80 Years Ago, Saturday, 1 July 1944

USN

PACIFIC–Submarine Batfish (SS-310) sinks Japanese guard boats Kamoi Maru and No.5 Isuzugawa Maru northwest of Mariana Islands, 31°26'N, 141°11'E.

            Submarine Tang (SS-306) sinks Japanese fleet tanker No.1 Takatori Maru off Mokpo, Korea, 34°21'N, 123°55'E, and merchant cargo ship No.2 Taiun Maru, 34°42'N, 125°25'E.

            Japanese merchant cargo ship Nikko Maru is sunk by mine, possibly laid by submarine Kingfish (SS-234) on 10 October 1943, off Makassar, 05°38'S, 119°28'E.

 

AAF

EIGHTH AF–325 Heavy Bombers are dispatched to bomb 14 V-weapon sites in N France but are recalled because of clouds. Recall messages by mistake are not sent to 3 squadrons; 2 of these abort on decision of squadron leaders; the other continues on mission and 9 of its planes bomb a V-weapon site at Mont Louis Ferme. P-51’s, relieved of escort duty by recall of Heavy Bombers, claim 5 aircraft destroyed in aerial engagements.

NINTH AF–IX ADC is activated in UK by Ninth AF to provide air defense behind the advancing Allied ground forces in N Europe. CG is Gen Richardson. Weather prevents operations by IX BC. 47 fighters escort Troop Carriers and fly sweeps in Vire area where about 20 fighters bomb tac targets.

TWELFTH AF–Light Bombers and Medium Bombers hit fuel dumps, rail bridges, viaducts, and docks in NC Italy. Fighter Bombers concentrate on road and rail bridges behind battle area, destroy several fighters in combat over Reggio Emilia airfield, and hit guns S of Carsoli.

TENTH AF–8 P-40’s fly ground support missions in Myitkyina area. 2 B-25’s bomb rail targets at Mohnyin and Naba.

FOURTEENTH AF–B-25’s and Fighter Bombers again pound targets throughout Tungting Lake region. River shipping is attacked on large scale at numerous locations and 250-300 trucks are strafed between Tungcheng and Pingkiang. Hengyang airfield is bombed as are towns of Pingkiang, Hengshan, Liling, and Yuhsien. Pontoon bridge and Japanese positions at Leiyang are also hit. B-24’s lay mines in river at Canton during the night.

FEAF–B-24’s bomb airfield at Namlea and hit shipping throughout the Amboina-Ceram-Boeroe area. Other B- 24’s, B-25’s, A-20’s and Fighter Bombers hit airfield, AA guns, bivouacs, supplies, and Japanese defenses on Noemfoor I in preparation for Allied landings on 2 Jul. airfield at Manokwari is also bombed. Bombers and fighters continue to pound Wewak coastal area; many of the strikes are in conjunction with Navy PT boats. A few B-24’s on armed recon bomb targets on Yap and Peleliu.

SEVENTH AF–P-47’s fly bombing and strafing missions over Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. B-24’s, staging through Eniwetok, hit Truk during 1/2 Jul and follow up with another raid during the day. Makin-based B-25’s bomb Ponape.

ELEVENTH AF–At dawn 4 B-24’s radar-bomb southern Shimushu and Kurabu Cape airfield through overcast.

 

USA

FRANCE—21 Army Group: U.S. First Army’s Field Order No. I, as amended, prescribes general offensive to be opened on 3 July by VIII Corps on W flank of army and extended progressively eastward by other corps upon order. In VII Corps area, organized resistance on Cherbourg Peninsula ceases as 9th Div pushes to tip of Cap de la Hague. V Corps improves positions slightly in limited attack by elements of 38th Inf, 2d Div. Br Second Army repels determined counterattacks against its salient between Tilly-sur-Seulles and Caen. 30 and 8 Corps, supported by massed arty concentrations, throw enemy back and inflict heavy tank losses.

USSR—Third White Russian troops take Borisov by storm.

ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps area, 34th Div’s 133d Inf gets forward elements to Cecina R and clears Cecina town; 135th maintains its small bridgehead E of Cecina despite enemy efforts to destroy it; 168th crosses 3d Bn over the Cecina on div right flank before dawn. 1st Armd Div makes limited progress on right flank of corps: CCA, on E, is near Casole d’Elsa, where enemy is disposed for strong defense. FEC pushes forward toward Siena.

In Br Eighth Army area, 10 Corps, which is virtually out of contact with enemy, replaces 6th Armd Div in line with Ind 10th Div. 9th Armd Brig is arriving.

NEW GUINEA—As TF 77 (Adm Fechteler), consisting of most of combat elements of VII Amphib Force, U.S. Seventh Fleet, plus Aus units, steams toward Noemfoor with TF CYCLONE, Allied aircraft pound the island with over 200 tons of bombs, continuing a program of aerial bombardment of enemy bases there and on Vogelkop Peninsula. On Biak, TF HURRICANE begins aggressive patrolling to prevent enemy remnants from organizing for guerrilla warfare. In Wakde-Sarmi area, to insure safety of Maffin Bay staging sector, TF TORNADO begins clearing inland between the Woske and Tor Rivers. 1st Inf pushes along coast to the Woske.

SAIPAN—VAC drives toward next phase line, 0–7, which extends across northern neck of Saipan. On W flank of corps, 2d Mar Div gains about 800 yards in center and on right. In center, 27th Div gains about 600 yards on left and 400 on right against moderate opposition. 4th Mar Div maintains positions on right flank of corps and patrols uneventfully.

U.S.—Gen Marshall asks Gen Stilwell for his reaction to a possible split of CBI into two theaters, with Gen Sultan commanding in Burma and Gen Stilwell leading Chinese forces in China proper.

USMC