In Italy… On the Salerno beachhead, German General von Vietinghoff orders a renewed attack on the positions of the British 10th Corps between Salerno and Battipaglia. The attack fails. By midday, Field Marshal Kesselring, commanding the German forces in Italy, authorizes a withdrawal to the Volturno line. During the day, patrols of the US 5th Army and the British 8th Army make contact. In the afternoon the British battleship Warspite is seriously damaged by two German glider bombs.

In the Mediterranean… In the Aegean Sea, British forces occupy the islands of Leros and Samos.

On the Eastern Front… Soviet forces capture Novgorod Seversky and Romny to the north and south of Konotop. Soviet forces continue to advance toward Kiev. Soviet forces also capture the railroad junction of Lozovaya, northeast of Pavlograd. In the Caucasus, Soviet forces occupy Novorossiysk on the Kuban Peninsula.

In New Guinea… In converging attacks, the Australian 7th and 9th Divisions capture Lae. Many of the Japanese garrison escape into the jungle, heading north to the Huon Peninsula. The Japanese lose many aircraft in a raid on Wewak.

In Occupied Greece… At Cephalonia, the Italian “Acqui” Division resists German forces seeking to disarm it.