Between January 14 and 24, 1943, President Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill meet in Casablanca, Morocco, to map out new war strategies. The Allied forces had landed in North Africa two months earlier and they were slowly gaining in strength and effectiveness. At long last the Allies had the opportunity to initiate operations of their own design, rather than merely react to enemy offensive drives. On January 20, 1943, General H.H. Arnold, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Air Forces, announces that President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill agree with the recommendations of U.S. Air Force commanders and approve around-the-clock bombing raids. This is a significant change from the previous policy of night-time raids only.

As the war powers were deciding policies that would not directly impact the fledgling bomb group for another eight months, the 385th was just beginning its training with ill-equipped and inexperienced personnel. On January 26, 1943, 2nd Air Force Hq, Fort George Wright, Washington, issues orders that the 385th be re-designated the 389th Bombardment Group, with the four squadrons renumbered thus: the 548th becomes the 564th; the 549th becomes the 565th; the 550th becomes the 566th; and the 551st becomes the 567th. Reportedly, it had been overlooked that a 385th Bomb Group had already been established when our 385th was constituted on November 30, 1942, and these orders rectify the error. The change is made official on February 1, 1943.

American workers in war-related industries are ordered to put in a minimum of 48 hours per week to ensure that production is at the highest possible level.

"Colonel Grow, Surgeon of the Eighth Air Force, recognized in 1942 that the morale of combat crew personnel in the European Theater was 'not all that it should be to obtain the maximum efficiency in operational missions.' A major cause for the low morale, he said, was the fact that combat crews realized they could at least theoretically be wiped out in 20 missions if the average loss of 5 percent per mission, then a conservative estimate, was not reduced. He therefore urged that combat crew members be released from operational duty upon completion of 15 missions. Apparently no immediate action was taken on the recommendations. The uncertainty among the men as to the number of missions that would be required of them added to their stress during the winter of 1942-1943, when adequate replacements were not being received or expected for the original groups that were being whittled away by attrition. As a result, morale was at a very low ebb. The mental side of combat hazard began to show up in flying fatigue and combat exhaustion. Group and division surgeons, being in close contact with the men, urged that a definite tour, somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 missions be set immediately. The Central Medical Establishment in a study entitled ‘Morale in Air Crew Members Eighth Bomber Command,’ dated 9 March 1943, recommended the establishment of a definite and fixed combat tour. Eventually, the commanding general [Ira Eaker] approved the recommendations. He announced that 25 missions for bomber crews would constitute a tour of duty. Fighter personnel were granted the same privilege upon the completion of 150 missions or 200 operational hours of flying. The announcement had a very favorable effect upon morale.” Source: Medical Support Army Air Forces in World War II, by Link and Coleman pages 660-661.

Afrika Corps command, Hans Von Arnim, successor to Irwin Rommel, brings the war in North Africa to an end by surrendering his Germany Army. The three-year North African campaign has cost the Axis armies more than a half million casualties.

Stars and Stripes London Edition reports, "The Eighth Air Force has its own insignia to replace the old winged star shoulder flash worn by all men in the U.S. Air Force. The new patch is described officially as 'an ultra-marine blue disc, two and one-half inches in diameter, with a winged number eight of golden orange. The Air Force star is in the lower lobe of the figure eight.' The patch will be worn by all members of the Eighth Air Force. Issue to enlisted men will begin about July 31, and it will be on sale at the PX from August 15. The design was one of several submitted for official acceptance by Major Edward H. Winter of Savannah, Georgia. Major Winter is attached to Eighth Air Force Headquarters, and was helped with the design by Sgt Douglas Salter of Toronto, Canada." Source: Stars and Stripes London Edition.