GIBRALTAR: U.S. freighter SS Exmouth is detained at Gibraltar by British authorities.

The USN's miscellaneous auxiliary USS Bear (AG-29) departs Boston, Massachusetts, as part of the U.S. Antarctic Service to investigate and survey the land and sea areas of Antarctica. Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd, USN (Retired) commands this expedition.

The air echelon of RAF No. 211 Squadron arrives at Menidi and Tatoi Airfields from Egypt with Blenheim Mk. I light bombers. This is the fourth and last RAF Squadron to arrive in Greece.

Outward bound convoys OB-244 (Liverpool, England to North America) and UK-bound SC-11 (Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, to U.K.) are attacked by two groups of German submarines west of North Channel. Fifteen merchant ships are sunk, including seven from SC-11 by Schepke's U-100 on the night of the 22nd/23rd. Important steps are taken in the air war when an RAF Sunderland equipped with 1.5 centimeter wavelength anti-surface vessel (ASV) radar locates a U-boat. This is the first success of its kind with a system that is mainly effective by day as contact is lost within 2 miles (3,2 kilometers) of the target.

Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin presents a plan to the British to pull Finland out of the war. The British give Finland two weeks time to cease their offensive operations or it will declare war on Finland.

JAPAN: The Foreign Ministry sends a message to Ambassadors NOMURA Kichisaburo and special envoy KURUSU Saburo in Washington, D.C.; the message contains the following statement: "There are reasons beyond your ability to guess why we wanted to settle Japanese-American relations by the 25th, but if within the next three or four days you can finish your conversations with the Americans."

The Japanese First Air Fleet arrives in Hitokappu Bay, Etorofu Island, Kurile Islands. This fleet consists of six aircraft carriers (HIJMS Akagi, Hiryu, Kaga, Shokaku, Soryu and Zuikaku), two battleships (HIJMS Hiei and Kirishima), two heavy cruisers (HIJMS Chikuma and Tone), a light cruiser (HIJMS Abukuma) and ten destroyers. This is the force that will attack Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii.

FRANCE: The USAAF"> USAAF Eighth Air Force's VIII Bomber Command flies Mission 22: 68 B-17 Flying Fortresses and eight B-24 Liberators are dispatched to hit the Keroma U-boat pens at Lorient; only 11 B-17 Flying Fortresses find a gap in the 10/10 cloud cover and bomb at 1410 hours local without loss.

During the night of 22/23 November, an RAF Bomber Command aircraft drops leaflets over Paris.

GERMANY: During the night of 22/23 November, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 222 aircraft, 97 Lancasters, 59 Wellingtons, 39 Halifaxes and 27 Stirlings, to bomb Stuttgart; 191 aircraft bomb and ten, five Lancasters, three Wellingtons and two Halifaxes are lost, 4.5 per cent of the force. A thin layer of cloud and some ground haze conceals Stuttgart and the Pathfinders are not able to identify the centre of the city. Heavy bombing develops to the southwest and south and the outlying residential districts of Vaihingen, Rohr, Mohringen and Plieningen, all about 5 miles (8 kilometers) from the centre, are hit. Eighty eight houses are destroyed and 334 seriously damaged; 28 people are killed and 71 injured.

POLAND: The Nazis liquidate the Jewish ghetto in Dunilowicze by herding the Jews into a large barn and then murder all 888 men, women, and children.

U.S.S.R.: A Soviet counteroffensive against the German armies pays off as the Red Army traps about a quarter-million German soldiers south of Kalach, on the Don River, within Stalingrad. As the Soviets' circle tightened, German General Friedrich Paulus, commander of the Sixth Army, requests permission from Berlin to withdraw. German Chancellor Adolf Hitler will not allow a withdrawal and it is then only a matter of time before the Germans will be forced to surrender..

ALGERIA: U.S. Major General Mark Clark, Deputy Commander in Chief Allied Force, acting on orders from U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, agrees to recognize French Admiral Jean-Francois Darlan as High Commissioner for French North Africa providing he acts in accordance with American wishes.

LIBYA: USAAF Ninth Air Force P-40s patrol over the Derna area.

TUNISIA: The 36th Brigade of the 78th Division, British First Army, repels an attack at Djebel Ahiod. The 11th Brigade of the 78th Division completes concentration at BC)dja. French and U.S. troops reoccupy Gafsa.

