70 Years Ago Today: Sunday, September 19, 1943 North Pacific, Aleutian Islands: 11th Air Force continues downsizing as the 21st Bomb Squadron (Heavy) begins moving from Shemya Island to Smoky Hill Army Airfield, Kansas, where it will be inactivated. Atlantic Theater: German submarine U-952 torpedoes Royal Navy frigate HMS Polyanthus while it is attempting to rescue crew members from the HMCS St. Croix, which had just been sunk by another German submarine. European Theater, Strategic (Pointblank): VIII Air Support Command Missions 63 and 64 – 144 B-26s attack the Lille/Nord Airfield and the Merville Airfield in France, but the Merville formation is recalled due to bad weather. The 389th Bomb Group (Heavy), based at Hethel, England, with three squadrons of B-24s, and the 44th Bomb Group (Heavy), based at Shipdham, England, with four squadrons of B-24s, begins temporary operations from Tunisia. Russian Front: Soviet troops on the Smolensk front overrun Yartsevo and Dukhovshchina. The enemy is forced to retire toward the Dnieper River, all along the lower front, as Priluki, Piryatin, Lubni, Khorol, and Krasnograd fall to troops fighting east and southeast of Kiev. Western Mediterranean: 12th Air Force fighter-bombers and other Allied planes are sent to Italy, to attack roads and vehicles in the Benevento-Montesarchio-Contursi-Potenza-Avellino areas, and a railway station at Castelnuovo. On the ground in Italy, the US Fifth Army gains firm control of the Salerno plain, while British Eighth Army forces take Potenza and Auletta. The 389th Bomb Group (Heavy), based at Hethel, England, with three squadrons of B-24s, and the 44th Bomb Group (Heavy), based at Shipdham, England, with four squadrons of B-24s, begins temporary operations from Tunisia. Pacific Ocean Area: 7th Air Force dispatches 20 B-24s to bomb the Tarawa Atoll and Abemama Island in the Gilbert Islands, in coordination with Navy carrier planes, during which complete photographic coverage is obtained. One B-24 and crew is lost to interceptors. The carrier force, Task Force 15, under Rear Admiral Charles Pownall, now includes carriers Belleau Wood, Princeton and Lexington. The V Amphibious Corps estimates that the capture of Nauru with the available forces will be difficult. South Pacific Area: Air Command North Solomons B-25s, from the 13th Air Force, and Navy dive bombers, covered by fighters, attack Vila Airfield on Kolombangara Island, a causeway, enemy positions and ammunition dump at Disappointment Cove on New Georgia Island. Other B-25s bomb and strafe barge centers at Ringa Cove and Webster Coves on New Georgia Island. Southwest Pacific Theater: 5th Air Force B-25s and B-26s pound Finschhafen in preparation for Allied landings on September 22. Meanwhile, B-17s and B-24s bomb the airfield and surrounding area at Cape Gloucester on New Britain Island, while B-24s and B-25s fly small strikes against Amboina Island in the Moluccas Islands, Selaroe Island in the Tanimbar Islands, and Penfoei on Timor Island. The Australian 2/6th Independent Company (commandos) takes Kaiapit in lively fighting and repels repeated counterattacks.
Posted on: Thu, 19 Sep 2013 12:38:39 +0000
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