Air Operations, CBI
BURMA- 3 490th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s and 8 459th Fighter Squadron P-38s attack the bridge spanning the Mu River at Monywa.
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]Air Operations, Europe
RAF BOMBER COMMANDEvening Ops:
- 348 Lancasters and 10 Pathfinder Halifaxes raid Stettin.
- The Mosquito diversion to Berlin keeps most of the fighters away from the main bomber force. The raid is classified successful.
- 14 Lancasters and 2 Halifaxes are lost.
After the Mission to Stettin |
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- 13 Mosquitos are sent to Berlin, 25 to 4 other targets, there is 1 Mosquito RCM sortie, 1 Beaufighter Serrate patrol and 6 Lancasters lay mines off Swinemünde.
- There are no losses.
FRANCE:
- 112 3rd Bomb Division B-17s, escorted by 76 78th Fighter Group P-47s, attack the Bordeaux/Merignac Airdrome. A P-47 downs 2 Bf-109s over La Rochelle at 1017 hours.
- 11 B-17s and 5 B-47s are lost with their crews
- 78 1st Bomb Division B-17s, escorted by 149 4th and 352nd Fighter Group P-47s, attack the Tours Airdrome. Escorts down 1 He-177 and 2 FW-190s between 1145 hours and noon.
- 1 B-17 is lost with its crew
- Escorted by 70 P-38s and 41 P-51s, 119 1st Bomb Division B-17s and 96 2nd Bomb Division B-24s attack the shipyards and aircraft-industry targets at Kiel.
- 5 B-17s, 5 B-24s, and 7 P-38s are lost
- Of 78 3rd Bomb Division B-17s briefed for an attack on ball-bearing factories at Elberfield, 73 attack various targets of opportunity after running into bad weather. Escort for this attack is provided by 243 P-47s from 4 VIII Fighter Command groups.
ITALY:
- XII Air Support Cokmmand A-36s attack gun emplacements and other tactical targets.
| ]Air Operations, New Guinea
V Bomber Command B-24s, B-25s, and B-26s attack the Alexishafen, Bogadjim, and Madang areas, and barges at Finschhafen and near Saidor. V Fighter Command P-39s attack barges and artillery batteries between Sio and Bogadjim.
[ | ]Air Operations, Solomons
An effort to move 150 AirSols SBDs and TBFs through the newly completed Piva Uncle airfield on Bougainville is thwarted by bad weater over Rabaul, and all the light bombers return to the Munda Point airfield on New Georgia. However, on the return flight, 21 TBFs and 26 SBDs attack known Japanese Army troop concentrations on Bougainville. Also, XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack Fauro Island, Poporang, and Tonolei, and supply dumps at Kahili. 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Japanese Army ground troops in Choiseul Bay and southern Buka.
[ | ]Atlantic
The last German blockade-runner, the Burgenland, is scuttled en route from the Far East after being spotted by the US light cruiser Omaha (CL-4) and the destroyer Jouett (DD-396).
[ | ]Burma
The Chinese 38th Div tries without success to capture the last Japanese strongpoint keeping them from the Tarung River.
[ | ]Eastern Front
Before dawn Ivan S. Konev's 2nd Ukraine Front begins a new series of attacks toward Kirovgrad. Nikolai F. Vatutin's 1st Ukraine Front captures Berdichev, a rail and road junction south of Zhitomir, and Tarascha, south of Kiev.
SOUTHERN SECTOR
The Soviet 3rd Guards Tank and 18th Armies capture Berdichev. The 2nd Ukrainian Front opens its offensive against the German 8th Army. The 4th Guards, 52nd and 53rd Armies attack in the Kirovograd sector, with the 5th and 7th Guards assaulting farther south. The understrength 8th army is made up of LII, XLVII Panzer and XI Corps.[MORE]
[ | ]Italy
The attacks by the British X Corps beyond the Peccia River against Monte Cedro and Monte Porchia are held by the German forces of von Vietinghoff's 10th Army. Lt-Gen Oliver Leese is appointed GOC 8th Army. 5th Army attacks the 'Winter Line', east of Cassino.
[ | ]Japan, Home Front
The Japanese Government imposes major increases in taxation to meet to costs of the war.
[ | ]New Britain
The 112th Cavalry at Arawe is reinforced by the 2nd Battalion, 158th Infantry. The Japanese have established themselves about 600 yards from the American perimeter and are able to fire machine guns and mortars into the US lines. The Japanee have dug trenches and foxholes and covered them with vegetation, making them nearly impossible to locate.
[ | ]New Guinea
The American forces at Saidor meet their Japanese opponents in patrols to the west. The Australians advancing west along the north coast of the Huon Peninsula capture Kelanoa bringing them to within 62 miles of the Americans on Saidor.
[ | ]Occupied Denmark
Pastor Kaj Munk, Danish cleric and author, is murdered by the Germans. He was 45.
[ | ]Pacific
The US submarine Rasher finishes off the Japanese tanker Kiyo Maru (7251t) in the South China Sea.
[ | ]Poland, Politics
The Polish government-in-exile has authorized the Polish underground movement to cooperate with the Red Army only in the event of a resumption of Polish-Soviet relations. The Soviet Union has not yet recognized the London-based Polish government-in-exile.
[ | ]United States, Command
The headquarters of the American strategic air force is moved to Britain. Gen Carl Spaatz is appointed Commander-in-Chief, to co-ordinate the operations of the US 8th and 15th Air Forces.
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Images from January 5, 1944
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