WORLD WAR II

A CHRONOLOGY

JULY 1943

~y M STR Ja; Lt ==-:£ Ass't C'is~odia.n

Military Intelligence Division, War Department

'1945

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4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE World War II. A Chronology

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Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18

2

IDJ,-.,..,,~.U."-'1 cargo 1,125 tons) by SS at 24-

s, 47-o5'w.

France-Low Countries: Spit-

Countries; storage cistern

stroyed and 4 locomotives dam­aged; power stations attacked by

ostons.

Southern Europe

Escorted Spitfires attack ,_,--,.....airdrome successfully. Thirty

Wellingtons make night raid on bursts observed on RR

lsidir1gs and near oil tanks. RAF Hali­bomb Catania RR yards during bombs burst on sidings and in

area, starting 4 small fires . ..,.,..-,-~,.;_;. ... c.agliari bombed,_ night of

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER

(British ship, 5,225

sunk by SS at -20 N, 18-30 W.

ASIATIC THEATER

Solomon Is.: U.S. Marine raiders ture Viru Harbor, New Georgia I., by evening, after hard fighting; 79 Japanese 1 ;:;<..>'-'!'"~Y trying to escape across river are drowned; only a few Japanese remain in hills. Preceding the occupation of Viru, u-.,·tm<>An

17 SBD' s carry out morning attack on enemy gun positions in this area. Ground operations on Rendova I. pro­ceeding satisfactorily. Allied fighters intercept force of enemy planes over Rendova during the morning, shooting down 22 of them; 8 of our planes lost. Another formation of hostile planes in­

attacks Rendova about noon. of 15 SBD' s bombs AA positions

Lambeti in Munda area, starting Vila is target for 18 TBF' s and

11 SBD' s, which bomb AA positions, area, and dumps. Britain: Lakunai, Vunakanau, and

... u:·uru"'""" bombed before dawn total of 13 B-24's; many small fires

started at Lakunai, the chief target; other results unobserved.

New Guinea: Allied troops in the area are consolidating

positions along the S arm of the R. mouth. Japanese positions NW

tmrn~!lof .n.u.uuc:a.>.u.;w. attacked by Allied ground and 14 Japanese killed. Duali

of Nassau Bay) bombed and strafed 6 A-20's. In the Salamaua area, 2

of B-25's, totalling 17, bomb and enemy personnel and supplies ~<uH,ruUJcl"­

la Pt., causing fires and explosions latter. Lae area strafed by 11 A- r---c.•uuru~~"'"'

Japanese is killed. During the morning, 18 hostile bombers escorted by Zeros bomb Rendova, damaging fuel and ration dumps and causing some casualties.

of 50 enemy fighters, in 2 groups, are over Rendova during the afternoon; 7 intercepting F4U's destroy 6; 3 F4U's

Allied units land on Sasavelle I., 7 mi. E of Munda, while others

on New Georgia mainland at Zanana, about 7 1/2 mi. E of Munda. Four B-25's covered by F4U's attack

uu..1J.u.•ue,9and sink a small camouflaged enemy AK in Bairoko Anchorage, N of Munda. Allied DD's bombard'Japanes;~e:YJ>lB,l~'~'i inthe (:;." :0; ·;'

· 1B:..17 sheavliy . Rapopo airdromes

fires and

2

'

4

NORTH ;AND IU.<>'1>1L•.nTIN AMERIIC:AN'

3

THEATERS i • '; ' .I

(Cant' d) Allied

party lands Rat I. for rcn; opposition ab­

by 2 P-40's '"'~'"0 ... ;,.., the oper-

Southern Europe

(Cant' d) parked aircraft believed hit; tar­

at San Pancrazio is observed covered with bursts. Large for-

11.u''""Juo of enemy planes oppose at-; of these, 12 shot down and 2 for loss of 2 Allied bombers.

Russia: Ground Sicily: Thirty-six B-25's bomb Com-activity along en- o airdrome, damaging workshops and tire front confined •mmcr:.r·><; dispersal area covered with to patrol engage- Milo airdrome attacked by 24 ments, and to and Baltimores with P-40 es-artillery and small N and W dispersal areas covered arms fire. · 3 Axis planes destroyed; 4

Night of 3/4, Luft- missing. Escorted Bostons waffe heavily uu:mu•::>l<lUc:l.CK Sciacca airdrome, causing large Yelets and Valuiki, and explosion; 12-15 ME-109's Soviet supply bases intercept before the bombing; 1 de-

return. Ob- NE and SE of strayed; 6 Bostons damaged. Thirty-l;o,,..+'h'""'' at Hamburg Soviet planes carry ve Mustangs attack RR near Marsala;

at- out severe night at- and schooner 3 mi. S strafed by total of 8 tacks on Temryuk smoking. Night of 3/4, 52

planes. and. Kerch, parti- bomb Trapani with good cularly against sults. Catania RR yards bombed warships and barges night by 9 RAF heavy bombers; in harbor offormer; unobserved because of dense large fires and ex- haze. Malta-based fighter plosions observed, ers with Spitfire escort make day-and several ships raid on Biscari airdrome, dam-reported sunk by buildings and dispersal areas. direct hits. Sardinia: Chilivani airdrome instal-

lations damaged as result of heavy at­by 38 escorted B-17's. Thirty­

B-25' s and 32 B-26' s with escort 64 P-38's bomb Milis airdrome,

covering target area and ,,..,_ar·Lll"' many fires; 2 bombers fail to

Alghero airdrome bombed by "'"·""''"+"'·rl B-25's, which damage

u ..... u" .. ""E>"' and start several fires; of 10-12 enemy planes attempting to cept, 5 are shot down. Forty-eight B-26 s with strong fighter escort of P-

s and P-38's attack Capoterra air­drome, causing fires and explosions. P-40's and P-38's strafe radar instal­lations at Pula and Alghero, inflicting considerable damage.

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER

(Cont'd) Pyawbwe, extinguishing 5 . · . ' '

l\T""""n"''; hits 2 B-24' s bomb same targets ~c,,,.. .. ~.rl on buildings reported results.

Chauk and New Guinea: In the Nassau Bay area, and large Allied troops clear the enemy from

sniT"l .... u among coastal region S of the Bitoi R. Enemy •n>~rr:•"''"' at Pyaw- make light raids on our positions

; AA fire dam- area. Japanese positions at 3 B-25's over pt. and the Salamaua-Logui trail

In a second by 9 B-25's each, while a on Chauk, 3 B-24 bombs Salamaua Isthmus. score direct Arafura Sea: RAAF Hudson, escorting warehouses. Allied convoy, shoots down an attack­-25 drops ing enemy floatplane. bombs on

derricks at RAF

=;:;::~::=:...::::::.:.:_Shortly after midnight, JaJ:Ian13Se naval force fires about ounds on Rendova plantation area vicinity of Renard Cove, without

JCaus:rng any damage; our ships return and the enemy vessels retire

rrn·'"'"'"'n Balfour Channel shortly after­During the afternoon, 10 P-

s intercept force of about 50 enemy aircraft over Rendova; 5 Zeros destroy­ed for loss of 3 P-38' s. Munda twice

by Allied planes: 12 B-25's es­by P-38's attack AA positions the morning, and 19 TBF' s and s bomb bivouac area during the

bTirAT'nru,n; all planes return, despite lint.enl'le AA fire encountered by 2d IIIllLss.wn. Allied detachment captures

(SE Vangunu I.); 300 Japanese and remainder put to flight; our are light. Eighteen SBD' s bomb

area during the morning. ~:.::....:::;,:::.;==:!..· Total of 13 B-24' s carry

morning raids on Lakunai, IR~mooo. and Vunakanau airdromes; 1

numerous small fires started. _,,=·•= at C. Gloucester bombed by

French Antilles: 3 Henri-Etienne Hoppenot, of Civil Services of the French Military Mission

Washington, is by Com-of National

to me!go·ualce with r~.urrllr<u Georges

Vice Admiral Hoover, U.S. envoy, in Martinique.

4

Southern Europe

(Cont'd) Three Wellingtons make night

on Lido di Roma seaplane base. ,;1 Mediterranean: SS Shisrman

. ) (Turkish cargo ship, 150 tons) sunk by

France: Total of 277 B.;.17' s make L.=-7==n=,~,u~,...., daylight raid on objectives in France: 123 B-17's drop 259 tons of bombs on

loe'.LU''"'u.yu•.-1u1u1 I., Gnome-Rhone factory at Le Mans with good results; 71 damage airplane 'IJ'""'"'L construction plant at Nantes; strong enemy opposition encountered over both targets; total of 52 Axis planes shot down, 15 probably, and 22 damaged; 7 Allied bombers missing. La Pallice bombed by 83 more B-17's which drop 137 of explosive with fair results; no enemy aircraft intercept, but moderate to 1HLt:mi:>t::l

AA fire en­countered; 1 B-17 destroyed.

between Izmir and Antalya, Greece.

Sicily: Comiso airdrome bombed by 50 B-25's, which damage runways

hangars; several fires started and dump believed hit. Forty-

17's make heavy raid on IC~ttani~t; starting fires over entire tar-

. 50-75 enemy planes intercept, tlP.;;tr•nvingo 1 Allied bomber and dam­

Axis aircraft shot down. L<::o·uo,,h,_t,._, B-25' s with P-38 escort

tons of bombs on Gerbini; hits in revetment area and among aircraft; of enemy fighters en-

in aerial combat, 7 are rl.,,:::t,·o~r~>rl nrnn: •. nllv, and 8 damaged; 14 bombers

ac.~LaiJo.a1~eu by AA fire. Baltimores and attack Milo,and Sciacca air­

ur,nm ... s. starting many fires. Sciacca, Castelvetrano airdromes

.._,.r.,.,,."' by force of 36 Mustangs. seven Wellingtons make night

on Catania, scoring hits in har-

Villacidro airdrome bmnb•edl 17 Wellingtons, which score

in dispersal area and among build-

During night, small British carry out commando-type

lon.,,.,,nnn successfully raiding several airfields; patrols withdraw after destroying numerous Axis on the ground.

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC THEATER

UUJLllU'CU. by 3 . evening. Allied convoy in attacked by 3 enemy fighters, 1 of is damaged.

Solomon Is.: Force of at least 18 en- 4 bombers escorted by fighters at-

Rendova during the afternoon, de- to San several small boats and dam- Puerto

2 LCI's; Allied air cover destroys after con-the bombers and 4 Zeros, while with

fire destroys 12 other bombers. Admiral Robert at IJCI.Jf'""'"<'" ambush Allied patrol near Martinique.

Rend ova), but withdraw during Argentina: leaving the village in Allied Admiral Segundo

......... ~ ...... SED's and 18 TBF's raid E. storni, Foreign '"-'''-'H.ut::cr bivouac area, dropping 25 tons Minister, "'~'"'a'""''"'

ombs, while 10 B-17's bomb Bairoko a Fourth of uu..,~u.·-•u.,"u''"' 21 tons of bombs. Allied patrols celebration,

sults.

tccmt:inuLe to search for isolated Japanese asserts that 1L-t::rll<Lrrr.urt'> at Viru Harbor. B-24 on rcn Argentina will ful-

n."'"t'>CI.I.ULlt'>lw';::.u.<;~t::ssfully attacks an enemy DD 50 her "commit-W of Buin. ments of honor

New Britain:. Talasea bombed during her duties of Pan­ly morning by Allied rcn plane.

New Guinea: Ground activity limited o patrol clashes in the Bobdubi area. -24 attacks small enemy AKin Vanimo

(NW NE New Guinea), leaving fire and sinking as result of 3 hits.

West Atlantic: SS Pelotasloide (Brazilian cargo ship, 5,228 tons) sunk by SS at 00-30 s, 47-25 w.

Sicily: About 65 B-24's, attacking in 3 waves, bomb Messina; 185 tons of

dropped, damaging entire length of RR tracks; explosion and fire at roundhouse, fires in warehouses, shed, station, and among rolling stock

around Kursk, at- observed; several oil fires also "'c"u. "''"'" nu,><nw S from Orel Sciacca airdrome attacked by 9 bomb­toward Kursk and N ers; •many fires result. Twenty B-from Belgorod 25's make successful raid on Biscari areas; Russians airdrome. Gerbini airdrome and admit slight satellite fields heavily bombed by total penetration of their of 103 B-17' s, 72 B-25' s, and 66 B-26' s lines, particularly escort of 156 P-38's, which drop around Belgorod, 275 tons of explosive; runways, hang-and report strong ars, administration buildings, revet-counterattacks by and quarters damaged; hits Red Army forces. scored on many parked aircraft. About Enemy makes 100 Axis planes attempt interception; slight gains SW of 35 of these shot down; 18 Allied bpmb-Mtsensk, but is damaged. Gerbini and satellite finally driven back again attacked, in night raid by to his original fires and explosions at position. landing ground result. Eight

Both sides report heavy bombers attack Catania; constant air attacks haze prevents observation of re-Russians claim to P-40' s strafe radar u•~•ca.Ju.a.<.•v••<> 1 have destroyed and Marsala. Mustangs large' numbers of harbor, damaging docks, ware-enemy tanks and shipping. Night of 5/6, Biscari vehicles and to attacked by 10 Bostons; re-have blown up unobserved. several ammunition dumps.

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC

THEATER

L;~~~-=I~s.: Allied troops land at n.ulOu\J.I.a.""'· W coast of New

I., during early morning. Land-is p:Peceded by bombardment of en­positions on Kula Gulf by covering

""'''T'T'"'"" units; during the bombardment, Strong (DD) is sunk by an enemy Vila and Bairoko shelled before by Allied surface force and bombed

4 PBY' s spotting for the surface both attacks start fires. During

afternoon, Bairoko is again attacked 18 SBD's; bombs dropped in dump

start a fire. Sixteen P-40's inter­force of 40 enemy fighters over

'"""''-''-'-vv.a.. destroying 2 Zeros; 1 P-40 Rekata Bay is target for 6 .o.u.u"''"!!"'I-"'.I.Ud.Lil.L'"'" drop 24 500-lb. bombs. Guinea: Total of 12 B-25's, in 2

pt,, destroy buildings fires. Seven other B-25's at-

Salamaua airfields and trails in the B-25 bombs and strafes enemy

pv<Huvuo:: in Labu Lagoon area at dawn. area ineffectively raided

afternoon by 8 enemy hm-nh.::.,.cl<~ IR><:f'nnF•n by 7 fighters. krnouo,.,.,,m

I~-'=:-::.:::..=: RAAF Beaufighter strafes enemy power barge W of Dobo,

t<>o·t+;,,,. the vessel on fire.

5

cargo ship, tons) sunk

at 17-56 N, .57 w.

Southern Europe

· Gerbini airdrome and 1oi:l.ct;LJLH'=' fields heavily bombed by about

B-17' s; stores, han,ga.rs, ammu.;. dump, and buildings damaged

many fires started; about 25 Axis intercept; 3 probably destroyed

damaged. Forty-eight B-24' s same target, dropping 142 tons

of explosive; runways and dispersal severely damaged; large fires

inN and W areas of airdrome. revetments, and buildings at

airdrome damaged by 51 es-orted B-26's. Twenty-three Bostons,

raid on Sciacca, start large fires; ond raid, by medium bombers, re­

in damage to field and dispersal . Bostons and Baltimores attack target at night; large fires and

1 ..... : ...... ,.15, to the town result. Seventy­B-25's escorted by 50 P-38's drop

tons of bombs on Biscari airdrome, l"""'=•:o.e,Jcu15 buildings. Lighter attacks

Biscari carried out by other groups medium bombers, which damage

s, runways, dispersal areas and tower. Hangars, runways, and sal areas at Sciacca damaged.as of attack by 48 B-25' s. Force of

Wellingtons makes night raid on rmo RR yards. Force of A-36's

,.,, ... a.r-"" radar stations at Licata and uv.L<H •""-''"'- and gun positions, power

RR's at Porto Empedocle. Villacidro, Milis, and

...,.-cw.LLHuu.'" airdromes bombed by during night, with good re-

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER

M~diterranean:

SS Shahjehan (British cargo ship, 5,454 tons) torp. and sunk at 33-01 N, 21-32 E. Mozambiq~re

Channel: SS Michael Livanos

cargo ship, 4, 774 tons) sunk by SS at 23-00 S, 35-30 E.

Indian Ocean: SS Jasper Park (British cargo ship, 7,129 tons) torp. and sunk at 32-52 S, 42-15 E.

China: Five B-25 s and 8 P-40' s attack river shipping in Yochow area, scoring 2 on group of u<~..n''"'' same planes bomb Pailoki airdrome, hitting runway and revetments.

