3 Jan 1943
- USS S-28 crossed the International Date Line. ww2dbase [S-28 | CPC]
- I-168 arrived at Shortland Islands in the Soloman Islands. ww2dbase [I-68/I-168 | CPC]
- Soviet troops captured Mozdok, Russia. ww2dbase [Caucasus Campaign | CPC]
- The Japanese leadership in Rabaul, New Britain received the text of the Army-Navy Central Agreement on South Pacific Area Operations, which called for the strengthening of Solomon Islands and New Guinea footholds upon the completion of the evacuation of Guadalcanal. ww2dbase [Rabaul, New Britain | CPC]
- For the second day in a row, destroyer USS Saufley shelled positions at the Tassafaronga and Kokumbona areas of Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands under direction of the U.S. Army liaison officer. Saufley then departed the Guadalcanal area bound for Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. ww2dbase [Saufley | Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands | DS]
- Repair ship Akashi completed refitting light cruiser Sendai at Truk, Caroline Islands. ww2dbase [Akashi | Truk | CPC]
- The USAAF 306th Bomb Group flying from RAF Thurleigh launched a bombing raid against the German submarine facilities at Saint Nazaire, France. The Bomb Group had a change of command, and therefore the air base at Thurleigh, with Colonel Frank Armstrong relieving Colonel Charles Overacker. ww2dbase [Bombing of Cities in France and Low Countries | RAF Thurleigh | Saint Nazaire | DS]
- USS Whale departed the Submarine Base, Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, US Territory of Hawaii. ww2dbase [Pearl Harbor Navy Base and Ford Island Naval Air Station | Whale | Honolulu, Oahu | CPC]
- Lieutenant R. T. G. Greenland RNVR and Leading Signalman A. Ferrier penetrated Palermo harbour in Sicily, Italy on a Chariot human torpedo and sink the Italian light cruiser Ulpio Traiano. ww2dbase [Chariot-class | Palermo, Sicilia | AC]
- USS Grayback sank Japanese submarine I-18 in the Coral Sea, hitting her with 1 of 2 torpedoes; she also fired six torpedoes at other Japanese warships four hours later, all of which missed. ww2dbase [Grayback | Coral Sea | CPC]
- Lin Hsiung-cheng's son Lin Mingcheng was born in Itabashi (now Banqiao), Kaizan Gun, Taihoku Prefecture (now Taipei), Taiwan. ww2dbase [Lin Hsiung-cheng | Itabashi, Taihoku | CPC]
- President Wladyslaw Raczkiewicz of the Polish government-in-exile in London, England, United Kingdom urged Pope Pius XII to denounce German atrocities against the Jews. ww2dbase [Pius XII | London, England | CPC]
3 Jan 1943 Interactive Map
Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis
Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you. Please help us spread the word: Stay updated with WW2DB: |
Search WW2DB
News
- » US Government Plans to Purge WW2 Information (17 Mar 2025)
- » WW2DB's 20th Anniversary (29 Dec 2024)
- » Wreck of USS Edsall Found (14 Nov 2024)
- » See all news
Current Site Statistics
- » 1,162 biographies
- » 337 events
- » 44,601 timeline entries
- » 1,243 ships
- » 350 aircraft models
- » 207 vehicle models
- » 376 weapon models
- » 123 historical documents
- » 261 facilities
- » 470 book reviews
- » 28,631 photos
- » 429 maps
Famous WW2 Quote
"We no longer demand anything, we want war."Joachim von Ribbentrop, German Foreign Minister, Aug 1939
Support Us

Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!

Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!