http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1943/oct1943/f24oct43.htm
Allies bomb Japanese base on New Britain
Sunday, October 24, 1943 www.onwar.com
American bombardment of Rabaul [photo at link]
In the Bismark Archipelago... Allied aircraft raid Rabaul, New Britain Island, for a second time in two days. One Japanese destroyer and five merchant ships have been sunk in the raids.
In Italy... Elements of the US 5th Army capture Sant’Angelo.
http://www.etherit.co.uk/month/thismonth/24.htm
October 24th, 1943 (SUNDAY)
NETHERLANDS: During the night of 24/25 October, RAF Bomber Command Stirlings and Wellingtons lay mines in two areas: six drop mines in the Frisian Islands and five lay mines off Texel Island without loss.
FRANCE: Two hundred USAAF Ninth Air Force B-26 Marauders bomb Nivillers at Beauvais, and airfields at Montdidier and Saint-Andre-de-L’Eure.
During the night of 24/25 October, four USAAF Eighth Air Force bombers drop leaflets over the country without loss.
GERMANY: During the night of 24/25 October, RAF Bomber Command attack six targets in the Ruhr area: five bomb Emden, four each hit Cologne and Dusseldorf, two attack the Krupps steel factory in Rheinhausen and one each attack Dortmund and the Buderich castings factory in Dusseldorf.
AUSTRIA: USAAF XII Bomber Command B-24 Liberators attack two targets: 23 bomb aviation industry targets at Wiener-Neustadt and 12 hit the marshalling yard at Ebenfurth.
U.S.S.R.: The Soviet Army achieves a breakthrough on the Dnepr River and captures Melitopol.
ITALY: In the U.S. Fifth Army’s VI Corps area, the 133d Infantry Regiment of the 34th Infantry Division takes St. Angelo and commanding ground beyond without opposition.
USAAF Twelfth Air Force medium bombers bomb Tirana Airfield, a railroad bridge north of Orvieto, and a viaduct at Terni. Aircraft of the USAAF XII Air Support Command, Northwest African Tactical Bomber Force (NATBF) and RAF Desert Air Force attack communications and shipping targets, hitting vessels, vehicles, trains, roads, bridges, and the town areas in and around Formia, Sora, Chieti, Minturno, Sessa Aurunca, Popoli, Terracina, between Ancona-Pedaso, Frosolone (just before it is taken by allied ground forces).
During the night of 24/25 October, 70 RAF bombers of No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group attack the airfield at Guidonia.
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: Whilst carrying 200 soldiers to reinforce the garrison on Leros, destroyer HMS Eclipse is mined East of Kalymnos at 37 01N 27 11E. There are 140+ casualties. (Alex Gordon)(108)
Corvette HMS Hyacinth loaned from Royal Navy at Alexandria and renamed HS Apostolis. Operated in the Mediterranean and during the Greek Civil War.
U-453 laid a field of 23 mines off Brindisi (Italy); the minefield did not account for any sinkings.
BURMA: Eight USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb Htawgaw while on a ferry flight over the Hump.
FRENCH INDOCHINA; Fourteen USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-24 Liberators and 13 P-40s attack a barracks area at Co Bi, Vietnam.
NEW GUINEA: USAAF Fifth Air Force A-20 Havocs attack Japanese positions in the Lae area of Northeast New Guinea and B-24 Liberators carry out a light attack on Manokwari in Dutch New Guinea.
BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: At least 45 USAAF Fifth Air Force bombers are destroyed on the ground at Vunakanau (West Airfield, Rabaul Upper ), Rapopo, and Tobera Airfields on New Britain Island during attacks by 50+ B-25 Mitchells; the B-25s and 50+ escorting P-38 Lightnings claim 40+ Japanese airplanes shot down.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: Thirty six USAAF Thirteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells, along with 24 Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) (P-40) Kittyhawks and four USN F4U Corsairs, in one force, and 20 USAAF fighter and 70+ USN fighters and dive bombers in another force, attack Kahili Airfield on southern Bougainville Island.
PACIFIC OCEAN: 0100 hours: USS Silversides (SS-236) sinks two cargo ships and an armed tanker at 02-00 N, 144-46 E. (Skip Guidry)
In the Solomon Sea, USMC land-based aircraft sink Japanese destroyer HIJMS Mochizuki about 95 nautical miles (176 kilometers) south-southwest of Rabaul, New Britain Island, Bismarck Archipelago, in position 05.42S, 151.40E.
U.S.A.:
Escort carrier USS Rudyerd Bay laid down.
Escort carrier USS Kasaan Bay launched.
Destroyer escort USS Carroll commissioned.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-566 (Type VIIC) is scuttled in the North Atlantic west of Leixoes, at position 41.12N, 09.31W, after being damaged by 6 depth charges from a British Wellington aircraft (Sqdn. 179/A). 49 survivors. (Alex Gordon)
After sinking the ship Siranger, U-155 took aboard the injured third officer of the ship and rendered to him such assistance as was possible on board the U-boat.
The captain of U-505, Kptlt Peter Zschech, committed suicide while under a heavy depth charge attack on 24 Oct. This was the only such case in the war. The IWO, Meyer, saved the boat and brought it back to port.
U-155 sank SS Siranger.