Air Operations, Europe

The heavy bombers of 8th Air Force and Bomber Command each drop about 12,000 tons of bombs. Bomber Command's targets include Berlin (7,000 tons in 4 raids), Leipzig and Frankfurt. The USAAF attacks Kiel, Emden and Bremen. Both commands hit targets in the Pas de Calais area, especially after December 21, against launching sites being built for flying bombs.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

35 V Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack Borgen Bay. 16 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack the Cape Gloucester area.

Air Operations, CBI

• In the final attack of the joint USAAF-RAF bombing offensive against strategic targets in Rangoon, 7th and 308th Heavy Bomb group B-24s attack the locomotive repair shops at Insein, but they are engaged by as many as 60 Japanese fighters. 6 B-24s and 1 P-51 are lost, and 6 B-24s are heavily damaged.
• 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack a bridge at Myitnge and 4 14th Air Force P-40s attack motor vehicles near Lashio.
• 459th Fighter Squadron P-38s and a 530th Fighter Squadron P-51 down 3 Japanese fighters over Rangoon between 1225 and 1235 hours.
• During the night, RAF Wellingtons attack targets in Rangoon.

• 19 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s, 24 14th Air Force P-40s, and 10 P-51s attack the port area at Kowloon, 2 B-25s attack a port area at Hong Kong, and 16 P-40s attack boats in the Changte area.

• 8 14th Air Force P-40 fighter-bombers attack Bac Ninh and area.

Air Operations, Central Pacific

2 VF-30 F6Fs down a G4M 'Betty' bomber at sea at 1230 hours.

Air Operations, Europe

B-17s attack Solingen, east of Dusseldorf, for the second successive day.

• An 82nd Fighter Group P-38 downs 1 Ju-52 near Alessio at 1530 hours.

• 206 1st Bomb Division B-17s and 69 2nd Bomb Division B-24s, guided by 6 pathfinder B-17s, attack aircraft-industry targets at Solingen and Leverkusen with at total of 702 tons of bombs. Several targets of opportunity are also attacked. 3rd Bomb Division B-17s slated for the mission abort due to bad weather.
• 19 B-17s and 5 B-24s are lost; 13 crewmen killed, 227 missing

• 374 P-47s from 7 groups and 52 55th Fighter Group P-38s escort the heavy-bomber mission. 15 Luftwaffe fighters are downed over Balgium and Germany between 1130 and 1250 hours.
• 5 P-47s and 2 P-38s are lost

• 176 IX Bomber Command B-26s attack the Cambrai/Epinoy, Cambrai/Niergnies, Chievres (Belgium), and Lille/Vendeville Airdromes.
• 28 354th Fighter Group P-51s conduct their unit's maiden combat mission, an uneventful sweep over the Pas-de-Calais and Belgium.

• B-24s of the 15th Air Force's 47th Heavy Bomb Wing dispatched against a marshalling yard at Bolzano in the early afternoon are recalled due to bad weather. 1st Fighter Group P-38 escorts down 2 Bf-109s between 1245 and 1305 hours.
• 118 B-17s of the 15th Air Force's 5th Heavy Bomb Wing, escorted by 14th Fighter Group p-38s, drop 354 tons of bombs in a damaging attack on industrial targets in Turin, including the Fiat ball-bearing plant. A 14th Fighter Group P-38 downs 1 Bf-109 over the target shortly after 1400.
• 15th Air Force B-26s attack bridges and rail facilities at three locations, XII Air Support Command B-25s attack gun emplacements, and NATAF fighter-bombers attack gun emplacements, motor vehicles, and other military targets in direct support of Allied ground forces.

Air Operations, Marshalls

4 VII Bomber Command B-24s based at Funafuti attack the Mille Atoll.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• More than 40 V Bomber Command B-24s attack Wewak, but 3 B-24s are lost to Japanese fighters.
• 348th Fighter Group P-47s down 4 Ki-61 'Tony' fighters over Wewak at 1245 hours, and an 8th Fighter Group P-47 downs an A6M Zero over Wewak at 1305 hours.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

More than 50 V Bomber Command B-25s attack the Borgen Bay area.

Air Operations, CBI

• 18 Japanese bombers, escorted by A6M Zeros, attack the airfield at Suichwan.
• 16 14th Air Force P-40 fighter-bombers attack Japanese Army ground positions near Changte. 6 P-40s attack several occupied villages.
• 76th Fighter Squadron P-40s down a Ki-45 'Nick' fighter and an A6M Zero over the Suichwan airfield during the early afternoon. 2 P-40s are lost.

Air Operations, Europe

• 458 planes, including 425 Lancasters, 15 Halifaxes and 18 Mosquitoes, are sent to Berlin. 43 planes abort. The time over the target is 20:04-20:24. About 1,600 tons of bombs are dropped which include 840 tons of high explosives and 760 tons of incendiaries. The bombing at the target is a failure. Bad weather along the way causes many of the planes to arrive late. Variable winds push the planes south of the planned track. The Pathfinders misread their radar for the 3 small towns that would put them on target. They are actually 15 miles south of their intended position. German night fighters are given priority over the target area. The usual elements of a Wild Boar operation are present: searchlights, fighter flares and many combats. The bombing results of the raid are negligible. About three-fourths of the bomb loads fall in open country south of Berlin. There is some scattered damage in various parts of the city with between 100 and 150 people reportedly killed.
• A total of 40 aircraft are lost including 37 Lancasters, 2 Halifaxes and 1 Mosquito. Aircrew casualties are 228 killed, 60 POWs and 2 evaders among which are 2 war correspondents killed and 1 taken prisoner.

• During the night 30 German bombers attack Bari. An ammunition ship in the harbor is hit and explodes, sinking 18 transports of 70,000 tons and destroying 38,000 tons of supplies. Among the ships that were sunk is the liberty ship SS John Harvey carrying mustard gas bombs. Over 1,000 people are killed and 800 are injured. Thousands of civilians flee. The port is rendered useless for 3 weeks.

• XII Air Support Command B-25s attack bridges and bridge approaches.
• NATAF fighters and fighter-bombers attack gun emplacements, trains, and motor vehicles in and around the battle area.

• 12th Air Force Fighters attack harbors and shipping at several points along the coast.

• 118 15th Air Force B-24s, escorted by 82nd Fighter Group P-38s, attack a marshalling yard at Bolzano with 106 tons of bombs. Rolling stock and tracks are severely damaged. P-38s down 4 of 33 Luftwaffe fighters that attack the formation.
• 3 P-38s are lost

• 15th Air Force B-26s attack a marshalling yard at Arezzo, the town area at Orvieto, and a rail bridge.
• NATAF aircraft provide direct support to Allied ground forces.

Air Operations, New Guinea

2 V Bomber Command B-24s attack the Sio area. 20 B-25s and B-26s attack Japanese Army ground troops around Finschhafen.

Air Operations, Solomons

More than 20 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack Korovo and more than 20 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Malai and targets near Kieta.

Britain, Home Front

Minister of Labor Ernest Bevin announces conscription to mines.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• More than 60 V Bomber Command B-24s and B-25s attack the Cape Gloucester airfield on New Britain. Other B-24s mount anti-shipping attacks.
• During the night, 32 RAAF Beauforts attack the Lakunai airfield at Rabaul.

Air Operations, CBI

• 8 14th Air Force P-40s attack a barracks at Wanling.

Air Operations, East Indies

More than 20 380th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack Waingapoe, Sumatra.

Air Operations, Europe

• There is a heavy raid on Leipzig carried out by all the Halifaxes available and 307 Lancasters. The raid is a complete success. The Germans are fooled into thinking it was a Berlin raid. 41% of all the housing in the city of Leipzig is either destroyed or damaged. 4 bombers are lost over the target area, but about 12 more are lost on the homeward flight when the wander into the Frankfurt flak defenses.

• Operation CROSSBOW, the campaign against German V-weapons sites is given top priority for the Allied tactical air forces.

• XII Air Support Command B-25s attack the marshalling yard and port facilities at Sibenik.
• XII Air Support Command fighter-bombers attack ships in the harbor at Sibenik.

• Despite bad weather, 15th Air Force B-24s are able to attack the Rome/Casale Airdrome, but 15th Air Force b-26s are recalled on their way to the day's targets.
• NATAF fighter-bombers attack Anzio and Nettuno, and tanks and motor vehicles in the battle area and north of Rome.
• A 27th Fighter-Bomber Group A-36 downs 1 He-111 north of Rome at 1415 hours.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack occupied villages around Finschhafen.
• 348th Fighter Group P-47s down 3 A6M Zeros and 2 Ki-61 'Tony' fighterss in the Wewak area between 1100 and 1115 hours.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 21 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack Bonis. B-24s also attack numerous targets of opportunity while conducting armed reconnaissance missions.
• 23 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Kieta. 6 other B-25s attack Aitara Mission.
• AirSols fighters attack numerous targets on Bougainville and the northern Solomons area.
• A VMF(N)-531 PV crew downs an unidentified airplane at sea at 2211 hours.

Allied Planning

Operation CROSSBOW directed against secret weapons bases in Germany is accorded absolute priority for the Allied air forces in the west.

Battle of the Atlantic

The US tanker Touchet (10,172t) is torpedoed by U-193 and abandoned by most of the 50-man crew and 30-man Armed Guard. 10 of the Armed Guard stay with the ship, manning the 5-inch gun until hit by another torpedo which sinks the ship taking 9 of the 10 that stayed on board.

Eastern Front

The Soviets capture Dovsk north of Gomel and make other gains around Rogschev in the same sector. To the south they also push forward west of Cherkassy.

The Belorussian Front captures Dovsk.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

Nearly 50 V Bomber Command heavy and medium bombers attack the Cape Gloucester airfield on New Britain and coastal targets.

Air Operations, CBI

• During the night, 12 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s sow mines in the Salween River at Moulmein and 5 B-24s sow mines in the Rangoon River.

