World War II in real time

Day 1275 of World War II, March 8th 1943

Eastern Front

As the jaws of von Manstein's pincer attack began to close on the Red Army forces outside Kharkov, Soviet troops took Sychevka between Rzhev and Vyazma. Lt. Udo Cordes of 9(Eins.)./KG 3, under foul weather conditions, was able to destroy 5 locomotives.

Air War over Europe

170 Lancasters, 103 Halifaxes and 62 Stirlings attacked Nuremberg, 8 aircraft lost. This distant raid had to be marked by a combination of H2S and visual means. The Pathfinders had no moon to help them and, although there was no cloud, they found that haze prevented accurate visual identification of the target area. The truth was that both marking and bombing spread over more than 10 miles along the line of the attack, with more than half of the bombs falling outside the city boundaries . This result would be typical of raids carried out beyond the range of Oboe during this period. Nuremberg reports that more than 600 buildings were destroyed and nearly 1,400 were damaged, including the M.A.N. and Siemens factories. Railway installations were also hit. Figures given for the dead vary from 284 to 343. Sergeant D.R.Spanton, a mid-upper gunner in a 7 Sqdn Stirling, had a fortunate escape on this night. After his aircraft crossed the English coast on the return flight, Spanton realised that he was the only man in the plane. The remainder of the crew, a new crew in this Pathfinder squadron, had baled out earlier, possibly because of suspected fuel shortage, and the pilot left the plane flying on automatic pilot. Spanton had not heard the order. He parachuted safely over Kent and the empty Stirling later crashed into the Thames estuary. The remainder of the crew, presumably thinking they were parachuting over France, had actually come down in the sea and were all drowned. Sergeant Spanton went on to fly a further 12 operations but his plane was lost on the night of 24/25 June 1943 in a raid on Wuppertal and the presence of his name on the Runnymede Memorial probably indicates that he died in the sea on that occasion.

Sixteen B-24s of the US 2nd BW raided Rouen while 67 B-17s of the US 1st BW attacked the marshalling yard at Rennes escorted by 3 squadrons of Spitfires along with the new P-47s from the US 4thFG, making their first appearance of the war. The Fw 190s of I. and III./JG 26 led by Hptm. 'Pips' Priller, attacked the Spitfires while II./JG 26 led by Hptm. 'Wutz' Galland intercepted the bombers. Hptm. Prillers fighters successfully attracted the escorts while Gallands fighters tore into the bombers. The fierce head-on attack immediately sent 2 of the lead Liberators down in flames, one destroyed by Ofw. Willi Roth. Thirteen B-24s eventually dropped 39 tons of bombs on Rouen, considerably disrupted by the well executed attack of the German fighters as 54 B-17s hit the target at Rennes dropping about 135 tons of bombs. Uffz. Peter Crump, after his first pass at the bombers, narrowly avoided colliding with the falling bombs of the bombers. 3 bombers were shot down along with 2 RAF Spitfires. The 2 Gruppen of JG 26 lost 3 Fw 190s in the action.

16 Mosquitoes went to railway centres at Tergnier and Aulnoye in France and at Lingen in Belgium. 1 Mosquito was lost.

4 Mosquitoes went to the Ruhr and 16 Wellingtons were minelaying in the Frisians. No losses.

Battle of the Atlantic

The weather improves over Convoy SC-121 and the boats of the newly formed gruppe Ostmark make contact. In the morning U-527's attack but misses the convoy. In the evening U-190, U-527, U-591 and U-642 each sink a straggler.

In an attempt to improve communications security, German U-Boats began operating with a fourth rotor on their Enigma equipment. This created some problems for the Allies but the code breakers were able to break the new system with minimal effort.

Battle of the Mediterranean

Northwest African Strategic Air Force B-17s and B-24s attacked shipping between Tunisia and Sicily, claiming the destruction or the heavy damage of several motor vessels.

Battle of the Indian Ocean

U.S. freighter James B. Stephens, independently bound for Durban, is torpedoed by German submarine U-160 off the coast of South Africa, 28°53'S, 33°18'E; one Armed Guard sailor drowns in the abandonment after the ship breaks in two. The forward half ultimately sinks while under tow toward Durban; the after half is scuttled with gunfire.

North Africa campaign

Fighters of the North African Tactical Air Force flew several recon and patrol missions along the British 1st Army battlefront while Western Desert Air Force P-40s and Spitfires hit the rear of columns attacking Medenine from the west.

Photo: General Montgomery with Lt-Col A C Clive of the Grenadier Guards in a turretless Stuart command tank, 8 March 1943



Pacific War

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS CAMPAIGN

(Eleventh Air Force) The 344th Fighter Squadron, 343d Fighter Group with P-40's transfers from Ft. Randall, Alaska to Ft. Glenn, Alaska.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA

(Tenth Air Force) In Burma, 12 B-25s strike at the Myitnge bridge and AA positions. Results are poor. Four B-24s bomb Bassein docks. P-40s hit military targets near Pebu and Wan-hat.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS

(Thirteenth Air Force) Airfields at Munda and Vila on are again hit by light B-24 raids.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS

(Fifth Air Force) Heavy bombers, operating individually, hit occupied areas in the SE coastal region of NW New Guinea and also strike at Saumlakki and Babo.

