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• Otto Skorzeny thought Benito Mussolini was being kept in La Spezia, Italy, and was about to launch a rescue attempt when he learned that he was moved hours prior, and canceled the operation at the last moment. In fact, his intelligence was flawed as Mussolini was never transferred to La Spezia; on this date, Mussolini was being transferred out of the island of Ponza, Italy via a destroyer. ww2dbase [Operation Eiche | CPC]
• The keel of submarine Hawkbill was laid down. ww2dbase [Hawkbill | CPC]
• Oberstleutnant Ernst Kühl stepped down as the commanding officer of the German Kampfgeschwader 55 wing. ww2dbase [CPC]

• The Munda airfield on New Georgia in the Solomon Islands, captured by the Americans from the Japanese on 1 Aug 1943, was declared operational for emergencies. ww2dbase [Solomon Islands Campaign | Munda, New Georgia | CPC]

• RAF Bomber Command launched a raid on Milan and another on Turin to bring pressure on the new Italian Government, led by Marshal Pietro Badoglio, to accept the Allies peace terms. During the Milan raid a Lancaster bomber piloted by Herbert Barley was heavily damaged by an Italian fighter (probably a Macchi C.205 Veltro) losing two engines, but in a remarkable piece of flying the crew fought their crippled aircraft all the way across the Mediterranean Sea to a safe landing in Tunisia. ww2dbase [Invasion of Sicily and Italy's Surrender | AC]

• USS Whale patrolled waters between Japan and Caroline Islands. ww2dbase [Whale | CPC]

• USS Cisco departed the Panama Canal Zone. ww2dbase [Cisco | CPC]

• Soviet troops reached the area northeast of Poltava and Akhtyrka, Russia. ww2dbase [Battle of Belgorod | Poltava | CPC]

7 Aug 1943 Interactive Map