Air Operations, CBI
BURMA- 7 10th Air Force B-25s attack a bridge at Hsipaw.
- 4 B-25s attack a bridge at Bawgyo.
- 20 10th Air Force P-47s attack ground positions, a bomb dump, horse-drawn transport, a Japanese Army headquarters, a Japanese Army troop concentration, and various targets of opportunity.
- 12 P-47s support Allied ground forces near Pinwe.
- 8 14th Air Force B-25s attack a barracks at Lashio.
- More than 60 14th Air Force fighter-bombers attack shipping, rail facilities, radio stations, and targets of opportunity across southern China and northern French Indochina.
- A 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron P-51 downs a Ki-44 'Tojo' fighter in an engagement near the airfield at Erh Tao Kow, Chiuchiang at 0850 hours.
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]Air Operations, East Indies
- FEAF B-25s attack the Haroekoe and Laha airfields on Ceram.
- 347th Fighter Group P-38s attack targets of opportunity around Makassar and Sidate on Celebes.
- A 347th Fighter Group P-38 downs an F1M 'Pete' reconnaissance plane over Makassar at 1325 hours.
| ]Air Operations, Europe
RAF BOMBER COMMANDDaylight Ops:
- 183 Lancasters of No. 3 Group make a G-H attack on the oil plant at Homberg, but the weather is stormy and many aircraft are not able to maintain formation with the G-H aircraft on the bombing run. The bombing, through cloud, is believed to have been scattered.
- 5 Lancasters are lost.
- 3 Hudsons are on Resistance operations, and there are 2 Mosquito Ranger patrols and 3 RCM sorties.
- 43 Lancasters of No. 8 Group make an unusual Pathfinder solo raid on Koblenz without loss. The purpose of the raid is not recorded. It is possible that either the large road and rail bridges over the Rhine and Mosel or the local railway yards were the targets. Only high-explosive bombs are carried. Koblenz is completely covered by cloud and all bombing was by H2S from 15,000 ft. The local report states that some bombs fell in the town, blocking several roads and railways and scoring hits on a road and a rail bridge, although these remain usable.
- 63 Mosquitos are sent to Hannover, 14 each to the Homberg and Castrop-Rauxel oil plants and 9 to Eisenach, and there are 17 Mosquito patrols and 17 RCM sorties.
- There are no losses.
GERMANY:
- 61 1st Bomb Division B-17s attack their primary, an oil-industry target at Gelsenkirchen, but 93 B-17s divert to their secondary, a marshalling yard at Munster.<.li>
- 310 VIII Fighter Command fighters strafe various targets of opportunity in western Germany.
- 8 fighters are lost.
ETO:
- The 9th Bomb Division is grounded by bad weather, but 9th Air Force fighter-bombers are able to attack rail lines, buildings, and tactical targets in and around the battle area.
ITALY:
- 12th Air Force fighter-bombers attack two factories and several supply dumps.
CZECHOSLOVAKIA:
- 15th Air Force B-17s and B-24s diverted by bad weather from attacking Blechhammer, Germany, attack a town and several marshalling yards during the return to Italy.
- 15th Air Force P-38s attack communications targets.
- 92 15th Air Force B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Sarajevo and three rail bridges.
- 15th Air Force P-38s attack a marshalling yard at Brod.
| ]Albania
(when?) The Germans evacuate Tirana.
[]Burma-China
On the Salween front, troops of the Chinese 11th Army Group take Manshih, where the airfield is immediately reactivated.
Chiang Kai-shek appoints a new Minister of War in an attempt to mollify popular disenchantment with his régime.
[ | ]Greece
The British Gen Ronald Scobie is placed in charge of measures for disbanding the guerrilla armies in Greece.
[ | ]Indian Ocean
2 carriers from the British Eastern Fleet send 2 waves of attacks against airfields at Sabang and oil installatons at Belawan Deli on Sumatra.
[ | ]Italy
The 46th Div of the V Corps, British 8th Army, takes Castiglione.
[ | ]Pacific
- A Kaiten 'suicide torpedo' sinks the US naval tanker Mississinewa (AO-59) in the Ulithi Atoll area.
- The Japanese minesweeper No. 38 is sunk by the US submarine Atule (SS-403) in the South China Sea.
- The British submarine Tally Ho sinks the Japanese auxiliary minesweeper MA-4 30 miles east of the southern tip of Great Nicobar Island.
| ]Philippines
On Leyte the American thrust toward Ormoc is solidly contained by the Japanese.
[ | ]Western Front
The XII Corps, British 2nd Army, pushes on toward the Maas with the 49th and 51st Divs.
In the US 9th Army sector, the 29th Div, XIX Corps, launches 2 attacks against Aldenhoven, about 3 miles southwest of Jülich and capture it. In the streets of Metz the 95th and 5th Divs, XX Corps, US 3rd Army, continue the battle with the German rearguards. The town is the biggest objective reached by Gen Patton's forces. The commander of the sector, Gen Heinrich Kittel, is killed in action after the staff of the German 1st Army has withdrawn the best units from the Metz trap. Fierce fighting continues within Metz. The 80th Div, XII Corps, reaches the Nied at Falquemont and establishes a bridgehead on the north bank of the river.
In the US 7th Army sector, the 3rd Div, VI Corps, crosses the Meurthe in the area of Clairefontaine-St-Michel, capturing a large bridgehead taking in the villages of La Paire, Hurbache and La Voivre. The 100th Div opens an offensive eastwards from the Raon-l'Etape area. During the night the 103rd Div crosses the Meurthe in the 3rd Div's area and advances toward St Dié.
The 2nd Moroccan Div and units of the 5th Arm Div, French 1st Army, enter Belfort, where fighting continues for several days. The divisions of the II Corps, the 3rd Algerian and the 1st, also advance. Some units of the French 1st Arm Div reach the suburbs of Mulhouse.
[ | ]Images from November 20, 1944
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