USAAF CHRONOLOGY
OCTOBER - DECEMBER 1943
10/1/43 Eighth AF Report by intelligence section of Eighth AF shows that despite recent efforts of Allies to destroy German aircraft industry, ftr production has expanded greatly and enemy ftr strength on the Western Front has increased.
10/1/43 Twelfth AF XII BC B-26's hit comm tgts in Capua, Grazzanise, Arce, and Mignano areas. B-24's, including Hbs on DS from Eighth AF, bomb Wiener-Neustadt. B-17's, sent against airplane factory at Augsburg, fail to locate tgt, and bomb several alternate tgts and T/Os in Austria, Italy, and off Corsica and Elba. NATBF and XII A Spt Cmd Mbs, Lbs, and Fbs hit Benevento town area and M/Y, bridge at Capua, and motor transport, trains, and railroads mainly in Isernia area and N to Avezzano. British King's Dragoon Gds (with US Fifth Army) occupy Naples. British Eighth Army troops occupy Foggia A/Fs.
10/1/43 Tenth AF Tenth AF ftr situation has improved with arrival of the 80th Ftr Gp (P-40's) and 311th FB Gp (A-36's and P-51's), and the activation of an additional sq for the 80th Gp. The new sq, 459th flies P-38's, the first to be used in India.
10/1/43 Fourteenth AF 21 B-24's, supported by 21 ftrs, bomb power plant, warehouse and dock area at Hiaphong. 40-65 ftrs intercept, shooting down 2 US aircraft. 30 ftrs are claimed destroyed by Fourteenth in air battle.
10/1/43 Fifth AF A-20's and RAAF aircraft bomb and strafe Finschhafen area as Australian 9th Div pours more troops into the assault on the town. B-25's strafe power boat near Gasmata.
10/1/43 Thirteenth AF 24 B-24's bomb supply and bivouac area N of Vila A/F. B-25's and P-38's join Navy dive bmrs in strike on barge depot at Kakasa.
10/2/43 Eighth AF About 340 HBs led by 2 Pathfinders attack industrial areas of Emden. 6 of 72 B-26's dispatched bomb Saint-Omer/Longuenesse A/F; unable to identify tgt because of cloud formations above it, remainder of aircraft refrain from bombing.
10/2/43 Twelfth AF Gen Saville becomes CG, XII FC. Weather curtails operations. FBs of XII A Spt Cmd attack motor transport, roads, and bridges during al med rcn missions from Volturno Valley N to Isernia and W to Benevento.
10/2/43 Fourteenth AF 5 P-40's divebomb and strafe Yangtze R shipping in Chiuchiang area. Strafing damages several small craft.
10/2/43 Fifth AF B-25's strafe villages in Talasea area and barges off Gasmata. B-26's bomb Hoskins A/F. A B-24 bombs Cape Gloucester A/F. Other B-24's bomb Amboina. Australian forces take town and harbor of Finschhafen and prepare to take nearby commanding positions still held by the Japanese.
10/2/43 Thirteenth AF 6 B-25's join Navy dive bmrs in attacking Hamberi Cove barge hideout near Vila.
10/3/43 Eighth AF Almost 200 B-26's bomb A/Fs of Woensdrecht, Haamstede, Schiphol, and Beauvais/Tille. No aircraft are lost.
10/3/43 Twelfth AF XII BC B-26's, B-25's, and P-38's bomb railroad, highway, and pontoon bridges, overpass, and road junction at Capua, Castel Volturno, Piana, Arce, Mignano, and Isernia. P-38's also hit shipping between Corsica and Italy. XII BC FBs hit motor transport in battle area as US Fifth Army troops take Benevento.
10/3/43 Fourteenth AF 7 P-40's damage a 250-ft vessel on the Yangtze R near Chiuchiang. 4 P-38's bomb Chiuchiang docks. 6 B-24's damage a 100 ft coastal freighter off Tonkon Pt.
10/3/43 Fifth AF B-25's continue to hit barges along W coast of New Britain.
10/3/43 Thirteenth AF P-39's strafe several barges W of Choiseul.
10/4/43 Eighth AF 282 HBs attack industrial areas of Frankfurt/Main, Wiesbaden, and Saarlautern, M/Ys at Sarreguemines and Saarbrucken, and Saint Dizier/Robinson A/F. The raid on Frankfurt is followed by a night raid on that city by more than 350 RAF Hbs.
10/4/43 Twelfth AF Over 100 XII BC B-17's bomb Pisa M/Y and Bolzano bridges. B-25's and B-26's attack A/F at Argos, road defiles at Terracina and Isernia, highway overpass at Mignano, and shipping at Bastia. Allies now have complete control of Corsica. NATBF aircraft hit road and rail j unctions on main road N from Capua. XII A Spt Cmd FBs hit trains, roads, railroads, and vehicles near Isernia, Avezzano, Pescara, and Isolella.
10/4/43 Ninth AF Lt Col Ray J Stecker becomes cmdr of IX FC.
10/4/43 Fourteenth AF 17 Japanese bmrs and 25 Zeros attack Kweilin A/F. The bombs, dropped from 20,000 ft, fail to hit tgt.
Fourteenth AF ftrs fail to make effective contact with the force.
10/4/43 Fifth AF B-25's bomb and strafe barges, small craft, and villages in Vitu Is.
10/4/43 Thirteenth AF 23 B-24's, covered by 16 P-38's and several Navy F4U's, bomb Kahili A/F. 20-30 ftrs intercept, and a running battle occurs between Bougainville and Vella Lavella. US ftrs and bmrs claim 9 ftrs downed.
No American losses are suffered. 4 P-39's and 4 Corsairs sink 16 barges in strike along W coast of Choiseul 1. The P-39's are especially effective because of their nose cannon.
10/5/43 Twelfth AF Gen Doolittle assumes cmd of Twelfth AF during absence of Gen Spaatz. XII BC B-17's hit Bologna M/Y. B-25's and B-26's bomb Formia road, road loop N of Mignano, and Isernia chokepoint. NATBF, XII A Spt Cmd, and DAF aircraft bomb numerous tgts in and N of battle area, including heavy traffic in Isernia area, petrol dumps at Alfedena, trains at Termoli, and towns of Venafro and Isolella.
10/5/43 Fourteenth AF A few B-25's and P-40's attack foundry at Shihhweiyao. Damaging hits are scored on barracks, on AA position, blast furnaces, hoppers, and a steam plant. 10 ftrs intercept a force of about 50 Zeros W of Kweilin, shoot down 1 enemy ftr. The enemy force turns back.
10/5/43 Fifth AF B-25's carry out coastal sweep W to Madang, bombing and strafing villages and barges. B-17's hit Bogadjim Road and jetties at Erima. B-24's bomb Babo area.
10/6/43 Twelfth AF XII BC B-17's bomb Mestre M/Y while B-26's hit highway chokepoint at Isernia, highway at Mignano, and road j unction at Formia. P-38's strafe Araxos A/F. NATBF planes on road-blocking missions hit tgts at Teano, at Alfedena, between Cassino and Capua, and near Sessa Aurunca. XII A Spt Cmd P- 40's and A-36's attack roads and vehicles N of US Fifth Army battle zone and patrol Naples area. Fifth Army reaches S bank of Volturno R. Capua falls to British units.
10/6/43 Fourteenth AF 7 P-40's from Suichwan intercept an attacking force of 27 bmrs and 21 Zeros. 1 bmr and mainly in Isernia area and N to Avezzano. British King's Dragoon Gds (with US Fifth Army) occupy Naples.
British Eighth Army troops occupy Foggia A/Fs.
10/6/43 Fifth AF B-25's sweep along coastal areas of New Britain and through islands to the N and W, bombing and strafing T/Os.
10/6/43 Thirteenth AF 8 P-39's and 8 Navy F4U's strafe barges off W coast of Choiseul. 24 B-25's and 14 P-38's carry out low-level strike against Kahili A/F, damaging or destroying several parked aircraft.
10/7/43 Eighth AF First of a series of Eighth AF night missions to drop propaganda leaflets is flown over Europe.
10/7/43 Twelfth AF Bad weather cancels many operations. NATBF MBs and LBs strike roads, railway, junction, and town areas in Capua and Guglionesi regions. DAF FBs hit trucks in Termoli-Vasto areas.
10/7/43 Fourteenth AF 4 B-25's attack 2,500-ton freighter 100 mi S of Amoy, scoring 3 direct hits. Vessel is left burning and listing. 9 B-24's and 22 ftrs hit cement plant at Haiphong, causing heavy damage to the kiln building.
10/7/43 Fifth AF A B-24 on patrol bombs Umboi I, scoring damaging hits on several buildings.
10/8/43 Eighth AF More than 350 HBs attack city and industrial areas of Bremen and U-boat yards at Vegesack. Nearly 30 US aircraft are lost in the main attack on Bremen. On this mission the Eighth uses, for first time, airborne transmitters (Carpet equipment) to jam German radar. Over 140 MBs are recalled from missions to bomb A/Fs of Chievres and Lille/Vendeville due to thick haze and generally unsuitable weather.
10/8/43 Twelfth AF XII BC B-24's bomb Tatoi and Eleusis A/Fs at Athens, A/Fs at Kastelli and Heraklion, and Maritsa A/F on Rhodes. B-25's also hit Eleusis A/F. P-38's fly convoy cover, patrols, and sweeps over the Aegean Sea. Weather prevents XII A Spt Cmd from operating. NATBF and DAF hit bridge at Minturno and road junction and military concentration at Termoli.
10/8/43 Fourteenth AF 9 B-24's, supported by 20 P-40's, bomb Gia Lam A/F. While on ferry mission over the Hump, 3 B-24's bomb Tengchung, scoring hits on warehouses, barracks, and HQ area.
10/8/43 Fifth AF A single B-24 on armed rcn bombs Cape Gloucester A/F.
10/8/43 Thirteenth AF B-25's and P-40's sink barge off W coast of Choiseul I.
10/9/43 Eighth AF 68 B-26's bomb Woensdrecht A/F. 352 HBs strike industrial areas at Anklam and Marienburg, U-boat yards at Danzig, and port area at Gdynia. 28 HBs are lost.
10/9/43 Twelfth AF XII BC B-17's bomb A/Fs at Larissa, Athens, Salonika, and Argos. B-24's hit Kastelli/Pediada A/F. P- 38's fly sweep between island of Corfu and Dubrovnik, and escort shipping in Karpathos Straits. XII A Spt Cmd does not operate, but NATBF and DAF hit traffic in Terrnoli and Montenero area, guns N of Capua, HQ at Palata, and roads and railroads N of Naples.
10/9/43 Fourteenth AF 4 B-25's on shipping sweep off SE China coast in Amoy-Quemoy area sink a 150-ft tanker and damage a patrol vessel, and a freighter. 1 MB crashes into a hill and explodes. 10 P-40's bomb fuel storage and barracks at Mangshih. I P-40 is downed by ground fire.
10/9/43 Fifth AF A-20's and RAAF airplanes bomb and strafe defensive positions in Sattelberg and Finschhafen areas.
B-24's bomb Makassar.
10/9/43 Thirteenth AF B-25's and P-40's hit barges and concentrations on W Choiseul. P-39's and Navy F4U's strafe buildings, radar station, and gun positions at Poporang I.
10/9/43 Eleventh AF 12 Kuril-based enemy bmrs attack Attu.
10/10/43 Eighth AF 236 HBs attack railroads and waterways in and around Munster.
10/10/43 Twelfth AF B-17's bomb 2 A/Fs at Athens. B-24's hit Maritsa, Calato, and Heraklion A/Fs. P-38's escort shipping off Rhodes I, hit Antimachia A/F in Dodecanese Is, and attack vessels in Corfu harbor, in Cadre harbor, and off Tivat, and hit T/Os in Aegean and along its E coastline. NATBF and DAF concentrate on gun positions on both US Fifth and British Eighth Army battlefronts. Vehicles, railroads, and town areas also are hit. Attacks take place NE of Capua, at Guglionesi, at Cassino and Mondragone, between Rome and Terracina, and around Termoli-IserniaPescara areas.
10/10/43 Tenth AF 7 B-24's pound Meza railway bridge, destroying the 3 spans on the E end and dropping the end of a central span into the river.
10/10/43 Fourteenth AF 20 B-24's and 18 P-40's pound docks at Haiphong. 8 P-40's bomb match factory and ammo dump at Tengchung; 8 others hit supply dump and T/Os in Lungling area.
10/10/43 Fifth AF A-20's, along with RAAF airplanes, again pound Sattelberg area. B-25's hit Saumlakki 10/11 Oct.
10/10/43 Thirteenth AF 24 B-24's, 50-plus P-38's, P-40's, and P-39's, and 50 plus Navy ftrs and dive bmrs pound Kahili A/F and surrounding areas, hitting runways, fuel dump, supply area, buildings, and Malabita Hill gun positions.
US airplanes claim 15 interceptors shot down.
10/11/43 Twelfth AF XII BC B-25's bomb Garitsa A/F and P-38's hit vessel in Corfu harbor. XII A Spt Cmd and NATBF operations are canceled or aborted due to weather, but DAF ftrs hit trains, trucks, and gun positions near Montesilvano and Vasto.
10/11/43 Fourteenth AF 8 B-24's bomb town areas of Tengchung, Sadon, and Myitkyina.
10/11/43 Fifth AF B-24's attack towns of Manokwari, Bira, and Fak Fak and score hits on small vessel at Fak Fak. B- 25's bomb Cape Chater A/F and Lautem during 11/12 Oct.
10/11/43 Thirteenth AF 22 B-24's join 30 plus Navy dive bmrs in pounding Kahili A/F and nearby area. Hits are scored on the airstrip, fuel dumps, supply areas, gun positions, bridges between Kangu and Jakohina, barges at mouth of Uguima R, and several other tgts. The HBs and the Navy and AAF ftrs covering the attack claim 12 airplanes downed. 1 ftr are shot down, and the attackers retire in the direction of Canton without dropping their bombs.
10/12/43 Twelfth AF XII BC operations are canceled by weather. XII A Spt Cmd and other NATAF elements (NATBF and DAF) operate on reduced scale, hitting road junctions at Vasto and Fossacesia, Aquino A/F, motor transport on Itri-Pico road and on road N of Rome in Bolsena and Capranica areas, roads near Tarquinia, rail facilities at Cisterna di Latina, trains between Pescara and Benedello, and guns and troops near Cercemaggiore.
10/12/43 Fourteenth AF 5 B-24's bomb warehouse area and railroad yards at Myitkyina.
10/12/43 Fifth AF Allied AF begins major air offensive against Rabaul with aim of isolating and neutralizing Bismarck Archipelago. Almost 350 B-24's, B-25's, P-38's, and RAAF airplanes pound the town, harbor, and A/Fs in the area. More than 50 aircraft are destroyed, 3 ships are sunk and several damaged, and several small harbor craft are sunk. B-25's fly small strikes against tgts on Timor and other areas of NEI.
