April 17th, 1943 (SATURDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: London: The Polish government in exile asks the Red Cross to investigate the Katyn massacre.
After a raid by 30 Focke-Wulf FW190 fighter bombers on London, one lands by mistake at West Malling aerodrome.
London: Major-General Ira Eaker, the commander of the US 8th Army Air Force has put forward a proposal called "The Combined Bomber Offensive from the United Kingdom" reasserting the belief that a joint Allied bombing campaign could bring Germany to its knees. Maj-Gen Eaker believes that it will be necessary to "seek the destruction of enemy fighters in the air and on the ground."
The Commanding General, VIII Fighter Command, expresses the need for 20 fighter groups to neutralize growing German fighter opposition to the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO).
GERMANY: The US 8th AF raids the aircraft factories in Bremen with 115 B-17s.
VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 52: 115 B-17s are dispatched against the Focke-Wulf factory at Bremen, Germany the Eighth Air Force's largest mission to date. A mass of fighters attacks during bomb run, shooting down 15 while flak claims another. The B-17s claim 63-15-17 Luftwaffe aircraft; 39 B-17s are damaged.
FINLAND: Finnish Commander-in-Chief Marshal Mannerheim travels to Switzerland to tend his health. He uses the alias of 'Baron Marhein'. Chief of General Staff Gen. Erik Heinrichs acts as the C-in-C during Mannerheim's absence.
Numerous rumours float around explaining the 'true' reasons for Mannerheim's trip. Some say there's in fact been a military coup and Mannerheim has been driven to exile. Others say Mannerheim went to present the Finnish surrender to the Western Allies. But the truth is just that: Mannerheim goes to tend his health after being seriously ill in early April. He returns on 9 May and resumes his duties. Mannerheim is old (he will be 76 next June) and his duties has worn him further. The old Marshal is no more in top of his powers.
POLAND: Katyn: Five days ago a devout Russian peasant called on the German Field Security Police at Katyn, near Smolensk, with a grim story. "The Poles are looking for their officers in Siberia, but they lie here, in the forest," he said.
The Germans dug up some 4,100 Polish officers, still in their uniforms, with identity documents, and hands tied behind their backs. All had been shot in the back of the neck. Local Russian peasants told of "Black Ravens", prison coaches driven by Soviet secret police, arriving in spring 1940. Other corpses found nearby are of Soviet civilians who died in Stalin's purges. The discovery has provided a propaganda triumph for Göbbels. "I saw to it that the mass graves were inspected by neutral journalists from Berlin," he noted in his diary.
Professors of forensic medicine from German-occupied countries have been given a free hand at Katyn, but today the exiled Polish government in London has demanded in investigation by the International Red Cross. Moscow has reacted with fury. It says that the Germans carried out the mass killings, and accuses the Poles in London of "aiding and abetting Hitler". The affair is embarrassing Britain, as both Stalin and the Poles are Allies.
ITALY: SICILY: Ninth Air Force B-24s (including Liberator Mk IIs of the RAF 178 Squadron, under operational control of the IX Bomber Command) bomb Catania. Northwest African Strategic Air Force B-17s bomb shipping and docks at Palermo.
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: US bombers raid Palermo, Catania and Syracuse.
TUNISIA: Despite Rommel's plea to Hitler and Mussolini to evacuate North Africa and prepare for the invasion of Europe, German engineers are working feverishly to prepare new defence lines in Tunisia. The high command in Berlin reasons that if Axis troops can hold out in Tunisia until the autumn, the invasion of mainland Europe will be delayed for another year.
Allied numerical superiority is overwhelming, however. The British and American air forces can muster 3,000 aircraft; the Axis, 500; the Allies have 1,200 tanks; the Axis, 130. Despite this the Germans are skilled improvisers, particularly when it comes to defence.
Ninth Air Force P-40s fly sweeps, sea patrol, and fighter-bomber missions. During the night of 16/17 April, Northwest African Strategic Air Force (NASAF) Wellingtons bomb the N quay in Bizerte harbour. Shortly after noon, B-17s bomb shipping and docks at Ferryville. B-25s hit the town area and marshalling yard at Mateur. Fighters provide escort. Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAF) Blenheims bomb La Sebala Airfield and A-20s hit Ksar Tyr and concentrations NE of Grich el Oued. Fighters fly escort and reconnaissance missions. Northwest African Coastal Air Force (NACAF) airplanes fly sea patrol and reconnaissance and attack shipping in the Strait of Sicily.
BURMA: 7 Tenth Air Force B-25s bomb the Myitnge bridge, scoring 4 damaging hits. Ten others hit the Myitnge railroad works. Sixteen P-40s damage the bridge at Kamaing, attack the town of Nanyaseik, and score hits on the N approach to the bridge at Namti. Six B-24s damage the S approach to the Pazundaung railroad bridge.
NEW GUINEA: A single Fifth Air Force B-24 scores hits on the NW shore of Hollandia Bay.
MOLUCCAS ISLANDS: Fifth Air Force B-24s bomb targets on Amboina Island.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: During the night of 16/17 April, 15 Thirteenth Air Force B-17s and 8 TBF Avengers of Torpedo Squadron Twenty Seven (VT-27) (part of Air Group 27, USS SUWANEE) and Composite Squadron Twenty Six (VC-26) (part of Air Group 26, USS SANGAMON) and Composite Squadron VC-28 (part of Air Group 28, USS CHENANGO), bomb Kahili Airfield on Bougainville. Two of the VC-27 TBFs conduct a mast-high bombing attack on ships in New Georgia Sound, the first attack of this kind in this theatre. (Jack McKillop & Massimiliano Stola)
PACIFIC OCEAN: Three Japanese ships are sunk at sea:
- A mine laid by USN TBF Avengers on 30 March sinks a transport near Buin, Bougainville, Solomon Islands.
- An ex-whale factory ship is sunk by unknown agent about 160 miles (257 km) east of Formosa.
- Submarine USS Flying Fish (SS-229) sinks an army cargo ship off Yerimozaki, Hokkaido, Japan.
TERRITORY OF ALASKA: ALEUTIANS: 7 B-24 of the Eleventh Air Force bomb and score 8 direct hits on the runway and gun emplacements at Attu. One B-24 and 2 F-5As abort due to weather. 4 B-25s, 31 P-38s, and 14 P-40s hit Kiska 9 times, bombing installations and strafing gun emplacements and 3 parked airplanes.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: The German submarine U-175 is sunk southwest of Ireland by depth charges and gunfire from USCGC Spencer (WPG-36); 41 of the 54 U-boat crewmen survive. USCGC Spencer was escorting convoy HX 233.