28 November 1943

UNITED KINGDOM: Further confirmation of the existence of the V1 Flying-Bomb is made during a photographic reconnaissance mission by a No. 540 Squadron Mosquito. (22)

The Germans report the encirclement and destruction of Soviet forces in the Korosten area.

ITALY: At 2130 hours the British 8th Army, V Corps, begins an offensive to again cross the Sangro River. Aircraft and artillery bombardment is heavy in preparation. By the end of the day the British 8th Indian Division has almost reached Mozzogrogna.

Montgomery declares that "the road to Rome is open" as the Eighth Army launches its heavy attack across the Sangro.

USAAF Twelfth Air Force fighters hit vehicles and troops in the battle area and Allied fighter-bombers bomb and strafe buildings, trucks, and roads in the Lanciano-Fossacesia-Caoli areas.

Thirty eight USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells, with fighter escort, bomb the railroad viaduct at Dorna.

During the night of 28/29 November, 53 RAF aircraft of No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group attack Ciampino Airfield; one aircraft is lost.

YUGOSLAVIA: USAAF Twelfth Air Force B-25 Mitchells bomb warehouses, docks, marshalling yards, barracks, shipping, and other targets at Sibenik, Zara, and Dubrovnik while RAF Desert Air Force fighters strafe trains between Dubrovnik and Metkovic.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: U-453 laid 24 mines off Brindisi (Italy), but without any success.

The British light cruiser HMS Birmingham (19) is torpedoed by German submarine U-407 about 102 nautical miles (188 kilometers) northeast of Benghasi, Libya, in position 33.05N, 21.43E. Birmingham is very seriously damaged, however she succeeds in returning to Alexandria, Egypt, where temporary repairs are carried out on her.

IRAN: Beginning today Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin, with their respective staff, meet in Teheran. Lasting for four days the meetings will confirm the Overlord plan in May of 1944 and the Anvil plan for southern France. Stalin agrees to join the war against Japan after the war in Europe is over. This conference will become controversial in US Politics, because the American accommodations were bugged by their hosts. Roosevelt also hesitates to appear to Stalin as too close to Churchill. This hesitation is claimed to have allowed the Soviets more concessions than otherwise would have been allowed.

This meeting is coded EUREKA. This is the first time the three leaders of the Allied forces meet with each other to negotiate war plans. The Big Three announce that they have coordinated their war plans and reach complete agreement on the scope and planning of military operations. The Western Allies detail the invasion of Normandy and the supporting invasion of southern France and the Soviets coordinate the timing of their offensive against Germany. Plans for the proposed United Nations are also discussed during the conference. On 1 December the leaders issue a declaration pledging economic aid to Iran during and after the war and divided occupation duties. Soviet troops guard the region north of Teheran, British forces occupy southern Iran, and U.S. units patrol the supply routes.

CHINA: Eight USAAF Fourteenth Air Force P-40s bomb and strafe the barracks area and village on the west bank of the Salween River near Litsaoho and eight P-40s drop ammunition to besieged Chinese troops at Changte.

BURMA: USAAF Tenth Air Force B-24 Liberators heavily damage the Botataung docks at Rangoon; the B-24 Liberators claim four interceptors shot down. Meanwhile, B-25 Mitchells bomb Sagaing.

FRENCH INDOCHINA: Six USAAF Fourteenth Air Force P-40s strafe the town area and airfield at Luang Prabang and hit the radio building, barracks, and tower at Tran Ninh.

NEW GUINEA: Fergusson Island: The US Sixth Army's special reconnaissance unit, the Alamo Scouts, are organized. They are under the personal command of Lieutenant-General Walter Krueger, Commanding General, Sixth Army.

Named for his life-long association with San Antonio, Texas, and the Alamo, Krueger envisioned that the Alamo Scouts, consisting of six or seven man teams of highly trained and motivated volunteers, would operate deep behind enemy lines. Their mission would be to provide intelligence on the enemy and tactical reconnaissance in advance of Sixth Army landing operations. Intensive training stressed waterborne infiltration and extraction via U.S. Navy PT boats.

All Scout candidates went through an intense six-week advanced training program in a multitude of subjects at the Alamo Scouts Training Center (ASTC). Major skill areas were rubber boat handling, intelligence gathering, report writing, scouting and patrolling, jungle navigation, communications, weapons training, and physical conditioning. The class size ranged from forty-five to one hundred junior officers and enlisted men. (William L. Howard)

In Northeast New Guinea, nearly 50 USAAF Fifth Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb airfields at Wewak and Boram, and over 40 B-25 Mitchells, B-26 Marauders, and A-20 Havocs hit villages on the Huon Peninsula and tracks in the Finschhafen area.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: On Bougainville, six USAAF Thirteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells bomb and strafe the Mutupina Point area while fighters strafe Tinputs Harbor, barges at Tonolai, and targets of opportunity along the west coast.

NAURU ISLAND: Eleven USAAF Seventh Air Force) B-24 Liberators from the Ellice Islands bomb Nauru Island. This island is a 21 square kilometer (8 square mile) island in the South Pacific Ocean, located about halfway between the Gilbert and Solomon Islands. The island is rich in phosphate deposits and was occupied by the Japanese on 25 August 1942.

GILBERT ISLANDS: Tarawa Atoll is completely secured. No Japanese are found on the small islet of Naa on the northern tip of the atoll. Marine casualties on Tarawa total 3,301. Japanese losses are estimated to be 4,690 killed, 17 captured, and 129 Koreans taken prisoner.

PACIFIC: Gilbert Islands: From Glen Boren's diary: The day was routine until about 2 PM. Four fighters on CAP shot down a betty. On returning to the ship, only 3 circled the ship. One missing.

All were low on fuel. Unknown what happened to the other one. Our other carrier, USS Monterey joined up this afternoon, just before 9 fighters and 2 torpedo planes from the Independence came aboard. It was very cloudy most of the afternoon and evening. Just after sunset, torpedo defence sounded and the fun began. 4 or 5 betties were in close and one made a run on the Monterey. The crossfire from two Battleships blew it up in the air. It sure burnt! Ten minutes later, the USS Burns got another one. The rest left. The score for VF 18 is now 42 confirmed and two probable.

CANADA: Frigate HMCS Cape Breton arrived Halifax from builder Quebec City, Province of Quebec.

U.S.A.: Gato-class submarine USS COBIA (AGSS-245) is launched. (Michael Douglas)

Destroyer minelayer USS Henry A Wiley laid down.

Destroyer escort USS Holt laid down.

Destroyer escorts USS McClelland, Baker, Coffman launched.

Destroyer USS Blue launched.

Submarine USS Cobia launched.

COLOMBIA: Bogota: A "state of belligerency" is declared between Germany and Colombia after a U-boat sank a Colombian boat yesterday.

U-542 sunk north of Madeira in position 39.03N, 16.25W, by depth charges from a British Wellington aircraft with "Leigh light" (Sqn 179/H, based at Gibraltar). 56 dead (all hands lost).