80 Years Ago, 26 July 1944 Wednesday

USN

PACIFIC–Heavy cruiser Baltimore (CA-68), with President Roosevelt embarked, arrives at Pearl Harbor, T.H.; the President will meet with Admiral Nimitz, Admiral Leahy, and General MacArthur to discuss Pacific strategy.

            TF 58 strikes against Japanese installations and shipping in western Carolines continue; planes from carrier Bunker Hill (CV-17) damage landing ship T.150 (see 27 July 1944); planes from Lexington (CV-16) damage minelayer Sokuten, which is then finished off by planes from Bunker Hill at 07°20'N, 134°27'E.

            U.S. submarines carry out succession of attacks on Japanese convoy in South China Sea. Angler (SS-240) damages transport (ex-seaplane carrier) Kiyokawa Maru, 18°15'N, 118°00'E; Flasher (SS-249) sinks merchant tanker Toriyama Maru, 17°56'N, 118°07'E, and teams with Crevalle (SS-291) to sink army cargo ship Tosan Maru,18°24'N, 118°02'E; Crevalle sinks transport Aki Maru, 18°26'N, 118°02'E.

            Submarine Robalo (SS-273) is sunk by mine off western Palawan, Balabac Strait, P.I., 08°25'N, 117°53'E.19

            Submarine Sawfish (SS-276) sinks Japanese submarine I-29 in Balintang Channel, Luzon Strait, 20°10'N, 121°55'E.

 

AAF

NINTH AF–Weather forces recall of several groups of Medium Bombers and Light Bombers, assigned to support US First Army, but about 160 aircraft manage to bomb fuel dump at Senonches with good results. Fighters escort bombers, fly cover over assault area, carry out close support for ground troops in Saint-Lo area, and fly armed recon in Poix, Amiens, Chartres, Laval, and Angers areas.

TWELFTH AF–During 25/26 Jul A-20’s bomb roads and motor transport in Vado Ligure area and hit fuel supplies during following day. B-25’s and B-26’s hit bridges in N Italy at Ronco Scrivia, Vado, Asti, Ostiglia, Carasco, Verona, and Poggio Renatico. Fighter Bombers attack road and rail bridges in N Italy at several points, strafe and bomb many gun positions, destroy or damage over 20 airplanes at Valence airfield, and hit numerous targets of opportunity.

FIFTEENTH AF–Fighters on second shuttle mission leave Russian FRANTIC bases, strafe enemy aircraft in Bucharest- Ploesti area, and return to bases in Italy. 330-plus B-17’s and B-24’s attack Wiener Neudorf aircraft factory, airfield at Markersdorf, Thalerhof, Zwolfaxing, and Bad Voslau, and T/ Os in Vienna area. Also hit are Szombathely airfield and oil storage at Berat. Fighters fly escort and carry out patrols and sweeps in Brod-Zagreb and Ploesti-Bucharest areas. Heavy Bombers and fighters claim over 70 airplanes shot down.

TENTH AF–42 P-40’s pound Myitkylna area while 16 P-51’s hit Mogaung and Kamaing sectors. About 20 other Fighter Bombers hit targets of opportunity at Hopin, Bhamo, Myothit, Wuntho, and N part of Mandalay. 9 B-25’s bomb storage sheds at Mohnyin.

FOURTEENTH AF–27 B-25’s and 3 P-40’s blast town of Tengchung, breaching SE wall in several places. 32 P-40’s and P-38’s attack targets of opportunity throughout Tengchung, Lungling, and Mangshih areas. 97 P-40’s attack troops, horses, trucks, fortified points river shipping, and other targets of opportunity at numerous locations in or near Siangtan, Changsha, Hengshan, Fulinpu, Leiyang, Pingkiang, Hengyang, Chaling, and Nanyo, airfield at Hengyang is also bombed.

