70 Years Ago Today: Saturday, October 23, 1943 London: Prime Minister Churchill issues a directive outlining the mission of Admiral Mountbatten as Supreme Allied Commander, Southeast Asia. US Home Front: Princess O’Rourke opens in theaters. The film stars Olivia de Havilland, Robert Cummings, Charles Coburn and Jane Wyman (future wife to Ronald Reagan). It follows a young princess who is vacationing in New York and not having any fun. She decides to fly to San Francisco and check out the west coast. During the process, she meets a pilot, who falls in love with her. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Writing. Russian Front: Hard fighting for Melitopol ends in a victory for Soviet forces. Mediterranean Theater: 12th Air Force B-26s bomb railroad and road bridges at Marsicano and Montalto di Castro, while P-38s hit the airfield at Tirana and B-25s attack a bridge in Albania. Meanwhile, other Allied aircraft attack troop concentrations in the Spinete area, and town areas, vehicles, trains, railroads, highways, bridges, and gun positions at or near Gaeta, Pescara, Vasto, Isolella, Sulmona, Isernia, Vairano, and Ancona, Italy. On the ground, the US 133rd Infantry opens an assault on St. Angelo d’Alife but is unable to take it. China – Burma – India Theater (China): General Stilwell, Acting Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, Southeast Asia (SEAC), has by now decided that he can do little more toward improving the Chinese Army, which has been his basic mission. China – Burma – India Theater (Burma): 10th Air Force B-25’s bomb the Meza, Burma, railroad bridge, which is still being repaired following the damaging raid of October 10. Pacific Ocean Area: 7th Air Force fighters shoot down a Japanese flying boat 70 miles south of Baker Island. The 27th Division issues field orders for the invasion of the Gilberts. South Pacific Area: Air Command North Solomons sends 11 B-24s and 16 P-38s, from the 13th Air Force, to hit the Kahili Airfield on Bougainville Island. Meanwhile, 36 P-40s and P-39s join over 60 Navy dive bombers and fighters in a strike on the Kara Airfield on Bougainville. Both Kahili and Kara are attacked again later in the day, Kahil by six B-24s and 16 Navy fighters and Kara by 35 more fighters and 42 Navy dive bombers. Elsewhere, six B-24s bomb Kakasa on Choiseul Island. Southwest Pacific Theater: 5th Air Force sends over 40 B-24s, escorted by P-38s, to bomb the Rapopo airstrip on New Britain Island, destroying about 20 airplanes on the ground and 20 enemy aircraft in the air. Meanwhile, nine B-25s hit the Bogadjim area in New Guinea.
Posted on: Wed, 23 Oct 2013 11:14:18 +0000
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