World War II Database

• Home
• » Events
• » WW2 Timeline
• » 12 Dec 1944

• US Third Army captured the V-rocket factory at Wittring in eastern France. ww2dbase [TH]
• The American invasion fleet for Mindoro, Philippine Islands set sail. ww2dbase [Philippines Campaign, Phase 2 | CPC]
• After sundown, USS Pintado sank Japanese Transport No. 12 and Japanese Transport No. 104 in the Luzon Strait between Taiwan and the Philippine Islands, hitting them with three of six torpedoes fired. ww2dbase [Pintado | CPC]
• Roza Shanina was wounded in the right shoulder by a German sniper. ww2dbase [Roza Shanina | CPC]
• USS Bailey departed San Francisco bound for San Diego, California for a period of refresher training. ww2dbase [Bailey | DS]

• German destroyer Z35 and Z36, while laying mines, accidentally sailed into the existing "Nashorn" minefield 2.5 nautical miles further north of their intended position off the Estonian coast. Z36 struck a mine at 0152 hours and Z35 struck another at 0200 hours. Both sank. 70 survivors of Z35 were rescued by the Soviets, while all aboard Z36 were lost. ww2dbase [Z36 | Z35 | Gulf of Finland | CPC]

• Allied troops attacked the Arakan region of Burma. ww2dbase [Third Battle of Arakan | Arakan | CPC]

• German pilot Willi Kriessmann ferried an Ar 234 jet bomber from Hamburg, Germany to German Luftwaffe bomber group Kampfgeschwader 76. ww2dbase [Ar 234 Blitz | CPC]
• The USAAF 306th Bomb Group flying from RAF Thurleigh launched a bombing raid against the synthetic oil facilities at Merseburg, Germany. ww2dbase [Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | RAF Thurleigh | Merseburg | DS]

• Brazilian troops attacked Monte Della Torraca southwest of Bologna, Italy. ww2dbase [Battle of Monte Castello | Monte Castello, Emilia-Romagna | CPC]

• USS Preston guarded carriers while the carriers launched strikes against Luzon, Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [Preston (Fletcher-class) | CPC]

• Landing ship No. 159 was sunk by US Army tanks and artillery at Ormoc Bay, Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [No. 101/103-class | Ormoc Bay | CPC]
• USS Nashville sailed from San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf, Philippines as flagship for RAdm A.D. Struble's Task Group 78.3 bound for the invasion of Mindoro Island. ww2dbase [Philippines Campaign, Phase 1, the Leyte Campaign | Nashville | San Pedro Bay, Leyte Gulf | DS]

• Dwight Eisenhower arrived in London, England, United Kingdom and secured Winston Churchill's agreement on Eisenhower's strategy for the war in Europe for the foreseeable future. ww2dbase [Dwight Eisenhower | London, England | CPC]
• B-17 bomber 'Devil's Own', piloted by Lieutenant John E. DeWitt, landed at RAF Debach in eastern England, United Kingdom with a burning engine. Moments after he and his crew safely evacuated the aircraft, the fire detonated its bomb load, destroying the aircraft and damaging nearby facilities. ww2dbase [Debach Airfield | Woodbridge, England | CPC]

12 Dec 1944 Interactive Map