Today in World War II History—December 17, 1942

Mount Austen overlooking Henderson Field on Guadalcanal (US Army Center of Military History)
80 Years Ago—Dec. 17, 1942: In Libya, British Eighth Army under Montgomery takes El Agheila.
US, Britain, and ten Allied governments-in-exile issue a declaration condemning “German Policy of Extermination of the Jewish Race.”
US begins offensive on Guadalcanal toward Mount Austen, which dominates the island.
The Volga River freezes, allowing Soviets to supply Stalingrad.
Movie premiere of Random Harvest, starring Ronald Colman and Greer Garson.