• The city of Changte falls to Japanese Army ground forces during the course of a major ground offensive across a 100-mile front in the Tungting Lake region. Later, a total of 22 11th Medium Bomb Group B-25s and 38 14th Air Force P-40 fighter-bombers attack the Japanese ground troops in Changte in three waves. P-40s air-drop ammunition to Chinese Army ground troops on Mount Tenshan.
• 23rd Fighter Group P-40s probably destroy 5 Ki-43 'Oscar' fighters over Changte airfield in an engagement lasting from 1340 to 1505, but no confirmed victories are credited.

Air Operations, Central Pacific

8 VII Bomber Command B-24s based at Funafuti attack Nauru Island.

Air Operations, Europe

• The recon phase of Operation CROSSBOW begins with an intense schedule of missions.

• 16 353rd Fighter Group P-47s dive-bomb the Gilze-Rijen Airdrome under escort from the remainder of the 343rd Fighter Group and the 56th Fighter Group.
• 352nd Fighter Group P-47s conducting a sweep down 3 Luftwaffe fighters near Rotterdam between 1500 and 1510 hours.
• There are no USAAF losses

• 203 IX Bomber Command B-26s are dispatched against the Chievres (Belgium) and Lille/Vendeville Airdromes, but all are recalled because of bad weather.

Air Operations, Marshalls

• 34 VII Bomber Command B-24s based in the Ellice Islands attack the Mille Atoll, but more than 20 others abort in the face of bad weather.

• US Navy carrier aircraft from Task Force 50 mount 246 effective sorties in two separate missions against the Kwajalein and Wotje atolls. During the morning strike against Kwajalein, Navy TBFs and SBDs sink 4 cargo ships and damage 2 Japanese light cruisers, and 12 F6F strafers destroy 19 Japanese Navy aircraft on the ground at the Roi airfield on Kwajalein. A separate morning strike against the seaplane anchorage at Ebeye Island accounts for 18 floatplanes destroyed at their moorings. US losses are 5 aircraft and 3 pilots.
• US Navy F6Fs down 4 G4M 'Betty' bombers and 34 A6M Zeros over Roi Island and elsewhere over the Kwajalein Atoll between 0705 and 0940 hours. Many other Japanese Navy aircraft are destroyed on the ground at Roi. An afternoon strike against the Wotje Atoll produces negligible results.
• During the noon hour, as the afternoon strike against the Wotje Atoll is being launched, 8 of 8 land-based B5N 'Kate' torpedo bomberss are downed by antiaicraft fire over the carriers. Next, beginning at about 2000 hours, an estimated 30 to 50 G4M 'Betty' bombers and B5N 'Kates' based at the airfields on Kwajalein, Taroa, and Wotje and organized into 14 flights or individually attempt to break through the US Navy antiaircraft umbrella to deliver torpedo attacks in bright flarelight. At 2323 hours, 2 G4M 'Betty' severely damages the USS Lexington with an aerial torpedo. As soon as the night attacks cease, at about 0130 hours on December 5, a second day of US carrier strikes is canceled and Task Force 50 retires to Pearl Harbor. (This precipitous retirement will cost the over-cautious Rear-Adm Charles A. Pownall his job as a task force commander.)

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 12 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack dumps and occupied villages in the Finschhafen area.
• V Fighter Command P-40s attack a bridge at Bogadjim and small craft near Bogia.

Air Operations, Solomons

21 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack Chabai, which is also attacked by 17 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s.

Allied Planning

The Second Cairo Conference begins. Churchill and Roosevelt meet Pres Ismet Inönü of Turkey. They discuss prospects of bringing Allied troops to Turkey. Amphibious operations in the Bay of Bengal are cancelled because of the need for landing craft in the projected invasion of southern France. A timetable is set for the Pacific 'island hopping' campaign. The conference will end December 7.

Bolivia

Bolivia declares war on all Axis states.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• 40 V Bomber Command B-24s attack Cape Gloucester.
• 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack small craft near New Britain.

Air Operations, CBI

• During the night, 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s sow mines in the Rangoon and Salween rivers. RAF Wellingtons attack the airfield at Heho.

• 14th Air Force P-40s attack supply craft in the Changte area.
• During the morning, an estimated 20 Japanese fighters attack 75th Fighter Squadron P-40s engaged in supporting Chinese Army ground forces near Changte. 1 P-40s is set afire and must crash-land, but 74th Fighter Squadron P-40s down a Ki-43 'Oscar' fighter and a Ki-44 'Tojo' fighter.

• Japanese bombers mount a daring strategic daylight attack against the dock area at Calcutta inflicting heavy damage. 350 people are killed.

Air Operations, Central Pacific

As Task Force 50 departs the Marshall Islands area, US Navy F6Fs down a G4M 'Betty' bomber at sea at 1114 hours, and a B5N 'Kate' torpedo bomber at sea at 1210 hours. Many other Japanese Navy bombers fail to locate the US ships.

Air Operations, Europe

The US 9th Air Force opens Operation CROSSBOW against the bases where the Germans are experimenting with secret weapons, namely V-1 launching sites in the Pas de Calais.

• The VIII Bomber Command mounts its first Operation CROSSBOW mission against NOBALL V-weapons sited in France, but there is bad weather, and only 3 of the 548 VIII Bomber Command heavy bombers dispatched actually release their bombs.
• 9 bombers are lost through various accidents

• More than 200 IX Bomber Command B-26s taking part in the 9th Air Force's inaugural CROSSBOW mission are force to turn for home in the face of bad weather, but a total of 52 B-26s are able to attack NOBALL V-weapons sites at three locations.

• Despite bad weather, a number of XII Air Support Command B-25s attack a bridged at Pescara.
• NATAF fighters and fighter-bombers attack the Aviano and Piombino Airdromes, gun emplacements, trains, motor vehicles, and several bridges in and around the battle area.

• XII Air Support Command B-25s attack a marshalling yard and shipyards at Split.
• NATAF fighters attack a ship in the harbor at Poljud.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

Nearly 100 V Bomber Command B-24s and B-25s attack Arawe, Borgen Bay, and Cape Gloucester. V Fighter Command P-40s attack Cape Hoskins.

Air Operations, CBI

• 14th Air Force fighters attack rail targets at Hopong and Hsipaw.
• During the night, RAF Wellingtons attack Moulmein.

• 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s mount more than 30 effective sorties against Changte throughout the day. 14th Air Force fighters also mount numerous strikes against the city.
• 23rd Fighter Group and 3rd CACW Fighter Group P-40s, and a 449th Fighter Squadron P-38 down 4 Ki-43 'Oscar' fighters and Ki-44 'Tojo' fighters over the Changte airfield during the course of several engagements during the day.

Air Operations, Europe

• P-39s of the 350th Fighter Group's 345th Fighter Squadron down 2 Ar-196 float recon planes near Cannes about 1500 hours.

• 12th Air Force A-36s and P-40s attack bridges at two locations.

• Many 15th Air Force heavy bomber are unable to locate targets due to poor weather conditions, but 45 47th Heavy Bomb Wing B-24s attack the Athens/Eleusis Airdrome, and 56 Heavy Bomb Wing B-17s attack the Athens/Kalamaki Airdrome. 82nd Fighter Group P-38 escorts down 4 Luftwaffe fighters over Athen between 1150 and 1230 hours.
• 1 B-24 is lost

• Bad weather cancels most flight operations, but 15th Air Force B-17s are able to attack a marshalling yard and rail bridges at Grizzano.

Air Operations, Marshalls

During the night, VII Bomber Command B-24s stage through Hawkins Field on Betio to attack the Maloelap and Wotje atolls.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-25s and A-20s attack dumps and occupied villages in the Finschhafen area.

Air Operations, Solomons

• A VMF(N)-531 PV crew downs an E13A 'Jake' reconnaissance floatplane off Mutupina Point at 0400 hours.
• 24 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack an occupied village on Bougainville. 6 B-25s and a number of AirSols fighters attack an occupied mission on Bougainville. 1 B-24 attacks a supply dump at Kieta while conducting an armed reconnaissance mission. AirSols fighters strafe numerous ground targets throughout the area.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• More than 90 V Bomber Command B-24s and B-25s attack the Borgen Bay and Cape Gloucester areas.
• During the night, 26 RAAF Beauforts attack the Borpop airfield on New Ireland.

Air Operations, CBI

• 8 14th Air Force P-40s attack the rail line between Mogaung and Myitkyina

• 13 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s attack Changte.

Air Operations, East Indies

380th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack Haroekoe and the Ceram airfield there.

Air Operations, Europe

In one of the wilder claims made by the protagonists of strategic bombing, Air Marshal Harris tells his superiors that he believes he can with the war if he is supported in his continuing attacks on Berlin and other targets so that he can send off 15,000 Lancaster missions in the next few months. He will be able to send 14,500 despite arguments about the effectiveness of the bombing, but the war will not be won in this way.

• XII Air Support Command B-25s and A-36s attack the town and harbor at Civitavecchia.
• XII Air Support Command B-25s attack the rail line, a road, and the town area at Pescara.
• NATAF fighter-bombers attack gun emplacements, a bridge, and several defended towns in and around the battle area.
• Spitfires of the 31st Fighter Group's 309th Fighter Squadron down 6 Luftwaffe fighters over central Italy about 1500 hours.

• A 52ns Fighter Group Spitfire downs an Me-210 off Corsica.

Air Operations, Marshalls

6 VII Bomber Command B-24s based at Nukufetau attack the Maloelap Atoll, and one B-24 that cannot reach Maloelap attacks the Mille Atoll. This is the first mission undertaken as part of Operation FLINTLOCK, the impending invasion of the Marshall Islands.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack Japanese Army ground troops and dumps at Finschhafen.
• V Fighter Command P-40s attack barges and small craft near Madang.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 18 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Kahili and the harbor at Kieta.
• 2 US Navy PVs attack Torokina Island.

Allied Command

The supreme command in the Mediterranean is unified. Eisenhower, already selected by Roosevelt as Commander-in-Chief for OVERLORD, will be responsibile for all operations in the Mediterranean theater except strategic bombing.