Solomon Is.: Early in the morning, Allied surface vessels engage Japanese naval force in Kula Gulf, sinking at least 9 of the enemy vessels: group of 4-5 enemy DD's is first attacked and all are sunk or left burning; 3-4 hostile CL' s are next engaged and all are sunk or set on fire except 1 which is beached; later, 2 Allied DD's, engaged in rescuing survivors from the USS Helena, attack 3 enemy DD' s attempting to leave Kula Gulf, sinking 2 of them and damaging the 3d; Allied losses con-fined to 1 CL, the USS Helena. Later in the day, an enemy DD beached near Bambari Harbor (SE Kolombangara) is attacked by 11 SBD' s and 10 TBF' s fol-lowed by 3 B-25's; fires and violent explosions result from several direct hits; 4 of 7 interceptin~ Zeros shot down by escorting F4F s. Five Zeros intercept Allied rcn plane near Kolombangara; 2 Zeros destroyed and another probably destroyed. Vila by 18 SBD's and 19 TBF's escorted by 16 F4F's; 28 tons of bombs dropped on AA positions, dumps, and camp areas. Eighteen TBF' s and 17 SBD' s attack Japanese positions at Enogai Inlet, near Bairoko Harbor, New Georgia I. RP.nd•~ml attacked by 18 enemy bombers, 9 of which are destroyed. Fifteen B-24's drop 45 tons of bombs on Kahili air-drome at dusk, starting large fires; enemy fighters and intense AA fire op-pose attack; 2 B-24's missing. Ballale and Buka raided during evening by 9 7 U.S. heavy bombers, respectively; several large fires result at Ballale 1large one SE of Buka runway.

New Guinea: Patrel clashes continue in Bobdubi area. Labu Lagoon bombed and strafed by 3 B-25's. Nine enemy bombers escorted by 4 fighters attack villages in Bena Bena area during morning.

In Dutch New Guinea, 2 B-24's bomb airdrome at Babe, and 2 RAAF Hudsons attack enemy-held village in the Kaukenau area.

N.E.I.: Penfoei airdrome and town of Koepang, Timor, bombed during even­ing by 5 Dutch B-25' s and 5 RAAF Hud­sons, respectively; explosions and fires result from both attacks.

Australia: At noon, 27 hostile uv.u•••c•·"' escorted by 21 fighters attack Darwin area, destroying 1 B-24 on ground and damaging 3 others; 26 intercepting fires destroy 10 enemy bombers

f~ttls ~.~~.~3~fibtfi,: ff~t~?r; 7;;.,.t'l~l'e'$;,los.t,. ~"11 ~ ~~~

North Africa: Committee of National Liber­ation bans Jacques Doriot's pro-Nazi French Popular Party.

6

.. ~.~ g~ I~ :~ ;;~~~ '\\ 1~ ·.r ~~ t~ ~--------------------~ ~--------~----------~

"!.'-· .•

Southern Elll'ope

: Gerbini and satellite fields -.....,.,.-.... ombed during day by total of

s, 72 B-25' s, and 77 B-26' s escort of 98 P-38's, which drop

tons of bombs; severe damage to •~"'"'"T'"'"', dispersal areas, buildings,

aircraft results; no enemy encountered. Gerbini satellite

also attacked by 47 B-24's; haze observation of results, but

on runways and parked air­RAF Wellingtons make night Gerbini; fires and explosions

iscari attacked twice by formations medium bombers; dispersal areas

buildings damaged and fires lrp.. .. ~,~+-<··-four B-25' s bomb Comiso air-

; hits scored on hangars and S of field. Same target attacked at by Wellingtons; airdrome well

with bombs and fires started. ome attacked; bombs fall

ground. Twenty-four es­Baltimores bomb Milo airdrome

started, buildings and runways IQaLIIJ.:agE~u;· of intercepting Axis air-

1 probably, and 1 Parked aircraft at Borizzo

destroyed as result of raid .o"'"'"'Jw> with escort of P-40' s;

engages in aerial combat with planes, destroying 6 ME-109's. Mustangs make successful attack

targets around Caltanissetta, others attack enemy gun positions

Porto Empedocle, buildings at del Vallo, harbor of Sciacca,

uu.uu1u"~"' at Marsala. Catania and Lt\LLgusJ:a uv='-'"'u during night by force

.,u.J..l!•;cuJ.!o,· m~ fires caused at target. B-25 s make successful

raid on Sciacca, starting

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER

Indian Ocean: SS Leana (British cargo ship, 4, 742 tons) sunk by SS at 26-00 S, 35-00 E.

Solomon Is.: Shortly after noon, F4U' intercept formation of enemy bombers escorted by 56 Zeros over Rendova, shooting down 10 Zeros and 5 bombers; 1 F4U missing. Rendova also raided earlier in the morning by an unde­termined number of enemy aircraft; only 2 bombs dropped. U.S. patrols drive off 20 Japanese attempting to land on Dugiri I., NE of Rend ova. On New Georgia I., Allied patrols are in contact with the enemy along the Barike R. and Munda trail. Force of 9 B-25's escorted by 11 P-38's and 9 P-40's

ombs Vila, starting 5 fires. Enemy DD of Bougainville unsuccessfully at-

by 3 TBF's and 1 Hudson; the Hudson is missing.

New Britain: Bivouac area at C. Gloucester bombed by 1 B-17.

New Guinea: Allied planes, in direct ground operations, heavily

enemy positions in the Mubo area, t::s.:st:JL:SI'·" opping over 100 tons of bombs; total

44 B-25's, 10 B-24's, and 7 A-20's Bitoi R. valley, Kitchen Creek,

nh""'""""+; on Hill. Fallowing the air a.cca.'""·"""'• Allied troops capture Obser­

Hill, 1 mi. W. of Mubo. In the area, 3 B-25' s strafe Labu Lagoon

at dawn. Japanese positions at "-''Juc•u.ui, in the Salamaua area, strafed

A-20's during afternoon. -~~~~...:Is~.:....= Airdrome on Selaru I.

