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• Weather data for 20 Nov 1942

• Adolf Hitler relinquished personal command of Armeegruppe A to General Ewald von Kleist. ww2dbase [Main Article | TH]
• British troops entered the city of Benghazi, Libya, and found ports and facilities destroyed by Germans before their withdrawal. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]
• The Alaska-Canadian Highway was dedicated. ww2dbase [CPC]
• HMAS Warramunga (I44) was commissioned into service with Commander E. F. V. Dechaineux in command. ww2dbase [AC]

• While escorting Allied convoy QP-15, a severe storm severed the stem of Soviet destroyer Sokrushitelny, killing six men. Most of the officers abandoned ship before the crewmen; the captain was shot for cowardice and the executive officer was sent to a penal battalion. The same storm also seriously damaged Soviet destroyer Baku. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]
• Wing Commander H. D. Fraser led 25 aircraft, nine of which carried torpedoes, from No. 236 Squadron RAF to attack a convoy off the Dutch coast. It was a shambles. The promised fighter escort failed to show up, three Beaufighters were shot down, seven more damaged and two crashed at Donna Nook and North Coates, both of which in Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom. Their only success was to sink a German tug. ww2dbase [AC]

• Repair ship Akashi began repairing light cruiser Isuzu at Truk, Caroline Islands. ww2dbase [Main Article | Tabular Record of Movement | CPC]

• USS Finback arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, ending her second war patrol. ww2dbase [Main Article | Facility | CPC]

• Nachi departed Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan at 0840 hours. ww2dbase [Main Article | Tabular Record of Movement | CPC]

• One day after the first Soviet offensive was launched at Stalingrad, Russia, a second one was launched south of the city against positions held by Romanian 4th Army Corps. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]
• Six He 111 bombers of German Luftwaffe group KG 55 flew an armed reconnaissance mission from their base at Morozovskaya, Russia over Stalingrad, Russia; two aircraft failed to return. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]

• Vice Admiral Takeo Takagi was named the commanding officer of the Mako Guard District at Pescadores islands, Taiwan, which was elevated from its previous position as a third tier naval port. ww2dbase [Main Article | Facility | CPC]

• The 3rd Battalion of the "San Marco" naval infantry regiment of Italian Navy began arriving in Tunisia from Corsica, France. ww2dbase [CPC]
• German paratroop Engineer Battalion "Witzig" and Itlaian 1st Paratroop Battalion were deployed together at Djebel Abjod, Tunisia. ww2dbase [CPC]

• British government scientist Dr. Reginald V. Jones warned Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Intelligence) of possible new German weapons, ie. rockets, that could threaten Britain. ww2dbase [Main Article | CPC]

20 Nov 1942 Interactive Map