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• In Finland, Soviet 4th Division rushed several groups of men across the frozen Suvanto River in the darkness to reinforce the bridgehead on the far bank, but the attempts were detected by Finnish forces, which attacked them with artillery and machine guns, killing many; after dawn, Finnish forces successfully eliminated all Soviet bridgeheads on the Finnish side of the Suvanto River, ending the Battle of Kelja by 1800 hours. Elsewhere, in Suomussalmi, Finnish 9th division, supported by the newly-arrived four 1902 76-millimeter cannon and two Bofors 37-millimeter anti-tank guns, began to assault the encircled Soviet 163rd Division. ww2dbase [The Winter War | CPC]
• The keel for future submarine Gar was laid down. ww2dbase [Gar | CPC]
• Adolf Hitler postponed the decision to invade France to a later date. ww2dbase [Invasion of France and the Low Countries | CPC]
• U-56 began her fifth patrol in the southern North Sea. ww2dbase [U-56 | CPC]

• Arthur Chin, flying a Gladiator fighter, escorted three SB-2 bombers (flown by Soviet volunteer crews) in a mission against Japanese positions near Kunlun Pass near Nanning, Guangxi Province, China. He shot down a Japanese A5M fighter which was attacking Lieutenant Chen Yexin's I-15bis fighter, but he was in turn hit by another A5M fighter. He successfully bailed out of his burning fighter, but not before he suffered serious burns to his face. ww2dbase [Arthur Chin | Nanning, Guangxi | CPC]

• USS Helena departed Annapolis, Maryland, United States for South America; she arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, United States later on the same day. ww2dbase [Helena (St. Louis-class) | Annapolis, Maryland | CPC]

27 Dec 1939 Interactive Map