Air Operations, Europe

Bomber Command drops 14,000 tons of bombs on various targets including Berlin, Mannheim and Hanover. American heavy bombers drop 5,400 tons and their objectives include Paris, Stuttgart and Nantes. US medium bombers drop 2,800 tons on airfields and marshalling yards in Occupied Europe. The deceptive effect of window is now being augmented by electronic countermeasures against the German radar.

The Mediterranean forces make more than 15,000 sorties over Italy, concentrating on airfields and communications targets. During the first few days of the Salerno operation more than 1,000 sorties per day are flown.

Battle of the Atlantic

Dönitz sends his forces back to the North Atlantic convoy routes. New groups are sent out equipped with new radar search receivers, better AA armament and acoustic homing torpedoes. They have orders to try to sink convoy escorts rather than merchant ships. In the new operations 6 merchantmen and 3 escorts are sunk but so are 3 U-boats. The U-boat commanders give highly optimistic reports of the effectiveness of the new torpedoes because of their tendency to explode at the end of their run whether they have hit anything or not. The Allies also have an acoustic torpedo in service and soon develop a device known as 'foxer' which causes the German type to head into the ship's wake. 9 U-boats are sunk during the month in all operations and the Allied shipping losses are 29 ships of 156,400 tons.(Allied Ships Lost to U-boats this month)

Air Operations, Algeria

NAAF (Northwest African Air Forces) formally relinquishes administrative contorl of all subordinated units to appropriated subordinate headquarters: NAAF headquarters to 12th Air Force headquarters; NASAF (Northwest African Strategic Air Force) aircraft to XII Bomber Command; NACAF (Northwest African Coastal Air Force) aircraft to XII Fighter Command; etc. 12th Air Force is still operationally subordinate to NAAF, and Lt-Gen Carl Spatz remains commanding general of both organizations. Also, NATAF (Northwest African Tactical Air Force) command overseeing the XII Air Support Command (31st and 33rd Fighter Groups, in Spitfires and P-40s, respectively; 27th and 86th Fighter-Bomber Groups, in A-36s; and 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron), NATBF (47th Light Bomb Group, in A-20s), and the RAF's Western Desert Air Force.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• 12 V Bomber Command B-25s attack Iboki Plantation and Rein Bay.
• 5 22nd Medium Bomb Group B-26s attack the Cape Gloucester area. 12 RAAF Beaufighters also take part in the attack.

Air Operations, CBI

• 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack rail facilities at Mandalay.

• 7 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s and 8 23rd Fighter Group P-40s attack a Japanese destroyer and the dock area at Shihhweiyao. 1 P-40 and 3 449th Fighter Squadron P-38s attack a barracks at Yangsin, shipping at Wuchang and Kutang, and a train and antiaircraft emplacements near Puchi. 6 P-40s sink a small river tanker near Ichang and strafe Japanese Army cavalry troops at Ocheng. 3 P-40s attack the airfield at Swatow and the port area.

Air Operations, Central Pacific

Construction and defense troops are landed at Baker Island to begin work on a new advance airfield from which the projected invasion of the Gilbert Islands can be supported.

Air Operations, East Indies

V Bomber Command B-24s and B-25s attack targets in the Lesser Sunda Islands.

Britain, Home Front

W. W. Jacobs, writer of macabre short stories, dies at age 79.

Central Pacific

US forces land on Baker Island, east of the Gilberts and a little north of the Equator, and within a week have prepared an airstrip to support their coming campaign in the Gilbert Islands. The Americans now have 5 bases in the Central Pacific from which their bombers can reach the Gilberts: Funafuti, Nanomea and Nukufetau in the Ellice Islands, Canton Island and now Baker Island.

Aircraft taking off from a US aircraft carrier bomb Marcus Island, 1,185 miles southeast of Tokyo, causing severe damage to 85 percent of the Japanese military installations, including two airstrips severely damaged and 7 Japanese aircraft destroyed on the ground. US losses total 2 fighters and 1 torpedo-bomber. The F6F Hellcat fighter is used in combat for the first time in this action.

Air Operations, Europe

The Calabrian coast of Italy is bombed by ships and planes in a pre-invasion attack.

• 30 OTU Wellingtons with 6 Mosquitos and 5 Lancasters of the Pathfinders successfully bomb an ammunition dump in the Forêt de Mormal. 8 Mosquitos are sent to Cologne and Duisburg, 89 aircraft lay mines in the Frisians, near Texel and off the Biscay and Brittany ports.
• 1 mine-laying Stirling is lost.

• A-20s and B-25s under NATAF control attack several towns, a bridge, a lighthouse, and a radar station in southern Italy.
• 12th Air Force P-40s attack a zinc plant and strafe a factory.

Air Operations, New Guinea

In the 5 Air Force’s largest attack to date, 20 V Bomber Command B-24s and more than 40 B-25s drop more than 200 tons of bombs on dumps in the Alexishafen-Madang area. Also, 17 43rd Heavy Bomb Group B-17s attack Labu and V Bomber Command B-25s attack barges on the Bubui River.

Diplomatic Relations

The Italian government dispatches a telegram to Allied Headquarters implicitly accepting the armistice: 'The answer is affirmative repeat affirmative. Known person will arrive Thursday morning 2 September time and place arranged. Stop Please confirm.'

Air Operations, Bismarcks

P-38 pilots of the 49th Fighter Group’s 9th Fighter Squadron down 5 Ki-45 'Nick' fighters over Cape Gloucester at 1100 hours.

Air Operations, CBI

• 10 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s and 5 23rd Fighter Group P-40s attack port facilities in the Hong Kong area.

Air Operations, Europe

American air attacks throughout Calabria continue in preparation for the Allied invasion. Every airport in southern Italy except that at Foggia is now neutralized.

• 319 1st and 4th Heavy Bomb Wing B-17s dispatched against Luftwaffe airfields in France are recalled as they approach the French coast because of heavy cloud cover. Only 34 4th Wing B-17s attack targets of opportunity - Mardyck and Denain/Prouvy Airdrome - with a total of 101 tons of bombs about 1905 hours.
• 3 of 182 escort P-47s are lost while conducting ad hoc fighter sweeps.
• Of 216 3rd Medium Bomb Wing B-26s displatched, 104 are able to find holes in the cloud cover and drop about 150 tons of bombs on several Luftwaffe airfields and fuel dumps.

• 75 XII Bomber Command B-26s, escorted by 82nd Fighter Group P-38s, attack a marshalling yard at Cancello Arnone, near Naples, about 1330 hourst through relentless Axis fighter attack that followed the bomber in and as they left. 23 Axis fighters are downed by 82nd Fighter Group P-38 pilots against no USAAF losses.
• In an effort to at least temporarily disrupt military traffic from Germany, a small number of XII Bomber Command B-17s attack rail lines at Brenner Pass, the shortest route from Germany to Italy.

• Other XII Bomber Command B-17s and B-25s attack marshalling yards at Bologna, Bolzano, and Trento.
• In the south, closer to the invasion area, tactical aircraft, including RAF units flying under the 12th Air Force, attack gun emplacements, road and rail targets, an ammunition dump, and barge traffic.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• Escorted by approximately 40 V Fighter Command P-38s, V Bomber Command B-25 strafers carrying 1,000-pound bombs mount low-level attacks against shipping at Wewak, where they encounter the first barrage balloons known to be employed by the Japanese in the Pacific war zone. Two freighters are sunk with bombs.
• 8th, 35th, and 475th Fighter group P-38 pilots down 1 Ki-45 'Nick' fighter, 2 Ki-46 'Dinah' reconnaissance aircrafts, and 6 A6M Zeros over Wewak and Madang between 1000 and 1045 hours.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 24 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s and more than 60 AirSols light bombers attack Vila.
• 18 XIII Bomber Command B-24s, more than 20 XIII Fighter Command fighters, and more than 60 AirSols light bombers and fighter-bombers attack the Kahili airfield on Bougainville, shore installations, and a bridge.
• Marine Corps F4Us down 5 A6M Zeros over Kahili and Ballale during the afternoon and a VMF-124 F4U shoots down 1 'Betty' bomber off Rennell Island during the afternoon.

Diplomatic Relations

Gen Giuseppe Castellano returns from Rome to Termini Imerese and goes on from there to Casibile.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Bomber Command B-17s and B-24s attack the Cape Gloucester area.

Air Operations, Central Pacific

3 VF-6 F6Fs down an H8K 'Emily' flying boat north of Howland Island at 1314 hours.

Air Operations, CBI

• 11 23rd Fighter Group P-40s and 2 449th Fighter Squadron P-38s attack a barracks at Pho Lu.

Air Operations, East Indies

V Bomber Command bombers mount light attacks against targets on Ceram and Timor.

Air Operations, Europe

• 316 Lancasters and 4 Mosquitos are sent to Berlin.
• Only Lancasters are sent on this raid because of the high casualty rate of Halifaxes and Stirlings on recent Berlin raids. The Mosquitos are used to drop 'spoof' flares well away from the bombers' route in an attempt to attract German night-fighters. The raid approaches Berlin from the northeast but the marking and bombing are mostly short of the target area. That part of the bombing that does reach the city hits the residential areas of Charlottenburg and Moabit and an industrial area called Siemensstadt. Several factories are hit causing major loss of production and hits on major electricity and water works causes disruption of those utilities. One of Berlin's largest breweries are also hit.
• 22 Lancasters are lost.

• 32 OTU Wellingtons, 6 Mosquitos and 6 Halifaxes hit an ammunition dump in the Forêt de Raismes, near Valenciennes. 44 Stirlings and 12 Halifaxes lay mines off Denmark, in the Frisians and off the Biscay coast. 4 Mosquitos are sent to Düsseldorf and 7 OTU Whitleys make leaflet flights.
• 1 Wellington, 1 Stirling and 1 Whitley are lost.

• Of 233 1st and 4th Heavy Bomb Wing B-17s dispatched, 216 drop a total of 587 tons of bombs on 5 Luftwaffe airfields in northwestern France between 0843 and 0955 hours.
• 37 of 65 4th Heavy Bomb Wing B-17s dispatched attack the Caudron-Renault aircraft factory and an airdrome, both in Paris, with 111 tons of bombs between 0845 and 0925 hours.
• While escorting the bombers, 56th Fighter Group P-47s down 4 FW-190s near Paris between 0800 and 0900 hours.
• 1 P-47 and its pilot are lost
• 98 of 141 3rd Meadium Bomb Wing B-26s dispatched attack 3 Luftwaffe airfields in northwestern France with a total of 146 tons of bombs between 0828 and 1007 hours.

• NATAF A-20s, A-36s, and fighters, with RAF light bombers, attack gun emplacements throughout the toe of italy, Camigliatello and Crotone Airdromes, rail yards, troop concentrations, bridges, and road junctions.
• 6 IX Bomber Command B-24s are lost
• A 57th Fighter Group P-40 downs a Bf-109 over Catanzaro at 0800 hours.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command heavy and medium bombers attack Japanese Army ground defenses and gun emplacements aound Lae.
• 9 G4M 'Betty' bombers attack Allied landing craft at Morobe in the morning but score no hits.

Air Operations, Sardinia

12th Air Force P-40s attack radar installations at Capo Carbonara and Pula.

Air Operations, Solomons

• More than 20 AirSols B-24s, 30 light bombers, and 14 P-40s attack the Kahili airfield on Bougainville.
• 5 B-24s and 5 US Navy bombers attack the Vila airfield on Kolombangara.
• 5 P-40s strafe a dock area at Webster Cove.

Air Operations, Tunisia

81st Fighter Group P-38 down 1 FW-190 and probably 1 more about 50 miles off Bizerte at 0750 hours.

