10 November 1943

FRANCE: The USAAF Eighth Air Force's VIII Bomber Command flies Mission 126: five B-17 Flying Fortresses drop 1 million leaflets over Paris, Rennes, Le Mans and Rouen, France at 2020-2051 hours.

Bad weather causes the USAAF Ninth Air Force aircraft sent to bomb Vendeville Airfield at Lille to abandon their mission, though a few bombers manage to bomb other targets in the area. A force of 72 B-26 Marauders dispatched to attack Montdidier Airfield suffers numerous aborts due to weather but six bombers manage to bomb what is believed to be the secondary target of Glisy Airfield at Amiens.

During the night of 10/11 November, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 313 Lancasters to attack the railway yards at Modane on the main line between France and Italy; 301 aircraft bomb the target. The Pathfinder marking, in difficult conditions, is slightly beyond the target but 200 aircraft brought back photographs to show that their bombs fell within 1 mile (1,6 kilometers) of the target and the railway system is seriously damaged. Mining missions are flown by seven Stirlings with four laying mines off Gironde and three off La Pallice while 20 aircraft drop leaflets over the country.

U.S.S.R.: Two new military decorations are created: the Order of Victory - large ruby star encrusted with 91 diamonds - for senior officers, and the Order of Glory for other ranks.

Ambassador Litvinov says in Moscow that the principle of unconditional surrender does not include Finland. This is in response to the Nov 3 announcement in London that unconditional surrender did apply to Finland. (Gene Hanson)

ITALY: The Allied Control Commission is formed, to yoke the Italian economy into the overall Allied war effort.

North of Mignano: Lieutenant Maurice L. Britt, U.S. Army, 3d Infantry Division in the face of German hand grenades and close-range machine-pistol, machinegun and rifle fire, inspired and led a handful of his men in repelling a bitter counterattack by approximately 100 Germans against his company positions. MOH

In The U.S. Fifth Army's VI Corps area, elements of the 45th Infantry Division take the hills between Pozzilli and Filignano without opposition.

The USAAF Twelfth Air Force's XII Air Support Command and RAF fighter-bombers hit Rocca and nearby gun positions, and trains and troops south of Rome; fighters strafe trucks and trains in the Rome-La Spezia and the Piombino-Leghorn areas.

Twenty USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb the Villarperosa ball-bearing works at Turin, and 68 B-17 Flying Fortresses pound a bridge and marshalling yards at Bolzano with the loss of three B-17s. P-38 Lightnings escort the B-24s all the way and accompany the B-17 Flying Fortresses almost to the target.

During the night of 10/11 November, 23 RAF No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) bombers attack the railroad viaduct at Recco while two others drop leaflets over Florence.

YUGOSLAVIA: Northwest African Tactical Bomber Force bombers hit shipping at Split.

ALBANIA: Northwest African Tactical Bomber Force bombers hit shipping at Durazzo.

CHINA: USAAF Fourteenth Air Force fighters on armed reconnaissance sink three large motor boats in the Yoyang-Sinti area and damage or sink 15 sampans and a barge in the Hwajung-Shasi vicinity.

EAST INDIES: USAAF B-24 Liberators bomb Surabaja (Surabaya) on the north coast of Java, Netherlands East Indies.

NEW GUINEA: In Northeast New Guinea, USAAF Fifth Air Force B-25 Mitchells bomb Alexishafen Airfield.

AUSTRALIA: General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in the South West Pacific, cancels the projected offensive against Gasmata on New Britain Island, Bismarck Archipelago.

BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: USAAF Fifth Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb Lakunai Airfield near Rabaul on New Britain Island and hit a new landing ground on Duke of York Island located between New Britain and New Ireland Islands.

During the night of 10/11 November, Australian Beauforts attack targets in the Rabaul area.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: On Bougainville, Marine Major General Roy S. Geiger takes command of Allied forces on Bougainville and the Treasury Islands.

Over 20 USAAF Thirteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells carry out strikes on Kara Airfield on southern Bougainville Island and the Ballale Airfield on Ballale Island south of Bougainville. They also attack shipping between Suhane Island and Tarlena.

Marine TBF Avengers fly their first air-ground attack mission over Bougainville. At 1015 hours, 12 TBFs each drop twelve 100-pound (45 kilogram) bombs on Japanese ground targets some of which are only 120 yards (110 meters) ahead of the Marine infantry. This is the first attack of its kind in the Pacific.

PACIFIC OCEAN: In the Solomon Sea, the crew of the USN destroyer USS Spence (DD-512) spots a raft with four live Japanese on board. As Spence drew along side to attempt a rescue, the Japanese open fire with a machine-gun. Rather than face the shame of surrender the Japanese officer in charge of the raft then put his pistol in each man's mouth and blew out the back of each man's skull. He then turned the gun on himself and pulled the trigger. All four bodies fell into the water to be devoured by sharks.

Destroyer HMCS Athabaskan completed refit Devonport and sailed for Scapa Flow.

Corvette HMCS Giffard commissioned.

U.S.A.: The motion picture "Guadalcanal Diary" premieres at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Los Angeles, California. Directed by Lewis Seiler, this war drama about the Marines fighting on Guadalcanal is based on Richard Tregaskis' book stars Preston Foster, Lloyd Nolan, William Bendix, Richard Conte, Anthony Quinn and Richard Jaeckel. This was Jaeckel's first film.

Minesweeper USS Competent commissioned.

Destroyer escort USS Lansing commissioned.

Destroyer USS Newcomb commissioned.

U-966 sunk in the Bay of Biscay near Cape Ortegal, Spain, by depth charges from British, American and Czech Wellington and Liberator aircraft (Sqn 612/B, 311/D, VB-103/E, VB-110/E). 8 dead and 42 survivors.

The U.S. Liberators came from VB-103, VB-105 and VB-110. The flak from the U-boat was intense and one Liberator was hit, returning to Dunkeswell with one engine out.

The U-966 story: Against all odds.

During stormy weather a lookout on U-373 broke his arm.