70 Years Ago Today: Monday, November 29, 1943 Yugoslavia: The second session of the Anti-Fascist Council of the Peoples Liberation of Yugoslavia, also known as AVNOJ, ends in the Bosnian town of Jajce. The purpose of the conference is to determine the post-war organization of the country. In this session, it is agreed that Tito will be named Marshal and Prime Minister of Yugoslavia, the Yugoslavian government-in-exile will be revoked, and King Petar II Karađorđević’s return to the country will be delayed until a referendum establishes the fate of the monarchy. European Theater, Strategic (POINTBLANK): 8th Air Force Mission 140 – 360 B-17s bomb the port of Bremen, Germany, losing 13 aircraft, with 133 men listed as killed or missing. Bad weather and equipment malfunctions cause over 200 B-17s to abort. The mission is escorted by 38 P-38s and 314 P-47s, losing seven P-38s and nine P-47s, with 16 pilots listed as missing. 8th Air Force Mission 141 – Eight B-17s drop 1.6 million leaflets over Paris, Reims, Le Mans, Orleans, Chartres, Amiens and Rouen, in France. 8th Air Force Mission 142 – One B-17 drops two 2,000 pound bombs and a photoflash bomb on Emmerich, Germany. Photoflash bombs were specially designed bombs that provided an extremely bright flash needed for night photography during a mission. During the night, 21 RAF Mosquitos attack Bochurn, Cologne and Düsseldorf. Nine other RAF aircraft fly nighttime training missions. The 8th Air Force adds the the 714th and 715th Bomb Squadrons (Heavy), with B-24s, which join the 448th Bomb Group (Heavy), and the 447th Bomb Group (Heavy), which arrives in England, from the US European Theater, Tactical (OVERLORD): The 9th Air Force sends 53 B-26s to bomb the Chievres Airfield, in France. Another 71 B-26s are sent to bomb the Cambrai/Epinoy Airfield, but abort the mission due to bad weather. The 9th Air Force adds the 70th Fighter Wing, which arrives in England, from the US. Mediterranean Theater, Tactical: 12th Air Force B-25s bomb Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, and road and rail bridges at Giulianova, Italy. US, South African Air Force (SAAF), and RAF light bombers hit enemy strong points at San Vito Chietino and the Castelfrentano-Lanciano-Fossacesia areas, while Allied fighter-bombers attack enemy positions around Fossacesia and Lanciano, in Italy. The US Fifth Army struggles to gain high ground, while the British 5 Corps breaches the enemy’s Winter Line. The 12th Air Force transfers the 37th Troop Carrier Squadron, flying C-047s, from Tunisia to Sicily, while the 415th Night Pursuit Squadron, flying Beaufighters from Sicily, sends a detachment to Italy. Mediterranean Theater, Strategic: The 15th Air Force dispatches 70 B-26s to bomb the airfield and marshalling yards at Grosseto, Italy. Meanwhile, B-24s, with P-38 escort, bomb the Furbara area, but bad weather forces other Allied medium and heavy bombers to abort. The 15th Air Force moves the 27th, 71st and 94th Fighter Squadrons, with P-38s, from Tunisia to Sardinia. China – Burma – India Theater (China): The 14th Air Force sends two B-25s to attack the airfield, town area, and warehouse section at Swatow, while two others bomb the power station and nearby targets of opportunity at Amoy, and two more attack barges in nearby coastal areas. Meanwhile, 24 P-40s drop food and ammunition to Chinese troops at Changte, strafe an enemy camp in the Hsutu Lake area, damage a vessel in Tien-hsin Lake and attack numerous small craft in the channels between Hsutu and Tungting Lakes and between Tsowshih and Hofuh. South Pacific Area: Air Command North Solomons sends 18 B-25s, from the 13th Air Force, with fighter cover, to attack Tinputs Harbor and targets of opportunity in the area from Numa Numa to Kieta, on Bougainville Island. Meanwhile, 21 B-24s pound Kieta, and P-39s join Navy dive bombers in a strike on the Mosigetta warehouse area, and a fighter patrol attacks Gazelle Harbor and gun positions south of the Torokina Plantation. Southwest Pacific Area: 5th Air Force dispatches a force of 35 B-25s and B-26s to bomb Cape Gloucester, on New Britain Island. Elsewhere, six B-24s bomb a barracks at Manokwari, New Guinea. While pursuing the enemy northward along the coast of the Huon Peninsula, Australian forces seize Bonga, a former enemy supply base, and Gusika, before pressing on, toward Wareo. Work begins on an airstrip, called Piva Uncle, near the Piva River, on Bougainville.
Posted on: Fri, 29 Nov 2013 12:32:54 +0000
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