World War II Database

• Home
• » Events
• » WW2 Timeline
• » 10 Jul 1943

• The Allies began Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily, Italy, with an airborne assault before dawn; amphibious elements of Operation Husky landed to join the fight later in the day. Out at sea, hospital ship Tampala and LST-313 were sunk by German air attack. Picket ship USS Sentinel was sunk by a SC250 bomb delivered by a Fw 190 aircraft off Molla. Destroyer USS Maddox was also lost after being attacked by dive bombers and sunk within two minutes. The US Navy would subsequently suffer severe accusations for failing to supply adequate air cover. ww2dbase [Invasion of Sicily and Italy's Surrender | TH, AC]
• The minesweeper USS Agent was transferred to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease act. ww2dbase [AC]
• Light carrier Ryuho was assigned to the Main Unit of the Mobile Force of Carrier Division 2 of the Third Fleet. ww2dbase [Ryuho | CPC]
• Cruisers USS Honolulu and USS St. Louis escorted by destroyers USS Nicholas, USS O’Bannon, USS Radford, USS Jenkins, and USS Chevalier departed Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides bound for the Solomon Islands. ww2dbase [Walden Ainsworth | Nicholas | St. Louis | Honolulu | DS]

• USS Pompon departed Brisbane, Australia for her first war patrol in the Truk, Caroline Islands area. ww2dbase [Pompon | Brisbane, Queensland | CPC]

• The new airfield at Tsili-Tsili, Australian Papua was ready to receive C-47 transport aircraft. ww2dbase [Tsili-Tsili | CPC]

• Companies N and Q of USMC 4th Raider Battalion completed their patrol of Gatukai Island in New Georgia, Solomon Islands and concluded that there were no Japanese on the island. Also on New Georgia, the US Marine Corps reported that the airfield at Segi was now ready for limited operations, while Companies O and P of the 4th Raider Battalion were slated to be relieved at Viru for transfer to Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. Nearby, Marines of the 1st Raider Battalion captured the island of Enogai. ww2dbase [Solomon Islands Campaign | CPC]
• Yugure, Yukikaze, Tanikaze, and Hamakaze arrived at Shortland Islands, Solomon Islands. ww2dbase [Yugure | Tanikaze | Yukikaze | Hamakaze | Shortland Islands | CPC]

• Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Truk, Caroline Islands. ww2dbase [Hikawa Maru | Truk | CPC]
• USS Steelhead damaged Japanese escort carrier Unyo near Truk, Caroline Islands. ww2dbase [Steelhead | Truk | CPC]

• Comandante Cappellini (Aquilla III) departed Sabang, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies at 1935 hours, escorted by Italian sloop Eritrea. ww2dbase [Comandante Cappellini | Sabang, Sumatra | CPC]

• The USAAF 306th Bomb Group flying from RAF Thurleigh launched a bombing raid against targets southwest of Paris but diverted to a secondary target at the Caen-Carpiquet airfield at Caen, France due to a thick cloud cover over their primary target. ww2dbase [RAF Thurleigh | Bombing of Cities in France and Low Countries | Caen | DS]

• Greek partisan fighters killed 2 officers and 16 soldiers of the 2nd Company of the Pioneer Battalion of German 104th Jäger Division near Lake Trichonida near the city of Agrinio in Greece. ww2dbase [CPC]

• USS Ancon arrived off Scoglitti, Sicily, Italy and disembarked troops. ww2dbase [Ancon | Invasion of Sicily and Italy's Surrender | Scoglitti, Sicilia | CPC]
• The United States Navy covered the landings on Sicily and provided naval gun support throughout the offensive. The Navy also used the proximity fuzed anti-aircraft shell, which marked their first use in the European Theater. ww2dbase [Invasion of Sicily and Italy's Surrender | VT Radio Proximity | Sicily | DS]

• Nachi departed Paramushiro (Paramushir), Kurile Islands to cover the Japanese withdraw from Kiska, Aleutian Islands. ww2dbase [Nachi | Paramushiro, Hokkaido | CPC]

• Violette Szabo was selected for training as a field agent by the Special Operations Executive. ww2dbase [Special Operations Executive | Violette Szabo | CPC]

• The US Marine Corps established Marine Corps Air Station, El Centro, California, United States; Lieutenant Colonel Thomas J. McQuade was placed in command. ww2dbase [El Centro, California | CPC]

10 Jul 1943 Interactive Map