November 1st, 1943 (MONDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: Destroyers HMS Barfleur and Wager launched.
Frigate HMS Seymour launched.
A progress report, assessing results of the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO) by the RAF and USAAF, estimates that 19 important German towns and cities have been virtually destroyed, 19 severely damaged and nine more effectively damaged. A joint report of the British Ministry of Economic Warfare and Air Ministry Intelligence Branch claims that 10 percent of the total war potential of Germany has been destroyed.
RAF Fighter Command is redesignated Air Defence of Great Britain (ADGB) and all fighter aircraft involved in the air defense are assigned. All aircraft involved in tactical operations are assigned to a new unit, the Allied Expeditionary Air Force (AEAF), which is activated under command of RAF Air Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory. This new unit will have operational control of all Allied tactical air force aircraft for the invasion of western Europe (Operation OVERLORD). Initially, the RAF Air Defence of Great Britain and the 2nd Tactical Air Force are assigned; the USAAF Ninth Air Force will be assigned on 10 December.
U.S.S.R.: Soviet units capture Perekop during their advance to Armiansk isolating the Crimea. Part of the Soviet 56th Army is landed in the Crimea near Enikale.
The first in a new series of Arctic convoys sails from Kola Inlet.
ITALY: In the U.S. Fifth Army area, British X Corps continues to clear the Mt. Massico-Mt. St. Croce hill mass on the western flank of the Fifth Army. The 56th Division takes Roccamonfina. In the U.S. VI Corps area, the 168th Infantry Regiment of the 34th Infantry Division reaches Capriati al Volturno.
Six USAAF Twelfth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses bomb a railroad viaduct at Recco while one bombs the marshalling yard at La Spezia. B-25 Mitchells, escorted by fighters, hit marshalling yards at Rimini and Ancona. Northwest African Tactical Bomber Force (NATBF) aircraft bomb shipping in the harbors of Ancona, Italy and Split, Yugoslavia, hit a tunnel mouth near Antrodoco, and attack scattered gun positions and motor transport on both the US Fifth and British Eighth Army fronts. The XII Air Support Command hits numerous bridges and junctions and the town of Pontecorvo. The RAF Desert Air Force (DAF) hits inland roads and vehicles in advance of the battleline, shipping at Split, Yugoslavia and the town of Carpinone.
During the night of 1/2 November, 19 RAF bombers of No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group hits the marshalling yard at Via Reggio while three drop leaflets over Leghorn.
Alan Moorehead (Despatch from Italy) of the Daily Express
Arocity stories spring up in every village. If anything tragic or cruel happens, the people say at once, "I Tedeschi" - the Germans
In the desert we knew the Germans as correct soldiers, punctilious in the treatment of prisoners - especially the wounded. There were virtually no civilians and no cities. But now it is all changed, and the word German means horror and terror.
I have not reported one-tenth of the atrocity stories I have been told, partly because they were all much the same, but mostly because I had no means of checking them.
But now I think I have seen and heard enough to say that you cannot believe all the stories. There have been many frightful atrocities which are now fully documented. The results have been photographed by Army photographic units.
But at least half the stories are examples not so much of German cruelty, as of the fortune of war.
Daily Mail
Today I was told how a terribly wounded German soldier was snatched from death a few miles behind the Italian front. He was dying from severe chest wounds when he was brought into a field hospital. Complete removal of one lung was found to be necessary.
In the tent operating room one of the most delicate operations ever performed under field conditions was carried out by Major Paul Simpson, of Oakland, California. The surgeon had to work with the utmost precision and speed, but the operation was completed successfully.
US General Spaatz takes command of all US Air Forces in the Mediterranean.
U.S.S.R.: A U.S. Military Mission to the Soviet Union is organized under Major General John R. Deane to establish American airfields in the USSR for shuttle bombing of Axis territory.