Allied Planning

The Second Cairo Conference is concluded. The Allied military chiefs in the West have determined the new strategic directives in the light of the political talks at Teheran between Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt. The proposed operations for the re-capture of Burma across the Bay of Bengal are cancelled to make the amphibious craft available for Operation ANVIL, the landing in the south of France. All decisions are deferred for northern Burma, which must be liberated to re-establish land communication between India and China, largely on accoung of Chiang Kai-shek's insistence that he cannot take part without more substantial aid.

The following timetable is provisionally fixed for the offensive against Japan: January 1944, capture of the Marshall Islands and New Britain; April, invasion of Manus and the Admiralty Islands; June, capture of Hollandia in New Guinea; October, invasion of the Mariana Islands.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

6 V Bomber Command A-20s attack Cape Merkus, New Britain.

Air Operations, CBI

• 9 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s attack Changte while 9 other B-25s attack Hofuh and their 16 P-40 escorts attack two nearby villages.

• 18 Japanese bombers escorted by approximately 50 fighters attack Tinsukia Airfield (Assam) in advance of a Japanese Army ground offensive in the region.

Air Operations, East Indies

V Bomber Command B-25s attack the Koepang(?) and Penfoei, Timor.

Air Operations, Europe

• XII Air Support Command B-25s attack industrial targets, bridges, marshalling yards, and town areas at Ancona, Aquila, and Pescara.
• XII Air Support Command A-20s attack a troop bivouac and gun emplacements.
• NATAF A-20s, fighters, and fighter-bombers attack gun emplacements, troop concentrations, roads, railroads, and bridges in and around the battle area.
• A 27th Fighter-Bomber Group A-36 downs 1 Ju-52 at 0930 hours over the Avezzano Airdrome.

• 15th Air Force B-24s, escorted by 82nd Fighter Group P-38s, attack the Athens/Tatoi Airdrome.
• 15th Air Force B-17s attack the Athens/Eleusis Airdrome.

• 15th Air Force B-17s attack the port area and shipping at San Stefano al Mare, and rail bridges at Orbetello.

Air Operations, Marshalls

22 VII Bomber Command B-24s based at Nanomea attack the Jaluit Atoll. 11 B-24s based at Canton Island attack the Mille Atoll.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack supply dumps on the Huon Peninsula near Finschhafen. V Fighter Command P-39s strafe barges between Saidor and Fortification Point.

Eastern Front

The Soviets make more progress toward isolating Znamenka by cutting a second rail line out of the town.

Lead elements of the XLVIII Panzer reaches the Teterev River, having inflicted considerable losses upon the 60th and 13th Armies of the 1st Ukrainian Front. The advance continues in the directin of Malin but Soviet resistance slowed its pace.

Znamenka is isolated by the 5th Guards Tank Army but the XL Panzer Corps launches a fierce counterattack in an effort to relieve the town.

Italy

French troops begin to come into the Allied line, first the 2nd Moroccan Infantry Division who replaces the American 34th Division. The Italian 1st Motorized Group, incorporated in the Allied formations, attacks Monte Lungo but is driven off with very heavy losses. Other experienced Allied units are being withdraw, however, to be moved to Britain to join Operation OVERLORD. 5th Army's II Corps is still fighting to take the positions around San Pietro. On Monte Sammucro units of the US 36th Division, VI Corps, have to face a powerful German counter-attack. Canadian units with 8th Army begin attacks over the Moro River, a few miles from the east coast.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

50 V Bomber Command B-25s strafe coastal targets between Borgen Bay and Rein Bay.

Air Operations, CBI

• 15 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s attack Hankow and Wuchang. 3 B-25s attack Changte and 14th Air Force P-40s attack sampans near Nanshien, barracks at Tachai, a town, and targets of opportunity along the Salween River.
• Largely with the support of 14 Air Force aircraft, Chinese Army ground forces retake the city of Changte, which fell to Japanese Army ground forces on December 4.

Air Operations, Europe

• XII Air Support Command B-25s attack an ironworks and a marshalling yard at Terni, and rail and road bridges and tracks at three locations.
• XII Air Support Command A-20s attack a bivouac area and gun emplacements.
• NATAF fighters and fighter-bombers attack a variety of transportation and tactical targets in and around the battle area.

• 15th Air Force B-17s attack the rail bridges at Levanto.

Air Operations, Marshalls

• 19 VII Bomber Command B-24s based at Funafuti attack the Mille Atoll.
• As Task Force 50 departs from the Marshall Islands area, 4 VF-8 F6Fs down a G4M 'Betty' bomber at sea at 1315 hours.

Air Operations, Solomons

Torokina Field on Bougainville is declared operational. The new airfield is only 220 miles from Rabaul.

Air Operations, New Guinea

19 V Bomber Command B-25s and A-20s attack barges and coastal targets around Fortification Point. More than 60 V Fighter Command P-39 fighter-bombers attack targets along the Bogadjim road, coastal targets, and Japanese Army ground positions in the Ramu Valley.

Bougainville

The newly built American airfield at Cape Torokina becomes operational. The air base is used to provice air cover for Allied troops advancing across Bougainville, but is also only 150 miles from Rabaul, well within the operational range of even fighter aircraft. The 3rd Marine Division begins a series of attacks which go on until the end of the month, to take the hills that dominate the beachhead.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Bomber Command B-24s attack Cape Gloucester.

Air Operations, CBI

• In their unit’s combat debut, P-40s from the 80th Fighter Group’s 89th Fighter Squadron down 3 Ki-21 'Sally' bombers and 2 Ki-43 'Oscar' fighters near Fort Hertz at 1120 hours. In the same action, P-51s with the 311th Fighter Group’s 529th Fighter Squadron down 2 fighters in the same general area.

• Japanese dive-bombers attack the airfield at Hengyang and cause heavy damage. 23rd Fighter Group P-40s and 449th Fighter Squadron P-38s down 5 Japanese aircraft over Hengyang and Lingling during several morning engagements.
• A 74th Fighter Squadron P-40 downs an A6M Zero near the airfield at Lingling during a midafternoon engagement. 2 P-40s are downed and one of the pilots is killed while bailing out of his crippled fighter.

• 12 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s and 15 14th Air Force P-40s attack a marshalling yard at Hanoi.

Air Operations, Europe

• Between 1920 and 2000 hours, 20 Luftwaffe attack aircraft raid the 9th Air Force bases at Andrews Field and Earls, Colne, Gosfield, and Great Dunmow Airdromes. 8 USAAF personnel are killed and 20 are wounded at Great Dunmow.
• In a night raid on Chelmsford 3 Do-217s are brought down by 1 Mosquito.

• XII Air Support Command A-36s and P-40s attack warehouses, oil tanks, rail facilities, and a ship at Civitavecchia; a defendede town; tactical targets in the British 8th Army battle area; and road traffic near the front.

• XII Air Support Command fighter-bombers attack a ship in the harbor at Split.

• 31 15th Air Force B-24s attack the marshalling yard at Sofia. 82nd Fighter Group P-38 escorts down 9 of the estimated 30 Luftwaffe fighters that attack the formation over Sofia about 1200 hours.
• 2 P-38s are lost

• 15th Air Force B-26s attack bridge approaches around Ventimiglia.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command B-24s attack targets on the Huon Peninsula. 40 B-25s and B-26s attack bridges, dumps, and bivouacs along the Bogadjim road. V Fighter Command P-39s strafe barges near Madang.
• 49th Fighter Group P-38s and P-40s down 7 Japanese fighters 0900 and 0920 hours.

Air Operations, Solomons

42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the Kahili airfield on Bougainville and a supply dump. US Navy PVs attack Arigua Plantation on Bougainville. XIII Fighter Command P-39 fighter-bombers attack antiaircraft batteries, a supply dump, and barges at Tonolei.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Bomber Command B-25s attack the Borgen Bay area.

Air Operations, CBI

• Approximately 30 Japanese bombers and fighters attack the airfield at Suichwan, but intercepting 23rd Fighter Group P-40s down 1 D3A 'Val' dive bomber and 6 Japanese fighters over Nanchang at 1500 hours.
• 3 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack the airfield at Hankow Airfield. 14 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s and 10 14th Air Force P-40s attack Ansiang and Shihshow.

Air Operations, East Indies

380th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack Balikpapan (Borneo) and Makassar (Celebes).

Air Operations, Europe

There is a heavy raid by the 8th Air Force on the Emden U-boat yards. 20 planes are lost. The Americans claim 138 German fighters are shot down.

• 437 VIII Bomber Command B-17s and 86 B-24s attack aircraft-industry targets at Emden with 1,407 tons of bombs.
• 15 B-17 and 2 B-24s are lost
• Bomber escort and support is provided by 313 P-47s, 31 P-38s, and 44 P-51s, which down 2 Ju-88 attack aircraft and 19 Luftwaffe fighters over the Netherlands and northern Germany between 1205 and 1305 hours.

• The entire 15th Air Force and XII Air Support Command B-25s are grounded by bad weather, but numerous fighter and fighter-bomber missions are mounted in support of Allied ground forces. 31st Fighter Group Spitfires dwon 1 and damage 2 Bf-109s over central Italy at 0935 hours.

Air Operations, Far East

40 USAAF and Chinese aircraft are destroyed in a surprise night attack against Allied airfields in Hunan Province, China. The Japanese are hoping to sever the highly efficient air supply services relied on by Chinese Nationalist troops assaulting the city of Kung-an.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack bivouacs in the Fortification Point and Finschhafen areas.

Air Operations, Solomons

• More than 20 XIII Bomber Command B-24s and several 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Arigua Plantation, Bougainville. 16 B-25s attack Kahili in two waves. 8 XIII Fighter Command P-39s fighter-bombers attack Tonolei. Other AirSols aircraft attack targets of opportunity.
• A VF(N)-75 F4U night-fighter downs a G4M 'Betty' bomber near Cape Torkina at 2300 hours.
• During the night, AirSols night fighters attack the Bonis and Buka airfields on Bougainville, and a Japanese Army bivouac on Bougainville.