morning by 2 Dutch s; fuel fire started and an AA

silenced.

~~~r~'t~, :z >•'·

Southern Europe

~ Catania heavily bombed by. ~in 2 waves which drop 125 tons

Rc1st1:>vl•:>1 explosive; tracks, freight depot, 1:sLa.L1.on, warehouse,and oil storage

left blazing; hits observed in RR and in vicinity of telephone and

-li:E~le1gralph buildings; of Axis aircraft 4 destroyed, 3 probably,

damaged. Wellliigtons bomb !1-'CilUIJ:na. airdrome at night, causing ~xpw•:s1cm and fires. Force of P-38' s Lc:t·r,i'"'"' radar installations at same tar-

of 5 B-17's, 48 B-25's, and48 with fighter escort bombs

k"' ... •,.hini airdrome and satellite fields, !-l,.,nnnl~"" 287 tons of bombs; runway, .. ,.n"'''""'"·' strips, and landing ground

covered with explosives. enemy planes attempt inter-

2 destroyed and 4 damaged. nArhi1ni attacked during night by RAF

t::ll . .I.IlEcLoi1:s; fires and explosions re-of 94 light and medium

bOJnbE~rs drop 111 tons of bombs on Comiso, and Sciacca results; buildings and fields

with explosive; some fires lo.;a.u:stlu; large explosion observed at

Some enemy opposition en-nm1tP.1'P.I:i:· 3 Axis pianes shot down, 1

3 damaged. Milo air­omnoE~a by 7 Bostons and 2

; target area covered; run­_______ ,_ damaged. RR and yards

va..tLaru:s:st::t.La., sulphur refinery at and bivouac area at Agrigento at­by total of 38 A-36's; others out offensive sweep over Licata

Porto Empedocle.

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC

THEATER

Solomon Is.: In the Bougainville area, 3 B-24's attack Kahili and 4 others raid Buin and Poporang. Bivouac areas and dumps at Vila bombed by 12 SBD' s and 16 TBF's escorted by 16 F4U's. recess since 1 -New Guinea: Total of 34 B-25's and 6 Spain: It is

A-20 s bomb enemy positions ·in the learned that the 6 Salamaua area, including Kela pt,, members of the Maiolo Village, and trails in the Logui Falange Council area; approximately 50 tons of bombs who signed the dropped and buildings are set on fire. recent petition for In the Mubo area, Japanese positions are restoration of the attacked by 20 B-25 s. B-24 on rcn monarchy have drops 6 500-lb. bombs on Finschhafen. been removed by Four P-38' s intercept force of 10 enemy Generalissimo

li'icrh+••'""' over Bena Bena area, destroy- Francisco ing 2 of the enemy planes. Franco.

N.E.I.: Timor: Penfoei airdrome at 11\.IJeJ:Jan:g- attacked during early morning

Hudsons followed by 6 B-fires started in hangar and

and among grounded enemur fighters attempt to

lin-~Al"f'At1t the B-24' s; 3 enemy fighters

area sur~ uu.uuJLlil5 Kam!iting,

oying 8 build­and starting 5

RAF succes:sl

shot down and 2 probably destroyed.

Scandinavia (Swedish cargo ship, 1,641 tons) sunk by SS at 08-1 N, 48-30 W.

cargo , 97 tons) sunk

enemy aircraft 64-15 N, 15-13

~ - \ \

Southern Europe

Sicily: Shortly before midnight, 220 7' s and 137 aircraft towing 137

drop parachate troops NW of Murro di Parco, NW of Syracuse,

and between Licata and Gela; majority land within mile of selected spots. ·Landing of airborne forces preceded

tremendous aerial offensive, carried by all types of Allied planes. About

B-24' s drop 235 tons of explosive on o airdrome, damaging dispersal and works~wps; hangars explode

many grounded aircraft are set on . Formations of B-25' s with fighter

hit runway and oil dump at causing explosion and fire.

Hq at Taormina bombed by 18 B-; San Domenico Hotel, in wtiich Hq housed, and the post office, where

uuullwl.L<Oo~LHJH facilities were concen­,..,,n"'""'"'rt demolished; huge fires

Fifty-one B-17's escorted bomb Biscari airdrome,

severe damage. Same target IO.Lco.l;Kt::u by 24 B-25' s, whim cover 11"11Tm""''"' and dispersal areas with

Sciacca and Milo airdromes at­by nearly 60 Bostons and

which damage runways uuJL~uJ.Hg:,;;· about 60 Axis fighters

11 shot down, 7 probably, damaged for loss of 4 Allied

. Caltanissetta and bombed by 42 B-25' s and

s, respectively; RR instal­damaged; explosions and fires at first target. Piazza

and Palazzola attacked by of 47 B-26's with satisfactory re­

Radar and RR installations at strafed by P-38' s. RAF Welling­make night raid on seaplane base

Syracuse and targets throughout •uvLa.,,u~'"' isthmus. Fires and explos

va.ca.Lua. result from night attack by . Total of 43 B-25's, 31 A­

and 8 Baltimores make su<~CElss:fulll raids on Sciacca and Milo air-s, Niscemi and Canicatti towns,

of communications at and Palazzola. Ponte

Castelvetrano, and Biscari air-bombed by those planes unable primary targets.

· Maleme airdrome bombed by 'n""-=""77 s, which drop 63 tons of ex-

; repair sheds severely dam­and grounded aircraft

enemy planes encountered, 5 H"''"+""'"'rt 1 probably, and 5 damaged.

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER

convoy Freetown to Takoradi attacked by enemy ss' s; SS Manchester Citizen (British cargo ship, 5,343 tons) and SS De La Salle (French cargo ship, 8,400 ons) sunk at 05-

50 N, 02-22 E.

ASIATIC THEATER

Burma: Mu R. Solomon Is.: Allied forces bridge twice at- coordinated land, air, and sea attacks tacked by U.S. on Japanese positions on New Georgia. planes: durin!j 1st I. During early morning hours, 4 U.S. attack, 9 B-25 s DD' s bombard enemy positions at score hits and near Munda; after daybreak, 52 TBF' s and

on the 36 SBD' s covered by F4F' s drop 70 sink a river tons of bombs on the same area; attack­

I:SL<~arnei, and dam- ing Allied ground forces reduce Jap­age several other anese strongpoint at intersection of vessels; 3 B-25's Munda trail and Barike R., while artil­

out 2d attack, lery fire from Rendova I. destroys a few many hostile AA positions in the Munda

with unob- area. Meanwhile, 18 SBD's covered by results. F4F's bomb the Enogai area, in

B-25's bomb vicinity of Bairoko Harbor, and sub-1111f,TH·•~a bridge, sequent infantry attacks secure Enogai

raid Inlet to Leland Lagoon. A road block is established across the Munda-Bairoko

and 2 groups of Japanese from Bairoko are turned back. Patrol activities continue at Viru. Allied

intercept approximately 45 over Rendova, destroying 4 of 1 F4F missing. At night, PBY and unsuccessfully attacks Jap­naval force of 4 CL's and 4 DD's

Buin. Guinea: In the Salamaua area, '-'~<:a.<>rrt::" continue in the Bobdubi

Orodubi areas. Eight B-25's bomb succ,es1s~nd strafe enemy positions on Bobdubi

and villages 3-4 mi. NW of Three enemy planes unsuc­

attack Nassau Bay area during

(near Timoe~a, Dutch New 1\JllJ.li't:::a., attacked by 2 RAAF Hudsons.

: Timor: Two Dutch B-25's -.,........,=· airdrome before dawn, and 5

others attack C. Chater runway.

.. 9

Southern Europe -

France: Force Russia: Soviets Sicily: Allied invasion forces, with of 223 escorted claim repulse of constant naval and air support, land on

17' s dispatched Nazi attacks in coast of Sicily at points from just S of attack targets in Orel-Kursk sector Syracuse to area W of Licata. Thirtee

N France, but and immobilization Thirteenth Corps of British 8th Army heavy cloud con- of enemy forces in secures beachheads in Avola area, ,~ ........ ~ prevent; 31 Belgorod area. captures Avola, and pushes inland

the bombers Artillery exchanges Noto and N toward Syracuse 74 tons on on Volkhov front which is occupied during night; 30th airdrome with reported by Corps (which includes a Canadian

lccmcentra~ti on Moscow. vision) lands at points on Pachino Enemy light occupies Pachino landing

naval forces make and advances inland. Forty-surprise attack on of U.S. 7th Army lands at Achuyev on Sea of around Scoglitti, 1st Div at Gela,

, reporting 3d Div in Licata area; all3 towns 3 coastal occupied and troops push inland

vc<"'"''·•"' are sunk along coast. Allied warships bom-badly·dam- shore targets throughout day; en-Night of aircraft sink U.S. DD, Maddox,

, Soviet during night, British hospital ship, make heavy on the RR

""·~~ .. , ~~ at fighter planes form solid

""'>1"-ll.1U.1 c.u .... over landing operations and ·l!:n·mnn-rt ground forces throughout day:

of bombers and fighters con­the tremendous air assault on defenses and airdromes tlu~oughc>Utl

Twenty-eight B-24's drop of bombs on Catania RR yards,

linJrlic:tir~g severe damage. RAF Liber­Halifaxes bomb targets at

and San Paolo; buildings ~:mage(l, AA position silenced, and uuJmo::.•·uuL<> fires started. A Gerbini F>c:tLt::L•••o:: field is bombed by 78 B-17's

good results; Sciacca and Milo air­uruu • .,.,. attacked by total of 71 B-25' s;

aircraft at former destroyed area covered; runways, air­

damaged and hangars blown up at Sciacca-Agrigento and

t--"·.1•., .... ,,.,., ..... - .... .u..,a. roads bombed and Town, barracks

RR station at Palazzolo ........... , •• ,i with bombs by escorted B-25's. ~CiLacc:a and Milo bombed in night raid

B-25's1 14 Baltimores, and 14 A-5 B-25 s attack Trapani. For­

p..u.c•••,Juo of A-36's, P-38's, P-40's, and bomb transportation and

r--uuuuu..•u ... a.cJLvu systems throughout the

"~ '~: ..,.,c;o 7\':: :~H

" ; l•.r

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC

THEATER

Indian Ocean: Kurile Is.: Solomon Is.:. Japanese na n;):~~~~!'l,~rin.n~~~~~ 10 SS Mary Livanos tacked E.of Buin night of 9/10, is (Greek cargo ship, fbc,mt>ed for the cessfully attacked in Kula Gulf by PBY sends message to 4,771 tons) torp. time: 8 B- at 0140-L; 4 PB4Y's attack the vessels Pope Pius XII and sunk at 15-40 from Attu at- between 0245 and 0355 L, claiming 2 saying that S, 40-00 E. SS the island at hits. One PB4Y, failing to locate the "churches and Alice F-. Palmer W, dropping enemy ·ships, bombs Vila. Five B-25' s religious (U.S. cargo ship, 500-lb. bombs omb and strafe Japanese DD beached institutions wil~ 7,176 tons) sunk solid over- SE Kolombangara, while 3 others strafe to the extent that by SS at 27-00 S, AA or Buril Gonongga I.. Formation of 48 is within our 43-00 E. opposition TBF sand 38 SED's attacks Munda, power, be spared

dromoinl1' 67 tons of bombs on AA posi- the devastations tions, bivouac areas, and dumps. Night of war." raid on Kahili by 16 B-24's results in France-Mexico: explosion and several fires; 3 hostile o recu15Jtuz,o:::<>1 planes exchange fire with B-24's without the French Com­effect; 1 B-24 missing from operational mittee of National causes. Liberation.

New Guinea: U.S. forces from Nassau Bay area effect junction with Australian

large fire troops at Buigap Creek at dusk, thus RAF cutting Japanese communications h<>·tuu>PTI

Mubo and Salamaua. Japanese contacted S shore of Lake Salus (N of Bitoi R.).

Total of 36 B-25's, 1 B-24, and 6 RAAF A-20's attack enemy positions in

to<ua.rrlc:Lua. area, including Malolo, Kela pt,, Salamaua Isthmus, Logui, and Komiatum; buildings damaged and fires started. Two RAAF Beaufighters strafe JaJ)a.Ile~;e troops engaged in bridge con-

1ou .• ..,1, ... ,5, docks, struction near Bogadjim. Four loaded targets, enemy barges heading for Lae sunk by

near Allied patrol craft. 1 .... .,,,. • ., on a 400' Four B-24's bomb Babo, Dutch New

sel in the river Guinea, starting large fires among direct hits on a buildings; of 10 enemy fighters attempt­

, scoring

ing interception, 4 are destroyed, 1 destroyed, and 1 damaged; 1

Another B-24 fails to reach

camp; IWE~at11er obscures .... >SllliT.><; light AA

encountered of tile

Russia: Russians report enemy fighting rcn NE of Novorossisk and repulse of

Nazi attacks S of Ore!: Ger­mans claim en­circlement and annihilatio~ of Soviet forces N of Belgorod.

Southern Europe

~-"-~ __ British units moving inland and turn N. Canadian

NW, capture !spica and •n•Ji:il>ll!.u. and advance toward Modica.

u:c.:i:oi:U.Lu. on the coast, surrenders to ~.;uJ:nllLi:Ul'~!:lr of an Allied DD. Beach­

to the W a:re firmly secur€dJ but .S. troops advancing NE from Gela

heavy, but unsuccessful, Axis ·Forty-fifth Div advances

ILIJ.J""-'1'-"• '"'<lJI.IJ rmiT Vittoria; some units toward Comiso, others

ttmru~ l'd Gela. Catania bombed by 75 B-17's, which

lda.m~lge warehouse, repair buildings, storage; large fires and ex­

IIJ~•J<>••uu<> result. Attack opposed by 32 planes, of which 7 are shot down;

,.,.,,.., •• ., AA fire damages 23 B-17's. escorted B-25's carry out

ssful raid on 'Caltanissetta; 36 B-with P-38 escort da.ID.age runways,

'"'T'.,'""'"" areas, and aircraft at Sciacca •rn•rnTfl<>' intense AA fire damages 21

Hangars, runways, and ..,,. .... , •. "''"' at Milo airdrome sustain

damage as result of attack by 27 s escorted by 48 P-40' s. B-26' s

bomb Borizzo airdrome, starting fire; same target attacked in

raid by 50 B-25' s and 5 A-20's good results~ Gerbini satellite

s bombed by 47 B-26's; of 23 llni·.,.,.,,."'r'H aircraft, 3 destroyed, 4

, and 1 damaged. Airdromes W Sicily bombed during night by 30 Wellingtons; fires started at

factory buildings damaged at Vallo, and fires and ex­

~'~'J"L'ULL" caused at Marsala. Eight ICl>i:iL\)= make successful night attack

Castelvetranci airdrome. Fighter and light bombers make many

..,n,,.,.,~,, against enemy communications transport threughout the island: Mustangs attack MT, bridges, and

in SE Sicily, inflicting severe ldam~u!:e' g8 bomb-carrying P-38's at­

n,. .... ,.,.,,, at Vizzini, power station \;a~a1uo. RR cars at Caltanissetta,

locomotives at Leonforte; at Caltagirone and Mazzarino

lil~·"+' .. nYTOn r.adar installations at Fighter aircraft

Pantelleria, and North make g26 sorties covering our

ISnlPP•mg and troops. Approximately 70 B-24' s drop

ens ofbombs on Reggio di Vibo Valentia airdromes, damaging

buildings, dispersal areas, planes; large fires result;

attemptihg to intercept, 2 "'"'i'"'"''"'"'il and 2 damaged. RAF Liber­

Halifaxes bomb same target

AFRICAAND · MIDDLE EAST

THEATER

Mozambique Channel: SS Robert Bacon (U.S. cargo ship, 7,191 tons) torp. and sunk at 15-25 S, 41-13 E.

ASIATIC THEATER

Burma: P-40's Solomon Is.: On New Georgia I., ll make repeated at- Allied troops continue to advance on Minister Jose tacks on Japanese Munda, reaching point about 2,000 yards Giron, concentrations and W of Barike R., while others move speaking at supply centers: 2 toward Enogai pt, Munda heavil,Y at- Manresa, opposes flights bomb and tacked by 35 TBF's and 34 SBD s; 52 return of the strafe Sumprabum, tons of bombs dropped on AA positions Spanish Monarchy. destroying several and bivouac areas. At night, U.S. buildings, including surface vessels bombard Munda. one, the largest in Hostile floatplanes strafe Enogai area town, which is be- during the evening. During air engage-lieved to be the ments over Rendova, enemy loses 2 enemy Hq; another medium bombers, 6 Zeros, and 1 twin­flight destroys RR engined fighter; 5 F4U's and 1 P-39 bridge at Loilaw, missing. Formation of 9 B-17's and 9 S of Mogaung; B-24's attacks Kahili airdrome, other places 3 fires. Guadalcanal has 3 alerts, successfully at- of 11/12, during 2 of which enemy

drop bombs in Koli pt, area. New Britain: Vunakanau and Rapopo

airdromes heavily bombed during early morning by total of 7 B-24' s and 10 B-17' s; many fires started, including 1 large explosive fire; 1 B-17 crashes on return. At midnight 11/12, B-24 on rcn bombs Rapopo airdrome.

New Guinea: Encircling movements continued against eneiny forces in the Mubo-Orodubi-Bobdubi areas. Thirty­

B-25's covered by 20 fighters drop 40 tons of bombs on Japanese posi­

ons on Bobdubi Ridge and strafe the IUC:~.rnctg~ a CM and area, in support of ground forces; 5

AK, score direct intercepting enemy fighters shot down on an AP and and 2 probably destroyed; 2 of our

Jll€~nu3rs missing. Total of 16 A-20's 29 B-25' s bomb and strafe targets

in Salamaua area, including the air­drome, villages, and positions along Francisco R. from Logui to Kennedy's Crossing; fuel fire started and Salamaua

station set on fire. During the single enemy bombers twice

our positions in Mubo area, :while Japanese bombers attack Nassau

· Penfoei airdrome, Timor, is _--:c-,.,..,......-- 6 Dutch B-25's, which start

During evening, Catalina strafes enemy floatplanes and 2 flying boats Taberfane, Aroe Is.; 3 floatplanes and

1 flying boat hit.

12 Aleutian Is. : On Attu, 4 Jap­anese are en­countered in the C. Khlebnikof area, but they escape.

West Atlantic: SS African Star (U.S. cargo ship, 6,507 tons) sunk by SS at 25-46 s, 40-35 w.

. ... .,.

France: Spit­fires, Bostons, and Mustangs make daylight raids on transport and industrial targets inN France; 10 locomotives, several barges, and a minesweeper damaged.

England: About 20 Axis planes operate over E coast and 5 over Kent, night of 12/13; consider­able property damage results at Grimsby and Cleethorpe.

Russia: Fierce fighting continues in Belgorod area; enemy claims gains despite strong Soviet counterattacks. Moscow reports weaker Nazi at­tacks S of Orel and claim that these are frustrated. Ger­mans report violent, but un­successful, Russian relief at­tacks E and N of Ore!.

Southern Europe

(Cont'd) during night, dropping 58 tons of ex­plosive; many small fires started at former; hangars at latter damaged. Montecorvino and Ravella airdromes vv ....... ., ........ by 25 Wellingtons, night of 11/12; runways, hangars, and aircraft damaged; fires and explosions result.

Sicily: Forces of 13th Corps move up coast toward Augusta, reaching Priolo area; other units advance N from Note and occupy Floridia. Twenty-third Armd Brig, which has been moving N from Pachino area, reaches Palazzolo. Canadian troops capture Modica; U.S. forces capture Comiso and advance toward Ragusa where they join Canadians and seize the town. First Div enlarges Gela beachhead to point just S of Niscemi, capturing Ponte Olivo airdrome. Forces of 3d Div advance on Licata­Canicatti road; Campobello occupied; some units push E toward Riesi. Troops moving parallel to coast seize Palma di Montechiaro and farther inland, Naro. Allied planes continue to pound Axis

defenses and communications through­out Sicily. Seventy-three B-17's bomb RR installations at Messina, dropping 219 tons of explosive; RR bridges be­lieved destroyed; fires and explosions caused. Gerbini satellite airfields bombed by 72 B-25' s, which damage runways, dispersal areas, and air­craft; 12 Axis planes oppose attack; 2 of these shot down, 1 probably. Agrigento and Canicatti attacked by 24 escorted B-26' s each; RR yards, . barracks areas, and power station at former damaged; RR yards and cars at latter damaged and oil dump blown up. Milo airdrome effectively "'"' .... '-'"'"''.ll by 12 escorted A-20's. Borizzo air­drome also bombed; fires and ex­plosions result. Total of 132 P-38' s with bombs carry out offensive sweeps over Sicily, bombing and strafing truck convoys at Vallelunga, San Caterina, Raffadali, Enna, Caltani~setta, and Casteltermini ; installations at Agrigento also "'"'·"''"'"'"' .... • Mustangs bomb and strafe RR yards at Ninfa, Termini, and Imeresepribera . Total of 53 B-25' s and A-30's make night attack on Termini; fires started in town and in harbor area; direct hit scored on merchant ship. During

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC

THEATER

Solon;J.On Is.: Japanese garrison at Canada: H'iT'""""'• 12 Enogai Inlet destroyed by Allied Minister J. L.

,..,.,.,,n., • .,.,., force on New Georgia I.; dur- llsey presents a advance on the Inlet, 150 Jap,anE~sejpost-war many others wounded, and con- currency plan to

equipment captured. Allied House of 1, . ...,.,.cu..LC.-.,, .. ., are outhern force now about a mile irom Commons. The

oyed as result of Lambeti beach, with 2 Bns moving S to plan is designed and earlier secure Lambeti pt, Bivouac area at to facilitate

1"'" •• .,. .... ,...,. Ywataung Munda bombed by 49 TBF' s and 37 international yards bombed SBD's covered by fighters; Allied French West

of 6 B- intercept force of 20 Zeros in Africa: Pij:lrre , but clouds Munda area, destroying 5 of them; 1 Charles observation of Allied fighter lost. Vila attacked during Cournarie, the

morning by 10 B-25's. At night, 2 B- new Governor 24's bomb Vila, while 17 other B-24' s General of

Ballale; 5 fires started at the French West . B-24 unsuccessfully attacks en- Africa, arrives at

DD and AK 100 mi. NE of Buka Dakar and Passage. immediately takes

New Britian: Total oi 13 B-24's bomb office. Lakunai and Rapopo airdromes and town of Rabaul during early morning, causing

ions and many large fires in town airdromes; another B-24 fails to

reach target and is reported missing. B-17 on rcn bombs Garove I., Witu Is.

New Guinea: Allied troops advancing on Mubo capture 4 enemy strongpoints. our enemy planes dive-bomb Allied ositions on Lae-Salamaua track during

morning. Keaukwa Village, Dutch New Guinea, ombed at noon by 2 RAAF Hudsons. N.E.I.: Two Dutch B-25's bomb and

strafe airfield on Selaru I., Tanimbar Is. Single RAAF Catalina bombs Dobo, Aroe Is., while 2 others raid Langgoer airdrome, Kei Is.

13 ..

(Cont'd) 21 Wellingtons bomb

1'-''•u•'""u·"'"'"'""""• 15, Gerbini, and 2-5, target areas well covered; sev­

fires and explosions caused at

: Reggio di Calabria and San •~·-==:ecce_ bombed by total of 102 B-

which drop about 325 tons of ex­on ferry terminals and RR in­

l"'"'•l.l<•cl\Ju"'; targets covered and severe 1-..a.u.~. •• 5 ., inflicted on tracks, terminals, 1., ...... vu, and moles; gasoline and ranllm.un:lticm dumps at former hit and

caused. Ten Halifaxes and ho••"+t'.,."' drop 33 tons on Vibo

and Reggio di Calabria air­•ur"""'"'; hangars, administration build-ings, and ammunition storage hit; no

planes or AA fire encountered. bombed during night by 256

t.L.J<Lm.;:"-"'""'1-., based in England; 734 tons ..,.x,JuJ:s••''"' and over 200 tons of

11nc~er1e11:arlles dropped, setting entire area ablaze; 13 bombers fail to

·~~~~~~~·-JSS Robert Rowan ,176 tons), SS Ocean

(British cargo ship, 7,173 tons), Baarn (Dutch cargo ship, 5,621

sunk by aircraft off Sicily.

Russia: Strong Sicily: British 17th Brig enters Soviet counter- Augusta before dawn; other troops of attacks in Belgorod 13th Corps, advancing N on Syracuse­area render enemy Catania road, occupy Melilli. Fiftieth advance slow and Inf Div reaches point just S of costly; Moscow re- Units of 30th Corps move in 2 columns, ports cessation of on Vizzini and Scordia; Vizzini, on large-scale Nazi Syracuse-Enna road, occupied by even-attacks in Kursk- ing. Canadian troops NE of Ragusa Orel area. Red reach Bafarana and Giarratana; patrols

'-'a.J"'""'o""'"Army troops con- move toward Chiaramonte and __ .... ____ tinue strong attacks IMont.erc)ss:o U.S. troops advancing

N and E of Orel in Vittoria occupy Biscari airfield; what appears to be in Gela sector capture Niscemi.

13/14, 28 enemy a counteroffensive. W, Riesi and Canicatti cap-raid Humber Luftwaffe continue by American forces. Night of

fires to support German paratroop brig lands near bridge rcaUSE!d; 3 of attack- ground operations. Simeto R.,. exit from high ground

planes shot Soviet aircraft Catania plain, to seize and hold the make night raid on ossing until arrival of 13th Corps. Orel, causing large Catania bombed by 37 B-17' s, which fire in central score hits on runway and leave hangars part of RR junction; and workshops burning; bursts several explosions observed among 60-70 parked aircraft. result. opposed by 6 enemy planes, of

which 3 are destroyed and 1 probably. Thirty-seven more B-17's bomb Mi~o airdrome with good results; intense, accurate AA fire encountered and 15

planes damaged; 8 Axis air-interc~ent. of which 1 is probably

force of B-25' s

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER

Solomon Is.: Despite stiffening enemy resistance, Allied troops capture 2 en-emy strongpoints in Munda area; at ment announces night, units of our forces reach Lilio that Admiral (2 mi. SE of Munda). Supporting ground Georges Robert

""'rD""'- 18 TBF' s and 28 SBD' s carry has .resigned his out another heavy raid on Munda, start- post of high ing a large fire. Force of 18 enemy commissioner of lbc1mtJei~s escorted by 10 fighters inter- the French

over New Georgia I. by 8 F4U's Antilles and that P-38's; bombers are forced to Henri-Etienne

on their bombs and 4 Zeros are Hoppenot will down for loss of 1 Allied fighter. assume his

ing early morning, Allied surface office. U.S. will of 3 CL' s and 10 DD' s engages 10 relations se vessels N of Kolombangara, French

.., •. uA.JcLl!; 1 CL and 3 DD' s and probably and re-P'-Ll"-JU.l!', 2 other DD's; 4 Allied vessels food ship-

some damage from torpedoes aiiJinleilts to the , the USS Gwinn (DD), sinks while

Three enemy barges, each men, destroyed off NE coast of

I. by Allied ground units. au;acJ~eu at night b¥' 9 B-24' s and 8 B-

9 B-24 sand 1 B-17 raid ; fires started at both targets.

airdrome raided about the same by force of 9

France: Air­plane repair de­pot at Villacoublay is target for 240 tons of hombs dropped by 116 B-17's; hangars and workshops damaged; mod­erate AA fire and strong fighter op­position encount­ered. Simul­taneously, 84 B-17' s attack Le Bourget airdrome at Paris, ·

Southern Europe

(Cont'd) escort attacks communications

of Enna; RR installations dam­and fires visible for 50 mi. start­

Light and fighter bombers pound targets throughout day: P-38's bombs make 118 sorties against

1!'-<ulu,e~.:<.:<.u, Enna, and targets of oppor­destroying MT and RR cars;

make 154 sorties against RR towns of Termini, Corleone,

ILE~onlfmrte and Castelvetrano, strafe and RR installations at Enna, Leon­

Vallelunga, and Caltanissetta; 60 vehicles destroyed and 30 Malta-based fighters make 897 covering troops, beaches, and

Jshipping. Thirty-one "Wellingtons make on Palermo, damaging RR

;:;Lct.L!u.n, and bridge. Messina JJUllLLI<:::u during night by 45 Wellingtons;

RR yards, customs house, a11d ... ~-~~-~.. hit.

Vibo Valentia airdrome bombed ,-:c:-o--_· light by 22 B-24's; hangars

buildbQgs seriously J-lCI.W"L~t:u, munitions stores blown up,

oil fires started; about 8 in'ownd!~d Axis aircraft left burning.

of 51 B-24's, in 2 waves, drop 11 of bombs on Crotone airdrome; oil and large explosions caused; run­and dispersal areas hit and many

aircraft set on fire. Vibo and Reggio di Calabria air­

also attacked by 8 bombers; fires started.

