August 3rd, 1943 (TUESDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: The Polish cryptanalysts Henryk Zygalski and
Marian Rejewski, who first broke the German Enigma code, arrive at Hendon aerodrome,
ending a long exile on France, Algeria and Spain.
Birthday of King Haakon VII of Norway. (Glenn Steinberg)
London: The award is gazetted of the George Cross to Lt. Hugh Randall Syne (1903-65), RANVR, of HMS VERNON, who carried out 19 dangerous mine recovery and disposal tasks in 21 months of courageous work.
Minesweeper HMS Brave commissioned.
Minesweeper HMS Pickle launched.
GERMANY:
Hamburg: Seven square miles of the
city are reported to be destroyed after the fourth RAF raid in the recent campaign.
BALTIC SEA:
U-738 lost two men overboard
in the Baltic Sea. [Bootsmaat Heinz Richter, Matrosengefreiter Josef Häseling].
U.S.S.R.: Polar Fleet and White Sea Flotilla: SKR "Priliv" (ex-RT-5 "Krab") - by aviation, close to cape Set-Navolok (Sergey Anisimov)(69)
ITALY: Labour unrest begins, leading to strikes in Genoa, Turin, and Milan.
(Glenn Steinberg)
On the ground in Sicily, US forces continue east along the north coast toward the Furiano River. At Troina, further inland, the enemy continues firm resistance.
Gen. George S. Patton slapped a private at an army hospital in Sicily,
accusing him of cowardice.
In the air, USAAF Ninth Air Force B-25s bomb Adrano and its highway approaches;
and 300+ P-40s, the largest Ninth Air Force total to date, attack harbours and
shipping at Milazzo and Messina, and give direct support to British ground
forces in the Catania-Bronte area. Northwest African Tactical Air Force light
bombers hit tactical targets; and fighters, light and medium bombers hit
shipping in the Straits of Messina and at Milazzo and attack Adrano and
Biancavilla and gun emplacements and bridges in the area.
Submarine HMS Unruffled sinks Italian merchantman Citta di Catania (3355 BRT).
TERRITORY OF ALASKA: Aleutian Islands: USAAF's 11th Air Force flies six attack missions, 2 of which abort, are flown to Kiska Island by B-24s, B-25 Mitchells, P-38 Lightnings, and P-40s of the US Eleventh Air Force; numerous targets hit and strafed include installations at North Head and South Head.
U.S.A.: The USS RANGER Carrier Air Group Four (CVG-4) is reformed.
Minesweeper USS Harlequin laid down.
Minesweeper USS Harlequin laid down.
Destroyer USS Colhoun laid down.
Destroyer escort USS Durant launched.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Two German submarines are sunk by US aircraft:
- U-572 is sunk northeast of Trinidad, in position 11.35N, 54.05W, by depth charges from a USN PBM-3 Mariner of Patrol Squadron Two Hundred Five (VP-205) based at NAS Guantanamo, Cuba. The submarine was on the surface and the U-boat crew shot the aircraft down during the bombing run; all hands on the aircraft and all hands on the submarine, 47 men, are killed.
- U-706 is sunk at 0630 hours local in the Bay of Biscay northwest of Cape Ortegal, Spain, in position 46.15N, 10.25W, by depth charges from a USAAF B-24 of the 4th Antisubmarine Squadron (Heavy) based at St Eval, Cornwall, England. There are 15 survivors of the U-boats 57 man crew. This submarine was earlier attacked by a Canadian Hampden patrol aircraft from RCAF 415 Squadron.
U-66 was caught by Avenger and Wildcat aircraft from the escort carrier USS Card on 3 August and 3 men were killed and 8 more wounded, including the commander. [Oberleutnant zur See der Reserve Kurt Schütze, Matrosengefreiter Erich Lorenz and Mechanikergefreiter (T) Heinz Nitsch].