70 Years Ago Today: Friday, November 12, 1943 Berlin: Unaware of the Enigma breach, German admiral Karl Dönitz claims that the Allies, (He) knows all our secrets. Aegean Sea: German troops overrun British forces in the Dodecanese Islands, off Turkey, as Axis forces invade Leros by air and sea. European Theater, Strategic (Pointblank): During the night, seven RAF Mosquitos attack Düsseldorf, Essen and Krefeld . European Theater, Tactical (Overlord): 9th Air Force headquarters issues Tables of Organization for the IX Fighter Command, authorizing two air support divisions, five fighter wings, one reconnaissance group, 21 fighter groups, and 65 fighter squadrons. Three combat wings are activated for the IX Bomber Command: the 97th Combat Bomb Wing (Medium), which will control all light bomber groups; the 98th Combat Bomb Wing (Medium), formerly the 3rd Bomb Wing; and the 99th Combat Bomb Wing (Medium), formerly the 44th Bomb Wing (Medium). Russian Front: Continuing to advance west of Kiev, Soviet forces take Zhitomir, an important rail center. Mediterranean Theater, Tactical: 12th Air Force and other Allied light bombers hit guns, troops, and railway facilities near Palena, the town of Atina, and the road at Acquafondata, in Italy. Meanwhile, medium bombers hit the Berat/Kucove airfield and an oil refinery in Albania after failing to locate targets near Athens, Greece. During the night, light bombers attack the Arezzo marshalling yard and the Perugia airfield, fighter-bombers continue to provide close support to the US Fifth and the British Eighth Armies, blasting gun positions and motor transport, and attacking targets around Bracciano Lake, Orbetello, Rieti, SantElia Fiumerapido, Opuzen, Ancona and Iesi. Mediterranean Theater, Strategic: 15th Air Force B-26s attack railroad bridges and tracks in the Montalto di Castro and Orbetello areas of Italy, but heavy cloud cover prevents effective hits on the targets. Elsewhere, P-38s fly an air-sea rescue patrol off the mouth of the Semeni River in Albania. China – Burma – India Theater (China): 14th Air Force sends 10 B-25s and 24 P-40s to attack Yoyang, hitting the warehouse area, railroad yards, and anti-aircraft positions, while five B-25s bomb the Yangchi Kang waterfront area and attack waterfront targets at Puchi. Meanwhile, six B-25s and 12 fighters hit targets at Yoyang, and 15 P-40s and a B-25 on armed reconnaissance hit several targets of opportunity in the Lungling area and between Yang-Chia-Kang and Sichai. China – Burma – India Theater (Burma): 10th Air Force dispatches two B-24s to mine the Rangoon River during the night. Central Pacific Area: 7th Air Force adds the 30th Bomb Group (Heavy) and its 38th Bomb Squadron (Heavy), flying B-24s, as they arrive in the Ellice Islands from the Territory of Hawaii. The 26th Bomb Squadron (Heavy), with B-24s, moves from the Ellice Islands to Canton Island in the Phoenix Islands. The Southern Attack Force for Operation Galvanic completes rehearsals off New Hebrides. South Pacific Area: Air Command North Solomons sends 18 B-25s, from the 13th Air Force, to bomb Tarlena on Bougainville Island, while six others bomb the Matchin Bay area and eight P-38s strafe the airfield at Bonis. The New Zealand 3rd Division completes the elimination of a small enemy garrison on Mono. For 205 Japanese dead, 40 New Zealanders and 12 Americans have lost their lives. Southwest Pacific Area: 5th Air Force B-25s and B-26s bomb villages between Finschhafen and Saidor in New Guinea. Elsewhere, B-24s attack targets on Java and on Amboina Island in the Moluccas Islands. Following a series of damaging allied strikes, the Japanese remove their carrier aircraft from Rabaul, New Britain Island, which afterwards ceases to be a serious threat to Allied forces.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 12:28:34 +0000
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