10/12/43 Thirteenth AF 2 B-25's skipbomb 2 small vessels in Matchin Bay.
10/13/43 International Italy declares war against Germany.
10/13/43 Twelfth AF XII BC B-25's and B-26's bomb town of Alife, road junction at Sessa Aurunca, and A/F at Tirana. XII A Spt Cmd, supplemented by DAF ftrs, supports US Fifth Army, which begins assault crossing of Volturno R on 40-mi front during 12/13 Oct. Ftrs and FBs hit troop and tank concentrations, trains, trucks, and comm lines in forward areas, especially around Ortona, Giulianova, and Campobasso.
NATBF LBs join in the attacks, hitting road junctions in Vairano, Carinola, Dragoni, Vasto, Terracina, and Minturno areas.
10/13/43 Tenth AF Japanese ftrs appear in strength over Sumprabum to attack over-the-Hump flights. The enemy evades US patrols and shoots down 3 transports. FB offensive against A/Fs in Burma from which ftrs might operate against Hump transports opens with attack by P-40's on Myitkyina.
10/13/43 Fourteenth AF 3 B-25's on sea sweep off SE China hit shipping in Amoy harbor, claiming 1 freighter sunk and another damaged.
10/13/43 Fifth AF More than 100 B-24's and B-25's are sent against Rabaul. Bad weather forces the bmrs to turn back, but 40-plus B-24's hit tgts on New Britain including Hoskins, Lindenhafen, Gasmata, and Cape Gloucester.
10/13/43 Eleventh AF 11 P-40's unsuccessfully intercept 8 MBs attacking Massacre Bay and the nearby A/F.
10/14/43 Eighth AF Almost 230 HBs attack city area and ball bearing plants at Schweinfurt. The attack which causes great damage and interference with production, results in German reorganization of bearing industry. Fierce opposition of great numbers of ftrs, many of them firing rockets, accounts for 60 US aircraft shot down. As a result of these heavy losses, daylight bombing against strategic tgts deep in Germany are discontinued for a short period.
10/14/43 Twelfth AF XII BC B-25's hit and hit Argos A/F. B-17's bomb Terni M/Y. Other B-17's and B-24's attack bridge at Giulianova, town area of Piano-Vomano and railroad and highway bridges N of Pescara and along E coast of Italy. Weather hinders tac aircraft operations, but XII A Spt Cmd and DAF hit trains and vehicles and fly patrols from N of Volturno R to Formia and N of Pescara.
10/14/43 Fourteenth AF 4 B-25's attack shipping in Amoy area, damaging 2 freighters, and also bomb Amoy A/F.
10/14/43 Fifth AF More than 60 MBs pound Cape Gloucester and Alexishafen. 3 others fly harassing strikes against Dili and Lautem.
10/14/43 Thirteenth AF A single B-24 on armed rcn bombs 4 barges W of Taiof 1, leaving 1 sinking.
10/15/43 USAAFUK HQ USAAFUK is activated to exercise supervision over and provide coordination between Eighth and Ninth AFs in UK. Gen Eaker is appointed CG in addition to his duties as CG Eighth AF.
10/15/43 Eighth AF A much needed P-38 gp (55th Ftr) becomes operational in UK.
10/15/43 Twelfth AF B-25's of XII BC hit A/Fs at Salonika and Megalo Mikra. XII A Spt Cmd and other elements of NATAF hit roads, railroads, bridges, junctions, railway facilities, town areas, and motor transport at or near Piedimonte, Vairano, Termoli, Petacciato, Sparanise, and Civitanova, and hit gun positions and comm in general battle area N of Volturno R.
10/15/43 Fifth AF More than 50 P-38's and P-40's intercept around 100 aircraft attacking Allied shipping in Oro Bay. The US ftrs claim more than 40 shot down. 4 other P-40's, encountering 20-plus airplanes E of Finschhafen, claim 5 destroyed. More than 70 MBs hit positions and villages from Sio to Saidor. 6 B- 24's bomb Boela.
10/15/43 Thirteenth AF 21 B-24's, 12 P-38's, and 17 Navy F4U's pound Kahili A/F supply and personnel area. 6 Zeros are claimed shot down. During the late evening B-25's bomb A/F at Buka I.
10/16/43 US JCS sends to Gen Eisenhower a proposed directive, submitted by Gen Arnold on 9 Oct, for establishment of a new AF (Fifteenth) in Italy to be used when needed as part of CBO against strategic tgts in Germany.
10/16/43 Ninth AF Ninth AF is established in UK as tac AF with Gen Brereton as CG. 3d Bomb Wg is transferred from VIII A Spt Cmd to IX BC commanded by Gen Frederick L Anderson. IX FC is re-formed in UK. IX TCC (constituted on 11 Oct 43) is activated in UK with Gen Giles as CG. IX ASC is re-formed in UK under Gen Miller.
10/16/43 Twelfth AF XII BC B-25's bomb M/Y and rail lines, railroad tunnel, highway underpass, warehouses, industrial buildings, and gas works in or near Bologna. P-38's bomb a vessel in Leukas Channel off W coast of Greece. XII A Spt Cmd and other NATAF elements provide close spt to US Fifth and British Eighth Armies. Ftrs, LBs, and MBs hit comm centers of Venafro, Vairano, Sparanise, Latina, Alife, and town of Pietravairano; roads, railroads, and j unctions in areas SE of Rome to bomb line, between Vasto and Pescara, and at Mondragone; gun positions, trucks, and military concentrations near Vinchiaturo, Boiano, and Termoli; landing ground of Cisterna di Latina; and several other tgts in area between Rome and Ancona.
10/16/43 Tenth AF Ftr patrols are increased from 4 to 8 aircraft with little effect on enemy marauders over the Hump. 3 A- 36's fail to return from mission over Sumprabum.
10/16/43 Fifth AF More than 60 B-25's attack Alexishafen area, hit coastal tgts between Reiss Pt and Sio, and bomb A/F at Wewak. A-20's bomb and strafe Gasmata. A lone B-24 destroys a patrol craft between Hoskins and Rabaul.
10/16/43 Thirteenth AF 8 B-24's bomb Kara A/F. 6 B-25's hit Ballale I A/F.
10/17/43 Twelfth AF Weather prevents operations by XII BC. US and RAF units of NATAF operate at reduced pace. LBs and MBs hit towns of Teano and Alife and motor transport at Benedello, Penna, and Pedaso. FBs bomb and strafe troops, trucks, guns, train stations, and bridge near Vinchiaturo, Benedello, Teramo, and Sparanise. Other ftrs strafe locomotives S of Ancona.
10/17/43 Tenth AF HBs and MBs bomb Naba.
10/17/43 Fourteenth AF 7 B-24's bomb Htawgaw.
10/17/43 Fifth AF 18 A-20's and B-25's bomb and strafe Sattelberg and 7 B-25's hit Wewak and Boram A/F with lowlevel attack during which 15 aircraft are destroyed on the ground and 4 claimed shot down. 4 P-39's intercept 18 airplanes attacking Finschhafen, claiming 6 shot down. 40-plus ftrs intercept large group of enemy aircraft attempting to attack Oro Bay; US ftrs claim 24 shot down. 6 B-24's bomb Ternate, a 2,200-mi round trip.
10/18/43 Ninth AF 228 MBs dispatched to bomb 4 A/Fs in France are recalled before attacking because of unfavorable weather. Gen Quesada becomes CG IX FC.
10/18/43 Twelfth AF XII BC B-25's bomb M/Y at Skoplje. P-38's follow with strafing mission, damaging or destroying several locomotives and vehicles. XII A Spt Cmd A-36's hit Venafro railroad yards, and other FBs hit gun positions, troops, and railway stations in or near Boiano, Petacciato, and Vairano. Ftrs strafe A/Fs around Rome and also hit Viterbo, Grosseto, and seaplane base at Bracciano, and attack trains on RomeOrte and Rome-Naples lines. NATBF LBs bomb road and railway near Cassino, town of Carpinone, road junction at Castiglione della Valle, and roads, bridges, and motor transport near Minturno and Chieti.
10/18/43 Fifth AF Nearly 80 HBs and ftrs sent against Rabaul are forced to abort by bad weather. However, more than 50 B-25's slip beneath low clouds and pound town, A/Fs, and shipping from treetop and mast-height level. The MBs sink 2 vessels and claim more than 70 planes destroyed on the ground and in the air.
13 of the HBs bomb Cape Hoskins; 7 others bomb Cape Gloucester and hit Sio. B-25's bomb and strafe Bogadjim road.
10/18/43 Thirteenth AF 28 B-24's and 40 plus Navy dive bmrs, with cover of more than 50 ftrs, hit Ballale I A/F. 14 P-39's join 20-plus Navy aircraft in strike on Kakasa village and tent area on Choiseul.
10/18/43 Eleventh AF The 406th Bomb Sq departs for the ZI.
10/19/43 International Tripartite conference opens in Moscow. Hull, Eden, and Molotov discuss measures to shorten the war and promote postwar cooperation.
10/19/43 Twelfth AF During low-level raid, XII BC B-24's bomb bridges at Porto Civitanova, S of Porto Sant' Elpidio, N of Pedaso, and N of Cupra Marittima. Ftrs, FBs, and LBs of XII A Spt Cmd, NATBF, and DAF attack town of Boiano, gun positions and troop concentrations on the outskirts of town, and ammo dump and railroad tunnel nearby, Viterbo and Tarquinia landing fields, towns of Cassino and Anzio, railroad N of Pesaro and near Pineto, trains near Barisciano, troops near Minturno, and vehicles at several points.
10/19/43 Fifth AF A-20's and RAAF airplanes hit Sattelberg and surrounding areas and bomb Gasmata. B-25's and RAAF Hudsons bomb Fuiloro. Enemy air raid on Finschhafen causes no effective damage.
10/19/43 Thirteenth AF Kara and Kahili A/F are hit by B-24's, B-34's, P-38's, P-40's, and Navy ftrs and dive bmrs.
10/20/43 Eighth AF 114 HBs bomb industrial areas of Duren. Failure of blindbombing equipment (Oboe) is major cause of aborts by nearly 100 other HBs.
10/20/43 Twelfth AF XII BC B-17's, B-26's, B-25's and P-38's bomb RomeCasale landing ground, Marcigliana and Cerveteri A/Fs, railroad bridges at Montalto di Castro, Grosseto, and 13 mi SE of Orvieto, and M/Y at Nish, obstructing Belgrade-Sofia line. XII A Spt Cmd, NATBF, and other aircraft of NATAF devote most of their efforts to bombing gun positions, trucks, and rail and road comm S of Vasto, at Mignano, N of Cassino, in Cassino and Chieti, at Castropignano, Carpinone, Arce, Tratella, and at various other points along highways and railroads. FBs also hit shipping along Dalmatian coast claiming 2 vessels sunk.
10/20/43 Tenth AF Bridge at Meza, being repaired after being damaged severely on 10 Oct, is attacked and damaged by B-25's.
10/20/43 Fifth AF B-25's bomb and strafe Bogadjim area. A-20's hit Gasmata. B-24's hit 2 freighters near Manokwari and bomb Manokwari area. Attack on Finschhafen by 30 enemy aircraft causes minor damage.
10/20/43 Thirteenth AF Kakasa is attacked 3 times by B-34's, P-40's, and Navy ftrs and dive bmrs. 24 P-40's and nearly 50 Navy F4U's sweep Kahili. One force of F4U's encounters ftrs, claiming 3 destroyed.
10/21/43 Ninth AF Bad weather causes 72 MBs sent to bomb Evreux/Fauville A/F to abort mission.
10/21/43 Twelfth AF Col Arthur Thomas takes cmd of XII AFSC XII BC B-17's hit railroad viaduct at Terni and rail and road bridges in Albania. B-24's hit Orvieto railroad bridge. B-26's and B-25's bomb bridges at Montalto di Castro and NW of Acquapendente and railroad at Orbetello. P-38's bomb radar station at Pellegrino and M/Y at Skoplje. RAF and US NATAF Lbs and MBs concentrate on Cassino, hitting town, bivouac area nearby, and railroad to the S. Vessels along Dalmatian coast are also attacked. XII A Spt Cmd ftrs and FBs patrol Naples area and attack numerous roads, railroads, bridges, junctions, trucks, gun emplacements, and other tgts in battle area.
10/21/43 Fourteenth AF 6 B-24's bomb Nawlang; barracks area is blasted by at least 3 direct hits. 6 P-40's pound barracks area at Kunlong.
10/21/43 Fifth AF More than 50 B-24's bomb positions at Sattelberg. 19 B-25's follow with low-level strike. Other B-25's carry out sweep along Bogadjim road. P-40's bomb Gasmata area and attack 2 light cruisers off New Ireland, damaging 1 of them.
10/21/43 Thirteenth AF 12 B-25's, with escort of 36 ftrs, attack Kara A/F. Runway and several buildings suffer direct hits.
10/22/43 CCS CCS approve plan, submitted by Gen Arnold and JCS, to create a new AF (Fifteenth) in Italy from part of the Twelfth AF to be used in strategic bombing against Germany as well as in spt of ground operations.
10/22/43 Ninth AF About 60 B-26's bomb Evreux/Fauville A/F. Over 140 other abort missions against other A/Fs because of bad weather.
10/22/43 Twelfth AF XII AF Engineer Cmd (Prov) is activated. XII BC B-26's bomb railroad bridges N and SE of Orvieto. B- 25's hit railroad bridge S of Grosseto and Eleusis A/F. XII A Spt Cmd, along with other elements of NATAF, hit town areas, highways, vehicles, gun positions, railroad comm, strongpoints, and T/Os at or near San Salvo, Teano, Venafro, Catalupo hel Sannio, Isernia, Cassino, Montenero, and Boiano.
Aquino A/F is also bombed.
10/22/43 Tenth AF MB strike against railroad bridge on Ye-u branch line over Mu R between Ywataung and Monywa fails to damage the structure. This raid marks the final assault of the year on this bridge.
10/22/43 Fifth AF 20-plus B-25's carry out low-level attack on Wewak area, sinking 2 small freighters, and strafing barges and airplanes. Madang is strafed by 4 P-39's and 2 RAAF Boomerangs. More than 50 P-40's hit Gasmata. 11 B-24's bomb Pombelaa nickel mines.
10/22/43 Thirteenth AF Kahili A/F and surrounding areas are pounded by 22 B-24's, 30 plus P-39's and P-40's and about 160 Navy ftrs and dive bmrs. 18 B-24's and Navy airplanes hit tgts in Choiseul I area. Other Navy aircraft hit Kara A/F. A single B-24 claims hits on a carrier NW of Buka.
