September 1st, 1943 (WEDNESDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: The population of Britain is now more completely mobilized than that of any other country - far more so than Germany's. Ministry of labour figures show that there are 22,750,000 men and women in the services, Civil Defence or essential war work such as munitions and service industries. With another million doing voluntary war work, this accounts for over 70% of the 33 million people aged between 16 and 64. One million people over 65 are also in full-time employment.
Before the war, no expert would have believed this possible, said Ernest Bevin, the minister of labour. "Yet we have had to do it and we have done it." Ten million women up to the age of 45 have already been registered for war work. The recent decision to register those aged between 45 and 50 brought much criticism of Mr. Bevin in parliament and the press for "directing grandmothers"; 200 MPs signed a motion of protest. The minister pointed out that 1,500,000 women over 40 are already at work, and 500,000 of them are over 45.
He believes that older women do not resent the part they are being called on to play in the factories; nor do older men. "The average age of the Merseyside docker is nearly 51 and he is giving a remarkable turn-around of ships. I saw a man there the other day aged 83, wheeling three-hundredweight bags of Cuban sugar. I do no think I have been hard when these examples are borne in mind."
A third of the women serving in the forces and industry come from the "non-manual, non-industrial classes". Altogether there are 2,250,000 more people working in the munitions industry than in 1914-18. Around 100,000 women have joined the railways, and others are working as welders in the shipyards.
Frigates HMS Fitzroy and Seymour launched.
Submarine HMS Seneschal laid down.
GERMANY: U-317 is launched and U-1222 is commissioned.
U.S.S.R.: Soviet troops make good progress around Smolensk and Vyazma capturing Dorogobuzh, east of Smolensk, and south around Taganrog.
ITALY: Units of the British join aircraft and artillery in the bombardment of the Calabrian coast in preparation for Operation BAYTOWN, the British invasion of Italy.
USAAF P-40s bomb a zinc plant at Iglesias and strafe a factory north of Gonnesa while medium and light bombers hit Bova Marina, areas near Salina and Sant' Eufemia d'Aspromonte town area and bridge at Oliveto.
During the night of 1/2 September, 38 RAF (B-24) Liberators of No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group visually bomb the North
TUNISIA: All ADMINISTRATIVE functions of the Army Air Forces elements of the Northwest African Air Force are transferred to the appropriate US Twelfth Air Force organizations:
- HQ Northwest African Air Force (NAAF) to HQ Twelfth Air Force,
- Northwest African Strategic Air Force (NASAF) to XII Bomber Command,
- Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAF) to XII Air Support Command,
- Northwest African Coastal Air Force to XII Fighter Command,
- Northwest African Air Service Command (NAASC) to XII Air Force Services Command,
- Northwest African Air Force Troop Carrier Command to XII Troop Carrier Command (Provisional),
- NW African Photographic Reconnaissance Wing to Photo Reconnaissance Wing (Provisional), and
- Northwest African Training Command (NATC) to XII Training Command (Provisional).
OPERATIONAL control remains with the Northwest African Air Force.
CHINA: Seven USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells and eight P-40s attack a Japanese destroyer and the dock area at Shihhweiyao; a P-40 and three P-38 Lightnings attack a barracks at Yangsin, shipping at Wuchang and Kutang and a train and antiaircraft guns near Puchi; six P-40s sink a small river tanker near Ichang and strafe Japanese cavalry at Ocheng; and three P-40s attack Swatow Airfield and the port area.
BURMA: USAAF Tenth Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb rail facilities at Mandalay.
BAKER ISLAND: The US Army's 804th Engineer Aviation Battalion lands on Baker Island to build an advance airfield to support the upcoming invasions in the Gilbert Islands. The landing is supported by the USN's Task Force 11 (Rear Admiral Willis A. Lee, Jr.), formed around small aircraft carriers USS Princeton (CVL 23) and USS Belleau Wood (CVL 24). The dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 1) in this operation pioneers the use of this type of ship in amphibious operations. Also involved were the PBY-5A Catalinas of USN Patrol Squadron Thirty Three (VP-33) based on Canton Island. The squadron conducted day searches toward the Gilberts covering the occupation of Baker Island.
CORAL SEA: USN destroyer USS Wadsworth (DD-516) picks up an underwater sound contact and drops seven patterns of depth charges sinking Japanese submarine HIJMS I-20 off Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides Islands, in position 15.38S, 166.57E.
RYUKYU ISLANDS: USN submarine USS Pompano (SS-181) sinks a Japanese merchant vessel off Miyako Island.
BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: On New Britain Island, USAAF Fifth Air Force B-25 Mitchells bomb Iboki Plantation and Rein Bay; five Fifth Air Force B-26 Marauders attack the Cape Gloucester area; and 12 RAAF Beaufighters attack the island.
MARCUS ISLAND: Aircaft from the US carriers ESSEX, YORKTOWN and INDEPENDENCE, part of the new Fast Carrier Task Force, attack the island.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: On Vella Lavella Island, a battalion of the U.S. 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, driving on the Kokolope Bay, reaches the Orete Cove area, about 14 miles (23 kilometers) northeast of Barakoma.
NEW GUINEA: Air attacks on the Japanese at Lae are increased. Allied air operations are intensified in preparation for the offensive against Lae, Northeast New Guinea. The USAAF Fifth Air Force is concentrating on airfields, supply points and shipping in the New Guinea - Bismarck Archipelago area.
Twenty USAAF Fifth Air Force B-24 Liberators and 40+ B-25 Mitchells bomb supply dumps in the Alexishafen-Madang area of Papua, New Guinea.
PHOENIX ISLANDS: From this date through 14 September, 8 US Seventh Air Force B-24s conduct daily sea-search operations from Canton Island.
TERRITORY OF ALASKA: In the Aleutians, 2 US Eleventh Air Force P-40s attempting to intercept Japanese aircraft reported near Attu Island abort because of weather.
CANADA: Corvette HMCS Trentonian launched.
U.S.A.: British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill arrives at the White House for a conclusion of his Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, talks with President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Technical Manual (TM) E 30-451, Handbook on German Military Forces, dated 1 September 1943, is issued. This is an update to the prior one. It is interesting to note that this is issued before U.S. and Allied troops have encountered many of the new German weapons. Not covered are such items as the MP 44, the Panzerfausts and many other items. (Bill Howard)
Washington: Averell Harriman is appointed US ambassador to the USSR.
Destroyer escort USS Wyman commissioned.
The USN assumes full responsibility for all airborne antisubmarine operations by US forces in the Atlantic and USAAF units are reassigned.