Air Operations, CBI

• 13 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s and 28 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack a bridge at Myittha.

• 11 Japanese bombers, escorted by 30 fighters, attack the airfield at Hengyang. 23rd Fighter Group P-40s and P-38s down 5 Ki-48 'Lily' bombers and 11 of the fighters between 1020 and 1100 hours, but 2 P-40s are lost with 1 of the pilots.
• 9 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack the airfield at Hankow.

Air Operations, East Indies

Several 380th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack targets on Ceram.

Air Operations, Europe

• Bad weather halts all operations by the 15th Air Force and most scheduled by the 12th Air Force. XII Air Support Command B-25s are able to attack the landing ground, road, and rail line at Terracina.
• A-36s and P-40s bombe Itri and attack motor vehicles.

Air Operations, Marshalls

25 VII Bomber Command B-24s based in the Ellice Islands attack Emidj Island in the Jaluit Atoll.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Fighter Command P-40s dive-bomb the Bogadjim road.
• 49th Fighter Group P-40s down a Ki-43 'Oscar' fighter over Alexishafen and 2 G4M 'Betty' bombers over Gusap between 1030 and 1045 hours.

Air Operations, Solomons

• More than 20 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack Poporang and the Kahili area.
• 8 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack a supply dump at Bonis. 6 B-25s attack the Arigua Plantation on Bougainville. AirSols SBDs and fighters attack Japanese Army ground forces at Kieta and other locations on Bougainville.

Battle of the Atlantic

The German submarine U-172 is sunk in a combined operation of aircraft (VC-19) from the US escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) and the destroyers Badger (DD-126), Dupont (DD-152), Clemson (DD-186) and Ingraham (DD-694) in the mid-Atlantic area.

Diplomatic Relations

Dr Edvard Beneš visits Moscow to sign a Czech-Soviet treaty of alliance providing for post-war cooperation and mutual assistance for the duration of the war.

Dr Beneš, the Czech government-in-exile president in London, signs the Czech-Soviet Friendship Treaty in Moscow. Beneš believes that under Moscow's protection the Slavs will be safe from German aggression (something the Western Allies have hitherto been unable or unwilling to guarantee). In addition, under this 'new Slavism' Beneš hopes to transform Czechoslovakia into a homogeneous Slav national state (which will mean expelling Czechoslovakia's non-Slav nationalities). This can only be carried out with the full support of the USSR.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• During the morning, after being thwarted by bad weather over the Cape Hoskins airfield on New Britain, more than 100 V Bomber Command B-24s and B-25s attack Lindenhafen with 1,000-pound bombs.
• During the afternoon, 26 V Bomber Command B-24s and 24 B-25s attack Ring Ring Plantation near Gasmata.
• V Fighter Command P-38s down 2 A6M Zeros near Gasmata between 1110 and 1150 hours.
• During the night, RAAF Beauforts resume regular night-harrassment missions against Rabaul.

Air Operations, CBI

• 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack the airfield at Heho.

• 12 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s attack Kungan and Li-Chou, 8 B-25s attack Wuchang, and 16 14th Air Force P-40s attack targets of opportunity between Changte and Li-Chou.

• 20 Japanese twin-engine bombers, escorted by 25 fighters, attack the airfield at Dinjan without opposition. While the Japanese force is withdrawing, however, 311th Fighter Group P-51s and 80th Fighter Group P-40s arriving in two separate waves down 3 Ki-21 'Sally' bombers and 6 Ki-43 'Oscar' fighters over the Dinjan airfield and Chabua between 1150 and 1215 hours.

Air Operations, Europe

710 radar-directed bombers of the US 8th Air Force with P-51 fighter escorts attack Kiel.

• The 67th Fighter Wing's 359th Fighter Group, in P-47s, completes its first combat mission, an unchallenged fighter sweep over the Pas de Calais area.

• 169 1st Bomb Division B-17s and 4 pathfinder B-17s attack the Bremen port area with 457 tons of bombs about noon.
• There are no losses
• 467 VIII Bomber Command B-17s, 99 B-24s, and 8 pathfinder B-17s attack the Kiel port area with 1,147 tons of bombs between 1245 and 1305 hours.
• 5 heavy bombers are lost
• The 2nd Bomb Division's 445th Heavy Bomb Group, in B-24s, make its combat debut.
• Bomber escort is provided by 322 P-47s, 31 P-38s, and 41 P-51s, which down 1 Ju-88.
• 1 P-47 and 1 -51 are lost

• 208 IX Bomber Command B-26s attack the Amsterdam/Schipol Airport with 787 1,000 pound bombs.
• 2 B-26s are lost to heavy flak concentrations

• XII Air Support Command A-36s and P-40s conduct a wide variety of attacks against targets in and around the battle area.

• XII Air Support Command B-25s attack warehouses, an oil depot, port facilities, and a railway yard at Sibenik and Split.

Air Operations, Marshalls

10 VII Bomber Command B-24s based at Canton Island pass through the Baker Island airfield to attack the Wotje Atoll.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack occupied villages along the Bogadjim road.
• V Fighter Command P-39s strafe barges along the Huon Peninsula coast.

Air Operations, Pacific

The US 5th Air Force drops 433 tons of bombs on Arawe, New Britain.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 24 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack Bonis.
• 17 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Porton, and their escort fighters strafe a bivouac at Tenekow. 6 B-25s mount low-level attacks against Japanese Army ground troops at Numa Numa.
• 3 Marine Corps SBDs and 3 TBFs that happen to be at the Torokina airfield on Bougainville are called upon to support US Marine ground troops against 300 entrenched Japanese Army ground troops. Unfortunately, one aircraft misdrops its bomb, which kills 6 Marines and wounds 2.

Pacific

• The Task Force detailed for the invasion of Arawe peninsula, New Britain, sails from Goodenough Island for Buna, New Guinea, from which they will go on to their objective.
• The US submarine Sailfish (SS-192) sinks the Japanese army cargo ship Totai Maru (3195t) east of Tanegashima.
[ | ]


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Air Operations, Bismarcks

31 22nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s and 9 B-26s attack the Gasmata airfield on New Britain. And in direct support of the impending Arawe landings, in the largest air operation mounted to date in the SWPA, 228 V Bomber Command B-24s, B-25s, B-26s, and A-20s mount continuous attacks against Arawe-area targets between 0645 and 1548 hours. Also, Gasmata is attacked by V Bomber Command B-25s and V Fighter Command P-38s and P-39s.

Air Operations, CBI

• 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack the airfield at Heho.

• 13 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s attack Shasi while 2 14th Air Force P-40s strafe motor vehicles near Tengchung.

• 6 14 Air Force P-40s attack the Gia Lam airfield at Hanoi and a nearby rail yard.

Air Operations, Europe

• XII Air Support Command B-25s attack the town area and marshalling yard at Orte.
• A-20s attack a road bridge.
• A-36s and P-40s attack the town and port areas of Civitavecchia, and several bridges in and around the battle area.

• 33 15th Air Force B-24s attack the Athens/Tatoi Airdrome.
• 76 15th Air Force B-17s attack the Athens/Kalamaki and Athens/Eleusis Airdromes.
• 27 15th Air Force B-17s that are unable to find the Athens/Eleusis Airdrome attack the port area and shipping at Piraeus.
• 1 B-17 is lost in the day's operations
• 14th Fighter Group P-38 escorts down 2 Bf-109s.

Air Operations, Marshalls

16 VII Bomber Command B-24s based in the Ellice Islands attack the Maloelap Atoll.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Fighter Command P-39s strafe barges along the shore of the Huon Peninsula.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 18 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack Sohano Island. 18 42bd Medium Bomb Group B-25s and 8 AirSols fighters attack an occupied village on Buka Passage. AirSols SBDs attack antiaircraft batteries around Chabai while other AirSols fighters attack numerous targets in the Bougainville area.
• Attacking reverse-slope targets unreachable by artillery, 16 Marine Corps TBFs guided by smoke attack a 150-yard-by-50-yard area from 700 feet. Nearly 180 of 192 100-pound bombs dropped by the TBFs are credited with striking the target area, but the bombs fail to dislodge the defenders.
• A VF(N)-75 F4U night-fighter downs an A6M2-N 'Rufe' float seaplane near Cape Torokina at 2350 hours.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• At the opening of Operation DEXTERITY, the invasion of New Britain, a reinforced US Army regiment is landed on the Arawe Peninsula. Opposition on the ground, which is scattered and light, is easily overcome. Opposition in the air is immediate and heavy as Rabaul-based fighters and bombers mount continuous attacks against the invasion flotilla and the landing force that will go on for several days.
• Plans for heavy day-long air strikes in support of the landings are called off due to the light opposition on the ground. 3 V Bomber Command B-25s from a 9-plane alert flight stationed over the invasion area attack barges near Cape Merkus. V Bomber Command B-24s attack Cape Gloucester and B-25s attack occupied villages in the Arawe area.

Air Operations, CBI

• 25 14th Air Force P-40s attack the airfield at Pailochi Airfield. 22 P-40s strafe several occupied towns and villages.

Air Operations, East Indies

V Bomber Command B-25s attack 2 freighters near Timor.

Air Operations, Europe

• XII Air Support Command A-20s and B-25s attack roads around Frosinone and Pontecorvo.
• XII Air Support Command fighter-bombers attack gun emplacements all along the US 5th Army front.
• 324th Fighter Group P-40s and 31st Fighter Group Spitfires down 4 Luftwaffe fighters in several actions over central Italy.

• XII Air Support Command B-25s attack the Mostar Airdrome.
• XII Air Support Command A-36s and P-40s attack ships, motor vehicles, and parked airplanes in and around the Peljesac Peninsula.

• 15th Air Force B-17s attack marshalling yards at Inssbruck.

