Sicily Campaign Over

TUE 17 AUG 1943
QUADRANT Conference at Quebec, Canada, begins with President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill and the Combined Chiefs of Staff to discuss worldwide strategy, with the principal concern to eliminate Italy from the war.

Pacific
Destroyers Waller (DD-466) and Philip (DD-498) are damaged by collision off Barakoma, Solomons, 08°11'S, 156°43'E, while defending convoy against Japanese air attack.

USAAF B-24s damage Japanese cargo vessel Amagisan Maru off Balikpapan.

Atlantic
Portugal agrees to grant bases in the Azores to Great Britain.

Mediterranean
Army troops enter Messina terminating the campaign in Sicily. Commander Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 15 (Lieutenant E.A. Dubose, USNR), after unopposed landings from motor torpedo boats PT-215, PT-216 and PT-217 on islands of Lipari and Stromboli, accepts the unconditional surrender of the Lipari Islands (Alicudi, Filicudi, Vulcano, Stromboli, Salina and Lipari). Destroyer Trippe (DD-403) covers the operation.

Infantry landing craft LCI-1 is sunk by aircraft off Bizerte, Tunisia.