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• Allied artillery began shelling Italian mainland from Messina, Sicily. ww2dbase [Invasion of Sicily and Italy's Surrender | TH]
• The Germans made the first operational use of the Hs 293A-1 radio controlled bomb. It was launched from a Do 217E5s of II/KG100 against British shipping in the Bay of Biscay. Ten days later, an Hs 293 would claim the corvette HMS Egret. ww2dbase [AC]
• Minesweeper USS Apex was transferred to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease Act. ww2dbase [AC]
• USS Bailey arrived at San Francisco, California. ww2dbase [Bailey | DS]
• Destroyers USS Nicholas, USS Chevalier, USS O’Bannon, and USS Taylor departed Tulagi, Solomon Islands for a nighttime patrol to the northern reaches of the New Georgia Sound (The “Slot”) to interdict Japanese shipping. ww2dbase [Nicholas | Solomon Islands Campaign | DS]

• As a build up to the landings at Lae, Australian Papua the US 5th Air Force commenced a two-week blitz on the Japanese airfield in the Wewak area in Australian New Guinea. 12 B-17 and 26 B-24 bombers from Jackson Field and Ward's Strip at Port Moresby, Australian Papua hit the two Japanese airfields at Wewak starting at about 0000 hours; the Americans lost 3 B-24 bombers while the Japanese suffered 13 aircraft destroyed, 20 heavily damaged, 34 slightly damaged, and 70 men killed. At 0600 hours, 61 modified B-25 bombers, with fighter escort, were launched from Port Moresby; although 21 aircraft turned back due to poor weather, the remainder hit Wewak between 0750 and 0845 hours, destroying about 30 aircraft that were parked in rows in preparation of the arrival of a high ranking Japanese officer. The series of blitz paved the way for the autumn invasion that resulted in the capture of the western flank of Rabaul, New Britain. ww2dbase [New Guinea-Papua Campaign, Phase 3 | Wewak | AC, CPC]

• Destroyer USS Saufley covered the landing ships at Barakoma, Vella Lavella, Solomon Islands. ww2dbase [Solomon Islands Campaign | Saufley | Vella Lavella, Solomon Islands | DS]

• During the Quadrant Conference in Quebec, Canada, Orde Wingate shared with the Americans his plans for an offensive into Burma; the US Army showed interest in this plan. ww2dbase [Quadrant Conference | Orde Wingate | Quebec City, Quebec | CPC]

• The US 8th Army Air Force lost 59 heavy bombers during daylight raids upon Regenburg and Schweinfurt, Germany, which was about 25% of the attacking force. ww2dbase [Schweinfurt Ball Bearing Factories | Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | Schweinfurt, Mainfranken | CPC]
• British bombers launched to attack German rocket research site at Peenemünde at 2100 hours London time. At 2230 hours London time or 2330 hours Berlin time, air raid sirens went off at Peenemünde, but many ignored it, thinking it was to be yet another false warning as Allied bombers flew over the region to bomb German cities further inland. At 2317 hours London time or 0017 hours Berlin time on the next day, the first of the British bombers struck Peenemünde. ww2dbase [Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | Peenemünde Army Research Center | Peenemünde, Pommern | CPC]
• The USAAF 306th Bomb Group flying from RAF Thurleigh launched a bombing raid against the ball-bearing works at Schweinfurt, Germany. This was an infamous raid where the American forces suffered heavy losses. The 306th Bomb Group lost 17 of the 30 bombers sent on this mission. ww2dbase [RAF Thurleigh | Schweinfurt Ball Bearing Factories | Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | Schweinfurt | DS]

• Yamato departed Yashima, Japan for Truk, Caroline Islands. ww2dbase [Yamato | Yashima, Kagawa | CPC]

• USS Wahoo attacked a freighter in the Sea of Japan at 0200 hours; the torpedo missed. At 2200 hours, she attacked another ship, again missing with one torpedo. ww2dbase [Wahoo | Sea of Japan | CPC]

• Submarine Tang was launched at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California, United States; she was sponsored by Mrs. Antonio S. Pitre. ww2dbase [Mare Island Navy Yard | Tang | Vallejo, California | CPC]
• Wasp was launched at Bethlehem Steel Company's Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts, United States, sponsored by Miss Julia M. Walsh, the sister of US Senator David I. Walsh. ww2dbase [Wasp (Essex-class) | Quincy, Massachusetts | CPC]
• USS St. Louis arrived at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California, United States. ww2dbase [St. Louis | Mare Island Navy Yard | Vallejo, California | DS]

17 Aug 1943 Interactive Map