10/23/43 Twelfth AF XII BC B-26's bomb railroad and road bridges at Marsicano and Montalto di Castro. P-38's hit A/F at Tirana. B-25's hit bridge in Albania. XII A Spt Cmd, DAF, and NATBF attack troop concentrations in Spinete area, and town areas, vehicles, trains, railroads, highways, bridges, and gun positions at or near Gaeta, Pescara, Vasto, Isolella, Sulrnona, Isernia, Vairano, and Ancona.
10/23/43 Tenth AF MBs bomb Meza railroad bridge, which is still being repaired following damaging raid of 10 Oct.
Damage is done to approaches.
10/23/43 Fourteenth AF 6 B-24's bomb Htawgaw.
10/23/43 Fifth AF 40-plus B-24's escorted by P-38's, bomb Rapopo airstrip, destroying about 20 airplanes on the ground. 20 enemy interceptors are claimed shot down. 9 B-25's hit Bogadjim area.
10/23/43 Thirteenth AF 11 B-24's and 16 P-38's hit Kahili A/F. 36 P-40's and P-39's join 60-plus Navy dive bmrs and ftrs in strike on Kara A/F. Both Kahili and Kara are attacked again later in the day, the former by 6 B-24's and 16 Navy ftrs and the latter by 35 AAF ftrs and 42 Navy dive bmrs. 6 B-24's bomb Kakasa.
10/23/43 Seventh AF Ftrs shoot down a Japanese flying boat 70 mi S of Baker I.
10/24/43 Ninth AF 200 B-26's bomb A/Fs at Montdidier, Beauvais/Nivillers, and Saint-Andre-de-L'Eure.
10/24/43 Twelfth AF XII BC B-24's of 98th Bomb Gp hit Wiener-Neustadt. 376th Gp fails to complete mission because of clouds. MBs hit Tirana A/F, railroad bridge N of Orvieto, and viaduct at Terni. XII A Spt Cmd, NATBF, and DAF attack comm and shipping tgts, hitting vessels, vehicles, trains, roads, bridges, and town areas in and around Formia, Sora, Chieti, Minturno, Sessa Aurunca, Popoli, Terracina, between Ancona-Pedaso, Frosolone (just before it is taken by allied ground forces), and along Dalmatian coast.
10/24/43 Fourteenth AF 14 B-24's and 13 P-40's pound Co Bi barracks area. 8 B-24's bomb Htawgaw while on ferry flight over the Hump.
10/24/43 Fifth AF At least 45 bmrs are destroyed on the ground at Vunakanau, Rapopo, and Tobera airstrips during attacks by 50-plus B-25's. The MBs and the more than 50 escorting P-38's claim over 40 airplanes shot down. A-20's hit enemy positions in Lae area. B-24's carry out light attack on Manokwari.
10/24/43 Thirteenth AF 36 B-25's, along with 24 RNZAF P-40's and 4 Navy F4U's, in 1 force, and 20 AAF ftr and 70-plus Navy ftrs and dive bmrs in another force, pound Kahili A/F.
10/25/43 Twelfth AF XII BC P-39's strafe and bomb landing ground at Podgorica. XII A Spt Cmd, NATBF and DAF concentrate on blocking roads and destroying bridges. Town areas, vehicles, radio stations, trains, and vessels are also attacked. Tgts attacked are in or near Frosinone, Formia, Gaeta, Cetraro, along Sangro R, Kuna, along Dalmatian coast, W of Lagosta I and S of Rome. Tarquinia A/F is also bombed.
10/25/43 Fourteenth AF 6 P-40's strafe shipping at Haiphong, claiming 3 small boats sunk and damaging 6 larger boats. 2 B- 25's and 4 P-40's attack shipping in Gulf of Tonkin, claiming a 150-ft tanker sunk and 200-ft freighter damaged.
10/25/43 Fifth AF More than 60 B-24's bomb Rabaul area, destroying more than 20 airplanes on the ground. Of the 60- 70 ftrs which intercept, the HBs claim over 30 shot down. A-20's hit positions near Lae. B-24's carry out light strike against Manokwari.
10/26/43 Twelfth AF B-25's and P-38's of XII BC attack A/Fs of Salonika/Sedhes and Megalo Mikra. XII A Spt Cmd and DAF ftrs and FBs attack gun emplacements and road junctions in battle area along E coast and in center of Italy, destroying also many vehicles and parked aircraft in Ancona area, where railroad facilities are also hit. Schooner at Porto Civitanova is left smoking. MBs of NATBF bomb Terracina and an ammo dump.
10/26/43 Fourteenth AF 13 B-24's and 15 P-40's pound railroad yards at Haiphong. 2 B-25's attack several vessels at Kiungshan, claiming 4 sunk or badly damaged. Later 6 more B-25's hit shipping nearby, claiming 1 freighter sunk. A/F at Kiungshan is strafed by 1 of the MBs.
10/26/43 Fifth AF B-24's fly small raid against Pombelaa. Ftrs shoot down 2 HBs. US gunners claim 11 aircraft downed.
B-25's hit tgts in Tanimbar Is.
10/26/43 Thirteenth AF Kahili A/F is hit twice during the day by B-24's, B-25's, P-38's, P-40's, P-39's, and Navy ftrs and dive bmrs. Buka I A/F is strafed by P-38's and then bombed and strafed by B-25's and P-38's. P-39's and P-40's join Navy ftrs and dive bmrs in strike on Kara A/F.
10/27/43 Twelfth AF More than 150 B-17's and B-24's bomb Wiener-Neustadt and railroad tracks and installations and bridges at Friedberg and Ebenfurth. Weather severely curtails NATBF missions and XII A Spt Cmd operation in spt of ground forces. FBs attack Gaeta and bomb small vessels on Dalmatian coast at Opuzen.
10/27/43 Fourteenth AF 6 B-24's bomb city of Tungling, claim 8 intercepting Zeros shot down.
10/27/43 Fifth AF P-40's and P-39's intercept escorted bmr force dropping supplies over Sattelberg area. The US ftrs claim 12 airplanes downed. A-20's hit harbor and supply dump area at Gasmata.
10/27/43 Thirteenth AF B-24's pound Kahili and Kara A/Fs. P-40's over Kahili claim 3 Zeros shot down. P-38's, P-40's, and P- 39's, plus some RNZAF P-40's and P-39's, cover landing by NZ troops on Stirling and Mono Is. The ftrs claim destruction of 12 Japanese dive bmrs attacking the landing force and afterwards claim 3 ftrs shot down.
10/28/43 Twelfth AF Weather prevents most Twelfth AF operations planned for the day. No missions are flown by XII BC.
XII A Spt Cmd A-36's hit several highways and bridges in adv of battleline and attack gun positions in Vairano area and transportation tgts in Rome area.
10/28/43 Fourteenth AF 7 B-24's bomb Mangshih. 6 P-40's strafe warehouse and revetments at Yoyang A/F. 3 B-25's and 7 P- 38's hit barracks at Ft Bayard. 2 B-25's on shipping sweep over S China Sea damage 2 freighters near Saint John I and sink a junk W of Kwangchow Wan.
10/28/43 Fifth AF P-40's hit Gasmata area. P-47's attack barges at Talasea and strafe surrounding area. P-47's also strafe area from Sio to Fortification Pt.
10/28/43 Thirteenth AF P-40's and P-39's join Navy ftrs and dive bmrs in attacks on Kara and Ballale I A/Fs. Almost 200 aircraft are involved in the 2 strikes. Kara A/F is also pounded by 19 B-24's.
10/28/43 ZI AAF School of Applied Tactics is redesignated AAF Tac Center.
10/29/43 Twelfth AF More than 100 XII BC B-17's, escorted by P-38's, bomb Genoa M/Y and also hit Sampierdarena M/Y, San Giorgio instrument factory, and ordnance, electric, and fitting plants and bridges at Genoa- Ansaldo. XII A Spt Cmd, NATBF, and DAF are forced by bad weather to abandon several missions in spt of ground forces. Troops and gun positions are attacked on 2 occasions and several bridges are hit. Giulianova harbor and shipping are successfully attacked.
10/29/43 Fourteenth AF 14 B-24's and 16 P-40's pound smelter area at Quang Yen. 2 B-25's bomb administration building and runway at Ft Bayard A/F. 9 P-40's on offensive ren in Chiuchiang area strafe 200-ft steamer and attack a train, destroying the locomotive.
10/29/43 Fifth AF 37 B-24's, escorted by 53 P-38's, pound Rabaul area, claiming 45 airplanes destroyed on the ground and in the air. 17 B-25's hit Madang area. P-47's attack shipping in Hansa Bay and strafe Cape Gloucester area. B-25's sink vessel off Tanimbar Is while B-24's bomb Selaroe airstrip and attack Waroe Bay area.
10/29/43 Thirteenth AF B-25's and B-24's, along with 40-plus Navy aircraft, bomb A/Fs at Buka and Bonis.
10/30/43 Ninth AF 5 A-20's bomb Cherbourg/Maupertus A/F.
10/30/43 Twelfth AF XII BC B-24's bomb Genoa M/Y and nearby Sampierdarena and Genoa-Ansaldo steel works. B-17's bomb Savona and Varazze, Porto Maurizio, and Imperia M/Y. Weather reduces efforts of NATAF elements.
NATBF B-25's bomb Frosinone. FBs, mainly of XII A Spt Cmd, hit bridges, junctions, shipping, M/Y, gun positions, and vehicles at several locations, including Giulianova, Ancona, Ortona, Sessa Aurunca, Mignano, and Cassino.
10/30/43 Fourteenth AF 7 B-25's and 12 P-40's pound motor pool and barracks at Shayang. 9 P-38's hit Chiuchiang dock area. 2 interceptors are shot down.
10/30/43 Fifth AF B-25's strafe barges in Rein Bay.
10/30/43 Thirteenth AF Kara A/F is bombed by 16 B-24's and shortly afterwards is hit by 90-plus Navy dive bmrs escorted by Navy and AAF ftrs. Airstrip and other tgts at Kieta are attacked by 6 B-25's, 12 P-39's and Navy aircraft.
Tonolai harbor area is hit by 8 P-40's and 17 Navy planes.
10/31/43 Twelfth AF XII BC B-17's bomb Antheor viaduct. B-26's hit Anzio. B-25's attack docks and shipping at Civitavecchia. P-38's strafe and bomb Tirana A/F. Weather cancels all NATAF attacks except for 11 P- 40's which bomb and strafe tanker off Split, leaving it burning. XII A Spt Cmd ftrs fly uneventful naval escort.
10/31/43 Tenth AF In an attempt to knock out Japanese base from which ftrs are attacking ferrying operations, P-40's carrying 1000-lb bombs fly 4 strikes against Myitkyina. Following the bomb runs, the ftrs strafe AA positions. The attacks cause considerable damage to the base. MBs attack Meza railroad bridge, scoring hits on approaches but missing the structure. The bridge remains unusable due to damage caused by the 10 Oct strike.
10/31/43 Fifth AF P-40's sink barge off New Britain coast.
10/31/43 Thirteenth AF 20-plus B-25's, with ftr spt, bomb Kara A/F.
11/1/43 Eighth AF Progress report, assessing results of CBO, estimates that 19 important German towns and cities have been virtually destroyed, 19 severely damaged, and 9 more effectively damaged. Joint report of Ministry of Economic Warfare and Air Ministry Intelligence Branch claims that 10 percent of total war potential of Germany has been destroyed.
11/1/43 Ninth AF Ninth AF comes under operational control of AEAF which is activated on this date to provide the tac air force for the invasion of W Europe (OVERLORD).
11/1/43 Twelfth AF With activation of Fifteenth AF on this date, the units of XII BC transfer to the new AF. NATBF aircraft bomb shipping in harbors of Ancona and Split, hit tunnel mouth near Antrodoco, and attack scattered gun positions and motor transport on both US Fifth and British Eighth Army fronts. XII A Spt Cmd hits numerous bridges and junctions and town of Pontecorvo. DAF hits inland roads and vehicles in adv of battleline, shipping at Split, and town of Carpinone.
11/1/43 Fifteenth AF Fifteenth AF is activated, with HQ at Tunis and Gen Doolittle as CG. The Fifteenth AF includes 6 HB gps, 5 MB gps, and 4 ftr gps. B-17's bomb town and harbor of La Spezia and railroad bridge at Vezzano. B-25's hit M/Ys at Rimini and Ancona. Ftrs fly escort.
11/1/43 Fourteenth AF 6 B-25's and 9 P-40's bomb Yoyang railroad yards.
11/1/43 Fifth AF 11 B-24's bomb Maniang I and nearby Pombelaa. A lone B-24 scores hit on ship off Kavieng.
11/1/43 Thirteenth AF US Marines land on Bougainville. This operation is aimed at eliminating the last Japanese strongholds SE of Rabaul. Allied ftrs covering the operations shoot down more than 20 Japanese aircraft. Naval gunfire accounts for several more. 21 B-24's bomb Kahili A/Fs. Kara A/F is attacked by 19 B-24's, 30- plus P-40's and P-39's, and more than 70 Navy ftrs and dive bmrs. P-38's on sweep over waters NW of the Solomons claim 7 Zeros shot down. B-25's strafe barges and wharf area at Faisi. During 1/2 Nov 2 SB-24's attack convoy W of Cape Saint George.
11/2/43 Twelfth AF NATBF LBs and MBs hit gun positions and ammo dump on Eighth Army front, railroad facilities at Aquila, and coast road at Terracina. At night LBs hit Zara and Penna Pt. XII A Spt Cmd and DAF ftrs and FBs attack gun positions and ammo dumps along British Eighth Army front, hit gun positions S of Isernia, bomb Fondi, and attack several bridges and junctions in adv of US Fifth Army front. Numerous trucks and a train also are strafed.
11/2/43 Fifteenth AF B-17's and B-24's bomb aircraft factory and surrounding industrial complex at Wiener-Neustadt. The HBs claim over 50 attacking ftrs destroyed. B-25's bomb Ancona M/Y. B-26's bomb Civitavecchia harbor and miss railroad bridge near Amelia. P-38's escort the HBs and the B-26's.
11/2/43 Fourteenth AF 5 B-25's and 12 P-40's pound docks and warehouses at Shasi.
11/2/43 Fifth AF In direct spt of Allied landings on Bougainville, 75 B-25's, with escort of 70 P-38's, attack Rabaul A/Fs and harbor. 3 destroyers and 8 merchant vessels are sunk or left sinking. The MBs and ftrs claim 12 aircraft destroyed on the ground and 68 shot down. AA and air opposition is the strongest thus far encountered by the Fifth AF. 21 US airplanes are lost. P-39's pound road in Bogadjim area. A-20's bomb and strafe comm routes near Fortification Pt.
11/2/43 Thirteenth AF 20 B-24's bomb Kahili A/F.
