80 Years Ago, 14 July 1944 Friday

USN

PACIFIC–PB4Ys (VB 109) bomb Iwo Jima in the first strike by land-based planes on that Japanese island base.

            Supported by two destroyers and four infantry landing craft (gunboat), Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) 3, in highspeed transport Dickerson (APD-21), begins reconnoitering prospective landing beaches at Asan, Guam.

            Destroyer escort William C. Miller (DE-259) sinks Japanese submarine RO-48, 75 miles east of Saipan, 15°18'N,144°26'E, and teams with high-speed transport Gilmer (APD-11) to sink Japanese submarine I-6 70 miles west of Tinian, 15°18'N, 144°26'E.

            Submarine Sand Lance (SS-381) attacks Japanese convoy in the Banda Sea, sinking gunboat Taik_ Maru east of Salajar, 05°56'S, 121°34'E.

            Aircraft damage Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.12 off Bonins.

 

AAF

EIGHTH AF–With conversion of 55th Fighter Gp from P-38’s to P-51’s, the Eighth acquires majority of P-51 groups to provide longer-range high-altitude escort for the Heavy Bombers. Conversion to P-51’s will continue until by the end of the year every group except 1 will be equipped with them. In morning mission 319 B-17’s drop supplies to French interior forces in S France. 4 P-51 groups fly 499 sorties in support. No bombers or fighters are lost. Heavy Bombers claim 9 enemy fighters destroyed and the fighters claim 4. During the evening 93 B-24’s bomb airfields at Peronne and Montdidier. Nearly 40 other Heavy Bombers do not bomb because of failure of blindbombing equipment. Fighters fly 83 uneventful sorties in support. No aircraft are lost.

NINTH AF–Weather again curtails operations. 62 B-26’s and A-20’s, using Oboe, bomb railway embankment at Bourth and rail bridge at Merey. Fighters provide escort and fly armed recon over widespread areas of W France, attacking bridges, trains, rail lines, and military transport targets. 85 enemy fighters give battle near Brezolles and Alencon. 6 fighters are claimed by US fighters, against 5 missing from IX FC. IX TAC strafes and bombs defended positions ahead of US First Army. Fighters cut rail lines in L’Aigle-Alencon area, bomb troop concentrations near Periers, and marshalling yards at Chateaudun and Aube-sur-Rile.

TWELFTH AF–Medium Bombers concentrate on Po R Valley bridges. 600 ft (2 center spans) of Taglio di Po road bridge and 1 span of Piacenza rail bridge are destroyed, and damaging hits are scored on Corbola road and railroad bridges. Fighter Bombers again hit gun positions and lines of comm in and N of battle areas while Light Bombers attack supplies.

FIFTEENTH AF–430-plus Heavy Bombers attack 4 oil refineries at Budapest and Petfurdo and marshalling yard at Mantua. P-51’s and P-38’s provide escort. P-51’s fly uneventful sweep of Budapest area. P-38’s strafe trains N of La Spezia and dive-bomb Ghedi airfield.

TENTH AF–49 P-40’s pound enemy forces in Myitkyina vicinity. 38 P-51’s and P-47’s hit bridges at Mohnyin, Kadu, Henu, and Mawlu, bomb supplies at Nyaungbintha, support ground forces near Myitkyina, bomb rice mill at Mohnyin, and hit several buildings at Hopin.

FOURTEENTH AF–Fighter Bombers and Medium Bombers hit fighter strip N of Changsha, artillery positions at Leiyang, town of Sungroupai, and road and river trafflc from Hengyang to Yuhsien and from Sienning to Tungshan; also attacked are various targets of opportunity around towns of Hengyang, Changsha, and Chaling. During the night Fighter Bombers blast Pailochi airfield, destroying more than 20 enemy airplanes. B-25’s bomb roads in Tengchung area. B-25’s and P-40’s pound railroad yards at Siangsiang.

FEAF–B-24’s continue to blast Yap. Oil reservoirs and wells at Boela are bombed and strafed by A-20’s. B- 24’s and B-25’s attack barge facilities and gun positions at Lautem. On Vogelkop Peninsula night fighters hit airfields while B-25’s bomb barge terminal at Kokas. A-20’s hit Japanese forces at Sauri and bomb airfield at But. Fighter Bombers support ground forces in Aitape area along Driniumor R and Koronal Creek and blast troop concentrations near Afua.

SEVENTH AF–P-47’s again hit Tinian.

 

USA

FRANCE—21 Army Group: In U.S. First Army area, VIII Corps closes along Ay and Sèves Rivers, where forward movement is stopped by army order. In VII Corps area, 9th Div continues to clear Les Champs-de-Losque–Le Désert area against tenacious resistance. In XIX Corps area, 119th Inf of 30th Div captures Pont Hébert, concluding bitter struggle for this objective. Just across the Vire, 35th Div breaks through to Pont Hébert–St Lô highway. 29th Div maintains positions NE and E of St Lô. In V Corps area, commander of 5th Div assumes responsibility for former zone of 1st Div on left flank of corps.

USSR—Broadening offensive southward, troops of First Ukrainian Front attack above and below Brody, in region E of Lwow. Pinsk falls to First White Russian forces.

ITALY—AAI: Directs Br Eighth Army to take Ancona and Florence and U.S. Fifth Army, Leghorn; later, attack is to carry through the Gothic Line between Dicomano and Pistoia to the Po R line, where bridgeheads are to be established. In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps area, 135th Inf of 34th Div meets little opposition as it continues toward Leghorn; 442d takes S. Pieve di Luce; 133d is approaching Usigliano. Elements of 91st Div’s 363d Inf take Chianni without opposition early in day; patrols of 362d find that enemy has abandoned Terricciola. 88th Div gains about 4 miles on right flank of IV Corps, overrunning key positions at Belvedere and Villamagna. In FEC area, as enemy resistance collapses, French take Poggibonsi and continue toward Certaldo.

            In Br Eighth Army’s 13 Corps area, NZ troops gain summit of M. Carmucino, but German opposition then stiffens all along line.

CBI—In NCAC area, request by Maj Gen Lentaigne for withdrawal of Morris Force (of Ind 3d Div) from positions across the Irrawaddy from Myitkyina is denied. By this time the force has only 3 platoons left. 11 Army Group: In Br Fourteenth Army area, 33 Corps completes envelopment and elimination of Japanese force on Ukhrul–Imphal road, completely clearing Ukhrul area. 4 Corps, pressing down Tiddim road, has been stubbornly opposed thus far, but Japanese are beginning to weaken under attacks of Ind 5th and 17th Divs and aircraft.

POA—CINCPAC-CINCPOA issue Joint Staff Study for STALEMATE (invasion of the Palaus).

NEW GUINEA—Gen MacArthur orders TF CYCLONE to have Kornasoren airdrome ready to receive 50 P–38’s by 25 July in preparation for invasion of Vogelkop Peninsula. Rcn party moves by PT boat from Noemfoor to Cape Opmarai, N coast of the Vogelkop, where it stays for 3 days gathering information upon which final plans for the operation are made. In Wakde-Sarmi area, 31st Div (less RCT 124) begins unloading at Maffin Bay to relieve 6th Div. In Aitape area, South Force narrows gap between it and North Force along the Driniumor by moving 3d Bn of 127th Inf northward, but the 2 forces are still out of contact with each other. 3d Bn of 124th Inf, North Force, kills about 135 Japanese in the gap, night 14–15.

 

USMC

Joint Staff Study for Operation STALEMATE (invasion of the Palaus) issued.