• 15th Air Force B-24s attack the viaduct at Avisio.
• 15th Air Force B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Bolzano.

Air Operations, Marshalls

20 VII Bomber Command B-24s based at Nanomea attack the Maloelap Atoll. 10 B-24s based at Canton Island pass through the Baker Island airfield to attack the Wotje Atoll. 1 B-24 is downed by a Japanese Navy over Maloelap.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 21 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack Sohano Island. 23 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s and 16 XIII Fighter Command fighters attack Buka. 6 B-25s attack targets around Numa Numa. AirSols fighters attack numerous tactical targets and targets of opportunity throughout the northern Solomon Islands.
• 11 VMTB-134 TBFs, each equipped with 12 delay-fused 100-pound bombs, attack Japanese Army reverse-slope defensive positions for the second day in a row. Guided by a senior infantry officer aboard the command TBF and dropping the bombs from low level on a tiny smoke-marked area within 75 yards of jungle-obscured friendly lines, the Marine pilots achieve an estimated 100-percent accuracy. However, the bombs fail to dislodge the defenders. A second attack by 5 of the TBFs rearmed at the Torokina airfield on Bougainville achieves perfect accuracy but no net result. In desperation, the 5 TBFs immediately mount dummy attacks against the Japanese defenses, and the Marine Corps ground troops overrun the position while the Japanese soldiers are under cover. This attack will be used as a template for direct-support air attacks later in the Pacific War.

Eastern Front

Over the next 4 days Bagramyan's 1st Baltic Front attacks south of Nevel and quickly punches a hole 80 km wide and 30 deep through strong defenses.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• V Bomber Command B-24s attack Cape Gloucester.
• 475th Fighter Group P-38s down 7 G4M 'Betty' bombers, 1 Ki-61 'Tony' fighter, and 1 A6M Zero over the Arawe and Cape Gloucester areas between 1355 and 1400 hours. 348th Fighter Group P-47s down 1 B5N 'Kate' torpedo bomber and 5 Zeros near Arawe between 1645 and 1700 hours.

Air Operations, Europe

• 483 Lancasters and 15 Mosquitoes are sent to Berlin. 30 planes abort. The time over the target is 19:58-20:12. About 1,773 tons of bombs are dropped which include 925 tons of high explosives and 848 tons of incendiaries.
• The worst damage from the Berlin raid occurs inside a rectangle 4 miles long and one half mile wide in the south central area of the city. 720 people are killed or missing of which only 438 are Germans. The remainder are foreign forced workers. The total aircrew casualties in the bad weather landings in England are 127 killed and 34 injured. This is the worst day for landing casualties for Bomber Command in the war and becomes known as 'Black Thursday'.
• 25 Lancasters are lost in the raid, but 34 more are wrecked in collisions or crashes or abandoned by their crews in bad weather over England. Aircrew casualties from all incidents include 294 killed, 14 POWs and 7 interned in Sweden.

• 91 aircraft are sent on mine-laying missions with no aircraft being lost.

• 392 VIII Bomber Command B-17s, 133 B-24s, and 2 pathfinder B-17s attack the Bremen port area.
• 8 B-17s are lost
• Bomber escort is provided by 131 P-47s, 31 P-38s, and 39 P-51s. 1 Bf-109 and 1 Ju-88 are downed by the escorts.

• XII Air Support Command A-20s attack gun emplacements.
• XII Air Support Command A-36s and P-40s attack gun batteries, gun emplacements, troop concentrations, and strongpoings in direct support of the US 5th and British 8th Armies.
• XII Air Support Command A-36s and P-40s bomb the port area at Civitavecchia and a town.

• XII Air Suppoort Command B-25s attack a marshalling yard and the port area at Sibenik, and ships at Zara.
• 12th Air Force P-40s and P-47s strafe targets of opportunity in the Peljesac Peninsula. 57th Fighter Group P-47s down 6 Luftwaffe fighters near Trpanj during the morning.

• 15th Air Force B-24s attack the rail bridge and rail tunnel at Dogna, and the rail line between Dogna and Chiusaforte.
• P-38s escorting the B-24s strafe oil tanks and trains.
• 15th Air Force B-17s attack the rail junction and marshalling yard at Padua.

Air Operations, CBI

• 9 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s and 11 14th Air Force P-40s attack Owchihkow. 4 B-25s on an anti-shipping sweep attack a freighter and the port area at Tunguan. 15 P-40s strafe the airfield at Pailochi. 11 P-40s attack small craft near Nanhsien. 6 449th Fighter Squadron P-38s strafe a troop train near Changanyi and small craft on the Yangtze River.

Air Operations, Gilberts

CenCATS (Marine Corps Central Pacific Combat Air Transport Service) transport aircraft begin operating from Starmann Field on Butaritari and the newly operational O'Hare Field on Abemama.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack Kelana and Sio. V Fighter Command P-40s attack the Timoeka area.

Air Operations, Solomons

• A VF(N)-75 F4U night-fighter downs an A6M2-N 'Rufe' fighter-bomber near Cape Torkina at 0105 hours. 14 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack Monoitu while smaller B-24 formations attack the Bonis airfield on Bougainville, Poporang, and Sohano Island.
• 5 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Sankau Island.
• US Navy PVs attack Green Island and several areas on Bougainville.
• AirSols SBDs and fighters attack Sohano Island and antiaircraft batteries at Bonis and fighters strafe targets of opportunity on Bougainville.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• V Bomber Command B-24s and B-25s attack Cape Gloucester and shipping in the Cape Gloucester area.
• An estimated 40 Japanese aircraft on their way from Rabaul to attack the Allied beachhead at Arawe are intercepted by the 58th Fighter Group’s 69th Fighter Squadron and the 348th Fighter Group. 7 D3A 'Val' dive bombers and 2 Ki-43 'Oscar' fighters are downed at 0815.
• 31 Marine Corps F4Us, 22 Navy F6Fs, and 23 RNZAF Kittyhawks based in the central Solomons reach Rabaul after stopping off at Torokina Field on Bougainville to refuel. This is the first time that Solomons-based single-engine fighters have penetrated as far as Rabaul, but they are unable to coax Japanese fighters into the air, so nothing much is accomplished beyond demonstrating the new capability. Nevertheless, RNZAF Kittyhawks down 5 Japanese fighters and VMF-214 F4Us down an A6M2-N 'Rufe' fighter-bomber and 2 A6M Zeros over Rabaul’s Simpson Harbor between 1100 and 1115 hours. A VF-33 F6F also downs an Zero over St. George’s Channel at 1110. 3 RNZAF Kittyhawks are lost with 2 of their pilots.

Air Operations, CBI

• 6 14th Air Force P-40s attack a barracks at Kunlong.

• 6 14th Air Force P-40 fighter-bombers attack targets of opportunity at Hanoi.

Air Operations, Europe

• All XII Air Support Command B-25s abort due to bad weather, but XII Air Support Command A-20s are able to attack a German Army artillery concentration.
• XII Air Support Comman A-36s and P-40s attack barracks, warehouses, port facilities, and marshalling yards at Anzio and Nettuno, and troop concentrations at three locations.

• 12th Air Force P-40s and P-51s, escorted by South African Air Force fighters, attack a ship near Trpanj.
• 57th Fighter Group P-47s down 3 Bf-109s near Metkovic during an afternoon mission.

Air Operations, Marshalls

Of 10 VII Bomber Command B-24s sent from Nanomea to attack the Maloelap Atoll, 9 are recalled because of bad weather and 1 diverts to attack the Mille Atoll.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command B-25s attack targets in the Sio area and V Fighter Command P-39s attack barges in the Huon Peninsula area.
• As a part of Operation DEXTERITY, Gen Douglas A. MacArthur orders the US 6th Army to plan for the seizure of Saidor for development as an advance air and naval base.

Air Operations, Solomons

18 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Malai. AirSols SBDs and 6 B-25s attack the Mutupina Point area. 5 US Navy PVs attack targets on Bougainville.

China

Chiang Kai-shek again asks Pres Roosevelt for substantial financial aid and for more aircraft.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• As Allied bombers and fighters step up their pre-invasion attacks against Japanese troops in the Cape Gloucester area, 70 V Bomber Command B-24s, B-25s, and B-26s attack the Cape Gloucester airfield on New Britain, 37 B-24s attack the Cape Hoskins airfield on New Britain, and more than 20 B-25s attack targets in the Borgen Bay area.
• 475th Fighter Group P-38s down 3 fighters near Cape Raoult at 1145 hours.
• Efforts by AirSols aircraft to attack Rabaul are thwarted by bad weather.

Air Operations, CBI

• 27 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s, escorted by 28 14th Air Force P-40s, attack the airfield at Namsang while several 14th Air Force P-40s strafe the Laihka airfield.

• When Japanese bombers attack the airfield at Kunming, 16th and 26th Fighter squadron P-40s down 2 Ki-21 'Sally' bombers and 4 Ki-43 'Oscar' fighters over the base between 1110 and 1125 hours.
• 5 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s attack Nanhsien while 2 B-25s attack a freighter in the Hainan Strait.

Air Operations, Europe

• Weather severely limits the bulk of flight operation by the 12th and 15th Air Force units, but XII Air Support Command A-36s and P-40s are able to attack a variety of tactical and communications targets in central Italy.

• 15th Air Force B-26s attack the Antheor viaduct and several road and rail bridges along the Var River.