FEAF–B-24’s again hit supply areas, comm, and other targets on Woleai. Other B-24’s bomb airfields at Babo and Ransiki. A-20’s and B-25’s, along with RAAF Fighter Bombers, hit troop concentrations, small shipping, mortar positions, shore guns, and other targets of opportunity along Hollandia-Aitape-Wewak coastline. B-25’s bomb Langgoer.

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

 

USA

FRANCE—21 Army Group: In U.S. First Army area, VIII Corps joins in Operation COBRA, attacking at 0530 on W flank of army with 8th, 90th, and 83d Divs, from W to E. 8th Div cuts Lessay– Périers road about midway between the 2 towns. 90th establishes bridgehead across Sèves R. 83d makes minor gains. At night 79th Div begins crossing Ay R behind 8th Div. VII Corps commits additional units to exploit breakthrough. Passing through 9th Div, 1st Div seizes Marigny. CCB, 3d Armd Div, then drives through to positions W and SW of Marigny. 4th Div speeds S to La Conviniere. 2d Armd Div attacks through 30th Div on left flank of corps and takes St Gilles and Canisy. Meanwhile, 9th and 30th Divs broaden and deepen positions on flanks of the penetration. In XIX Corps area, 28th Div is attached to corps. V Corps attacks E of St Lô at 0600 after arty preparation by both Br and U.S. guns. 5th Div on right and 2d on left push forward to Vidouville–Rouxeville road.

FRANTIC—U.S. Fifteenth Air Force fighter bombers, while returning to Italy from USSR, make successful sweep over Ploesti–Bucharest area of Rumania.

EASTERN EUROPE—Soviet forces of Leningrad Front take Narva, Estonia. Elements of First White Russian Front reach the Vistula E of Radom.

ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army area, IV Corps relieves infantry units as ordered. TF 45— consisting of 91st AAA Gp, 107th AAA Gp, and 2d Armd Gp—is organized under hq of 45th AAA Brig and replaces 34th Div on W flank. 34th Div releases 363d Inf to parent unit, 91st Div, and assembles near Rosignano.

CBI—On Salween front, Japanese defending Sung Shan request and receive air support that damages Ch batteries and brings attack to a halt temporarily. After preparatory aerial bombardment, Chinese attack Teng-chung in force with mortar and arty support and seize Lai-feng, fortified peak dominating approaches to the town. At the same time, other Ch forces attack SE wall of the town but cannot get over it.

NEW GUINEA—In Aitape area, since enemy appears to be preparing for further attacks in Afua sector, U.S. forces in this region are rearranged for defense. No large-scale attacks are forthcoming, each side being in the dark as to strength and disposition of the other’s forces.

TINIAN—2d Mar Div completes landing, resumes command of 8th Marines, and is committed to action. 4th and 2d Mar Divs, with close air, naval gunfire, and arty support, make co-ordinated attack that progresses rapidly against light resistance, securing N quarter of the island. Front line extends roughly across island from points S of Faibus San Hilo Pt on W coast to Asiga on E coast and embraces Ushi Pt airfield and Mt. Lasso.

GUAM—Attack to clear Orote Peninsula opens after heavy preparatory bombardment during which 7 bns of arty are employed. 1st Prov Mar Brig, with 4th Marines on left and 22d on right, begins to clear narrow neck of the peninsula and gains 1,500 yards despite difficult jungle terrain. 3d Mar Div repels strong enemy counterattack against N beachhead and, in close combat, eliminates enemy infiltrators who have succeeded in penetrating lines.

HAWAII—President Roosevelt, Gen MacArthur, Adm Nimitz, and Adm Leahy meet at Pearl Harbor to consider strategy for the Pacific. The feasibility of bypassing the Philippines in favor of Formosa is discussed. This question remains the subject of heated debate for some time to come.

 

USMC

2d Mar Div lands on Tinian. 1st Prov Mar Brig opens attack to clear Orote Peninsula on Guam.

Adm Nimitz and Gen MacArthur meet with President Roosevelt at Pearl Harbor to determine future Pacific strategy