11/3/43 Eighth AF 539 B-17's and B-24's, including 11 Pathfinders, 9 using new H2X blind-bombing device (first time on a US mission) and 2 using H2S, attack port of Wilhelmshaven. This is first Eighth AF blind-bombing mission in which aiming point is completely destroyed and is also the Eighth's first 500-plane mission.
P-38's escort the HBs almost the entire trip and see their first real ETO combat, claiming 3 aircraft shot down.
11/3/43 Ninth AF 71 B-26's bomb A/F at Saint-Andre-de-L'Eure, 71 attack Triqueville A/F, and 65 bomb Schiphol A/F.
11/3/43 Twelfth AF B-25's, escorted by P-38's, attack Araxos A/F. NATBF hits dump at Cupello, railway station at Cesano, road junction at Alfedena, town areas of Ceprano and Palmoli, and numerous vehicles. XII A Spt Cmd and DAF ftrs and FBs attack gun positions at Cupello, landing grounds near Pescara and Ancona, A/F at Cisterna di Latina, Ceccano railroad yards, town of Pozzilli, roads in Venafro-Cassino area, and several bridges and junctions. Many of the day's missions are flown in direct spt of British Eighth Army's adv.
11/3/43 Fifteenth AF The 2 B-25 gps of the Fifteenth AF are transferred to the Twelfth. P-38's escort B-25's on raid against Araxos A/F. The tgt is well covered and several parked airplanes are destroyed.
11/3/43 Fourteenth AF 21 B-24's, supported by 30 ftrs, pound Kowloon Docks. 4 ftrs are claimed shot down. 9 B-25's and 12 P-40's pound various tgts in Shihshow-Hwajung-Owchihkow area. 8 P-40's bomb runways and installations at Lashio.
11/3/43 Fifth AF B-25's hit barges between Alexishafen and Bogadjim. B-24's fly light strikes against shipping (sinking 1 vessel) between Talasea and Cape Gloucester, and bomb Boela.
11/3/43 Thirteenth AF 19 B-24's attack convoy about 150 mi SE of Mussau I. HBs claim hits on 3 vessels.
11/4/43 Ninth AF Ninth AF HQ issues letter ordering small det of HQ (IX AF Eng Section) to assume functions of a cmd under Col Karl B Schilling, thus beginning the creation of IX Engineer Cmd.
11/4/43 Twelfth AF Gen Davison takes cmd of XII AF Engineer Cmd (Prov), following the cmd's assignment to Twelfth AF on 1 Nov. XII A Spt Cmd and RAF ftrs and FBs hit trucks and trains in Sora-Avezzano area, small vessels off Solta and Pescara, and A/Fs of Furbara and Tarquinia.
11/4/43 Fifteenth AF B-17's bomb railroads between Montalto di Castro and Orbetello, between Orbetello and Talamone, and between San Vincenzo and Cecina. Bomb-carrying P-38's, escorted by others, hit tunnel N of Terni and strafe Montalto di Castro.
11/4/43 Fourteenth AF Chinese-American Comp Wg enters combat on this date. Its B-25's hit Amoy and Swatow, successfully bombing and strafing ground troops, supply facilities, and shipping. The MBs claim 4 cargo ships badly damaged and possibly sunk.
11/4/43 Fifth AF P-40's bomb Palmalmal Plantation. B-24's on armed rcn claim 1 vessel sunk N of New Britain.
11/4/43 Thirteenth AF 23 B-24's strike Buka A/F.
11/5/43 Atlantic 1st Comp Sq and USN land-based aircraft sink U-848 in S Atlantic, 10-09S 18-00W.
11/5/43 Eighth AF 436 HBs, including 9 Pathfinder aircraft, attack M/Y and oil plants at Gelsenkirchen and M/Y at Munster.
11/5/43 Ninth AF Eighth AF training officer arrives to assist Ninth FC HQ in setting up comprehensive training system for ftr pilots. Trg is based on the Eighth AF system. Eighth AF and RAF cooperate with the Ninth in instituting this program. Over 150 MBs bomb construction works at Mimoyecques. Poor visibility causes one gp to bomb area SW of primary tgts, and bad weather causes numerous aborts.
11/5/43 Twelfth AF XII A Spt Cmd B-25's hit Berat-Kucove A/F in Albania. NATBF bombs roads E of Atina and N of Rome, and hits vehicles moving S from Pescara. XII A Spt Cmd and DAF ftrs and FBs attack motor transport N of Vasto, bridges and roads W of Isernia, Cassino, and Atena Lucana, town of Castrocielo, and vessels off Split.
11/5/43 Fifteenth AF 3 B-24's on low-level raid bomb Falconara-Marittima railroad bridge and highway bridge. P-38's escort a XII A Spt Cmd raid on Berat-Kucove A/F.
11/5/43 Fifth AF 90-plus HBs and ftrs attack wharf areas of Rabaul while Japanese airplanes from surrounding A/Fs search for carrier force that hit Rabaul earlier in the day. B-26's and P-39's hit Bogadjim Road, B-25's pound positions NW of Dumpu, and P-39's bomb and strafe Madang area. P-47's over Wewak encounter force of ftrs and claim about 20 shot down.
11/5/43 Thirteenth AF 6 B-25's hit bivouac area at Kieta and sink at least 6 barges between Kieta and Banin Harbor. Allied ftrs from Munda area cover carrier strike which causes considerable damage to shipping in harbor at Rabaul.
11/6/43 Ninth AF IX FC personnel debark in UK, after traveling by ship from Suez.
11/6/43 Twelfth AF XII A Spt Cmd FBs strike gun positions, bridges, and roads around Mignano, vehicles N of Cassino, and train N of Aquino A/F. Other NATAF ftrs attack numerous road and rail transport tgts throughout Italy N of battleline and in Yugoslavia.
11/6/43 Fifteenth AF 4 B-17's attack Fiora R bridge, 3 attack bridge N of Orbetello, and 11 P-38's attack bridge S of Orvieto. P-38's escorted by others, hit approaches to bridge near Monte Molino, and the escorting ftrs afterwards strafe Tarquinia A/F, a train N of Civitavecchia, and vehicles between Montefiascone and Vetralla.
11/6/43 USSR Soviet Army retakes Kiev.
11/6/43 Tenth AF 2 B-24's lay mines in Rangoon R during 6/7 Nov.
11/6/43 Fifth AF P-40's hit Gasmata area. Enemy airplanes attack Nadzab, Dumpu, and Finschhafen but cause no major damage.
11/6/43 Thirteenth AF 9 B-25's with Navy ftr spt hit Buka A/F and harbor. 1 other bombs Kieta and attacks Tinputs Harbor. 7 barges and small vessels are claimed sunk. 24 B-25's with ftr spt follow Navy dive bmrs and ftrs in attack on Kara A/F. 17 B-24's bomb Bonis A/F.
11/6/43 Seventh AF Advanced HQ, Seventh AF, is set up on Funafuti to provide a HQ closer to tgts in the Gilbert and Marshall Is. VII AFSC and VII BC also establish forward echelons at Funafuti. Landing fields are being built at Baker, Nukufetau, and Nanumea to be used, along with existing fields at Canton I and Funafuti, as operational bases for attacks on Tarawa, Makin, Mille, Maloelap, Jaluit, and Nauru. These operations will mark the assumption of the offensive by Seventh AF and will play a conspicuous role in the invasion and occupation of the Gilbert and Marshall Is.
11/7/43 Eighth AF 112 B-17's attack industrial areas of Wesel and Duren.
11/7/43 Ninth AF Over 200 MBs dispatched to attack A/Fs at Montdidier and Meulan-Les Mureaux are forced to abort mission because of bad weather.
11/7/43 Twelfth AF NATBF bmrs hit gun position along British Eighth and US Fifth Army fronts, shipping at Ancona harbor, and town of Ulcinj. Durazzo is bombed at night. XII A Spt Cmd and other ftrs of NATAF hit harbor and shipping at Split and train near Metkovic, and attack bridges, road junctions, town area, and trucks in Mignano-Cassino and Pontecorvo areas.
11/7/43 Fifteenth AF Bad weather cancels HB operations.
11/7/43 Fourteenth AF 2 B-25's pound Amoy harbor, claiming several boats sunk. 6 P-40's attack bridge at Hsiangyangchiao, causing only minor damage.
11/7/43 Fifth AF 25 B-24's, with escort of more than 60 P-38's, bomb Rapopo airstrip. A large force of enemy ftrs intercepts the formations and in the ensuing battle 5 P-38's are lost. US airplanes claim more than 20 ftrs shot down and several more destroyed on the ground. 9 B-25's bomb Wewak and more than 40 others turn back when ftr escort is intercepted by airplanes over Nadzab. Enemy aircraft attack Nadzab and Bena Bena. 16 US aircraft are destroyed or damaged by the raids, but 14 airplanes are shot down by US ftrs.
11/7/43 Thirteenth AF 8 B-25's bomb barge concentration and beach tgts in Atsinima Ray. 21 B-24's pound Buka A/F.
11/8/43 Ninth AF IX FC is assigned its first tac ftr unit, the 354th Ftr Gp (P-51 ).
11/8/43 Twelfth AF Weather cancels all XII A Spt Cmd missions except ftr patrols. NATBF bmrs and DAF ftrs fly only 6 missions, hitting gun positions along battleline, vehicles W of Sangro R, and trains at Civitanova and Pescara.
11/8/43 Fifteenth AF 81 B-17's bomb Turin ball bearing works, M/Y, and nearby motor and aircraft engine works. P-38's provide escort as far N as Imperia.
11/8/43 Tenth AF 5 B-24's lay mines in Rangoon R during 8/9 Nov.
11/8/43 Fourteenth AF 2 B-25's bomb Kiungshan A/F, scoring direct hits on 2 hangars. 6 P-40's attack Hsiangvangchiao bridge, causing little damage.
11/8/43 Fifth AF B-24's on armed rcn bomb Garove I and hit Kaimana.
11/8/43 Thirteenth AF 22 B-24's bomb Bonis A/F. 6 R-25's hit T/Os at mouth of Laruma R and NW of Torokina I while 6 others bomb Kieta.
11/9/43 Twelfth AF NATBF bombs Formia and Itri as diversion to naval bombardment of Formia and Gaeta. XII A Spt Cmd FBs attack roads and bridges in Mignano-Ceprano area while other NATAF FBs hit shipping in Split harbor. Ftrs strafe road and rail tgts in Rome-La Spezia area and vessels, radio stations, and gun emplacements off coast of Albania.
11/9/43 Fifteenth AF B-24's attack Villarperosa ball-bearing works at Turin, and B-17's hit Genoa-Ansaldo steel works. P- 38's provide escort.
11/9/43 Fifth AF 40-plus B-25's and A-20's, escorted by P-38's and P-47's, pound A/F at Alexishafen, destroying at least 12 enemy airplanes. US ftrs claim destruction of 10-15 interceptors in combat. Other ftrs claim over 20 aircraft shot down over Sek Harbor, Markham R Valley, and Lae. B-25's bomb fuel dump and shipping in Rein Bay area, and P-40's bomb Gasmata dumps. B-24's on patrol claim sinking of a destroyer near Kavieng.
11/9/43 Thirteenth AF B-25's bomb Kieta and hit Buka A/F. 20-plus B-24's pound Kara and Kahili A/Fs. P-39's join Navy aircraft in strikes on Kara and on Ballale I A/Fs.
11/10/43 Ninth AF Around 60 B-26's bomb Chievres A/F. Bad weather causes force sent to bomb Lille/Vendeville A/F to abandon mission, though a few MBs manage to bomb other tgts in the area. A force of 72 B-26's dispatched to attack Montdidier A/F suffers numerous aborts due to weather. 6 MBs manage to bomb A/F believed to be secondary tgt of Amiens/Glisy.
11/10/43 Twelfth AF NATBF bmrs hit shipping at Split and Durazzo. XII A Spt Cmd and RAF FBs hit Rocca and nearby gun positions, and trains and troops S of Rome. Ftrs strafe trucks and trains in Rome-La Spezia and Piombino-Leghorn areas.
11/10/43 Fifteenth AF B-24's bomb Villarperosa ball-bearing works, and B-17's pound bridge and M/Ys at Bolzano. P-38's escort the B-24's all the way and accompany the B-17's almost to the tgt.
11/10/43 Fourteenth AF Ftrs on armed rcn sink 3 large motor boats in YoyangSinti area and damage or sink 15 sampans and a barge in HwajungShasi vicinity.
11/10/43 Fifth AF B-24's bomb Lakunai A/F, hit new landing ground on Duke of York I, and bomb Soerabaja. B-25's thoroughly pound Alexishafen A/F.
11/10/43 Thirteenth AF 20-plus B-25's carry out strikes on Kara and Ballale I A/Fs and attack shipping between Suhane I and Tarlena.
11/11/43 Eighth AF 58 HBs attack Munster, concentrating on M/Y: 111 others abort because of bad weather, which hinders assembly. 1st Bomb Div's mission to bomb Wesel is aborted over English Channel due to assembly difficulties and presence of heavy frontal cloud, and all 175 HBs return without bombing.
11/11/43 Ninth AF 157 B-26's bomb military installations and T/Os in Cherbourg area, mainly at Martinvast.
11/11/43 Twelfth AF US and RAF LBs and FBs, in spt of US Fifth and British Eighth Armies, hit troop and gun concentrations and comm in Rocca and Palena areas. Other NATAF aircraft bomb town of Rocca, Bussi sul Tirino explosive works near Popoli, and docks at Civitavecchia, and strafe strong-points at Roccaraso and Atessa. Ftrs hit motor transport in coastal area between Sangro and Pescara Rivers.
11/11/43 Fifteenth AF 28 B-24's attack Annecy ball bearing plant and viaduct at Antheor.
11/11/43 Fourteenth AF 6 B-24's bomb Burma Road about 375 mi W of Tungling, producing landslide and badly damaging the road. 6 P-40's S of Yoyang knock out a gun emplacement and hit a radio station, barracks, and hostels in the area. 8 more P-40's, on armed rcn in Li-ChouChing-Shih area, strafe pontoon bridge and troops, and sink a river steamer, a motorboat, and several small supply boats.
11/11/43 Fifth AF B-24's bomb Lakunai A/F; P-39's strafe Bogadjim; and B-25's hit Madang area.
11/11/43 Thirteenth AF A few B-25's and Navy F4U's strafe barges and shore installations on Matchin Bay. B-24's join Fifth AF, Navy carrier aircraft, and RAAF airplanes in attack on shipping in Rabaul harbor. This is the Thirteenth's first strike on Rabaul. Escorting ftrs claim 17 Japanese ftrs shot down while the HBs claim 5.
11/11/43 Seventh AF Japanese aircraft bomb Nanumea, hitting A/F and destroying or damaging several airplanes, including 1 B-24.
