November 2nd, 1943 (TUESDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM:
Submarine HMS Virile laid down.
Sloop HMS Amethyst commissioned.
Patrol vessel HMS Kilmington launched.
NORTH SEA: The British blockade runner to Sweden, MASTER STANDFAST, is captured by the Germans.
GERMANY: Berlin: Goebbels writes that "we are in danger of slowly bleeding to death in the East."
AUSTRIA: In its first mission, the USAAF Fifteenth Air Force joins in the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO) against Germany with a damaging attack on the Bf 109 aircraft assembly factory at Wiener Neustadt by 113 heavy bombers. The Germans put up strong fighter and antiaircraft opposition and 11 bombers are lost.
U.S.S.R.: Kakhovka on the lower Dniepr River is liberated by the Soviets.
ITALY: The British 8th Army steps up operations to cross the Trigno River. The 7th Armored Division from the British X Corps reaches the Garigliano, close to the Gustav Line.
US General Spaatz takes command of all US Air Forces in the Mediterranean. He commands both the US 12th and 15th Airforces.
In the U.S. Fifth Army's British X Corps area, patrols of the 7th Armoured and 46th Divisions reach the Garigliano River. The U.S. VI Corps prepares to cross two divisions, the 4th and 34th Infantry Divisions, over the Volturno River. Advance elements of the 45th Infantry Division, the 180th Infantry Regiment, cross below Sesto Campano, during the night of 2/3 November.
In the British Eighth Army area, V Corps begins their main assault across the Trigno River, during the night of 2/3 November. Firm resistance is being overcome with the help of artillery and naval gunfire.
Northwest African Tactical Bomber Force light and medium bombers hit gun positions and an ammunition dump on the British Eighth Army front, railroad facilities at Aquila, and the coast road at Terracina. USAAF Twelfth Air Force and RAF Desert Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers attack gun positions and ammunition dumps along the British Eighth Army front, hit gun positions south of Isernia, bomb Fondi, and attack several bridges and junctions in advance of the U.S. Fifth Army front; numerous trucks and a train also are strafed.
USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells bomb the Ancona marshalling yard, B-26 Marauders, escorted by P-38 Lightnings, bomb the harbor at Civitavecchia and miss a railroad bridge near Amelia.
During the night of 2/3 November, 36 RAF bombers of No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group hit the Romano Airfield at Fiano without loss.
YUGOSLAVIA: During the night of 2/3 November, Northwest African Tactical Bomber Force light bombers hit Penna Point and Zara.
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: U-340 sunk near Tangier, in position 35.33N, 06.37W, by depth charges from sloop HMS Fleetwood, destroyers HMS Active and Witherington and by depth charges from a British Wellington aircraft (Sqn 179/R). 1 dead and 48 survivors.
CHINA: Five USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells and 12 P-40s attack the docks and warehouses at Shasi.
BURMA: Japan repels a series of Chinese attacks on the river Tarung. The Japanese along the Tarung River are withstanding the efforts of the 112th Regiment, Chinese 38th Division, to advance; the Japanese wipe out a company of the 1st Battalion.
NEW GUINEA: In Northeast New Guinea, the Australian 2/13th and 2/17th Battalions begin an assault on Japanese positions at Jivevaneng. In the air, USAAF Fifth Air Force P-39 Airacobras pound a road in the Bogadjim area located south of Madang while A-20 Havocs bomb and strafe communication routes near Fortification Point.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: Shortly after midnight, Admiral Omori's Japanese naval Task Force is detected by radar from US naval TF 39. This night action off Bougainville, called the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, is confused and shows the advantages of US radar. Losses: Japanese 1 light cruiser (the SENDAI), 1 destroyer (the HATSUKAZE) and all ships with damage. US 2 cruisers and 2 destroyers damaged. The Japanese withdraw, and are prevented from landing reinforcements in the area. During the day, the US forces withstand air attacks and extend their holdings on land.
