Air Operations, CBI
BURMA- 9 10th Air Force B-25s attack 6 road bridges and several bypass bridges.
- 3 B-25s attack a ferry.
- 13 10th Air Force P-47s support Allied ground forces around Namhkam.
- 12 P-47s attack 2 bridges.
- 12 P-47s sweep a long stretch of the Irrawaddy River.
- Fighter-bombers attack troops, supplies, and various targets of opportunity.
- 118 14th Air Force P-40s and P-51s attack numerous targets across southern China and eastern Burma.
- A 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron P-51 downs a Ki-44 'Tojo' fighter over the Kaitak airfield at Hong Kong at 0515 hours.
- A 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron P-51 downs a Ki-43 'Oscar' fighter over the Tienho airfield at Canton at 1100 hours.
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]Air Operations, East Indies
- FEAF B-24s attack the Malang airfield on Java.
- B-25s attack Haroekoe, Ceram.
- Fighter-bombers attack many targets of opportinity.
- In their first operational mission of the war under the control of the US Pacific Fleet, 27 Royal Navy Avenger light bombers, escorted by 28 Royal Navy Hellcats and Corsairs, dispatched from the British Pacific Fleet carriers HMS Indomitable and HMS Illustrious, (RAdm Sir Philip L. Vian, RN, Commander, 1st Aircraft Carrier Squadron) are forced by bad weather to divert from a refinery in northwestern Sumatra against port facilities at Belawan Deli. The British carrier fighters also strafe port facilities at Kota Raja and the Sabang airfield on Sumatra. Following their attack, the British carriers retire to Ceylon.
| ]Air Operations, Europe
US 12th AIR FORCEITALY:
- XXII TAC P-47s mount limited attacks against targets of opportunity in the Po River valley and rail lines in Brenner Pass and around Trento.
- During the night, XXII TAC A-20s attack roads and targets of opportunity in the Po River valley.
AUSTRIA:
- 15th Air Force B-24s attack marshalling yards at Salzburg and Villach.
- 15th Air Force B-17s attack marshalling yards at Salzburg and Linz.
- 15th Air Force B-24s attack the Skoda arms complex at Pilsen.
- 15th Air Force B-17s attack oil-industry targets at Brux.
- 15th Air Force B-17s attack oil-industry targets at Regensburg.
| ]Air Operations, Japan
Several 28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s attack targets in the Kurile Islands.
[ | ]Air Operations, Philippines
- FEAF B-24s, V Bomber Command B-25s, and V Fighter Command fighter-bombers attack 3 airfields on Mindanao and 10 airfields across the central Philippines.
- Fighter-bombers attack many targets of opportunity.
- 35th and 348th Fighter group P-47s down a Ki-46 'Dinah' reconnaissance plane and 17 fighters over the Mindoro area between 1115 and 1155 hours.
- 49th Fighter Group P-38s down 3 A6M Zeros over Mindoro between noon and 1210 hours.
- A 49th Fighter Group P-38 downs an A6M Zero near Samar at 1825 hours.
- 3 P-47s are lost over Mindoro.
| ]Air Operations, Volcano Islands
23 11th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s based on Saipan attack Iwo Jima.
[ | ]Battle of the Atlantic
In the eastern Atlantic the US landing ship LST-359 is sunk by a submarine torpedo and the US destroyer escort Fogg (DE-57) is damaged by one.
[ | ]CBI
BURMAIn the British 14th Army's IV Corps sector, the Indian 19th Division takes Kawlin.
CHINAContinuing an inspection of the China Theater, Gen Wedemeyer urges that Y-Force resume the offensive toward Wanting on the Salween front in an effort to link up with CAI (Chines Army in India) forces as soon as possible, but Y-Force does not comply until late in December. At a meeting of IBT (India-Burma Theater) and CT (China Theater) leaders in Kunming, Gen Wedemeyer explains his plan for controlling ALPHA.
[ | ]Eastern Front
SOUTHERN SECTORThe 6th Guards Tank Army smashes its way through to the Hron Rover while the 7th Guards Army reaches the Ipel valley and begins to push upon Esztergom. German counterattacks halt the Russian advance. Heavy fighting rages on these positions for nearly a week.
South of Budapest the 3rd Ukrainian Front begins its new offensive. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Germans launch continuous armored counterattacks, slowing the Soviet advance to a crawl.
[ | ]Greece
British tanks and armored cars have lifted the seige of Kafissia RAF base by ELAS rebels (the National Liberation Army - the military wing of the country's communist party).
[ | ]Italy
15th Army GroupBritish 8th Army
In the V Corps area, the 56th Division begins to clear the region between the Naviglio Canal and the Lamone River, working northward from Faenza. The New Zealand 2nd Division is clearing northward between the Naviglio Canal and the Senio.
In the Canadian I Corps area, the enemy is forced back behind the Senio during the night under pressure from the 1st Division and the 5th Armored Division.
[ | ]Philippines
MINDOROAircraft begin arriving to operate from Hill Drome. Under direction of a small party from the 503rd Parachute Infantry, a guerilla force of 50 moves by water from Agustin to the Pasugi-Piang area without incident.
LEYTEUS 6th Army
In the X Corps area, the 12th Cavalry of the 1st Cavalry Division attacks from Lonoy southward along Highway 2 toward Kananga, reaching positions near that barrio. Elements of the 126th Infantry, 32nd Division, clear the last resistance within the regimental sector south of Limon. The 127th Infantry then relieves the 1st Battalion, 126th Infantry, which assemble to the rear. The 128th Infantry is alerted to move to the west coast.
In the XXIV Corps area, the 307th Infantry of the 77th Division overcomes strong opposition at Libongao and continues northward toward the road junction. The 306th quickly reaches the Palompon road. The 1st Battalion then advances to the west along it to the Togbong River and other elements of the regiment drive eastward along the road toward its junction with Highway 2. During the night, the 77th Division conducts is most intensive artillery bombardment of enemy positions of the Leyte Campaign. The 2nd Battalion of the 32nd Infantry, 7th Division, continuing eastward to establish contact with the 511th Parachute Infantry of the 11th Airborne Division, is delayed by the enemy entrenched on 2 ridges.
[ | ]Western Front
On the northern flank of their Ardennes offensive the German forces attack northward from around Stavelot but, although they quickly make some gains, they are soon forced to retire. The units on the right of these in the German drive have not made much ground toward their objectives around Malmedy and to the north. The two vital junctions at St Vith and Bastogne are still being held despite deeper penetrations all around these towns. If the Germans are to develop their offensive much farther they must do so quickly before the weather clears and before the Allied reserves arrive in force. To maintain the momentum of the attack they must take the road junctions so they can easily speed their main forces and their supports forward.[WE]
[ | ]Images from December 20, 1944
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