11/12/43 Ninth AF Ninth AF issues Tables of Organization for IX FC, authorizing 2 air spt divs, 5 ftr wgs, 1 rcn gp, 21 ftr gps, and 65 ftr sqs. 3 combat wgs are established for IX BC; the 97th (a new LB wg), the 98th (a MB wg, formerly the 3d Bomb Wg), and the 99th (a MB wg, formerly the 44th Bomb Wg).
11/12/43 Twelfth AF NATBF LBs hit guns, troops, and railway facilities near Palena, town of Atina, and road at Acquafondata. MBs hit Berat/Kucove A/F and oil refinery in Albania after failing to locate tgts near Athens. During 12/13 Nov LBs attack Arezzo M/Y and Perugia A/F. FBs of XII A Spt Cmd and DAF continue to provide close spt to US Fifth and British Eighth Armies, blasting gun positions and motor transport, and also attacking tgts (aircraft, guns, rail yards, bridge, and trains) around Bracciano Lake, Orbetello, Rieti, Sant'Elia Fiumerapido, Opuzen, Ancona, and Iesi.
11/12/43 Fifteenth AF B-26's attack railroad bridges and tracks in Montalto di Castro and Orbetello areas, but heavy cloud cover prevents effective hits on the tgts. P-38's fly air-sea rescue patrol off the Semeni R mouth.
11/12/43 Tenth AF 2 B-24's mine Rangoon R during 12/13 Nov.
11/12/43 Fourteenth AF 10 B-25's and 24 P-40's attack Yoyang, hitting warehouse area, railroad yards, and AA positions. 5 B- 25's bomb Yangchi Kang waterfront area and attack waterfront tgts at Puchi. 6 B-25's and 12 ftrs hit tgts at Yoyang. 15 P-40's and a B-25 on armed rcn hit several T/Os in Lungling area and between Yang-Chia-Kang and Sichai.
11/12/43 Fifth AF B-25's and B-26's bomb villages between Finschhafen and Saidor. B-24's attack tgts on Java and at Amboina. On this date, following a series of damaging allied strikes, Japanese remove their carrier aircraft from Rabaul, which afterwards ceases to be a serious threat to Allied forces.
11/12/43 Thirteenth AF 18 B-25's bomb Tarlena; 6 others bomb Matchin Bay area; and 8 P-38's strafe Bonis A/F.
11/13/43 Eighth AF 115 HBs hit port area at Bremen. 25 HBs bomb T/Os in Kiel-Flensburg area. Bad weather causes over 100 aborts. 47 P-38's escort the HBs all the way to tgt (the longest escort mission by Eighth AF ftrs to date) but are mauled badly by overwhelming number of ftrs. 7 P-38's fail to return to base.
11/13/43 Twelfth AF NATBF LBs hit Palena and Atina and later bomb Civitavecchia harbor and road W of Terracina. XII A Spt Cmd FBs, along with DAF airplanes, bomb Giulianova harbor and shipping, roads leading to battle zone, and landing grounds of Aquino, Frosinone, and Marcigliana. Ftrs hit train and trucks in Pescara- Rieti area.
11/13/43 Fifteenth AF Weather limits operations to air-sea rescue patrols, which are hampered by overcast.
11/13/43 Tenth AF A single B-24 mines Rangoon R during 13/14 Nov.
11/13/43 Fifth AF Nearly 120 B-24's and B-25's pound Alexishafen, and P-40's strafe the area. Other B-24's hit Gasmata, Kaukenau, and Timoeka. B-25's and RAAF Beaufighters claim sinking of small freighter off Tanimbar I.
11/13/43 Thirteenth AF 17 B-24's pound AA positions, dispersal areas, and runway at Bonis A/F. 6 B-25's carry out low-level raid on Buka A/F. Night ftrs harass Shortland I and Kahili and Bonis A/Fs, claiming 4 grounded airplanes destroyed at the latter.
11/13/43 Seventh AF Air attack for GALVANIC (assault on the Gilbert Is begins. 18 B-24's from Funafuti bomb Tarawa. 1 HB is lost.
11/14/43 Twelfth AF NATBF B-25's, escorted by P-38's, bomb Sofia M/Y. XII A Spt Cmd operations are curtailed by weather, and only battle area patrols are flown. DAF FBs hit trains on E coast of Italy near Avezzano, along Dalmatian coast SE of Metkovic, and at Sarajevo. Ftrs strafe Furbara and Tarquinia A/Fs.
11/14/43 Fifteenth AF P-38's escort NATAF B-25's on raid against Sofia M/Y. The ftrs claim 5 airplanes shot down.
11/14/43 Fifth AF B-25's attack supply and bivouac area W of Sio.
11/14/43 Thirteenth AF P-70 night ftrs hit Shortland-Faisi area, claiming a seaplane and 2 barges destroyed.
11/14/43 Seventh AF 9 B-24's from Nukufetau bomb Tarawa. 9 from Nanumea hit Mille.
11/15/43 Twelfth AF XII A Spt Cmd B-25's bomb Kalamaki A/F, and its ftrs patrol battle area. Other NATAF ftrs hit road traffic S of Ancona.
11/15/43 Fifteenth AF B-24's bomb Eleusis A/F; P-38's provide escort.
11/15/43 Fourteenth AF 20 B-24's are dispatched against Hong Kong-Kowloon area. Bad weather prevents 15 HBs from bombing tgts; 5 bomb docks at Kowloon.
11/15/43 Fifth AF Over 30 B-24's pound Alexishafen. 88 B-25's heading for Wewak and Boram with escort of 16 P-40's are intercepted by Japanese ftrs that are escorting bmrs attacking Gusap. The resulting battle causes the MBs to abort the attack. The US airplanes claim 20 of the enemy shot down. 2 P-40's are lost. P- 47's claim 5 more aircraft destroyed over Wewak.
11/15/43 Thirteenth AF 20 B-24's strike Buka A/F, and 18 bomb Kahili. Ftr patrols destroy or damage several barges along the coast of Bougainville and destroy 2 fuel dumps at Tonolai.
11/15/43 Seventh AF 20-plus B-24's from Canton and Nanumea Is bomb Jaluit, Mille, and Makin.
11/16/43 AEAF AM Sir Leigh-Mallory is named Air CinC, AEAF. Gen Butler is Deputy CG.
11/16/43 Eighth AF 306 HBs attack industrial areas of Knaben and Rjukan.
11/16/43 Twelfth AF B-25's bomb Sibenik and Eleusis A/Fs.
11/16/43 Fifteenth AF B-17's bomb Istres Le-Tube A/F, and B-26's hit Salonde-Provence A/F. P-38's escort the Salon-de- Provence raid and also a NATAF B-25 attack on Eleusis A/F.
11/16/43 Fourteenth AF 11 B-24's, 2 B-25's, and 4 P-40's attack docks at Kowloon. 2 B-25's damage 2 freighters near Nampang and Saint John Is, 2 more score hits on tanker off China coast S of Swatow, and 2 others bomb barracks and warehouse on Nampang I. 6 P-40's on armed rcn in Yen BayDong Cuong area strafe railroad stations and barracks. 1 B-25 and 12 P-40's hit cav unit, barge, houses, and numerous sampans at Shihmen. Li-Chou area also is attacked.
11/16/43 Fifth AF B-25's hit installations near Finschhafen and bomb and strafe coastal track west of Reiss Pt. P-39's, with P-40's covering, strafe barges from Saidor to Madang. P-38's battle large force of ftrs over Wewak, destroying 6. 2 P-38's are lost.
11/16/43 Thirteenth AF During 15/16 Nov P-70's harass Kahili A/F. In daylight, 20 R-25's and 4 B-24's pound Ruka A/F, 20- plus other B-25's fly sweeps over areas of Bougainville coastline, Buka Passage, and Sohano I.
Supply dumps and barges are hit. More than 30 P-40's and P-39's also carry out sweeps over the area, hitting gun positions and other tgts at Buka Passage, several T/Os along E coast, Kieta harbor, Tonolai harbor, and Ballale I.
11/16/43 Seventh AF B-24's from Nanumea and Nukufetau bomb Jaluit and Maloelap. Single aircraft hit Kwajalein, Little Makin, and Tarawa.
11/17/43 Twelfth AF B-25's bomb Kalamaki A/F. Ftrs hit trucks N of Ancona at Macerata.
11/17/43 Fifteenth AF B-17's hit Eleusis A/F, destroying several parked airplanes and scoring many hits on hangars, other buildings, and runways. P-38's escort the B-17's as well as NATAF B-25's attacking Kalamaki A/F.
11/17/43 Fourteenth AF 8 P-40's strafe A/F and barracks at Kengtung, 4 others hit construction equipment at Dong Cuong A/F and 8 attack Pingkai and T/Os between Pingkai and Tahsai on the Salween R.
11/17/43 Fifth AF B-24's bomb Soerabaja, Tjepoe, and Denpasar during 17/18 Nov, and B-25's bomb freighter off Tanimbar I. During the day, 58 B-24's are dispatched to spt attack by Australian 9th Div on Sattelberg, but because of bad weather only 3 HBs (along with 12 RAAF aircraft) get through to the tgt. P-47's strafe Japanese shipping between Saidor and Finschhafen.
11/17/43 Thirteenth AF 30-plus B-25's hit Buka A/F and surrounding areas during 16/17 Nov and 2 sqs of B-24's follow with daylight strike on same tgt. 8 other B-24's bomb Buka and Bonis at various times during 16/17 Nov.
During the afternoon 3 B-25's hit Kieta.
11/17/43 Seventh AF More than 20 B-24's from Funafuti and Canton Is bomb Mille, Maloelap, and Tarawa.
11/18/43 Eighth AF 84 B-24's hit Kjeller A/F and industrial tgts at Oslo.
11/18/43 Ninth AF IX TCC's 50th Wg carries paratroops of 101st Airborne Div in a rehearsal of cross-channel operations.
This is first of an extended series of trg exercises to be conducted during the several months preceding the planned invasion of W Europe.
11/18/43 Twelfth AF MBs and LBs of XII A Spt Cmd and RAF attack Larissa A/F, billeting area at Rivisondoli, and road, railway and town area W of San Vito Chietino and at Lanciano. FBs hit ship in Krka R, trains at Knin M/Y and between Knin and Kosovo landing ground at sin;, harbor and vessels at Sibenik, and defended points and gun positions along battleline in Italy. Johann Albrecht Harbor while another bombs a large transport near New Hanover. 20-plus B-24's bomb Waingapoe. A-20's attack villages around Finschhafen. P-47's shoot down several airplanes over Wewak.
11/18/43 Fifteenth AF B-17's, with P-38 escort, pound Eleusis A/F. P-38's also escort NATAF attack on same tgt and escort supply dropping mission to Yugoslavia.
11/18/43 Fourteenth AF 12 P-40's strafe troops and horses and sink a troop barge at Shihmen. 4 others, in spt of Chinese forces, strafe Tahsai ferry.
11/18/43 Fifth AF Over 30 B-25's and B-26's hit enemy positions in Sattelberg area. B-24's carry out light raid on Fak Fak. P-40's bomb Iworep.
11/18/43 Thirteenth AF 4 sqs of B-24's pound Buka and Kara A/Fs. 3 B-25's strafe Greenwich I.
11/18/43 Seventh AF 19 B-24's from Nanumea bomb Mille. 2 others hit Tarawa.
11/19/43 Eighth AF 130 HBs attack T/Os in W Germany. Malfunction of blindbombing equipment results in no attacks on primary tgt of Gelsenkirchen.
11/19/43 Ninth AF Over 100 B-26's dispatched to attack A/Fs in France abort mission when bad weather prevents rendezvous with ftr escorts.
11/19/43 Twelfth AF XII A Spt Cmd A-36's and P-40's bomb bridge E of Cassino and bridge and village of Pontecorvo, and, along with DAF FBs, hit strongpoints around village of Barrea while supporting ground forces. Ftrs (mostly DAF) also strafe trucks and trains around Rieti and Metkovic.
11/19/43 Fifteenth AF Weather causes recall of all aircraft dispatched.
11/19/43 Fourteenth AF B-25's on shipping sweeps in S China Sea strafe 2 vessels off Hong Kong, score damaging hits on 2 vessels at Kiungshan, damage a freighter off Tsao Tao I, and leave a gunboat and freighter sinking E of Swatow. Warehouses and wharves at Swatow also are hit.
11/19/43 Fifth AF Nearly 30 B-25's and B-26's bomb positions in Sattelberg area. A-20's hit Finschhafen area. B-25's attack Kentengi Anchorage.
11/19/43 Thirteenth AF 10 B-25's bomb Matchin Bay and Ballale I A/F areas.
11/19/43 Seventh AF 31 B-24's from Ellice Is bases hit Tarawa and Makin.
11/20/43 Twelfth AF XII A Spt Cmd and DAF ftrs carry out uneventful armed rcn. NATBF hits Porto Civitanova railway junction, Pedaso, Giulianova, and Loreto.
11/20/43 Fifteenth AF Weather cancels all bmr operations. Operations are restricted to weather rcn from Decimomannu to Cape Linaro.
11/20/43 Fourteenth AF 2 B-25's hit warehouses and barracks on Nampang I. Weather prevents completion of several other scheduled missions.
11/20/43 Fifth AF 50 B-25's and B-26's pound Japanese positions in Sattelberg area and sink or damage at least 10 luggers in Hansa Bay. A-20's hit Lae area. 50 B-24's bomb Gasmata.
11/20/43 Thirteenth AF 45 B-25's, B-34's, and P-38's attack Bonis A/F. A few other B-25's strafe coastal villages in Empress Augusta Bay region.
11/20/43 ZI XX BC is officially activated with HQ at Smoky Hill AAFld.
11/21/43 Twelfth AF NATBF B-25's bomb gun emplacements at Gaeta. US and RAF FBs of DAF hit strongpoints in Santa Maria Imbaro and Poggiofiorito areas. Ftrs carry out patrols and rcn along battleline along Corigliano and the Sangro R.
11/21/43 Fifteenth AF B-26's bomb harbor at Civitavecchia, bridge at Fano, and M/Y at Chiusi. P-38's provide escort to the latter tgt.
11/21/43 Fourteenth AF 29 P-40's strafe more than 100 sampans and small boats on Tungting Lake in Li-Chou Changte- Ansiang area. 12 P-40's attack 5 vessels, 20 houses, and 100 men at Shihmen and between Shih men and Li-Chou. 8 others hit troops and small river boats near Tsowshih 12 P-40's and 4 B-25's pound town of Tzeli. 4 other B-25's on shipping sweeps over S China Sea damage a freighter and blast buildings at Taiping-hsu A/F.
11/21/43 Fifth AF A-20's again hit Finschhafen area. B-24's bomb Gasmata. B-25's and B-24's hit shipping and other tgts in Aroe Is and off Manokwari.
11/21/43 Thirteenth AF Gen Twining, CO MAIRSOLS, is succeeded by Gen Mitchell, USMC. A few B-25's on shipping search strafe Kieta.