~~~~~~· Six Beaufighters merchant ships and 2

vel;;:;t::!:o 60 mi. NNE of Palermo; ship blown up and escort

and left smoking. SS Timothy Pickering (U.S. cargo shi~ 181 tons) sunk by Axis aircraft off

Sicily: Axis counterattacks at 1\Ue:w:;m cuts off 17th Brig which is established in the town; by noon, British troops suceed in"driving back the enemy and re-establishing contact with the units which had been cut off. Paratroops at Primosole Bridge hold their posi­tions until dark, when they are forced

withdraw to high ground to the S. Troops advancing from Vizzini repulse

suc~cessfcotmtE:ra.ttack by 20-30 German tanks cmmtE:ra,tta.ck:s. S of Grammichele. U.S. 1st Div makes

steady gains and captures Butera and Mazzarino, establishing line from area

causing many SW of Caltagirone, W to point N of and explosions; Mazzarino.

attack RR and port facilities of Messina D!IJWJLTIEr up sustain extensive damage as result of

an1m:wu,.Llctn dumps by Allied planes in which over of bombs are dropped: 96

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC THEATER

Burma: Nine B-25's, attacking Meiktila and Myingyan, hit bar-

' storage area, and RR sidings at the

ILU'L"frlf-!r and RR tracks, and

w,.,_ .. ..,,""'"''"' area at Seven

I.C~!::!IllleLuus bomb ua.1;a.n,tl::st~-held vil-

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AND PACIFIC THEATERS

(Cont'd) Salamaua town and airdrome

and strafed by 46 B-25's, which positions and buildin?s; 1 B-25

in water. Seven B-1 7 s and 5 B-s attack Lae town and airdrome; hits revetment areas cause 1 large and

smaller fires. B-24 on rcn at-3 loaded Japanese barges in Saidor setting 2 of them on fire. Bena area bombed and strafed during the

IIIl<JrnurR by 17 enemy bombers and 15

Solomon Is.: Additional Allied troops France: land on New Georgia I. in vicinity of Day celebrations, Lilio; advance on Munda continues banned in France against strong enemy resistance; at by Vichy police, night, Japanese counterattack is reou.LsE:a occur in other by our troops and artillery; at least countries 4 enemy guns destroyed by artillery. out the world. Two enemy planes ineffectively bomb Poland: Presi-Enogai and Rice Anchorage areas. dent Wladyslaw Seven B-25's covered by 18 P-40's at- Raczkievici an-tack 2 large enemy barges in Hunda nounces in Len-Cove, Kolombangara I., setting 1 on don a new Polish fire; 1 P-40 is forced down off N New Government in Georgia. A 2d enemy barge is sunk in which Stanislaw Hunda Cove by formation of 9 B-25's Mikolajczyk re-and 14 P-40's; same force attacks AK tains his post of

IDi:l.rHl!ta .n"''l!ll."''='.ulli:U11 in Beagle Channel, off Vella, and sinks premier. It is it. believed that the

new Foreign

15 Aleutian Is.: Gertrude Cove area at Kiska again bombarded during early ing by a U.S. DD; fire is not return­ed. Total of 7 B-24' s and 14 B-25' s participate in 4 attacks on Kiska, dropping 32 tons of bombs on Gertrude Cove and North Head; hits scored in both target areas

fires started AA batteries

at Gertrude Cove; AA fire damages 1 B-25.

France: Montbeliard motor vehicle works are target for success­ful night raid by 165 RAF bombers; bombing well con­centrated; 5 Hali­

s fail tore­Poix and

Russia: Moscow announces that Soviet offensive has pierced enemy lines N of Ore!, ad­vancing 27 miles in 3 days of fighting and capturing more than 50 localities; Red Army forces driving from E toward Ore! gain about 14 mi., des­pite strong Nazi resistance; more than 60 localities in this area are reported captured. Russians are also attacking between Kursk and Ore!. Soviets claim re-

Southern Europe

(Cont'd) 1 .... a=<•e;c marshalling yards, ferry slips,

"'cu·r"-•"" area, buildings, and via-83 B-25' s and B-26' s score hits

on barracks and oil storage; 74 B-24's, in 3 flights, cause large explosion in

yards and station, fires among oil installations, and damage har­Liberators and Halifaxes start

ous small fires. Heavy, intense and Axis planes oppose these

1a"''"""""'• total of 5 Allied planes lost 40 damaged. Total of 60 B-25' s B-26' s with fighter escort bomb

damaging town and road Jwl .... uu'",. fires result. Force of 19 uu,uu,,~ ..

Sicily: Troops of 50th Dlv, which have moved N through Lentini, capture Primosole Bridge in morning; 5th Div, in Augusta-Villasmundo area, carries out mopping up operations. Two brigades of 51st Div advance N, capturing Militello and Scordia. Grammichele occupied by forces pushing along Vizzini-Caltagirone In Licata sector, patrols of 3d Dlv moving NW and W enter Favara and Racalmuto. '

Strong force of medium bombers at­Palermq; fires and explosions re­in center of town and on landing

Twenty-four B-25' s bomb '-"'''""'u"u. scoring hits throughout town. p:~oamU<:~.zz;o attacked during night by 52

s and A-20's, which start numerous Eighty-one P-40's with bombs

attack radar installations at Marsala and Pula; 4 hits scored. A-36's and

- 168 s

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER

(Cont'd) Colombo, ositions at Orodubi. s in- 1 ... "" ............ "'.,, ...

presumed sunk l+.,.,.,..,,.nt 3 h'ostile dive bombers near aircraft. and destroy all 3; 1 P-40 lost.

bombed by B-24 on rcn. Allied u<>.LLHJH<> in Nassau Bay and Mubo areas

1c:~.LLCI.,,l'.t'u by 9 hostile dive bombers and medium bombers, respectively. N.E.I.: In night attacks on Timor, 4

25's bomb C. Chater strip, 3 Hudsons raid Lautem runway,

7 B-24's attack Koepang; fires esultiNimiieiiliin---''"'"'" all targets. Dobo and Taberfane,

. , strafed by RAAF Catalina on night

U.s.: President 15 Roosevelt by executive order establishes a new Office of EcuwvuJ.1'4 Warfare, trans­ferring to it the

1 .~.u.u-.- .... u .... ,., of the

cargo 4,558 tons) by SS at 23-

S, 33-00 W.

16 West Atlantic: SS Richard Cas­well (U.S. cargo ship, 7,177 tons) sunk by SS at 28-10 S, 46.,; 30W.

Southern Europe

(Cont'd) ~nnmic~ation targets and bridges at Alia

~~L<;uo:;.L<:~.;' 20 MT destroyed at ,......,Lr,.,_ua and road block cam:ed. Force

58 A-30's and A-20's makes off_!3nsi over central Sicily; 420 MT

ombed and strafed; explosion caused jetty at Termini; hits scored on RR

a;ru"'"'r''" at Adrano. Ninety-five Must­bomb and strafe road junctions,

installations, and MT in central island. Forty-eight bomb-carrying 38's attack road junction and bridge Randazzo, bomb and strafe motor

at Nicosia, and damage docks RR yards at Termini.

Italy: Sixty-three B-24's, in 3 waves, roo242 tons of bombs on Foggia air

; hangars and administration build­receive many direct hits and

are left burning; barracks and "-H.-c:r>UL are set on fire, and 4

<:::AJJ~uo:;LL>uo:; caused; in 2 of the about 15 aircraft are

bb:se·J~VE!d burning; field at main air­severely damaged. Naples bombed by 72 B-17's; tracks,

1"-u,wLluw,u.;:;•~, torpedo factory, Stores warehouse, stadium, arsenal,

ovc;,rrJas:s hit; fires and explosions ·smoke is visible 60 mi. away. opposed by heavy, intense AA

, which damages 14 Allied planes about 23 Axis planes, of which 4

3 probably, and 2 damaged. During night, 7 Liberators and Hall­

bomb Crotone airdrome; hangar burning. Total of 84 Wellingtons

night raids on Vibo Valentia, Lr•uLuu..,_ Reggio di Calabria, and San

with excellent results; tun.mumition dump blown up at first ob­n.,.r•-r-"'"'' quays, RR tracks, and town

damaged at last; many fires at all 4.

Axis forces launch counter­=:-:-;-:--r Primosole Bridge but are re­

-1-J"'""··'-'<>-'-'"'J"-I!JI.LL'>"'u by heavy artillery fire. Patrols of 30th Corps reach line N and NW of Scordia and N of Patagonia. First I'-'"IJ.!i:liu!a~! Brig occupies Caltagirone in •=•Jr!J.lll"- and moves N on road to Enna.

U.S. 1st Div driving N from occupy Barrafranca.

W, American troops move up A~i?entci.

of 24 B-25 s bomb Valguarnera u1"'"cu=•"uu.o and airdrome with

results; large explosion caused RR installations. Randazzo

1a1;~ac:Keu by 25 bombers; bursts cover · large explosions result.

4 A-20's and 30 B-25's

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC THEATER

Aroe Is.: Four RAAF Hudsons raid~ .. -,....,~.~ seaplane base at Taberfane during

night, starting large fires.

Nauru I.: Six Catalinas raid enemy ositions on Nauru I. about midnight,

17, starting 1 large and several · AA fire is ineffective and all our

Prime Minister Churchill telling

to decide "whether Italians shall die for Mussolini and Hitler or live for Italy and civili­zation."

Poland: During an interview, Premier

k

16

17 •.

Dieppe-Grand­: villiers.:.i?oi.X• Apbeville area.

England: .ss J.B.W. (British cargo ship, 72 tons) sunk by mine in Thames Estuary.

Germany: Force of 204 B-17' s

ancf on Mius Air attacks by

both sides continue to be heavy.

dispatched against n.,.,,,,,.,....,,.,t targets in NW Germany, but bad weather prevents majority from dropping bombs; 31 attack targets of om>ortunitv:

Southern Europe

(Cont'd) Catania; over 36 tons dropped;

fires started. Allied fighters fighter bombers continue to harass destroy enemy transportation and

ICC)mJmuni<~ation systems: 222 sorties in damage to tracks, stations,

barracks throughout the island; 44 40's on sweep in W Sicily attack

boats in Mazara harbor, leaving 5 sinking.

Enemy makes 2 moderate air attacks on Augusta, damaging a British ship

causing some casualties; 2 enemy shot down by AA fire. Bari airdrome bombed during by 45 B-24's, which drop 110

explosive; hangars, adminis­buildings, and dispersal areas

''-'"'v"'J,..,u with bombs; 1 hangar and 4 ,,._,rcr· .... ,c left burning; intense opposition offered by Axis planes, 11 of which are shot down, 7 probably, and 2 damaged

loss of 3 Allied aircraft. San , ...... ,.vv-=.uu RR yards practicaur de­•m•uJ.J.:~m;:u in raid by 102 B-17 s; con­~l'!rlt-r~lticm of bombs dropped in RR

and barracks area; fires and ex-UJ.I.>:>uJu::; result and large fire started

ferry terminal; severe AA fire 1 neST.rovs 2, and damages 20 Allied

Vibo Valentia airdrome llt:CLv.,~v• uuruut:u by 71 B-25's and 51 B-26's "'"'''"""+"'n by 94 P-38' s, which damage lba.rr:'l.c~cs, hangars, and buildings; fires

in dispersal area; of 6 inter­aircraft, 2 shot down. During 1 Wellingtons bomb Naples RR scoring hits in dock area, RR and on torpedo factory; fires

.,.~~,_~J.L>:>J.IJw> result. Twenty-bomb Capodichino au:urom.a

near Naples at same time; hits scored on airdrome, buildings, and grounded aircraft. Night of 16/17, force of Lan­casters from English bases bombs

stations near Milan and Parma with good results; 1 bombs Spezia harbor, starting 2 large· fires.

....-"·""'':uu RR yards bombed by 24 B­scored on RR and MT· ware-

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC THEATER

Burma: During night, British

engage the enemy 3 mi. E of Maungdaw; Jap­anese suffer 60 casualties, while British casualties are limited to 3.

se are re­to have

lmi+hri.,.,n,.,., most of from

!VJ.i:O,Wl~UC~W, prob-

Solomon Is.: Allied troops on New Georgia I., in a local attack on enemy left flank, make limited advance and enlarge beachhead at Lilio, near Munda airfield; Allied tanks, supporting the at­

POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, PSYCHOLOGICAL

U.S.: state De-

tack, are opposed by flame throwers. ~co..,,~,~~·n+

At night, Japanese, in considerable force, unsuccessfully attack Allied ground positions E of Munda; Japanese dead estimated at 179, while our losses are 8. In support of ground forces, 18 SBD' s bomb targets in Bairoko area. Japanese shipping in Buin area attacked IGc,ve:rnrneilt during morning by force of 36 SBD's,

17

Southern Europe

(Cont'd) blown up. Twenty-four A-36's Riposto station, causing fires

explosions. Catania attacked by 27 bers, which start fires throughout

area; eighty-six A-20's and attack Catania and MT in ce1rrtrall

good results. During 's also attack Catania; all

in target area,· resulting in Illllm..,,ru=•

Fighter and fighter bomber make numerous sweeps against communications and transport,

n"''"t,."u' MT, locomotives, and frE~ie:htl .L'.LJJViO••v, setting on fire a large

lrru:.,.,•h<mt ship off Termini and a small .,,.,,,aht<,,. off Cefalu, and causing much ..,. ... ="'o"' to road targets at Enna,

Nicosia, Randazzo, and Leon-

bombers make unsuccessful raid on Augusta. · Naples RR installations att:acl!:all

by greatest force of yet sent against Italian main­

total of 96 B-17's, 72 B-25's, 107 B-26' s escorted by 163 P-38's

over 545 tons of bombs; RR yards, <>c<J.L-.,'~"' area, arsenal, roundhouse,

shops, textile plants, shell and ••vJc-ut:uu factories, and stadium dam­

large explosions and fires re-intense, accurate AA fire damages 17's and destroys 6 B-26's; few planes offer resistance; 2

Seventy-seven B-24's of Middle Air Force also attack Naples,

nronnuu;: 163 tons of bombs; fires vu.15u,, ..... the RR yards;

p.ut.lillwu.uuu dump blown up; large for­fll<Lu<Ju"' of Axis fighters oppose attack;

destroyed, 5 probably. Night of 17/18, 67 Wellingtons bomb

IM'Dnt:ecorvino and Pomigliano air­LuuuH·:~,. buildings, runway, and parked ... u.cra..Lc at former damaged; factories

fires started at latter; t:uut~Lvll fails to return. Reggio di

..... a . .L<:UJ.L ,_ ... airdrome attacked by 9 Allied IJ.L'"·"'"", which start fires in industrial

and near ammunition sheds; RR and sidings hit.

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER

fighters; 1 enemy CL or DL, 2 · PC, 2 AK's, and 1 AO sunk and another AK damaged and beached; enemy plane losses are 44 Zeros and 5 floatplanes; 5 Allied planes missing. Small enemy AK off Vella Lavella attacked and set on fire by a PBY. Japanese planes raid Guadalcanal for 2d successive night, dropping 11 bombs; several casualties result.

New Britain: B-25 on rcn strafes small enemy AK in Wide Bay.

New Guinea: Nineteen B-25' s bomb and strafe enemy installations in the Salamaua area, causing heavy explosion on an ammunition or fuel dump and starting fires throughout the area.

barge destroyed N of Salamaua surface units. Lae bombed at

by B-24 on rcn. 2 P-40's. RAF N.E.I.: Eight Dutch B-25's bomb

attacks Lautem, Timor, at night, hitting a fuel shipping in and starting large fires; near 's Bay area. scored on enemy vessel in harbor;

also attacked by 1 of the planes. Enemy-occupied village on Selaru I., Tanimbar Is., attacked by 2 B-24's, 1 of

also bombs and strafes small en­AK near Fak Fak, Dutch New

B-34 drops lb. bombs area SW of

•ocu.ulu!J Lagoon 1-M:onur<nr, scoring 2

Southern Europe

Sicily: Catania bombarded in morning Allied warships. Two brigades

at Fosso Bottaceto, N of R.; Axis forces counterattack

France: Airfield at Abbeville at­tacked in evening by escorted Typhoon bombers; 2 Axis planes de­stroyed.

'"'~'"".,"'"" and British troops are forced cotmtE~ra.tta·cks slightly S. Units of 30th

North Sea: Be,au·-IDC)Si1cion fighters with Spit- INr>vn·rn~t!':l~:k.

fire and Typhoon escort attack Axis convoy off Den Helder, dam­aging 2 ships; 4 enemy planes de­stroyed.

