Air Operations, Bismarcks

• 16 AirSols TBFs and 23 SBDs based at Torokina Field on Bougainville attack the Tobera airfield at Rabaul with such accuracy that the base is temporarily closed due to the damage.
• When as many as 40 Japanese fighters attempt to intercept the light bombers, VMF-211, VMF-212, VMF-215 and VMF-321 F4Us and VF-33 F6Fs down 18 A6M Zeros and Ki-61 'Tony' fighers in the Rabaul area, especially around the Tobera airfield at Rabaul, between noon and 1345 hours. 1 F6F and 2 RNZAF Kittyhawks are lost, and 1 battle-damaged TBF ditches off the Torokina airfield at Bougainville.
• XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack the Vunakanau airfield at Rabaul. 6 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the Taharai airfield and targets of opportunity on New Ireland.
• V Fighter Command P-40s attack Cape Beechey.

Air Operations, CBI

• 21 10 Air Force A-36s and P-51s attack a barracks, bridge, and supply dump in the Loilaw area. 8 14th Air Force fighter-bombers attack Sadon.

• 2 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack a ship near Swatow. 9 14th Air Force P-40s and P-51s strafe Yangtze River traffic at Puchi.

• 14th Air Force fighter-bombers attack Lao Kay.

• 14th Air Force fighter-bombers attack rail facilities at Atson.

• During the night, 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s sow mines in the Menam River estuary near Bangkok.

Air Operations, Europe

• XII Bomber Command B-25s attack a marshalling yard and docking facilities at Ancona.
• XII Air Support Command A-36s and P-40s attack tanks, trucks, and troop positions in and around the battle area.

• 15th Air Force B-17s attack the aircraft factory and a marshalling yard at Reggio Emilia.

• 15th Air Force B-24s attack the Mostar Airdrome.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 5th Air Force bombers and fighters attack Alexishafen, Bogadjim, and Madang, defensive targets in the Saidor area, and Uligan Harbor.
• Col Neel E. Kearby, the V Fighter Command commanding officer, downs 2 Ki-61 Tony fighters in the Wewak area at about 1215 hours.

Air Operations, Solomons

42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack supply dumps at Kahili and the seaplane base at Buka. AirSols fighters attack numerous targets.

CBI

The 112th and 113th Regiments of the Chinese 38th Division converge on the small town of Taihpa Ga, in the Hukawng valley, while the 114th Regiment of the division try to eliminate some Japanese infiltrations. On the Arakan front the XV Corps of the British 11th Army takes Maungdaw having advanced 20 miles from around Bawli Bazar near the Indian border. The offensive is part of a renewed Allied attempt to take Akyab, and Maungdaw is an important supply port for the Japanese. Despite the success, the Allied troops have an exposed left flank, against which huge Japanese forces are massing.

Diplomatic Relations

Churchill and de Gaulle meet in Marrakech, Morocco. The main issues are the role of the Free French forces in the forthcoming invasion of the continent and the degree of authority to be assumed by the French Committee in civil affairs inside France after the invasion.

Eastern Front

Vatutin's forces take Polonnoye, midway between Berdichev and Rovno, and farther south Konev's troops take Aleksandrovka.

The headquarters of the XLVII Panzer Corps is attacked, losing many men in the fighting and throwing the corps into confusion. Aleksandrovka falls to the 4th Guards Army.

Italy

In the US 5th Army area, the II Corps orders an attack for the 10th. The 34th Division makes the main effort to secure Cervaro and Monte Trochio, just east of the Cassino position. The last units of the American 45th Division are relieved by the Algerian 3rd Division of the French Expeditionary Corps.

Mediterranean

US Army aircraft sink the German submarine U-81 off the coast of Pola, Italy.

U-81

New Britain

The heavy rains and excessive heat are taking a significant toll on the marines at Aogiri Ridge although the ADC Group has secured a foothold. Visibility in the terraine is less than 10 yards. The Japanese have placed machine guns in the roots of enormous trees that cover the ridge and have built stout log and earth bunkers interconnected with tunnels across the 200-yard front of the ridge. They are nearly invisible. Two companies from 3/7 arrive to support the renewed assault. The marines struggle forward, and occupy the lower slope of the western end of the ridge. In the face of heavy machine-gun fire, Lt-Col Lewis c. Walt organizes a volunteer crew to push a 37 millimeter gun up the muddy slopes of Aogiri Ridge to knock out enemy positionsk that have been holding up the assault. Walt and his marines are able to secure only the slightest toehold on the crest of the ridge.

Solomons

On Bougainville the US engineers complete a second airfield at Piva, inland from the coast, which will help to strengthen the air offensive against targets in New Britain. The Americal Division contines to relieve the 3rd Marine Division. The 132nd Infantry enters the line.

United States, Command

Maj-Gen Bedell Smith is appointed to be Chief of Staff to Gen Eisenhower.

United States, Home Front

Antanas Smetona, ex-dictator of Lithuania, is killed in a fire in Cleveland, Ohio. He was 69.

Images from January 9, 1944

German Prisoners in San Vittore

German Bombardment in San Vittore

Flight Nurses and Medics

Nazi Rally

US Message Center

US Soldiers Enter San Vittore

German 'Tiger' Tank

Retreat of a German Column