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• USS Franklin provided support for campaign for the invasion of Leyte, Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [Franklin | CPC]
• The "I have returned" speech was made by MacArthur as he landed at Leyte, Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [Douglas MacArthur | CPC]
• Patrol Boat No. 102 anchored in a bay off southern Korea. ww2dbase [Stewart | CPC]
• James Gavin was promoted to the war time rank of major general. ww2dbase [James Gavin | CPC]

• Submarines USS Growler, Hake, and Hardhead departed Fremantle, Australia as a wolfpack bound for the South China Sea. This would be Growler’s eleventh war patrol. ww2dbase [Hardhead | Hake | Growler | Fremantle | DS]

• Casablanca-class escort carrier USS Steamer Bay returned to Seeadler Harbor, Manus, Admiralty Islands. ww2dbase [Steamer Bay | Manus, Admiralty Islands | DS]

• Three TDR drones were launched against Japanese gun positions west of Ballale Island south of Bougainville in the Solomon Islands. One was lost, one made a hit with its bomb but crashed before it can be directed into a beached Japanese freighter serving as an antiaircraft gun platform, and the third scored a bomb hit and crashes into the beached freighter as planned. ww2dbase [TDR | Bougainville | DS]

• Musashi refueled in Brunei Bay. ww2dbase [Musashi | Brunei Bay | CPC]
• Destroyer Yukikaze arrived at Brunei. ww2dbase [Yukikaze | CPC]

• Joseph Stilwell bid his final farewell to Chiang Kaishek at Chiang's home in Chongqing, China. ww2dbase [Chiang Kaishek | Joseph Stilwell | Chongqing | CPC]

• Kumano arrived at Brunei Bay, Borneo as part of Admiral Kurita’s First Raiding Force. ww2dbase [Kumano | Brunei Bay, Borneo | DS]
• Destroyer USS Shaw arrived at Humboldt Bay, Hollandia (now Jayapura), New Guinea. ww2dbase [Shaw | Hollandia, New Guinea | DS]

• Otto Skorzeny arrived in Berlin, Germany. ww2dbase [Otto Skorzeny | Berlin | CPC]
• A Heinkel III (5K+BT) flown by German Air Force pilot Unteroffizier Albert Fleichmann failed to return to base; later it was found that the aircraft had come down at Cloppenburg near Oldenbrg, Germany with the loss of all the crew. ww2dbase [Cloppenburg, Weser-Ems | HM]

• US 88th Division captured Monte Grande, Italy. ww2dbase [Gothic Line Offensive | CPC]

• Landing ship No. 144 was launched. ww2dbase [No. 101/103-class | CPC]

• Yamato refueled in Brunei Bay. ww2dbase [Yamato | Brunei Bay, South China Sea | CPC]

• USS Wasp's aircraft supported the US landings on Leyte, Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [Wasp (Essex-class) | CPC]
• While conducting a shore bombardment in Leyte Gulf, Philippines, USS Honolulu was struck amidships by an aerial torpedo. ww2dbase [Honolulu | Philippines Campaign, Phase 1, the Leyte Campaign | Walden Ainsworth | Leyte Gulf | DS]

• The Soviet Union ordered all Tatar, Greek, and German-language place names in Krym (Crimea), Russia to be given Russian names. ww2dbase [Deportation of Crimean Tatars | Krym | CPC]

• Nachi arrived at Mako, Pescadores Islands with Cruiser Division 21. ww2dbase [Nachi | Mako, Hoko | CPC]

• German V-2 rocket hit Croydon, London, England, United Kingdom, killing 6 and seriously injuring 14. ww2dbase [Vergeltungswaffe 2 | V-Weapons Campaign | London, England | CPC]
• Allied convoy JW-61 departed Liverpool, England, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [Arctic Convoys | Liverpool, England | CPC]

• Test pilot Milo Burcham was killed when the YP-80A jet aircraft he piloted crashed shortly after takeoff in Burbank, California, United States. ww2dbase [P-80 Shooting Star | Burbank Lockheed Aircraft Factory | Burbank, California | CPC]

• Soviet troops and Yugoslavian partisans liberated Belgrade, Yugoslavia in a joint operation known as the Belgrade Offensive; Dubrovnik was captured by Yugoslavian partisans. ww2dbase [Belgrade Strategic Offensive Operation | Belgrade, Serbia | TH]

20 Oct 1944 Interactive Map