80 Years Ago, 20 July 1944 Thursday

USN

PACIFIC–All beach obstacles on Guam have been removed by underwater demolition teams: 640 on Asan beach and over 300 on Agat.

            Submarine Cobia (SS-245) engages three-ship Japanese convoy northwest of Chichi Jima, sinking auxiliary submarine chasers No.3 Yusen Maru and No.2 Kaio Maru, 28°06'N, 141°32'E, and damaging cargo vessel Shoei Maru, but not before one of the escorts, however, rams Cobia, causing minor damage.

 

AAF

EIGHTH AF–Over 1,200 Heavy Bombers strike numerous objectives in C Germany, in Erfurt-Leipzig area and near Mainz. Targets include 4 aircraft and aircraft engine factories, a ball bearing plant, a motor vehicle works, 5 airfields, 2 synthetic oil plants, an optical instruments works, an armament factory, 5 marshalling yards, and the cities of Koblenz, Bad Nauheim, and Bad Salzungen. 727 fighters support the Eighth’s Heavy Bombers and afterwards several units strafe ground targets. 19 Heavy Bombers and 8 fighters are lost. Heavy Bombers claim 6 aircraft destroyed while the fighters claim 11 destroyed in the air and 11 on the ground.

NINTH AF–Weather forbids morning operations. In afternoon 62 Medium Bombers and Light Bombers strike Senonches fuel dump and Chaulnes marshalling yard. Fighters escort bombers and transports and fly armed recon against rail lines, bridges, and gun positions S of front-lines.

TWELFTH AF–XII AF Trg and Repl Cmd is disbanded in Algeria. Medium Bombers continue to pound Po Valley bridges in or near Ostiglia, Parma, Mantua, Fernarla. Fighter Bombers again hit targets N of battle area, concentrating on rail lines and destroying or damaging large number of railroad cars as US Fifth Army forces push to point SE of Pisa.

FIFTEENTH AF–Around 450 B-17’s and B-24’s bomb airfield at Memmingen, and airfield, Zeppelin works, and aircraft factory at Friedrichshafen. P-38’s and P-51’s provide escort and, with Heavy Bombers, claim 19 airplanes shot down.

TENTH AF–A few P-40’s attack targets in Myitkyina area.

FOURTEENTH AF–In Tungting Lake area 11 B-24’s bomb E half of Changsha, causing heavy destruction. 140-plus P- 40’s and P-51’s attack river shipping and road traffic at several locations throughout the region, pound supply villages S of Changsha and Sinshih, bomb motor pool at Tsungyang, hit warehouse area at Siangtan, and attack troop compounds and gun positions N of Hengyang and at Leiyang and Chaling.

FEAF–B-24’s bomb W part of Yap town. Other B-24’s hit airfield and AA guns at Manokwari and AA at Moemi. B- 25’s hit shipping off Sorong, in Kaiboes Bay, and off Misool I, and bomb Kasim I. A-20’s support Allied ground forces in Sarmi sector. B-24’s bomb Namlea airfield and shipping in Kayeli Bay. B-25’s hit shipping at Dili. A-20’s and a B-25 bomb supply dumps at Cape Moem, Wom, and Sauri while Fighter Bombers hit targets of opportunity along Yakamul coastal road and troops on Kairiru I.

SEVENTH AF–P-47’s pound Tinian.B-25’s from Engebi bomb Ponape.

 

USA

FRANCE—21 Army Group: U.S. First Army continues to prepare for COBRA, shifting 4th Div from command of VIII to that of VII Corps. In XIX Corps area, 134th Inf of 35th Div relieves TF C, 29th Div, in St Lô. In Br Second Army’s Cdn 2 Corps area, 2d Div takes St André-sur-Orne against strong opposition. In 8 Corps area, Bourguebus falls to 7th Armd Div and Frenouville to Gds Armd Div. This ends action to expand Orne bridgehead and threaten Falaise.

GERMANY—In East Prussia, near Rastenburg, attempted assassination of Adolf Hitler fails.

USSR—Soviet forces driving W from Kowel reach Bug R on 40-mile front. [ 19–20 JULY 1944 ] [ 234 ]

ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps area, 442d Inf, in 34th Div sector, establishes outpost line along Highway 67 SE of Pisa. 91st Div zone is expanded westward to include part of that previously held by 34th Div and eastward into 88th Div sector. On right flank of IV Corps, TF Ramey, moving forward with 88th Div, gains heights along Orlo R, 6 miles E of Palaia, where it halts during relief of FEC by British. In FEC area, 4th Mtn Div gains line S. Stefano–Castelfiorentino–Certaldo on left flank of corps.

            In Br Eighth Army area, 13 Corps commander changes plan of attack. Since corps is soon to extend W to relieve FEC and since region between the Chianti hills and Route 2 is lightly defended by enemy, main effort is to be made on left flank, where NZ 2d and Ind 8th Divs are to attack up Route 2. S African 6th Armd Div takes M. S. Michele and M. Querciabella, permitting 4th Div and Br 6th Armd Div in Arno Valley to move forward again.

NEW GUINEA—On Biak, TF HURRICANE completes reduction of enemy positions in East Caves. Bombardment of the Ibdi Pocket continues. In Aitape area, 43d Div begins arriving. 1st and 2d Bns of 127th Inf, now at patrol base site on East Branch, Koronal Creek, where they are supplied chiefly by air, are ordered to prepare to move SE toward Afua.

MARIANAS—Volume of aerial attacks on Guam by carrier-based planes reaches peak. The island continues to be pounded by naval gunfire as well. Tinian is also under preinvasion air and naval bombardment, but on a smaller scale.

 

USMC

Volume of aerial attacks against Guam reaches peak. Naval bombardment continues. Preinvasion air and naval bombardment of Tinian also in progress.