Eighth Air Force. 535 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
heavy bombers attack port area and targets at Bremen. Due
to faulty command, 1 combat wing mistakenly assumes mission
is being abandoned and returns to base without attacking.
Ninth Air Force. Basic directive for IX Bomber Command training
is issued on this date. Since most of IX Bomber Commands combat
units have been operational for some time earlier under VIII
A Support Command extensive training will not begin until
after the first of the year when inexperienced units begin
to arrive.
Twelfth Air Force. United States Army Air Force (USAAF) B-25
Mitchell medium bombers bomb shipping at Zara and harbour
and marshalling yard at Sibenik. A-20 Havoc light bombers
attack gun positions near Mignano. P-40 fighters and A-36 Apache dive bomber
hit gun batteries and strong points along British Eighth Army
front South and East of Chieti, gun emplacements and troop
concentrations all along United States Fifth Army front, especially
Northeast and South of Cassino, and also bomb Roccasecca and
docks at Civitavecchia. P-40 fighters and P-47 Thunderbolt
fighters hit vessel South of Zara and strafe targets on Peljesac
Peninsula.
Fifteenth Air Force. United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-24 Liberator heavy bombers attack railroad bridge and tunnel
at Dogna and railroad between Dogna and Chiusaforte. Escorting
P-38 Lightning fighters strafe trains and oil tanks between
Portogruaro and Latisana. B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers,
escorted by P-38 Lightning fighters and P-47 Thunderbolt fighters,
bomb Padua marshalling yard and rail junction Rail lines,
rolling stock, and buildings are damaged extensively.
Fourteenth Air Force. 9 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-25 Mitchell medium bombers and 11 P-40 fighters hit North
West part of Owchihkow. 4 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers on
sweeps over South China Sea damage freighter South of Nampang
Island, bomb Tunguan docks, and shoot down 1 bomber . 15 P-40
fighters on armed reconnaissance strafe Pailochi airfield.
11 others strafe boats in channels North of Nanhsien. 6 P-38
Lightning fighters strafe troop train near Changanyi and attack
25 sampans (destroying most of them) on Yangtze River just
above Huangtang Lake.
Fifth Air Force. United States Army Air Force (USAAF) heavy
bombers hit Cape Gloucester. Medium bombers hit Sio and Kelana
Harbour. P-40 fighters hit Timoeka area.
Thirteenth Air Force. 14 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-24 Liberator heavy bombers bomb Monoitu. Smaller flights
of B-24 Liberator heavy bombers bomb Poporang Island, Sohano
Island, and dispersal areas at Bonis airfield. 5 B-25 Mitchell
medium bombers, with fighters cover, hit Sankau Island. B-34 Lexington bomber
attack targets on Green Island and in Mawareka, Marveiropa,
and Mamaregu areas. Fighter aircraft support Navy dive bomber
strikes on Sohano Island and gun positions at Bonis and afterwards
strafe targets at several points on Bougainville.
R54
R-boat
Sunk 16 December 1943
R224
R-boat
Launched 16 December 1943
Go To: 17th
December
Articles:
The Second Great War.
Edited by Sir John Hamilton
The War Illustrated.
Edited by Sir John Hamilton
2194 Days Of War.
ISBN-10: 086136614X
For a complete list of
sources