·· ... ·

continue advance toward Catania establishing 2 bridgeheads

1\,.:rl)rr.tcl.!lJ.Il~~a R. One brigade, moving N occupies Raddusa.

toward Enna en­Axis resistance near

Troops of U.S. 2d Corps ...,"~+··~~ Caltanissetta and advance along

Palermo, occupying San • :<•~"'· ... ,,.,.,,. other forces move Nand W

Canicatti; 3d Div reaches area Serradifalco.

Ca1tania bombed by force of 86 A-20's A-30's with good results. Thirty­B-25's attack same target; many scored and MT strafed; 22 A-20's 9 B-25's make night raid on

r-..CI.L&w:~.. starting several large fires. t--~L~rue:~. and Randazzo bombed by 39

; all bombs at first objec­in town, causing fires and ex­

ID.LI:>svon::;; at latter, hits scored on RR, and in center of town,result-2 fires. Randazzo also attacked B-25's, which damage RR, road,

a building. A-36's attack RR yards road junctions at Friddi, Adrano, Termini with good results. RR

at Lercara bombed and strafed; locomotives and 12 cars destroyed. 38's, on sweep over Sicily, intercept

5 JU-52's N of Palermo, shooting all of them.

1 ,..::..:....:~.=,::_ RAF Beaufighters attack at Preveza; 3 enemy air­

left burning and 4 damaged; hits scored on slipways, barracks, and

post.

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC THEATER

Kurile Is.: Six B-24 s from Attu attack

Canton· I.-: Several Japanese planes bomb Canton I., but no damage re­sults.

Solomon Is.: Kahili airdrome and ·shipping in the Buin area heavily at­tacked by force of 21 B-24's, 18 TBF's, and 17 SBD's covered by 134 fighters; approximately 90 tons of bombs ,.,.,,._,..,,"'"'~

on AA positions, runway, dispersal ·----areas, and shipping; 1 AK sunk and 2 DD' s and another AK damaged; 21 int:er-lbrnaa,~a cepting Zeros destroyed for loss of 10 of our planes. On New Georgia I., Allied troops attack enemy prepared positions near Munda airdrome, under cover of MG fire. Supporting ground forces, 36 SBD' s and 26 TBF' s drop 44 tons of bombs on Lambeti area and gun positions N of Munda strip. Allied PT~s intercept 6 Japanese DD' s off W

11"11·mmou· int:erceptioq coast of Kolombangara I. before dawn; 1 of the DD' s receives a torpedo hit. Later, 3 enemy DD' s, possibly from the above group, sighted close inshore off NW Kolombangara and subsequently at-tacked by U.S. DD's; hits scored on all 3 DD's, 1 of which is probably de1;tr,:wf'd:l returning Allied vessels ineffectively attacked by enemy planes, of which 1 is destroyed.

New Britain: Small enemy AK bombed and sunk near C. Orford by 3 B-25' s, which also strafe barges along coast towards Gasmata and unsuccessfully attack large SS S of Gasmata.

New Guinea: Allied ground forces ad­vance to S shore of Tambu Bay (S of Salamaua); enemy withdraws from 2 posts on Mt. Tru;nbu, leaving 79 dead;

.ruo.LJ:JL<vu15-,o.vJ.lf5"'.l1Allied losses light. Six A-20's bomb and thoroughly strafe enemy positions in the Bobdubi area. Coastal targets S of Salamaua bombed and heavily strafed by 7 B-25' s. Single rcn plane bombs Salamaua, causing heavy explosions, possibly on ammunition dUIIlp, while another bombs the airdrome area. Ten strafing passes made over Komiatum

"'""Jl.tUJ1t:;.1 area by an A-20 on rcn. Six P-38' s intercept force of 40-50 enemy planes between Lae and Salamaua; without loss to themselves, Allied planes destroy 2 enemy fighters, probably destroy 4, and damage 2.

In Dutch New Guinea, 2 RAAF Hudsons bomb Kaukenau.

N.E.I.: Celebes: Thirteen B-24's bomb Makassar at night, starting fires visible for 80 mL

Australia: RAAF Spitfires shoot .. 1 of 2 enemy rcn planes wg;r. Darwin

area. ). ;; ~t, ~}·~~ .,\

Southern Europe

19 ..

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER

East Atlantic: SS Incomati (British cargo ship, 7,369 tons) torp. and sunk at 03-09 N, 04-15 E.

ASIATIC THEATER

Burma: Shweli bridge bombed by night of 19/20, 9 B-25' s, which against Allied positions in damage N and S area; attacks are repulsed with heavy approaches. One losses to the enemy. Supporting ground B-25 and 8 P-40's forces, 20 TBF's and 18 SBD's bomb bomb and strafe Japanese positions N of Munda strip, Sumprabum, de- startin~ a fire. In the Bairoko area, stroying 2 u .... ,,~~'~"o'"'~ 18 SBD s and 19 TBF' s attack targets Four P-40's attack designated by ground forces, and 8 B­

at Nsopzup; 25's strafe beach area. At Pakoi Bay, N abutment dam- NW Vella Lavella I., 2 enemy barges aged by 2 near are set on fire durL'1g night attack by 4

l""''ll"'"""' plant at 1uc""JJ''"v"'5' scoring 6

in target area. China: Six Jap­-planes raid

Tsingyun, 40 mi. NW of Canton; re­sults unreported.

Allied fighters. In the Bougainville 6 B-17's bomb Kahili during early ing, while 2 others bomb Ballale; large fire started at the latter; an additional B-17 is missing. Shortly afterwards, 7 B-25's bomb Ballale, starting 2 fires. Two Allied heavy bombers unsuccess­fully .attack 5 enemy floatplanes at Rekata.

New Guinea: To date, 280 Japanese have been killed during clashes in Mt. Tambu area. In support of ground action, 7 RAAF A-20's attack Komiatum area. B-25 on rcn in the Salamaua area destroys 40' of bridge at mouth of

Francisco R. Dispersal area at Finschhafen bombed by B-24 on rcn.

/

POLITICAL, ECONOMIC,

· PSYCHOLOGICAL

Italy: Allied ombing of Rome

results in panic and confusion among the people of the city. In a letter to the Vicar General of Rome, Pope Pius XII ex-

regret damage t.:au:s·..:u1

the bombing. Russia: For­

mation of the National Com­mittee of Free Germany in Russia is an­nounced. The

IULH.LIV"'"' Of the organization is said to be the overthrow of the Hitler regime. The establishment of the committee is believed to be of considerable importance both as an immediate propaganda move and as an in­fluence on later political moves.

19

·'··

. Russia: Russians launch minor at­tacks on Mius front, S of Izyum, and SW of Voroshilovgrad; emy reports failure of these attacks although Soviets claim to have im­proved their posi­tions. Moscow announces success­ful counterattacks in Belgorod area, claiming gains of about 6 mi. In Orel sector, Red Army advances, particularly inN where they occupy Mtsensk and Bolkhov; forces E of Ore! occupy about 20 places, including RR stations of Arkhangelskoye and Voroshilovo; progress S of Orel is slowed by violent Nazi counterattacks.

Berlin announces that, during night, German light naval forces,.shetled . Sovi~t supply ports on Sea of Azov and

ons ~long front; 1

patrol vessel re­Ported sunk and another set afire.

Soviet aircraft

Southern Europe

(Cont'd) aircraft damaged; many large

explosions result. Forty o::J.J.J.UI"-"~'u"' make night raid on

1'-''"-IJ<.J<.u<.;uJ.J.J.u airdrome, starting numer­. 3 attack Aquino, 2,

1, Naples, and 1, area NW . Nine RAF Liberators and

J.O.Cuuca.x:es bomb Vibo Valentia airdrome, of 19/20; fires started among

...,uuu.uJ.1~.,,· hits scored in hangar area orne surface.

-~~,c..: Island attacked, night of over 20 enemy bombers; no

damage results .

Sicily: In Simeto R. area, enemy counterattacks halt progress of 13th Corps toward Catania. Allied troops occupy Enna in morning. U.S. forces move steadily toward Pale.'?mo and W along the coast from Agrigento.

Fifty-six P-40' s with bombs, on sweep over W Sicily, attack RR yards at Partinico; buildings hit, near misses scored on tracks and cars; gun positions and transport strafed. Light bombers, on armed rcn during night, bomb Randazzo, starting several fires; vehicles in Pancallo area str::Ued. Twelve B-25's, dispatched to attack Troina, bomb Cerami in error; good results obtained. Seventeen Beau­fighters on shipping sweep strafe 5 barges; 1 explodes; 2 Beaufighters l-..1alta-based Mosquitos attack MT and RR cars during night.

Enemy planes make night raid on Augusta; SS Empire Florizel (British cargo ship, 7,056 tons) and SS Fort Pelly (British cargo ship, 7,131 tons) sunk; SS Ocean Virtue damaged.

Sardinia: Monserrato airdrome ·bombed by 17 Allied planes; dispersed aircraft hit; 5 Axis planes intercept and all are shot down. Forty-eight P-38's attack Decimomannu airdrome; hits scored among dispersed aircraft; of 12 enemy planes attempting to inter­cept, 5 are shot down.

Italy: Seventy-two escorted B-25's bomb Montecorvino airdrome; hangars, buildings, telegraph station, dispersed aircraft hit, resulting in fires and ex-

IUJ.oo:sJ.ml:::; 2 B-25's lost. Vibo Valentia •aJY'a·Y'mTJA attacked by 73 B-26's with escort of 73 P-38's; entire target area covered with bombs; 1 escort plane lost. Same target bombed by 8 Allied planes, which start large fires in hang-ar area and small fires around field. Thirty-six Wellingtons bomb Crotone

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC THEATER

Burma: Total of 11 B-25's and 5 B-24's, in 3 at­tacks on Myitnge RR bridge, hit center span and N approach, pessibly hit number 3 span, and straddle the length of the bridge with bombs; smoke hampers observation of re­sults; 4 B-25's slightly damaged

AA fire. Mu bridge is target 3 B-25's, which

hits and near Total of

s attack inN Burma; of RR track

to idge de-

; rice mill Mc•ga<mg prot­

damaged by 3 misses;·at

IOLL!HU~ •OI.UI..U.ll 2 build

Ellice Is.: Three Japanese bombers raid Funafuti during early morning; no damage or casualties result.

Solomon Is.: Allied northern force on New Georgia I. advances on Bairoko, reaching point 300 yards from E bank of Bairoko Harbor; heavy fire from en­emy artillery and heavy weapons forces our troops to withdraw to positions 500 yards E. Force of 500-600 Japanese massed on W side of Bairoko Harbor. In the Munda area, 36 SBD' s attack en­emy positions NW of Lambeti. About

U.S.: At a press 20 conference in Washington, D. C. Vice Admiral Frederick J. Horne, Vice Chief of Naval Oper-ations, says ''we are planning material and for a war that will last at least until 1949." Atthe

midnight, 19/20, Japanese surface force same conference consisting of 3 CL's, 6 DD's, and 2 Secretary Knox AP' s observed off Vella Gulf; 2 AP' s the nation and 3 DD' s withdraw from the fv~ .•uo,.J.,JJ.J.1a.5 .,.u.•.:. and head towards Vila, leaving the remaining vessels as cover; B-17' s, B-25's, TBF's and SED's attack the 2 groups throughout the night and in the morning, with the following results; 1 enemy CL and 2 DD' s sunk, 1 DD prob­ably sunk, 1 DD and 1 AP hit; 2 B-25's Hitler and

2 TBF' s missing. Shortly after mid- 1J.vJ.'"'"'>v~J.J.J.J. night, 19/20, 18 B-24's raid Kahiii, causing 4 fires and an explosion; same planes drop 10 500-lb. bombs on Ballale; enemy night fighters intercept 7 of the B-24's; 1 enemy twin-engined fighter destroyed, while 1 B-24 is lost.

New Ireland: Allied rcn plane attacks 2 enemy AK s Viith planes on deck about 120 mi. NE of Kavieng; 1 of the ships is left burning. RAAF Beaufort on rcn is intercepted near C. St. George by 4 hostile fighters, 1 of which is probably destroyed.

21 Aleutian Is.: Weather limits Kiska missions to 1, consistirlg of 9 B-24's from Adak; 27 tons of bombs dropped on North Head, mairl camp, Salmon Lagoon runway, and Little Kiska; hits scored· irl all tar­get areas; AA fire damages 2 B-24's.

_,-._

-~· ..

Southern Europe

(Cont'd) lrrlrnml", night of 20/21; hangars and

puuarn~[s left burning; pyrotechnic eXIPJ.CKie:s;· fires started

;,,.,,,.,.,,,.., aircraft. Naples m!trs:ha:llirlg objective of night raid by

c.u.J.li~~·vJLi<>," target area covered; large started.

Russia: Soviets Sicily! Forces on Catania front en-agairl report im- gaged irl heavy fightirlg. Canadians proved positions capture Assoro and.begirl closirlg irl on S of Izyum and SW Leonforte from 3 sides; 1 brig by-of Voroshilovgrad, passes the town and advances several although Germans miles along road to Agira. Americans claim to have re- push Nand NW, occupyirlg Alimena and pulsed all Vallelunga, and NW from Mussomeli to Russian attacks. Prizzi. In W, units drivirlg to Marsala Red Army appears and Trapani capture S. Margherita and to be gaming Castelvetrano. further ground irl Troirla attacked by 11 Allied planes; Belgorod area. hits scored irl center of town, on road, Moscow announces military irlstallations, and troops. substantial gairls A-20's, durirlg night, bomb transport irl Orel sector, re- irl central Sicily and Randazzo. portirlg capture of Italy: Allied cruisers and DD's bom-40 irlhabited places bard Crotone; chemical works hit; by units N of Orel, several fires started around harbor; and 50 places by opposition encountered. those E of the Grosseto airdrome bombed by 77 B-town. 17's, which drop 143 tons of explosive; ~.;.yansk, Ore!, admirlistrative buildirlgs damaged and

,....,_,,_r,_c,, • ..,. bombed several fires started. Welllngtons aircraft make night attack on Capodichirlo air­

•'rt,,,.;;no- night; many drome and Salerno marshallirlg yards and "'"""-~~''"'1vu;:o 1 with excellent results.

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC THEATER

_,_ ... '*

(Cont'd) (Cont'd) , opportunity from A-20's bomb and strafe camp area' at Hankow to Ichang, and nearby trails; 1 A-20 exploding boilers lands in Morobe Harbor. Logui, of 2 large river the Salamaua area, raided b¥ single tugs and destr 25. During night, Allied PT s sink 5 2 water tanks and barges S of Finschhafen. Over 40 2 locomotives. attack targets in the Madang-Tengchung succ.es::7fl::l,ogaaJim area, includL."lg airdrome, fully bombed by 4 and villages; large fires and P-40' s. result and part of the Gogel R.

Burma: Five B-24 s drop 12 tons of bombs on mines, damaging plant and water installations, RR, and town. Nine B-25' s attack en­emy shipping at Katha, hitting at least 3 river boats 1 of which is set on fire, and prob­ably damaging other craft with near misses. Nsopzup and Namti bridges bombed by 4 P-40' s each, covered by other P-40' s; 4 of the planes bomb and

destroyed. Five B-25's attack !'''-""'"'"''~"="'" airdrome, starting large

Several native huts at Bena Bena oyed during morning attack by for­

JLua.L>.uu of 9 enemy bombers escorted by · Allied rcn bomber inter-

in same area by 9 enemy fighters which are destroyed and a 3d prob­destroyed; Allied plane is shot

Enemy DD and AK off Sarong, Dutch New Guinea, bombed with unobserved

sults by 2 B-24's . . E.I.: Timor: C. Chater airdrome,

, and Lautem bombed before dawn of 7 Dutch B-25's, while 7

.au.''"~''"~ attack Koepang town and area; fires and explosions

'"''u.''"'u at all targets.

Solomon Is.: Allied units on New Georgia I., after orderly withdrawal in Bairoko Harbor area, are digging in for defense of Enogai and Rice Anchorage. Supporting ground forces, total of 250 Allied planes, consisting of 90 SED's, 84 TBF's, and 22 B-25's escorted by 54 fighters, carry out heaviest air attack date in the SW Pacific, dropping 133 of bombs on enemy positions at Bairoko Harbor and strafing the area; MG posi­tion silenced and 5 fires observed. Fifteen Japanese dive bombers and 40-50 fighters raid Rendova during the afternoon; slight damage and a few casualties result from hit on an LST; 8 intercepting F4U's destroy 2 enemy fighters; 1 F4U missing. During the night, Allied PT's intercept 4 enemy barges in Vella Gulf and set 2 of them on fire.

New Britain: strafe supply dump uv.u•~'"'"'­at Kadrangyang. Raid on Wuntho RR yards by 6 B-24's is unsuccessful ,, due to mechanical difficulties of lead plane; 5 hits scor1"dlirhc> ,._r""'''"''' ·2'i"J\'l='':;,.<y,~u.•~t;o.J(<.o.c~~J on village. RAF effectively raids

North Africa: Geaeral Charles de Gaulle, in an interview, says that a liberated France will not permit a dictatorship and that the Fighting French will not become a "national party."