Diplomatic Relations

At 5:00pm Gen Guiseppe Castellano signs the Italian surrender in the big General Staff mess tent at Cassibili in Sicily. The American Gen Bedell Smith signs on behalf of the Allies. Gen Eisenhower is present. The armistice will come into effect on September 8. There are actually 2 surrender documents. The one signed this date is not made public for fear the Germans will move to seize control of Italy and makes no reference to unconditional surrender. No announcement is made until arrangements to forestall a German takeover can be worked out. When the second document is signed 5 days later, it covers capitulation without qualification. It is, however, not the kind of surrender outlined at the Casablanca conference.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• In support of the amphibious assault on the Lae area, V Bomber Command B-25s attack the Cape Gloucester airfield on New Britain.
• 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s and RAAF bombers attack the Gasmata airfield on New Britain.
• 11 RAAF Catalinas attack the Vunakanau and Lakunai airfields at Rabaul.

Air Operations, CBI

• 10 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s, escorted by 11 23rd Fighter Group P-40s, attack the Tienho airfield at Canton during the early afternoon.
• 74th Fighter Squadron P-40s (including one Chinese Air Force pilot attached to the squadron) down 3 A6M Zeros over the Tienho airfield at Canton.

Air Operations, Europe

• 8 Mosquitos are sent to Cologne and Duisburg and 25 Wellingtons and 13 Stirlings lay mines in the Frisians, in the Gironde River and off Lorient and St Nazaire.
• There are no losses.

33 387th Medium Bomb Group B-26s attack a marshalling yard at Courtrai at 1756 hours.

90 3rd Medium Bomb Wing B-26s attack marshalling yards at Hazebrouck, Lille, and St.-Pol-sur-Mer between 1756 and 1833 hours.

• XII Bomber Command B-17s dispatched to attack airdromes in southern Italy are forced to abort due to bad weather.
• 12th Air Force P-38s dispatched to attack the Grazzanise Airdrome are unable to find their target, but they attack targets of opportunity on the return flight.
• USAAF fighter-bombers and RAF light bombers attached to NATAF attack motor vehicles, roads, and rail junctions all across the toe of Italy, and gun emplacements around Reggio di Calabria.
• A 1st Fighter Group P-38 downs an Fi-156 observation plane near Cancello Arnone at 1800 hours.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• As Australian Army ground forces land at Hopoi, near Lae, 6 A6M Zeros followed by 3 G4M 'Betty' bombers attack troop-laden landing craft at 0705 hours. 1 Zero kills several Australian soldiers in one landing craft, and a 'Betty' sinks the craft (LCI-339) with a direct hit and two very near misses.
• At 0800 hours, 9 V Bomber Command B-25s attack targets in the Hopoi area, and at about 0900 hours, 24 V Bomber Command B-24s attack gun emplacements and other targets at the Malahang airfield at Lae with 96 tons of bombs.

• At approximately 1400 hours, an estimated 100 Japanese bombers and fighters are intercepted over the departing Lae invasion flotilla by approximately 40 V Fighter Command P-38s and 20 348th Fighter Group P-47s. D3A 'Val' dive bombers score hits on an LST and near misses on 2 US destroyers, and 1 of 12 G4M 'Betty' bombers armed with torpedoes scores a hit on a troop-laden LST that kills 51 and wounds 30. Otherwise, little damage results, especially to vulnerable supplies stacked in the beachhead area.
• A 475th Fighter Group P-38 downs an A6M Zero over Hopoi at 0830 hours. P-38s of the 8th, 35th, and 475th Fighter groups down 11 A6M Zeros, 1 D3A 'Val' dive bomer, 3 Ki-43 'Oscar' fighters, and 2 G4M 'Betty' bombers over Huon Gulf, Lae, and Salamaua between 1345 and 1420 hours. Aa 348th Fighter Group P-47 downs an 'Oscar' and a 'Betty' near Hopoi at 1430 hours. 2 more 'Bettys' are downed by fire from the ships and landing craft.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 23 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Dulo Cove.
• 9 AirSols B-24s and more than 35 fighters attack the airfield at Ballale.

Eastern Front

With no halt in their relentless advance the troops of Konev and Malinovsky take Merefa, a railway junction south of Kharkov. The last escape route left to the Germans in this sector is thus closed.

Hitler, yielding to the evidence for once, authorizes the evacuation of the remaining German forces holding the bridgehead in the Kuban, the powerfully fortified and mined 'blue line'.

The Germans execute a fighting withdrawal from the vital mining region in the Don basin.

Hitler gives the 17th Army permission to pull out of the Kuban and redeploy to the Crimea.

Air Operation, CBI

• 15 14th Air Force P-38 and P-40 fighter-bombers attack a marshalling yard at Lao Kay, and 16 P-38s and P-40s attack a barracks near Lao Kay

Air Operation, Europe

• 605 aircraft are ordered to carry out a double attack on Mannheim and Ludwigshafen. Included in the total are 299 Lancasters, 195 Halifaxes and 111 Stirlings.
• The target areas for this double attack is clear of cloud and the Pathfinder marking works perfectly. Ground markers are placed on the eastern side of Mannheim so that the main bombing force, coming in from the west, could move back across Mannheim and then into Ludwigshafen on the western bank of the Rhine. The 'creepback' is not excessive and severe damage is caused to both targets.
• 13 Halifaxes, 13 Lancasters and 8 Stirlings are lost.

• 4 Mosquitos are sent to Düsseldorf and 25 aircraft lay mines in the German Bight, near Texel and off Brest and Lorient.
• There are no losses.

63 Medium Bomb Wing B-26s attack a marshalling yard at Ghent about 0830 hours.

• Approximately 130 XII Bomber Command B-17s attack the Civitavecchia and Viterbo Airdrome.
• More than 200 XII Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack landing grounds around Grazzanise.
• 14th and 82nd Fighter Group P-38s down 3 Axis fighters over the Grazzanise area about 1300 hours.

Air Operation, New Guinea

• Beginning at 1022 hours, in the first Allied operation of its kind in the Pacific War—and immediately following low-level strafing and bombing attacks by 48 V Bomber Command B-25s and numerous V Fighter Command fighters, and the laying of a smoke screen by 7 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s—96 52nd Troop Carrier Wing C-47s out of airfields around Port Moresby drop the US 503d Parachute Infantry Regiment and an Australian Army airborne regiment directly on the Japanese base at Nadzab in the Markham Valley west of Lae. Gen Douglas A. MacArthur and a large contingent of his staff observe the parachute drop from 3 orbiting B-17s. Also, 5 43rd Heavy Bomb Group B-17s drop supplies to the paratroopers.
• The airfield at Nadzab is quickly overrun and then immediately prepared for air operations so an entire Australian Army infantry division can be flown in to attack Lae from the flank. By 1840 hours, the site of the Nadzab dirt airstrip has been cleared of grass and debris so that it will be able to support landings by C-47s the next day. All in all, the Nadzab drop is brilliantly conceived and flawlessly executed. Escort and cover for the drop is provided by 146 V Fighter Command P-38s and P-47s.
• 24 V Bomber Command B-24s and 4 B-17s attack Japanese ground defenses between Lae and Nadzab. Taking advantage of their unopposed surprise landing, the paratroopers at Nadzab quickly link up with Australian Army ground forces in the Markham Valley.

Air Operations, Sardinia

12th Air Force medium bombers and fighters attack Pabillonis and the radar station at Pula.

Eastern Front

The main Soviet drives in the Bryansk and Donets sectors make considerable gains. The Russian 50th Army launches a 2-pronged outflanking operation east of Bryansk in an effort to encircle the Germans at Orel. Artemovsk in the south and Khutov and Mikhailovsky farther north are all in Soviet hands.

The 3rd Guards Army captures Artemovsk after a hard battle with the XXX Corps of the 1st Panzer Army.

Italy

The forces for Operation AVALANCHE, the landing at Salerno, sail from North Africa for Italy.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Bomber Command B-25s attack barges along the New Britain coast.

Air Operations, CBI

• 6 14th Air Force fighter-bombers attack a factory and docking facilities in the Yoyang-Shihhweiyao area. 5 fighter-bombers attack trains, motor vehicles, and gun emplacements around Puchi and Sintsiang.
• A 76th Fighter Squadron P-40 downs a transport plane near Chiuchiang during the morning.

Air Operations, East Indies

V Bomber Command B-25s attack targets on Timor.

Air Operations, Europe

An 'around-the-clock' bombing of airfields and communications around Naples is begun. In attacks on German cities US bombers suffer heavily losing 45 out of 407 aircraft involved.

• 257 Lancasters and 147 Halifaxes are sent to Munich.
• The Pathfinders finde that Munich is mostly covered by cloud and neither their ground markers nor the skymarkers are very effective. Most of the Main Force crews can do nothing better than make a timed run from the Ammersee, a lake located 21 miles southwest of the target. Most of the bombing is scattered over the western and southern parts of the city.
• 13 Halifaxes and 3 Lancasters are lost.

32 B-26s of the 3rd Medium Bomb Wing's 386th Medium Bomb Group attack a marshalling yard at Ghent at 0739 hours.

3rd Medium Bomb Wing B-26s attack marshalling yards at Rouen at 0738 hours and at Amiens and Serqueux about 1800 hours.

• Provisionally reorganized into the new 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Bomb Divisions (B-17s, B-24s, and B-17s, respectively), VIII Bomber Command heavy bombers mount their largest bombing mission to date -- 338 1st and 3rd Bomb Division B-17s dispatched against aircraft-industry targets in Stuttgart. Only of few of the B-17s, however, are able to locate the assigned target due to bad weather conditions. As a result, 262 B-17s release their bombs over a broad array of targets of opportunity between 0940 and 1230 hours.
• 45 B-17s are lost, many due to fuel depletion; 2 crewmen killed, 333 missing, 118 rescued from 12 fuel-starved B-17s that ditched in the North Sea
• 1 353rd Fighter Group P-47 is lost while escorting the B-17s, but a 4th Fighter Group P-47 downs 1 FW-190 near Chateau Thierry, France at 1125 hours.
• In their first UK-based mission since returning from North Africa, 60 2nd Bomb Division B-24s stage a diversion over the North Sea that attracts no attendion.

• XII Bomber Command B-17s attack the Capodichina Airdrome, the harbor at Gaeta, reil facilities at Minturno, and a marshalling yard at Villa Literno.
• A small number of NATAF aircraft are able to attack a few rail targets and targets of opportunity after the main target Pomigliano Airdrome is unable to be attacked because of bad weather.
• XII Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack the Capua and Grazzanise Airdromes.
• 1st, 4th and 81st Fighter Group escorts down 11 Axis fighter suring noon-hour actins over the Capua and Grazzanise Airdromes.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command B-17s and B-24s attack the Malahang airfield at Lae and nearby defenses. B-25s and B-26s strafe defensive emplacements at and around Malahang.
• P-38s of the 49th Fighter Group’s 9th Fighter Squadron down 4 A6M Zeros and 3 other fighters in the Morobe area between 1345 and 1400 hours and a P-39 with the 35th Fighter Group’s 41st Fighter Squadron downs a Ki-43 'Oscar' fighter east of Lae at 1400 hours.

• 52d Troop Carrier Wing C-47s transport the US 871st Airborne Engineer Battalion to Nadzab to improve the airstrip on which the C-47s themselves are the first to land. During the afternoon, C-47s out of Tsili Tsili Airfield begin landing at Nadzab Airfield with Australian infantry.

Arctic

During the next 4 days the Tirpitz and Scharnhorst make a sortie to bombard Spitzbergen, successfully destroying the few small installations there. The base is re-established on October 15.

Air Operations, Sardinia

12th Air Force P-40s attack the landing ground at Pabillonis.

Air Operations, Solomons

• XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack gun emplacements at Vila.
• 42nd Medium Bombardment Group B-25s and XIII Fighter Command P-39s attack ground troops at Kakasa.
• AirSols light bombers and fighters attack a radar site on Morgudaia Island.
• VMF-124 F4Us down 3 A6M Zeros and VMTB-233 TBFs down 2 Zeros over the Shortland Islands at 1255 hours. Also, a P-39 with the 347th Fighter Group’s 68th Fighter Squadron downs a Zero over Morgudaia Island and a VF-33 F6F downs another Zero over the Shortlands at 1430 hours.