BURMA: Six B-24 Liberators of the USAAF Tenth Air Force's India Air Task Force inflict heavy damage on the railroad center at Mandalay.

NEW GUINEA: The Australian 25th Brigade, Maroubra Force, continues toward Gona, Papua New Guinea; two battalions move in to attack and are forced to withdraw with heavy casualties. The U.S. 126th Infantry Regiment (-) attacks through the Australian 16th Brigade, Maroubra Force, toward Sanananda; the 16th Brigade will not attempt any forward moves until the Americans have secured the Soputa-Sanananda-Killerton Track junction. Major Richard Boeremb's detachment (elements of the 1st Battalion) moves along the road as the 3d Battalion advances on the flanks along secondary trails. After nightfall, fresh Japanese forces attack Company L, flanking on the right, to insure safety of food supply dump in line of advance and are driven off. From Soputa, the 2d Battalion of 126th Infantry Regiment moves forward to assist the 2d Battalion of 128th, crossing to the east bank of the Girua River on rafts during the evening. On the Warren Force front, the 3d Battalion of 128th Infantry Regiment secretly pulls back to positions just behind the 1st Battalion, though Company I holds former position astride trail just west of New Strip.

In Papua New Guinea, USAAF Fifth Air Force A-20 Havocs attack trails around Sanananda while B-26 Marauders hit the Buna area; B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-25 Mitchells bomb the airfield at Lae and barges between Lae and Salamaua.

PACIFIC OCEAN: USAAF Fifth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-25 Mitchells attack warships 68 nautical miles (126 kilometers) southwest of Arawe, New Britain Island, Bismarck Archipelago and elsewhere in the Solomon Sea. USAAF Fourteenth Air Force aircraft on a shipping strike sink a Vichy French ship east of Haiphong harbor, French Indochina.

On Guadalcanal, the 182d and 164th Infantry Regiments again meet strong resistance while attempting to push west and are unable to advance. The 8th Marine Regiment prepares to attack through the 164th Infantry.

NETHERLANDS: RAF"> RAF Bomber Command sends 14 Wellingtons to lay mines: eight lay mines in the Frisian Islands and four lay mines off Texel Island.

FRANCE: During the night of 22/23 November, an RAF">RAF Bomber Command bomber drops leaflets over the country.

GERMANY: During the night of 22/23 November, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 764 aircraft, 469 Lancasters, 234 Halifaxes, 50 Stirlings and 11 Mosquitos, to bomb Berlin; 670 aircraft bomb. This is the greatest force sent to Berlin so far but it was also the last raid in which Stirlings are sent to Germany. Bad weather again keeps most of the German fighters on the ground and the bomber force is able to take a relatively "straight in, straight out" route to the target without suffering undue loss. Twenty six aircraft, Lancasters, ten Halifaxes and five Stirlings, are lost, 3.4 per cent of the force. Berlin is again completely cloud-covered and returning crews can only estimate that the marking and bombing are believed to be accurate, In fact, this is the most effective raid on Berlin of the war. A vast area of destruction stretches from the central districts westwards across the mainly residential areas of Tiergarten and Charlottenburg to the separate suburb city of Spandau. Because of the dry weather conditions, several "firestorm" a reas are reported and a German plane next day measures the height of the smoke cloud as 6,000 meters (19,685 feet). It is estimated that 175,000 people are bombed out. Interesting entries among the lists of buildings destroyed or severely damaged are: the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche (the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church), the Charlottenburg Castle, the Berlin Zoo, much of the Unter den Linden, the British, French, Italian and Japanese embassies, the Ministry of Weapons and Munitions, the Waffen SS Administrative College, the barracks of the Imperial Guard at Spandau and, among many industrial premises, five factories of the Siemens electrical group and the Alkett tank works which has recently moved from the Ruhr. In secondary raids, 12 Mosquitos are dispatched to hit three targets: six bomb the city of Leverkusen, four attack the I.G. Farben chemical plant at Leverkusen and one bombs the city of Hannover.