PACIFIC

Submarine Permit (SS-178), attacking Japanese convoy off northern tip of Honshu, sinks merchant cargo ship Hisashima Maru, 41°16'N, 142°27'E.

Day 1277 of World War II, March 10th 1943

Eastern Front

Rommel arrived in the Ukraine from Rome and was summoned to take tea with the Fuhrer where he did his best to convey the gravity of the situation in Tunisia. He begged Hitler to allow the evacuation of the Axis troops to Italy where they could be re-equipped for the defense of Europe. Hitler refused to listen. Hitler accused his once-favorite soldier of 'pessimism' and ordered him on sick leave until he was ready to lead a hypothetical attack on Casablanca. Rommel had a similar response from Mussolini yesterday. Il Duce was worried about the effect on Italian opinion should Tunisia fall and offered Rommel another division. The offer was refused.

Air War over Europe

2 Mosquitoes went to Essen and Mulheim.

A RAF Beaufighter took off for a patrol of the Bay of Biscay. It was piloted by the Free French pilot Max Guedj, DFC, who had adopted the nom de guerre of Lt. Maurice to safeguard his Jewish family remaining in France. His navigator was F/L Charles Corder. They were on their 71st operation together. Over the Bay they found, attacked and destroyed a Ju 88. However return fire from the Junker's gunner severly damaged the Beaufighter. Guedj was wounded during the attack and communications was disabled. With the situation appearing hopeless, Corder crawled forward to assist Guedj where he was able to get a radio bearing and gave Guedj a course to their base in Cornwall, 180 miles away. One of the 2 engines had failed and Guedj had difficulty keeping control, forcing him to fly a few feet above the sea. Just before they reached the English coast, the second engine caught fire which soon spread to the cockpit. Corder transmitted an SOS and fired distress flares to attract attention of those ashore. As they approached Cornwall, it was clear that the aircraft had either to ditch in the heavy seas or try to clear the cliffs. Guedj just managed to clear the cliffs by a few feet before making an emergency landing as the second engine finally failed. Corder's navigation had been so accurate that they managed to crash-land on their own field at Predannack. For their actions in recovering the aircraft, Guedj would be the first French airman to recieve the DSO.

The US 4th FG flew another mission in their new P-47C Thunderbolts. Aircraft-to-aircraft communication proved impossible because of VHF radio malfunctions in the Thunderbolts.

20 Lancasters and 15 Stirlings went minelaying over a wide area from Biscay to Swinemunde in the Baltic. 2 Lancasters were lost.

Battle of the Atlantic

Light cruiser Savannah (CL-42) and destroyer Eberle (DD-430) intercept German blockade runner Karin (ex-Dutch Kota Nopan) in the South Atlantic 400 miles west northwest of Ascension Island, 07°00'S, 21°00'W. Boarding party from Eberle, while attempting to retrieve intelligence documents, suffers seven killed and two wounded when scuttling charges explode on board Karin. Savannah takes on board the German survivors as POWs.

German submarine U-185 attacks convoy KG 123, torpedoing U.S. tanker Virginia Sinclair at 20°11'N, 74°04'W, and freighter James Sprunt at 19°49'N, 74°38'W. Submarine chaser SC-742 rescues all but seven of Virginia Sinclair's complement, but James Sprunt, laden with general cargo and explosives, disintegrates, killing all hands (44 merchant sailors and the 25-man Armed Guard) and showering nearby ships with debris.

German submarines attack convoy HX 228; U-221 torpedoes U.S. freighter Andrea F. Luckenbach at 51°04'N, 29°40'W. Explosion of the after magazine blows off the stern and kills 10 of the 28-man Armed Guard outright. British oiler Appleleaf rescues 17 Armed Guard sailors and 46 of the 55-man merchant complement. U-444 torpedoes freighter William C. Gorgas at 51°35'N, 28°30'W; British destroyer HMS Harvester rescues the 27-man Armed Guard and 33 of the 43-man merchant complement, but is herself later torpedoed and sunk by U-432. Ultimately, only four Armed Guard sailors and eight merchant seamen from William C. Gorgas survive Harvester's sinking, rescued by Free French-manned British corvette HMS Aconit. U-757 administers the coup de grace to William C. Gorgas.

German submarine U-255 torpedoes U.S. freighter Richard Bland, straggling from convoy RA 53, at 66°48'N, 14°15'W; the ship breaks in two. During the abandonment in rough seas, 17 of the 26-man Armed Guard and 19 of 42-man merchant complement perish. Survivors are rescued (27 by British destroyer HMS Impulsive); the forward portion of the ship is eventually towed to Iceland and salvaged.

