World War II Database

• Home
• » Events
• » WW2 Timeline
• » 16 Apr 1943

• 13 British Spitfire fighters intercepted a large Axis air convoy off Tunisia, shooting down 7 SM.82 and 1 Bf 109 aircraft at the cost of only 2 Spitfire fighters. ww2dbase [Conclusion of the Desert War | CPC]

• William Halsey met with Douglas MacArthur at the latter's headquarters in Brisbane, Australia. ww2dbase [William Halsey | Brisbane, Queensland | CPC]

• A scheduled fighter sweep from Rabaul, New Britain was cancelled as a reconnaissance aircraft failed to return from northeastern New Guinea island region. Despite of this cancellation, Isoroku Yamamoto announced the successful conclusion of the I-Go air offensive. ww2dbase [Solomon Islands Campaign | Rabaul, New Britain | CPC]

• Destroyer Yukikaze arrived at Truk, Caroline Islands. ww2dbase [Yukikaze | Truk | CPC]
• Yugure departed Truk, Caroline Islands at 0800 hours to patrol nearby waters. ww2dbase [Yugure | Truk | CPC]

• Japanese troops began preparing for a new offensive in the region between Wuhan and Yichang in China. ww2dbase [Battle of Exi | CPC]

• Italians raised the wreck of Foch at Toulon, France for repair. ww2dbase [Toulon Military Port | Foch | Toulon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | CPC]

• Barbers Point Naval Air Station: Part of Marine Fighting Squadron 222 (VMF-222) on board. Part of British Squadrons 882, 896, and 898 arrived on board. ww2dbase [Barbers Point Naval Air Station | Ewa, Oahu | DS]

• Kumano arrived at Kure Naval Arsenal for an overhaul and significant refit. Her twin 13mm machine guns were removed and replaced by two triple mount Type 96 25mm AA guns bringing their suite to 20 barrels (4x3, 4x2). A Type 21 air-search radar was fitted and most of her middle and lower deck scuttles were welded over. ww2dbase [Kure Naval Arsenal | Kumano | Kure, Hiroshima | DS]
• Katori entered the drydocks at Yokosuka Naval Arsenal in Japan for a scheduled refit. ww2dbase [Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | Katori | Yokosuka, Kanagawa | CPC]

• The first night fighter attack on London, England, United Kingdom, carried out by thirty Focke-Wulf 190 aircraft, turned into a farce. Only two bombs hit the city, and four German pilots got lost, thought that they were over France and landed at West Malling RAF fighter base in Kent where three were taken prisoner and one was killed crash-landing. ww2dbase [Battle of Britain | London, England | AC]
• The first release of a non-explosive "Upkeep" bouncing bomb took place at Reculver, off the North Kent coast in Britain, but the device broke up on hitting the water. ww2dbase [Dambuster Raid | Reculver, England | AC]

• The Sino-American Special Technical Cooperative Organization, or SACO for short, was officially signed by Captain Milton Miles and General William Donovan for the United States and by Foreign Minister Song Ziwen (also known as T. V. Soong) and Colonel Xiao Bo for China. ww2dbase [Milton Miles | CPC]

16 Apr 1943 Interactive Map