Over 100 USAAF">USAAF Twelfth Air Force XII Air Support Command P-40s, B-25 Mitchells, and RAF Baltimores, attack strongpoints in the Lanciano-Fossacesia area, concentrating on gun positions. P-40s also hit roads and railways at Fabriano, the towns of Viticuso and Vallerotonda, and as far north as Urbino; A-36 Apaches hit chemical works, harbor and railroad yards at Civitavecchia and bomb the village of San Vittore del Lazio.

USAAF">USAAF Fifteenth Air Force while B-26 Marauders, escorted by P-38 Lightnings, hit the railroad center at Foligno, scoring numerous hits; others attack a bridge at Ciciana.

During the night of 22/23 November, forty three RAF aircraft of No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group bomb Ciampino Airfield while one aircraft drops leaflets over the battlefield.

CHINA: Twelve USAAF"> USAAF Fourteenth Air Force P-40s strafe river traffic from Hofuh to Changte, and 16 attack numerous small troop boats on Tungting Lake, west of Changteh.

NEW GUINEA: In Northeast New Guinea, the Australian 9th Division continues to struggle for Sattelberg, the 26th Brigade reaching the southern slopes. The Japanese attack the Australian 2/43rd Battalion, 24th Brigade, 9th Division, north of Scarlet Beach and are wiped out.

Twenty two USAAF Fifth Air Force B-25 Mitchells and A-20 Havocs attack villages around Sattelberg, Northeast New Guinea New Guinea.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: Over Bougainville, USAAF Thirteenth Air Force P-40s in a battle with 30-40 fighters over Empress Augusta Bay, claim five fighters shot down; P-38 Lightnings strafe barges and shore targets at Chabai on northern Bougainville. Over 20 B-25 Mitchells, along with five RNZAF Venturas, eight P-38 Lightnings and eight USN F4U Corsairs, attack the airfield on Buka Island north of Bougainville scoring hits on the airstrip and taxiways.

BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: Over 100 USAAF Fifth Air Force B-25 Mitchells and B-24 Liberators bomb Gasmata and Cape Gloucester on New Britain Island.

After a preparatory bombardment on Makin Atoll, Boat Landing Team 3 of the 165th Infantry Regiment takes over the attack from Boat Landing Team 2 and drives east on Butaritari Island well beyond the East Tank Barrier, which the Japanese have abandoned. Though the eastern tip of the island remains to be explored, Admiral Richmond K. Turner, commander of the Amphibious Force Pacific Fleet, declares the island captured. Major Gen Ralph Smith, Commanding General 27th Infantry Division, assumes command ashore. During the night of 22/23 November, the Japanese are virtually wiped out when they make an unsuccessful counterattack. Steps are taken to cut off the Japanese escape from Butaritari: elements of Company A, Boat Landing Team 1, make a waterborne move to the narrow neck of the island to intercept the Japanese; a special detail moves to Kuma Island to halt the Japanese withdrawal there.

The Japanese on Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll, undergo heavy air, naval, and artillery bombardment as the battle for the island continues. The Japanese are brought under cross fire as artillery is emplaced on Bairiki Island. Passing through the 3d Battalion of the 2d Marine Regiment, the 1st Battalion of the 6th Marine Regiment drives east along the south coast on a narrow front, making contact with the 2d Marine Regiment force and continuing advance to the eastern end of the airfield. The 2d Battalion of the 8th Marine Regiment, with elements of the 3d Battalion attached, presses east along the northern coast to the eastern end of the airfield. The 1st Battalion of the 8th Marine Regiment, attached to the 2d Marine Regiment, attacks a strongpoint between Red Beaches 2 and 1 and succeeds in containing it. Thus by the end of the day the Japanese are compressed into the eastern part of Betio beyond the airfield and retains a pocket between Red Beaches 1 and 2. The 3d Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, lands on Green Beach and moves forward along the south coast behind the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment. Major General Julian C. Smith, USMC, establishes a command post ashore. During the night of 22/23 November, Japanese counterattacks are repelled by the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment.

During the afternoon on Abemama Island, the 78 man scouting party, composed of the V Amphibious Corps Reconnaissance Company and an Australian scout call on the USN submarine USS Nautilus (SS-168) for gunfire support against the minute, 25-man, but game Japanese garrison . Rather than sacrifice marines in bringing the Japanese out of their bunkers, naval gunfire is requested. The gunfire proves accurate, killing 14; the remainder commit suicide. Thus, by the time the main assault force arrived on the 26 November, Abemama had been secured and preparations to turn it into an air base for the Marshalls' campaign had begun.