11/21/43 Seventh AF Following the 20 Nov amphibious landings on Tarawa and Makin Atolls, Seventh AF resumes operations against the Marshalls, in spt of the base-development phase of GALVANIC (Gilbert operations) and in preparation for invasion of the Marshalls (Operations FLINTLOCK and CATCHPOLE). B-24's from Funafuti and Nanumea bomb Nauru I.
11/22/43 International Roosevelt, Churchhill and Chiang Kai-shek confer in Cairo. Talks last until 26 Nov and concern OVERLORD, possibility of expanding operations in MTO, and future operations against Japan. It is decided to make amphibious landing and offensive in Burma (CHAMPION) and to base B-29's in CBI (TWILIGHT).
11/22/43 Twelfth AF Over 100 XII A Spt Cmd P-40's, B-25's, and RAF Baltimores, attack strongpoints in Lanciano- Fossacesia area, concentrating on gun positions. P-40's also hit roads and railways at Fabriano, towns of Viticuso and Vallerotonda, and as far N as Urbino. A-36's hit chemical works, harbor, and railroad yards at Civitavecchia and bomb village of San Vittore del Lazio.
11/22/43 Fifteenth AF B-26's, escorted by P-38's, hit railroad center at Foligno, scoring numerous hits: others attack bridge at Ciciana.
11/22/43 Fourteenth AF 12 P-40's strafe river traffic from Hofuh to Changte, and 16 attack numerous small troop boats on Tungting Lake, W of Changteh.
11/22/43 Fifth AF 22 B-25's and A-20's attack villages around Sattelberg. More than 100 B-25's and B-24's bomb Gasmata and Cape Gloucester. B-24's on armed rcn score hits on freighter near Kavieng and tanker and barge in Bismarck Sea.
11/22/43 Thirteenth AF P-40's in battle with 30-40 ftrs over Empress Augusta Bay claim 5 ftrs shot down. P-38's strafe barges and shore tgts at Chabai. 20-plus B-25's, along with 5 B-34's, 8 P-38's and 8 Navy F4U's, attack Buka A/F scoring hits on the airstrip and taxiways.
11/22/43 Seventh AF 11 B-24's from Canton I bomb Mille. HBs claim 2 interceptors shot down.
11/23/43 Ninth AF 83 B-26's bomb Beroksur-Mer and Saint-Omer/Longuenesse A/Fs.
11/23/43 Twelfth AF Weather limits operations to ftr patrols of battle area.
11/23/43 Fourteenth AF 13 B-25's, 24 P-40's, and 7 P-51's pound Yoyang railroad yards and warehouse area. 8 other P-40's, on armed rcn over Hanshow area, strafe barges, boats, supplies, and cav forces.
11/23/43 Fifth AF B-25's and A-20's hit villages around Finschhafen. B-24's attack convoy near Halmahera I and sink 1 vessel.
11/23/43 SOPAC Gen Hubert Harmon assumes duties as Dep Cmdr for Air in SOPAC.
11/23/43 Thirteenth AF Col Earl W Barnes assumes cmd of XIII FC. Chabai is attacked by 23 B-25's, 6 B-34's, and 24 Navy F4U's. 2 B-24's bomb the same tgts later in the day. 19 B-24's hit Bonis and Buka A/Fs. 4 B-25's on shipping sweep, bomb and strafe villages along Bougainville coast between Mabiri and Luluai.
11/23/43 Seventh AF 6 B-24's from Nukufetau bomb Emidj and Jabor on Jaluit Atoll.
11/24/43 Twelfth AF NATBF bmrs, along with DAF FBs, in close spt of British Eighth Army, hit gun positions and defended points in Fossacesia area. XII A Spt Cmd A-36's, in spt of US Fifth Army, hit roads NW of battleline, and bomb harbor at Civitavecchia.
11/24/43 Fifteenth AF B-17's, with P-38 escorts, strike Toulon submarine base and Sofia M/Y.
11/24/43 Fourteenth AF 5 B-25's and 16 P-40's bomb Hanshow and strafe 1520 small boats N of the city. 2 other B-25's attack harbor and town of Amoy. 2 direct hits are scored on a docked freighter.
11/24/43 Fifth AF Col Neel E Kearby becomes CO V FC. 30-plus B-25's, B-26's, and A-20's bomb village of Kalasa. 15 A-20's and B-25's, with P-38's escorting, hit stores and supplies in Finschhafen area. More than 20 B- 24's, supported by P-38's, bomb Gasmata. 18 B-25's hit shipping at Halmahera I.
11/24/43 Thirteenth AF 25 B-24's bomb Buka and Chabai. 20 B-25's hit Kahili A/F, and 6 others bomb and strafe a possible radio station at Mutupina Pt. Ftr patrols strafe Gazelle and Queen Carola Harbors, sinking a barge and damaging a schooner.
11/24/43 Seventh AF 20 B-24's out of Nanumea bomb Maloelap Atoll, scoring hits on landing ground and cargo vessel.
11/25/43 Eighth AF Bombing by P-47's is inaugurated by VIII FC in attack on Saint-Omer A/F by 56th and 353d Ftr Gps.
Two other ftr gps, the 55th (P-38's) and 352d (P-47's), carry out offensive sweeps in Lille area. The ftrs, including 2 escorting gps, fly over 330 offensive sorties. 401st Bomb Gp reaches operational status, making 22 HB gps now operational in Eighth AF.
11/25/43 AEAF ACM Sir Leigh-Mallory activates his HQ. Second Tac AF, RAF, and on 15 Dec US Ninth AF (operationally) are included under AEAF.
11/25/43 Twelfth AF LBs and MBs of XII A Spt Cmd, along with Allied air planes, bomb gun positions and defended points in Lanciano-Fossacesic area. MBs also hit Sarajevo, Travnik and Ancona. US and RAF ftrs at tack vehicles, gun positions, and strongpoints in Casoli-Castelfrentano-Lanciano-Fossacesia area.
11/25/43 Fifteenth AF Bad weather causes recall of HBs. P-38's on supply and air-sea rescue escort duty also abort due to rain storms.
11/25/43 Tenth AF In a raid on Rangoon, B-24's of the 308th Bomb Gp, borrowed from Fourteenth AF, are unable to bomb because of bad weather but B-25's, covered by P-51's, manage to hit Mingaladon A/F, damaging the field and claiming 2 airplanes destroyed. Japanese ftrs intercept and in the ensuing battle the B-25's and P-51's claim 2 shot down. 2 P-51's are lost.
11/25/43 Fourteenth AF 14 B-25's and 16 P-38's and P-51's attack A/F at Shinchiku, hitting a parking area, hangars, barracks, and other buildings. 32 enemy aircraft are claimed destroyed in the air and on the ground. 16 P-40's on armed rcn over Hanshow-Changte area sink 2 60-ft boats and 15 sampans and strafe many small supply and troopcarrying boats.
11/25/43 Fifth AF P-39's strafe Bogadjim Road. Sattelberg falls to Australian 9th Div.
11/26/43 Eighth AF 440 HBs attack port area of Bremen. 128 HBs assigned industrial tgts in Paris area abort mission on arrival over tgt because of complete cloud cover which totally obscures objective. 29 aircraft are lost.
11/26/43 Ninth AF Almost 140 MBs attack Cambrai/Epinoy and Roye/Amy A/Fs and military constructions in town of Audinghen.
11/26/43 Twelfth AF B-25's and A-20's along with RAF LBs, attack M/Y and harbor at Ancona, defended positions near Fossacesia, Lanciano, and Castelfrentano. US and RAF FBs hit these same positions and also attack troop concentrations near Palombaro and N of Casoli.
11/26/43 Fifteenth AF B-17's of 2d and 99th Bomb Gps hit viaduct at Recco. 301st Bomb Gp B-17's bomb Rimini M/Y and bridge. 17th Bomb Gp B-26's bomb Cassino while B-24's of 376th Bomb Gp attack bridges in Fano, Cesano, Senigallia, and Falconara areas, scoring hits or near misses at Fano, Falconara and Senigallia.
11/26/43 Fourteenth AF 5 B-25's and 16 ftrs attack Kiangling A/F. 2 other B-26's damage freighter in Honghai Bay. 12 P-40's attack numerous boats in Changte-Tehshan area. 8 other P-40's hit railroad yards at Cam Duong.
11/26/43 Fifth AF Almost 40 MBs hit barge hideouts near Sio. P-40's and P-47's strafe villages and T/Os around Alexishafen, Madang, and Nubia. P-39's attack force of about 40 Japanese ftrs and bmrs in Finschhafen area, claiming 4 shot down. B-24's bomb Gasmata and score hits on cruiser near Ubili.
11/26/43 Thirteenth AF Buka and Bonis A/F are hit by more than 40 B-24's, 30-plus B-25's, and more than 30 ftr aircraft. A few B-34's attack Green I, causing heavy damage in bivouac and supply area and sinking a barge. A single B-25 bombs Ballale I A/F.
11/27/43 Twelfth AF During day and night Twelfth AF ftrs, LBs, and MBs and aircraft of associated RAF units of NATAF attack enemy positions, gun emplacements, roads, vehicles, railroad facilities, and T/Os in Lanciano- Fossacesia-Castelfrentano-Casoli area B-25's also bomb Porto Civitanova and Sibenik.
11/27/43 Fifteenth AF B-17's, with P-38 escort, bomb M/Y and bridges at Rimini. Other B-17's hit bridges and M/Y at Grizzana and bridge approach on Reno R 25 mi SW of Bologna.
11/27/43 Tenth AF B-24's, with P-38 escort, and B-25's, covered by P-51's, strike Insein. Japanese interceptors attack fiercely, shooting down 6 ftrs and 3 HBs. US airplanes claim 13 ftrs downed.
11/27/43 Fourteenth AF 4 B-25's on sea sweeps attack docks and warehouses at port of Swatow and hit convoy of 9 vessels heading S toward Amoy. The MBs claim 1 destroyer sunk and a destroyer and freighter damaged by direct hits.
11/27/43 Fifth AF MBs blast A/F at Boram and town and harbor at Wewak claiming 15 airplanes and 12 barges destroyed. MBs also bomb town of Finschhafen.
11/27/43 Thirteenth AF 5 B-25's, with ftr escort, bomb Queen Carola Harbor. 20-plus B-24's, with ftr spt, attack Buka A/F. 19 B-24's bomb Bonis A/F. A few B-25's and B-34's attack areas at mouth of Mobiai R and Mutupina Pt.
11/27/43 Seventh AF 8 B-24's from Canton I and Nukufetau bomb Mille.
11/27/43 ZI Gen Wolfe becomes CG XX.
11/28/43 International Tehran Conference begins and lasts until 30 Nov. Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin discuss further action against Germany. OVERLORD and ANVIL are given priority over all other operations. Stalin agrees to commit Soviet forces against Japan after Germany's defeat.
11/28/43 Twelfth AF B-25's bomb warehouses, docks, M/Ys, barracks, shipping, and other tgts in Sibenik, Zara, and Dubrovnik. DAF ftrs strafe trains between Dubrovnik and Metkovic, and Twelfth AF ftrs hit vehicles and troops in battle area. Allied FBs bomb and strafe buildings, trucks, and roads in Lanciano-Fossacesia- Casoli areas.
11/28/43 Fifteenth AF B-26's are recalled over S France due to bad weather. The MBs and their ftr escort claim 5 ftrs destroyed in combat over French coast. B-25's, with ftr escort, bomb railroad viaduct at Dogna.
11/28/43 Tenth AF B-24's heavily damage Botataung docks at Rangoon; the HBs claim 4 interceptors shot down. B-25's pound Sagaing.
11/28/43 Fourteenth AF 8 P-40's bomb and strafe barracks area and village on W bank of the Saiween near Litsaoho. 6 others strafe town area and A/F at Luang Prabang and hit radio building, barracks, and tower at Tran Ninh. 8 P-40's drop ammo to besieged Chinese troops at Changte.
11/28/43 Fifth AF Nearly 50 B-24's bomb A,/Fs at Wewak and Boram, and 40-plus B-25's, B-26's, and A-20's hit villages on Huon Peninsula and track in Finschhafen area.
11/28/43 Thirteenth AF 6 B-25's bomb ant strafe Mutupina Pt area. Ftrs strafe Tinputs Harbor, barges at Tonolai and T/Os along W coast of Bougainville.
11/28/43 Seventh AF 11 B-24's from Nanumea hit Nauru.
11/29/43 Eighth AF 154 HBs attack port of Bremen and T/Os in the area. Unfavorable cloud conditions and malfunction of blind-bombing equipment cause more than 200 HBs to abort. 13 aircraft are lost on mission.
11/29/43 Ninth AF 53 B-26's bomb Chievres A/F. 71 sent to bomb Cambrai/Epinoy A/F abort mission due to bad weather.
11/29/43 Twelfth AF B-25's bomb Sarajevo and road and rail bridges at Giulianova. US, SAAF, and RAF LBs hit enemy strongpoints at San Vito Chietino and the Castelfrentano-Lanciano-Fossacesia areas. Allied FBs bomb enemy forward positions around Fossacesia and Lanciano.
11/29/43 Fifteenth AF 70 B-26's bomb A/F and M/Ys at Grosseto. B-24's, with P-38 escort, bomb Furbara area. Many other MBs and HBs are prevented from bombing tgts by bad weather.
11/29/43 Fourteenth AF 2 B-25's hit A/F, town area, and warehouse section at Swatow, 2 bomb power station and nearby T/Os at Amoy, and 2 attack barges in nearby coastal areas. 24 P-40's drop food and ammo to Chinese troops at Changte, strafe camp in Hsutu Lake area, damage a vessel in Tien-hsin Lake and attack numerous small craft in channels between 3 Hsutu and Tungting Lakes and between Tsowshih and Hofuh.
11/29/43 Fifth AF 35 B-25's and B-26's bomb Cape Gloucester. 6 B-24's bomb barracks at Manokwari.
11/29/43 Thirteenth AF 18 B-25's, with ftr cover, attack Tinputs Harbor and T/Os in area from Numa Numa to Kieta. 21 B-24's pound Kieta. P-39's join Navy dive bmrs in strike on Mosigetta warehouse area while a ftr patrol attacks Gazelle Harbor and gun positions S of Torokina Plantation.
11/30/43 Eighth AF 78 HBs hit industries at Solingen using blind-bombing equipment. 200 aircraft abort due to cloud formations which cause assembly difficulties and which require flying at altitudes not feasible for the B- 24's included in the mission.
11/30/43 Twelfth AF A-20's, operating in conjunction with LBs of SAAF and RAF attack ground installations and defended areas around Lanciano, Fossacesia, Orsogna, Castelfrentano, and Guardiagrele. FBs, (US, RAAF, SAAF, RAF) hit pre-arranged tgts in battle area, and by hitting T/Os on roads between Lanciano to Mozzagrogna aid in defeating counter attack against US 34th Inf Div on Monte Pantano.