China

Gen Stilwell suggests to Chiang Kai-shek that the Nationalist forces should collaborate with the Communist forces to anticipate the Japanese offensive to be expected as a reprisal for the raids on southern Chinese ports by the US 14th Air Force. Stilwell's suggestion is heresy to Chiang whose own units are largely employed in containing the Communists.

Air Operations, Algeria

A 350th Fighter Group P-38 downs 2 Bf-109s at sea 10 miles northwest of Bougie at 1306 hours.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack targets in the Gasmata area.
• P-38s of the 475th Fighter Group’s 432d Fighter Squadron down 4 Japanese fighters at sea near Arawe at 1320 hours.

Air Operations, CBI

• 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the viaduct at Gokteik.
• During the night, 6 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s sow mines in the Rangoon River.

Air Operations, Central Pacific

Engineers complete work on a 5,000-foot runway on Nonomea Island in the Ellice Islands, and 10 G4M 'Betty' bombers from Tarawa drop 20 bombs on the new base. Damage is slight, but 5 US servicemen are killed and 7 are wounded.

Air Operations, Europe

105 1st Bomb Division B-17s attack the Brussels/Evere Airdrome with 315 tons of bombs about 850 hours.

• Due to a botched rendezvous, only 81 of 144 3rd Medium Bomb Wing B-26s dispatched attack marshalling yards at Lille and St.Pol-sur-Mer between 0854 and 0858 hours.
• 58 of 147 3rd Bomb Division B-17s dispatched overcome bad weather to attack V-weapons sites at Watten with 116 tons of bombs between 0820 and 0854 hours.

• Only 3 of the 29 2nd Bomb Division B-24s dispatched are able to attack the Bergen/Alkmaar Airdrome through bad weather, but 19 other B-24s attack an Axis convoy at sea off Texel Island.
• While providing escort for 3rd Bomb Division B-17s, 56th Fighter Group P-47s down 2 Bf-109s near Texel Island at 0900 hours.

• XII Bomber Command B-17s attack two of the satellite fields of the Foggia Airdrome complex.
• XII Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack roads and bridges behind the BAYTOWN battle area.
• NATAF A-20s and B-25s attack a gun battery and a roadblock near Catanzaro and the Crotone Airdrome.
• During the night, NATAF A-20s support a British 8th Army landing at Pizzo.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command B-24s and 22nd Medium Bomb Group B-26s attack targets in the Lae area. B-25s strafe road traffic between Lae and the Markham Valley.
• 52nd Troop Carrier Wing C-47s continue to airlift an Australian Army division from Port Moresby to Nadzab Airfield.
• Japanese bombers mounting an attack against Morobe are thwarted by V Fighter Command P-38s and a 49th Fighter Group P-38 downs a Ki-43 'Oscar' fighter between Lae and Salamaua at 1415 hours.

Air Operations, Sardinia

12th Air Force P-40s attack the landing ground at Pabillonis and barges off Portoscuso.

Air Operations, Solomons

2 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack barges and a supply depot near Ringa Cove.

Battle of the Atlantic

U-669 is sunk by Wellington 'W' of No 407 Squadron RCAF. The aircraft was investigating a radar contact when is sights the U-boat. Five depth charges are dropped are dropped around the conning tower resulting in the demise of thei U-boat.

U-669

Air Operations, CBI

• 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the viaduct at Gokteik.
• During the night, 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s sow mines in the Rangoon River.

Air Operations, Central Pacific

Only one week after work is begun, the airfield on Baker Island is capable to supporting fighter operations. Work continues to improve the new base for bomber operations. The first-stage completion of the airfield on Baker Island to 5 the number of runways from which the projected Gilbert Islands invasion can be supported: the airfields on Baker Island, Canton Island, Funafuti, Nanomea and Nukufetau.

Air Operations, East Indies

V Bomber Command heavy and medium bombers mount light attacks against targets in the region.

Air Operations, Europe

• 257 aircraft are sent to hit the Boulogne gun positions. In the total are 119 Wellingtons, 112 Stirlings, 16 Mosquitos and 10 Halifaxes. OTU aircraft form part of this force along with 5 B-17s, the first American night bombing sorties of the war with Bomber Command.
• The target is the site of a German long-range gun battery and the marking is mainly provided by Oboe Mosquitos, some experimenting with a new technique. The raid is not successful as the marking as well as the bombing are not accurate.
• There are no losses.

• A total of 135 3rd Medium Bomb Wing B-26s attack the Lille/Nord and Lille/Vendeville Airdromes between 0922 and 1013 hours.
• 68 3rd Medium Bomb Wing B-26s attack German Army coastal defenses aroung Boulogne between 1756 and 1818 hours.
• During the night, 5 B-17s from the 8th Air Force's independent 422nd Heavy Bomb Squadron join RAF bombers in a raid against targets in the Boulogne area. This is the first 8th Air Force night-bombing mission of the war.

• Strikes by Allied aircraft on targets near Salerno continue right up until the landings begin.
• IX Bomber "Command B-24s attack the Foggia satellite fields.
• About 130 XII Bomber Command B-17s attack Frascati.
• XII Bomber Command medium bombers attack highways and bridges.
• 12th Air Force fighters support the British 8th Army around Pizzo.
• During the night, 12th Air Force fighters bomb and strafe roads behind the invasion area, and medium bombers attack roads and junctions in the Naples area.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-17s, B-24s, B-25s, and B-26s attack Lae. 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack Salamaua. V Bomber Command heavy and medium bombers mount light attacks against targets in western New Guinea.

Air Operations, Sardinia

12rh Air Force P-40s attack the landing ground at Pabillonis.

Air Operations, Solomons

12 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the Vila airfield on Kolombangara and other targets in the area.

Baltic Sea

U-983 sinks following a collision with U-988, circumstances of which are unknown.

U-983

Battle of the Atlantic

U-760 had been damaged in an attack by VB-103, US Navy, on August 12 and put into Vigo, Spain on September 8, where she is interned by the Spanish authorities.

U-760

Central Pacific

A landing strip suitable for use by fighters is ready on Baker Island.

Corsica

An armed civilian uprising begins with attacks on the 115,000 German and Italian garrison troops on the island.

Eastern Front

The Soviets take Baturin, east of Konotop, and Zvenkov in the Kharkov sector. The Germans begin to evacuate Stalino. Berlin admits the evacuation of Stalino as 'shortening of the front'. Stalin's Order of the Day congratulates the army on the re-capture of the entire Donetz Basin.

The Soviets move in to occupy Stalino and also take Yasinovataya nearby and Krasnoarmeisk.

The Soviet 5th Shock Army occupies Stalino as the 3rd Guards Army takes possession of Krasnoarmyansk.

Stalino falls as Gen Maximilian Fretter-Pico's XXX Corps completes its evacuation. The 5th Shock Army moves into the ruined city. Krasnoarmyansk also falls to the 3rd Guards.

Manstein and von Kleist again meet with Hitler at Zaporoshe. Manstein asks permission to pull back to the Dniepr but Hitler refuses. However, he does confirm his decision to abandon the Kuban but this is of little help to Army Group South as the men of the 17th Army would go into the Crimea, not the main line.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Bomber Command B-24s attack Garove Island. B-25s attack coastal targets on New Britain.

Air Operations, CBI

• 8 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s and 11 23rd Fighter Group P-40s attack the White Cloud airfield at Canton.
• 4 449th Fighter Squadron P-38s attack the dock area at Whampoa.
• 8 P-40s and P-38s attack Yangtze River traffic.
• 74th Fighter Squadron P-40s down 3 A6M Zeros over the White Cloud airfield at Canton during a noon-hour mission and a 449th Fighter Squadron P-39 downs a transport plane near Whampoa at 1530 hours.

Air Operations, East Indies

V Bomber Command B-25s mount light attacks against Selaroe Island in the Moluccas.

Air Operations, Europe

• Between 0830 and 0840 hourst, 1st Bomb Division B-17s seed Lille/Nord, Lille/Vendeville, and Vitry-en-Artois Airdromes with thousands of 20-pound frangmentation bombs designed to damage airplanes, buildings and equipment.
• 4 2nd Bomb Division B-24 groups attack the Abbeville/Drucat, St.-Omer/Ft. Rouge, and St.-Omer/Lounguenesse Airdromes with general-purpose and fragmentation bombs.
• 20 of 87 3rd Bomb Division B-17s briefed to attack an aircraft plant in Paris do so at 0903 hours while 48 B-17s divert to a secondary target, the Beaumont-sur-Oise Airdrme, between 0855 and 0916 hours.
• 59 3rd Bomb Division B-17s attack the Beauvais/Tille Airdrome about 0815 hours.
• 215 P-47s escorting the heavy-bomber attacks claim just 1 Luftwaffe FW-190 near Beauvais at 0817 by a 56th Fighter Group P-47.
• 202 3rd Medium Bomb Wing B-26s drop more than 334 tons of bombs on coast-defense positions around Boulogne between 0745 and 0915 hours.
• 3 B-26s are lost, 18 damaged; 11 crewmen killed, 8 wounded, 19 missiong

• IX Bomber Command B-24s attack the Foggia satellite fields.
• XII Bomber Command B-17s attack bridges at Cancello Arnone and Capua.
• More than 240 B-25 and B-26 sorties are mounted against rail bridges at Potenza and the landing ground at Scanzano.
• NATAF aircraft patrol over the landing beaches, provide on-call air support against all manner of tactical targets, and mount sweeps against motor vehicles and other targets of opportunity.
• During the course of hundreds of fighter sorties, only 3 Luftwaffe aircraft are engaged. 1 Do-217 bomber is damaged by a 325th Fighter Group P-40 during a morning mission. 1 FW-190 and 1 Fi-156 are downed by 86th Fighter Group A-36s, also during the morning.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-25s attack coastal targets between Alexishafen and Finschhafen.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 18 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack the Kahili airfield on Bougainville and 2 coastal batteries.
• 12 AirSols B-25s and more than 50 SBDs attack the Vila airfield on Kolombangara and barges in the area.
• 2 Marine Corps F4Us down an A6M Zero between Vella Lavella and Choiseul at 0955 hours. A VF-33 F6F downs a Zero over Kahili at 0955 hours.

Balkans

The Germans take over direct control of Croatia, Greece and the coasts and islands of Yugoslavia.

Corsica

The Italian Cremona and Friuli Divisions drive off the Germans at Bastia.

Diplomatic Relations

Iran declares war on Germany.

Eastern Front

Advancing westward beyond Konotop, the Soviets cross the Seym River and take Bakhmach after a brisk fight. Further north they reach the Desna River south of Bryansk. The German 17th Army begins to pull out of its forward position in the Kuban.

The 60th Army reaches Bachmakh, taking the town after a brief stuggle. In the Kuban the 17th Army begins its evacuation, pulling out of its forward positions to the Gotenkopf line.

Mediterranean

The battleship Roma is sunk by a glider bomb launched from a German aircraft while en route to Malta with the main body of the Italian fleet. Several other ships are damaged by similar attacks. Adm Alberto da Zara sails from Taranto with the battleships Andrea Doria and Caio Duilio as well as other vessels.

New Guinea

The Australians manage to force some small units across the Busu River and establish a bridgehead on the opposite bank. Japanese counter-attacks are repulsed.

Aegean

Castelrosso in the Dodecanese is occupied by the British. 2 British officers are dropped on Rhodes to contact the Italian commander there, Gen Campione. However, on September 11 he surrenders to the German forces on the island.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Bomber Command B-25s attack barges along the New Britain coast.

Air Operations, CBI

• 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the viaduct at Gokteik.

• 10 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s attack the Hankow port area and a warehouse near Wuchang, 6 449th Fighter Squadron P-38 fighter-bombers attack the Whampoa port area.
• 76th Fighter Squadron P-40s down 5 A6M Zeros over Hankow during the early afternoon and a 449th Fighter Squadron P-38 downs a Zero over Hankow during the late afternoon.