MARSHALL ISLANDS: Eleven USAAF Seventh Air Force B-24 Liberators from the Phoenix Islands bomb Mili Atoll. The B-24 gunners claim two interceptors shot down.

PACIFIC OCEAN: USN destroyer USS Frazier (DD-607) is damaged when she intentionally rams Japanese submarine HIJMS I-35. Frazier and destroyer USS Meade (DD-602) depth charge the sub forcing her to the surface and then engage her with gunfire. Finally, Frazier rams the sub sinking her about 10 nautical miles (19 kilometers) west of Betio Island, Tarawa Atoll, Gilbert Islands, in position 01.22N, 172.47E.

USAAF Fifth Air Force B-24 Liberators on armed reconnaissance sink a Japanese cargo ship about 129 nautical miles (239 kilometers) northwest of Kavieng, New Ireland Island, Bismarck Archipelago, in position 01.00S, 149.20E.

In London, Canadian Minister of Defence Lieutenant General Andrew McNaughton is told by the Army Council that only conscription will provide enough reinforcements; the members threaten to resign if he doesn't agree. Eventually 13,000 conscript 'zombies' will be sent overseas.

The USAAF Eighth Air Force's 2d and 4th Combat Bombardment Wings (Heavy) of the 3d Bombardment Division are combined to form the Administrative Bombardment Wing (Provisional); this type of unit is expected to be highly suitable for conditions in the Pacific theater where bomb division HQ might be located far from its wing HQ; under this new plan, the administrative wing can absorb many functions of the division HQ; this experiment will be judged acceptable during February 1945.

WESTERN EUROPE: USAAF Ninth Air Force bomber operations are cancelled due to bad weather; fighter operations are limited. Sixteen aircraft from the IX and XIX Tactical Air Commands patrol over the V and VII Corps area (southeast of Aachen, Germany), the Bonn-Cologne area, and fly reconnaissance around Saarbrucken, Homburg/Saar, Neukirchen and Kaiserslautern, Germany, and Sarrebourg, France.

NETHERLANDS: In the British Second Army's VIII Corps area, the 15th Division occupies Sevenum and Horst, northwest of Venlo. In the XII Corps area, the 53d Division reaches the Maas River across from Roermond. The 49th and 5Ist Divisions are converging on Venlo.

In the U.S. Third Army's XX Corps area, mopping up in the Metz ends. Forts holding out about the city (Verdun, St Privat, St Quentin, Plappeville, Driant, and Jeanne d'Arc) are isolated and do not present a serious threat. Corps orders broad offensive toward the Saar River, beginning on 25 November, with the 10th Armored Division on the left, 90th Infantry Division in the center, and 95th Infantry Division on the right. 95th making main effort, is to secure crossings of the river between Saarlautern and Pachten. In the XII Corps area, Combat Command B, 6th Armored Division, and the 137th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division, seize Leyviler and St Jean-Rohrbach. Grening falls to the 320th Infantry Regiment of 35th Infantry Division. The 104th Infantry Regiment of the 26th Infantry Division attempts to envelop Albestroff, from which the Germans withdraws, during the night of 22/23 November; the 328th Infantry Regiment, having moved by truck from Dieuze to reinforce the under-strength 101st Infantry Regiment in a sector nearly impassable because of flooding, mines, and other obstacles, seizes Munster. From Loudrefing, a Combat Command B column of the 4th Armored Division drives east through Mittersheim.

In the U.S. Seventh Army's XV Corps area, columns of the French 2d Armored Division driving south from Bouxwiller and north from Birkenwald converge on Saverne. The VI Corps pursues the retreating Germans, the mobile Task Force's spearheading. The 100th Infantry Division takes Senones and advances toward St Blaise. St Die falls to the 409th Infantry Regiment, 103d Infantry Division, without opposition; the 411th Infantry Regiment establishes a bridgehead near Saulcy. Strong German opposition to the 36th Infantry Division's bridgehead on the southern flank of the corps forces the 141st Infantry Regiment to pull back west of the river, but the 143d Infantry remains east of the river.

