November 16th, 1943 (TUESDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: British Admiral Louis Mountbatten appointed Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia Command (SEAC).
Corvette HMS Charlock launched.
Frigate HMS Tortola launched.
FRANCE: Eighty four USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses bomb the Istres-Le-Tube Airfield with the loss of three aircraft, and B-26 Marauders hit Salon-de-Provence Airfield. P-38 Lightnings escort the B-26 Marauders.
GERMANY: During the night of 16/17 November, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 21 Mosquitos to hit three cities: six bomb Gelsenkirchen; five hit Cologne; four attack a rolling mill in Kefeld and three bomb the Edelstahlwerke steel works in Krefeld.
U-792 commissioned.
U-368 launched.
NORWAY: USAAF precision bombing raid on heavy water plant.The USAAF Eighth Air Force's VIII Bomber Command flies Mission 131 hitting three towns: 173 B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators bomb a hydro works at Rjuken with the loss of one aircraft; 132 B-17s bomb a molybdenum mine at Knaben with the loss of one aircraft; and one bombs the industrial area of Kvinlassen.
U.S.S.R.: North of Zhitomir the Soviet advance continues. The German force which is involved in a counterattack from the south is very small, but small penetrations give the appearance of a larger force.
ITALY: In the British Eighth Army area, V Corps is ordered to attack toward the general line Ortona-Lanciano on 20 November. Adverse weather conditions subsequently force General Bernard Montgomery, General Officer Commanding Eighth Army, to postpone the date. The 78th Division has secured a small bridgehead on the north bank of the Sangro River and is gradually expanding it.
GREECE: Dodecanese: Germany captures Leros, and the Allies decide to evacuate all the islands except Castelrosso.
USAAF Twelfth Air Force B-25 Mitchells, escorted by USAAF Fifteenth Air Force P-38 Lightnings, attack Eleusis Airfield near Athens.
YUGOSLAVIA: USAAF (Twelfth Air Force B-25 Mitchells bomb the airfield at Sibenik. .
EUROPE: Two transports are taking over 2,000 Dutch Jews to Auschwitz-Birkenau.
INDIA: Lieutenant General George E. Stratemeyer's Headquarters, Army Air Forces, India-Burma Sector, virtually rejects the proposals by Major General Claire Chennault, Commanding General USAAF Fourteenth Air Force, for 1944 for logistical reasons. Hump tonnage requested cannot be supplied. Since the Operation TWILIGHT plan for B-29 Superfortresses to be brought to the U.S. Army's China-Burma-India Theater is approved, the priority of Fourteenth Air Force must be lowered.
Corvette INS Mahratta launched.
CEYLON: Admiral Louis Mountbatten activates his new command, the South East Asia Command (SEAC), and takes over operational control from Commander-in-Chief India. Movement orders are issued to U.S. forces who are to help operate the Bengal and Assam railroad.
CHINA: Eleven USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-24 Liberators, two B-25 Mitchells, and four P-40s attack the docks at Kowloon; two B-25s damage two freighters near Nampang and Saint John Island, two more score hits on a tanker off the China coast south of Swatow, and two others bomb barracks and a warehouse on Nampang Island.
FRENCH INDOCHINA: Six USAAF Fourteenth Air Force P-40s on armed reconnaissance in the Yen Bay-Dong Cuong area strafe railroad stations and barracks; a B-25 and 12 P-40s hit a cavalry unit, barge, houses, and numerous sampans at Shihmen; the Li-Chou area also is attacked.
NEW GUINEA: The Australians use tanks in their
advance near Sattelberg.
In Northeast New Guinea, the Australian 26th Brigade, 9th Division, begins their advance on Sattelberg. Meanwhile, the 24th Brigade establishes positions north of Scarlet Beach; Scarlet Beach is located about 5.5 miles (8,8 kilometers) north of Finschhafen. In the air, USAAF Fifth Air Force B-25 Mitchells hit installations near Finschhafen and bomb and strafe a coastal track west of Reiss Point; P-39 Airacobras, with P-40s covering, strafe barges from Saidor to Madang. P-38 Lightnings battle a large force of fighters over Wewak, destroying six; two P-38s are lost.
AUSTRALIA: Minesweeper HMAS Junee launched.
AMERICAN SAMOA: The USMC's Central Pacific Combat Air Transport Service (CenCATS) is activated at Tutuila Airfield at Tafuna on Tutuila Island. This unit will oversee Marine transport units in the Central Pacific.
GILBERT ISLANDS: Single USAAF Seventh Air Force B-24 Liberators based in the Ellice Islands bomb Little Makin Island and Tarawa Atoll.
MARSHALL ISLANDS: USAAF Seventh Air Force B-24 Liberators based in the Ellice Islands bomb Jaluit and Maloelap Atolls while single aircraft hit Kwajalein Atoll.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: On Bougainville, a continuous road through the beachhead is completed, vastly improving supply situation.
Over 20 USAAF Thirteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells fly sweeps over areas of the Bougainville coastline, Buka Passage, and Sohano Island; supply dumps and barges are hit; 30+ P-40s and P-39 Airacobras also carry out sweeps over the area, hitting gun positions and other targets in the Buka Passage, several targets of opportunity along the east coast, Kieta harbor, Tonolai harbor, and Ballale Island.
During the night of 16/17 November, 20 USAAF Thirteenth Air Force) B-25 Mitchells and four B-24 Liberators attack Buka Airfield on Buka Island north of Bougainville.
PACIFIC OCEAN: USN submarine USS Corvina (SS-226) is sunk by Japanese submarine HIJMS I-176, about 173 nautical miles (320 kilometers) south-southeast of Truk Atoll, Caroline Islands, in position 05.05N, 151.10E; all 82 crewmen are lost. Corvina is the only USN submarine sunk by a Japanese submarine in World War II.
CANADA: Frigate HMCS Swansea arrived Halifax from Esquimalt.
HMC ML 115 and ML 119 commissioned.
Corvette HMCS Hawkesbury launched Quebec City, Province of Quebec.
Frigate HMCS Kirkland Lake (ex-HMCS St Jerome) laid down Quebec City, Province of Quebec.
Corvette HMCS Stellarton laid down Midland, Ontario.
U.S.A.: Destroyer escort USS Durant commissioned.
Destroyer escorts USS Daniel and Richard S Bull launched.
Destroyer escort USS Robert Brazier laid down.
Destroyer USS Waldron laid down.
Submarine USS Corvina sunk by submarine HIJMS I-176 south off Truk wile on her maiden war patrol. No survivors.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-280 sunk SW of Iceland, in position 49.11N, 27.32W, by depth charges from a British Liberator aircraft (Sqn 86/M). 49 dead (all hands lost).