Battle of the Mediterranean

Allied bombers raided Salerno.

Battle of the Indian Ocean

German submarine U-182 torpedoes U.S. freighter Richard D. Spaight in the Mozambique Channel, 28°00'S, 37°00'E; after the freighter is abandoned, the U-boat completes the work of destruction with gunfire, then questions and aids the crew before clearing the area. Two boats of survivors (42 of 43 merchant sailors and the entire 24-man Armed Guard survive) reach Richards Bay, South Africa (within three days), Cape St. Lucia, and Cuanalobi Beach (five days later).

British light cruiser HMS Nigeria rescues 30 survivors of U.S. freighter James B. Stephens, torpedoed by German submarine U-160 off the coast of South Africa on 8 March 1943; British trawler HMS Norwich City rescues 19.

North Africa campaign

There was heavy fighting at Ksar Rhilane, southest of Mareth, Tunisia. LeClerc's Free French troops fought off determined Axis attacks which were heavily supported from the air. B-17s bombed El Aouina airfield and the La Marsa landing ground, destroying several parked airplanes and hit the town of Gafsa. Fighters escorted the B-17s and carried out numerous recon missions.

Thirty-six P-38s from the US 1st FG escorted bombers and were involved in combat with 15 Bf 109s. Hptm. Friedrich-Karl Muller of Stab I./JG 53 shot down a Lightning for his 108th victory and 3 minutes later Uffz. Alfred Scharl of 2./JG 53 also claimed a P-38.

7 pilots, including Hptm. Hans-Jurgen Westphal and Fw. Emil Babenz, formerly of the disbanded 11./JG 26, were transferred to JG 53 with Fw. Babenz posted to 1./JG 53.

Pacific War

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS CAMPAIGN

(Eleventh Air Force)

In the Aleutians, a reconnaissance airplane is attacked by 5 enemy aircraft. The Kiska attack mission is flown by 10 B-25s, 6 B-24s, 12 P-38s (4 of them flying top cover), and 1 F-5A. Eight of the P-38s strafe ground installations; the B-25s bomb a radar site and pound North Head, silencing AA fire; the B-24s hit the Main Camp area. Four Amchitka-based P-40s bomb the submarine base.

BURMA AND INDIA

(Tenth Air Force) In Burma, heavy bombers strike the Rangoon area at 2 points. Five B-24s hit the Pazundaung bridge; 4 others pound runways, buildings. and revetments at Mingaladon Airfield. After the attack, several fighters attack the flight. The heavy bombers claim 3 shot down. The China Air Task Force (CATF) is is absorbed by the Fourteenth Air Force (see below).

CHINA

(Fourteenth Air Force) In China, the Fourteenth Air Force is activated at Kunming assigned to U.S. Army Forces, China-Burma-India Theater. This new Air Force is responsible for all USAAF units in China; Major General Claire L. Chennault is named Commanding General. General Chennault is promoted and his command is designated the US 14th Air Force.

The establishment of the Fourteenth Air Force was opposed by both General George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, and General Henry H. "Hap" Arnold, Commanding General, USAAF. Chennault disliked his subordination to the Tenth Air Force and there was friction between General Bissell, CG of the Tenth Air Force and Chennault.

The one thing going for Chennault was that he enjoyed the special confidence of Chiang Kai-shek and the Chinese people. The Generalissimo had been disappointed by failure of the Americans to place a larger air force in China, and he was suspicious of British influence over the India-based Tenth Air Force. Chiang Kai-shek also wanted to resurrect the Chinese Air Force which had few if any aircraft.

So Chiang Kai-skek wrote a "Dear Franklin" letter to President Roosevelt and FDR talked to Marshall and the Generalissimo and Chennault got their own air force. The problem was that until the Burma Road was
reopened, the Air Transport Command, and any other aircraft that could be obtained or detailed, had to fly all of the fuel, parts, etc. into China over "The Hump" which was one of the most dangerous routes in
the world.

P-40s from Kunming fly armored reconnaissance into Burma, crossing the Salween River and covering areas SW of Lashio.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force)

In New Guinea, B-17s bomb the airfield and shipping at Wewak. Single heavy bombers attack shipping off New Guinea.

PACIFIC

Acting on intelligence that 18 Japanese in a lifeboat (survivors from Battle of the Bismarck Sea) had drifted ashore on Kiriwina in the Trobriand Islands, motor torpedo boat PT-114 captures the enemy soldiers and takes them to Milne Bay the following day.

Day 1279 of World War II, March 12th 1943

YouTube (Rommel Leaves Africa)



Eastern Front

Heavy fighting was still reported in Kharkov as the Germans cleared the Russians from the city. The Germans released mobile forces from the city fight and drove south in an attempt to cut off Soviet forces southwest of the city. Further to the north, the Germans abandoned and the Red Army occupied Vyazma as Heeresgruppe Mitte continued its limited withdrawls to shorten their front. The pilots of 7./JG 26 around Leningrad were ready for operations and began flying missions. No enemy fighter contact was reported.

