Air Operations, Bismarcks

• >More than 100 V Bomber Command B-24s, B-25s, and A-20s attack Cape Gloucester. A-20s, and V Fighter Command P-40s attack the Cape Hoskins airfield on New Britain. P-39s attack targets in Borgen Bay and Rein Bay.
• 475th Fighter Group P-38s down 8 D3A 'Val' dive bombers and 2 fighters over Arawe at noon. 348th Fighter Group P-47s down 8 D3A 'Vals' over Arawe at 1645 hours and 2 A6M Zeros between Arawe and Cape Gloucester at 1720 hours.

Air Operations, CBI

• 14 11th Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Hwajung.

• 29 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack rail facilities at Chiengmai.

Air Operations, East Indies

380th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack the Amahai airfield on Ceram.

Air Operations, Marshalls

• 12 531st Fighter-Bomber Squadron A-24s based at Starmann Field on Butaritari and 5 VMSB-331 SBDs, and 15 VF-1 F6Fs based at Mullinnix Field on Tarawa mount an anti-shipping attack in the Jaluit Atoll. 1 cargo ship is claimed as sunk, but it is a hulk that had already been worked over by US carrier aircraft on November 20. (This will be the only offensive mission undertaken by any unit of the 4th Marine Base Defense Aircraft Wing until March 1944. The VMSB-331 SBDs are soon withdrawn from Mullinnix Field to the airfield on Nukufetau in anticipation of the upcoming Marshalls invasion.)
• 8 VII Bomber Command B-24s based at Nanomea accompany 4 US Navy PB4Y photo-reconnaissance bombers to the Kwajalein Atoll. While the PB4Ys photograph the atoll, the B-24s attack the airfield at Roi and other military targets. 16 318th Fighter Group P-39s based at Makin attack shipping and fuel dumps at the Mille Atoll.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-25s attack Madang, 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack bivouacs near Finschhafen, and V Fighter Command P-40s attack Kaukenau.[ | ]

Air Operations, Pacific

US bombers based on Attu, in the Aleutians, bomb military targets in the Kuril Islands.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 6 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Japanese Army ground positions on Bougainville.
• During the night, AirSols aircraft mount heckling and snooping missions against Japanese Army bivouacs on Bougainville.

Eastern Front

The Soviets eliminate a small German bridgehead east of the Dniepr near Kherson. Army Group Center presses with great force on the Russian salient west of Zhlobin, which is northwest of Gomel, beyond the Dniepr. The Germans are making supreme efforts to hold at least part of the vital Dniepr line.

The Belorussian Front renews its attacks at Zhlobin, the 48th and 65th Armies inflicting heavy losses upon the hard-pressed LV Corps and XLI Panzer Corps.

The XLVIII Panzer Corps is involved in further heavy fighting at Meleni, it becoming clear to the German commanders that they are facing a major Soviet force. From this it is deduced that the next phase of the Soviet offensive can not be far off. The Ukrainian offensive has been costly since the end of September: 2nd Ukrainian Front, 77,400 killed and missing; 3rd Ukrainian Front, 34,000 killed and missing; and 4th Ukrainian Front, 61,000 killed and missing. Combined front totals for wounded are a staggering 580,000.

The German 6th Army loses its hold on the Kherson bridgehead as the 2nd Guards Army of the Ukrainian Front closes up to the mouth of the Dniepr.

India

Gen Stilwell arrives at Ledo, in Assam to take over personal direction of the preparations for the coming campaign in northern Burma.

Italy

There is heavy fighting in the 8th Army sector on the approaches to Ortona and in the 5th Army area, especially near Monte Sammucro.

Mediterranean

During the night the old German cruiser Niobe is sunk by British MTBs.

Images from December 21, 1943

Soldier Firing 6-Pounder Anti-Tank Gun at the End of a Street in Ortona, Italy, 21 December 1943

US and Italian Soldier Work Together Laying Wire in Mount Lungo, Italy, 21 December 1943

Edmonton Regiment Soldiers Use Walkie-Talkie during Advance in Ortona, Italy, 21 December 1943

Canadian Troops Moving Anti-Tank Gun into Position during Street Tighting in Ortona, 21 December 1943

Erwin Rommel in Raversijde, Belgium, December 1943

'B' Company of the Seaforth Highlanders Look North towards Ortona from the Coast Road, 21 December 1943

Personnel of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment Having Tea and Sandwiches outside Battalion Headquarters, Ortona, Italy, 21 December 1943

Infantrymen of The Loyal Edmonton Regiment Operating a No.18 Wireless Set outside Regimental Headquarters, Ortona, Italy, 21 December 1943