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• » 3 Jul 1943

• Germans launched Operation Citadel, aimed at encircling and destroying Soviet forces in the Orel-Belgorod salient in Russia. Soviet air activity had delayed the launch by one day. ww2dbase [Battle of Kursk | TH]
• Köln, Germany suffered a heavy air raid. ww2dbase [Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | TH]
• Ann Baumgartner graduated from the Women Airforce Service Pilots training program. ww2dbase [Ann Baumgartner | CPC]
• The prototype aircraft XP-47K was completed. This aircraft incorporated the all-round-vision bubble-type canopy of a Hawker Typhoon, which was soon adopted as standard on all later production models of the P-47D. ww2dbase [P-47 Thunderbolt | AC]
• USS Snook began stalking a Japanese convoy off the Ryukyu Islands, Japan. ww2dbase [Snook | CPC]
• USS Scorpion fired six torpedoes at a 5-ship Japanese convoy, sinking cargo ships Anzan Maru and Kokuryu Maru with five hits; she suffered serious damage during the subsequent depth charging. ww2dbase [Scorpion | CPC]
• USS Gunnel ended her second war patrol. ww2dbase [Gunnel | CPC]

• USS S-41 departed Attu, US Territory of Alaska, starting her seventh war patrol. ww2dbase [S-41 | Attu | CPC]

• Japanese bombers attacked supply dumps on Rendova, Solomon Islands, but failed to cause significant damage. To the north, on New Georgia, troops of the 172nd Infantry Regiment of the US Army 43rd Division were landed on Zanana beach. ww2dbase [Solomon Islands Campaign | CPC]
• Cruisers USS Honolulu, USS Helena, USS St. Louis with destroyers USS Nicholas, USS Strong, USS Chevalier, and USS O’Bannon arrived at Tulagi, Solomon Islands. ww2dbase [Nicholas | St. Louis | Honolulu | Walden Ainsworth | Helena (St. Louis-class) | Tulagi, Solomon Islands | DS]

• Lorraine departed Suez, Egypt. ww2dbase [Lorraine | Suez | CPC]
• Duquesne departed Alexandria, Egypt. ww2dbase [Duquesne | Alexandria | CPC]

• Italians raised destroyed French cruiser Dupleix at Toulon, France. ww2dbase [Toulon Military Port | Dupleix | Toulon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | CPC]
• The German SS organization took direct control of Drancy internment camp in Paris, France, installing Alois Brunner as the commandant. ww2dbase [Alois Brunner | Drancy Concentration Camp | Discovery of Concentration Camps and the Holocaust | Paris | CPC]

• No. 132 Squadron RAF, flying Spitfire VB and IXB fighters, arrived at RAF Newchurch in southern England, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [RAF Newchurch | Newchurch, England | CPC]

3 Jul 1943 Interactive Map