On Bougainville, the 3d Marine Division is slowly expanding the beachhead and organizing defenses. The 3d Marine Regiment, which has had hard fighting on the right flank, is exchanging places with 9th Marine Regiment. Puruata Island. is cleared by noon.
Beginning at 0800 hours local, over 100 Japanese aircraft based at Rabaul, New Britain Island, Bismarck Archipelago, attack the USN surface forces that were engaged in the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay last night. Only slight damaged is sustained by one light cruiser.
Twenty USAAF Thirteenth Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb Kahili Airfield on southern Bougainville Island.
Aircraft of USN Task Force 38 (Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman) make two strikes attack enemy airfields in the Buka Island area north of Bougainville.
160 land-based US 5th Air Force aircraft attacks Rabaul, both sides loose 20 aircraft, but the Japanese have 3 ships sunk.
In direct support of Allied landings on Bougainville Island in the Solomon Islands, 75 USAAF Fifth Air Force B-25 Mitchells, with an escort of 70 P-38 Lightnings, attack Rabaul airfields and harbor on New Britain Island. A stores ship is sunk and two heavy cruisers, a destroyer, a stores ship and a minesweeper are damaged. U.S. aircraft claim 12 aircraft destroyed on the ground and 68 shot down. Antiaircraft and air opposition is the strongest thus far encountered by the Fifth Air Force; 21 US airplanes are lost.
During the night of 2/3 November, Australian Beauforts attack Tobera Airfield at Rabaul.
PACIFIC OCEAN: USN Submarine Operations:
USN submarines sink seven Japanese ships (six of the ships are from one convoy):
- After 0100 hours, USS Seahorse (SS-304) sinks an army cargo ship about 318 nautical miles (589 kilometers) southeast of Kagoshima, Kyushu Island, Japan, in position 28.20N, 135.22E.
- After 0200 hours, USS Trigger (SS-237) sinks an army transport about 317 nautical miles (587 kilometers) southeast of Kagoshima, Kyushu Island, Japan, in position 28.20N, 135.20E.
- After 0300 hours, USS Trigger (SS-237) sinks an army cargo ship about 229 nautical miles (525 kilometers) southeast of Kagoshima, Kyushu Island, Japan, in position 28.49N, 134.50E.
- After 0400 hours, USS Seahorse (SS-304) sinks an army cargo ship about 310 nautical miles (570 kilometers) east-southeast of Kagoshima, Kyushu Island, Japan, in position 28.40N, 135.25E and an armed transport about 289 nautical miles (536 kilometers) southeast of Kagoshima in position 28.31N, 134.50E.
- After 0900 hours, USS Halibut (SS-232) sinks an army cargo ship about 295 nautical miles (547 kilometers) southeast of Kagoshima in position 28.20N, 134.48E. at 28-20 N, 134-48 E.
- After 2100 hours USS Haddock (SS-231) sinks a merchant cargo ship about 405 nautical miles (749 kilometers) southeast of Guam, Mariana Islands, in position 09.18N, 150.09E. (Skip Guidry)
CANADA: Tug HMCS Glenmont commissioned Owen Sound, Ontario.
U.S.A.: Washington: Powerful US forces have been built up in the Pacific despite Washington's commitment to the "Hitler first" grand strategy. The Americans have decided on a double-pronged thrust. One, under Admiral Nimitz, will advance across the central Pacific and the other, under General MacArthur, from New Guinea to the Philippines. To avoid costly campaigns, large Japanese forces in South Pacific islands are not to be challenged in battle but isolated by air power.
Submarine USS Sea Fox laid down.
Destroyer escorts USS Strickland and O'Toole launched.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-848 sank SS Baron Semple.
German submarine U-340 is sunk at 0430 hours about 42 nautical miles (78 kilometers) west-southwest of the Tangier Zone by depth charges from the British sloop HMS Fleetwood (L 47), the destroyers HMS Active (H 14) and Witherington (D 76) and by depth charges from an RAF Wellington Mk. XIV, aircraft of No. 179 Squadron based at Gibraltar; 48 of the 49 crewmen survive. (Alex Gordon)