Air Operations, Marshalls

14 VII Bomber Command B-24s attack the Mille Atoll.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 33 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack bivouacs and dumps near Finschhafen.
• A P-39 with the 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group’s 82nd Tactical Reconnaisance Squadron downs a D3A 'Val' dive bomber over the Huon Peninsula.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 19 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack ground targets around Chabai and Porton, 10 B-24s attack supply dumps at Kahili and 5 B-24s attack a supply dump at Bonis.
• 11 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Korovo, 5 B-25s attack Japanese Army ground troops at Poroporo (Choiseul) at low level, and AirSols fighters attack numerous targets of opportunity on Bougainville and Buka. Also, XIII Bomber Command B-24s mount individual attacks against Kahili, Kieta, and Poporang while conducting armed-reconnaissance flights.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• 140 V Bomber Command B-24s, B-25s, and B-26s attack Cape Gloucester.
• 20 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack Japanese Army ground forces near Arawe.
• 37 V Fighter Command P-39s attack Gasmata.
• In the first mission of its kind from bases in the South Pacific Area, 41 5th and 307th Heavy Bomb group B-24s, escorted by 48 AirSols P-38s and RNZAF Kittyhawks, are sent to attack Rabaul and Simpson Harbor. The B-24s are based at Guadalcanal, but they need to pass through the Munda Point airfield on New Georgia in order to reach Rabaul. Due to bad weather, only 6 5th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s are able to reach Rabaul. 2 F4Us are lost when an estimated 50 Japanese fighters intercept the strike force.
• VMF-222 F4Us down 3 A6M Zeros near Rabaul at 1315 hours.

Air Operations, CBI

• During the night, 20 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack dock areas and rail yards in Rangoon.

• Japanese bombers attack Yunnani Airfield without loss.
• 12 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s and 8 14th Air Force P-40s attack Ansiang and Nanhsien.
• 25th Fighter Squadron P-40s down 60 Ki-48 'Lily' bombers and 4 A6M Zeros in a running fight from Yunnanyi to the southeast during the late morning.

• During the night, 20 of 21 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s sent attack the Bangkok port area with 110 500-pound bombs, including 59 incendiaries.

Air Operations, Europe

• XII Air Support Command B-25s attack the marshalling yards and airdrome at Orte and the marshalling yards at Terni.
• XII Air Support Command A-20s attack Orte and Cassino.
• XII Air Support Command A-36s attack the rail line and port at Civitavecchia.
• XII Air Support Command P-40s attack a dump near Arce and two towns.

• XII Air Support Command P-40s attack ships at Solin, Split, and Trogir.

• 15th Air Force B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Innsbruck.

• In the 15th Air Force's first attack on a target on German soil, 50 unescorted B-24s attack the Messerschmitt research and experimental facility and Bf-110 assembly plant at Augsburg with 86 tons of bombs through a near-total undercast. Bomber gunners claim 21 Luftwaffe fighters downed or probably downed.
• 4 B-24s are lost

• 15th Air Force B-26s attack rail facilities and marshalling yards at three locations.
• After missing its rendezvous with heavy bombers, the 15th Air Force's 325th Fighter Group, in P-47s, strafes the Ancona Airdrome, a ship, a train, and several truck convoys.

Air Operations, Marshalls

• 29 VII Bomber Command B-24s based at Baker Island and Nanomea attack the Maloelap and Mille atolls. 318th Fighter Group P-39s based at Starmann Field on Butaritari strafe the airfield on Mille.
• A P-39 with the 318th Fighter Group’s 72d Fighter Squadron downs an A6M Zero over the Mille Atoll at 1015 hours, but 2 P-39s are downed by Japanese Navy fighters.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• More than 90 V Bomber Command B-24s and B-25s attack Japanese Army bivouac areas at Cape Gloucester. V Fighter Command P-40s attack coastal targets of opportunity.
• 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack targets in the Arawe area.

Air Operations, CBI

• 11 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s and 14th Air Force P-40s attack rail facilities at Yoyang.

Air Operations, Europe

The 8th Air Force drops 1,200 tons of bombs on Bremen.

RAF BOMBER COMMAND

• Three nights of rest have been given to Bomber Command crews after the bad weather landings. Lancasters and Halifaxes are sent on a major raid to Frankfurt while a smaller raid hits Mannheim. The German fighter force is up in force causing Bomber Command to lose 41 aircraft. The raid on Mannheim has no effect in diverting German fights from the main effort. The German fighters assemble with radio beacons of flashing light beacons and simply wait for the bomber stream to arrive. About 2,000 tons of bombs are dropped on the Frankfurt raid.

• 357 VIII Bomber Command B-17s, 103 B-24s, and 12 pathfinder B-17s attack the Bremen port area.
• 27 heavy bombers are lost
• Bomber escort is provided by 26 P-38s, 47 P-51s, and a record 418 P-47s, which down 19 Luftwaffe aircraft over the Netherlands and northern Germany between 1125 and 1245 hours.

• 35 or more of more than 150 IX Bomber Command B-26s dispatched against several V-weapons construction sites attack a V-weapons site in northern France, but the rest are thwarted by heavy cloud cover.

• XII Air Support Command A-36s and P-40s attack numerous tactical and transportation targets in central Italy.

• Approximately 30 15th Air Fokrce B-24s attack marshalling yards at Sofia.
• 82nd Fighter Group P-38 escorts down 4 Luftwaffe fighters over the target about 1250 hours.

• 15th Air Force B-17s attack the Athens/Eleusis Airdrome. 14th Fighter Group P-38 escorts down 8 Bf-109 and 1 FW-190 over the target about 1240 hours.

Air Operations, Marshalls

16 VII Bomber Command B-24s based at Baker Island and Nonomea attack the Maloelap Atoll. 3 B-24s are downed by Japanese Navy fighters.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack Alexishafen and bivouacs in the Finschhafen area.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 13 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Korovo and dock facilities in the Shortland Islands, 8 B-25s attack Buka, and AirSols fighters strafe Kieta and Tenekow.
• Throughout the day and during the evening and night, US Navy PVs attack numerous targets of opportunity throughout Bougainville.

Allied Command

A unified air command for the Mediterranean is set up under the title of Allied Air Force, Mediterranean. It covers the RAF units, including those stationed in the Middle East, all American air formations stationed in North Africa and occupied Italy and the French and Italian air forces operating in the theater. Commander-in-Chief is Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, with the American Gen Carl Spaatz as his deputy.

Battle of the Atlantic

Aircraft (VC-19) from the US escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) sink the German submarine U-850 in the mid-Atlantic area.

U-850

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, Europe

• 84 IX Bomber Command B-26s from two groups, escorted by 208 VIII Fighter Command P-47s, are dispatched to two V-weapons sites. Targets of opportunity are also attacked.

• XII Air Support Command B-25s and P-40s attack Terracina.
• XII Air Support Command A-36s and P-40s attack numerous transportations andd tactical targets, including a fuel dump and a munitions plant at Cervaro and a radar station and other targets between Civitavecchia and Rome.

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, East Indies

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

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.

Battle of the Atlantic

Damage in heavy seas, presumably flooding of the battery, made it impossible for U-284 to return to France or continue her patrol. The crew is taken off and she is scuttled.

U-284

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.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

More than 130 V Bomber Command B-24s, B-25s, and A-20s attack Cape Gloucester, but Japanese bombers are able to attack US ground forces at Arawe without aerial opposition.

Air Operations, CBI

• 7 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s attack Hawjung and 2 B-25s attack a freighter at sea south of Hong Kong.
• An estimated 65 Japanese bombers and fighters are intercepted by 14th Air Force fighters as they attack the airfield at Kunming in advance of a major Japanese Army ground offensive against India. 7 14th Air Force P-40s are able to turn back a force of nearly 60 Japanese bombers and fighters on its way to attack the airfield at Chengkung.
• 26th Fighter Squadron P-40s down 4 Ki-21 'Sally' bombers and 5 Ki-43 'Oscar' fighters over Tien Chih Lake between 1135 and 1225 hours. 16th and 25th Fighter squadron P-40s down 8 A6M Zeros and 'Oscars' over Kunming between 1140 and 1245 hours.
• A 76th Fighter Squadron P-40 downs a Ki-46 'Dinah' reconnaissance aircraft near Kweilin airfield during the noon hour.

Air Operations, Europe

• Although more than 100 heavy bombers are thwarted by heavy cloud cover, 145 1st Bomb Division B-17s, 87 2nd Bomb Division B-24s, and 2 B-17 pathfinders are able to attack a marshalling yard at Osnabruck.
• 5 B-17s and 12 B-24s are lost
• 161 3rd Bomb Division B-17s, 30 2nd Bomb Division B-24s, and 3 pathfinder B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Munster.

• Bomber escort is provided by 40 P-38s, 448 P-47s, and 28 P-51s. The fighters are credited with downing 15 Luftwaffe fighters over the Netherlands and northern Germany between 1345 and 1500 hours.
• 2 P-38s and 2 P-47s

• 210 IX Bomber Command B-26s dispatched against V-weapons sites in France are recalled because of bad weather.

• 12th Air Force P-40s and Spitfires attack German Army strongpoints, and P-40s attack bridges, road and rail targets, and motor vehicles.

• 57th Fighter Group P-47s attack targets of opportunity arouns Zara.

Air Operations, Marshalls

• 11 531st Fighter-Bomber Squadron A-24s escorted by a total of 32 VF-1 F6Fs and 318th Fighter Group P-39, attack ships in Mille lagoon. The P-39s also strafe ships and dumps.
• A VF-1 F6F downs an A6M Zero over the Mille Atoll at 1400 hours, and another VF-1 probably downs another Zero in the same action.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• Preliminary to the upcoming landings at Saidor, 40 V Bomber Command B-25s attack the airfields at Boram and Wewak, B-25s attack the airfield at Madang and Alexishafen. 22nd Medium Bomb Group B-26s and 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack Japanese Army ground positions near Finschhafen. V Fighter Command P-39 fighter-bombers attack barges in the Madang area.
• 8th and 475th Fighter group P-38s down 16 fighters over Wewak between 0940 and 1000 hours. 348th Fighter Group P-47s down 3 A6M Zeros over Wewak between 1320 and 1340 hours.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• 61 V Bomber Command B-24s attack Rabaul. V Fighter Command P-39s attack barges in the area between Borgen Bay and Rein Bay while V Fighter Command P-40 fighter-bombers attack Gasmata and strafe Cape Hoskins.
• 18 XIII Bomber Command B-24s, escorted by 48 AirSols fighters, attack the Kervat and Vunakanau airfields at Rabaul with 1,000-pound bombs. US Navy PVs attack a radar station on Cape St. George. A follow-on force of 48 AirSols fighters attacks Japanese fighters returning to the Rabaul-area bases shortly after the B-24s and their escorts have departed the scene.
• VF-33 F6Fs down 3 A6M Zeros over Rabaul at 1305 hours. Marine Corps F4Us down 19 Zeros and Ki-61 'Tony' fighters over and around Rabaul and as far as New Ireland between 1325 and 1410 hours. 18th Fighter Group P-38s down 2 Zeros over Cape St. George between 1355 and 1445 hours. 3 F4Us and 1 F6F are lost.
• It is noted during the AirSols attack that a number of Japanese fighters drop small “tentacled” bombs into the B-24 formation, but with no effect.
• During the night, 394th Heavy Bomb Squadron SB-24s mount harrassment raids against Rabaul. Among items dropped from the heavy bombers are hand grenades and beer bottles.

