Posted on 07/15/2013 4:32:51 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1943/jul1943/f15jul43.htm
Germans fall back north and south of Kursk
Thursday, July 15, 1943 www.onwar.com
Knocked out German PzKpfw IV guard dead soldiers [photo at link]
On the Eastern Front... The Soviet Central Front (Rokossovsky) joins the offensive drive toward Orel. In the south of the Kursk salient, German forces of Army Group South (Manstein) begin to pull back to their start lines. Soviet forces press forward against the retreating Germans.
In Sicily... General Patton forms a provisional corps to advance on the west of the island while US 2nd Corps (Bradley) drives northward. In Catania the Axis forces retreat behind the Simeto River.
In the Solomon Islands... General Griswold replaces General Hester in command of operation in New Georgia. There is an air battle over Rendova in which the Americans lose 3 aircraft and claim to shoot down more than 40 Japanese planes.
In Washington... President Roosevelt creates a new office of economic warfare, headed by Leo Crowley. It replaces the previous board.
http://www.etherit.co.uk/month/thismonth/15.htm
July 15th, 1943 (THURSDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: Frigate HMCS Loch Morlich (ex HMS Loch Morlich) laid down Wallsend-on-Tyne.
Frigate HMS Calder commissioned.
Frigate HMS Musk launched.
Destroyer HMS Zephyr launched.
Minesweeping trawler HMS Steepholm launched.
Escort carrier HMS Thane launched.
Minesweeper HMS Welfare launched.
GERMANY: U-988 is commissioned.
ITALY: US General Patton forms a provisional corps to advance on the west in Sicily. Bradley’s II Corps drives north.
Italian (transport) submarine Remo was torpedoed and sunk in the Gulf of Taranto by submarine HMS United.
In Sicily during the night of 14/15 July, Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAF) light and medium bombers bomb Palermo, and fly armored reconnaissance, attacking roads and convoys, over extensive areas of Sicily. During the day, Ninth Air Force B-25s bomb Palermo, Cape Gallo, Salina Island, and Cape Zifferano; and P-40s patrol over the Licata area while NASAF medium bombers bomb Vibo Valentia, and fighters fly numerous strafing and bombing missions against trains, road junctions, radar installations, truck convoys, railway stations, and targets of opportunity throughout Sicily. Northwest African Coastal Air Force airplanes fly sea patrols, reconnaissance, convoy escort, and hit shipping off the west coast of Corsica and east coast of Sardinia.
During the night of 14/15 July, Wellingtons of the Northwest African Strategic Air Force (NASAF) hit airfields and docks at Naples; during the day NASAF heavy bombers hit Villa San Giovanni and USAAF Ninth Air Force B-24s strike the main airfield and two satellite fields at Foggia.
U.S.S.R.: The Soviet Central Front begins an offensive toward Orel.
PACIFIC: The submarine USS Narwhal (SS-167) surfaces and shells an airfield on Matsuwa Island in the Kurile Islands with her 6-inch (152 mm) guns. This is the first shelling of the Kurile Islands by a U.S. naval vessel in World War II.
US General Griswold replaces General Hester on New Georgia, in the Solomon Islands.
In the last Japanese attempt to mount an air attack against Allied forces in the central Solomon Islands, the IJN dispatches an estimated 27 “Betty” bombers ( Navy Type 1 Attack Bombers) and 40-50 “Zeke” fighters (Mitsubishi A6M Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighters) to attack shipping and ground targets between 1430 and 1530 hours; they are met over Rendova Island by USAAF P-40s, USMC F4U Corsairs and USN F4F Wildcats. The U.S. forces shoot down 15 “Bettys” and 30 “Zekes” with the loss of just three U.S. aircraft.
AUSTRALIA: Frigate HMAS Culgoa laid down.
TERRITORY OF ALASKA: ALEUTIAN ISLANDS: A B-24 Liberator and two P-39Airacobras of the USAAF’s Eleventh Air Force fly reconnaissance over Kiska and Segula Islands. Nine B-24s and 14 B-25 Mitchells bomb Kiska Island targets including AA batteries at North Head, Jeff Cove and Gertrude Cove. Fires are started. one B-24 turns back after losing an engine and jettisons bombs, another crashes on return. AA fire damages a B-25.
CANADA: Corvette HMCS Sea Cliff renamed HMCS Guelph while under construction.
U.S.A.: President Roosevelt orders the creation of the Office of Economic Warfare. It will be headed by Leo Crowley.
The USN establishes new designations for aircraft carriers. The 10,000 ton class aircraft carriers built on light cruiser hulls, formerly designated aircraft carriers (CVs), are redesignated light aircraft carriers (CVLs); auxiliary aircraft carriers (ACVs), classified as auxiliary vessels, are redesignated escort aircraft carriers (CVEs) in the combatant category; and a new category, Aircraft Carriers, Large (CVB) is established for the Midway Class carriers.
Minesweeper USS Graylag laid down.
