UNITED KINGDOM: The decision had been taken today to form the No. 100 Group of the RAF. Its role, under Bomber Command, will be to wage the radio counter-measures war against the German air defences and so reduce bomber casualties. Under Air Vice-Marshal E. B. Addison's command, it will be located at airfields in northern Norfolk, its squadrons being mainly equipped with Halifaxes and Mosquitoes.
Frigate HMS Good Hope laid down.
Frigate HMS Cotton commissioned.
Escort carrier HMS Ranee commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)
GERMANY: Munich: Hitler visited Munich for his annual Beerkellar speech and promised the German people that he would retaliate for the "terror bombing" of the Reich by Britain. "Even if for the present we cannot reach America," he said, "thank God that at least one country is near enough for us to tackle, and on that country we are going to concentrate. The hundreds of thousands of our bombed-out people will become the advance guard of revenge." He appealed to the German people not to lose their nerve and crack. He denounced "scoundrels" who wished for peace.
ITALY: The battles in the US 5th Army sector continue with no success on either side. The British 8th Army reaches the Sangro River high up in the hills.
CANADA: Corvette HMCS Beauharnois laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.A.: Destroyer escorts USS Abercrombie, Coates, Frybarger, Oberrender, Sargent Bay, Vandivier, Wagner laid down.
Escort carrier HMS Puncher launched Tacoma.
Escort carrier USS Kitkun Bay launched.
Destroyer escorts USS Reynolds and Manlove commissioned.
(Dave Shirlaw)