Air War over Europe

158 Wellingtons, 156 Lancasters, 91 Halifaxes, 42 Stirlings and 10 Mosquitoes attacked Essen. 23 aircraft lost. This was another very successful Oboe-marked raid. The centre of the bombing area was right across the giant Krupps factory, just west of the city centre, with later bombing drifting back to the north western outskirts. Photographic interpretation assessed that Krupps received 30% more damage on this night than on the earlier successful raid of 5/6th March. Nearly 500 houses were also destroyed in the raid. The number of people killed is variously reported between 169 and 322 with 198 probably being the most accurate figure, made up of 64 men, 45 women, 19 children, 4 soldiers, 61 foreign workers and 5 prisoners of war. German records say that one third of the bombs dropped on this night did not hit Essen and that 39 people were killed in other towns with Bottrop just north of Essen being the worst hit but these towns were all close to Essen and there was often no clear division between overlapping built up areas. During the RAF raid on Essen, Hptm. Manfred Meuer, Staffelkapitaen of 3./NJG 1 shot down 4 RAF bombers to bring his score to 23 victories.

FW190 fighter bombers raided London.

US 8th AF Mission No. 42: 72 B-17s were dispatched by the 1st BW against the Rouen-Sotteville marshalling yards. The bombers dropped 156.5 tons of bombs on the target. There were no losses and no claims on this mission. Good fighter escort was a major factor in this no-loss mission. 18 B-24s of the US 2nd BW flew a diversionary raid with no losses or claims. The US 4th FG flew 43 sorties in their Spitfire Mk Vs and flew a fighter sweep. One Spitfire was shot down near St. Omer although 3 Spitfires were claimed by pilots of JG 2.

12 Mosquitoes bombed an armaments factory at Liege and scored direct hits. 1 Mosquito was lost.

9 Stirlings were minelaying in the Frisians without loss.

Photo: Flames and smoke issue from a German Focke Wulf Fw 200C-4 Kondor (WNr. 0186, coded F8+ER) of 7./KG 40 as it dives towards the sea after being shot down by two Bristol Beaufighter Mark VICs of No. 248 Squadron RAF over the Bay of Biscay on 12 March 1943. None of Lt. Ernst Rabolt's crew survived



Battle of the Atlantic

German submarines begin gathering to attack convoy UGS 6, which is being shepherded by seven U.S. destroyers (Captain Charles Wellborn, Jr.). Champlin (DD-601) sinks U-130 (which had first sighted UGS 6), 37°10'N, 40°21'W.

HMS Quadrant rescues ten survivors from sunken U.S. freighter City of Flint after 46 days on a lifeboat. Survivors include 3 Naval Armed Guards (see 25 January and 28 January).

Destroyer Belknap (DD-251) rescues seven Armed Guard sailors, survivors from freighter Jonathan Sturges, along with three Dutch seamen from torpedoed motorship Madoera, both merchantmen the victims of U-707 on 23 February 1943 (see 6 April).

Sole survivor of U.S. freighter Puerto Rican, torpedoed and sunk on 9 March by German submarine U-586 as the former straggled from convoy RA 53, is rescued by British trawler HMS St. Elstan.

North Africa campaign

Preparations of the British Eight Army in Tunisia for a flanking attack began. In an attempt to outflank the Mareth Line, Montgomery moved the 2nd New Zealand Division and the 8th Armoured Brigade south from Medenine opposite Wilder's Gap.

Photo: A Valentine tank carries infantry during an exercise, 12 March 1943



Photo: Infantry and Valentine tanks advance during an exercise, 12 March 1943



Photo: Guardsmen of the Scots Guards inspect a knocked-out German PzKpfw IV tank near Medenine, 12 March 1943



Northwest African Air Force B-17s bombed the docks and marshalling yards at Sousse. B-26s pounded supply dumps and scored near misses on bridges at Enfidaville while B-25s bombed shipping between Tunisia and Sicily. Fighters escorted the bombers and carried out attacks on ground targets, destroying several vehicles in the Pichon area and south of Pont-du-Fahs. RAF Wellingtons bombed the Tunis docks during the night.