Air Operations, Europe

• XII Bomber Command B-17s, B-25s, and B-26s attack the communications network leading to the Salerno area from throughout central Italy.
• IX Bomber Command B-24s attack a Foggia satellite field.
• NATAF aircraft provide direct and general support for Allied forces within the beachhead area.
• 12 27th Fighter-Bomber Group A-36s attack a German vehicle column moving north through Lagonegro, 70 road miles from Salerno. It is estimated 177 vehicles are destroyed and 246 are damaged. During these attacke only 1 Luftwaffe fighter is engaged, a Bf-109 that is downed by a 524th Fighter-Bomber Squadron A-36.
• In other fighter action, 3 Luftwaffe fighters are downed over or near the invasion beached by 1st and 31st Fighter Group aircraft.
• During the night, the 12th Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack several communications centers.

Corsica and Sardinia

Beginning this day and continuing over the next 3 weeks the Germans begin to evacuate their garrison of about 25,000 from Sardinia, moving first to Corsica and then the Italian mainland. Several of the transport ships are sunk on September 21 by Allied air and submarine attacks. Various fairly small French contingents land on Corsica from September 14 onward. They harass the retreating Germans and inflict some damage.

Eastern Front

Units of Tolbukhin's and Malinovsky's armies mount a seaborne attack in the Sea of Azov and capture Mariupol. Inland on the Donets sector they take Barvenkovo, Volnovakha and Chaplino. They also land troops in Novorossiysk and a major engagement begins there. The German 17th Army begins to withdraw over the Kerch Strait into the Crimea from its bridgehead at Novorossysk. In this sector the North Caucasus Front is operating under Gen Ivan Petrov, supported by the Black Sea naval forces under the command of Vice-Adm Lev Vladimirsky. 8,935 Russian Naval Infantry land from 129 small craft at Novorossisk.

The Soviet juggernaut shows no sign of halting as Mariupol is ocupied by the 28th and 44th Armies and Barvenkovo by the 1st Guards Army. In the Kuban, the Soviet North Caucasus Front hurls 250,000 troops against the beleaguered 17th Army. As fighting rages in Novorossisk, the Germans begin to evacuate their forces west into the Crimea.

Mariupol falls to the 28th and 44th Armies as the XXIX Corps is forced back. Barvenkovo falls to the 1st Guards Army.

Fighting rages in the Kuban as the North Caucasus Front launches uncoordinated attacks against the 17th Army, committing nearly 250,000 men to the offensive. The 18th Army enters the outskirts of Novorossiysk and becomes embroiled in bitter fighting with XLIX Mountain Corps. During the remainder of the month the 17th Army evacuates 250,000 soldiers of its V, XLIX Mountain and XLIV Corps from the Kuban.

Germany, Home Front

Hitler broadcasts to the German people on the Italian surrender.

Italy

The Germans occupy Rome after brief skirmishes with Italian troops. Italian soldiers in northern Italy are disarmed by the Germans. Subsequently, Italian units are disbanded in the Balkans and France as well. The Germans neutralize a total of 43 Italian divisions. The American sector of the Salerno landings is fairly quiet today, with the front being pushed further inland. In the British sector Montecorvino airfield and Battipaglia are occupied in the morning but the Germans concentrate most of their local reserves here, including a number of tanks from 16th Panzer Division and retake the positions by nightfall.

Air Operations, CBI

• 10 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s, escorted by 11 23rd Fighter Group P-40s, attack the port area at Hankow and cotton mills at Wuchang.
• 3 449th Fighter Squadron P-38s bomb fuel and ammunition depots at Tayeh and strafe barracks and warehouses at Yangsin.
• A 16th Fighter Squadron P-40 downs a Ki-27 'Nate' fighter and an A6M Zero near Hankow during a morning mission.

Air Operations, East Indies

380th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack Makassar, Celebes.

Air Operations, Europe

• 32 323rd Medium Bomb Group B-26s attack the Beaumont-le-Roger Airdrome at 1756 hours.
• 14 of 19 322nd Medium Bomb Group B-26s are damaged by enemy fire during an attack at 1704 hours on the day's briefed secondary target, the Le Trait shipyard.

• XII Bomber Command B-17s attack a marshalling yard, a bridge, and a highway junction in and around Benevento.
• XII Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack highways and road junctions serving German Army forces moving on the beachhead area.
• NATAF aircraft provide support throughout the day for Allied forces in the beachhead, and attack a broad band of routes leading into the area.
• During several afternoon engagements, USAAF fighers down 9 Luftwaffe fighters and 1 Ju-52.

Air Operations, Japan

8 28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s and 12 B-25s stage through the airfield on Attu to attack Paramushiro and nearby targets, including shipping. 40 Japanese Navy fighters attack the bombers. 1 B-24 is downed by antiaircraft fire, 7 B-25s and 1 B-24 are downed by the Japanese fighters, and 2 B-24s land in the Soviet Union, where they and their crews are interned. Bomber gunners claim to have shot down 13 fighters with 3 more probables.

Air Operations, Mediterranean

During the next 5 days Do-217s of KG100, formerly KGr100, commence a series of attacks on the Allied fleet off Salerno using Fritz X and Hs-293 missiles. The cruisers Savannah and Uganda and the battleship Warspite are seriously damaged. The hospital ship Newfoundland and 1 transport are sunk.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 18 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack ground targets on Kolombangara.
• 25 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack the Kahili airfield on Bougainville.
• Airsols SBDs and fighters attack gun emplacemants at Hamberi.
• A detachment of VMF-213, in F4Us, moves to the Munda Point airfield on New Georgia from the Advance Base Knucklehead at Banika and immediately mounts an attack against the Kahili airfield on Bougainville.
• 3 XIII Bomber Command B-24s mount an evening attack against the Vila airfield on Kolombangara.
• A VMF-222 F4U downs 1 A6M Zero over Kahili at 1205.
• VMF-213 F4Us down 1 Ki-61 'Tony' fighter and 5 A6M Zeros over the Shortlands and southern Bougainville at 1230 hours.
• A VF-33 F6F downs 1 Ki-61 'Tony' over Fauro Island at 1230 hours.

Aleutians

Gen Davenport Johnson takes over command of the 11th Air Force, which has begun an air offensive against the Kuril Islands from bases in the Aleutians. Japanese fighters and anti-aircraft guns have been causing heavy losses.

Balkans

Yugoslav Partisans occupy the port of Split.

Battle of the Atlantic

A German submarine lays mines off Charleston, South Carolina, but no damage is ever reported.

Eastern Front

A German counterattack succeeds in closing the gap between the 1st Panzer and 6th Armies.

Italy

The pattern of the previous day is repeated at Salerno. Early on both the British and American Corps advance with some success but both are later pushed back. The German reinforcements are beginning to come up and, in the bridgehead, the morale is poor because of the lack of progress.

There are major German air attacks on the landings throughout the day despite the efforts of the Allied air forces. The cruiser Savannah is badly damaged by a glider bomb.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

• V Bomber Command B-25s attack barges at Cape Gloucester.
• 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack a radio station at Gasmata.

Air Operations, CBI

• 8 449th Fighter Squadron P-38s attack shipping at Hong Kong. 4 P-38s attack Yangtze River shipping. 4 23rd Fighter Group P-40s attack barracks and a locomotive near Shihhweiyao.

Air Operations, Europe

IX Bomber Command B-24s attack Kalathos and Maritsa Airdromes.

• XII Bomber Command B-17s attack road defiles at Mignano, a road bridge at Benevento, and the Frosinone Airdrome.
• NATAF aircraft provide support for Allied forces in the beachhead throughout the day, and attack numerous communications targets in the area.
• In fighter action, 82nd Fighter Group P-38s down 2 Luftwaffe fighters over the sea near Salerno during the afternoon.
• During the night, NATAF aircraft fly numerous intruder missions over six Axis airfields between Rome and Pizzo.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command B-17s and B-24s attack Lae and B-25s strafe coastal targets between Langemak Bay and Saidor.
• Australian Army ground forces occupy Salamaua and the airfield at Salamaua, which is immediately put to use by a 5th Air Force combat airplane.

Air Operations, Solomons

During the night, 394th Heavy Bomb Squadron radar-equipped SB-24s attack several ships in the northern Solomons.

Eastern Front

The Soviet attacks continue in all sectors but with renewed vigor near Bryansk. On the Donets front Stary Kermenchik is taken. The Germans begin to evacuate 17th Army from the Kuban. Altogether 239,669 troops, 16,311 wounded, 27,456 civilians, 74,657 horses, 6,255 head of cattle, and vast amounts of army supplies and vehicles are withdrawn by October 9.

Germany, Home Front

The 'Solf tea-party' resistance group, mostly German diplomats, is broken up by the Gestapo.

Mediterranean

• U-boats commence operations off the Salerno bridgeheads. Only 3 ships will be sunk during numerous attacks.
• U-617 is attack by Wellingtons 'P' and 'J' of No 179 Squadron, having been detected by radar and then illuminated by Leigh Light. 'P' is the first to spot the U-boat and drops six depth charges. 3 hours later 'J' finishes the U-boat dropping six more depth charges. The U-boat did not sink but was lying on her side when spotted at daybreak having been abandoned by her crew. She was finally sunk by British destoyers.

U-617

Air Operations, Central Pacific

A US Army reconnaissance team is landed on Howland Island to inspect the 2,400-foot runway originally built there for Amelia Earhart. Despite bombing attacks by both US Navy and Japanese Navy aircraft since the start of the Pacific War, the runway is intact. Engineers and ground crews will soon be landed to get the base into condition to support aerial operations.

Air Operations, Europe

• 5 Oboe Mosquitos are sent to Cologne and 4 more to Duisburg.
• There are no losses.

• XII Bomber Command B-17s and B-25s, and NATAF light and medium bombers attack roads and highways leading to the Salerno area.
• NATAF A-36s destroy as many as 30 German Army vehicles near Potenza.
• During morning engagements, 27th and 86th Fighter-Bomber A-36s down 6 Luftwaffe fighters.
• During the night, 600 US Army paratroopers are dropped at Agropoli, south of Salerno, by 82 52nd Troop Carrier Wing C-47s and C-53s.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 90th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s, escorted by V Fighter Command P-38s, attack the airfield at Wewak and nearby ammunition dumps.
• V Bomber Command B-25s attack Lae.
• 8th and 475th Fighter group P-38s down 1 G4M 'Betty' bomber and 10 Japanese fighters in a running fight from Wewak to Angoram between 1025 and 1100 hours.

Air Operations, Solomons

VMF-222 F4Us down 1 Ki-61 'Tony' fighter and 2 A6M Zeros near Vella Lavella at 0805 hours, and 2 VMF-222 F4Us down 3 Zeros over Vella Lavella at 1540 hours.

Aegean

British troops occupy the island of Kos and immediately establish an RAF base there. The island, off southwest Turkey, is a potential approach to southeast Europe and a base for air operations against German communications and oil resources in Romania. A victory hear might also persuade Turkey to support the Allied cause as the threat of German air raids from Rhodes would be eliminated. Kos is to be a springboard for an assault against the German stronghold on Rhodes. By the end of September, British forces make contact with cooperative Italian troops on most of the neighboring islands.

Air Operations, Pacific

A flight of B-24 Liberator and B-25 Mitchell bombers attacks enemy shipping and ground installations at Paramushiru in the north Pacific. 4 enemy vessels are damaged, but 10 US aircraft are lost after they are attacked by 25 Japanese fighters.

Axis Diplomacy

Mussolini arrives in Munich, Upper Bavaria.

China, Politics

Chiang Kai-shek becomes president of China for a three-year term succeeding Lin Sen who died August 7. Chiang thus assumes even greater authority in Nationalist territory. Chiang has proved to be a mercurial war leader, and shows little interest in the general Allied war against Japan except when US, British and Commonwealth efforts affect his own campaign. His relationship with Gen Stilwell, Allied chief of Staff in Burma-China-India theater, is particularly troubled, especially as Stilwell recommends an alliance between the Nationalists and Communists to defeat Japan.

Corsica

The resistance of the Italian Cremona and Friuli Divisions at Bastia, Corsica is crushed by German forces.

Greece

Over the next 10 days the Italian Acqui Division under Gen Antonio Gandin resists the Germans in Cephalonia and surrenders only when 1,500 have been killed and the Germans then kill 5,000 more and deport the rest to labor camps.

