80 Years Ago, Saturday, 24 June 1944

USN

Pacific

Japanese planes conclude night high-level bombing attack on U.S. amphibious shipping off Saipan. Battle damage repair ship Phaon (ARB-3), submarine chasers PC(S)-1401 and PC(S)-1461, and tank landing craft LCT-998 are all damaged by near-misses.

Aircraft from carrier task groups (Rear Admiral Joseph J. Clark and Rear Admiral Alfred E. Montgomery) strike Japanese airfields and facilities on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, and Pagan Island, Marianas.

Motor torpedo boat PT-193, irreparably damaged by grounding, western New Guinea, 00°55'S, 134°52'E, is burned by her crew.

Submarine Grouper (SS-214) attacks Japanese convoy off coast of central Japan, and sinks cargo ship Kumanoyama Maru and merchant tanker No.6 Nanmei Maru south of Yokosuka, 34°45'N, 139°30'E.

Submarine Redfin (SS-272) attacks Japanese convoy off southern coast of Leyte, and sinks army cargo ship Aso Maru southwest of Surigao Strait, 09°51'N, 125°06'E.

Submarine Tang (SS-306) attacks Japanese convoy leaving Koshiki Straits, and sinks army cargo ships Tamahoko Maru and Kennichi Maru, and merchant tanker Nasuzan Maru and cargo ship Tainan Maru outside Nagasaki harbor, Kyushu, 32°24'N, 129°38'E. Coast Defense Vessel No.1 does not prove fast enough to pursue Tang to counterattack.

Atlantic

TBM (VC 69) from escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) sinks Japanese submarine I-52, 800 miles southwest of Fayal, Azores, 15°16'N, 39°55'W.

AAF

Eighth AF

During the morning 317 B-17’s bomb dock area, aircraft factory, steelworks, and coke oven plant at Bremen, and shipyard, railroad station and warehouses at Warnemunde. 6 fighter groups provide escort: 1 group strafes airfield and rail transport in the Munster and Hamm areas. A second force of 334 B-24’s attack targets in France, including railway bridges at Saumur and Tours/La Riche, airfields and landing strip at Toussus-Le-Noble, Orleans/Bricy, Chateaudun, and Foret-de-Bourse, and targets of opportunity at Conches, Dreux, and Pont-Audemer. 288 fighters fly escort, part of which afterwards strafe road and rail transport, destroying 4 locomotives and a rail tank car, along with 4 enemy fighters in aerial combat. 4 Heavy Bombers and 1 fighter are lost, all to AA fire. 145 Heavy Bombers airborne to attack 12 CROSSBOW sites in Pas de Calais area are prevented by overcast from bombing the sites, but 12 fly S and release bombs near the industrial area of Rouen losing 1 B-17 to AA fire. During the afternoon 163 Heavy Bombers attack 5 electrical stations, 7 V-weapon sites, Saint-Pol-sur-Mer marshalling yards, and a missile platform. 118 sorties are flown by supporting fighters which, after Heavy Bombers withdraw, attack ground targets destroying 1 airplane a locomotive, and a truck.

Ninth AF

430-plus B-26’s and A-20’s attack targets in France, including 4 gun positions, 3 V-weapon sites, 3 fuel dumps, 2 marshalling yards, and a railroad bridge. Over 200 transports fly supplies to the Continent. 11 fighter groups provide escort, attack fuel dumps, rail targets and bridges W of Paris and S of the Loire, and fly armed recon S of Cherbourg Peninsula and SW of Paris.

Twelfth AF

Weather cancels Medium Bomber operations. Fighter Bomber activity is restricted but P-47’s attack several bridges, railway lines, guns, and other targets in Lucca area and other points along and N of battleline.

Fifteenth AF

335 B-17’s and B-24’s bomb railroad repair depot at Craiova, railroad bridge at Piatra, and oil refinery at Ploesti. 33 P-51’s sweep Ploesti-Bucharest area while other P-51’s, P-38’s, and P-47’s fly 220-plus sorties in support of Heavy Bombers. Heavy Bombers and fighters claim over 20 aircraft shot down. 10 US airplanes are downed and several others are missing.

Tenth AF

11 B-24’s fly gasoline to Kamaing while 35 B-25’s supply Imphal with ammo. 60-plus A-36’s, P-51’s, P- 40’s, and P-38’s attack Myitkyina, Mogaung, Mawlaik-Kin area, Pinbaw, and Hopin.

Fourteenth AF

60-plus P-40’s and P-38’s bomb towns of Siangsiang and Yuankiang, attack cav forces in Hengyang area, and damage a pontoon bridge between Tungcheng and Pingkiang. 4 B-25’s and a few P-40’s knock out bridge N of Chenghsien.