11/30/43 Fifteenth AF B-26's attack Monte Molino railroad bridge, Montalto di Castro, and in areas around Bastia and Torgiano. Accuracy is severely hampered by overcast. B-24's, with P-38 escort, bomb Fiume through overcast.
11/30/43 Fourteenth AF 6 P-40's bomb fuel and ammo dump at Luchiangpa. 8 others strafe several boats on lake SE of Ansiang. Supplies are dropped to Chinese troops in Changte.
11/30/43 Fifth AF B-24's bomb Cape Gloucester A/F. B-25's bomb and strafe villages along coast from Borgen Bay to Riebeck Bay. B-24's hit Alexishafen. B-25's and A-20's attack Kalasa and hit trucks in Waroe area.
11/30/43 Thirteenth AF 17 B-25's bomb Malai on Shortland I. Ftr aircraft (AAF and Navy) attack barges and AA guns at Tonolai, SE coast of Ballale I, NW tip of Choiseul I, Amun above Cape Moltke, Numa Numa, and Chabai. Others cover dive bmrs attacking Jakohina Mission area, gun positions at Kangu and Malabita Hill, and in Mosigetta area. A few B-34's hit Mawareka area.
11/30/43 Seventh AF 10 B-24's from Canton I strike Maloelap. 20 others, sent against the same tgt from Nanumea, run into bad weather. 2 attack cargo ship and other vessels near Maloelap, the remaining 18 return to base without attacking.
12/1/43 Eighth AF 281 HBs hit industrial tgts at Solingen after malfunction of Pathfinder equipment prevents attack on primary tgt at Leverkusen. Over 20 aircraft are lost on the raid.
12/1/43 Ninth AF Over 175 B-26's bomb A/Fs at Chievres, Cambrai/Epinoy, Lille/Vendeville, and Cambrai/Niergnies. 28 P-51's execute a sweep over NW France, marking first Ninth AF ftr operation from UK.
12/1/43 Twelfth AF B-25's bomb gun positions in Sant' Ambrogio area. FBs (including some RAF, RAAF, and SAAF aircraft) hit trucks, gun positions, and other military tgts E of Casoli, at Lanciano, near Guardiagrele, W of Mignano, W of Minturno, and near Chieti. Several of these missions are in spt of US Fifth and British Eighth Army.
12/1/43 Fifteenth AF HQ closes at Tunis and opens at Bari. Over 100 B-17's bomb Turin ball bearing works and M/Y.
Escorting P-38's battle enemy ftrs without either losses or positive victories. HBs claim 2 enemy ftrs shot down. B-24's and other P-38's are recalled because of weather. B-26's, with ftr escort, attack bridges and railroad facilities at Aulla, Cecina, and Sestri Levante.
12/1/43 Tenth AF B-24's bomb Insein. The HBs and escorting P-38 encounter large number of Japanese ftrs over the tgts. P-51's which failed to make rendezvous with the HBs before the attack join the formations on return trip. US losses are high: 6 B-24's and a P-51 shot down and 5 more HBs are seriously damaged.
MBs hit the newly repaired bridge at Myitnge, rendering it temporarily unserviceable.
12/1/43 Fourteenth AF 19 B-25's, 24 P-40's, and 10 P-51's pound Kowloon shipyards. 2 B-25's hit nearby Taikoo Docks, Hong Kong. 4 P-40's strafe truck convoy near Lashio, 16 sink about 30 boats in area around Changte, and 8 bomb Bac Ninh and vicinity.
12/1/43 Fifth AF 40-plus B-24's bomb Wewak, the HBs and P-47 escorts claiming 11 enemy ftrs shot down out of interception force of about 50. 3 B-24's are lost. 16 A-20's hit Cape Gloucester area. 35 B-25's and B- 26's bomb Borgen Bay area.
12/1/43 Thirteenth AF 18 B-25's and 8 P-38's attack Malai. P-39's strafe Tonolai and spt Navy dive bmrs in attack on Jaba R area near Empress Augusta Bay. Other AAF and Navy ftrs cover dive bmr strikes on Kara and Ballale I supply areas and strafe tgts at Tenekow, Chabai, and Mutupina Pt. 6 B-25's bomb Sarime Plantation.
12/1/43 Seventh AF 4 B-24's, flying out of Funafuti, bomb Mille.
12/2/43 AEAF CCS authorizes AEAF to attack 'sky sites' in Pas de Calais area and on Cherbourg Peninsula, which RAF photography and British intelligence have virtually identified as missile-launching sites.
12/2/43 Twelfth AF B-25's, A-20's, and RAF LBs spt ground forces in Monte Trocchio area, and other B-25's, A-20's, and RAF and SAAF airplanes spt ground forces near Sant' Ambrogio. More B-25's hit bridge and approaches near Chieti. Ftrs strafe trucks and trains while FBs blast gun positions along US Fifth and British Eighth Army fronts, and hit harbors and shipping along Yugoslav coast at or near Omis, Drvenicki, Trogir, Vrbnik, and Ston.
12/2/43 Fifteenth AF B-24's, with ftr escort, bomb town area, railroad bridge, and M/Y at Bolzano. B-26's achieve excellent results in raid on bridge S of Orvieto and M/Y at Arezzo. B-17's blast submarine pens at Marseille.
12/2/43 Fourteenth AF 18 Japanese bmrs and 30 Zeros attack Suichwan A/F. 9 P-40's intercept, shooting down 1 Japanese airplane. 2 P-40's are lost. 6 P-40's on armed rcn bomb villages between Sha Nyao and Chiao Tou Chieh. 16 others bomb Japanese positions NE of Changte.
12/2/43 Fifth AF 50-plus B-25's pound Borgen Bay area. 20 B-25's and B-26's hit enemy forces in Finschhafen area.
Sio area is bombed by 2 B-24's.
12/2/43 Thirteenth AF 20-plus B-25's hit Malai and attack positions on Porror R and Rigu Mission at Kieta. More than 20 R- 24's bomb Korovo. Ftr patrol strafes Chabai area.
12/3/43 Eighth AF Note from ACM Portal to CCS states that POINTBLANK (CBO against GAF) is 3 months behind in relationship to tentative date for OVERLORD which had been set for 1 May 44. This brings more pressure on Eighth AF to destroy industrial plants of importance to aircraft production.
12/3/43 Twelfth AF Twelfth AF transfers its entire II Air Serv Area Cmd with all of its subordinate units to Fifteenth AF, where it shortly becomes XV AFSC. This is a major step toward making the Fifteenth a separate, selfsufficient AF. B-25's bomb harbor and M/Y at Sibenik. FBs, along with DAF airplanes, hit tanks and trucks in Guardiagrele-Lanciano areas. Other FBs attack vessel at Sibenik and vehicles and trains N of Rome. Anzio and Nettuno are also bombed.
12/3/43 Fifteenth AF B-24's, with ftr escort, hit Rome/Casale A/F. B-26's and escorting P-38's are recalled due to weather.
Other P-38's escort supply mission to Yugoslavia.
12/3/43 Fourteenth AF 8 P-40's attack barracks and other buildings at Wanling.
12/3/43 Fifth AF More than 60 B-24's and B-25's bomb Cape Gloucester A/F. 1 B-24 sinks several barges in Johann Albrecht Harbor while another bombs a large transport near New Hanover. 20-plus B-24's bomb Waingapoe. A-20's attack villages around Finschhafen. P-47's shoot down .several airplanes over Wewak.
12/3/43 Thirteenth AF 23 B-25's bomb Kieta Harbor and nearby supply and bivouac areas. 6 others hit Aitara Mission. 21 B- 24's pound Bonis. Ftr aircraft (AAF and Navy) on patrol hit T Os in areas from Numa Numa to Koromira, at Mosiga and Chabai, and W of Mutupina Pt. B-24's on armed rcn hit a variety of tgts, including Kieta, Green I, Greenwich I, and Korovo.
12/4/43 International Second Cairo conference (SEXTANT) opens and lasts until 6 Dec. Roosevelt, Churchill, and Inonu attend. Churchill discusses possibility of Turkey entering the war. Plan for amphibious assault in Bay of Bengal is canceled. A tentative timetable is set up for Pacific offensive. Unified Cmd is established in the Mediterranean effective 10 Dec.
12/4/43 Ninth AF Ninth AF directive establishes Operation CROSSBOW for IX BC and provides a list of tgts to be attacked immediately. IX A Spt Cmd, constituted on 29 Nov 43, is assigned to Ninth AF, activated, and stationed at Aldermaston Court in England with Col Clarence E Crumrine as CO. 203 B-26's dispatched to attack Chievres and Lille/Vendeville A/Fs must abort mission due to bad weather.
12/4/43 Twelfth AF Weather grounds Twelfth AF elements of NATAF.
12/4/43 Fifteenth AF All missions are cancelled by bad weather.
12/4/43 Tenth AF 5 B-24's mine Rangoon R while 12 others mine the SalNveen R at Moulmein during 4/5 Dec.
12/4/43 Fourteenth AF 11 B-25's and 12 P-40's bomb Changte, which was taken by the Japanese earlier in the day. 11 more B-25's and 24 P-40's follow with 2 more attacks on Changte. Other P-40's drop ammo to Chinese troops on Tehshan Mt.
12/4/43 Fifth AF Nearly 50 bmrs hit Cape Gloucester A/F and attack shore tgts from Rottock Bay to Rein Bay. 12 A- 20's hit villages and supply dumps in Finschhafen area. 30-plus P-40's sink an oil laden lugger and 2 barges off Bogia and bomb bridge near Bogadjim.
12/4/43 Thirteenth AF XIII FC completes move from the New Hebrides to Guadalcanal. 21 B-24's attack Chabai. 17 B-25's follow with strike on same tgt.
12/4/43 Seventh AF 34 B-24's from Ellice and Canton Is bomb Mille. Over 20 others abort due to bad weather. 8 B-24's from Funafuti attack Nauru.
12/4/43 Eleventh AF 3 bmrs return early from an armed seasearch, due to weather.
12/5/43 International At Cairo Conference Roosevelt decides on Gen Eisenhower as supreme allied cmdr for OVERLORD.
12/5/43 Eighth AF Around 550 HBs are dispatched to attack A/Fs at Bordeaux, Cognac, La Rochelle, and Saint-Jeand'Angely, and industries at Paris. Cloud conditions prevent bombing of tgts except for 3 HBs that attack A/Fs at Bordeaux and Cognac. 9 aircraft are lost on the mission.
12/5/43 Ninth AF 52 R-26's bomb Ligescourt, Campagne-les-Hesdin, and Saint-Josse. 200 others are forced to abandon mission because of heavy cloud cover over tgts, including V-weapon sites which the Ninth had scheduled to attack for the first time. Ninth AF P-51's (354th Ftr Sq) fly first escort mission, accompanying Eighth AF HBs in raid against tgts in areas near Amiens.
12/5/43 MAAF CCS issues directive for organization of Mediterranean Allied Air Forces consolidating British and US forces of MAC and NAAFs.
12/5/43 Twelfth AF Weather hampers MB operations, but B-25's manage to bomb bridge at Pescara and M/Y and shipyards at Split. US FBs and ftrs (and a number of other Allied airplanes) hit gun positions S of Chieti, vessel in Poljud harbor (near Split), trains and trucks W of Aquino, bridges near Mignano and Ladispoli, town of Arezzo, A/Fs at Piombino and Aviano, and building S of Garda Bake.
12/5/43 Tenth AF During 5/6 Dec B-24's mine waters in Moulmein area while 5 others lay mines in Rangoon R.
12/5/43 Fourteenth AF 16 P-40's over Changte area damage several large supply sampans near Ansiang and strafe various T/Os in Tehshan and Hsutu Lake areas. More than 20 other P-40's on patrols over Changte area attack numerous boats and other tgts throughout the nearby lake region.
12/5/43 Fifth AF 40 B-24's bomb Cape Gloucester. A-20's destroy small craft off New Britain. Other A-20's hit enemy forces in Finschhafen area. B-25's, B-26's, and P-40's attack tgts along Bogadjim Road.
12/5/43 Thirteenth AF 23 B-25's and 20-plus Navy dive bmrs hit Monoitu, Aitara Mission, and Mosigetta area. Ftr patrols hit several areas on Bougainville and on Shortland, including Chabai, Numa Numa, Mosigetta, Monoitu, and Faisi I.
12/6/43 Twelfth AF P-40 and A-36 FBs bomb bridges at Ceprano and W of Mignano. Weather cancels other operations.
12/6/43 Fifteenth AF 45 B-24's bomb Eleusis A/F while 56 B-17's hit Kalamaki A/F. Other B-17's return to base with bombs because of heavy overcast. The HBs and escorting P-38's claim several enemy ftrs shot down. 1 B-24 is destroyed by flak.
12/6/43 Fourteenth AF Changte is pounded throughout the day by more than 30 B-25's and numerous ftrs. Other ftrs strafe T/Os in railway yard at Hsipaw and damage train at Hopong.
12/6/43 Fifth AF Nearly 100 B-24's and B-25's hit Cape Gloucester and Borgen Bay areas. P-40's strafe Cape Hoskins. A-20's and B-25's attack villages and supply dumps around Finschhafen.
12/6/43 Thirteenth AF 6 B-25's bomb Monoitu Mission area, and 24 others, with ftr spt, pound Tarlena village. P-40's carry out strafing strike in Arawa Bay area near Kieta. P-38's strafe W coast of Buka. General ftr patrols strafe Chabai, Koromira, and Monoitu areas. Kieta supply area is bombed by a B-24 on armed rcn.
12/7/43 USSAFE CCS accept US plan for a strategic air cmd to coordinate operations of Fifteenth and Eighth AFs.
12/7/43 Twelfth AF B-25's and A-36's bomb harbor and town of Civitavecchia. B-25's also attack Pescara, hitting railroad, road, and town area. A-36's, P-40's, and DAF ftrs hit gun position W of Orsogna, towns of Viticuso and San Vittoria, and bridge at Civitella Roveto.
12/7/43 Fifteenth AF Heavy cloud cover severely restricts operations. 1 B-26 attacks bridge S of Arma di Taggia.
12/7/43 Fourteenth AF Changte is hit twice by a total of 13 B-25's and several escorting ftrs. 8 P-40's strafe freight ears between Mogaung and Myitkyina.
12/7/43 Fifth AF More that 90 B-24's and B-25's attack Cape Gloucester and Borgen Bay areas. A-20's bomb troop encampments and dumps in Finschhafen area. P-40's strafe boats and barges near Madang. B-24's bomb A/F and village on Haroekoe.
12/7/43 Thirteenth AF 18 B-25's carry out strikes against Kahili and Kieta Harbor. Torokina I is bombed by 2 B-34's on patrol.
