January 17th, 1944 (MONDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: London: Eisenhower appoints General Omar N. Bradley to command the US Army in the field under him.
Escort carrier HMS Rajah commissioned.
U.S.S.R.: Black Sea Fleet: (Sergey Anisimov)(69)Submarine loss."L-23" - by surface ASW ships, NW to cape Tarhankut.
ITALY: British X Corps of the 5th Army begins Operation Panther with attacks along the river Garigliano.
LIBERIA: Monrovia breaks off diplomatic relations with Berlin. (Mike Yared)
AUSTRALIA begins rationing on meat.
Frigate HMAS Barcoo commissioned.
NEW BRITAIN: Japanese resistance at Arawe ends.
CANADA: Corvette HMCS Tillsonburg (ex-HMS Pembroke Castle) commissioned.
U.S.A.:
Minesweeper USS Astute commissioned.
Destroyers USS Hank and John W Weeks laid down.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-377 sunk in the North Atlantic southwest of Ireland, in position 49.39N, 20.10W, by depth charges from destroyer HMS Wanderer and frigate HMS Glenarm. 52 dead (all hands lost).
U-305 Sunk in the North Atlantic south-west of Ireland, in position 49.39N, 20.10W, by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Wanderer and the frigate Glenarm. 51 dead (all hands lost).
U-544 Sunk in the North Atlantic north-west of the Azores, in position 40.30N, 37.20W, by depth charges and rockets from Avenger aircraft (VC-13) of the US escort carrier USS Guadalcanal. 57 dead (all hands lost). (Alex Gordon)