United Kingdom

Photo: Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands visit the submarine Dolfijn which sank a U-boat. 12 March 1943, Algiers, Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands wearing the uniform of a air commodore



Pacific War

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS CAMPAIGN

In the Aleutians, 12 Amchitka-based P-40s scout Kiska Island. The 54th Fighter Squadron, 343d Fighter Group with P-38's transfers from Adak Island to Amchitka Island.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA

(Tenth Air Force) In Burma, 6 B-24s attack Pazundaung bridge, causing negligible damage. (Fourteenth Air Force) The 74th Fighter Squadron, 23d Fighter Group with P-40's transfers from Kunming, China to Yunnani, China.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS

(Thirteenth Air Force) Airfields at Munda; Ballale; and Kahili are hit by light B-24 raids. P-38's destroy small a vessel off NE coast of Rendova Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS

(Fifth Air Force) In New Guinea, A-20s attack the Guadagasal Gap area and Salamaua Airfield. In the Celebes, B-24s and B-25s attack shipping at Amboina on Ambon and bomb Fuiloro on Timor. On New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago, B-17s bomb Rabaul Airfield while individual B-24s hit a wreck off Talasea and bomb Cape Gloucester.

PACIFIC

Submarine Plunger (SS-179) sinks Japanese water carrier Taihosan Maru off Ponape, Carolines, 07°15'N, 159°10'E.

Day 1281 of World War II, March 14th 1943

Air War over Europe

13 Wellingtons were minelaying in the Frisians without loss.

Battle of the Atlantic

A six day series of sea battles began. Convoys 'HX 229' and 'SC 122' were attacked by a large wolfpack of 20 German U-Boats. Through B Dienst, the Germans had enough intelligence to find the convoys and sink 21 ships. Almost half of the U-Boats participating in this, "The Biggest Convoy Operation of the War - Against HX 229 and SC 122" - as it is titled in the Germany Naval History - scored results and only one U-Boat was lost. The German claim was for 32 ships sunk totaling 136,000 tons, comparing with the British record of only 21 ships but aggregating 141,000 tons plus the A/S trawler 'Campo Bello'. The British Admiralty Monthly A/S reported, "The Germans never came so near to disrupting communication between the New World and the Old as in the first twenty days of March 1943."

Battle of the Mediterranean

In Italy during the night, RAF Liberators under the operational control of the IX Bomber Command, hit the harbour at Naples.

The submarine HMS 'Turbulent' was lost with all hands (62 casualties). She may have been mined or the victim of a depth charge attack by a Ju 88 and the Italian destroyer 'Arditi' in the Bay of Naples or mined somewhere along the east coast of Sardinia.

Battle of the Caribbean

Photo: The U.S. Navy Somers-class destroyer USS Sampson (DD-394) underway in the Gulf of Panama, 14 March 1943. Though the pattern is not visible in this photograph, Sampson is painted in the very pale pattern of Measure 16 (Thayer system) camouflage



North African campaign

Weather cancelled all missions except Northwest African Air Force fighter recon in the Enfidaville-Sfax area and between Tunisia and Sicily. Fighters flew cover and swept over the battle area. The US 85th and 87th FS of the US 79th FG flew their first combat mission when 12 P-40s escorted 11 B-25s on a mission against the Mareth Line.

Photo: Royal Engineers in a Daimler scout car on their way to blow up an abandoned enemy tank, to prevent it being recovered and repaired, 14 March 1943



United Kingdom

Photo: Fighting French Corvette Sinks 2 U-boats. 14 March 1943, Greenock, the Fighting French Corvette Aconit Sank Two U-boats by Gunfire and Ramming While Escorting An Atlantic Convoy Through U-boat Pack on 10 March 1943. the Second Submarine Had Just Torpedoed the British Destroyer HMS Harvester. the Aconit Steamed To a British Port With Survivors From the Harvester and a Merchantman, and Prisoners From the Two U-boats



Photo: Vice Admiral Troup, Flag Officer In Command, Glasgow, meeting some of the survivors of an American Merchantman picked up by the FFS Aconit during the action



United States

Photo: USS Fiske (DE-143) on 14 March 1943: Ready for launching, at the Consolidated Steel Corporation Shipyard, Orange, Texas



Pacific War

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS CAMPAIGN

HQ 28th Composite Group transfers from Elmendorf Field, Alaska to Adak Island.

BURMA AND INDIA

(Tenth Air Force) In Burma, 4 B-24s bomb the Moulmein docks. Eight B-25s hit the oft- bombed Gokteik Viaduct but the structure remains serviceable.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS

(Fifth Air Force) B-17s and B-24s bomb Wewak, Tring, and Madang. A single B-17s bomb Gasmata, and strafe a vessel off Talasea, AA positions at Cape Gloucester, and Finschhafen Airfield. A lone B-24 bombs Dili.

PACIFIC

ComInCh establishes numbered fleet system; fleets in the Pacific to have odd numbers and those in the Atlantic even.

Submarine Trigger (SS-237) attacks Japanese convoy about 150 miles northwest of the Admiralties, damaging transport Florida Maru, 00°00'N, 145°00'E, and sinking army cargo ship Momoha Maru, 00°02'S, 145°05'E.

Naval Auxiliary Air Facility, French Frigate Shoals, T.H., is established.

