UNITED KINGDOM: London: The disagreement between the Allies over the future of Poland emerged strongly from Winston Churchill's speech in the House of Commons today. Official sources later emphasised the urgency of the prime minister's plea for a settlement. It is hoped that his speech, in which he deplored the lack of a clear American pronouncement on the Russo-Polish issue, may have an effect in Washington. It is felt that the danger of a rift between the Allies is too great to be left for attention at some time in the indefinite future.
Major Alton Glenn Miller, s/n 0505273, Director of the USAAF band, aboard a Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman aircraft disappears. Major Miller was enroute from England to Paris to arrange a Christmas show for the troops in France.
It was raining and the temperature was 34F (1.1C) when the aircraft took off with three people aboard, the pilot, Warrant Officer Morgan, Miller and Lieutenant Colonel Norman F. Baesell who was flying to Paris in General Goodrich's private plane so that Baesell could pick up some champagne for the holidays.
The UC-64A, a single engine, high-wing monoplane that could carry nine people, did not have deicing equipment. There have been a lot of theories and stories over the years but I still believe the aircraft iced up and went down into the Channel.
Although overage, and therefore draft exempt, Glenn Miller joined the Army in late 1942, was transferred to the US Army Air Forces, and went on to lead one of the greatest bands of the swing era.
NETHERLANDS: SS Fort Maisonneuve (7,128 GRT) Canadian-owned, British-registered merchantman was sunk in the Scheldt Estuary, when she struck a mine. There is no record of loss of life in this incident. (Dave Shirlaw)
GERMANY:
CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Soviet troops cross the border at Sahy.
GREECE: Athens: Tonight the city is once more wracked by artillery and machine-gun fire after a short and brittle pause in which British and Greek politicians strove for a solution to this bloody civil war. British paratroopers are besieged in the Acropolis, moving only at night to avoid snipers. British headquarters have come under fire from 75mm guns As more British tanks move into the city, ELAS strongpoints have come under cannon fire from RAF Spitfires.
BURMA: Chinese troops capture Bhamo, but the Japanese garrison escapes.
Havildar Umrao Singh (b.1920), Royal Indian Artillery, beat off heavy Japanese attacks on his gun, and caused many casualties in at times hand-to-hand fighting. (Victoria Cross)
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: US forces land on both San Augustin and Mindoro Islands. The 24th Division and a parachute
regiment are under command of General Drunckel. They are supported by 3
battleships and 6 escort carriers.
The Mindoro forces have made rapid advances.
The landing on Mindoro took place at 7.35 AM, with the US 24th Division opening
up a nine-mile wide by 11-mile deep front. With the Japanese garrison numbering
only 100, resistance has been light. Objectives include the town of San Jose and
four abandoned airstrips.
With the 24th is an RAAF airfield construction unit - the first Australian troops in the Philippine campaign. MacArthur plans more airstrips on Mindoro to extend US are cover as far north as Lingayen Gulf and Manila Bay, 150 miles away, and make these areas untenable for Japanese shipping. To stop Japanese aircraft from Luzon attacking the Mindoro invasion force, Third Fleet carrier-based planes bombed airfields near Manila three days ago, damaging or destroying 242 enemy planes.
US losses have been greatest at sea. Ships supporting the landings after the 350-mile voyage from Leyte were hit yesterday by fierce tropical storms with 75-foot waves that sank three destroyers drowning 719 men.
Leyte: Allied war correspondents are being banned from reporting Kamikaze suicide attempts by Japanese pilots who have so far crippled a carrier and two destroyers supporting the invasion of Mindoro. The news blackout has been ordered by MacArthur and Admiral Nimitz. They fear that reports of the deck of US warships being dive-bombed will cause panic in the US. They justify the ban on the grounds that it prevents the Japanese from discovering how much damage their pilots inflict.
CANADA:
Ordered, Floating Drydock, steel, to be fabricated in Montreal, by Dominion Bridge Ltd. and to be erected, neither started cancelled 15 Aug 45. a. Dominion Bridge Ltd. Montreal and Vancouver, (1) HMS A.F.D. 92, to be erected by Dominion Bridge Ltd. Vancouver, (2) HMS A.F.D. 93, to be erected by Western Bridge Co. Vancouver. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.A.: Washington: William S. Leahy is promoted to Fleet Admiral. He is the first of four fleet admirals. (Jack McKillop)
Submarines USS Amberjack, Grenadier, Medregal and Pickerel launched. (Dave Shirlaw)