80 Years Ago, Friday, 11 August 1944

USN

PACIFIC–Submarine Cod (SS-224) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship No.6 Shinsei Maru south of the Celebes, 05°38'S,120°37'E.

            Submarine Tang (SS-306) attacks Japanese convoy off southern Honshu, and sinks merchant cargo ship Roko Maru,33°58'N, 136°18'E.

            USAAF B-25s sink Japanese guardboat Daishin Maru east of Paramushiro, Kurils, 50°09'N, 157°03'E.

            Other Japanese casualties include cargo vessel No.7 Kyoei Maru damaged by mine laid by USAAF B-29 (20thBomber Command) in Musi River, while en route to Palembang; tanker Ikuta Maru sunk by mine off coast of Sumatra; guardboats No.20 Aiko Maru and No.32 Ebisu Maru by U.S. aircraft, Kaoe Bay, Halmahera; and Shinyu Maru sunk by aircraft, Halmahera Bay.

 

AAF

EIGHTH AF–More than 850 Heavy Bombers attack 13 marshalling yards, fuel dumps, airfields, and Targets of opportunity, in NE France and Paris area, and 23 arsenal areas, barracks, concrete emplacements and heavy arty posts in and around Brest, escorted by 8 fighter groups and a squadron. 5 groups later strafe ground targets.

NINTH AF–Light Bombers and Medium Bombers from 97th, 98th, and 99th Combat Bomb Wings attack bridges at Montrichard, Oissel, Fismes, and Creil/Saint-Maximin, gun defenses at Ile de Cezembre and Saint-Malo, and ammo dump at Foret de Roumare. fighters cover assault area, escort IX BC, and fly armed recon in battle area and extensively over N France.

TWELFTH AF–B-25’s, B-26’s, and P-47’s strike gun positions along French and Italian coasts W of Genoa as DRAGOON assault force begins movement from Naples area toward targets in S France.

TENTH AF–5 B-25’s bomb encampment area and underground shelters at Kadu. 4 others abort because of bad weather. 6 P-40’s attack Japanese-occupied temple at Shwekyina and Japanese HQ at Bhamo.

FOURTEENTH AF–23 B-24’s bomb Changsha, 16 B-25’s pound Hengyang over 40 P-51’s and P-40’s bomb bridges, villages, warehouses, trucks, troops, and other Targets of opportunity in Hengyang area. 26 P-40’s attack Targets of opportunity at or near Chuting, Puchou, and Yungfengshih.

FEAF–A-20’s hit shipping off Urarom and in Wandammen Bay and barges and a radar station along coast of Geelvink Bay. A-20’s pound Japanese HQ and bivouac areas S of Sawar, A-20’s and B-25’s bomb forces at Haur village while P-39’s hit Kairiru I barge terminal, coastal guns at several points, and troops, supplies, and buildings from But to Rocky Pt.

SEVENTH AF–Makin based B-25’s hit Ponape.

 

USA

FRANCE—Gen Montgomery commends Allied forces and urges that the attack be pressed. 21 Army Group: In Second Army’s 8 Corps area, 3d Div drives S across Vire–Condé road about 2 miles E of Vire and presses toward Tinchebray. 30 Corps continues slowly SE from Mont Pincon toward Cond. 50th Div, having moved forward on left flank, is beyond St Pierre-la-Vieille. In 12 Corps area, forward elements of 53d and 59th Divs, continuing S astride the Orne, reach outskirts of Thury– Harcourt. Elements E of the river patrol NE to establish contact with Cdn 2 Corps. In Cdn First Army’s 2 Corp area, while armored elements of corps are clearing opposition astride road to Falaise, 2d Div crosses Laize R at Bretteville and advances SW to link up with 12 Corps to right, and 51st Div clears left flank S of Caen–Mézidon RR. Br 1 Corps zone is expanded as corps takes command of 51st Div in place from Cdn 2 Corps.

            12th Army Group: Gap between U.S. Third Army units moving N and Cdn and Br forces moving S is now about 20 miles wide.

            In U.S. Third Army’s VIII Corps area, enemy garrisons of Dinard and St Maio’s Citadel continue to hold out against 83d Div attacks. CCA, 4th Armd Div, reaches Nantes area and relieves elements of 5th Div, XX Corps, containing that city. In XV Corps area, 2d Armd and Fr 5th Armd Divs continue steadily northward followed by infantry, meeting increasingly strong rear-guard opposition. Corps is directed by Gen Patton to push beyond Falaise although U.S. boundary is S of there. XX Corps is directed by army to attack NE to line Carrouges–Sées after assembling on line Mayenne–Le Mans; one RCT of 80th Div is to maintain bridgehead at Le Mans; 7th Armd Div is to move to rear of line of departure from its assembly area.

            In U.S. First Army’s ’s VII Corps area, 9th Div makes further gains NW of Sourdeval. 30th Div, in the course of hard fighting, forces enemy back to Mortain. Below Mortain, 35th Div advances slowly, and 2d Armd Div withstands further counterattacks NW of Barenton. In XIX Corps area, 29th Div and CCA of 2d Armd Div attack heights around St Sauveur-de-Chaulieu, while 28th Div continues SE from Gathemo. V Corps improves defensive positions at and near Vire.

USSR—Troops of Third Baltic Front break through enemy defenses below Lake Peipus on 42-mile front and press northward.

ITALY—Assault force begins movement from Naples area toward target in southern France.

            AAI: In Br Eighth Army area, Pol 2 Corps has cleared Adriatic coastal sector as far as Cesano R.

CBI—On Salween front, Chinese begin tunneling and mining under enemy positions remaining in Sung Shan hill mass, since other methods of attack have not resulted in taking the position.

NEW GUINEA—In Aitape area, 103d Inf of 43d Div begins relief of PERSECUTION Covering Force units remaining along the Driniumor.

U.S.—CCS confirm orders for DRAGOON to proceed as planned.

 

USMC