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• » 12 Apr 1943

• British War Office circulated the "German Long-Range Rocket Development" report, which warned of potential danger from these potential new weapons. ww2dbase [CPC]
• Germans announced the discovery of over 4,000 bodies of Polish officers, reportedly deported by the Soviets in 1940, in a mass grave near Smolensk, Russia. ww2dbase [Katyn Massacre and Related Atrocities | TH]
• Adolf Hitler named Martin Bormann his secretary. ww2dbase [CPC]
• Joseph Stalin informed Winston Churchill his delight to see German industry in shambles. ww2dbase [Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | CPC]
• British RAF Desert Air Force assumed leadership roles in Operation Flax in North Africa. On the same day, troops of British 8th Army captured Sousse, Tunisia. ww2dbase [Conclusion of the Desert War | CPC]
• Isherwood was commissioned into service. ww2dbase [Isherwood | CPC]

• Alpino Bagnolini heard bombs detonating while submerged in the Atlantic Ocean at 0010 hours. ww2dbase [Alpino Bagnolini | CPC]

• Matome Ugaki became sick with dengue fever and was ordered to remain in bed at Rabaul, New Britain. ww2dbase [Matome Ugaki | Rabaul, New Britain | CPC]

• Isoroku Yamamoto personally observed the launch of a strike at Vunakanau field near Rabaul, New Britain, which ultimately consisted of 17 G4M bombers of 751 Air Group and 26 G4M bombers of 705 Air Group with 130 fighters in escort. At 0945 hours, the attack was detected by the radar station at Dona on the coast of Australian Papua. The attack destroyed 3 B-25 bombers and 1 Beaufighter at Schwimmer Airfield near Port Moresby, Australian Papua; nearby Berry Airfield suffered destroyed buildings and Ward's Airfield suffered 5,000 drums of gasoline destroyed. The Japanese lost 6 bombers and 2 fighters in combat; 2 additional bombers were lost after making crash landings. ww2dbase [New Guinea-Papua Campaign, Phase 2 | Port Moresby | CPC]
• B-17 bombers took off from Jackson Field (previously known as Seven Mile airdrome) near Port Moresby, Australian Papua. Pilot Kenneth McCullar's B-17 "Blues in the Nite" caught fire on takeoff, veered off, and crashed, killing all aboard. Those that took off successfully attacked the Japanese base at Rabaul, New Britain. ww2dbase [Port Moresby | CPC]

• Repair ship Akashi began repairing destroyer Amagiri at Truk, Caroline Islands. ww2dbase [Akashi | Truk | CPC]

• Barbers Point Naval Air Station: Portions of Marine Fighting Squadron 215 (VMF-215) departed. Eight tennis courts for enlisted personnel completed. ww2dbase [Barbers Point Naval Air Station | Ewa, Oahu | DS]

• USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese freighter off the coast of Honshu, Japan, hitting her with 1 of 4 torpedoes fired. ww2dbase [Flying Fish | CPC]

• The keel of George Washington Carver was laid down at Yard No. 1 of Kaiser Richmond Shipyards, Richmond, California, United States. ww2dbase [Kaiser Richmond Shipyards | George Washington Carver | Richmond, California | CPC]

12 Apr 1943 Interactive Map