Day 1283 of World War II, March 16th 1943

Eastern Front

Armoured Waffen SS units of Heeresgruppe Sud (von Manstein) finished the recapture of Kharkov. Kharkov changed hands for the third time in the war as German forces destroyed organized resistance in the shattered city. Meanwhile further north, Red Army forces captured Kholm and Zharkovskiy, as Heeresgruppe Mitte continued its withdrawl.

Battle for the Atlantic

SBDs (VC 29) from aircraft escort vessel Santee (AVG-29) attack German submarine, 07°15'S, 29°15'W.

German submarine U-172, stalking convoy UGS 6, torpedoes U.S. freighter Benjamin Harrison at 39°09'N, 24°15'W. Precipitately abandoned, the ship is scuttled by gunfire of destroyer Rowan (DD-405), which rescues three survivors. Freighter Alan A. Dale rescues the remainder.

German submarines attack convoy HX 229 as it proceeds toward the British Isles; U-758 torpedoes U.S. freighter James Oglethorpe at 50°00'N, 36°00'W; 13 merchant seamen, 15 Armed Guard sailors and two passengers are rescued by British corvette HMS Pennywort. U-435 torpedoes freighter William Eustis at 49°57'N, 37°06'W; British destroyer HMS Volunteer rescues the entire crew (which includes a 30-man Armed Guard).

Battle for the Mediterranean

Vice Admiral H. Kent Hewitt becomes Commander Naval Forces Northwest African Waters.

North Africa campaign

Montgomery's Eighth Army began probing the approaches to the Mareth Line as it prepared to open its main offensive in Tunisia. General Montgomery made no attempt to follow up his recent success at Medenine. The Mareth Line was his objective and no one doubted this was going to be a tough nut to crack. P-40s flew fighter-bomber operations against German positions as British ground forces conducted limited attacks preliminary to the main assault against the Mareth Line.

Photo: Gurkhas advance through a smokescreen up a steep slope in Tunisia, 16 March 1943



Further north General George S. Patton, new commander of US II Corps, assembled his staff for a last briefing in a dimly lit schoolroom that served as II Corps HQ. Patton's message left his officers speechless;

"Gentlemen, tommorrow we attack. If we are not victorious, let no man come back alive."

The objective for II Corps was a string of towns and hill masses beginning at Gafsa, 180 miles south of Tunis and 105 miles northwest of Mareth, where the British Eighth Army was pounding Rommel's line. The US advance began that night. At first, the Americans met almost no resistance, arriving at Gafsa. The Italian garrison had pulled out and retreated into the hills beyond El Guettar.

Pacific War

WEST OF THE MARIANAS

Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) sinks Japanese victualling stores ship Hyuga Maru west of the Marianas.

SILLIPUKA ISLAND

Submarine S-32 (SS-137) damages Japanese submarine RO 103 off Silipuaka Island, 52°54'N, 173°13'E.

PACIFIC

Four U.S. destroyers (Commander Francis X. McInerney) shell Japanese positions at Vila.

Day 1285 of World War II, March 18th 1943

Eastern Front

Von Manstein's attack came to a close as the 'Grossdeutchsland' Division attacked Byelgorod northeast of Kharkov and the spring thaw and its accompanying sea of mud took over. During von Manstein's offensive, the overextended Red Army suffered 40,000 casualties and lost at least 600 tanks and the Germans succeeded in stabilizing the southern half of the Eastern Front. However the blow was nowhere near as devastating as the attacks in the summer of 1941. The Soviet Army was coming of age and able to fight with the Germans on a more level field.

Air War over Europe

Reichsmarschall Goring summoned the aircraft manufacturers Professor Willy Messerschmitt, Ernst Heinkel and Claude Dornier to a conference and accused them of their inability to develop a fighter to counter-act the RAF Mosquito. He decided that a special anti-Mosquito unit must be formed and started searching for the appropriate officer to lead the group. The seeds of a little known Luftwaffe unit, JG 50, were born.

US Eighth AF Mission No. 45 was 76 B-17s of the US 1st BW and 27 B-24s of the US 2nd BW sent against the submarine yards at Vegesack and the Bremen Vulkan Schiffbau shipbuilding yards on the Weser near Bremen, dropping 268 tons of bombs on the target. This mission marked the first successful combat use of automatic flight control linked with bombsights. The pilots of I./JG 1 at Jever - including Lt. Knoke and Lt. Gerhardt who were unable to load their Bf 109s in time with bombs - were ordered to scramble and intercepted the bomber formations. Lt. Knoke led his flight in a head-on attack and badly damaged a B-24 from the US 93rd BG. Banking around, Lt. Knoke continued to attack until the Liberator exploded. It was Lt. Knoke's 5th kill. Lt. Gerhardt destroyed his first B-24 off Heligoland. Shortly after the B-24 fell from the sky, Lt. Gerhardt was shot down into the sea. He managed to bail out but died of his wounds, floating in his liferaft. The U-Boat pens were heavily damaged from the raid, destroying 7 U-Boat hulls and demolishing much of the shipyard.