In the British Second Army's XXX Corps area, the U.S. 84th Infantry Division's 334th Infantry Regiment takes the high ground northeast of Prummern (Mahogany Hill) in a surprise assault; the 333d Infantry, after an underpass in Sueggerath is cleared permitting tanks to assist, advances to within 500 yards (457 meters) of Muellendorf, the advance platoon reaching the village, where it is wiped out. The 405th Infantry Regiment, U.S. 102d Infantry Division, attacks toward Beeck but makes little progress.

In the U.S. Ninth Army's XIX Corps area, the Germans, instead of falling back behind the Roer River as expected, have committed fresh forces to stiffen their line. Combat Command A, 2d Armored Division, pushes into Merzenhausen but is forced back to the southwestern edge. In the center of the corps front, the Germans drive elements of the 175th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division, from Bourheim before daylight and block efforts to re-enter; the 116th Infantry Regiment fights unsuccessfully for Koslar. The 30th Infantry Division runs into stiff opposition, but the 120th Infantry Regiment takes the village of Erberich; elements drive into Lohn but are forced to withdraw.

In the U.S. First Army's VII Corps area, the 104th Infantry Division seizes Eschweiler during the morning after a night attack, overruns Nothberg, finishes clearing Duerwiss, and drives toward Puetzlohn. This success earns the division the task of continuing the drive to the Roer River instead of stopping at the Inde River as planned. In the 1st Infantry Division zone, the 47th Infantry Regiment finishes clearing Hamich Ridge without opposition; the 18th Infantry Regiment is still held up in the valley of Wehe Creek by the Germans on Hills 207 and 203; the 26th Infantry Regiment is ordered to confine its action to limited attacks to assist the 18th Infantry. Renewing the attack in Huertgen Forest, the 4th Infantry Division's 8th and 22d Infantry Regiments feint eastward while slipping elements around the Germans; forward elements of the 8th Infantry Regiment reach the heights at Gut Schwarzcnbroich, the first objective, while the advance force of 22d Infantry reaches pos itions 700 yards (640 meters) west of Grosshau. In the V Corps area, the 121st Infantry Regiment of the 8th Infantry Division continues their almost futile efforts to advance southwest of Huertgen.

In the U.S. Third Army's XX Corps area, continuing efforts to break through stubborn German positions of the Orscholz Switch Line, Task Force Standish of Combat Command A, 10th Armored Division, advances to Nennig on the left and Tettingen on the right but is forced back from both. Task Force Chamberlain makes a limited penetration through the dragon's teeth to the right.

USAAF Fifteenth Air Force bombs hit their primary targets in Munich: 107 bomb the East marshalling yard, 107 hit the West marshalling yard and one bombs the railroad. Other targets hit are: 76 bomb the Main marshalling yard in Salzburg, 34 hit the marshalling yard in Regensburg, eight attack the railroad at Rosenheim, four bomb the marshalling yard at Kufstein and two others bomb miscellaneous targets. Six aircraft are lost.

During the night of 22/23 November, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 17 Lancasters to lay mines off Heligoland Island and in the mouth of the River Elbe without loss.

AUSTRIA: Targets of opportunity bombed by USAAF Fifteenth Air Force bombers are: 30 bomb the marshalling yard at Villach and three hit the railroad; in Lienz, ten attack the marshalling yard and one bombs the railroad; and 15 aircraft hit other targets. One aircraft is lost.

HUNGARY: During the night of 22/23 November, 47 RAF Bombers of No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group attack the marshalling yard at Szombathely with the loss of six aircraft.

NORWAY: RAF Bomber Command sends 171 Lancasters and 7 Mosquitos to attack the U-boat pens at Trondheim but the target is covered by a smoke-screen and the Master Bomber orders the raid to be abandoned after the illuminating and marking force has been unable to find the target. Two Lancasters and a Mosquito are lost.

Finnish forces, complying with the armistice terms by following up the German withdrawal, reach the Norwegian border.

LITHUANIA: The German armored ship Lützow, escorted by the destroyers Z28 and Z35 and the torpedo boats T13 , T20 and T21 , supports the retreating German army with short bombardments at the Memel coast.