Air Operations, CBI

• 29 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack the White Cloud airfield at Canton. 2 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s attack a Japanese Navy gunboat in the Formosa Strait. 14 449th Fighter Squadron P-38s dive-bomb Huang Shan Kou.
• P-40s from the 23d Fighter Group’s 74th and 76th Fighter squadrons, the 51st Fighter Group’s 16th Fighter Squadron, and the 3d CACW Fighter Group’s 32d CACW Fighter Squadron down 6 A6M Zeros and Ki-44 'Tojo' fighters over Canton at 1400 hours.

• During the night, 19 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack rail facilities at Bangkok.

Air Operations, Europe

• 390 aircraft including 375 Lancasters, 8 Mosquitoes and 7 Halifaxes, are sent to Berlin. The time over the target is 3:58-4:12. 1,265 tons of bombs are dropped which include 697 tons of high explosives and 568 tons of incendiaries. 42 aircraft are involved in other operations.
• The outward flight is to be a long southerly approach hoping the Germans will think it is a repeat raid on Frankfurt. Since a smaller number of Lancasters are available the total tonnage of bombs dropped on the target, 1,265 tons, is the lowest since The Battle of Berlin was resumed. Because of worsening weather the takeoff is postponed from late afternoon until about 7 hours later which would have the bombers return in daylight. Bad weather over the German fighter airfields and icing conditions throught the clouds reduces their efforts. The Bombers arrive over Berlin under favorable condisions - no fighters and few searchlights. There are 39 Blind Markers on this raid and they all make it to Berlin. Only 11 release their markers, however, because of either H2S set problems or problems with the German defenses. Only 1 aircraft drops target indicators and this is 6 miles to the south of the Aiming Point. There is no damage reported in the main built-up areas of Berlin. German records show that some bombs fall in the southern and eastern districts of the city, but many fall in the open areas of the suburbs. 178 people are killed and about 600 are bombed out of their homes. Night fighters claim only 11 successes at a cost of 6 of their own.
• 15 Lancasters are lost on the raid with aircrew casualties being 104 killed and 16 POWs. 1 Servale Beaufighter is lost.

• 353rd Fighter Group P-47s dive-bomb the Gilze-Rijen Airdrome.

• 15th Air Force B-26s attack the Antheor viaduct.

• 15th Air Force B-26s attack a marshalling yard and rail bridge at Imperia, and various targets around Ventimiglia.

Air Operations, Central Pacific

VII Bomber Command B-24s passing through Hawkins Field on Betio attack the airfield on Airfield, which henceforth becomes a practice target for green bomber crews. 1 B-24 is lost.

Air Operations, Marshalls

• P-39s of the 318th Fighter Group’s 72d Fighter Squadron down 2 A6M Zeros over the Mille Atoll at 0910 hours.
• 19 VII Bomber Command B-24s based at Nanomea pass hrough Hawkins Field on Betio to attack the Kwajalein Atoll. 9 B-24s based at Nanomea pass through the airfields on Baker Island and Canton Island to attack the Maloelap and Wotje atolls. 10 531st Fighter-Bomber Squadron A-24s and 20 318th Fighter Group P-39s based at Starmann Field on Butaritari attack the Mille Atoll.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command B-24s attack Nabire. More than 80 V Bomber Command B-25s, B-26s, and A-20s attack the airfield at Alexishafen, targets on the Huon Peninsula, and coastal targets between Hansa Bay and Wewak.
• A V Fighter Command P-47 downs a Ki-61 'Tony' fighter over the airfield at Dagua at 1045 hours.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 17 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Sohano Island, 6 B-25s attack coastal targets on Choiseul, and 16 XIII Fighter Command P-39s attack targets in the Shortland Islands.
• During the night, 394th Heavy Bomb Squadron SB-24s mount individual harrassment attacks against Buka, Faisi, and Kieta.

Algeria

Gen Jean-Marie de Lattre de Tassigny arrives in Algiers after escaping from Riom prison and being flown to Britain. He was imprisoned by the Nazis after protesting violations of the armistice terms in the unoccupied territories of France. De Lattre takes command of the French 1st Army when he arrives in Algeria.

Baltic Sea

U-345 is damaged beyond repair in a USAAf daylight raid on Kiel.

U-345

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• As the Allied pre-invasion bombing campaign against Cape Gloucester reaches its peak, V Bomber Command B-24s, B-25s, and A-20s mount 280 effective sorties against the area throughout the day. Also, 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack Japanese Army ground positions at Arawe. V Fighter Command P-39s attack a Japanese destroyer off Cape Gloucester.
• 24 XIII Bomber Command B-24s, escorted by 32 AirSols F4Us, 16 P-38s, and 24 RNZAF P-40s, attack the Vunakanau airfield at Rabaul while 6 B-24s attack the Lakunai airfield also at Rabaul.
• VF-33 F6Fs down 6 A6M Zeros over Rabaul between 1135 and 1205 hours. 18th Fighter Group P-38s down 9 Zeros over Rabaul at 1330 hours. RNZAF Kittyhawk pilots down 12 fighters over Rabaul. 7 AirSols fighters are lost, including 5 RNZAF Kittyhawks.

Air Operations, CBI

• During the night, 19 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack dock areas and rail yards in Rangoon.

• 18 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack the Tienho airfield at Canton. 1 B-24 is downed by a Japanese fighter. 23rd Fighter Group P-40s, and P-40s from the 3rd CACW Fighter Group’s 28th CACW Fighter Squadron down 4 Japanese fighters over the Tienho airfield.

Air Operations, East Indies

V Bomber Command B-25s attack Atamboea, Timor.

Air Operations, Europe

US bombers launch a major effort to knock out German secret weapons sites with attacks involving more the 1,300 planes. 672 B-17s drop 1,400 tons of bombs on 24 V-1 launching sites. A record number of about 3,000 Allied planes are involved in missions against cities and military targets in Europe including an RAF raid which drops 1,120 tons on Berlin.

• 478 B-17s and 192 B-24s attack V-weapons sites around Pas-de-Calais with 1745 tons of bombs.
• There are no losses

• Approximately 60 IX Bomber Command B-26s attack V-weapons sites around Pas-de-Calais, but 30 other B-26s abort in the face of bad weather.

• Of more than 100 15th Air Force B-26s dispatched to attack a marshalling yard at Pisa, all fail to locate the target, but 24 attack a marshalling yard at Cecina.

Air Operations, Gilberts

A P-39 with the 318th Fighter Group’s 72d Fighter Squadron downs 2 D3A 'Val' dive bombers near Makin at 0100 hours.

Air Operations, Marshalls

18 VII Bomber Command B-24s based in the Ellice Islands pass through Hawkins Field on Betio to attack the Wotje Atoll.

Air Operations, New Guinea

3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack coastal targets in northeastern New Guinea.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 24 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the seaplane anchorage at Bonis. US Navy PVs attack barges and Japanese Army ground troops in northern Bougainville.
• A US Navy surface battle force bombards the Bonis and Buka airfields on Bougainville.

Allied Command

A series of announcements in London and Washington makes known the leaders for the coming British and American campaigns. Gen Eisenhower is to be Supreme Allied Commander for the invasion of Europe, with Air Marshal Tedder as his deputy. Adm Ramsay and Air Marshal Leigh-Mallory will lead the naval and air forces. Gen Montgomery will lead the 21st Army Group in the operation. Gen Henry M. Wilson becomes Supreme Commander for the Mediterranean with Gen Jacob Devers as his deputy. Gen Sir Harold Alexander commands in Italy. Gen Ira Eaker commands the Mediterranean Air Forces. Gen Sir Oliver Leese, commanding the British XIII Corps, takes over 8th Army. Gen Carl Spaatz is appointed to command all the US Strategic Bomber Forces against Germany and Gen Jimmy Doolittle will lead 8th Air Force. Gen Sir Bernard Paget becomes Supreme Commander in the Middle East.

Atlantic

In Operation BERNAU 6 German destroyers and 6 torpedo boats and Ju-88s escort the blockade-runner Osorno into the Gironde Estuary and repel Allied air attacks, but the ship hits a wreck and has to be beached.

Battle of the Atlantic

• The US destroyer Leary (DD-158) is sunk by the German submarine U-275 in the North Atlantic area.
• The US destroyer Schenck (DD-159) sinks the German submarine U-645 in the North Atlantic area.

