The British Admiralty announced the loss of the corvette HMS
Snapdragon which was sunk on
19
December 1942 by Luftwaffe dive bombers.
North Africa. Enemy attack on French troops in Tunisia repulsed.
Russian Front. Mozdok and Malgobek in Caucasus captured by
Soviet ground forces.
In Australasia. United States of America Flying Fortresses
heavy bombers raided Japanese surface shipping at Rabaul and
new Japanese airfield at Munda.
The Luftwaffe carried out a raid on the Isle of Wight which
caused many fatal casualties.
Eighth Air Force. 68 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
heavy bombers of VIII Bomber command strike Saint-Nazaire
Kriegsmarine U-boat base in first attack on that installation
since
23
November 42, and the heaviest attack to date against submarine
bases. Formation (instead of individual) precision bombing
is used for the first time by VIII Bomber Command, and considerable
damage is done to dock area. There is heavy fighters opposition,
and German flak is thrown up in an effective pre-directed
barrage rather than in the usual attempt to track the bombers.
7 aircraft are lost and 47 damaged; 70 men are missing and
5 killed.
Twelfth Air Force. All XII Fighter Command units in Tunisia
(Fighters and Light Bombers) attack tanks which, with infantry
and artillery support, have overrun French troops at Fondouk
el Aouareb. The fighters and light bombers attack the tanks
as they move West from Fondouk. Several tanks are reported
destroyed or aflame and numerous other tanks and vehicles
damaged. Spitfires based in Algeria escort C-47 Skytrain transport
aircraft on transport missions.
Ninth Air Force. The British Royal Air Force (RAF) Baltimores,
operating under IX Bomber Command, bomb Suda Bay and Timbakion
airfield. A few of the aircraft bomb Kapistri.
Fifth Air Force. United States Army Air Force (USAAF) P-40
fighters strafe troops in waters off Buna as United States
and Australian ground forces are mopping up in nearby Buna
Mission area. B-26 Marauder medium bombers along with a single
B-24 Liberator heavy bombers, bomb airfields at Lae while
a B-24 Liberator heavy bombers bombs Madang and an A-20 Havoc
light bombers hits Salamaua. A lone B-24 Liberator heavy bombers
strafes airfield at Gasmata.
Eleventh Air Force. All but 2 searches are cancelled because
of weather.
M402
Minesweeper
Commissioned 3 January 1943
Go To: 4th
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
