Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Bomber Command B-24s attack Cape Gloucester.

Air Operations, CBI

• In their unit’s combat debut, P-40s from the 80th Fighter Group’s 89th Fighter Squadron down 3 Ki-21 'Sally' bombers and 2 Ki-43 'Oscar' fighters near Fort Hertz at 1120 hours. In the same action, P-51s with the 311th Fighter Group’s 529th Fighter Squadron down 2 fighters in the same general area.

• Japanese dive-bombers attack the airfield at Hengyang and cause heavy damage. 23rd Fighter Group P-40s and 449th Fighter Squadron P-38s down 5 Japanese aircraft over Hengyang and Lingling during several morning engagements.
• A 74th Fighter Squadron P-40 downs an A6M Zero near the airfield at Lingling during a midafternoon engagement. 2 P-40s are downed and one of the pilots is killed while bailing out of his crippled fighter.

• 12 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s and 15 14th Air Force P-40s attack a marshalling yard at Hanoi.

Air Operations, Europe

• Between 1920 and 2000 hours, 20 Luftwaffe attack aircraft raid the 9th Air Force bases at Andrews Field and Earls, Colne, Gosfield, and Great Dunmow Airdromes. 8 USAAF personnel are killed and 20 are wounded at Great Dunmow.
• In a night raid on Chelmsford 3 Do-217s are brought down by 1 Mosquito.

• XII Air Support Command A-36s and P-40s attack warehouses, oil tanks, rail facilities, and a ship at Civitavecchia; a defendede town; tactical targets in the British 8th Army battle area; and road traffic near the front.

• XII Air Support Command fighter-bombers attack a ship in the harbor at Split.

• 31 15th Air Force B-24s attack the marshalling yard at Sofia. 82nd Fighter Group P-38 escorts down 9 of the estimated 30 Luftwaffe fighters that attack the formation over Sofia about 1200 hours.
• 2 P-38s are lost

• 15th Air Force B-26s attack bridge approaches around Ventimiglia.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command B-24s attack targets on the Huon Peninsula. 40 B-25s and B-26s attack bridges, dumps, and bivouacs along the Bogadjim road. V Fighter Command P-39s strafe barges near Madang.
• 49th Fighter Group P-38s and P-40s down 7 Japanese fighters 0900 and 0920 hours.

Air Operations, Solomons

42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the Kahili airfield on Bougainville and a supply dump. US Navy PVs attack Arigua Plantation on Bougainville. XIII Fighter Command P-39 fighter-bombers attack antiaircraft batteries, a supply dump, and barges at Tonolei.

Eastern Front

Znamenka is taken by the Soviets. After a lull the 2nd Ukraine Front, formerly the Steppe Front, under Gen Ivan S. Konev resumes the offensive attacking Cherkassy on the lower Dniepr and Kirovo.

Fierce fighting continues at Znamenka where the 5th Guards Tank Army, now supported by the 5 Guards Army, finally overcomes German resistance. Elements of the 4th Guards Army also link up with the 52nd Army at Cherkassy, the latter having been fighting in isolation since crossing the Dniepr at the end of November.

Italy

In the US 5th Army area, Allied air attacks are stepped up in preparation for the next phase of the offensive, which is to begin on the 15th. The British X Corps takes responsibility for Monte la Difensa from the 142nd Infantry of the 36th Division, VI Corps. In the II Corps area, the 3rd Ranger Battalion, with artillery support, renews an attack on Hill 950 on the northern flank of II Corps and takes it. Around San Pietro and on Monte L'Summucro there is much less activity while the Americans are consolidating. In the VI Corps area, the 2nd Moroccan Division takes command of the zone previously held by the 34th Division.

The British 8th Army has regrouped to increase its weight of attack in the coastal sector, where opposition is heavy. The XIII Corps, with the 5th Diviaion and the New Zealand Division under its command, is to move north on the left of V Corps, leaving the 78th Division in its previous positions under 8th Army command. V Corps continues northward along the coast with the Canadian 1st and Indian 8th Divisions. The Canadian 1st Division now has a bridgehead across the Moro River and is pressing toward Ortona, assisted by air and naval bombardments of coastal targets.

Solomons

The first American planes arrive at the Cape Torokina airfield. This new air base is only 220 miles from Rabaul. Inland the marines are gradually extending American-held territory.

United States Command

Persian Gulf Service Command is redesignated as Persian Gulf Command (PGC) and is responsible directly to the War Department. The commander, Brig-Gen Donald H. Connolly, is responsible for coordinating US activities in the region with Allied nations.

United States, Home Front

The long-running debate on the draft regulations end when Roosevelt signs a revised bill which puts those who have been fathers since before Pearl Harbor at the bottom of the list.

Images from December 10, 1943

Taking Cover During German Counterattack

Sherman Tank Driven off the Road

Canadian Film Unit near San Leonardo di Ortona

Camouflaged Tank of 14th Canadian Armored Regiment

Getting Ready to Attack

Australian Mortars Firing upon the Japanese

German Tank Destroyed by the Calgary Regiment

Vella Lavella Airfield in the Solomons

President in Sicily!

Canadian Jeep Ambulance

A Village near the Sangro River Front