SprueStack Zero Hour: WW2 day by day

17 October 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

Italy

15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth Army’s VI Corps area, 3d Div finds that enemy has withdrawn from Liberi and Villa. Elements of 34th occupy Alvignano after patrols report it clear.

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

Japanese continue vigorous attacks from Sattelberg after attempting to land 4 barge loads of troops, of which only one reaches shore.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
USSR

Red Army breaks through enemy line below Kremenchug and pushes toward Krivoi Rog. Red Army forces of Center Front, attempting to complete investment of Gomel, seize Loyev after crossing the Dnieper S of Gomel.

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

THOR mission records show at least 44 Allied sorties (7 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1943-10-17, flown by USAAF 10th Air Force, USAAF 14th 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 12 Allied sorties (1 recorded unit missions) in the Mediterranean Theater on 1943-10-17, flown by USAAF 12th Air Force. Targets included ITALY.

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 36 Allied sorties (9 recorded unit missions) in the Pacific Theater on 1943-10-17, flown by USAAF 5th Air Force, USAAF 13th Air Force, USAAF 7th Air Force.

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.

17 October in other years 1939 1940 1941 1942 1944

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17 October 1943

Entries

15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth Army’s VI Corps area, 3d Div finds that enemy has withdrawn from Liberi and Villa. Elements of 34th occupy Alvignano after patrols report it clear.

Japanese continue vigorous attacks from Sattelberg after attempting to land 4 barge loads of troops, of which only one reaches shore.

Red Army breaks through enemy line below Kremenchug and pushes toward Krivoi Rog. Red Army forces of Center Front, attempting to complete investment of Gomel, seize Loyev after crossing the Dnieper S of Gomel.

THOR mission records show at least 44 Allied sorties (7 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1943-10-17, flown by USAAF 10th Air Force, USAAF 14th Air Force. Targets included BURMA.

THOR mission records show at least 12 Allied sorties (1 recorded unit missions) in the Mediterranean Theater on 1943-10-17, flown by USAAF 12th Air Force. Targets included ITALY.

THOR mission records show at least 36 Allied sorties (9 recorded unit missions) in the Pacific Theater on 1943-10-17, flown by USAAF 5th Air Force, USAAF 13th Air Force, USAAF 7th Air Force.

Talk about it