Aegean

British forces take the island of Leros.

Air Operations, CBI

• 4 449th Fighter Squadron P-38s attack 2 ships at Chiuchiang.

• In one of only two 14 Air Force heavy-bomber missions mounted throughout the month (because of bad weather), 15 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s are sent to bomb Haiphong. About half the B-24s abort in the face of bad weather, but the remainder attack the target without opposition.

Air Operations, East Indies

380th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack Kendari, Celebes.

Air Operations, Europe

• 8 Lancasters of 617 Squadron set out with the new 12,000lb bomb (not the 12,000lb Tallboy 'earthquake' bomb developed later) to attack the banks of the Dortmund-Ems Canal near Ladbergen. While the force is over the North Sea, however, a weather reconnaissance Mosquito reports that there is fog in the target area and the Lancasters are recalled. The aircraft of Flight Lieutenant D. I. H. Maltby, one of the original members of the squadron that had attacked the Ruhr dams, crashes into the sea and the crew are all killed. Maltby's body was washed ashore and is buried at Wickhambreux, near Canterbury in Kent; the names of the other 6 crew members are on the Runnymede Memorial for the Missing.

• 8 Mosquitos make a nuisance raid on Berlin.
• 1 Mosquito is lost.

• As part of an all-out air, naval, and ground effort to stem German Army counterattacks against the Salerno beachhead, XII Bomber Command B-17s, B-25s, and B-26s, IX Bomber Command B-24s, and RAF heavy bombers attack highways, bridges, defiles, road cneters, rail lines, marshalling yards, a barracks, gun emplacements, and numerous other targets in a wide band around the battle area. NATAF aircraft mount more than 500 combat sorties in direct support of the Allied ground forces. The German Army counterattack against the Salerno beachhead is stemmed due in a large part by the air-interdiction operations conducted by the Allied air units.
• 2 FW-190s and 1 Fi-56 are downed over the Salerno beached by 27th and 86th Fighter-Bomber A-36s and 82nd Fighter Group P-38s.
• During the night, XII Troop Carrier Command C-47s drop US Army paratroopers near the Sele River.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command B-25s attack Lae and barges at Hansa Bay.
• 1 348th Fighter Group P-47 downs 1 Ki-46 'Dinah' reconnaissance plane near Malahang at 1045 hours.

Air Operations, Solomons

• A total of 30 XIII Bomber Command B-24s mount three attacks during the day against the Kahili airfield on Bougainville.
• Small formations of B-24s and 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the Vila airfield on Kolombangara in two waves.
• AirSols SBDs and fighters attack the airfield at Ballale.
• VMF-222 F4Us down 4 A6M Zeros and 1 Ki-61 'Tony' fighter over Kahili between 0845 and 0915 hours.
• 1 P-40 with the 18th Fighter Group’s 44th Fighter Squadron downs 1 A6M Zero over Kahili at 1150 hours.
• VMF-213 F4Us and a VMSB-235 radioman-gunner down 2 Zero over Ballale between 1305 and 1315 hours.
• VF-33 and VF-40 F6Fs down 11 Zeros over the airfields at Ballale and Bougainville between 1315 and 1320 hours.
• During the night, Japanese Navy aircraft organized into flights of 2 or 3 airplanes mount an unprecedented 79 separate attacks against airfields on Guadalcanal, New Georgia, and Vella Lavella.

Axis Diplomacy

Mussolini reaches Rastenburg, the 'wolf's lair', Hitler's headquarters. Vittorio Mussolini, the Duce's son, describes the scene: 'Deeply moved, the two men clasped each other by the hand for a long time.'

Eastern Front

The Germans announce the evacuation of Bryansk but fighting there continues. In the south there is also heavy fighting for the Kuban town of Novorossiysk. Yeremenko drives toward Smolensk from the north.

The German 9th Army begins to evacuate Bryansk, heavy fighting raging in and around the city. West Front attacks also draw closer to Smolensk, while the Kalinin Front pushes down from the north. Dukhovschina falls to the 39th Army of the Kalinin Front.

In the Kuban the German 17th Army withdraws from the Gotenkopf line.

Hitler agrees to a withdrawal from Smolensk to reduce the pressure upon Army Group Center.

Aegean

Cos in the Dodecanese is occupied by British SBS, 11th Parachute Battalion and Durham Light Infantry members and a squadron of Spitfires is flown in.

Air Operations, CBI

• 6 11th Medium Bomb Group B-25s escorted by 14 23Rd Fighter Squadron P-40s attack cotton mills at Wuchang.
• 1 16th Fighter Squadron P-40 downs an A6M Zero near Hankow during the afternoon.

• 5 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s are intercepted by more than 50 Japanese fighters over Haiphong. 3 B-24s are shot down, 1 is severely damaged, and the last must be written off after landing.

Air Operations, Europe

• 369 aircraft of Nos 3, 4, 6 and No 8 Groups are sent to Montluçon. Included in the total are 209 Halifaxes, 120 Stirlings, 40 Lancasters and 5 American B-17s.
• This is a moonlit raid on the Dunlop rubber factory in central France. The Pathfinders mark the target accurately, and the Master Bomber, Wing Commander D.F.E.C. Deane, brings in the Main Force well to carry out an accurate bombing. All the buildings of the factory are hit and a large fire is started.
• 2 Halifaxes and 1 Stirling are lost.
• 8 Lancasters of 617 Squadron take off to carry out the postponed raid on the Dortmund-Ems Canal but the area is misty and 5 aircraft are lost, including those of Pilot Officer L.G. Knight, another of the Dams Raid survivors, and the new squadron commander, Squadron Leader G. Holden. These heavy losses, and the losses of the Dams Raid, confirm that low-level attacks on German targets, even when away from major defended areas, are not viable with heavy bombers and this type of operation is not repeated. 617 Squadron now starts retraining as a specialist high-altitude-bombing unit.

• 87 1st Bomb Divsion B-17s attack the Romilly-sur-Seine Airdrome with about 268 tons of bombs at 1650 hours.
• 47 2nd Bomb Division B-24s attack the Chartres Airdrome with 141 tons of boms about 0905 hours.
• 78 3rd Bomb Division B-17s attack the Hispano-Suiza aircraft-engine factory in Paris with 229 tons of bombs about 1855 hours.
• 21 3rd Bomb Division B-17s attack the Billancourt-Renault works in Paris with 63 tons of bombs at 1854 hours.
• 40 3rd Bomb Division B-17s attack the Caudron-Renaul aircraft factory in Paris with 119 tons of bombs at 1855 hours.
• 5 B-17s and 1 B-24 are lost
• 68 3rd Medium Bomb Wing B-26s attack the Merville Airdrome with 100 tons of bombs at 1745 hours.
• During the night about 2340 hours, 5 B-17s from the 8th Air Force independent 422nd Heavy Bomb Squadron join RAF bombers on a mission against an aircraft-industry target in France.

• XII Bomber Command B-17s, B-25s, and B-26s attack numerous highways and road junctions surrounding the Salerno beachhead area.
• IX Bomber Command B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Potenza, various rail lines, and several warehouses.
• NATAF aircraft attack rail lines, highways, motor vehicles, and German occupied buildings.
• Luftwaffe attempts to penetrate to the beachhead area throughout the day result in the confirmed downing, between 0730 and 1900 hours, 11 FW-190s by aircraft of the 31st and 33rd Fighter Groups and the 86th Fighter-Bomber Group.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 90th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attacking the airfields in the Wewak area destroy 10 Japanese aircraft on the ground.
• 43rd Heavy Bomb Group B-17s attack targets in the Lae area.

• V Bomber Command B-25s attack ammunition and supply dumps near Bogadjim, antiaircraft emplacements at Bostrem Bay, and barges between Alexishafen and Finschhafen.
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• P-38s of the 8th Fighter Group’s 80th Fighter Squadron down 9 Japanese fighters over Wewak and Boram at 1000 hours.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the Kahili and Kara airfields on Bougainville and the Vila airfield on Kolombangara.
• XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack the Kahili airfield on Bougainville and Parapatu Point. B-25s attack the Kahili airfield on Bougainville again, as well as the airfield at Ballale.
• AirSols SBDs and fighters attack the airfield at Ballale Airfield.
• VF-33, VF-38, and VF-40 F6Fs down 9 A6M Zeros over the airfields at Ballale and Bougainville at 1115 hours. P-39s from the 18th Fighter Group’s 12th Fighter Squadron down 2 Zeros over Ballale between 1125 and 1140 hours. VMF-222 F4Us down 2 Zeros over Ballale between 1130 and 1150 hours.

China

Chiang Kai-shek and the Chinese Nationalists begin urging Roosevelt to recall Stilwell from China. The Chinese leaders regard the caustic American general as an obstacle who does not understand the 'realities' of China.

Eastern Front

In the central sector the Russians go over to the offensive towards Smolensk. Rokossovsky's forces take Nezhin, on the railroad from Konotop to Kiev. To the north of Bryansk the Germans are pushed out of Dyatkovo. The Russians break through the Yelnya-Desna defense line.[MORE]

Aegean

British forces occupy Leros and Samos.

Air Operations, CBI

• 8 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s, escorted by 12 23rd Fighter Group P-40s, attack a Japanese Army headquarters, barracks, warehouses, and ammunition dumps at Liujenpa.

Air Operations, Europe

• 340 aircraft of Nos. 3, 4, 6 and 8 Groups are sent to attack the important railway yards at Modane on the main railway route between France and Italy. In this total are 170 Halifaxes, 127 Stirlings, 43 Lancasters and 5 American B-17s.
• The target is situated in a steep valley and the marking is not accurate. As a result, neither is the bombing. There are no reports from the ground on damage.
• 2 Halifaxes and 1 Stirling are lost.
• 12 Lancasters, 8 from 617 Squadron and 4 from 619 Squadron, attempt to bomb the railway viaduct at Anthéor Cannes on the coastal railway line leading to Italy, but no direct hits are scored.
• 1 Lancaster of 619 Squadron is was lost when it comes down in the sea off Portugal, possibly while trying to reach Gibraltar.

• 5 Mosquitos are sent to Berlin and there are 3 OTU sorties.
• There are no losses.

• 79 1st Bomb Division B-17s attack the Nantes port area, and 51 1st Bomb Division B-17s attack the Nante3s/Chateau Bougon Airdrome between 1502 and 1512 hours.
• 7 B-17s are lost
• Escorting 56th Fighter Group P-47s down 2 Luftwaffe fighters over northwestern France at 1430 hours.
• 93 of 148 3rd Bomb Division B-17 dispatched attack the La Pallice port area, and the La Rochelle/Laleau and Cognac/Chateaubernard Airdromes between 1731 and 1758 hours.
• 4 B-17 are lost to enemy actiona, 5 by accidents; 44 crewmen are killed, 30 missing
• 77 3rd Medium Bomb Wing B-26s attack the Beaumont-le-Roger and Tricqueville Airdromes with 92 tons of bombs at 1735 hours.

• XII Bomber Command B-17s attack rail and road targets in and around Benevento and Caserta.
• XII Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack road and rail targets at Capua, Formia, and Mignano.
• IX Bomber Command B-24s attack a supply dump and road junctions in and around Potenza.
• NATAF aircraft attack motor vehicles, troop concentrations, communications targets, and Axis aircraft on the ground in and around Contursi and Eboli.
• XII Air Support Command fighter-bombers provide constant on-call support for Allied ground forces in the Salerno beachhead area.
3 Luftwaffe fightgers and 1 Ju-88 are downed by USAAF fighters over southern Italy in a series of minor engagements between 0720 and 1440 hours.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command B-17s, B-24s, B-25s, B-26s, and A-20s attack Japanese defensive positions at Lae. B-24s mount a light attack against Sorong.
• A 35th Fighter Group P-38 downs 1 Ki-46 'Dinah' reconnaissance plane near Hansa Bay at 1030 hours.

