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• Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Kwajalein, Marshall Islands. ww2dbase [Hikawa Maru | CPC]
• The four Germans on trial for war crimes in Kharkov, Ukraine all pled guilty, with admissions that over 30,000 victims died. ww2dbase [Nuremberg Trials and Other Trials Against Germany | TH]
• 16 RAF Mosquito aircraft attacked Düsseldorf, Germany. ww2dbase [Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | CPC]
• San Jacinto was commissioned into service. ww2dbase [San Jacinto | CPC]
• USS Finback completed overhaul at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii and departed for her seventh war patrol. ww2dbase [Finback | CPC]
• The Guilin Infantry Training Center in China graduated its first class of infantry troops. ww2dbase [CPC]
• The Allied Troop Carrier Command was established incorporating 443rd Group USAAF and 177 Transport Wing RAF under the command of US Brigadier General William D. Old. ww2dbase [AC]
• German Luftwaffe Major Hubertus von Bonin, the Geschwaderkommodore of JG 54, was killed when his Fw 190A-5 aircraft was shot down. With 64 Russian Front victories to his credit, he had the dubious distinction of being the only JG 54 leader to be killed in action. ww2dbase [AC]
• Vasily Kuznetsov was made the deputy commander of 1st Baltic Front. ww2dbase [Vasily Kuznetsov | CPC]
• USS Nicholas arrived in San Francisco Bay and entered Mare Island Naval Shipyard to begin an overhaul period. ww2dbase [Nicholas | Mare Island Navy Yard | DS]

• The commanding officer of Composite Squadron VC-6, LtCdr John L. “Jack” Counihan, flying from Hunter-Killer escort carrier USS Core landed aboard USS Bogue to deliver 50 sonobuoys and mail. ww2dbase [Bogue | DS]

• The Markham Valley Road connecting Nadzab and Lae in Australian Territory of New Guinea completed its maintenance and upgrade, thus allowing Nadzab Airfield to fully utilize its potential. ww2dbase [New Guinea-Papua Campaign, Phase 3 | Nadzab Airfield | Nadzab | CPC]

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

• Patrol Boat No. 102 departed Surabaya, Dutch East Indies to transport Tango Maru (former Dutch ship Toendjoek) toward Laut Island off the southern coast of Borneo. ww2dbase [Stewart | Surabaya, Java | CPC]

• Escort carrier USS Card and her task group arrived at Casablanca, French Morocco. ww2dbase [Card | Casablanca | DS]

• Indian troops secured positions between Ortona and Orsogna in Italy, while New Zealand troops advanced toward Orsogna. Nearby, German troops mounted a counterattack on Casa Berardi, which was repulsed by Canadian troops. To the west, Units of US VI Corps and French Expeditionary Corps attacked German positions on the Bernhardt Line. ww2dbase [Advance to the Gustav Line | CPC]

• The keel of landing ship No. 102 was laid down by Osaka Zosen. ww2dbase [No. 101/103-class | CPC]

15 Dec 1943 Interactive Map