70 Years Ago Today: Friday, September 17, 1943 European Theater, Strategic (Pointblank): During the night, the RAF dispatches six Mosquitos to attack Berlin, while eight Wellingtons lay mines off Brest. Russian Front: Red Army troops occupy Bryansk. Eastern Mediterranean: 9th Air Force B-24s attack a marshalling yard, road junction, and rail junction at Pescara on the east coast of Italy, while RAF heavy bombers hit Potenza again. Western Mediterranean: 12th Air Force B-17s and B-26s bomb airfields at Ciampino and Pratica di Mare, Italy, while B-25s attack small craft and barges off the mouth of the Tiber River and P-38s fly 27 dive-bombing missions against roads, junctions, railways, bridges, and targets of opportunity in the battle area and towns of Vallo della Lucania, Acerno, Nocera, Avellino, Gragnano Serre, Lioni, Fisciano, Monteforte Irpino, Cava de’ Tirreni and Auletta. Meanwhile, other Allied aircraft escort naval vessels, and attack motor transport, a marshalling yard, town areas, and various targets of opportunity in the Pompeii, Torre Annunziata, Salerno, Campagna, Sarno, Solofra, Montella, and Acerno areas. On the ground in Italy, US Fifth Army forces, advancing on Altavila, are pinned down, however, the enemy retires to the north, completing a withdrawal from the battleline during the night. The British Eighth Army begins a general advance north toward Potenza and Auletta. China – Burma – India Theater (India): The 383rd and 385th Bomb Squadrons (Dive), flying A-36s, arrive in India, from the US. South Pacific Area: At a planning conference at Port Moresby, General MacArthur urges that a base on the mainland of Bougainville be established. Southwest Pacific Theater: 5th Air Force B-25s carry out a coastal sweep against barges and villages from Reiss Point to Langemak Bay, New Guinea. General Headquarters, Southwest Pacific Theater, decides to use the Australian 9th Division in a landing on the 22nd at Finschhafen, which will serve as an advanced air and light naval base. The US 503rd Paratroop Infantry, having completed its mission in the Nadzab area, is withdrawn. The Australian 2/6th Independent Company (commandos) is flown to a burned off site a few miles from Kaiapit, northwest of Lae, to prepare for a drive on Kaiapit, which will be used as an advanced air base from which to neutralize Wewak.
Posted on: Tue, 17 Sep 2013 13:03:26 +0000
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