Air Operations, Solomons

• AirSols SBDs attack the airfield at Ballale Airfield.
• VF-33 and VF-38 F6Fs down 6 A6M Zeros between Ballale and the Shortland Islands between 1415 and 1500 hours. VMF-214 F4Us down 11 Zeros over Ballale at 1500 hours. A 70th Fighter Squadron P-39 downs an E13A 'Jake' reconnaissance plane near Vella Lavella at 1605 hours.

Eastern Front

Southwest of Bryansk the Soviets take Novgorod Seversky and Romny, north and south of Konotop respectively, on the flanks of their advance toward Kiev. The Germans announce the evacuation of Bryansk.

Lozovaya, a railroad junction northeast of Pavlograd, is taken and Novorossiysk, in the Kuban falls to Petrov's troops after a terrible struggle. A large part of the German 17th Army has already managed to reach the Crimea across the Kerch Strait. This is the end of the Germans' venture into the Caucasus.

Yartsevo falls to the 31st Army after a bloody battle. The 10th Army crosses the Desna and approaches Roslavl while Novgorod Seversky falls to the 60th Army after a long battle.

Air Operations, Europe

• 6 Mosquitos are sent to Berlin and 8 Wellingtons lay mines off Brest.
• There are no losses.

5 B-17s from the 8th Air Force's 422nd Heavy Bomb Squadron join an RAF attack on the marshalling yards at Mondane between 0029 and 0044 hours.

• XII Bomber Command B-17s and B-26s attack the Ciampino and Patica di Mare Airdromes.
• XII Bomber Command B-25s attack barges and small craft around the mouth of the Tiber River.
• IX Bomber Command B-24s attack road and rail junctions at Pescara, in eastern Italy.
• 12th Air Force P-38 fighter-bombers mount 27 separate dive-bombing attacks against rail and road targets and targets of opportunity in the Salerno beachhead area.
• NATAF aircraft mount day-long sweeps over the beachhead area and attack numerous rail and road targets servicing German Army forces in southern Italy.
• 4 Luftwaffe fighters are downed by aircraft of the 33rd Fighter and 27th Fighter-Bomber Groups during two separate afternoon actions over the Salerno beachhead area.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command B-25s attack barges and coastal villages.
• 52nd Troop Carrier Wing C-47s airlift an Australian Army infantry company to a makeshift airfield, created by simply burning vegetation off a flat field. The company is to advance directly to the nearby Japanese-held airfield at Kaiapit, from which an offensive against the Japanese base at Wewak can be supported. Beginning late in the month, US Army aviation engineers will begin converting the makeshift airfield into a 6,000-foot runway.

Central Pacific

Tarawa is attacked by land-based Liberator bombers.

Eastern Front

The Soviets complete the capture of Bryansk overcoming ferocious German resistance. The OKW is already resigned to the loss of huge areas of ground, and considers it essential that the Wehrmacht should hold the line of the Dniepr. They also take Bezhitsa, a little to the north, and Trubchevsk, to the south, as they advance across the River Desna on a broad front. In the south on the Sea of Azov, Berdyansk is taken.

The 11th Guards Army enters Bryansk and, after a brisk battle with German rearguards, captures the city. Trubchevsk also falls to the 47th Army.

Berdyansk falls to the 44th Army as Gen Karl-Adolf Hollidt's 6th Army pulls back to the Melitopol line.

Italy

5th Army is beginning to push out the boundaries of its beachhead once more. Altavilla and Battipaglia are attacked again by the Germans in order to cover their withdrawal which is now beginning. The British XIII Corps advances toward the Potenza-Auletta line. American units of the US VI Corps continue their attacks against Altavilla.

Aegean

British forces occupy Simi, Stampalia and Icaria. The Germans attack Antimachia airfield on Cos.

Air Operations, Central Pacific

XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack Nauru Island.

Air Operations, CBI

• 4 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s and 7 23rd Fighter Group P-40s attack blast furnaces and rail lines at Shihhweiyao.

Air Operations, Europe

• 5 Mosquitos are sent to Cologne and 49 aircraft lay mines in the Frisians and off the Biscay ports.
• There are no losses.

Although 162 3rd Medium Bkomb Wing B-26s are briefed for attacks on three targets in France, only 25 from the 387th Medium Bomb Group overcome bad weather to drom 37 tons of bombs on the Beauvais/Tille Airdrome.

• XII Bomber Command B-17s attack the Viterbo Airdrome and the road between Salerno and Avellino.
• XII Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack the Ciampino and Pratica di Mare Airdromes.
• IX Bomber Command B-24s attack a marchalling yard at Pescara.
• 321st Medium Bomb Group B-25 gunships attack a lighthouse and small vessels near Capraia and at sea between Italy and Corsica.
• P-38s under temporary NATAF control strafe four satellite fields in the Foggia Airdrome complex and attack numerous roads, rail lines, and bridges with bombs and machine guns.
• A 14th Fighter Group P-38 downs a Ju-52 during the morning strafing attack at Foggia.

Air Operations, Gilberts

• The opening moves of the Central Pacific Offensive continue with a coordinated attack against the Japanese Navy base at Betio Island in Tarawa Atoll by land-based and carrier-based aircraft.
• During the very early hours of September 18, 18 11th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s based at Funafuti and Canton Island attack Betio.

• Beginning with a pre-dawn attack by 83 Fleet Carrier Air Group 16 light bombers and F6Fs, carrier aircraft spend the day thoroughly bombing and strafing the Japanese Navy airfield and defenses at Betio. Also, 4 VF-16 F6Fs destroy 3 of 4 Japanese Navy flying boats moored at Makin Atoll and photograph Abemama Atoll. 40 carrier aircraft are damaged over Betio by antiaircraft fire, and 1 SBD photo-reconnaissance bomber is lost without a trace over Abemama.
• 6 VF-16, VF-23, and VF-24 F6F pilots team up to down 2 G4M 'Betty' bombers at sea between 1513 and 1542 hours.

Air Operations, New Guinea

22nd Medium Bomb Group B-26s and RAAF bombers attack Finschhafen. 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack an island near Lae.

Air Operations, Solomons

VMF-213 and VMF-214 F4Us down 10 D3A 'Val' dive bombers, 1 Ki-61 'Tony' fighter, and 2 A6M Zeros over Vella Lavella between 1130 and 1300 hours. 1 18th Fighter Group P-40 and a 70th Fighter Squadron P-39 pilot each down an A6M Zero near Baga Island between 1230 and 1240 hours.

Battle of the Atlantic

Operations against convoys by Wolf Packs resumes following re-equipment of U-boats with electronic monitoring, 8x20mm AA guns and acoustic torpedoes.

Central Pacific

Tarawa, Makin and Abemama in the Gilbert islands and Nauru Island, west of the Gilbert group, are all attacked by aircraft form the carriers Lexington, Princeton and Belleau Wood under Adm Charles A. Pownall. Over 200 land- and carrier-based aircraft participate in the attack, causing severe damage to enemy installations.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Bomber Command B-17s and B-24s attack the Cape Gloucester airfield and targets in the area on New Britain.

Air Operations, CBI

• 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack rail facilities at Monywa.

Air Operations, East Indies

V Bomber Command B-24s and B-25s mount light attacks against Penfoei (Timor) and Amboina and Selaroe islands in the Molucca Islands.

Air Operations, Europe

Of 144 3rd Medium Bomb Wing B-26s dispatched attack the Lille/Nord and Merville Airdromes, only 18 from the 386th Medium Bomb Group attack Lille/Nord with 26 tons of bombs at 1139 hours.

NATAF aircraft mount numerous attacks on rail and road targets around the expanding Salerno beachhead.

Air Operations, Gilberts

20 11th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s leaving from the airfields at Canton Island and Funafuti attack and photograph Tarawa and Abemama atolls. 1 B-24 is lost to Japanese Navy fighters.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s mount preinvasion strikes against Finschhafen, which is to be assaulted from the sea on September 22.
• The airfield at Kaiapit is seized by an Australian Army infantry company and held against several counterattacks.

Air Operations, Solomons

42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s and AirSols SBDs attack the Vila airfield on Kolombangara, a causeway, an ammunition dump, and troop emplacements. B-25s also attack Ringa Cove and Webster Cove.

Battle of the Atlantic

• Over the next few days 20 U-boats are deployed against convoys ON-202 and ONS-18. The Germans claim outstanding successes with acoustic torpedoes against the escorting warships. They claim 12 sunk and 3 probably sunk, but only 4 are actually hit. 7 merchant ships are sunk. 3 U-boats are lost.
• Liberator 'A' of No 10 Squadron RCAF is patrolling around Convoy ONS-18 when a surfaced U-boat is seen. On the second pass over U-341 the aircraft drops six depth charges which exploded along side the submarine. A second explostion occurs at the U-boat's bow causing her to slow, stop and then sink.

U-341

Central Pacific

Tarawa is again attacked by land-based Liberator bombers.

Air Operations, CBI

• 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack rail facilities at Naba and Sagaing.

• 27 Japanese bombers attacking the airfield at Kunming are intercepted by 24 23rd Fighter Group P-40s and 3 449th Fighter Squadron P-38s. The P-40s down 3 A6M Zeros and 16 twin-engine bombers in defensive actions over Kunming and Kunming Lake between 0850 and 0900 hours. 1 P-40 is also lost.

Air Operations, East Indies

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

Air Operations, Europe

• 8 Mosquitos are sent to Berlin, 20 Wellingtons lay mines off Brest, Lorient and St Nazaire, and there are 21 OTU sorties.
• There are no losses.

• XII Bomber Command B-17s and B-26s attack road and rail targets around the expanding beachhead area.
• XII Air Support Command A-36s and NATAF aircraft attack German Army forces concentrating in the Nocera area.
• In its last operational mission against targets in Italy, IX Bomber Command dispatches 98th and 376th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s against a marshalling yard at Castelfanco Veneto. Clouds obscure the target, but the 98th Group bombers release their bombs on the basis of a time-to-target estimate, and the 376th Group attacks the airdrome and marshalling yards on the return leg.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 43rd Heavy Bomb Group B-17s and V Bomber Command B-25s attack roads and bridges between Madang and Kaiapit. V Bomber Command B-24s attack Boram and Wewak. V Fighter Command P-39 fighter-bombers attack targets around Bogadjim.
• P-38s of the 475th Fighter Group’s 432d Fighter Squadron down 2 Ki-61 'Tony' fighters and an A6M Zero over or near Marilinan between 1130 and 1230 hours.

Air Operations, Solomons

2 VMF-213 F4Us down a G4M 'Betty' bomber near Choiseul at 0620 hours.

Baltic Sea

U-346 is presumed lost in a diving accident, the exact circumstances of which are unknown.

U-346

Battle of the Atlantic

• The British frigate Lagan, escorting Convoy ON-202, is torpedoed by U-260 in the middle of the North Atlantic with the loss of 28 crewmen. Lagan is towed back to the UK by the British tug Destiny arriving on the 24th where she is declared a total loss. U-305 sinks the Canadian destroyer St Croix, also escorting Convoy ON-202, with the loss of 147 of her crew. 80 are rescued by the British frigate Itchen. The British corvette Polyanthus, ordered to join Itchen in searching for the responsible submarine and in rescuing survivors, is sunk by U-952 with the loss of 85 of her crew. 1 survivor is picked up by Itchen.
• U-238 also attacks the New York-bound Convoy ON-202 torpedoing the US freighters Frederick Douglass (7176t) and Theodore Dwight Weld (7176t). The British rescue ship Rathlin rescues all hands (40 crewmen and 29 Armed Guard sailors) from Frederick Douglass, but the other freighter sinks so quickly that 20 of her 42-man crew and 13 of the 28-man Armed Guard perish with the ship. Rathlin rescues the survivors.
• Liberator 'F; of No 120 Squadron RAF attacks U-338 but without result. The corvette HMCS Drumheller then engages to U-boat with gunfire until the submarine dived. The corvette is shaken by an underwater explosion of som violence, the cause of which is unknown. This is the last contack with U-338 and is presumed lost from this encounter.

