SprueStack Zero Hour: WW2 day by day

2 November 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 12 sourced entries for this date, chosen by the editor.

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Entries

Bougainville

3d Mar Div is slowly expanding beachhead and organizing defenses. 3d Marines, which has had hard fighting on right flank, is exchanging places with 9th Marines. Puruata I. is cleared by noon.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
Burma

Japanese along Tarung R are withstanding efforts of 112th Rgt, Ch 38th Div, to advance; wipe out co of 1st Bn.

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

75 B-25’s, with P-38 escort, attack Rabaul with good effect but meet the strongest opposition to be encountered by Fifth Air Force during the entire war.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
British troops, in Italy, reach the Garigliano River.

Source Wikipedia (opens external site)
A U.S. Navy task force turned away an Imperial Japanese Navy formation at the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, thus protecting the landings at Cape Torokina.

Source Wikipedia (opens external site)
China-Burma-India Theater

THOR mission records show at least 45 Allied sorties (9 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1943-11-02, flown by USAAF 10th Air Force, USAAF 14th Air Force. Targets included BURMA, CHINA.

Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

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

THOR mission records show at least 36 Allied sorties (1 recorded unit missions) in the East Africa Theater on 1943-11-02, flown by RAF. Targets included an unrecorded target country.

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 354 Allied sorties (21 recorded unit missions) in the European Theater on 1943-11-02, flown by USAAF 15th Air Force. Targets included AUSTRIA.

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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2 November in other years 1939 1940 1941 1942 1944

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2 November 1943

Entries

3d Mar Div is slowly expanding beachhead and organizing defenses. 3d Marines, which has had hard fighting on right flank, is exchanging places with 9th Marines. Puruata I. is cleared by noon.

Japanese along Tarung R are withstanding efforts of 112th Rgt, Ch 38th Div, to advance; wipe out co of 1st Bn.

75 B-25’s, with P-38 escort, attack Rabaul with good effect but meet the strongest opposition to be encountered by Fifth Air Force during the entire war.

British troops, in Italy, reach the Garigliano River.

A U.S. Navy task force turned away an Imperial Japanese Navy formation at the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, thus protecting the landings at Cape Torokina.

THOR mission records show at least 45 Allied sorties (9 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1943-11-02, flown by USAAF 10th Air Force, USAAF 14th Air Force. Targets included BURMA, CHINA.

THOR mission records show at least 36 Allied sorties (1 recorded unit missions) in the East Africa Theater on 1943-11-02, flown by RAF. Targets included an unrecorded target country.

THOR mission records show at least 354 Allied sorties (21 recorded unit missions) in the European Theater on 1943-11-02, flown by USAAF 15th Air Force. Targets included AUSTRIA.

Talk about it