U-645

Burma

In the Hukawng valley units of the Chinese 38th Division succeed in rescuing a battalion of the 112th Regiment surrounded by the Japanese in the Yupbang Ga area. The enemy holds its position west of the river.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• In the hope of drawing Japanese Navy aircraft away from their base at Kavieng, US surface ships bombard the Japanese base at Buka Island in the Solomons. Then, at 0745 hours, 27 SBDs and SB2Cs, 28 TBFs, and 31 F6Fs from Task Group 37.2 mount an anti-shipping strike against the harbor at Kavieng, but few ships are there to be attacked, and air opposition is negligible, because most of the air contingent has been dispatched to Rabaul in the wake of a US surface bombardment of the Japanese airfields on Bougainville the previous day. 1 TBF is lost.
• More than 180 V Bomber Command B-24s, B-25s, B-26s, and A-20s attack Cape Gloucester and 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s help drive back Japanese Army counterattacks against the Arawe beachhead.
• Despite bad weather, 5 of 13 XIII Bomber Command B-24s sent and 63 AirSols fighters are able to attack the Lakunai airfield at Rabaul. 2 P-38s are lost.
• A VF-18 F6F downs an H6K 'Mavis' flying boat at sea at 0745 hours. VF-33 F6Fs down 2 A6M Zeros over Rabaul at noon. 18th Fighter Group P-38s down four Zeros over the Rabaul area between noon and 1210 hours. Marine Corps F4Us down 8 A6M Zeros in the Rabaul area between noon and 1222 hours. An 8th Fighter Group P-40 downs a Ki-46 'Dinah' reconnaissance aircraft near Arawe at 1320 hours. 8 VF-18 and VF-30 F6Fs down a G4M 'Betty' bomber at sea at 1740. A VF-18 F6F downs another 'Betty' bomber at sea at 1830 hours. 2 XIII Fighter Command P-38s are lost over Rabaul.
• During the night, a total of 4 G4M 'Betty' bombers and 7 B5N 'Kate' torpedo bombers attempt to attack Task Group 37.2, but no hits are scored.

Air Operations, CBI

• 2 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s attack a passenger liner at Hong Kong.

• Approximately 50 Japanese aircraft attack Chittagong in support of the upcoming Japanese Army offensive against India.

Air Operations, Central Pacific

VII Bomber Command B-24s pass through Hawkins Field on Betio to attack the airfield on Nauru.

Air Operations, Europe

• 15th Air Force B-24s and B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Udine and Bolzano and the Vicenza Airdrome.
• 15th Air Force B-26s attack several marshalling yards in the Pisa-Porta Nuova area.
• An 82nd Fighter Group P-38 downs 1 Bf-109 over Udine at 1100 hours.

Air Operations, Marshalls

10 531st Fighter-Bomber Squadron A-24s, escorted by 318th Fighter Group P-39s, attack the airfield on Mille.

Air Operations, Solomons

• VMTB-232 and VC-40 TBFs attack Japanese Army ground troops in close proximity to friendly ground troops, and the attack dislodges the Japanese force.
• US Navy Seabees complete the construction of a new fighter strip on Stirling Island in the Treasurys.

Arctic

The German battlecruiser Scharnhorst under Adm Erich Bey sails from north Norway to attack the convoy JW-55B which has been found by German air and submarine searches. Bey is unaware that the British battleship Duke of York is in distant support.

Allied Planning

Allied military leaders, meeting in Tunis, agree to revive the plan for an amphibious landing south of Rome to break the Italian impasse.

Battle of the Atlantic

The British anti-submarine trawler Kingston Beryl sinks on a mine north of Ireland with the loss of 28 crewmen.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• The US 1st Marine Division lands at Cape Gloucester at 0746 hours.
• Among the units to be landed at Cape Gloucester is an ad hoc aerial artillery-spotting unit formed by the Marine artillery commander over the protests of the Marine aviation community. The unit is equipped with 12 Piper Cub light liaison planes borrowed from the US Army and manned by Marine infantry volunteers—including low-ranking enlisted Marines—with flying experience.
• A new feature of the preinvasion bombardment is the use of phosphorous smoke bombs, which are dropped on observation posts and artillery sites in order to cloud the vision of observers who might call or direct artillery against the invasion forces.
• Mistaking the approaching Cape Gloucester invasion fleet for a reinforcement convoy bound for Arawe, the Japanese send 25 D3A 'Val' dive bombers and 63 fighters to Arawe, where, shortly after 0900 hours, the bombers mount an unopposed attack against the beachhead.
• Rabaul-based D3A 'Val' dive bombers, escorted by approximately 50 fighters, attack the Cape Gloucester invasion fleet and landing force at 1430 hours. One US destroyer is sunk and several other ships are damaged.
• V Fighter Command pilots down 21 'Val' dive bombers and 23 fighters in the Cape Gloucester area between 1435 and 1445, and 16 G4M 'Betty' bombers and a Ki-61 'Tony' fighter, also in the Cape Gloucester area, at 1700 hours. 2 P-38s and 2 P-47s are lost in the air, and 1 P-47 is shot down by friendly gunners.
• Throughout the day, V Bomber Command B-24s, B-25s, and A-20s controlled by the 5 Air Force’s 1st Air Task Force mount more than 270 effective sorties against targets between Cape Gloucester and Borgen Bay. Among them are attacks against defensive targets near the invasion beaches made moments before the actual landings by 43 B-24s followed by 38 B-25s.
• 7 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s, escorted by 34 AirSols fighters, attack targets in the Cape St. George area.

Air Operations, CBI

• 459th Fighter Squadron P-38s attack the airfield at Anisakan, the Japanese Army central Burma air headquarters.

Air Operations, Europe

• 15th Air Force B-26s are able to attack marshalling yards at three locations.

Air Operations, Marshalls

16 VII Bomber Command B-24s pass through Hawkins Field on Betio to attack the Wotje Atoll as 318th Fighter Group P-39s strafe and reconnoiter targets in the Mille Atoll.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 25 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Kahili. US Navy PVs attack several targets while conducting reconnaissance missions.
• At 0945 hours, VMTB-143 TBFs employing 100-pound bombs force a Japanese Army battalion-size force to withdraw from a defensive zone a full day before US Marine Corps ground troops can reach the area to mop it up. (This is the last direct-support mission of the Bougainville Campaign, and the last undertaken by USMC bomber pilots until January 1945, in the Philippines.)

Arctic

In the morning Scharnhorst and her destroyers search for a convoy heading to Russia, but find instead the 3-cruiser covering force led by Adm Robert Burnett. Visibility is extremely poor and early on Scharnhorst's forward radar set is put out of action. Adm Erich Bey therefore breaks off the engagement and circles north to try to find the convoy. At midday Scharnhorst and the cruisers again fight but in better visibility which, combined with the disadvantage of the heavy seas for the smaller ships, should have made things easier for the Germans. If the attack had been pressed home Bey would almost certainly have got among the convoy which was only escorted by small ships with little torpedo armament. Instead the action is broken off. As Scharnhorst retreats, Duke of York, with Adm Bruce Fraser aboard, comes up and a gun duel begins, surprising the Germans. The British battleship gains the upper hand and eventually the prolonged bombardment and torpedo attacks reduce the Scharnhorst to a wreck and she sinks off the North Cape. Only 36 out of her crew of 1,970 are saved. The Germans now have no large surface ships operational to threaten the Arctic convoys and an important restraint on British dispositions is removed for the rest of the war.

Atlantic

In Operation TRAVE a German destroyer-torpedo boat force is dispatched to escort the blockade-runner Alsterufer, but she is sunk before the rendezvous. The escorts then attack the British cruisers Enterprise and Glasgow. The British sink Z-27 and 2 torpedo boats.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• V Bomber Command B-24s attack the Cape Hoskins airfield on New Britain. B-25s attack occupied villages, motor vehicles, and barges on New Britai. 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s support US Marine ground forces at Cape Gloucester.
• 49 AirSols fighters stage through the Torokina airfield on Bougainville to sweep the Rabaul area.
• 348th Fighter Group P-47s down 10 D3A 'Val' dive bombers and 19 fighters in the Arawe area between 0830 and 0900 hours. 8th Fighter Group P-40s down 3 A6M Zeros near Arawe at 0840 hours. 2 VF-33 F6Fs down a Zero over Rabaul at 1140 hours. Marine Corps F4Us down 14 Zeros and a Ki-61 'Tony' fighter in the Rabaul area between 1005 hours and noon.

Air Operations, CBI

• 10 14th Air Force P-40s attack the airfield at Pailochi, rail facilities at Yoyang, and a river boat.
• 36 Japanese bombers and fighters attack Suichwan airfield. One B-25 and base facilities are destroyed.
• P-40s from the 23d Fighter Group’s 76th Fighter Squadron down 5 A6M Zeros over Suichwan at 1145 hours. 1 P-40 is lost.

• 4 14 Air Force P-40s attack the airfields at Dong Cuong and Phu Tho.

Air Operations, Europe

• XII Air Support Command A-36 s attack port and rail facilities at Civitavecchia, several gun emplacements and troop positions along the battle lines, a factory, a rail line, and a bridge.

• XII Air Support Command B-25s attack a ship near Zara.

• 15th Air Force B-26s attack two viaducts, but they are prevented by bad weather from attacking the marshalling yards at Poggibonsi.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command B-24s attack Alexishafen, B-25s attack Madang and coastal targets on the Huon Peninsula, and V Fighter Command P-47s strafe road traffic near Bogia.
• Guided by an RAAF light bomber, 3rd Air Task Force P-40s armed with 500-pound bombs mount a precision bombing attack against an important Japanese Army strongpoint on Shaggy Ridge that has been holding up an Australian Army force charged with completely securing the Dumpu area.

Air Operations, Solomons

42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the seaplane anchorage at Buka, supply dumps at Kahili, a bivouac at Kieta, and antiaircraft batteries. US Navy PVs attack barges and more than 70 AirSols SBDs and 16 P-38s attack antiaircraft batteries at Buka.

Bay of Biscay

The German blockade runner Alsterufer is sunk in the Bay of Biscay by Allied aircraft.

Eastern Front

In the Vitebsk sector troops of the Western Front under Gen Vasili D. Sokolovsky reach the Vitebsk-Polotsk railway.

The 1st Ukraine Front under Nikolai F. Vatutin pushes on, re-taking from the enemy the positions lost in the Korosten area.

After heavy fighting elements of the XLVIII Panzer Corps partially stabilize the Zhitomir sector. Hoth, using the XLVIII as his fire-fighting unit, directs the corps to the Berdichev sector, but the constant fighting inflicts a terrible price on the combat units, the corps being down to just 150 tanks.