied village on Bougainville. 6 B-25s and a number of AirSols fighters attack an occupied mission on Bougainville. 1 B-24 attacks a supply dump at Kieta while conducting an armed reconnaissance mission. AirSols fighters strafe numerous ground targets throughout the area.

Allied Planning

The CCS agrees to a general strategy in Europe for 1944. OVERLORD and ANVIL are the supreme operations for the Allies. All resources necessary will be provided to ensure success. The Allies will attack in Italy to reach the Pisa-Rimini line. The amphibious assault in the Bay of Bengal is cancelled and all landing craft in Southeast Asia Command are to be transferred to the ETO for OVERLORD. In the Mediterranean Theater, 68 LSTs will remain until mid-January, when they will be transferred to support ANVIL.

Eastern Front

The Soviets advance a little to the north of Znamenka and cut the rail line to Smela southwest of Kremenchug.

The XLVIII Panzer Corps renews its attack west of Kiev with the aim of destroying what the 4th Panzer Army believes is a small Soviet grouping at Meleni. Both the XIII and LIX Corps are involved in heavy fighting on either flank, the XIII on the right and LIX on the left.

Italy

The British 56th Div captures Monte Camino after a bitter struggle. To the right II Corps now attacks Monte la Difensa, with some success. In the eastern sector of the front the Canadian 1st Div crosses the Moro River.

Occupied Holland

Anton Mussert, leader of the Dutch Nazis, admits the situation in Holland is very difficult. About 100 Dutch Nazis have been killed. He says that 150,000 Dutch Jews have been expelled.

Images from December 6, 1943

Briefing Canadian Paratroopers

Greek Destroyer Adrias

Second Cairo Conference

Supply Trucks on the Stilwell Road