Twelfth Air Force. United States Army Air Force (USAAF) B-25
Mitchell medium bombers bomb Terni marshalling yard and Orte
marshalling yard and airfield. A-20 Havoc light bombers attack
road, bridge, and town of Orte and hit Cassino. P-40 fighters
bomb Orsogna, Sant'Elia Fiumerapido, and dump near Arce, and
hit shipping at Split, Trogir, and Solin. A-36 Apache dive bomber hit railroad
and harbour area at Civitavecchia.
Fifteenth Air Force. Approximately 150 United States Army
Air Force (USAAF) B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers attack
Messerschmitt
plant at Augsburg and marshalling yard at Innsbruck. P-38
Lightning fighters and P-47 Thunderbolt fighters provide partial
escort. P-47 Thunderbolt fighters of 325th Fighter Group,
dispatched for escort duty, miss rendezvous with heavy bombers
and instead strafe Ancona airfield, truck convoys at Porto
Civitanova, train near Senigallia, and vessel at Roseto degli
Abruzzi. B-26 Marauder medium bombers bomb Perugia railroad
installations and marshalling yards at Castiglione della Valle
and Foligno. 9 heavy bombers are lost. United States aircraft
claim 37 fighters shot down.
Tenth Air Force. 20 United States Army Air Force (USAAF) B-24
Liberator heavy bombers fly night strike against newly expanded
dock area at Bangkok, causing considerable destruction.
Fourteenth Air Force. About 35 Japanese bombers and fighters
attack Hengyang airfield. 26 P-40 fighters are sent up against
the attacking force and shoot down 9. 2 P-40 fighters are
lost. 12 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers and 8 P-40 fighters
attack Nanbsien and Ansiang.
Fifth Air Force. Cape Gloucester is bombed by more than 140
B-24 Liberator heavy bombers, B-25 Mitchell medium bombers,
and B-26 Marauder medium bombers as pre-invasion operations
against New Britain increase. 37 P-40 fighters hit Gasmata.
20 A-20 Havoc light bombers pound forces Northeast of Arawe.
About 30 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers, A-20 Havoc light bombers,
and P-39 fighters hit barges, bivouac areas, and gun positions
North and West of Finschhafen. 30 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers
and B-26 Marauder medium bombers pound Madang. P-47 Thunderbolt
fighters sweep coastline of Northeast New Guinea.
Thirteenth Air Force. 24 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-25 Mitchell medium bombers bomb Moisuru bivouac and supply
dump. 16 B-24 Liberator heavy bombers, escorted by 50 Army
Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) fighters,
bomb town of Rabaul and Simpson Harbour. Other planes on armed
reconnaissance hit targets at Buka, Bonis, Ratsua, Poporang,
Kara, Kahili, Koiaris, and Nissan Island.
Seventh Air Force. 29 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-24 Liberator heavy bombers from Nanumea and Baker bomb barracks,
hangars, and wharf areas on Mille and Maloelap Atolls. Heavy
bombers claim 7 fighters shot down. P-39 fighters from Makin
strafe Mille, destroying 3 aeroplanes and firing an oil dump.
2 P-39 fighters are lost.
Go To: 20th
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
