February 16th, 1944 (WEDNESDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM:
GERMANY: U-1308 laid down.
FINLAND: The Finnish envoy J. K. Paasikivi meets the Soviet ambassador at Stockholm Alexandra Kollontay to discuss the possibility of a negotiated peace between Finland and Soviet Union. They meet two more times on 19th and 21st of February, and after long discussions, Paasikivi receives the Soviet terms. The Soviets demand the 1940 border with Petsamo, severing all ties with Germany and interning of German troops. These terms has to be accepted before the negotiations could begin. The Soviets also publish the terms, and Germany lets it to be known that it considers the Finnish peace-feelers 'treacherous'.
This night the Soviet heavy bombers attack Helsinki for the
second time. This time the Finnish defences are strengthened further by a flight
of German night fighters. The first attempt by 120 bombers is repelled, but
later in the night some 300 bombers try to get through in smaller groups. Some
succeed, but overall the city suffers far less than in the previous bombing ten
days ago; however, 25 people are killed.
U.S.S.R.: The final German attempt to escape the Korsun pocket starts tonight.
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: At 1511, HMS LST-418 was struck by a Gnat from U-230 and sank off Anzio after being hit by a coup de grāce at 1536. The vessel was participating in the landings in Anzio-Nettuno, Operation Shingle.
WESTERN PACIFIC: Strong United States Navy task forces attacked Truk
Glen Boren notes in his diary:
February 16 - 17, 1944
We were on station early and got our first strike off. A fighter sweep was sent in first to get air superiority which was done with great results.
We were told that the Task Force shot down and destroyed over 200 Japanese planes, with over 19 ships sunk and some 40 odd damaged and maybe some of these sunk. Pappy Boyington watched the first day of this show from a ditch along side a runway as a POW of Japan, on his way to Japan. He was stranded there for several days til another aircraft was flown in for the rest of the trip.
VF-18 lost no pilots here on this campaign. I think there were a couple of aircraft lost here tho.but not from our Sqd.
CANADA: Minesweeper HMS Flying fish launched Toronto, Ontario.
NEWFOUNDLAND: Tug HMCS Jamesville assigned to St John's.
U.S.A.:
Minesweeper USS Toucan laid down.
Submarine USS Bergall launched.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: A Sunderland aircraft attacked U-546 in the North Atlantic and one man died. [Matrosengefreiter Wilhelm van de Kamp].