SprueStack Zero Hour: WW2 day by day

15 January 1943

What happened on this day in the Second World War, from 1939 to 1945, with a source for every entry.

About this page

Each day we list events from the Second World War that happened on that date, from 1939 to 1945. Every entry names its source and links to it, so you can read further. Entries are sourced and machine-screened before they go up, a subset is human-reviewed, and we add more over time.

8 of 9 sourced entries for this date, chosen by the editor.

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Entries

Guadalcanal

2d Mar Div continues to make slow progress in coastal sector, despite use of tanks and a flame thrower.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
Libya

Br Eighth Army opens drive on Tripoli, moving forward in 3 columns-those on right and in center under personal command of Gen Montgomery; outflanking force on left under 30 Corps command.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
New Guinea

Preparations are made for allout offensive to clear Sanananda area. Lt Col Merle H. Howe, 3d Div G-3, takes command of Urbana Force, which is to renew drive W along coast.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
The British start an offensive aimed at taking far-off Tripoli, Libya.

Source Wikipedia (opens external site)
The Soviet counter-offensive at Voronezh begins.

Source Wikipedia (opens external site)
Excerpt from the London Gazette, Issue 35866, page 343, published 1943-01-15: "this Order be forthwithregistered by the Registrar of the said Diocese ofDurham.E. C. E. Leadbitter.

Source The London Gazette (opens external site)
China-Burma-India Theater

THOR mission records show at least 8 Allied sorties (2 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1943-01-15, flown by USAAF 10th Air Force. Targets included BURMA.

Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

THOR is a secondary compilation with known gaps, not a complete record.
Mediterranean Theater

THOR mission records show at least 27 Allied sorties (12 recorded unit missions) in the Mediterranean Theater on 1943-01-15, flown by USAAF 12th Air Force, USAAF 9th Air Force.

Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

THOR is a secondary compilation with known gaps, not a complete record.

The full list for this date is being cleaned and will return soon.

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15 January in other years 1940 1941 1942 1944 1945

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15 January 1943

Entries

2d Mar Div continues to make slow progress in coastal sector, despite use of tanks and a flame thrower.

Br Eighth Army opens drive on Tripoli, moving forward in 3 columns-those on right and in center under personal command of Gen Montgomery; outflanking force on left under 30 Corps command.

Preparations are made for allout offensive to clear Sanananda area. Lt Col Merle H. Howe, 3d Div G-3, takes command of Urbana Force, which is to renew drive W along coast.

The British start an offensive aimed at taking far-off Tripoli, Libya.

The Soviet counter-offensive at Voronezh begins.

Excerpt from the London Gazette, Issue 35866, page 343, published 1943-01-15: "this Order be forthwithregistered by the Registrar of the said Diocese ofDurham.E. C. E. Leadbitter.

THOR mission records show at least 8 Allied sorties (2 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1943-01-15, flown by USAAF 10th Air Force. Targets included BURMA.

THOR mission records show at least 27 Allied sorties (12 recorded unit missions) in the Mediterranean Theater on 1943-01-15, flown by USAAF 12th Air Force, USAAF 9th Air Force.

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