Today in World War II History—Jan. 3, 1944

Senior staff of the US 7th Marines on Cape Gloucester, New Britain, 10 Jan 1944. (US Marine Corps photo)

Top US Marine ace, Maj. Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, is shot down in his F4U by a Japanese Zero near Rabaul, but he survives the war as a POW.

In the Solomons, US launches offensive on New Britain from Cape Gloucester.