U-338

Eastern Front

Yeremenko's troops re-take Velizh, northwest of Smolensk, and Kholm, farther north along with many other towns.

Velizh falls to the 4th Shock Army of the Kalinin Front.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Bomber Command B-24s attack Cape Gloucester and a freighter near Talasea.

Air Operations, CBI

• 8 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s and 8 23rd Fighter Group P-40s attack warehouses and rail facilities at Chiuchiang.

Air Operations, Europe

• 26 aircraft lay mines in the Frisians and off Brest and there are 21 OTU sorties.
• There are no losses.

44 of 73 3rd Medium Bomb Wing B-26s dispatched attack the Beauvais/Tille Airdrome with 65 tons of bombs at 0937 hours.

• XII Bomber Command B-17s attack the bridge and town of Benevento.
• VIII Bomber Command B-24s on detached service with the XII Bomber Command attack Bastia and Leghorn.
• XII Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack landing craft and a ferry near Elba and bridges at Cancello Arnone and Capua.
• NATAF aircraft attack troop concentrations, tanks, motor vehicles, and German-occupied towns beyond the expanding Salerno beachhead area.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 22nd Medium Bomb Group B-26s, 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s, and RAAF bombers attack Finschhafen and Tami Island while B-25s attack Bogadjim and Langgoer.
• 6 Ki-21 'Sally' bombers attack Allied ships assembling in Huon Gulf for the impending Finschhafen invasion. No hits are scored as P-40s from the 49th Fighter Group’s 8th Fighter Squadron down 4 of the 'Sallys' and 6 fighters between 1735 and 1745 hours.
• 2 Australian Army infantry brigades are airlifted from the airfield at Nadzab to the airfield at Kaiapit, from which they begin a pursuit of Japanese ground forces fleeing up the Markham Valley toward Dumpu.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 1 XIII Fighter Command P-38 downs 2 G4M 'Bettys' over Guadalcanal between 0400 and 0402 hours.
• More than 20 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack the airfield at Buka.

Britain, Home Front

Churchill describes the Salerno landings as 'the most daring amphibious operation we have yet undertaken.'

Eastern Front

The Soviets take Demidov, north of Smolensk. Troops from Rokossovsky's Central Front take Chernigov, between Gomel and Kiev which was completely destroyed by the Luftwaffe in 1941, and Sinelnikovo, a little to the east of Dnepropetrovsk, is also captured.

The 43rd Army of the Kalinin Front captures Demidov. The 60th Army of the Central Front enters Chernigov, destroying the defending Germans in a bitter 3-day battle.

Leading elements of the 3rd Guards Tank Army reaches the Dniepr opposite Kanev. Farther south, the 1st Panzer Army is pushed back to the Dnepropetrovsk bridgehead. Sinelnikovo falls to the Southwest Front.

Corsica and Sardinia

The Germans complete their evacuation of Sardinia and move to Corsica.

Indian Ocean

The US freighter Cornelia P. Spencer (7176t) is torpedoed by U-188 east of Mogadishu, Somalia. The U-boat surfaces to finish off the ship with gunfire only to be under attack by the Armed Guard. The U-boat submerges and torpedoes the freighter two more times sinking her. The 39-man crew and 27-man Armed Guard take to four lifeboats.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Bomber Command B-24s and B-25s attack the Cape Gloucester airfield on New Britain and RAAF P-40s attack Gasmata in support of the Finschhafen landings.

Air Operations, CBI

• 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack a rail bridge at Monywa.

Air Operations, East Indies

One 380th Heavy Bomb Group B-24 attacks Amboina Island.

Air Operations, Europe

• 711 aircraft are sent to Hannover. Included in this total are 322 Lancasters, 226 Halifaxes, 137 Stirlings and 26 Wellingtons. 5 American B-17s also take part in their first night raid on Germany.
• This is the first major raid on Hannover in over 2 years and the first in a series of 4 heavy raids on this target. Visibilty in the target area is good but stronger winds that were forecasted are encountered causing the marking and bombing to be concentrated between 2 and 5 miles south-southeast of the city.
• More than 650 RAF bombers drop more than 2,300 tons of bombs on Hanover.
• 12 Halifaxes, 7 Lancasters, 5 Stirlings and 2 Wellingtons are lost.
• 21 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitos of No. 8 Group carry out a diversionary raid to Oldenburg, dropping much 'Window' and many flares and target indicators to simulate the arrival of a much larger force. The losses on the Hannover raid, lower than the recent average, may indicate that this tactic is partially successful. No aircraft are lost on this diversionary raid.

• 12 Mosquitos are sent on a further diversion to Emden, 4 Stirlings lay mines in the Frisians and there are 7 OTU sorties.
• There are no losses.

70 B-26s from the 3rd Medium Bomb Wing attack the Evreux/Fauville Airdrome with 105 tons of bombs at 1613 hours, but 72 other B-26s are prevented by bad weather from attacking the Beauvais/Tille Airdrome.

5 B-17s from the 8th Air Force's independent 422nd Heavy Bomb Squadron join an RAF attack against Hannover between 2143 and 2209 hours.

While conducting a fighter sweep along the North Sea coast, 353rd Fighter Group P-47s down 2 Luftwaffe fighters near Utrecht between 1215 and 1220 hours.

In its final mission in the theater, the IX Bomber Command dispatches the last of its B-24 groups against the Athens/Eleusis and Maritsa Airdromes.

• XII Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack bridges and rail and road targets around the Salerno beachhead area.
• 321st Medium Bomb Group B-25 gunships operating under NATAF control attack small ships and craft near Elba.
• NATAF aircraft attack German Army troop concentrations, gun emplacements, tanks, and motor vehicles in and around the battle area, the landing ground at Capua, and docking facilites ans ships at Manfredonia.

Air Operations, New Guinea

Beginning before dawn, Australian Army troops conduct a virtually unopposed landing north of Finschhafen. V Bomber Command B-25s and A-20s attack the Japanese Army defenses while more than 90 V Fighter Command fighters providing escort and cover for the invasion flotilla intercept incoming Japanese aircraft, whose attack is rendered ineffective. P-38s and P-40s down a total of 40 Rabaul-based Japanese bombers and fighters over Finschhafen and its approaches between 0945 and 1300 hours, and antiaircraft fire from destroyers downs 9 of 10 torpedo bombers over the invasion convoy. 3 P-38s and 2 pilots are lost in the action.

Arctic

6 British midget submarines are sent to attack Tirpitz in Altenfiord. Only 2 manage to place their charges but Tirpitz is put out of action until March 1944.

Balkans

In Cephalonia, Greece, troops of the Italian Acqui Division lay down their arms, and the Germans take revenge by killing 5,000 officers and men. Add these to the 1,200 men and 446 officers killed in action and 3,000 who died when the ships taking them to prisoner-of-war camps in Germany were sunk, this figure brought up to 9,646 the total number who died resisting the Germans. The Acqui Division has been literally wiped out.

Battle of the Atlantic

• U-666 sinks the British frigate Itchen south-southwest of Greenland with the loss of 150 on board. 3 survivors are picked up by the American steamer James Smith.
• U-229 was operating against Convoy ON-202 when she was attacked by the British destroyer Keppel. The British ship rammed and sunk the U-boat.

U-229

Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Fighter Command P-40 fighter-bombers attack Gasmata. This is the first appearance of US Army Air Force fighters over New Britain.

Air Operations, Europe

• 628 aircraft are sent to Mannheim. Included in the total are 312 Lancasters, 193 Halifaxes, 115 Stirlings and 8 Mosquitos. 5 American B-17s also participate.
• The Pathfinder plan works well and concentrated bombing does fall on the intended area. The later stages of the raid, however, 'creeps back' across the northern edge of Ludwigshafen and out into open country.
• 18 Lancasters, 7 Halifaxes and 7 Stirlings are lost.
• 21 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitos of No. 8 Group carry out a diversioary raid on Darmstadt. The diversionary purpose of this raid is not successful because Darmstadt is too close to Mannheim and the German nightfighters could clearly see the main effort only 20 miles away. This small bombing force does a lot of damage to this university town which had not been bombed before.
• There are no losses.

• 6 Mosquitos are sent to Aachen and there are 28 OTU sorties.
• 1 Wellington is lost.

• 46 of 117 1st Bomb Division B-17s disptached attack the Nantes port area with 134 tons of bombs about 0815 hours. While escorting the B-17s over the target and during the withdrawal, 353rd Figher Group P-47s down 5 Luftwaffe fighters near Nantes and Chateaubriant between 0815 and 0845 hours.
• 53 3rd Bomb Division B-17s attack the Kerlin/Bastard Airdrome with 155 tons of bombs about 0815 hours.
• 55 3rd Bomb Division B-17s attack the Vannes/Meucon Airdrome with 165 tons of bombs at 0825 hours.
• 70 3rd Medium Bomb Wind B-26s attack the Conches Airdrome at 0907 hours, and 69 B-26s attack the Beauvais/Tille Airdrome at 1545 hours.
• 61 1st Bomb Division B-17s attack the Nantes port area with 174 tons of bombs about 1810 hours.
• 19 1st Bomb Disision B-17s attach the secondary target, the Rennes/St.-Jacques Airdrome, with 57 tons of bombs at 1834 hours.

4 B-17s from the 9th Air Force's independent 422nd Heavy Bomb Squadron join an RAF attack against Mannheim between 2211 and 2222 hours.

• XII Bomber Command B-26s attack bridges at Cancello Arnone and near Capua.
• NATAF aircraft attack numerous towns, roads, railroads, and motor vehicles in and around the battle area.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-25s attack Japanese-held villages in the Markham Valley.

Battle of the Atlantic

The US freigher Steel Voyager (6198t), in Convoy ONS-202, is torpedoed by U-952 and abandoned. She is reboarded when two corvettes arrive to provide assistance. She is abandoned a second time when it becomes obvious the ship cannot be gotten underway. All hands (the 39-man crew and the 27-man Armed Guard) are taken aboard the two corvettes, The Canadian Morden and the French Renoncule.

Britain, Home Front

Elinor Glyn, Anglo-Canadian author of 'scandalous' romances including 'Three Weeks', dies at age 78.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 23 AirSols B-24s, more than 60 SBDs, 16 P-38s, and RNZAF P-40s attack the airfield at Kahili.
• 21 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack Kolombangara.
• XIII Fighter Command P-39s attack barges.
• VMF-213 and VMF-214 F4Us down 9 A6M Zeros over the Shortlands and southern Bougainville at 0930 hours.
• 1 347th Fighter Group P-39 downs 1 A6M Zero over Kahili at 0930 hours.

Corsica

Free French forces occupy Bonifacio. They now control more than half of the island.

Diplomatic Relations

The 'pocket' republic of San Marino declares war on Germany in retaliation for the capture and deportation of its 300-strong 'Army'.

Air Operations, Europe

• 4 Mosquitos are sent to Duisburg, 39 aircraft lay mines in the Frisians and south of Texel and there are 2 OTU sorties.
• 1 mine-laying Stirling is lost.

• 71 3rd Medium Bomb Wing B-26s attack the Evreux/Fauville Airdrome at 1149 hours.
• 66 3rd Mesium Bomb Wing B-26s attack the Beauvais/Tille Airdrome at 1602 hours.

• XII Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack numerous roads, road junctions, bridges and rail lines in and around the battle area.
• VIII Bomber Command B-24s on detached service with the XII Bomber Command attack marshalling yards at Pisa.
• NATAF aircraft attack numerous tactical and communications targets throughout southern Italy.

Air Operations, Mediterranean

XII Bomber Command medium bombers attack an Italian Navy destroyer between Elba and Corsica.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command B-24s mount light attacks against Manokwari and Sorong.
• 9 Japanese bombers with a fighter escort bomb and strafe the Finschhafen airstrip in Allied hands, but only 1 A6M Zero is downed, by a 475th Fighter Group P-38.

Air Operations, Solomons

The new Barakoma airfield on Vella Lavella is declared operational and used for the first time by an Allied plane.

Atlantic

In Operation PROBESTUCK (TEST PIECE) 29 German MTBs lay mines off Harwich.