Battle of the Atlantic

As German operations against Allied convoys continue, destroyer Babbitt (DD-128) reinforces the escort for HX 229 and Coast Guard cutter Ingham (WPG-35) SC 122. U-221 attacks HX 229 and torpedoes U.S. freighter Walter Q. Gresham at 53°39'N, 27°53'W; British corvettes HMS Pennywort and HMS Anemone rescue 42 survivors (23 merchant seamen and five of the 26-man Armed Guard perish with the ship).

North Africa campaign

Elements of Patton's US II Corps finished capturing Gafsa and advanced toward El Guettar.

On the British battlefront in front of the Mareth Line, Montgomery put his plan of attack into action. The Mareth Line ran from Wadi Zigzaou - a deep trench 22 miles from the sea - to the Matmata hills. The Wadi and the Matmata Hills were formidible barriers but a stretch of open desert called the Dahar lay west through a narrow pass, the Tebaga Gap, toward El Hamma and Gabes. The line was built by the French - against the Italians in Lybia - and consisted of minefields, anti-tank ditches, barbed wire and carefully concealed artillery positions stretching from the sea to the Matmata Hills. Although told Dahar was impassable, Monty's men had found a way with the Long Range Desert Group which had patrolled through Wilder's Gap, past Tebaga and into the El Hamma plain.

The Wadi Zigzaou defenses were manned by the Italians who had the 164th Light Division on one side of them and the 19th Light Division on the other. The 15.Panzerdivison was 5 miles behind the wadi with 50 panzers.

The attack was a combination of frontal attack on the line and a flanking movement west of the Matmata Hills. The plan called for XXX Corps - Monty's 'Right Hook' - to attack on the eastern flank with 3 divisions to draw Rommel's reserves to this part of the line. The New Zealanders and other units - the 'Left Hook' - would sweep around to the west to break through the German line behind the Matmata mountains. Montgomery had amassed 27,000 men of the 2nd New Zealand Division and attached units and 200 tanks on the southern flank of the Eighth Army. Monty felt he was ready and with the Americans starting their show, his would begin.

United Kingdom

Photo: Hm the King Pays 4-day Visit To the Home Fleet. 18 To 21 March 1943, Scapa Flow, Wearing the Uniform of An Admiral of the Home Fleet the King Paid a 4-day Visit To the Home Fleet - The King inspecting destroyer crews aboard the destroyer depot ship HMS Tyne



United States

Photo: The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Anthony (DD-515) off Boston, Massachusetts (USA), on 18 March 1943. She had been commissioned at the Boston Navy Yard on 26 February 1943



Pacific War

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS CAMPAIGN

In the Aleutians, taking off from Adak Island, 6 B-24's bomb the Main Camparea, 6 B-25's bomb North Head, and 12 P-38's fly top cover and strafing attacks. Twelve Amchitka-based P-38's then blast the Kiska runway and Main Camp area, starting fires. At Amchitka, the 54th Fighter Squadron is reinforced by several F-5A's.

BURMA AND INDIA

(Tenth Air Force) In Burma, 16 P-40's bomb and strafe the stronghold of Seniku, claiming a high enemy casualty rate. Seven others attack Nalong. Sixteen B-24's bomb the Pazundaung bridge, causing considerable damage to the structure. Eight B-25's damage the Myitnge bridge; 8 other B-25's hit AA positions in the Myitnge general area. A detachment of the 9th Photographic Squadron, Tenth Air Force begins operating from Dinjan, India.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS

(Thirteenth Air Force) HQ 307th Bombardment Group and it's 370th and 424th Bombardment Squadrons with B-24's transfer from the Territory of Hawaii to Guadalcanal. Both squadrons has been operating from Espirtu Santo since 6 Feb.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS

(Fifth Air Force) B-24's pound the town of Madang. In the Bismarck Archipelago, single B-17's strafe a launch at Talasea and barges northeast of Cape Gloucester, while a lone B-24 bombs Timoeka and Langgoer. Lost is P-39K 42-4312.

MIDWAY

Photo: A U.S. Army Air Forces Consolidated B-24D Liberator landing, at Naval Air Station Midway, on Eastern Island, Midway, in March 1943

Day 1287 of World War II, March 20th 1943

Air War over Europe

12 Mosquitoes went to Louvain and Malines railway yards but only Louvain was reached.

1 Lancaster bombed Leer near Emden. This flight was carried out by Squadron Leader C. O'Donoghue of 103 Squadron. He decided to make this lone flight after a major Bomber Command effort planned for the previous night was cancelled. The Lancaster attacked Leer soon after dawn and its bombs fell close to the railway station.

12 Wellingtons and 4 Lancasters went minelaying off Biscay ports but the Wellingtons were recalled. No losses.

Battle of the Atlantic

Brazilian merchantman Baje rescues 27 survivors of freighter Roger B. Taney, that had been sunk by U-225 on 7 February.

