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• Soviet troops launched an offensive towards Rostov-on-Don, Russia hoping to cut off German troops in the Caucasus, defeating Italian units on the Don River. ww2dbase [Caucasus Campaign | TH]
• Overnight and into the next morning, men of US 1st Infantry Division raided Maknassy, Tunisia, taking 21 German prisoners. ww2dbase [Advance into Tunisia | CPC]
• Tenryu departed with supplies and troops onboard for Madang, Australian New Guinea. ww2dbase [Tenryu | CPC]
• S-36 was ordered to Mariveles Bay, Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [S-36 | CPC]
• Battleships USS Washington, USS North Carolina, and USS Indiana escorted by destroyers USS Nicholas, USS Farragut, and USS Clarke departed Nouméa, New Caledonia on a patrol cruise around the Coral Sea. ww2dbase [Nicholas | Indiana | Farragut | North Carolina | Washington | DS]

• USS Flying Fish arrived at Brisbane, Australia, ending her third war patrol. ww2dbase [Flying Fish | Brisbane, Queensland | CPC]
• Submarine USS Thresher departed Fremantle, Australia to resume her sixth war patrol. ww2dbase [Thresher | Fremantle | DS]

• Amagiri and Yugure arrived at Shortland Islands, Solomon Islands. ww2dbase [Amagiri | Yugure | Shortland Islands | CPC]

• USS Finback departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her third war patrol. The first phase of this war patrol would be to escort a carrier force rather than to hunt for enemy shipping. ww2dbase [Pearl Harbor Navy Base and Ford Island Naval Air Station | Finback | Honolulu, Oahu | CPC]
• Cruiser USS Nashville and destroyer Ralph Talbot departed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii bound for Nouméa, New Caledonia escorting United States Army Transport Frederick Funston. ww2dbase [Ralph Talbot | Nashville | Pearl Harbor Navy Base and Ford Island Naval Air Station | Pearl Harbor, Oahu | DS]

• Light carrier Ryuho entered the drydock at Yokosuka, Japan for repairs. ww2dbase [Ryuho | Yokosuka Naval Arsenal | Yokosuka, Kanagawa | CPC]
• Zuikaku arrived at Kure, Japan. ww2dbase [Zuikaku | Kure, Hiroshima | CPC]

• The damaged cruiser USS Minneapolis in company with ocean going tug USS Navajo and screened by destroyers USS Saufley and USS Meade arrived at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. ww2dbase [Saufley | Minneapolis | Segund Channel, Espirtu Santo | DS]

• After dark, USS Sunfish laid mines at the entrance of Iseno Imi off Japan. ww2dbase [Sunfish (Gato-class) | CPC]
• Submarine USS Spearfish spent an hour stalking an unescorted ship south of New Hanover only to recognize it as the same properly marked hospital ship Spearfish wasted an hour stalking two days earlier 40 miles away. Again, the ship was allowed to pass. ww2dbase [Spearfish | Bismarck Sea | DS]

• USS Ranger entered drydock at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia. ww2dbase [Ranger | Norfolk Navy Yard | Portsmouth, Virginia | DS]

16 Dec 1942 Interactive Map