12/7/43 Seventh AF During 6/7 Dec, 14 B-24's, staging through Tarawa, hit tgts on Maloelap and Wotje Atolls. 22 A-24's from Makin, escorted by Marine F6F's, hit Emidj. 6 B-24's from Nukufetau bomb Maloelap, and 1 other, failing to reach the primary, drops bombs on Mille. This date marks beginning of FLINTLOCK (capture and def of Kwajulein and Majuro Atolls).
12/8/43 USSAFE Gen Arnold notifies Gen Spaatz that he is to cmd USSAFE (later USSTAF).
12/8/43 Twelfth AF B-25's bomb bridges, industrial tgts, M/Y, and town areas of Pescara, Aneona, and Aquila. A-20's hit gun emplacements and bivouac area near Sant' Elia Fiumerapido. Other A-20's, operating with RAF and SAAF aircraft attack troop concentration and gun positions near Miglianico. FBs of AAF, RAF, RAAF, and SAAF bomb tgts in spt of ground troops near Orsogna. US A-36's and P-40's hit comm tgts (roads, railroads, bridges) at Avezzano, Frosinone, Viticuso, Gaeta, and Sant'Elia Fiumerapido.
12/8/43 Fifteenth AF More than 120 B-24's and B-17's attack Tatoi and Eleusis A/Fs, railroad bridges near Orbetello Lake and town of Porto Santo Stefano. B-26's hit Spoleto viaduct, Orte M /Y, and Civitavecchia harbor.
Other B-26's abort mission because of weather.
12/8/43 Fourteenth AF 9 B-25's, escorted by 16 P-40's, pound Changte. 9 other B-25's bomb Hofuh and the 16 escorting P- 40's bomb 2 villages to the N.
12/8/43 Fifth AF B-25's attack PenfoeiKoepang area. B-25's and B-26's pound enemy supply dumps on Huon Peninsula near Finschhafen. P-39's strafe barges from Saidor to Fortification Pt.
12/8/43 Thirteenth AF Ftr patrols and aircraft on armed rcn bomb and strafe several T/Os near Kieta, SE of Cape Torokina, at Baniu Plantation, and along NE coast of Rougainville.
12/8/43 Seventh AF 22 B-24's from Nanumea bomb Jaluit, and 11 from Canton I bomb Mille.
12/8/43 Eleventh AF 3 B-24's fly armed rcn. During 8/9 Dec another B-24 off on a photographic mission over Kasatochi I, turns back because of mechanical trouble.
12/9/43 Twelfth AF B-25's bomb railway and road bridges at Giulianova, tracks at Pescara and Teramo, and M/Y and ironworks at Terni. A-20's hit gun positions and bivouac area at Sant' Elia Fiumerapido. A-36's and P-40's attack Orsogna and coastal tgts in spt of British Eighth Army, Avezzano M/Y and villages along US Fifth Army front, troops at San Pietro Infine and Viticuso and nearby gun positions, viaduct and railway bridge E of Guidonia A/F, crossing at Furbara, and trains and trucks in Rome area. Gen Beverley takes over as new CG, XII TCC (Prov).
12/9/43 Fifteenth AF P-38's carry out weather rcn over the Adriatic. B-17's of 2d and 99th Bomb Gps are recalled because of weather. All gps of 47th (B-24) and 42d (B-26) Bomb Wgs cancel operations.
12/9/43 Fourteenth AF 15 B-25's bomb Wuchang and Hankow, and 3 bomb Changte. P-40's strafe sampans above Nanhsien and attack T/Os in Salween R area, including road traffic S of Hsia Chai, barracks at Tachai, and town of San Tsun.
12/9/43 Fifth AF 50 B-25's bomb and strafe New Britain coast from Borgen Bay to Rein Bay. 19 B-25's and A-20's hit barges coastal installations, and roads in Fortification Pt area. 60-plus P-39's hit Bogadjim Road, barges and enemy held villages along N coast of Huon Peninsula, and enemy positions in Ramu R valley.
12/9/43 Seventh AF 19 B-24's from Funafuti bomb Mille. The HEs claim 5 ftrs destroyed.
12/10/43 Ninth AF 20 German aircraft attack 4 Ninth AF A/Fs in UK (Gosfield, Andrews Field, Earls Colne, and Great Dunmow), killing 8 and wounding more than 20 men.
12/10/43 Twelfth AF P-40's and A-36's attack oil tanks, warehouses, railroads, and vessel at Civitavecchia, town of Acquafondata, and (with RAF, SAAF, and RAAF airplanes) hit tac tgts along British Eighth Army front, and later strafe road traffic in Canosa Sannita-Chieti area. Ftrs also bomb vessel in harbor at Split.
12/10/43 MAAF MAAF is established (see 20 Dec 43).
12/10/43 Fifteenth AF B-24's, with ftr escort, bomb M/Y at Sofia. B-26's hit bridge approaches W and E of Ventimiglia. P- 38's fly weather rcn in Sofia and Zara areas.
12/10/43 Fourteenth AF 12 B-25's and 16 P-40's attack M/Y at Hanoi. Warehouse area and railroad station suffer heavy damage.
Japanese aircraft bomb Hengyang A/F. 8 P-40's intercept 1 wave of airplanes over the field, shooting down 3 of them. 2 P-40's are lost in the combat.
12/10/43 Fifth AF 27 B-24's bomb tgts at Cape Gloucester and Huon Peninsula. 40 B-25's and B-26's bomb supply and bivouac areas and bridges along Bogadjim Road. P-39's strafe barges in Madang area.
12/10/43 Thirteenth AF B-25's bomb Kahili supply area and A/F. P-39's bomb supply area and AA positions at Tonolai and strafe 4 barges in the harbor. B-34's hit buildings at Arigua Plantation.
12/11/43 Eighth AF 523 B-17's and B-24's hit docks and industrial area of Emden. 17 aircraft are lost to enemy action.
12/11/43 Twelfth AF P-40's and A-36's attack Anzio, Nettuno, Viticuso, San Vittore del Lazio, Pontecorvo, Acquafondata, railway siding at Arce, tracks and junction N of Ostia, and railway between Ostia and Lido di Roma.
Weather causes abandonment of MB operations.
12/11/43 Fifteenth AF All operations except weather rcn are cancelled or recalled because of bad weather.
12/11/43 Fourteenth AF 14 B-25's and 10 P-40's attack Shihshow and Ansiang. 3 B-24's bomb Hankow A/F. 9 P-40's intercept about 30 airplanes over Nanchang shortly after the enemy force bombs Suichwan. The P-40's claim 10 aircraft shot down.
12/11/43 Fifth AF B-25's bomb and strafe Borgen Bay area. B-25's and B-26's hit bivouacs and other installations near Fortification Pt and in Finschhafen area. B-24's bomb Makassar and Balikpapan.
12/11/43 Thirteenth AF 16 B-25's, in 2 waves, attack Kahili. Several other B-25's hit Arigua Plantation. 20-plus B-24's bomb village and wharf area at Tsirogei. 8 P-39's bomb Tonolai. Several aircraft on armed rcn, operating individually or in small flights, attack T/Os scattered throughout Bougainville and Shortland area. Allied night ftrs carry out strike on Japanese bivouac along Jaba R. Others hit Buka and Bonis.
12/12/43 Twelfth AF Weather curtails operations. B-25's bomb road, railroad, and landing ground at Terracina. P-40 and A- 36 FBs hit trucks along roads in Chieti-Francavilla area and bomb town of Itri. Ftrs fly patrols and rcn over battle area.
12/12/43 Fifteenth AF Operations are limited to weather rcn.
12/12/43 Tenth AF 28 B-25's and 13 B-24's carry out saturation bombing strike against bridge at Myittha, over which large volume of Japanese goods is flowing to the N. Despite this large air effort only the approach spans suffer effective damage.
12/12/43 Fourteenth AF 41 Japanese bmrs and ftrs bomb W side of Hengyang A/F, causing considerable damage. 31 P-40's and 6 P-38's intercept the enemy force, claiming 20 airplanes shot down. 2 P-40's are lost. 9 B-24's bomb Hankow A/F.
12/12/43 Fifth AF P-40's dive-bomb Bogadjim Road. B-24's make light raids on Ceram and in far W part of Netherlands New Guinea.
12/12/43 Thirteenth AF 6 B-25's strafe Arigua Plantation. 8 others, with ftr spt, bomb supply area at Bonis. The ftrs afterwards strafe Japanese forces between Kieta and the Aropa R. Other ftr aircraft strafe harbor at Tonolai and cover Navy dive bmr strikes against tgts in Ratsua-PortonChabai-Soraken areas and Kieta Harbor- Tobera Bay area. 20-plus B-24's bomb Kahili area and Poporang.
12/12/43 Seventh AF 25 B-24's flying out of Ellice Is bases, bomb Emidj I.
12/13/43 Eighth AF 649 B-17's and B-24's, out of 710 dispatched, bomb port areas of Bremen and Hamburg and U-boat yards at Kiel. This is first Eighth AF mission in which more than 600 HBs attack tgts. P-51's escorting the HBs reach the limit of their escort range for the first time.
12/13/43 Ninth AF Nearly 200 MBs attack Schiphol A/F. IX FC P-61's, working with VIII FC P-38's, fly longest escort mission to date, escorting HBs to and from Kiel.
12/13/43 Twelfth AF B-25's bomb oil depot, harbor, warehouses, and railway yard at Sibenik and Split. P-40 and A-36 FBs attack defended points in Miglionico area; quays, roads, railway yard, and gun emplacements at Terracina; and bridges at Pontecorvo and W of Isolella. Town areas and bridges at and near Atina and Acquafondata are also hit.
12/13/43 Fifteenth AF Operations are restricted to weather rcn.
12/13/43 Tenth AF 20 Japanese bmrs, escorted by 25 ftrs, hit Dinjan A/F before US interceptors make contact. However, little damage is done and the US ftrs catch the attackers shortly afterward. 12 Japanese bmrs and 5 ftrs are claimed knocked down.
12/13/43 Fourteenth AF 12 B-25's, with ftr escort, bomb Li-Chou and Kungan. 8 B-25's pound Wuchang A/F. 16 P-40's on armed rcn strafe T/Os from Changte to Linli to Li-Chou.
12/13/43 Fifth AF More than 100 B-24's and B-25's and several P-40's bomb Gasmata. A-20's hit villages along Bogadjim Road. A small flight of P-39's strafe barges along Huon Peninsula.
12/13/43 Thirteenth AF 17 B-25's bomb Porton, and their ftr escorts strafe Tenekow bivouac areas during return flight. 24 B- 24's bomb Bonis. 6 B-25's carry out low-level strikes against concentrations on Numa Numa.
12/13/43 Seventh AF 10 B-24's, staging through Baker I from Canton I, bomb Wotje.
12/14/43 Twelfth AF MBs hit Orte, concentrating on M/Y. LBs attack road bridge SW of Pontecorvo in front of US Fifth Army lines. P-40 FBs hit bridges S of Roccasecca and E of Atina. A-36's destroy bridge at Ceprano and bomb railroad yards, town area, and highway at Sora, and docks and town area of Civitavecchia.
12/14/43 Fifteenth AF More than 150 B-17's and B-24's, with ftr escorts, bomb Kalamaki, Eleusis, and Tatoi A/Fs. HBs claim 10 ftrs shot down.
12/14/43 Fourteenth AF 13 B-25's, with ftr escort, bomb Shasi. 6 P-40's on armed rcn strafe Gia Lam A/F and railroad yard. 2 others strafe supply trucks S of Tengchung.
12/14/43 Fifth AF In heaviest raid to date in SWPA, 228 B-24's, B-25's, and A-20's bomb Arawe in an almost continuous attack from 0645 to 1548. Gasmata is hit by B-25's and B-26's. P-39's strafe barges along Huon Peninsula. B-24's on armed rcn hit Saidor, Gasmata, and Unea.
12/14/43 Thirteenth AF 18 B-24's, with ftr spt, bomb positions on Sohano I. 18 B-25's and 8 ftrs hit Manob village E of Buka Passage. Other Thirteenth AF ftrs hit gun positions, comm tgts, and other T/Os at scattered points in Bougainville-Shortland areas and cover Navy dive bmr strikes against AA positions in Chabai area.
12/14/43 Seventh AF 16 B-24's, flying out of bases in Ellice Is, bomb Maloelap.
12/15/43 Ninth AF Ninth AF comes under operational control of AEAF. New directive for tac bmr operations lists reduction of enemy ftr forces as basic objective. A Ninth AF planning staff, composed of officers who have had service with COSSAC, is set up in London.
12/15/43 Twelfth AF B-25's bomb A/F at Mostar, and A-36 and P-40 FBs attack vessels, vehicles, and parked aircraft N and E of Peljesac Peninsula, near Mostar, and at Zemonico landing ground. B-25's and A-20's bomb roads at Pontecorvo and N of Frosinone. FBs blast gun positions along US Fifth Army front.
12/15/43 Fifteenth AF B-17's, with P-38 and P-47 escorts, bomb M/Ys at Bolzano and Innsbruck. B-24's, with P-38 escort, attack Avisio viaduct. All tgts suffer considerable damage.
12/15/43 EAC EAC, a combined US-British Cmd, is formed under Gen Stratemeyer, with AVM Williams as Asst Cmdr. HQ, at New Delhi, will control all operational air units in Assam and Burma which presently make up Tenth AF and RAF Bengal Air Cmd. Major components of EAC are to be Third Tac AF' under AM Baldwin, Strategic AF under Gen Davidson, TCC under Gen Old, and Photo Rcn Force under Gp Capt Stewart G Wise. Strategic AF and TCC are activated on this date, the former having HQ at Belvedere Palace, Calcutta, and the latter at Comilla.
12/15/43 Fourteenth AF 25 P-40's strafe parked aircraft, trucks, and several buildings at Pailochi. At least 3 enemy airplanes are destroyed. 2 B-25's on sea sweep over Gulf of Tonkin claim 1 ocean-going tug sunk. 16 P-40's on armed rcn strafe towns of Owchihow and Shihshow. 6 others attack town of Luchiangpa and villages in the area.
12/15/43 Fifth AF As a preliminary to main invasion of New Britahl, US forces under cmd of Gen Cunningham land on W coast of Arawe peninsula about 0700 following naval and air bombardment B-25's pound villages in Arawe area. B-24's bomb Cape Gloucester while P-39's strafe barges at Reiss Pt. B-25's hit 2 freighters on Timor.
12/15/43 Thirteenth AF 21 B-24's strike Sohano I. 6 B-25's hit installations in Numa Numa-Arigua area. 23 B-25's and 16 ftrs attack Buka, causing heavy damage in Chinatown area. P-40's destroy bridge at Runai. Numerous T/Os are attacked by AAF aircraft, operating individually and in small flights, on armed rcn over Bougainville and other N Solomons areas.