France­Venezuela: Venezuela recog­nizes the French Committee of National Liber­ation.

21

22 Aleutian Is.: Under favorable weather con­ditions, Allied naval force, con­sisting of 2 BB' s, 5 cruisers, and 9 DD's, heavily

Kiska, , ........ "'North Head, South Head, main camp, Gert­rude Cove, Little

and the SS

'•·!,.

Russia: Local engagements con­tinue S of Izyum; Soviets claim re-

of an enemy counterattack on 1 sector of this front. Russian tr.oops N of Orel occupy Bolkhov, NW of Mtsensk; Moscow announces an advance of almost 5 mi. on this front. report unsuccess­ful Soviet attack S of Lake Ladoga.

-:·

Southern Europe

Sicily: Canadians capture Leonforte after desperate enemy resistance. U.S. 45th Div occupies Valledolma

Alia. Third Div advances from occupies Corleone, and moves to Marineo, driving toward

l"'l'l.:llla.n capital; Palermo in hands of . troops by evening. Americans in

Sicily fan out in 3 directions, moving Marsala, Trapani, and

Adrano, Paterno, and ~tf!-rh,i::!t1r.n attacked by 95 medium

fighter bombers destroy 65 uctm<LK!:l many others on

Sardinia: Forty-eight p.:4o' s strafe emplacements, RR stations, and

buildings at La Maddalena, set on factories at Villasor; of 25 enemy

encountered, 17 are shot down; s fail to return. Foggia bombed by 71 B-17's,

ui::l..w"·~'>"' industrial and RR in­JSc!:t..W:t.tl<)ns and start fires in

repair shops; 12 Axis aircraft attack; 1 B-17 shot down. Fifty

-26's with escort of 70 P-38' s Salerno bridge and RR yards; bridge, cement plant, repair

; fires and explosions result. j.t:Sa,tti]pa€:1ia RR installations bombed by

,<-,..~·...+,,,., B-25' s, which hit tracks, rr,,n,•"Fnrrr,.,.,. stations, warehou-ses, and

of 5 enemy planes en-2 shot down. Night of 22/23,

lk-'L''ctl.:'Lll.:;:ua di Mare airdrome bombed ; target area covered

bombs, resulting in numerous is target for successful night 23 Wellingtons.

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC THEATER

(Cont'd) ITT>U.Jnn,s. river !Shipping, and RR

Akyab, -~ •• ,.,.~,_, and near

llVli:u:m,i:I.J.C:LY ; 7 loco­s destroyed

vicinity of Alon, of Mandalay.

(Cont'd) enemy planes engaged by P-38's,

destroy 19 of them, probably de­ll, and damage 2; 2 P-38's lost.

B-26' s attack waterfront and barges La,e; explosions result among build­

and in supply dump area. m::;cnnaJ:en airdrome attacked by B-24

Nine enemy bombers with bomb Allied positions N of l'la;~sacl.ll

RAAF Hudsons attack Kaukenau, New Guinea, hitting building and areas. : Penfoei airdrome (Timor)

bomt>ed-du early morning by 4 RAAF on rcn is intercepted

Makassar, Celebes, by 4 enemy 2 of which are destroyed and

lan,ott1er damaged.

Ellice Is.: An estimated 3 or 4 flights at Ywataung and of Japanese bombers attack Funafuti Sagain~ attacked by early morning hours, causing a 6 B-24 s, which casualties; 2 enemy bombers shot drop more than 13 tons of bombs; direct hits scored on yards at Ywataung and roll­ing stock and yards heavily dam-aged at Sagaing, lfi<•ht~>r•::.

where smoke rises 1,000'. Eight B-25' s drop more than 15 tons of bombs on cotton mills at Myingyan, hitting mills and oilier buildings; Alon bombed with unobserved results by 1 B-25 fro:m fue group. Six P-40' s attack bridge at Nsopzup, severely damaging ~>+'~"T""" it with direct hits on center and at S end. Three P-

Italy: According 22 to Berne reports, 150,000 persons are leaving Rome daily to escape

23 ..

Southern Europe

France-Belgium: Russia: Soviet Sicily: Patrols of 13th Corps make Transport inN troops attack in slight gains in Catania sector. U.S. France and .oe:~15•cu•4 Kuban, claiming troops continue drive N of Erma and attacked by total slight gains SW of occupy Petralia; 45th Div advances N of 23 Mustangs, Krasnodar although toward Termini while other units cut Spitfires, and enemy reports the coast road W of town. Marsala, Hurricanes; 12 attack as u . .u.ou.'''"""'""1 Trapani, and Castellamare captured by locomotives and 6 ful. Local engage- forces in W end of island. barges destroyed ments on Mius Forty-eight Baltimores and A-20's or damaged; 2 front and S of attack Misterbianco and Randazzo,

stations in Izyum continue scoring hits on roads and buildings. Belgium success- as Soviets attempt Thirty-seven P-40' s attack radar fully bombed by to break through station at Ustica I.; building and tower Bostons. German lines in shattered. Radar station at Favignana

lower Donets area. I. also attacked. Axis convoy attacked Nazis c NW of Guardia by Beaufighters on in Belgorod area, shipping patrol; 1 merchant ship sunk, but Russians claim 1 left in sinking condition, 2 escort to have repulsed vessels set on fire, and an enemy them. Red Army plane destroyed. A-36's destroy 10 en-continues to ad- emy barges off C. Orlando. vance on Orel Italy: Leverano. airdrome bombed by front, meeting 70'B-17's; 207 tons of bombs dropped stiff resistance N throughout target area; of 20 Axis of the town where planes attempting interception, 12 are enemy launches destroyed. Crotone airdrome attacked fierce, but un- by 72 escorted B-26' s, which drop 105 successful, tons of explosive; buildings, hangars, attacks. Berlin runways, revetments damaged; 10 announces repulse parked aircraft hit. Fifty-three B-25's of Soviet attacks S with escort of 71 P-38's attack Aquino of Lake Ladoga. airdrome; 18 grounded planes destroy-

ed or damaged. Three B-24' s and 9 Halifaxes make night raid on Reggio di Calabria airdrome; fires started along perimeter of field and a large fire S of airdrome. Night attacks also made on San Giovanni and Salerno; 35 Wellingtons score hits, causing fires RR sidings, docks, and ferry slips at first target; at second, RR junction,

on, and bridge damaged. Crete: Total of 8 Baltimores, 93

Hurricanes, and 7 Beaufighters attack installations on Crete; camps near Nikolas, traffic near Neagrolis and Paraskais, roads, c_amps, tents, and trucks between Heraklion and Tymbaki attacked; ammunition dump blown up, uu..L<uu,5,.,, cars, and power station at

and wireless station at Selino

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER

Indian Ocean: SS Pegasus (Swedish tanker, 9,583 tons) sunk by SS 600 mi. E of Durban.

ASIATIC THEATER

(Cont'd) slightly damaged by AA fire. RAF. continues to attack enemy river and coastal shipping with good results; Japanese monsoon quarters in Akyab area bombed.

Burma: Enemy river shipping in

Mandalay area ed by 9 B-

25's, which score misses or

11-''"'""•uJ.<:; hits on 6 large boats and start fire in area at docks. Eight B-25' s attack Japanese supply center at'Myingyan, causing explosion

U.LJ.UVV<:;U by fires;

Province, attacked by of enemy

totalling 38 and 25

; field is of com-for esti­

period of 1 Ten minutes

1st wave at-

(Cont'd) , docks, and RR installations;

fires result from direct hits. villages on Selaru I., Tanimbar

bombed and strafed by 2 Dutch B-

Solomon Is.: On New Georgia I., Jap­anese are digging in along NE side of Bairoko Harbor. Two eremy planes bomb Allied positions at Enogai Inlet before dawn, causing a few casualties. Ground forces in the Munda area are supported by 16 SED's, which bomb gun positions; 1 SBD forced down off Ren­dova I. for mechanical reasons. Dur­ing night, Allied PT' s attack enemy barges loaded with supplies off W Kolombangara I., sinking 1 and damag­ing 2. In a surprise attack on Rekata Bay, 15 SED's and 12 B-25's escorted by 16 P-40's drop 9 tons of bombs, starting several fires.

New Britain: Eight B-25' s escorted 10 P-40' s destroy 12 enemy barges and damage 13 others in vicinity of C. Busching arid along N shore of Huon Gulf (New Guinea). Three other Jap­anese barges damaged off S coast of New Britiain by 2 RAAF Beaufighters. RAAF PBY on rcn strafes dispersal area at C. Gloucester.

New Guinea: Allied mortar fire 216 Japan~se to withdraw from position near Orodubi during afternoon. Five enemy barges near Saidor bombed and strafed by RAAF PBY on rcn; 1 is sunk and the others forced ashore; enemy­occupied villages on Huon Peninsula also strafed. Twelve B-24' s and 13 B-17's drop over 60 tons of bombs on en­emy installations in the Bogadjim area, causing large fires; 12 escorting P-38' s engage 20 intercepting enemy fighters, destroying 6 and probabl1 de­stroying 2; 1 P-38 lost. Six B-26 s,

bombing Voco Ft., Lae, are inter­cepted by group of 7-9 enemy fighters; in ensuing combat, 1 B-26 is damaged and crash lands on return. Malolo Village in the Salamaua area attacked 7 B-25' s escorted by 26 P-38' s; fires and explosions result and buildings are ~>~1trr>VP!rl' P-38's engage about 60 en-

~~y7 ~~!~~~~~~:~~rat~fad{'[ 5; 1 P-38 lost in combat and

ll:UJ.uLrrt:a· crashes o sea. TGwn area of

~--------~--------------.

U.S.: President 23 Roosevelt, in a press conference, states that Rome was bombed to save American and British lives after the Italians failed to declare it an open city.

24 Aleutian Is.: Ten missions of P-40' s, totalling 62, drop a.pprox­imately 15 tons of bombs on Kiska targets, concentrating on the runway; many hits scored on runway and near gun positions; main camp, run­way, North Head, and Little Kiska also strafed; AA fire destroys 1 P-40 and slightly damages 2 others.

West Atlantic: SS Henzada (British cargo ship, 4,161 tons) sunk by SS at 25-20 s, 40-00 W. SS Fort Chilcotin (British cargo ship, 7,000 tons) sunk by SS at 15-03 S, 32-35 w.

Southern Europe

(Cont'd) Kastelli strafed and machine-gunned; a causeway at Spinalonga Bay, factory at Hierapetra, and shipping in Mirabella Bay hit; 13 Hurricanes and 5 Baltimores fail to return.

Norway: Russia: Local Sicily: Canadians, after fierce fight-Aluminum plant engagements con- ing, capture Nissoria, .E of Leonforte. at Heroya (70 mi. tinue SW of U.S. troops occupy Gangi in drive SW of Oslo) is Krasnodar on Mius toward Nicosia. ·Forces along coast target for front, and in middle occupy Termini; troops in Wend of ful raid by 180 B- Donets. Moscow Sicily carry out mopping up operations. 17' s, which drop announces that, A-36's carry out 80 bombing and 417 tons of bombs; in Belgorod area, strafing missions against coastal direct hits scored Russian forces craft and MT on coast roads j Italian on units composing have restored their cruiser set on fire and 2 DD s hit at 2 plants for the positions as they ina. Night of 24/25, 20 B-25's manufacture of were before the 4 A-20's bomb Milazzo, starting chemicals result- German offensive fires, and A-20's attack MT and ing in fires which began July 5. in Orlando area. throughout instal- The Red Army, ad- Bologna RR yards bombed by lations. Enemy vancing !3 of Orel, 125 tons dropped in target fighters offer weak . captures Zm.iyevka, in fires and a large explosion. opposition to at- 22 mi. S of the escorted B-25' s and 36 es-tack; 11 shot down, city. Germans B-26's make simultaneous at-1 probably, and 4 claim frustration of on Marina di Catanzaro and damaged; mod- major Russian at- di Paola RR yards; sheds, erate AA fire en- tacks S of Lake stock, and yards damaged; 25 countered; 1 B-17 Ladoga. planes encountered at latter, 2 lost. Forty-five German Air Force are shot down and 2 probably; 2 B-1 7' s attack carries out exten- 26's destroyed. port area of sive operations in Leghorn bombed during night by 33 helm, dropping 102 support of ground returning from North tons of bombs; troops. to bases .in England; bombing naval installations, concentrated and fires started buildings, quays, target area. and shipping RAF Beaufighters make day-severely damaged, on Kalamata airdrome, dam-resulting in wide- administrative buildings and run-spread fires; gas ; Kyparissia also attacked. works set on fire; of intercepting enemy planes, 6 ,.-·~· -0 .. , .• 'c•

destroy~,d,. · . and .. 3

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC THEATER

(Cont'd) emy bombers and 40 fighters 30 mi. S of Lingling, forcing bombers to jettison their

Total en­losses as re­of interception

of Lingling and at are: 5

and9 destroyed,

llrrlllHI-:-< and 12

(Cont'd) Salamaua bombed by B-24 on rcn.

N.E.I.: Timor: Four RAAF Hudsons bomb Viqueque, scoring hits on build­ings. During the night, 4 Dutch B-25' s bomb Lautem and Fuiloro, while 4 others raid Koepang area; fires result at all targets. Dilli also attacked at night, by 4 RAAF Hudsons, which start large fires.

Solomon Is.: Prisoners report that Ta~~~]r::Eeiiiinfrrl orcements from Vila

at Sunday Inlet, SW of Harbor, New Georgia L Dur­

ing early morning, Allied APD's with DD cover unload supplies at Enogai and

Akyab, but 6 evacuate wounded; DD shells enemy believed scorEd positions at Bairoko and on Kolombang­

target area; at ara I. Allied positions at Enogai in-2 large effectively bombed by 3 hostile planes.

from Force of 37 TBF' s and 36 SBD' s es-corted by 48 P-40' s bombs enemy positions in Bairoko area, dropping 55

of bombs. In the Munda area, 18 SBD's and 16 TBF's, with 22 fighters as escort, bomb enemy gun positions on Bibolo Hill; 1 TBF lost.

New Brits.in: Seven B-25' s attack en­emy barges concentrated in vicinity of C. Busching, blowing up an oil barge and setting 2 other barges and a launch on fire; villages in the area also uu.rnL•o::u and strafed.

New Guinea: Lae airdrome is target for 60 tons of bombs dropped by 15 B-24' s; heavy explosions and fires result. Eleven enemy bombers escorted by 10 fighters raid Bena Bena; no damage re­ported.

Aroe Is.: Enemy seaplane base at Taberfane strafed by 12 RAAF Beau­fighters, which damage 3 beached sea­planes; hostile floatplanes intercept and 1 Beaufighter is missing.

Italy: In a 24 special radio message, Pope Pius denies Axis claims that he has protested to the American Govern­ment against the bombing of Rome.

';·-··

25 Aleutian Is.: Total of 40 P-40's, in 7 mis­sions, drop 10 of bombs on AA batteries at North Head and Kiska runway; hits scored on runway and near AA positions; Little Kiska and gun emplacements at North Head strafed and fires started at the former.

\.-

Germany; Force of 123 B-1 7' s dis­patched to attack Hamburg, but smoke from raid of preceding night is so dense that 32 bombers are compelled to at­tack targets of opportunity in vicinity; remainder bomb aircraft engine factory and submarine building yards at Hamburg; AA fire and fighter opposition intense; 24 Axis aircraft shot down, 9 prob­

and 7 dani-15 Allied.;

Southern Europe

Russia: Enemy Sicily: Troops in Catania. sector asserts that carry out patrolling activity only. strong Soviet at- Axis forces between Leonforte and tacks at the Kuban Agira fiercely oppose attempts of bridgehead are troops to advance and launch strong repulsed. Oper- counterattack during night. U.S. ations in Donets forces occupy Cefalu, on the coast, in Basin and on Mius drive to threaten enemy's right flank. front diminish to Mopping up operations in W Sicily patrol activities. continue. Russians continue Allied planes concentrate on enemy to advance in Orel communications and transport through-sector,.actively out the day, damaging roads and build-supported by Soviet ings at Troina, destroying 1 building Air Force; the and da.."'l.aging others at Regalbuto. southern units cap- During night, 31 B-25's and A-20's at-ture several in- tack Milazzo; many fires result in habited pll:ic,:es, in- town and harbor. Spitfires intercept a eluding Glazunovka; formation of about 30 JU-52's in Poponoy, . Messina area and shoot down 21;

Narykovo NE of Beaufighters, on interception patrolS are also of Sicily, attack formation of 25 A.·'!:is ied. Nazis bombers, destroying 6 JU-88's. Light

dwma.ge<:i.·--- again report strong, make 83 sorties against tar-unsuccessful Soviet at Adrano, Cerami, Troina, and

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC THEATER

(Cont'd) RAF

i Province, are intercepted

Allied fighters destroy 7 of

enemy force; P-38 destroyed.

