Today in World War II History—March 5, 1943

Auxiliary carrier USS Bogue (ACV-9) underway near Norfolk, VA, 20 June 1943 (US Navy photo: 80-G-71314)
80 Years Ago—Mar. 5, 1943: RAF sends 442 bombers to Essen, Germany, opening the Battle of the Ruhr—43 major raids through June.
Maiden flight of first RAF jet aircraft, the Gloster Meteor.
In convoy XK-2 off Cape Finisterre, German U-boat U-130 sinks four British freighters with a single salvo of four torpedoes.
Auxiliary carrier USS Bogue begins escort of convoy HX-228 in North Atlantic, the first time Allies assign this class of ship to antisubmarine operations as a primary duty.