FEAF Fifth AF and RAAF airplanes continue to blast stores, personnel areas, roads, and bridges in general area of Wewak. B-25’s, A-26’s, and A-20’s hit enemy positions in caves E of Mokmer airfield, attack shipping in Babo area (on MacCluer Gulf), and bomb Kamiri and Kornasoren airfields. Heavy Bombers, Medium Bombers, and fighters, along with other Allied airplanes, hit Tobera airfield, AA guns at Wunapope, and buildings at Nordup.

Seventh AF

P-47’s, based on Saipan, strafe remnants of enemy forces on the island and also hit forces left on Tinian.

Eleventh AF

3 B-24’s at dawn bomb area N of airfield at Kurabu Cape. Later 2 B-25’s fly a negative shipping search.

USA

FRANCE—21 Army Group: In U.S. First Army area, VII Corps closes in on Cherbourg. While 9th Div’s 60th Inf clears N flank, 47th and 39th Regts move in on the city, 47th toward Equeurdreville fort and Redoute des Fourches and 39th toward Octeville. In 79th Div zone, 314th Inf overruns La Mare à Canards and pushes toward Fort du Roule, while 313th, to right, keeps abreast and takes Hameau Gringer; 315th, on div left, is still clearing Hardinvast region, far to rear. 12th Inf continues to make main effort of 4th Div. Reinforced by bn of 22d, the regt overcomes strong resistance in Digosville area and enters Tourlaville unopposed at night. 8th Inf reduces strong positions E of La Glacerie, on div left. 22d Inf, on div right, contains enemy in Maupertus area. 3d Armd Div, XIX Corps, arrives on Continent.

ITALY—AAI: 1st Motorized Div is the first of the French units to leave Italy for Operation ANVIL. In Fifth Army area, IV Corps continues northward against strong rear-guard opposition, 117th Cav Rcn Sq on coast overrunning Follonica. In FEC area, Guillaume Group, reinf with light armor, crosses Ombrone R in order to continue advance in contact with 1st Armd Div of IV Corps.

In Br Eighth Army area, 13 Corps opens concerted drive northward with 3 divs. 78th Div, on 13 Corps right flank, establishes bridgehead across Pescia R with infantry, but armor is unable to follow. In center, 4th Div battles in vain for Vaiano throughout day; Germans abandon the hamlet, night 24–25. S African 6th Armd Div continues to meet stubborn opposition on left flank of 13 Corps at Chiusi. In 10 Corps area, enemy has shortened his line, which now runs through Magione, in order to shift armor W to oppose 13 Corps. Br progress up the Tiber Valley is very slow because of mountainous terrain.

NEW GUINEA—On Biak, TF HURRICANE cuts exits from the Teardrop. 2d Bn, 186th Inf, moves N and E to reach NW corner; Co K of 163d Inf blocks N exits and Co C, 163d, guards E side. In Wakde-Sarmi area, TF TORNADO begins outflanking attacks on Lone Tree Hill. Cos K and L, 1st Inf, move by sea to coast just W of the hill and establish small beachhead; try in vain to push inland to clear W side of the hill. 2d and 3d Bns, 20th Inf, assisted by Co L of 1st, make slow progress against numerous enemy defenses on top of the hill and open supply route. Co M, 1st Inf, moves along coast to assist.

SAIPAN—On W flank of V Amph Corps, 2d Marines of 2d Mar Div reaches 0–6 line at S outskirts of Garapan, where the regt must remain for some days awaiting units to right. 6th Marines is battling enemy strongpoint N of Mt. Tipo Pale. On div right, 8th Marines, reinf by bn of 29th Marines, reaches ridge within MG range of top of Mt. Tapotchau. 27th Div’s zone is broadened eastward as 165th Inf is given responsibility for clearing valley E of Purple Heart Ridge; 106th Inf alone is thus responsible for clearing Death Valley. Further efforts of 27th Div to move forward are futile. 4th Mar Div veers E to clear Kagman Peninsula, 23d Marines pivoting about 24th Marines. Gap develops between marines and 27th Div because of turning movement. Against moderate resistance, div overruns Laulau and Chacha villages. Failure of 27th Div to advance, despite urging of Gen Holland Smith, results in replacement of its commander, Gen Ralph Smith. Maj Gen Sanderford Jarman, Island Commander, assumes command temporarily, pending arrival of a permanent commander. Gen Jarman’s chief of staff takes control of 27th Div elements on S Saipan, where no progress is made during day, and the force on Mt. Nafutan is recalled.

USMC

2d Marines reach outskirts of Garapan.

U. S. Navy carrier task force again hits Volcano-Bonin Islands, including Iwo Jima