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• American troops captured Gafsa, Tunisia and British 36th Brigade engaged German forces at Djebel Abiod, Tunisia. German General Walter Nehring arrived in Tunis, Tunisia to lead a counterattack against the Allies. The Italians formally absorbed the French Protectorate of Tunisia into the borders of Italian North Africa. ww2dbase [Advance into Tunisia | CPC]
• British Admiral Sir Max Horton was appointed the Commander-in-Chief of Western Approaches Command. ww2dbase [AC]
• Archibald Wavell gave up the amphibious component to the planned assault on Arakan Peninsula, Burma (largely due to the lack of landing craft, the majority of which were assigned to Operation Torch in North Africa and to the Pacific Theater), and told Noel Irwin to focus on ground assault through Mayu Hills only. ww2dbase [First Battle of Arakan | CPC]
• USS Bailey arrived at Dutch Harbor, Alaska. ww2dbase [Bailey | DS]
• USS Nicholas and USS Gwin arrived at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. ww2dbase [Nicholas | DS]
• Battleship USS Indiana, cruiser USS Columbia, and destroyers USS Saufley, and USS DeHaven crossed the equator bound for Tonga in the South Pacific. ww2dbase [Columbia | Alfredo Oriani | Saufley | Line Crossing Ceremony | 98 | DS]

• The Americans launched ten bombers to attack Rabaul, New Britain, but due to stormy weather only five of them arrived over the Japanese base, and only one was successful in dropping its payload, hitting nothing. One of the ten airfield failed to return after the mission, having disappeared en route. ww2dbase [Rabaul, New Britain | CPC]

• Allied troops advanced in Australian Papua towards Buna and Gona. Meanwhile, the 3rd Battalion of Japanese 229th Infantry Regiment and 300 reinforcements landed near Gona. ww2dbase [New Guinea-Papua Campaign, Phase 2 | CPC, AC]

• Repair ship Akashi began repairing destroyer Ikazuchi at Truk, Caroline Islands. ww2dbase [Akashi | Truk | CPC]

• The Stoneage convoy departed Alexandria, Egypt for Malta. ww2dbase [Malta Campaign | AC]

• Alpino Bagnolini arrived at Le Verdon-sur-Mer, Aquitaine, France at 1109 hours, ending her nineth war patrol. At 1140 hours, she departed Le Verdon-sur-Mer, arriving at Bordeaux, France at 1537 hours. ww2dbase [Alpino Bagnolini | Le Verdon-sur-Mer, Aquitaine | CPC]
• The USAAF 306th Bomb Group flying from RAF Thurleigh launched a bombing raid against the German submarine facilities at Saint Nazaire, France. ww2dbase [Bombing of Cities in France and Low Countries | RAF Thurleigh | Saint Nazaire | DS]

• Chuichi Nagumo was granted audience with Emperor Showa. ww2dbase [Chuichi Nagumo | CPC]

• Allied convoy QP-15 departed Kola Inlet near Murmansk, Russia. It was consisted of 28 freighters and was escorted by one anti-aircraft vessel, five minesweepers, four corvettes, and two destroyers. ww2dbase [Arctic Convoys | Murmansk | CPC]

• British Admiral Max Horton was appointed Commander-in-Chief Western Approaches Command with his Headquarters at Northways, North London, England, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [London, England | AC]

• French Ambassador to the United States Gaston Henri-Haye arrived at Hotel Hershey, his place of internment, in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States. ww2dbase [Hotel Hershey | Hershey, Pennsylvania | CPC]
• Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier USS Bogue departed Puget Sound, Washington bound for San Diego, California. ww2dbase [Bogue | Puget Sound, Washington | DS]

17 Nov 1942 Interactive Map