Force of 9 B-25' s escorted

17 fighters bombs Hankow air­drome, hitting dis­persal and shop areas, hangars,

Wake I.: Eight B-24' s raid Wake I. during morning; 1 500-lb. bomb and 330 30-lb. fragmentation bombs hit target area; of 20-30 enemy planes in­tercepting, 9 are destroyed, 4 probably destroyed, and 5 damaged; attack op­posed by heavy AA fire; 2 B-24's lost (1 in combat), 4 badly damaged by AA fire, and 2 slightly damaged.

Solomon Is.: Allied forces launch final drive on Munda, New Georgia I., starting with bombardment of enemy positions by 7 Allied DD' s at 0607 L; shore batteries, which at first return fire, are later silenced. Lambeti­Munda area receives a pulverizing at­tack by force of 250 Allied planes, comprising 53 SBD's, 52 TBF's, 32 B-24's, 24 B-25's, and 10 B-17's ,.,, ........ ,,.;.,n~ by 79 fighters; over 186 tons of bombs dropped, making this the heaviest air attack to date in the S W Pacific; 1 B-24 missing. Ten B-24's covered by 30 fighters bomb gun positions on Bibolo Hill, N of Munda. Gun positions NE of Munda b

Italy: Benito Mussolini resigns as head of the Italian Govern-

25

\'

Southern Europe

(Cont'd) P-40' s and 84 A-36's carry out

lbomo,mg and strafing missions during : merchant ship at Catania P-40's; A-36's score hits on

temJw:;te::;, docks, and merchant at Milazzo.

Malta: About 25 enemy bombers at­tack Malta, causing slight damage to buildings in harbor area; 6 of the at­tacking planes shot down, 1 probably, and 2 damaged.

Mediterranean: SS Fishpool (British cargo ship, 4,950 tons) sunk by Axis aircraft off Syracuse.

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC

THEATER

(Cont'd) revetments; no opposition en­countered. In Hunan. Province, Chihkiang and

attacked 18

(Cont'd) troops advance against Japanese posi­tions E of Munda, making gains varying from 200 yards on left to 500 yards on right; 1 Bn, flanking enemy positions on N, reaches the sea about 1 1/2 mi. E of Munda. Enemy planes ineffectively bomb Rice Anchorage and Enogai during early morning. On Rendova I., Allied positions bombed and strafed by force 30 enemy dive bombers escorted by 30 fighters; 29 Allied fighters intercept, shooting down 8 Zeros; 2 P-39's and 2 F4F' s lost in combat and 2 other F4F' s are operational losses. Vila airdrome on Kolombangara I. bombed by 2 PBY's on rcn. Allied positions at Oliana Bay, Vangunu I., unsuccessfully bombed by enemy aircraft before dawn. Seven Zeros attack Allied rcn plane over

ougainville I.; 1 of the enemy planes down by the rcn plane and the

driven off by P-40's. B-24 on enemy convoy W of Buka and

1a.cca.c'"""' 1 of the vessels, a 7 ,000-ton AK, scoring near misses on it.

New Britain: Small enemy AK 6ff C. left stationary and on

of attack by 2 RAAF

New Guinea: From June 30 to date, casualties in Salamaua area re­as 1,084. Finschhafen area

•uu'll"'"''"' by single B-24 on rcn. During ,,,..ro•·"'"on, 3 enemy dive bombers in­leffec~ti,vel.v attack Allied positions at

Bay. _:;:=;:~~_:Is::::_:.: On Selaru I., enemy­

Adoet and Lingat bombed 3 RAAF Hudsons.

Southern Europe

Sicily: Patrolling continues on 13th Corps front. U.S. forces on coast

continue eastward advance. in Agira sector engage in

...... ~ ... •.u•~ while U.S. troops plunge Nicosia. Consolidation of W

of island continues. Allied planes continue attacks on

shipping and communications: attack Milazzo, Paterno, and

catLsu:Lg fires at all 3 targets "'"''~.~.~,., ... ,J ... ., at last. Formation of

bombers attacks Regalbuto and 1.v ...... ="'"''v, damaging a merchant ship at

causin~ fires and explosions .. ~~·~-·-. A-36 s hit merchant ship,

and small vessels at Messina, lhll.T'O'~!s at San Stefano. Malta-based tBc>stcJns damage roads and buildings at

Bostons and Baltimores hit RR chemical works, and station at

1.v •. u ....... ..,·v, Beaufighters, on anti-shipping attack enemy convoy off blowing up a cargo vessel, and

on fire NE of Macalena. Forty-seven P-40's, on

Sardinia, engage formation Axis aircraft; 5 enemy planes

down and 1 probably. : Marina di Paola bombed by 13

..... -"""",.-with escort of 36 P-38's; observed on buildings and

lbe~ac.he.s. Seventy-seven Wellingtons raid on Montecorvino and

I""'"'.IJ''' .......... u.Jcuv airdromes; hangars and 1aa.munst:ral:10n buildings hit; 1 fire 1ca.ust~u at former and 3 fires and ex-1!-' ... ,,., ... ,, ... at latter. Reggio di Calabria ~a1·rnt•nn1P is target for night attack by

24's and 7 Halifaxes; bombs hit ~a1·rn,~nrnA. resulting in 3 fires; 2 ex­IPl<>SicJns caused near Scilla.

· AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC THEATER

Burma: For­mation of 6 P-40' s and 1 B-25, covered by 3 P-40's, bombs Mogaung, destroy­ing 3 storage ings and starting fires in Hq area. Six other P-40' s attack Pinma, starting 1 large and several small fires, while 5 P-40's raid Tiangzup with un­observed results.

China: Five B-25' s and 12 P-40' s successfully raid Hankow air­drome, hitting re­vetment and hangar areas; 30-50 Jap­anese fighters in-

lt., .... ,...,ont and in en-suing battles 13 enemy fighters de­stroyed and 17

destroyed 1 P-40 missing and 3 B-25's slightly damaged. Kienow airfield in Fukien

by 24 en-emy bombers, which drop 28 bombs on runway.

Solomon Is.: Allied troops on New Georgia I. continue to advance slowly on Munda; by dusk, units of our ground forces have passed Tetere (2,000 yards SE of Munda); other units are reducing enemy strongpoints. Supporting ground forces, 37 TBF's and 24 SED's bomb positions N and NW of Bibolo Hill; AA fire silenced and fires started by direct hits; 2 TBF's and 2 SED's hit; 1 TBF lost. Nine B-25's escorted by 20 P-40' bomb and strafe Vovohe Cove, Kolom­bangara I., scoring direct hit on ware­house and starting 3 fires. Vila bombed during morning by 1 B-24 which fails to reach Kahili and at night by PBY on During night, Allied PT' s attack 4 en­emy barges in Blackett Strait, sinking 2 of them. Bivouac area on Simbo I. strafed during afternoon by 4 B-25' s escorted by 7 F4U's; warehouse and set on fire. Following fighter sweep over Kahili by 21 F4U's, force of 14 B-24's escorted by 35 fighters bombs Kahili in morning, hitting runway loaded with planes and bivouac area S of runway; about 30 enemy fighters in­tercept and 1 F4U is shot down. Single PBY on night rcn mission bombs enemy barges near Kahili.

New Britain: Small enemy AK off C. Cunningham strafed by 2 RAAF Beau­fighters and forced to beach. Three attacks on Gasmata area are made by B-24 on rcn. 8 RAAF Beaufighters, and 6 RAAF A-20's, respectively.

New Guinea: Lae airdrome bombed by single B-24 on rcn. Salamaua-Malolo area attacked by 10 B-24' s and 13 B-17's, which drop 67 tons of bombs; fires and explosions result from direct hits on buildings and installations. For­mation of 30-50 enemy fighters inter­cepted over Salamaua by 25 P-38's; in ensuing combat, 11 enemy planes are stroyed and 5 probably destroyed; 1 P-38 crash lands. Enemy positions in Komiatum area bombed by 18 B-24's; 70 tons of bombs dropped and heavy damage results. Allied positions in Nassau Bay area and at Salus Lake un­successfully raided during afternoon by enemy planes.

N.E.I.: At night, 5 RAAF Hudsons bomb Larat, an enemy-held village on Larat I., Tanimbar Is.; direct hits scored on buildings and jetty area. Sing~e Dut~h B-~5 make. s nighkatt~ on Vlllage m Kel Is. ~ 1\ i':t,., '~ ·

f;, f} ~~--~\ '"" ;\ ~1, '

Italy: proclaims martial law, imposes a curfew and forbids gatherings of more than 3 per­sons. A new cabinet of 17 persons is an­nounced, from which the post of Minister of the Fascist Party is excluded. Press reports a wave of anti-Fascist demonstrations following the fall of Mussolini.

B. ff'-1 ~. tf ~\ ~' .'

.. ,.,..,r~"""'L on main Little and North hits ob­

on main ; 1 B-24 by AA fire.

' d)"

points in Essex, causing slight dam age •.

East Atlantic: SS El Argentino (British cargo ship, 9,501 tons) sunk by aircraft at 39-50 N, 13-38 W.

Germany: Ham­burg is ~in tar­get for heavy night raid by RAF; 787 bombers drop 2,313 tons of HE and 1,209 tons of incendiaries with excellent results,

Russia: Germans claim repulse of

attacks in and on Mius Russians

causing Wllilei~PI'ea.uJo:~ov·le~

Southern Europe

Sicily: Heavy enemy opposition pre­vents any progress of British troops in coastal area S of Catania. Allied forces at W end of Catania plain make slight gains despite fierce opposition. Canadians, against strong resistance, reach positions overlooking Agira; town is surrounded but Axis forces stubbornly oppose its capture. Units of 45th Div capture Castelbuono;

lfn,.,. •• ,. on coast reach st. Pollina against ever-increasing resistance.

fires; AA fire intense; 2 enemy planes destroyed and 17 bombers missing.

although Axis troops entrench on heights W of l"'l!!;"'.u .. "'' heavy enemy Nicosia.

France: reports Tricqueville air- attack S of drome bombed by Ladoga 18 escorted B-26's owe ....... ,,~ than on pre-with good results; days and no enemy planes repulse of and only slight AA fire encountered. Thirty-six B-26's Carry OUt Ul'Vt::u:o:;J.'UliiPO'Vl"

British gun boats bombard RR ~-~···--·~,1 , and warehouses at Giardini at

close range during night; damage to in­stallations and several fires result.; no effective opposition encountered.

Milazzo bombed by total of 107 ostons and Baltimores; RR yards,

u•u.J.ul.<1f5"', and docks hit. Other light uuJ.llu<::H> attack Agira and fighter bm:nb,ers raid Fratello.

Force of B-17' s dispatched to Foggia satellite airdrome are in vicinity of

Dieppe. ground operations to locate target because of Low Countries:

Venturas with Spitfire escort bomb coke ovens

benzol plant at Zeebrugge;escort­ed Typhoon bombers attack fields at Courtrai and Woensdrecht.

escorted B­successfully Amsterdam/

~,UJ.p.UUJ. airfield; 4 >LHC~L'>LLL de•

3 probably damaged.

English Channel: In morning, Bri­tish light naval forces engage · .·

m:inesweepeJ,"s lersNE '.'' . 2:.'

weather conditions; 21 bomb Capua airdrome instead, damaging hangars,

1rtm1111av·s, and parked aircraft; other shit RR and !bridge at Lioni, and

at Caltri; of about 15-20 enemy , ..... , '-1=• encountered, 3 are destroyed;

17 is destroyed, 2 are missing. airdrome bombed by 61

IP.s:cortF~d medium bombers; landing damaged and several fires

l<>tal"l·<>n· many hits scored on buildings aircraft.

I?.:~E*. Four Beaufighters attack towing barge and 2 PT

SW of Me los I.; 1 PT and Italian severely damaged.

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC THEATER

China: Fifteen Wake I.: Eight B-24 D's from Midway B-24 s attack Jap- raid Wake during morning; of 36 500-lb. anese shipping in bombs and 80 fragmentation clusters Samah Bay, Ha.inan dropped, 35% of load is estimated to I.; direct hits and have hit target; 3 .500-lb. bombs hitting

;-;c:ur,.,u, W tip of Wake and the remainder falling

1.r..;Len.ow ,., 11-1 ,..," is Ji:I.LLat;Kt:u by enemy

22 hostile damage

field with 36

on Peale I.; 20-25 enemy fighters inter-(Itiillim-Ca.billet, cept, of which 7 are shot down, 5 prob­ably, and 3 damaged; AA fire heavy, accurate, and intense; 3 of our planes damaged, .but all return.

Solomon Is. : Despite strong Japanese defense positions, Allied aLl.vance on Munda continues: on the left flank, 43d Div gains 200 yards; 37th Div. reduces 1uuw"'"'"" 14 more pillboxes; on the N flank, Allied patrols are moving on Bibolo Hill. Eighteen SBD's and 34 TBF's, with heavy fighter escort, drop 35 tons of bombs on Bibolo Hill area during morning; heavy AA fire encountered, but all our planes return. Earlier in the morning, 6 B-17's bomb Kahili and Ballale, scoring many hits on Kahili strip; intercepting enemy fighters de­stroy 1 B-17.

New Britain: Two beached enemy AK' at C. C~"Ulingham set on fire during bombing and strafing attack by 4 RAAF Beauforts and 6 RAAF Beaufightel's. B-17 on rcn bombs enemy buildings on islands in the Witu Group.

New Guinea: Allied troops capture en emy position on Sugarcane Ridge (S of Orodubi); envelopment of enemy posi­tions on Tambu Peninsula starts. Single enemy plane unsuccessfully at­tacks Woodlark I. during early morning. Force of 18 B-24's and 35 B-25's raids Salamaua and nearby villages, dropping 123 tons of bombs; fires and explosions

from direct hits on. buildings, and a bridge near Kela is destroyed. Six B-26' s attack Lae, causing fires and plosions in dump area. In a sweep Huon Peninsula from Finschhafen to Pommern Bay, 17 B-25' s bomb and strafe enemy barge hideouts and strafe 8 villages; 3 · ~

u..,,;ILI"LJV 4'f:l_()ad,i§<!:Jnj!eJnf!bar(g~ ~~

27

Russia: Patrol activity only re­

~n lower Donets and Belgo­rod areas. Soviet thrust along Kursk-Orel RR captures RR station of stanovoi Kolodez, about 11 mi. SE of Orel. The N arm of the offensive "u"'u''.u''"'" very stiff enemy resistance and strong counter­attacks; Moscow reports that Nazi

sin Bolkhov threatened

encirclement, retreat. Berlin announces heavy r.u~;w .. m~; S of Lake Ladoga although Russians report only artillery ex­changes and patrol activity on Lenin­grad front.

Southern Europe

Sicily~ Artillery and mortar fire in Catania area increases. Agira cap­

by Canadians and Nicosia by . troops, which advance E and N of town. One brigade cuts across

E of Agira and pushes toward Enemy is forced to with­

draw about 5 mi. on the coast. Regalbuto attacked by 72 light ombers; town well covered by bombs;

scored on roads; large explosion Fighter planes, on anti­

shipping sweep in Messina-Catania score hits on 8,000-ton mer­ship. Fighter bombers attack Troina-Randazzo road; 30

"'"'nl''"F'"' destroyed and many damaged. night, Allied naval force

and 6 DD' s bombards

and Capodichino air­are objectives of night raid by

· both targets covered with s; large fire and explosion results

~~;::.:· Three Wellingtons make k on shipping in harbor of ; smoke observed from 2

1m,,.,.,..h::<11t ships.

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC THEATER

Bay of Bengal: Six B-24's bomb a 300-400' enemy

ssel near Port

(Cont'd) N.E.I.: Koepang, Timor, bombed at

single RAAF Hudson.

Solomon Is.: Strong enemy resistance does not prevent slight Allied progress along entire Munda line, except in ex­treme S. Japanese positions in Munda area bombed by 23 TBF' s and 36 SBD' s escorted by 47 fighters; 37 tons of bombs dropped on.Munda pt,, Gurasai, and Bibolo Hill from 2,500 ft.; 1 SBD hit by AA fire. On Kolombangara I., 23 B-25's escorted by 12 F4U's bomb and strafe Webster Cove (Vovohe), hitting buildings and trenches and start­ing 14 fires; despite heavy MG and 20-

uvJ.uucu, mm fire, all our planes return.

1a.15.a.u'"'" enemy targets and

shipping. : Taikoo

Hong Kong 1'-'V-''-'L"'''-' by 6 B-25's

9 P-40's; re­unobserved

believed good.

New Ireland: Three enemy DD's SE C. St. George unsuccessfully attacked by B-24 on rcn.

New I;3ritain: Fifteen B-25's attack emy shipping off C. Gloucester; 1 DD sunk and another DD and an AK left burning; enemy transport plane de­stroyed on the airdrome; of 13 inter­cepting enemy fighters, 2 are shot down; 1 B-25 crashes on return to base. Enemy installations and barges in Rein Bay bombed and strafed by 11 B-25's escorted by 9 P-38's; fuel dump blown up and 7 barges and 2 launches destroy­ed; of 12 intercepting enemy fighters, 6 are destroyed, 2 probably destroyed. Buildings on Unea I., Witu Is., bombed by single B-24 on rcn.

