December 11th, 1942 (FRIDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM:
Submarine HMS Tradewind launched.
Minesweeper HMS Hound commissioned.
NETHERLANDS: During the night of 11/12 December, six RAF Bomber Command Wellingtons lay mines in the Frisian Islands.
FRANCE: During the night of 11/12 December, RAF Bomber Command Wellingtons lay mines off three Bay of Biscay ports: Six aircraft lay mines off La Pallice, five off Lorient and four off St. Nazaire. Three other aircraft drop leaflets in the Rouen area.
GERMANY: U-858, U-1164 laid down.
U.S.S.R.: Vinnitsa: Hitler refuses to allow the Sixth Army to pull out of Stalingrad.
The Soviet Army retains the initiative, making progress in the Stalingrad sector and in the Caucasus Mountains; sharp thrusts are continued against the Germans on the central and northern fronts without materially changing the situation. The German Sixth Army, isolated between the Don and Volga Rivers on the Stalingrad front, is under strong pressure. German Army Group A withdraws their main line of resistance in the vicinity of the Terek River in the Caucasus.
BLACK SEA: The Soviet submarine SC-212 is lost after 11 Dec near Fiodonisi Island due to a Romanian minefield. All 44 crewmen are lost.
ITALY: Eighteen USAAF Ninth Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb the harbor and surrounding areas at Naples with good results; one B-24 is lost.
During the night of 11/12 December, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 82 aircraft and the Pathfinders, 48 Halifaxes, 20 Lancasters, eight Stirlings and six Wellingtons, to bomb Turin but more than half of the force turns back before attempting to cross the Alps, because of severe icing conditions; 28 crews claim to have bombed Turin but the city reports only three high-explosive bombs and a few incendiaries, with no casualties. Three Halifaxes and a Stirling are lost.
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: Whilst
escorting fast convoy MKF.4
(U.K. to Gibraltar to Alexandria, Egypt), destroyer HMS Blean
(L 47) is attacked and sunk by U-443
(Oberleutnant zur See Konstantin von Puttkamer), 60 miles West of Oran at 35 55N
01 50E. 94 survivors are rescued by HMS Wishart. (Alex Gordon)(108)
LIBYA: British General Bernard Montgomery, General Officer Commanding Eighth Army, issues orders for an attack on El Agheila on 14 December. Air action is stepped up in preparation for the offensive.
USAAF Ninth Air Force P-40s fly several fighter-bomber missions and sweeps over the battle area in preparation for the ground assault on El Agheila.
TUNISIA: Another German attack on Medjez el Bab from the north and east is repulsed. The British 6th Armoured Division begins arriving in the forward area. Combat Command B, U.S.1st Armored Division, is relieved in the Bedja area by the 11th Brigade, British 78th Division, and is placed in V Corps reserve.
USAAF Twelfth Air Force B-25 Mitchells with fighter escort, attack the rail bridge at La Hencha while P-38 Lightnings fly sea patrol off the north coast and over the Gulf of Tunis and reconnaissance over the Sousse region. USAAF Spitfires sweep over Medjez el Bab and Bone.
ANDAMAN ISLANDS: USAAF Tenth Air Force B-24 Liberators of the India Air Task Force attack shipping at Port Blair, with negative results.
NEW GUINEA: Brigadier George Wootten, General Officer Commanding Australian 18th Brigade, 7th Division, inspects the Warren Force (based on U.S. 128th Infantry Regiment, 32d Infantry Division) front, where positions are virtually static. The first of a number of freighters to bring supplies and personnel to Oro Bay arrives during the night of 11/12 December and unloads four light tanks of the Australian 2/6th Armoured Regiment and supplies.
In Papua New Guinea, USAAF Fifth Air Force B-26 Marauders bomb the airfield and targets of opportunity in the Buna area while B-25 Mitchells and B-26s attack Lae Airfield.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: Guadalcanal: Tonight another "Tokyo Express" run with 11 destroyers is lead by Admiral Tanaka. One destroyer is sunk by the US PT Boats. Only 300 of the 1200 drums of supplies reach Japanese forces.
USAAF B-17 Flying Fortresses bomb the Munda Airfield on New Georgia Island with no losses
TERRITORY OF ALASKA: ALEUTIAN ISLANDS: USAAF Eleventh Air Force aircraft fly an uneventful reconnaissance covers Attu, Agattu, Amchitka, Kiska and the Semichis Islands. Three B-26 Marauders and four P-38 Lightnings bomb and strafe a previously bombed cargo vessel in Kiska Harbor, scouting two more direct hits. The P-38 Lightnings also strafe and bomb the Kiska Harbor submarine base and seaplane hangars, camp area and nearby gun emplacements.