Submarine USS Blower laid down.
Destroyer escorts USS George, Savage, Spangler launched.
Destroyer escorts USS Day, Rudderow laid down.
Minesweeper USS Gadwall launched.
Frigates USS Covington, Shreveport launched.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-135 sunk in the Atlantic, in position 28.20N, 13.17W, by sloop HMS Rochester and corvettes HMS Mignonette and Balsam and a USN VP-92 Catalina. 5 dead and 41 survivors.
Two German submarines are sunk by US Navy aircraft. - U-759 is sunk in the Caribbean Sea, south of Haiti, in position 15.57N, 68.30W, by depth charges from a PBM-3C Mariner of Patrol Squadron Thirty Two (VP-32) based at NAS Guantanamo, Cuba. 47 dead (all hands lost)
- U-509 is sunk in the mid-Atlantic north-west of Madeira, Portugal, in position 34.02N, 26.01W, by aerial (Fido) torpedoes from a TBF Avenger of Composite Squadron Twenty Nine (VC-29) in the escort aircraft carrier USS Santee (CVE-29). 54 dead (all hands lost)
SS Twickenham damaged by U-135 at 28.36N, 13.18W
At 2043, the unescorted Harmonic was torpedoed by U-172 620 miles east of Rio de Janeiro. The vessel was sunk by a coup de grâce at 2116. One crewmember was lost. The master, 38 crewmembers and six gunners were picked up on 22 July by the Portuguese merchantman Inhambane and landed at Bahia, Brazil two days later.
At 1801, the unescorted Empire Lake was torpedoed and sunk by U-181 about 240 miles east of Madagascar. The master, 24 crewmembers and six gunners were lost. Five crewmembers and two gunners landed at Farafangana, Madagascar.
Sailing ship Gilbert B Walters sunk by U-572 at 09.40N, 59.50W.
Airdromes. Who says “airdromes” these days, and why did we change it to “airfields”?
Churchill's orders. See the following excerpt from "Closing the Ring" posted on June 15:
Prime Minister to General Ismay and Sir Edward Bridges 15 June 43
Will you please make the following terminology effective in all British official correspondence:
For "aeroplane" the word "aircraft" should be used; for "aerodrome" either "airfield" or "airport". The expression "airdrome" should not be used by us.
It is a good thing to have a rule and stick to it.
Fascinating! Thank you!
“U.S.S.R.: The Soviet Central Front begins an offensive toward Orel.”
This is where the Soviets had hidden their other two tank armies, Rybalko’s 3rd Guards and Lelyushenko’s 4th. They are spearheading an attack by Bryansk Front against 2nd Panzer Army, which is a “PINO” Army; “Panzer in Name Only.” It only has infantry divisions. However, the front in this sector has been stable since the winter of 1941-42, and the Germans are dug in and well-prepared behind extensive mine fields. NYT Correspondent Alexander Werth toured this area as well, and found that no-man’s land had become heavily overgrown with brush that made it difficult for Soviet troops to move through. Model’s 9th Army has to give up his small gains, and go fight for it’s life as the Soviets hack their way into the Orel salient. He will receive Grossdeutschland Panzer Grenadier Division from Army Group South to help stem the tide.
Even more difficult for the Germans, Tolbukhin’s South Front has opened an offensive across the Mius River against the thinly-held front of German 6th Army. The Germans know Tolbukhin is going to attack. For days his forces have assembled themselves with little attempt at concealment, quite unlike the “maskirovka” technique that usually preceded a Soviet offensive action. The attack comes at heavy cost to both sides, and the Germans barely stave off a rout thanks to copious use of artillery cover fire to break up attacks. The local army reserve of 16th Panzer Grenadier Division is not sufficient to stem the tide, and XXIV Pz Corps HQ arrives with 23rd Panzer Division. German general Hollidt commits 23rd Panzer and 16th Panzer Grenadier in piecemeal attacks and cannot restore the situation.
SS Panzer Divisions Das Reich and Totenkopf are detached from II SS Panzer Corps and 3rd Panzer Division from XXXXVIII Panzer Corps and sent to the Mius, and the Soviet bridgehead is eliminated and the front line restored by early August. Soviet general Tolbukhin is praised by the Stavka for accomplishing his mission. Huh? His obvious preparations fooled nobody. His forces suffered great losses and the front line stood where it was when the attack began.
Or did he accomplish exactly what the Stavka planned? George Nipe, in “Decision in the Ukraine” argues that Tolbukhin’s operation was deliberately intended to pull Manstein’s panzers away from the critical Belogorod-Kursk axis just when the Germans were on the point of success. The Soviets had burned out two tank armies and several separate tank corps in the heavy fighting in Operation Citadelle. Tolbukhin’s sacrifice saves Kursk. Nipe claims that the lack of “maskirovka” was “maskirovka.”
The Germans now find they really are fighting a hydra. The Soviets are attacking everywhere.
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