December 20, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY, 20 DECEMBER 1943

CBI: Responding to a Chiang Kai-shek message of December 17, 1943, in reply U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt suggests that China carry out her part in offensive to regain Burma; promises U.S. help in reopening land route to China, which would afford greater protection to Hump air route; says the requested loan is under consideration. Chiang Kai-shek replies that Y-Force will move only if Andaman Islands, Rangoon, or Moulmein are seized by Allies; that Ch troops will move into Burma without an amphibious operation if Mandalay or Lashio can be recovered.

CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Seventh Air Force): Sixteen B-24's flying out of Nanumea and Baker bomb Maloelap; 3 B-24's are shot down; they claim 8 fighters destroyed.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 11 B-25's and 6 P-40's from Kweilin pound the Yoyang railroad yards; P-40's from Hengyang also provide support for the B-25's.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force): Thirteen B-25's, with fighter cover, bomb Korovo village and docks on Shortland. Eight B-25s with fighter escort hit Buka. Afterwards the fighters strafe Kieta and Tenekow. Other fighters and RNZAF Ventura's on armed reconnaissance, patrol, and night snooper missions attack numerous targets of opportunity throughout Bougainville. Army planes fly from New Caledonia to begin operations from Stirling Airfield.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force): On New Britain in the Bismarck Archipelago, A-20's hit the Arawe area and P-38's in the area claim 10 enemy along S coast; B-24's on armed reconnaissance bomb a merchant ship off Cape Pomas. B-26's and B-25's hit bivouacs in the Finschhafen area and bomb the town of Alexishafen.

JAAF: Japanese bomb Calcutta, damaging dock area and destroyed Howrah Bridge.

IJA: Japanese force moving towards Arawe reach the Pulie River.

IJN: A Japanese plane transports Allied POWs from Rabaul to Japan including Lt(jg) Stephen A. Nyarady pilot TBF Avenger 23973, Sqn Ldr Noel Thomas Quinn pilot Beaufort A9-262 and Ensign William T. Welles pilot F6F Hellcat 08884.

At an Allied planning conference at Port Moresby, attended by representatives from the South Pacific (SoPAC) and South West Pacific Area (SWPA), it is decided that South Pacific will plan to invade Green Island (Nissan) as next step in isolation of Rabaul, since no immediate action can be taken against Kavieng, the next objective of Elkton III.

USN: Admiral Nimitz, CinCPOA, issued the final Joint Staff study for the invasion of the Marshalls setting forth the following strategic decisions: the neutralization of Wotje, Maloelap, and Mille by bombing; the reduction of Eniwetok and Kusaie by air; and the seizure of Kwajalein Atoll as a Fleet anchorage with air bases at Kwajalein and Roi.

Destroyers bombard Japanese positions on northeastern coast of Bougainville.

USS Gato (SS-212) sinks Japanese transport Tsuneshima Maru, East China Sea, 01°26'N, 148°36'E, and although damaged by depth charges dropped by escorting torpedo boat Otori, remains on patrol.

USS Puffer (SS-268) sinks Japanese destroyer Fuyo 60 miles west of Manila, 14°45'N, 119°54'E, but the submarine's attack on cargo ship Gozan Maru is not successful.

PBYs sink Japanese transport Alaska Maru 30 miles north of northwestern Gazelle Peninsula, 03°43'S, 151°30'E.