The British Admiralty announced the loss of the trawler HMS
Kingston Jacinth which was lost to a mined off Portsmouth
on
12 January
1943.
The British Royal Air Force (RAF) bombers again attacked Lorient
extensively during the night. Bordeaux was also severely attacked.
North Africa. In Tunisia Allied forces regained ground in
Ousseltia valley. In raid on Algiers six enemy bombers were
shot down.
Russian Front. Only two small groups of Wehrmacht Sixth Army
still holding out at Stalingrad.
In Australasia. Allied heavy bombers attacked Rabaul and other
Japanese bases.
Twelfth Air Force. United States Army Air Force (USAAF) B-26
Marauder medium bombers on shipping strike abort because of
weather which limits air activity. Fighters fly reconnaissance
and local patrol missions.
Ninth Air Force. Headwinds prevent B-24 Liberator heavy bombers
from reaching Naples (primary target) before dark, so they
divert to Messina, bombing town and area around train ferry
terminal. P-40 fighters fly fighter-bomber operation, refuelling
at Castel Benito.
Tenth Air Force. 7 United States Army Air Force (USAAF) B-24
Liberator heavy bombers bomb shipping and dock area at Rangoon.
12 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers bomb Mandalay marshalling
yards. 15 P-40 fighters and 3 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers
hit town area and bridge at Shaduzup, railroad South West
of Meza, and Naba marshalling yard.
Fifth Air Force. United States Army Air Force (USAAF) B-17
Flying Fortress heavy bombers bomb shipping and Rapopo airstrip
in Rabaul area. A-20 Havoc light bombers and B-25 Mitchell
medium bombers pound Lae area, concentrating on supply storage
dumps. B-24 Liberator heavy bombers carry out individual attacks
on runways at Cape Gloucester and Gasmata and hit Finschhafen.
Thirteenth Air Force. United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers bomb airfields on Ballale
Island. P-39 fighters, along with Navy aircraft, bomb antiaircraft
positions and revetment area at Munda.
Seventh Air Force. 3 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-24 Liberator heavy bombers, taking off from Funafuti in
the Ellice Islands, fly photo reconnaissance mission over
Tarawa, Maiana, Abemama, Beru, and Tomama in the Gilberts.
The heavy bombers attack merchant vessel in lagoon at Tarawa.
P-40 fighters of 73d Fighter Squadron fly from Midway to Kaneoke
NAS in the Hawaiian Islands, a distance of about 1,400 miles,
thus breaking the record set by the 78th Squadron on
23
January 1943.
Eleventh Air Force. All missions cancelled due to weather.
2 enemy aeroplanes strafe Constantine Harbour.
Go To: 27th
January
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
