80 Years Ago, Thursday, 6 July 1944

USN

USA–SS John Barry arrives in Philadelphia where she will load 3 million newly minted silver Saudi Rials and $26,000,000 in silver bullion.

PACIFIC–Carrier-based aircraft commence daily bombings of Japanese coastal and antiaircraft guns, supply dumps, and airfield installations on Guam and Rota, Marianas.

            Submarine Cobia (SS-245) sinks Japanese guard boat Takamiya Maru I-Go east of Ogasawara-gunto, 28°54'N,150°50'E.

            Submarine Paddle (SS-263) attacks Japanese convoy northwest of Halmahera, and sinks destroyer Hokaze off SangiIsland, 03°30'N, 125°25'E.

            Submarine Sealion (SS-315) attacks Japanese convoy in East China Sea and sinks merchant passenger/cargo ship Setsuzan Maru off Ningpo, China, 29°55'N, 122°55'E.

            Submarine Tang (SS-306) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Dori Maru in Chosen Bay, 38°50'N, 123°35'E.

CARIBBEAN–U.S. tanker Esso Harrisburg, en route from Cartagena, Colombia, to New York, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-516 at 13°56'N, 70°59'W; four of the 44-man merchant complement and four of the 28-man Armed Guard perish (see 8 July).

 

AAF

EIGHTH AF–231 B-24’s bomb dock area at Kiel during morning while 687 Heavy Bombers bomb 18 V-weapon sites, 7 airfields, a marshalling yard and a highway intersection. 3 Heavy Bombers and 2 fighters are lost. In the late afternoon 220 Heavy Bombers strike 6 Vweapon sites and supply installations, 3 railroad bridges, a highway bridge, and an airfield in N France 471 fighters escort the Heavy Bombers. Afterwards a squadron of P-47’s dive-bombs 3 airfields in Conches area. No aircraft are lost on afternoon mission.

NINTH AF–During the morning around 500 B-26’s and A-20’s bomb bridges and rail lines at 8 locations in France. In afternoon 5 targets are attacked, including bridges, fuel dumps, railroad tracks, and V-weapon location. Over 15 fighter groups escort bombers, fly armed recon of rail lines, roads, and marshalling yards, damaging or destroying tracks, trains, tunnel, building, and supply dump. Fighters also cover beach and bomb and strafe troop concentrations and gun positions.

TWELFTH AF–A-20’s hit ammo ship at La Spezia during 5/6 Jul and continue attacks on fuel supplies during the day. Medium Bombers again hit comm, concentrating on bridges N of battleline, and attack enemy warehouses and HQ. Fighter Bombers hit rail lines (with especially good results between Viareggio and Massa Lombarda ) and damage several bridges just N of battle area as US Fifth Army continues clearing Rosignano and takes Castellina Marittima and Mount Vaso.

FIFTEENTH AF–530-plus B-17’s and B-24’s attack Verona marshalling yard, Bergamo steel works, Avisio viaduct, Tagliamento- Casarsa della Delizia railroad bridge, Aviano oil and gasoline storage, Porto Marghera oil storage, and Trieste oil refinery. P-51’s and P-38’s provide escort.

TENTH AF–12 P-40’s attack bridge near Myitkyina while 40-plus others support ground forces in the area. Several other P-40’s attack Maingna, barracks at Sahmaw, train at Taungni, and troops at Sakangyi. 6 B-25’s bomb Maingna and 2 hit Mohnyin.

FOURTEENTH AF–B-25’s, P-40’s, and P-51’s continue to pound river shipping, bridges, troop concentrations, road traffic, and general targets of opportunity throughout wide area around Tungting Lake and along the Yangtze. Hit particularly hard are town area and supply depot at Sinshih. B-25’s near Burma border cause considerable damage at Tengchung and drop supplies to Chinese ground forces on Salween front, and during 6/7 Jul bomb Tien Ho airfield at Canton.

FEAF–B-25’s, A-20’s, and Fighter Bombers continue to pound Wewak area, concentrating on troops S of Matapau. B-25’s and Fighter Bombers sweep N coast of Vogelkop Peninsula and offshore islands, hitting targets of opportunity. Other Fighter Bombers hit Manokwari area and buildings at Ransiki, Moari, and Oransbari. airfields, gun positions, comm targets, and supply dumps in area around Babo are hit by B-24’s, A-26’s, A-20’s, and P-38’s. B-24’s bomb town and warehouse area of Yap and a few hit airfield at Woleai.

TWENTIETH AF–Gen Saunders becomes CG XX BC.

SEVENTH AF–P-47’s bomb and strafe forces on Saipan, Rota, and Tinian. B-24’s, staging through Eniwetok, pound Truk during 5/6 Jul and follow with another raid during the day. B-25’s, based at Makin, hit Nauru.

 

USA

FRANCE—21 Army Group: U.S. Third Army establishes hq in France at Nehou. Corps assigned to it are: VIII (now with U.S. First Army), XII, XV, and XX. In U.S. First Army area, VIII Corps continues to close in on La Haye-du-Puits, which is nearly enveloped, but enemy is putting up a staunch defense. VII Corps commits 4th Div to W of 83d as attack toward Priers continues against unabated opposition.

USSR—Elements of First White Russian Front occupy Kovel, from which Germans have withdrawn.

ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps area, 135th Inf of 34th Div continues clearing Rosignano; 168th breaks into Castellina and takes it; cuts road from there to Chianni; 363d overruns Hill 634 (M. Vase) NE of Castellina. In Br Eighth Army area, 13 Corps is still meeting strong opposition below Arezzo, but 4th Div takes Poggio all’Olmo. 10 Corps advances rapidly until halted by new enemy delaying line. In Pol 2 Corps area, 3d Carpathian Div seizes Osima.

NEW GUINEA—On Noemfoor, after naval and air preparation, 2d Bn of 158th Inf makes amphibious assault on Namber airfield and takes it without opposition by 1240. Arty liaison plane lands there soon afterward. Aus P–40 sq arrives at Kamiri airdrome for operations. Vigorous patrolling of Noemfoor discloses few enemy. On Biak, loudspeakers are moved into East Caves in effort to induce Japanese to surrender. The few remaining alive are found to have abandoned their positions there. RCT 124 of 31st Div completes movement to Aitape from Oro Bay.

MARIANAS—In preparation for invasion of Guam, Gen Holland Smith attaches 77th Div to III Amphib Corps.

SAIPAN—After futile attempt by 27th Div to draw abreast 4th Mar Div, new orders are issued at 0900. 27th Div zone is limited in W coastal area to point just beyond Makunsha village; extends inland to include valley running S of it, dubbed Paradise Valley, and Harakiri Gulch. Marines are given responsibility for rest of island to NE. Some progress is made toward Makunsha on left, but efforts to overrun Harakiri Gulch and push to coast via Paradise Valley are largely futile. 4th Mar Div attacks with 23d, 24th, and 25th Regts abreast, from left to right, in expanded zone, making rapid progress against sporadic resistance except on left, where 23d Marines is strongly opposed while attempting to push into Paradise Valley from W and is out of contact with 24th Marines. 24th Marines gains 1,400–1,800 yards. 25th Marines moves quickly up E coast, assisted by naval gunfire, to Mt. Petosukara; accepts surrender of 700–800 civilians.

U.S.—President Roosevelt, accepting recommendations of JCS of 4th, radios Chiang Kai-shek as suggested.

 

USMC

Southern Attack Force begins naval bombardment of Guam.