SprueStack Zero Hour: WW2 day by day

28 March 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.

6 sourced entries for this date.

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Entries

New Guinea

MacKechnie Force, named after Col Archibald R. MacKechnie, CO of 162d Inf, U.S. 41st Div, is formed, largely from 1st Bn of 162d Inf, to secure Waria R mouth and Morobe harbor.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
U.S.

JCS approve new directive for Gen MacArthur and Adm Halsey, altering previous directives of 2 July 1942. Operations are to be confined to the earlier Task Two, and bases are to be secured in the Trobriands.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
Tunisia

18 Army Group: U.S. II Corps opens major attack toward Gabès from positions near El Guettar, employing 1st Div on left and 9th (less RCT 60) on right, in effort to force gap in enemy positions through which 1st Armd Div can attack.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
China-Burma-India Theater

THOR mission records show at least 8 Allied sorties (1 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1943-03-28, 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.
European Theater

THOR mission records show at least 120 Allied sorties (25 recorded unit missions) in the European Theater on 1943-03-28, flown by RAF. Targets included FRANCE, HOLLAND OR NETHERLANDS.

Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

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

THOR mission records show at least 5 Allied sorties (1 recorded unit missions) in the Pacific Theater on 1943-03-28, flown by USAAF 7th Air Force. Targets included BISMARK ARCHIPELAGO.

Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

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

Sources listed with each entry. Spotted an error? Tell us.

28 March in other years 1940 1941 1942 1944 1945

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28 March 1943

Entries

MacKechnie Force, named after Col Archibald R. MacKechnie, CO of 162d Inf, U.S. 41st Div, is formed, largely from 1st Bn of 162d Inf, to secure Waria R mouth and Morobe harbor.

JCS approve new directive for Gen MacArthur and Adm Halsey, altering previous directives of 2 July 1942. Operations are to be confined to the earlier Task Two, and bases are to be secured in the Trobriands.

18 Army Group: U.S. II Corps opens major attack toward Gabès from positions near El Guettar, employing 1st Div on left and 9th (less RCT 60) on right, in effort to force gap in enemy positions through which 1st Armd Div can attack.

THOR mission records show at least 8 Allied sorties (1 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1943-03-28, flown by USAAF 10th Air Force. Targets included BURMA.

THOR mission records show at least 120 Allied sorties (25 recorded unit missions) in the European Theater on 1943-03-28, flown by RAF. Targets included FRANCE, HOLLAND OR NETHERLANDS.

THOR mission records show at least 5 Allied sorties (1 recorded unit missions) in the Pacific Theater on 1943-03-28, flown by USAAF 7th Air Force. Targets included BISMARK ARCHIPELAGO.

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