North Africa campaign

As night fell, Montgomery's long awaited attack on the Mareth line began with a massive AA barrage on Italian positions along the coast. With his 'Left Hook' ready to press through the Tebaga Gap, Monty's 'Right Hook' began moving forward as sappers went first followed by the British 50th Northumbrian Division, the 4th Indian and the 51st Highland. The Germans had discovered the New Zealands of the 'Left Hook', so the orders were off and they were told to go as fast as they could to the north. The 2nd New Zealand Division marched to their flanking position to the west and finally reached the Tebaga Gap. The Germans were looking over their shoulders at the Americans at Gafsa as Monty began his frontal assault. Near the coast, the British infantry attacked the Italian Young Fascists Division and put a bridgehead through. But from the beginning the attack was crippled. The sappers in front of the 50th Northumbrian, the lead division, couldn't hear the ping of their mine detectors, the bombardment was so loud. Undiscovered mines began to take a toll on the attackers. Then at Wadi Zigzaou, torrential rains had turned it into a moat of muddy water. Engineers tried to bridge the ravine but only 4 tanks crossed before the causeway was swallowed up in the mud. The Germans were so little impressed that they regarded this as only a diversion and did not attack with the 15.Panzerdivision. The infantry fared better than the armour in crossing the wadi and by morning the next day, had won a bridgehead on the far bank. Although the infantry had succeeded in getting a foothold in the enemy lines, they were concentrated in a relatively small area and were coming under heavy fire from German flak. As dusk fell over Mareth, Monty was preparing a fresh attack. A few miles past El Guettar, the Americans had to pause. There, as they entered a vast green valley rimmed by ridges, the road leading east split in two, both branches disappearing through narrow passes on the high hills that blocked other exits from the valley. The Axis had converted these passes into fortified funnels sown with wide belts of mines backed up by aprons of barbed wire. The cliffs above them sprouted AA and light and heavy machine guns. The Americans recognized that a steep slope rising to the crest of a hill overlooking one of the passes might be climbed by a column of men moving in single file. If they were able to gain the crest, they would be staring at the backs of the Italians whose guns were trained down on the pass. So during the night a column spearheaded by 500 men of Lt. Col. William O. Darby's Rangers set out over the path. They could not carry any sizable weapons, the terrain was too difficult. The success of their mission would depend instead on stealth, surprise and shock. They marched in silence, picking their way painfully over a carpet of loose stone and struggling through crevasses. At intervals their progress slowed to a crawl as they scaled 20 foot cliffs, passing their equipment up from hand to hand. It was near dawn when at last the Rangers reached the rocky plateau that overlooked the Italian guns.

Six Spitfires of the Us 309thFS/31st FG got into a dogfight with 8 Bf 109s, claiming 3 damaged while Lt. Barber had to crash land. Oblt. Dietrich Kasten of 2./JG 53 claimed the Spitfire for his 17th victory. JG 53 also lost Oblt. Gunther Hess of 6./JG 53 when the 9 victory pilot was listed as missing in action in his Bf 109G-4/trop.

Pacific War

BURMA AND INDIA

(Tenth Air Force) In Burma, 7 B-25's again attack the Myitnge bridge, inflicting little additional damage to the structure.

CHINA

(Fourteenth Air Force) HQ 308th Bombardment Group and it's 373d, 374th, 375th and 425th Bombardment Squadrons with B-24's arrive in China from the U.S. The 308th and 425th are based at Kunming; the 373d at Yangkai; and the 374th and 375th at Chengkung. The four squadrons will fly their first combat mission on 4 May.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS

(Thirteenth Air Force) In the Solomons during the night of 19/20 Mar, 42 Navy and Marine aircraft lay mines off the Bougainville coast in the Buin-Tonolai area while 18 B-17's and B-24's pound Kahili Airfield in a diversionary strike. This mission inaugurates mine-laying operations by aircraft in the South Pacific (SOPAC). Ditched is B-17E "'Busy Beavers / Goonie" 41-2523.

42 Navy and Marine Corps Avengers, on a night flight from Henderson Field, mined Kahili Harbor (Tonolei), while USAAF aircraft are hitting Kahili

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS

(Fifth Air Force) In New Guinea, B-25's bomb Langgoer and Kaimana. The landing strip at Finschhafen and the harbor area at Salamaua are bombed by single B-24's.

PACIFIC

Submarine Sawfish (SS-276) sinks Japanese guardboat Shinsei Maru in the northern Pacific, 32°55'N, 152°11'E.

Submarine Scamp (SS-277) damages Japanese merchant cargo ship Seinan Maru off Tomari, 41°06'N, 141°26'E.

Submarine Trigger (SS-237) damages Japanese gunboat Choan Maru off the Admiralties, 03°44'N, 144°12'E, with a dud torpedo.