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• Soviet units captured Staraya Russa, Russia. ww2dbase [TH]
• German Armeegruppe Nord withdrew to the line Narva-Pleskau-Oposhka in northeastern Europe. ww2dbase [TH]
• Mosquito bombers of the RAF's No. 464 and No. 487 Squadrons attacked the German prison at Amiens, France in an attempt to allow the escape of French resistance fighters who were being held there under sentence of death. The leader of the raid, Group Captain P. C. Pickard, was shot down and killed in combat with Focke-Wulf fighters. ww2dbase [AC]
• Destroyer Yuzuki departed Rabaul and arrived at Qavuvu in the New Britain, Bismarck Islands. ww2dbase [Yuzuki | CPC]
• The Abwehr, German military intelligence, was officially dissolved. ww2dbase [CPC]
• George Patton noted in his diary that "I wish [Dwight Eisenhower] was more of a soldier and less of a politician." ww2dbase [George Patton | CPC]

• 11 G4M bombers withdrew from Rabaul, New Britain to the Mariana Islands, while a number of B5N torpedo bombers withdrew to Truk, Caroline Islands. ww2dbase [New Guinea-Papua Campaign, Phase 3 | Rabaul, New Britain | CPC]

• USS Columbia departed Nissan, Green Islands. ww2dbase [Columbia | Nissan, Green Islands | CPC]

• US carrier aircraft destroyed 270 Japanese aircraft at Truk in the Caroline Islands after a two-day raid. ww2dbase [Attack on Truk | Truk | CPC]
• USS Yorktown (Essex-class) departed the Caroline Islands set a course for the Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Yorktown (Essex-class) | DS]

• The Germans made progress at Anzio, Italy, but were finally beaten back by artillery and naval gunfire. ww2dbase [Battle of Anzio | Anzio, Lazio | TH]
• German tanks eliminated the 28th (Maori) Battalion bridgehead on the Rapido River in Italy. ww2dbase [Battle of Monte Cassino | CPC]

• The German Luftwaffe's "Little Blitz" continued as London, England, United Kingdom was bombed again. ww2dbase [Battle of Britain | London, England | TH]

• Escort carrier USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80) was commissioned with Captain Joseph L. "Paddy" Kane in command. ww2dbase [Petrof Bay | Astoria, Oregon | AC]
• Destroyer escort Tabberer was launched at Brown Shipbuilding Company, Houston, Texas, United States sponsored by the widow of Lt(jg) Charles Tabberer, Mrs. Mary M. Tabberer. ww2dbase [Tabberer | Houston, Texas | DS]

18 Feb 1944 Interactive Map