16 Aug 1943




See all photos dated 16 Aug 1943
- US troops entered Messina, Sicily, Italy. Meanwhile, the Axis forces successfully evacuated 100,000 troops from Sicily to the mainland. ww2dbase [Invasion of Sicily and Italy's Surrender | TH]
- Intrepid was commissioned into service. ww2dbase [Intrepid | CPC]
- The French I Corps was reconstituted at Ain-Taya, Algeria, under the command of Lieutenant-General Henry Jules Jean Martin, with American supplied uniforms and weapons as part of the rearmament of the French Army of Africa. ww2dbase [Ain-Taya | AC]
- 15 Japanese bombers escorted by 33 fighters attacked Tsili-Tsili airfield, Australian Papua. 3 US fighter squadrons rose for defense. The Japanese lost 3 aircraft, while the Americans lost 1 aircraft (Lieutenant Leonard Leighton). ww2dbase [Tsili-Tsili | CPC]
- 2,200 Russian troops of the German 1st Russian National SS Detachment fighting in Byelorussia switched sides and eventually formed the 1st Anti-Fascist Partisan Brigade under Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Gil, who was also known as I. G. Rodionov. ww2dbase [CPC]
- The 317 inhabitants of the village of Kommeno in western Greece were rounded up by occupation troops and executed for the suspicion of partisan support. ww2dbase [Kommeno, Epirus | CPC]
- Oberstleutnant Josef Salminger of GebirgsJäger Regiment 98 of German 1st Mountain Division ordered the massacre of 317 people of the village of Kommeno in Greece. ww2dbase [Kommeno, Epirus | CPC]
- US Navy awarded a contract to build a new military hospital at Aiea, US Territory of Hawaii. ww2dbase [Aiea, Oahu | CPC]
- Yamato, loaded with troops and supplies, departed Kure, Japan with Fuso, Nagato, and Destroyer Division 16's Amatsukaze and Hatsukaze. Stopped at Yashima anchorage that night. ww2dbase [Yamato | Kure, Hiroshima | CPC]
- Starting this date and continuing for the next seven days, revolt and destruction took place in the Bialystok Ghetto in Poland. ww2dbase [Discovery of Concentration Camps and the Holocaust | Bialystok | CPC]
- The Soviets launched an attack toward Stalino (now Donetsk), Ukraine. ww2dbase [Fourth Battle of Kharkov | Stalino | TH]
- The US 4th Marine Division was activated at Camp Pendleton near San Diego, California, United States under the command of Major General Harry Schmidt. It was the only US Marine Division during WW2 to be mounted and staged into combat directly from the continental United States. ww2dbase [San Diego, California | CPC]




See all photos dated 16 Aug 1943
16 Aug 1943 Interactive Map
Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis
Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you. Share this article with your friends: Stay updated with WW2DB: |
|
Search WW2DB & Partner Sites
News
- » Wreck of Johnston Found (8 Apr 2021)
- » Passing of Margaret Kelly (25 Jan 2021)
- » WW2DB's 16th Anniversary (29 Dec 2020)
- » See all news
Random Photograph
Current Site Statistics
- » 1,099 biographies
- » 333 events
- » 38,474 timeline entries
- » 1,136 ships
- » 338 aircraft models
- » 191 vehicle models
- » 352 weapon models
- » 120 historical documents
- » 226 facilities
- » 464 book reviews
- » 27,424 photos
- » 354 maps
Famous WW2 Quote
"Goddam it, you'll never get the Purple Heart hiding in a foxhole! Follow me!"Captain Henry P. Jim Crowe, Guadalcanal, 13 Jan 1943
Support Us

Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!

Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!