ITALY: In the British Eighth Army area, the Polish II Corps continues northward along the ridge toward Mt. Ricci. V Corps establishes bridgeheads across the Cosina River in the zones of the 4th and 46th Divisions, during the night of 22/23 November.

USAAF Twelfth Air Force B-25 Mitchells again attack defenses in the Faenza area as British Eighth Army forces push into that area from the southeast; fighter-bombers and fighters fly nearly 350 sorties against rail lines in the Po Valley and very successfully hit guns, vehicles, troops and other targets in the US Fifth Army battle area south of Bologna, and supply dumps and pipelines north of the battle area.

USAAF Fifteenth Air Force bombers bomb a number of targets: 83 hit a railroad bridge at Ferrara with the loss of three aircraft, six bomb the railroad at Corrola and five others bomb miscellaneous transportation points.

CHINA: Twenty two USAAF Fourteenth Air Force 22 B-24 Liberators bomb Hankow and 11 B-25 Mitchells hit Ishan and Liuchenghsien. Ninety five P-51 Mustangs, P-40s, and P-38 Lightnings on armed reconnaissance over wide expanses of southern China attack town areas, supplies, and road and rail traffic, hitting the Chefang area especially hard.

Fifteen USAAF Tenth Air Force P-47 Thunderbolts support ground forces at Bhamo while 37 others fly close support in the Pinwe area. Supply and personnel areas at Nawngchio, Kutkai, Ingon, Selong, Man Mao, and in the vicinity of Kanbalu are pounded by more than 40 P-47s and 12 others attack the airfield at Kawlin

Eight USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells bomb storage facilities at Wanling and Kutkai.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: In the U.S. Sixth Army's X Corps area on Leyte, the 2d and 3d Battalions of the 128th Infantry Regiment, 32d Infantry Division, attack south astride Highway 2 and take Limon, virtually completing the battle of Breakneck Ridge. Bypassed Japanese pockets are eliminated by mid-December. Forward elements of the 128th Infantry Regiment cross the tributary of the Leyte River south of Limon. The 1st Battalion of the 34th Infantry Regiment, under heavy Japanese attack on Kilay Ridge, is forced to compress its defense perimeter to avoid encirclement. In the XXIV Corps area, the 7th Infantry Division is ordered to assemble in the Baybay area as quickly as possible. The 11th Airborne Division, although not originally intended to operate on Leyte, is ordered to relieve the 7th Infantry Division, less the 17th Infantry Regiment, so the 7th can clear the eastern shore of Ormoc Bay.

USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24 Liberators, B-25 Mitchells, and fighter-bombers pound Bacalod Airstrip and Ipil on Negros Island, and Ormoc, Leyte Island area bridges, barges, and targets of opportunity. B-24 Liberators also bomb Sasa Airfield on Mindanao Island.

NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES: On Celebes Island in the Netherlands East Indies, fighter-bombers hit targets of opportunity in the Makassar area while B-24 Liberators bomb the nickel mine and targets of opportunity in the Kendari area and hit airfields in northeastern Celebes. Other B-24 Liberators hit small shipping during a sweep over Brunei Bay, British Brunei, Borneo.

Nine Japanese aircraft raid Pitu and Wama Airfields on Morotai Island, Netherlands East Indies, destroying 15 RAAF and USAAF aircraft on the ground and damaging 29.

CAROLINE ISLANDS: Twenty two USAAF Seventh Air Force B-24 Liberators from Saipan escorted by 22 P-38 Lightnings (the first long-range P-38 escort of Seventh Air Force bombers), bomb airfields on Moen and Param Islands in Truk Atoll.

Aircraft from a USN Task Group 38.4 bomb Japanese air facilities on Yap using napalm, the first time this weapon had been used by carrier-based aircraft.

PACIFIC OCEAN: The British submarine HMS/M Stratagem (P 234) is sunk by a Japanese patrol craft approximately 3 nautical miles (5,6 kilometers) southwest of Malacca, Malaya, in the shallow Strait of Malacca. The bow strikes the bottom and the sub begins flooding. Unable to shut the watertight doors, the crew scuttles the boat. Ten men escape from the stricken boat, though only eight manage to make it to the surface alive and are taken prisoner by the Japanese. Three of the eight are taken to Japan and survived the war; the fate of the other five is unknown.