Soviet units capture Perekop Isthmus during their advance to Armiansk isolating the Crimea. Part of the Soviet 56th Army is landed in the Crimea near Enikale.
The first in a new series of Arctic convoys sails from Kola Inlet.
YUGOSLAVIA: Northwest African Tactical Bomber Force (NATBF) aircraft bomb shipping in the harbor Split while the RAF Desert Air Force (DAF) hits shipping at Split.
TUNISIA: The USAAF Fifteenth Air Force is activated, with headquarters at Tunis and Lieutenant General James H. Doolittle as Commanding General. This new air force will be the strategic air force in the Mediterranean while the USAAF Twelfth Air Force will become a tactical air force. The following Twelfth Air Force units are transferred to the new Fifteenth Air Force: 16 squadrons equipped with B-17 Flying Fortresses; eight squadrons equipped with B-24 Liberators; eight squadrons equipped with B-25 Mitchells; 12 squadrons equipped with B-26 Marauders; nine squadrons equipped with P-38 Lightnings; and three squadrons equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts; three reconnaissance squadrons and a liaison squadron.
CHINA: The USAAF Fourteenth Air Force dispatches six B-25 Mitchells and nine P-40s to bomb the Yoyang railroad yards.
EAST INDIES: In the Netherlands East Indies, 11 USAAF Fifth Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb Maniang Island and nearby Pembela.
BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: Japanese aircraft reinforcements, 82 "Zeke" fighters (Mitsubishi A6M, Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighters), 45 "Val" dive bombers (Aichi D3A, Navy Type 99 Carrier Bomber), 40 "Kate" torpedo bombers (Nakajima B5N, Navy Type 97 Carrier Attack Bombers) and six reconnaissance aircraft, arrive at Rabaul, New Britain Island. There are now about 200 aircraft based at Rabaul.
A lone USAAF Fifth Air Force B-24 scores hit on ship off Kavieng, New Ireland Island. During the night of ½ November, two USAAF Thirteenth Air Force radar snooper B-24s attack a convoy west of Cape Saint George on New Ireland Island.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: General Hyakutake's 17th Army, now on Bougainville, is the target of US landings. Most are garrisoned in the south end of this large island where the airfields and landing beaches are. The US landings come at Empress Augusta Bay at Cape Tarokina. The 3rd Marine Division with transport by US TF 31 makes the landings. Admiral Sherman with 2 carriers of TF 38 and Admiral Merill with TF 39 provide escort and air support; 1400 US troops in total landed.
After preparatory naval gunfire and aerial bombardment, Northern Force of Vice Admiral Theordore Wilkinson's Task Force 31 starts landing the 3d Marine Division, reinforced, of Major General Arthur Vandegrift's I Marine Amphibious Corps on Bougainville Island at about 0730 hours. The 3d and 9th Marine Regiment land abreast on the north shore of Empress Augusta Bay in the Cape Torokina area and establish a shallow beachhead despite opposition from small but determined Japanese defense force. (Most of the Japanese troops are garrisoned in the southern end of this large island where the airfields and landing beaches are.) Elements of the 2d Marine Raider Regiment (Provisional) land on Puruata Island., off Cape Torokina, and begin to clear it. Major General Allen Turnage, Commanding General 3d Marine Division takes command ashore. Japanese air attacks delay unloading of cargo and surf damages many landing craft, but the operation is otherwise very successful. Cru iser and destroyer force of Task Force 39 (Rear Admiral Aaron S. Merrill) and carrier task force TF 38 (Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman) shell and bomb Japanese airfields and installations in the Buka-Bonis area. Rear Admiral Merrill's force later bombards enemy airfields on Shortland Island.
