December 7, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 7 DECEMBER 1943

US: Second Cairo Conference ends. U.S. and Br delegates conclude the Sextant Conference in Cairo. To gain landing craft for ANVIL, plans for amphibious operations against Bay of Bengal are canceled. Plans for north Burma campaign are unsettled. CCS set up tentative timetable for offensive against Japan as follows: seizure of Marshalls and New Britain, January 1944; Manus, Admiralties, April 1944; Hollandia, New Guinea, June 1944; and Marianas, October 1944. CCS issue directive establishing unified command in the Mediterranean, effective December 10, 1941. Meanwhile, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt has already decided to make General Dwight D. Eisenhower commander of Operation Overlord, is to be responsible for all operations in the Mediterranean except strategic bombing.

CBI: Since Admiral Mountbatten is ordered to release a large portion of his amphibious resources for use elsewhere, planning is begun for limited campaign, Operation Pigstick on the south Mayu Peninsula as a substitute for Operation Buccaneer, subject to approval of Chiang Kai-shek.

CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Seventh Air Force): During the night of 6/7 Dec, fourteen B-24's, staging through Tarawa, hit targets on Maloelap and Wotje. 6 B-24's from Nukufetau bomb Maloelap and one other, failing to reach the primary, drops bombs on Mille Atoll. This date marks the beginning of Operation Flintlock (operations against Kwajalein and Majuro).

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, Changte is hit twice by a total of 13 B-25's and several escorting fighters. Eight P-40's strafe freight cars between Mogaung and Myitkyina. The detachment of the 76th Fighter Squadron, 23d Fighter Group, that has been operating from Suichwan, China since Oct, returns to it's base at Kweilin with P-40's.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force): Eight B-25's carry out strikes against Kahili and Kieta Harbor. Torokina is bombed by two Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Ventura's on patrol. The 23d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy) based on Bomber 1 with B-24s ceases operating from Guadalcanal. Lost on a ferry flight is B-24D "Mammy Yokum" 42-40221 pilot 2nd Lt. Norman R. Spearman (MIA).

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force): 90+ B-24's and B-25's attack the Cape Gloucester and Borgen Bay areas. A-20's bomb troop encampments and dumps in the Finschhafen area; P-40's strafe boats and barges near Madang. B-24's bomb Haroekoe Airfield and Haroekoe village.

USN: During Operation Ratchet USS LST-208 and USS LST-209 unload British tanks at Regu Creek in Burma.

USS Pogy (SS-266) sinks Japanese collier Soyo Maru north of Truk, 14°03'N, 152°20'E.

USS Sailfish (SS-192) is attacked by Japanese plane off Kyushu, Japan, 31°21'N, 134°10'E, but although damaged by aerial bomb, remains on patrol.

RAAF: PV-1 Ventura A59-55 pilot FLGOFF Roy Sinclair (KIA).