Eastern Front

The Soviets capture Borispol just east of Kiev and farther north the Germans begin to evacuate Smolensk and Roslavl. Smolensk has been one of the strongest positions in the Soviet Union.

After a long battle the Germans pull out of Smolensk, the 31st Army of the Kalinin Front having virtually isolated the city from the north and the 5th and 68th Armies of the West Front from the east and south.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Bomber Command B-25s attack antiaircraft batteries at Rein Bay.

Air Operations, Europe

• 8 Mosquitos are sent to Cologne and Düsseldorf, 10 Stirlings lay mines in the Frisians and there are 11 OTU sorties.
• There are no losses.

68 3rd Medium Bomb Wing B-26s attack the St.-Omer/Longuenesse Airdrome with 100 tons of bombs at 1718 hours.

• XII Bomber Command B-17s attack marshalling yards at Bologna and a rail bridge at Bolzano.
• XII Bomber Command B-25s and B-26s attack the Bastia/Borgo, Lucca, and Pisa Airdromes, a road junction, and several rail and road bridges.
• NATAF aircraft attack numerous tactical targets.
• In the first air-to-air engagements over Italy in a week, 1 31st Fighter Group Spitfire downs 1 FW-190 during the morning near Montecorvino Airdrome. 27th Fighter-Bomber Group A-36s down 3 Bf-100s around the Aquino Airdrome at 1220 hours.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• A total of approximately 40 V Bomber Command B-17s, B-24s, and B-25s attack defenses and lines of supply in the Bogadjim area.
• 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s and RAAF bombers attack Japanese Army defenses near Finschhafen.

Air Operations, Solomons

• AirSols B-25s, TBFs, and SBDs attack gun emplacements at and near the Vila airfield at Kolombangara.
• A VF-12 F6F downs an A6M Zero over Barakoma, Vella Lavella, at 1113 hours.

Diplomatic Relations

A Lend-Lease agreement is signed by United States and Free French representatives at Algiers.

Britain, Politics

There is a Cabinet re-shuffle because of the death on September 23 of Sir Kingsley Wood, then Chancellor of the Exchequer. Atlee becomes Lord President of the Council, Sir John Anderson, Chancellor, Lord Cranbourne, Dominions Secretary and Lord Beaverbrook, Lord Privy Seal.

Eastern Front

Stalin announces the greatest victory of the summer campaign. The Soviets take Smolensk and Roslavl - arguably their most important success since the end of the Kursk battle. Smolensk, with its vast network of defenses constructed by the Germans over two years and claimed by Berlin to be impregnable, was the keystone to the entire German defense system in Russia. The German 4th Army, which has been withdrawn west of Smolensk, withstands the powerful Russian thrust in the direction of the Orsha River. From here to the south the Germans are retreating behind the Dniepr, where they have been ordered to make a stand by Hitler. This retreat has been entirely forced and so there has been less benefit than if it had been done earlier as Manstein recommended.

The 31st, 5th and 68th Armies take Smolensk. Roslavl falls to the 10th Army.

German forces continue to withdraw across the Dniepr, while the 7th Guards Army of the Steppe Front reaches it south of Kremenchug, crossing with ease.

Air Operations, Europe

• 5 Mosquitos are sent to Aachen and 4 each to Cologne and Hamborn. There are also 4 OTU sorties.
• There are no losses.

• 40 3rd Bomb Division B-17s attack the Reims/Champagne Airdrone with 118 tons of bombs at 1751 hours.
• 72 3rd Medium Bomb Wing B-26s sent to attack the Conche Airdrome are recalled due to bad weather.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-24s attack the airfields at But and Dagua and several other targets in the Wewak area.

Air Operations, Pacific

The Japanese airstrips at Wewak are struck once again by US aircraft. More than 60 Japanese aircraft are destroyed on the ground and, offshore, 6 Japanese ships are sunk.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 21 XIII Bomber Command B-24s, escorted by 14 XIII Fighter Command P-38s, attack a bivouac area near Kahili.
• 50 AirSols SBDs and 45 AirSols fighters attack the Kahili airfield on Bougainville and gun batteries.
• A VMF-214 F4U downs an A6M Zero at 1435 hours.

Corsica

The Free French occupy Ghisonaccia airfield.

Eastern Front

The Soviets continue to pierce the Dnieper line, the 38th Army crossing north of Kiev at Lyutezh and the 6th Army at Dnepropetrovsk. The 4th Panzer Army's XIII Corps attacks at Lyutezh to eradicate the bridgehead but fails. The German 6th Army comes under heavy attack from the 5th Shock, 2nd Guards, 28th and 44th Armies of the Southern Front.

Khotimsk falls to the Bryansk Front.

The Soviet 3rd Airborne Brigade suffers a crushing defeat at Bukrin. Dropped during the night, the 3rd was unfortunate to land in the midst of the XLVIII Panzer Corps and is virtually destroyed. The 5th Airborne Brigade, also dropped into the bridgehead, suffers heavy casualties.

The 38th Army crosses the Dniepr north of Kiev, establishing a small bridgehead around Lyutezh. Gen Arthur Hauffe's XIII Corps (4th Panzer Army) launches a furious counterattack and almost smashes the 38th, but the Soviets are able to hang on.

Soviet 6th Army crosses the Dniepr near Dnepropetrovsk and establishes two small bridgeheads. The South Front unleashes a new attack on the Nogaisk Steppe, 5th Shock, 44th and 2nd Guards Armies crashing into Gen Karl-Adolf Hollidt's 6th Army. South of Melitopol the 28th Army surges forward, heavy fighting erupting along the Molochnaya River.

With the Dniepr line falling apart, the Soviets prepare to begin the Lower Dniepr Operation. Aimed at breaking German resistance in the Dniepr elbow, the Stavka has amassed considerable forces. Steppe Front deploys 463,000 men, Southwest Front 461,000 and the South Front 581,000 for this next operation.

Air Operations, CBI

• In the first mission of its kind in the theater, 2 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s based at the airfield at Nanning, China mount a low-altitude anti-shipping sweep over the Tonkin Gulf. 1 of the B-25s attacks a freighter, which the crew abandons. However, the second B-25 crashes into the sea with the loss of 2 crewmen.

Air Operations, Europe

The US 8th Air Force bombs Emden.

• 678 aircraft are sent to Hannover. In this total are 312 Lancasters, 231 Halifaxes, 111 Stirlings and 24 Wellingtons. 5 American B-17s also take part.
• Faulty forecast winds cause the Pathfinders to miss the center of Hannover again. The bombing is concentrated but falls on an area 5 miles north of the city center. One of the targets for this and other raids on the city is the Continental tire works, but these and other war-related industrial sites remain intact. There are no reports from the ground, but RAF photographic evidence indicates that most of the bombs fall in open country or in villages north of the city.
• 17 Halifaxes, 10 Lancasters, 10 Stirlings and 1 Wellington are lost.
• 21 Lancasters and 6 Mosquitos of No. 8 Group carry out a diversionary raid on Brunswick which is successful in attracting somt of the nightfighters. 218 people are killed in Brunswick.
• 1 Lancaster is lost.

• 9 Mosquitos carry out an additional diversionary raid on Emden, 5 Mosquitos on Oboe tests are sent to Aachen, 19 aircraft lay mines in the Kattegat and in the Frisians and there are 4 OTU sorties.
• There are no losses.

• On a mission to bomb the Emden port facilities and industrial areas, 246 1st and 3rd Bomb Division B-17s make the first combat use of the British-build H2S airborne radar system, which will allow radar-equipped pathfinder bombers to 'see' targets through thick cloud cover. The radars are aboard 4 B-17s of the 482nd Heavy Pathfinder Bomb Group, which makes its combat debut leading various groupings of the heavy-bomber force. Unfortunatedly, three of the H2S sets fail before they arrive over the target, so the bulk of the bombing effore is scattered throughout the city. A total of 505 tons of bombs are dropped on what are hoped to be industrial targets in Emden between 0957 and 1008 hours, and 181 tons are dropped on various targets of opportunity.
• 8 B-17s are lost, 78 damaged; 1 crewman killed, 18 wounded, 71 missing
• For the first time, also, rotations of VIII Fighter Command P-47s with the new 108-gallon long-range drop tanks are able to provide escort all the way to the target and back, an event that results in the confirmed downin of 18 Luftwaffe fighters over the target area between 1005 and 1025 hours by P-47s of the 4th, 78th, and 353rd Fighter Groups as well as 4 over the Nether lands coast between 1030 and 1045 by 56th Fighter Group P-47s. Of 262 P-47 escort sorties, 1 P-47 and its pilot are lost in action, and 1 is lost in an operational accident.
• 65 3rd Medium Bomb Wing B-26s attack the Beauvais/Tille Airdrome at 1045 hours.
• 68 3rd Medium Bomb Win B-26 attack the Conches Airdrome at 1729 hours.
• 4 B-17s from the 8th Air Force's independent 422nd Heavy Bomb Squadron join the RAF attack on Hannover between 2208 and 2217 hours.
• 1 B-17 is lost

• XII Air Support Command fighters strafe the Viterbo Airdrome and the Bracciano seaplane base, and attack a number of rail and road targets in southern Italy.
• NATAF aircraft attack motor vehicles ner Benevento, and 86th Fighter-Bomber Group A-36s down 1 Ju-52 and 1 He-111 while conducting a morning mission near Rome.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command bombers attack Finschhafen twice during the day.
• 117 V Bomber Command B-24s and B-25s, escorted by 129 V Bomber Command P-38s and P-40s, attack airfields and shipping throughout the Wewak area with more than 160 tons of bombs. An estimated 40 Japanese aircraft are destroyed on the ground and 10 ships and 12 smaller vessels are claimed as sunk or severely damaged. 3 B-25s are lost to antiaircraft fire.
• A P-39 with the 35th Fighter Group’s 41st Fighter Squadron downs a Ki-21 'Sally' bomber over Finschhafen at 0835 hours. 8th and 475th Fighter group P-38s down 4 Ki-61 'Tony' fighters and 3 A6M Zeros over Wewak between 1000 and 1010 hours.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 27 XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack the Kahili area while XIII Bomber Command P-39s attack barges around Choiseul.
• VMF-213 and VMF-214 F4Us down 7 A6M Zeros over Kahili at 1230 hours.

Battle of the Atlantic

• During a series of attacks on 6 convoys by 21 U-boats over the next week and a half only 2 ships are sunk for the loss of 6 U-boats.
• U-161 is sunk by a Mariner of VP-74, a US Navy squadron operating out of Brazil.

U-161 Class Type IXC CO Kapitänleutnant Albrecht Achilles Location S Atlantic, NE of Bahia Cause Air attack Casualties 53 Survivors None

U-221 Class Type VIIC CO Kapitänleutnant Hans Trojer Location Atlantic, NW of Cape Finisterre Cause Air attack Casualties 50 Survivors None

• U-221 is sunk by Halifax 'B' of No 58 Sqadron RAF. Eight depth charges are dropped in a perfect straddle from port bow to starboard quarter. The U-boat's bows rose up to the vertical because of the explosions, the dropped back and sank.

Corfu

The Germans take full control of the island, having practically wiped out the Italian garrison.

Air Operations, Europe

• 8 Mosquitos attack Cologne and Gelsenkirchen without a loss.

Despite bad weather, NATAF fighter-bombers are able to attack several targets.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 40 V Bomber Command B-24s, escorted by 29 V Fighter Command P-38s, attack Wewak-area targets, especially fuel amd supply dumps, with 150 tons of bombs.
• B-24s and P-39s attack the road net around Bogadjim.
• 3d Light Bomb Group A-20s and RAAF bombers attack targets around Finschhafen and Lae.
• 35th and 475th Fighter group P-38s down 7 Japanese fighters over Wewak between 1145 and 1150 hours.

Air Operations, Solomons

• 5 394th Heavy Bomb Squadron radar-equipped SB-24s attack a Japanese Navy convoy in the northern Solomons, causing the ships to retire.
• During the night, the Japanese Kolombangara garrison begins withdrawing from the island without a fight.