17 Mar 1944
- Soviet troops advanced near the Romanian border. ww2dbase [CPC]
- German submarine U-371 sank Dutch troop transport Dempo in the Mediterranean Sea just off of the coast of Algeria, killing 498. ww2dbase [El Aouana | CPC]
- USS Columbia arrived at Emirau, Bismarck Islands to support the landings. ww2dbase [Columbia | Emirau, New Ireland | CPC]
- The first American bombing on Vienna, Austria from Italy took place. ww2dbase [Vienna | CPC]
- Destroyer USS Saufley joined a convoy bound from Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands to Emirau Island, Bismarck Islands. ww2dbase [Saufley | Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands | DS]
- Japanese and Anglo-Indian troops clashed at Tonzang, Burma. ww2dbase [Battle of Imphal-Kohima | tonzang | CPC]
- A reattempted air drop completed successfully at 0730 hours north of Shaduzup, Burma for the 1st Battalion of US 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional). On the same date, battalion medics recorded the spread of dysentery among the troops; looking for someone to blame, they noted that the accompanying Chinese 113th Regiment troops must be the cause. ww2dbase [Battle of Myitkyina | Shaduzup | CPC]
- Finland rejected the Soviet peace proposal. ww2dbase [TH]
- Barbers Point Naval Air Station: Eighteen aircraft (Model F6F-5), officers and men of Night Fighting Squadron 77 (VF(N)-77) arrived on board. ww2dbase [Barbers Point Naval Air Station | Ewa, Oahu | DS]
- New Zealand troops captured the train station at Cassino, Italy. Nearby, Indian Gurkha troops captured Point 435 (nicknamed Hangman's Hill). ww2dbase [Battle of Monte Cassino | Cassino, Lazio | TH, CPC]
- Soviet troops captured Dubno, Ukraine, a major transportation hub. ww2dbase [Dubno, Rivne | CPC]
- Edward Brooks became the commanding officer of the US 2nd Armored Division at Tidworth Barracks near Salisbury, England, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [Edward Brooks | Salisbury, England | CPC]

17 Mar 1944 Interactive Map
Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis
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