New Guinea: Allied troops occupy position 3/4 mi. SW of Orodubi; heavy casualties inflicted on enemy. Bridge at mouth of Francisco R. shelled by Allied artillery.

In Dutch New Guinea, 3 B-24's attack Manokwari, scoring near misses on small AK and on jetty.

N.E.I.: Two RAAF Hudsons bomb Penfoei airdrome, causing explosions and many fires, while 3 others start fires visible for 40-50 mi. at Koepang, Timor. Further attacks on Timor are made by 5 Dutch B-25's, 2 of which bomb Lautem and 3, C. Chater; fires started at both targets. Boela, Ceram I., is target for 6 B-24's, which bomb airdrome, workshops, dumps, and fuel tanks; numerous fires result. Three B-24's bomb Larat, Larat I., Tanimbar Is. r\ ~c~r-

;· ' .

U.S.: President 28 Roosevelt, in a radio address directed to the American and Italian people, declares: "a.u­terms to Italy are the same as our terms to German7 and Japan-- uncon­ditional sur­render'."

Representatives of the Emergency Advisory Com­mittee for Political Defense arrive in Washington. The Committee is an inter-American organization, and its delegates to Washington will consult on Axis activities in the Americas.

France: ing to a Vichy dispatch, a decree providing for the organization of the first regiment of the new Vichy Army, under the command of General Berlon, has been issued.

Italy: A Vatican broadcast beamed to Spain quotes Pope Pius XII as opposing dictatorships.

IJa~Jan,ese landing about 4 mi.

Sob aka · Kiska.

camp area Kiska is target

4 500-lb. ombs dropped by ingle B-17

ough overcast.

Germany: Heinkel aircraft factory at Warnemunde is target for 54 B-17' s which drop 119 tons of bombs with good results; attack op­posed by 12 enemy fighters and mod­erate AA fire. Ship-building yards and naval dock­yard at Kiel bombed by 168 B-1 7' s; despite ground haze and strong fighter op­position, good re­sults obtained. Total of 48 Axis planes destroyed, 8 probably, and 33 damaged; 10 Allied bombers fail to return and 57 are damaged. Forty­eight B-17' s bomb Helgoland and tar­gets of opportunity.

Night of 29/30, 782 RAF bombers drop 2,277 tons of HE and

lill'~t::l.lUld.LLI:::i::> On

,·numer merge into 1

ge conflagration; several heavy ex­plosions caused; heavy AA fire and many Axis fighter planes en,::mmtE3rEld 4 enemy aircraft shot down; 28 bombers fail to re-

Russia: Berlin announces that German light naval forces shelled Soviet tions on Mius R. front. Rcn activity reported in Donets Basin and Belgorod area. Nand S of Orel the Rea Army offensive makes slight gains, cap­turing many in­habited places. E of Orel, Russians claim repulse of enemy counter­attacks, but these appear to be delay­ing Soviet advance from this direction. Nazis report re­pulse of repeated Soviet attacks S of Lake Ladoga.

,. .,

Southern Europe

Sicily: Canadian troops moving up from SE capture Catenanuova, despite strong opposition by Germans; other Allied forces continue advance on Regalbuto. American units push along coastal road toward San Stefano.

Twelve Bostons attack Regalbuto with unobserved results; 12 Baltimores and 24 Bostons make successful raid on gun positions SW of Paterno; 22 Balti­mores bomb Milazzo. Messina attack­ed by force of fighter bombers, which scores hits on quay, ferry, and large merchant ship. RAF P-40' s bomb and strafe MT on Troina-Randazzo road; other P-40's, on anti-shipping patrol in Messina-Milazzo area, score hits on 2 Axis merchant vessels. Eight Beaufighters attack enemy convoy; 1 merchant ship left sinking, a DD and a PT set on fire.

Italy: Viterbo airdrome bombed by 56 B-17's; target covered; 42 grounded planes reported destroyed. Of 49 escorted B-26' s dispatched to attack Aquino airdrome, only 23 reach target because of weather; objective covered with bombs.

Aegean: Beaufighters attack shipping near Paros I., damaging 5 schooners.

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER

Indian Ocean: SS Cornish City (British cargo ship, ?,952 tons) sunk by SS at 27-20 S, 52-10 E.

ASIATiC THEATER

Andaman Is.: Five B-24' s bomb and strafe 3 enemy vessels near Port Blair; dock area at Chatham I. also bombed and hits scored among buildings; AA fire over Port Blair slightly damages 1 B-24.

Burma: Nine B-25 s bomb Tangon, 40 mi. N of Shwebo, destroying

factory and n ... , .•• , ___ rolling

huge fires bombing.

R. bridge, 30 W of Mandalay,

for B-25' veE and down and

span dam­InN Burma,

s bomb and enemy bases

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC· AND PACIFIC THEATERS

Solomon Is.: Allied troops advancing on Munda, New Georgia I., continue to make progress; 43d Div on left, using tanks and flame throwers, gains ground all along the front; in the center, 145th Inf repulses enemy counterattacks; on the right, 148th Inf continues to patrol toN and W. Four B-25's escorted by 8 F4U' s sink 2 enemy barges off W coast of Kolombangara I., 1 at Webster Cove and another at Hamberi Cove; same planes bomb and strafe Webster Cove area and Parapora Village at Sandfly Harbor, damaging a building and start­ing fires at the former. During the night, Allied PT' s strafe 2 enemy barges in vicinity of Meresu Cove, SW Kolombangara, possibly sinking them.

New Britain: Fifteen B-25' s escorted by 14 P-38' s, in further attacks on en­emy shipping off C. Gloucester, destroy

DD damaged and reefed on 28th and 4 barges; same force attacks shore in­stallations, silencing an AA position near strip and starting fires in camp area; 1 enemy light bomber shot down. Hostile barges concentrated in vicinity of Borgen Bay attacked by 8 B-26' s and 1 B-24; explosions result from hits; the B-24 also bombs Hq buildings at Natamo. Three Beaufighters escorted by 8 RAAF P-40' s strafe buildings and probable troops in vicinity of Arawe.

New Guinea: During early morning, Allied PT' s attack 3J enemy barges in Vitiaz Strait, sinking 7 of them. Jap­anese installations on Salamaua Isthmus and at Kela are targets for iS B-25' s, 12 B-17' s, and 12B-24' s, which drop 94 tons of bombs; AA position and a -..._ .• ._.'"''9 post destroyed and many fires started.

N.E.I.: Two small islands off SE coast of Ceram strafed during night by 2 RAAF PBY' s on rcn. In the Tanimbar Is., enemy villages and small shipping from Selaru I. to Larat I. strafed by 6 RAAF Beaufighters.

Italy: General Eisenhower broadcasts message to the Italian people offering peace proposals.

Rome radio announces the dissolution of further Fascist organizations by the new cabinet, which also promises general elections for a substitute legislative assembly to be held 4 months after the end of the war and for­bids the fOI"mcLtiCinl of new political parties.

~?~~ ,,,; '~i ;), ·~\ .,; :~!

-.:it :.~J

29

30 Aleutian Is.: Sin?le Allied DD s bombard Gertrude Cove and main camp area at Kiska before dawn; fire is not re­turned.

Germany: Aircraft factories, fabric plant, and barracks area near Kassel dam­aged in raid by 115 B-17's, which drop 300 tons of bombs; intense AA fire and strong fighter opposition en­countered. With­drawing bombers met near Emmerich by 107 P-47' s; 75-100 Axis planes en­gaged in combat; total enemy air­craft destroyed during operation are 48, 13 prob:.. ably destroyed, and 32 damaged; 11 bombers mis­sing and 75 dam­aged.

Force of 228 RAF bombers makes successful night attack on Remscheid, dropping 693 tons of explosive; only light ground de­fenses encow1tere1:1:1 15 LJIHilLJI,.,nS

missing. · '· ·c.c.

Low Countries: Twelye es.~.omed B,-26 s. bq~b-air-

Russia: claim repulse of strong attacks by Red Army forces W of Krymskaya. Enemy launches heavy tank and in­fantry attacks SW of Voroshilovgrad against positions recently captured by Soviets but Moscow announces that these are repulsed. Nazi counterattacks in Orel sector con­siderably retard Soviet advance, · although Russians claim gains of 2 1/2-6 mi. Ber­lin again reports unsuccessful Soviet attacks S of Lake Ladoga.

Southern Europe

Sicily: Thirteenth Corps shells en­emy positions along Simeto R. Canadian units push E from Catenanuova to occupy Muglia. U.S. 1st Div captures Mistretta; other American forces advance NE of Nicosia; patrols operate towards Troina. Troops in W Sicily accept surrender of Favignana, Marettimo, and Levanzo islands.

Light bombers make 143 sorties against Milazzo and Adrano; 5,000-ton merchant ship at former damaged; docks, buildings, RR yards also dam­aged and large fires started.

Sardinia: Thirty-six P-40' s carry out sweep over island; of 30-40 Axis planes encountered, 21 shot down, 5 probably, and 2 damaged.

Italy: Forty-six B-17' s bomb Grottaglie airdrome, damaging barracks and starting several fires. Practicale di Mare airdrome attacked by 72 escorted B-25's; entire target, particularly dispersal areas, covered with bombs; of 5 enemy planes ::.tt,Amnt.l

ing to intercept, 1 destroyed, 1 prob­ably, 1 damaged. Nine Halifa.xes and 2 Liberators attack RR installations at Reggio di Calabria; hits scored in bor area and on RR where explosion occurs; bursts also observed near ferry berths and underground fuel tanks.

Malta: During night, enemy aircraft drop a few bombs in NE area of Lci, .. u .... , 1 causing slight damage to service property.

AFRICA AND MlbDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC

THEATER

(Cont' d) bomb Kienow air-drome, scoring 35 hits on field. Hengyang RR station raided by 23 Japanese bombers escorted by 30 Zeros; inter-cepting P-40' s destroy 1 Zero and probably destroy 2 Zeros and 1 bomber. A 2d wave, consisting of 25 enemy bombers, approaches but

back before reaching target.

Burma: RR in- Solomon Is.: On New Georgia I., stallations and Allied troops driving on Munda make storage areas at some progress in the Sand center, but Myingyan and fail to gain ground on theN. During Pintha bombed by morning, 18 SBD' s followed by 18 total of 10 B-25's; TBF's bomb 4 gun positions on W side warehouses be- of Bairoko Harbor, scoring many hits; lieved destroyed area is also strafed. Munda pt, and at the former, and Gurasai attacked during afternoon by 36 rolling stock de- TBF's escorted by 16 F4F's; 31 hits molished at the scored in target area. At night, Allied latter. Nine B- PT' s attack and sink a 100' enemy 25's, attacking auxiliary vessel off Meresu Cove, Meiktila, score Kolombangara I. In the Bougainville direct hits on run- area, 9 B-24' s escorted by 62 fighters way and in carry out afternoon raid on Ballale; 6 storage area. Oil fires started along runway; 25 enemy installations at fighters attempt to intercept but are Chauk attacked by driven off by our fighters; 1 F4U crash-10 B-25's; many es near Gizo. RAAF Beaufort sights explosions result attacks 6 large enemy barges and an from direct hits. escort vessel about 50 mi. W of Buka; RAF attacks hit on 1 barge leaves it station~. ground targets New Britain: Four RAAF A-20 s

small shipping bomb buildings in vicinity of Gasmata in Kalemyo, and sink loaded barge off C. Dampier Shwebo, and Chauk (E of Gasmata). Unea I. in the Witu areas. Group bombed by B-24 on rcn.

China: Twenty- New Guinea: Allied troops cut main four enemy Komiatum track S of Bobdubi. Point bombers escorted overlooking enemy positions at by 9 fighters Orodubi siezed by our forces. Enemy Hengyang ,,.rl,.r•m•>'1barge concentrations in Huon Gulf area intercepting P- attacked by 9 B-25's and 9 A-20's, 40's destroy 3 sink 7 in vicinity of Hanisch Har-

. bombers and 1 bor and Mape R. At night, RAAF PBY

U.S.: President 30 Roosevelt makes public a report of the Conference on Post-War Read­justment and Military Personnel, which concerns post-war demobil-ization.

In a statement to the press, President Roosevelt says that "the United states Government that no neutral government will permit its territory to be used as a place of refuge" for Axis leaders.

Zero; 1 P-40 de~ attacks 4 barges at Finschhafen and stroyed by bomb- ombs and strafes the town. Adverse ~

ing, 1 in aerial prevents attack on Lae ~J -''Y'"""''"·•· " . .,. combat, and 2 of 24 B-24's; 48 half-ton Q.o:m1l~cijj:o~pl;'d ·,_~'

forced down be- on alternate ~;=~~~~2~j_;_~.:~;---:' ~;,.}=-·:._JLJ cause of ~

31

(Cont'd) drome at Woensdrecht with good results; of enemy aircraft attempting to inter cept, 6 destroyed, 5 probably, and 1 damaged. Escorted RAF Bc1stcms attack Schiphol airfield at Amsterdam; 3 Axis planes de­stroyed. Airfields at Courtrai and Coxyde in Belgium attacked by escorted Typhoon

Russia: Berlin Sicily: Canadian troops advance announces strong Catenanuova-Regalbuto road; 231st counterattack N of repels fierce Axis counterattack Kuibyshevo and of Regalbuto. U.S. 2d Corps claim annihilation , ... ,.~ ...... ~ E from Nicosia-Mistretta of a Soviet force in ; 1st Div captures Cerami and this area; Moscow •uuwLLL" occupy Capizzi. Units on reports repulse· of oastal road reach San stefano area. enemy counter- Randazzo bombed by 24 B-25's and attacks SW of by 24 Baltimores; 2 buildings, 1 Voroshilovgrad. explodes, are hit. Randazzo The battle in the bombed during night by 12 Orel sector is con- :Paterno and Centuripe siderably dimin- by formation of Bostons and ished. Berlin re- s with good results; 6 planes porting collapse of to return from raid on latter. Soviet attacks, and A-36's and 30 Spitfires bomb and Moscow claiming RR station at Merea, MT at slight gains. and Fratello; several gun Enemy reports silenced. Cesaro also b weaker Soviet 24 B-.25' s with Spitfire escort.

· ons s of orty-six A-20's and 24 Baltimores scorted by Spitfires bomb st. Maria

unreported results. Targets in 1.1\clramo area attacked by 11 more

ellingtons; results unobserved. embers make .light attacks on Allied

near and Randazzo.

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC THEATER

(Cont'd) gunfire.

(Cont'd) enemy dive bombers attack our

u<>J,uLm<> in the Bobdubi area during Six hostile bombers escorted

19 fighters carry out morning raid Garoka airfield in the Bena Bena

· no damage results.

Burma: Nine B- Solomon Is.: Allied force in the .oa.•ru-J Italy: Allies 25 s attack Georgia I., actively warn Italy, in a Nyaungbinwun, W to discover enemy disposi- broadcast of Mandalay, supply lines, while Japanese beamed to the scoring 5 direct lll''"'.u''""'''" ~passive defepse. Thirty- Italian people, hits on RR rolling TBF s and 35 SBD s escorted by that air raids stock. Twelve B- fighters attack enemy AA positions "will be resumed 25's, in 2 flights, Bibolo Hill, dropping 52 tons of in earnest." successfully attack •"u'.u"J"'• 1 direct hit scored; 30 Zeros Rome broadcast&,

area at , destroying 2 P-40' s. Enemy about 3 hours 1.1.>'-'"'"-'u and river positions and bivouac areas at Vila after the Allied

ing at Katha. Stanmore Plantation, NE of Vila message, that attacks are targets·for 60 tons of the Italian

stock at dropped by total of 5 B-17' s, 22 people have no and Ye-u. s, 25 SBD' s, and 22 B-25' s with 64 choice but to

as escort; 2 TBF's and 4 SBD's continue the war. by AA fire, but all our planes re- Rome announces

the resignation of Count Ciano from his post as AmbassR:~or to Mi.e~atfca.n.

. Pfess dj\>-

. patches·:sti.ce the rt;.sigriattirn of Mussolini have reported con-

31

..-:;··~.

Southern Europe

(Cont'd) Night of July 31/ August 1, Taormina

bombarded by 2 DD' s. Italy: Allied naval force of 3

cruisers and 4 DD' s bombards Vibo Valentia and Oliva during night .

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

THEATER ASIATIC THEATER

(Cont'd) ouuu1n2 destroyed at the former.

Waingapoe, Soemba I., suc:;ce!S&t various places in uu.111L1o::u by 6 B-24's; large fires Italy, particularly

in town and jetty area. Adverse at Milan, Trieste, lwF!atller prevents attack on Lautem, Genoa, Bologna,

, by 7 B-25's; 1 of the planes Turin, and Rome. ombs Wetar I.