February 4th, 1943 (THURSDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: New guidelines to Allied bomber crews have emerged from the Casablanca summit attended by the prime minister, Mr. Churchill, and President Roosevelt last month. An air ministry directive sent to Sir Arthur Harris, the chief of Bomber Command, today says that his primary objective is the "progressive destruction ... of the German military, industrial and economic system and the undermining of the morale of the German people."
Allied targets range from Bremen to Rabaul, where Japanese warships are hit, but the top priority is the German submarine building industry.
The prototype Bristol Buckingham (DX 249) a day bomber with a crew of 4, flies but without armament. (22)
Light cruiser HMS Swiftsure launched.
Destroyer HMS Virago launched.
Minesweeper HMS Brave launched.
Submarine HMS Syrtis launched.
Sloop HMS Wren commissioned.
GERMANY:
U.S.S.R.: Black Sea Fleet and Azov Flotilla: MS "T-515" (ex-"Gelenjik") - sunk by field artillery, close to Ujnaya Ozereika (later raised and went into service) (Sergey Anisimov)(69)
Soviet commandos land behind German lines near Novorossiisk, on the Black Sea.
Generalmajor orders OPERATION LADIES EXCUSE ME. This operation helps Schorners men of the 40th Panzer Corps to escape the oncoming Soviet onslaught. During 'Operation Ladies Excuse Me', it is known that Schorner actually took control of a Flak Anti-Aircraft gun.(Gene Hanson)
NORTH AFRICA: The first units of the British 8th Army cross from Libya into Tunisia.
LIBYA: Tripoli: Men of the 51st Highland and New Zealand Divisions - all heroes of El Alamein - formed up to march past Winston Churchill today. The prime minister is on a whirlwind tour of the Middle East - with a significant stop in neutral Turkey - and is spending the day with his troops.
The premier toured the harbour - where engineers were clearing blockships and port installations. He leaves for Algiers tomorrow, despite a death threat from a notorious hired assassin.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: Guadalcanal: Japan's commander on Guadalcanal, Lt-Gen Haruchi Hyakutake, tonight slipped aboard the destroyer HAMAKAZE and hurried to his cabin, marking the end of Japan's six-month attempt to conquer the island and a first land victory in the Pacific for the Allies.
With Hyakutake are most of the senior staff and 4,000 men, leaving behind a rearguard of 2,000 due to be evacuated in two day's time. During tonight's evacuation a "Tokyo Express", comprising 20 destroyers, raced down to Cape Esperance. During the operation they were harried by airstrikes by 64 US bombers and fighters of the "Cactus Air Force" - named after the codename for the island. US fliers claimed 17 Japanese planes, while Japanese Zero fighters downed ten US planes.
First estimates from this bloody campaign put US total casualties at 6,300 and Japanese casualties at 24,000 dead. Both sides lost 24 ships; tonnage losses are roughly equal. The losses hit harder at Japan, which cannot match America's shipbuilding rate. The US forces also have significant gains, not the least of which is the psychological boost of inflicting a defeat on Japan. The greatest material gain is to deny Japan use of the airstrip at Henderson Field.
U.S.A.: The motion picture "Air Force" opens at the Hollywood Theater in New York City. Directed by Howard Hawks, this action drama about the crew of a B-17 in the Pacific stars John Garfield, Gig Young, Arthur Kennedy, Harry Carey, George Tobias and Faye Emerson.
Destroyer USS Kimberly launched.
Submarine USS Balao commissioned.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Convoy SC-118 comes under concentrated attack from German U-boats.
U-187 (Type IXC/40) is sun in the North Atlantic, in position 50.12N, 36.35W, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Vimy and Beverley. 9 dead and 45 survivors. (Alex Gordon)
U-414 was attacked in the North Atlantic by an aircraft and damaged so badly that she had to return to base.