U.S. and New Zealand fighters covering the operations shoot down 20+ Japanese aircraft. Naval gunfire accounts for several more. On southern Bougainville, 21 USAAF Thirteenth Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb Kahili Airfield while Kara Airfield is attacked by 19 B-24 Liberators, 30+ P-40s and P-39 Airacobras, and 70+ US Navy (USN) fighters and dive bombers. P-38 Lightnings on a sweep over waters northwest of the Solomons claim seven "Zekes" fighters (Mitsubishi A6M Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighters) shot down. B-25 Mitchells strafe barges and wharf area at Faisi Island.
PACIFIC OCEAN: USN Submarine Operations:
2200: USS TRIGGER (SS-237) sinks two cargo ships at 29-12 N, 134-37 E.
2400: USS HADDOCK (SS-231) sinks a transport and cargo ship at
09-02 N, 150-43 E. (Skip Guidry)
14 Antiaircraft Artillery Group arrives in the New Hebrides. (Jean Beach)
PACIFIC: BATTLE OF EMPRESS AUGUSTA BAY: Vice Admiral OMORI Sentaro departs Rabaul, New Britain Island, Bismarck Archipelago, to escort 1,000 Japanese Army troops to oppose the U.S. invasion at Cape Torokina on Bougainville Island. Omori's force includes heavy cruisers HIJMS Myoko and Haguro, light cruisers HIJMS Agano and Sendai, six destroyers and four destroyer-transports. The Japanese force is intercepted by the four radar-equipped USN light cruisers of Task Force 39, USS Cleveland (CL-55), Columbia (CL-56), Denver (CL-58) and Montpelier (CL-57) and eight destroyers. At 0150 hour, all four U.S. cruisers take the light cruiser HIJMS SENDAI under 6-inch (15,2 centimeter) fire and set her afire; the cruiser is abandoned at 0200 hours and she soon sinks with most of her crew. Two Japanese destroyers collide while avoiding U.S. shell fire and at 0300 hours, the heavy cruiser HIJMS Myoko collides with another destroyer; the American destroyers sink this latter destroyer and the Japanese withdraw with the remaining Japanese forces. Japanese planes attack TF 39 during its retirement from the scene of battle, damaging light cruiser USS Montpelier (CL-57).
TERRITORY OF ALASKA: The Alaska Theater of Operations is established. The Alaska Department, U.S. Army, is reassigned from the Western Defense Command and assigned directly to the War Department.
CANADA:
Escort carrier HMS Nabob ran aground on Roberts Bank off Fraser River enroute to Vancouver from Tacoma.
Corvette HMCS Amherst completed forecastle extension refit Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
U.S.A.: President Roosevelt orders Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes and the Solid Fuels Administration to take over the coal mines. 530,000 men of the Coal Miners Union are out on strike. This action ends the problems for now.
USAAF 73d Squadron is disbanded at Pyote AAFld, Pyote, Texas.
Escort carrier USS Fanshaw Bay launched.
Escort carrier USS Saginaw Bay laid down.
Submarine USS Sea Dog laid down.
Destroyer escorts USS Edmonds, Richard W Suesen and Shelton laid down.
Destroyer escort USS John J Powers launched.
Destroyer escorts USS Gustafson, James E Craig and Vance commissioned.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: During a storm, the surfaced German submarine U-405 (Type VIIC) is sunk about 640 nautical miles (1 184 kilometers) north-northwest of Lagens Field, Azores Islands, at position 49.00N, 31.14W, by ramming, small arms fire and depth charges from the USN destroyer USS Borie (DD-215); all 49 crewmen in the sub are lost. USS Borie is part of the hunter-killer group built around the escort aircraft carrier USS Card (CVE-11). Twenty seven crewmen on the destroyer are lost and the ship is too badly damaged by the collision to be towed to port, so the destroyer USS Barry (DD-248) fires three torpedoes which miss so a TBF-1 Avenger of Composite Squadron Nine (VC-9) in USS Card drops four depth charges and Borie sinks at 0954 hours on 2 November. (Alex Gordon)
The British X Corps continues attacks between Monte Massico and Monte Santa Croce. Roccamonfina,