Air Operations, Bismarcks

• More than 90 V Bomber Command B-24s and B-25s attack the Borgen Bay and Cape Gloucester areas.
• During the night, 26 RAAF Beauforts attack the Borpop airfield on New Ireland.

Air Operations, CBI

• 8 14th Air Force P-40s attack the rail line between Mogaung and Myitkyina

• 13 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s attack Changte.

Air Operations, East Indies

380th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack Haroekoe and the Ceram airfield there.

Air Operations, Europe

In one of the wilder claims made by the protagonists of strategic bombing, Air Marshal Harris tells his superiors that he believes he can with the war if he is supported in his continuing attacks on Berlin and other targets so that he can send off 15,000 Lancaster missions in the next few months. He will be able to send 14,500 despite arguments about the effectiveness of the bombing, but the war will not be won in this way.

• XII Air Support Command B-25s and A-36s attack the town and harbor at Civitavecchia.
• XII Air Support Command B-25s attack the rail line, a road, and the town area at Pescara.
• NATAF fighter-bombers attack gun emplacements, a bridge, and several defended towns in and around the battle area.
• Spitfires of the 31st Fighter Group's 309th Fighter Squadron down 6 Luftwaffe fighters over central Italy about 1500 hours.

• A 52ns Fighter Group Spitfire downs an Me-210 off Corsica.

Air Operations, Marshalls

6 VII Bomber Command B-24s based at Nukufetau attack the Maloelap Atoll, and one B-24 that cannot reach Maloelap attacks the Mille Atoll. This is the first mission undertaken as part of Operation FLINTLOCK, the impending invasion of the Marshall Islands.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack Japanese Army ground troops and dumps at Finschhafen.
• V Fighter Command P-40s attack barges and small craft near Madang.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 18 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Kahili and the harbor at Kieta.
• 2 US Navy PVs attack Torokina Island.

Allied Command

The supreme command in the Mediterranean is unified. Eisenhower, already selected by Roosevelt as Commander-in-Chief for OVERLORD, will be responsibile for all operations in the Mediterranean theater except strategic bombing.

Allied Planning

The Second Cairo Conference is concluded. The Allied military chiefs in the West have determined the new strategic directives in the light of the political talks at Teheran between Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt. The proposed operations for the recapture of Burma across the Bay of Bengal are cancelled to make the amphibious craft available for Operation ANVIL, the landing in the south of France. All decisions are deferred for northern Burma, which must be liberated to re-establish land communication between India and China, largely on accoung of Chiang Kai-shek's insistence that he cannot take part without more substantial aid.

The following timetable is provisionally fixed for the offensive against Japan: January 1944, capture of the Marshall Islands and New Britain; April, invasion of Manus and the Admiralty Islands; June, capture of Hollandia in New Guinea; October, invasion of the Mariana Islands.

From both the Sextant and Eureka conferences comes a statement that expresses the goals and intent of Britain, the USSR and the United States in dealing with Japan.[MORE]

Eastern Front

As the XLVIII Panzer Corps advances it hits the headquarters of the 60th Army, throwing in into disarray and inflicting heavy casualties.

Italy

With the peaks south of the Mignano Gap now in Allied hands the second phase of 5th Army's attack can begin. Operating on a wider front, the US II and VI Corps move against Monte Sammucro and San Pietro but German resistance is strong. After very hard fighting the Germans begin to withdraw from Monte la Difensa, the defense of which has become doubtful now that the British have seized Monte Camino.

In the British V Corps sector, units of the New Zealand 2nd Div attack Orsogna, but are driven back. Further north, the 5th Div captures Poggiofiorito.

Pacific

The US submarine Pogy (SS-266) sinks the Japanese collier Soyo Maru (6081t) north of Truk.

United States, Home Front

The battleship Wisconsin is launched at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

Images from December 7, 1943

B-24 in Landing Accident

Walking Wounded Near Sanananda

British Soldiers on Monte Camino

Discussing Moro River Crossing

US Marine 'Raiders' on Bougainville

US Paratroopers Approaching San Pietro, Italy

Aboard a Douglas C-47

Gary Cooper Playing the Drum