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• Prince Naruhiko ordered the Japanese Army Air Service to begin a renewed air offensive against the Chinese capital of Nanjing. ww2dbase [Battle of Nanjing and the Rape of Nanjing | Nanjing | CPC]
• Light carrier Hosho arrived off Guangzhou, Guangdong, China and launched aircraft to attack Tienho and Paiyun airfields, claiming 6 kills. 5 of the fighters launched ran out of fuel and were lost in the sea; all crew members were rescued. ww2dbase [Hosho | Guangzhou, Guangdong | CPC]
• Ryujo attacked Guangzhou, Guangdong, China with 9 aircraft in the afternoon; they claimed to have shot down five of the defending Chinese Hawk III fighters. ww2dbase [Ryujo | Guangzhou, Guangdong | CPC]
• Lieutenant Yue Yiqin of the 22nd Pursuit Squadron of the Chinese 4th Pursuit Group, flying Hawk III biplane fighter designated IV-1, with other Hawk III and P-26 fighters, intercepted a group of Japanese bombers en route toward Nanjing, China. While the P-26 fighters occupied the escorting A5M fighters, Yue got through to the bombers over Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China and heavily damaged a D1A1 biplane dive bomber from carrier Kaga. The Japanese dive bomber, which was able to land at Kunda Arifled at Shanghai, China, was crewed by pilot Lieutenant Yoshiyuki Kame and gunner Petty Officer First Class Kuroki; Kuroki was killed by Yue's attack. ww2dbase [Yue Yiqin | Zhenjiang, Jiangsu | CPC]
• Yuan Baokang claimed a Japanese bomber over Nanjing, China; his fighter's fuel tank was punctured during the engagement but he was able to return to base safely. ww2dbase [Yuan Baokang | Nanjing | CPC]

• The keel of U-56 was laid down at Deutsche Werke, Kiel, Germany. ww2dbase [Deutsche Werke Kiel | U-56 | Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein | CPC]

21 Sep 1937 Interactive Map