80 Years Ago, 21 July 1944 Friday

USN

PACIFIC–TF 53 (Rear Admiral Richard L. Conolly) lands Marines (3d Marine Division and 1st Provisional Marine Brigade) and Army forces (77th Infantry) under Major General Roy S. Geiger, USMC, on Guam, in Operation STEVEDORE. Assault, described as having all the characteristics of "a well-rehearsed play" is preceded by intensive naval gunfire and carrier-based aircraft strikes. Simultaneous employment of naval gunfire and aircraft in the same coastal area marks the first time that the two have been used in this fashion in a Pacific amphibious operation. While enemy opposition is small at the outset, determined resistance develops inland. Submarine chaser SC-1326 is damaged by mortar fire, Guam, 13°24'N, 144°39'E.

 

AAF

EIGHTH AF–960 Heavy Bombers, attacking in 4 forces, bomb targets in Germany, among them 4 aircraft plants, 2 ball bearing plants, and numerous targets of opportunity in Duren area, Stuttgart area, and 11 other towns and cities, including Munich and Saarbrucken. 711 fighters, operating as 33 tac units, execute escort assignments and later fighters from 7 units strafe ground targets, destroying a small number of parked aircraft and rail and road transport targets. 31 Heavy Bombers and 10 fighters are lost. Heavy Bombers claim 9 airplanes destroyed, and fighters claim 6 destroyed in the air and 3 on the ground.

NINTH AF–Weather prevents all combat operations except for 1 fighter group which is dispatched on armed recon but is recalled before reaching the Continent. Less than 15 recon and evacuation sorties are flown.

TWELFTH AF–Weather cancels Medium Bomber operations. Light Bombers hit supply dump while Fighter Bombers attack rail and road bridges in Po Valley and hit rail lines N of battleline which is pushing into the Arno R Valley SE of Pisa.

FIFTEENTH AF–362 B-17’s and B-24’s bomb Brux synthetic oil refinery and marshalling yard at Mestre. More than 100 other Heavy Bombers are forced to abort due to bad weather. P-38’s and P-51’s provide escort.

TENTH AF–6 B-25’s bomb railroad at Mohnyin and 1 hits town of Naba.

FOURTEENTH AF–41 P-40’s hit town area, airfield, trucks, river shipping, and troops at Changsha; trucks, horses, and junks at Sinshih; and troop concentrations, artillery sites, and pillboxes at Hengyang.

FEAF–B-24’s again pound Yap I, concentrating on the airfield. Fighters, many dropping phosphorus bombs on the Heavy Bomber formation, attack fiercely but ineffectively; the B-24’s claim 7 fighters shot down. Other B-24’s bomb AA positions and airfield at Manokwari. A-20’s hit barracks at Nabire. P-39’s hit caves and barge hideouts on N coast of Biak I and support ground forces along Verkam R. B-25’s hit shipping at several points around the long coastline of Vogelkop Peninsula. B-25s and A-20’s pound But, and P-39’s bomb bridge nearby. P-47’s follow with attack on But and also hit Wewak jetties and Kairiru I.

SEVENTH AF–P-47’s attack enemy forces on Tinian. 28 B-24’s, staging through Eniwetok, pound Truk. US Marines and Army troops land on Guam.

 

USA

USSR-POLAND—Ostrov falls to troops of Third Baltic Front. Upon crossing the Bug W of Kowel, some elements of First White Russian Front drive toward Brest Litovsk while others advance toward Lublin.

ITALY—AAI: U.S. Fifth Army issues orders for next phase, drive to the Gothic Line. While Br Eighth Army is clearing heights N and NW of Florence, Fifth Army is to cross the Arno in vicinity of Montelupo, tentatively between 5 and 10 August, and take M. Albano, Pistoia, and Lucca. II Corps is to take over entire Fifth Army front while preparations are being made for attack. 34th Div, upon reaching the Arno, is to be detached from IV Corps and pass to army control. In IV Corps area, 91st Div begins clearing enemy from S bank of the Arno without meeting serious opposition. TF Ramey releases 1st Armd Div elements under its command. Relief of FEC in current positions is begun by British, night 21–22.

            In Br Eighth Army’s 13 Corps area, elements of NZ 2d and Ind 8th Divs move forward to relieve FEC. S African 6th Armd Div battles enemy on heights near Greve. 10 Corps finishes regrouping. After nightfall enemy begins withdrawing salient at Citta di Castello.

BURMA—In NCAC area, withdrawal of exhausted Morris Force of Ind 3d Div from Myitkyrna area is authorized.

NEW GUINEA—In Aitape area, Gen Hall strengthens line along the Driniumor. 2d Bn of 169th Inf, 43d Div, moves forward to Anamo. 2d Bn of 124th, released from reserve, advances to Palauru village. Tr A, 112th Cav, is replaced by Tr C. Renewing attacks in Afua area, Japanese isolate Tr C from rest of South Force in battle that continues through night 21–22. Platoon of Co I, 127th Inf, succeeds in reaching the isolated unit.

TINIAN—Preinvasion bombardment is intensified.

GUAM—After preparatory bombardment by naval vessels and carrier aircraft, U.S. marines of III Amphib Corps (Southern Landing Force land on W coast of Guam about 0830. 3d Mar Div, with 3 regts abreast, goes ashore at Asan; 1st Prov Mar Brig, with 22d Marines on left and 4th on right, lands to S at Agat. Against moderate opposition, marines push inland and by nightfall hold 2 beachheads near the ends of final beachhead line, each of them extending about a mile inland on a 2-mile front. RCT 305, 77th Inf Div, lands on S beaches to help hold the beachhead.

 

USMC

III AC assault troops land on Guam. 3d Mar Div and 1st Prov Mar Brig push inland and by nightfall hold two beachheads. Elements of 77th Inf Div also go ashore.