80 Years Ago, Friday, 25 August 1944

USN

PACIFIC–Submarine Picuda (SS-382), in attack on Japanese convoy at the western entrance to the Babuyan Channel, sinks destroyer Yunagi 20 miles north-northeast of Cape Bojeador, P.I., 18°45'N, 120°44'E, and merchant tanker Kotoku Maru, 18°46'N, 120°46'E; later, submarine Redfish (SS-395) comes upon the convoy attacked earlier by Picuda and damages army cargo ship Batopaha Maru north-northeast of Cape Bojeador, 18°31'N, 120°32'E; Manshu Maru tows the crippled Batopaha Maru to Bangui Bay where she is beached.

            Submarine Tang (SS-306) sinks Japanese merchant tanker No.8 Nanko Maru off Honshu, 33°55'N, 136°18'E.

            General stores issue ship Talita (AKS-8) is attacked by accident by U.S. merchant tanker Amatilla en route from Eniwetok to Espiritu Santo.

EUROPE–U.S. and French troops liberate Paris, France.

            Motor torpedo boats PT-513, PT-516, and PT-519 engage German coastal craft off Le Havre; PT-513 and PT-516 are damaged.

 

AAF

EIGHTH AF–Over 1,100 Heavy Bombers attack 4 aircraft plants, 3 Airfields, 2 experimental stations and 15 Targets of opportunity in Germany. 19 Heavy Bombers are lost. 15 fighter groups fly over 600 supporting sorties downing 11 enemy aircraft. 4 groups later strafe ground targets including numerous parked airplanes of which 30 are claimed destroyed. In a follow-up operation 92 Heavy Bombers attack 5 liquid oxygen plants in Belgium and N France. 5 fighter groups fly escort.

NINTH AF–About 240 A-20’s and B-26’s attack various enemy strongholds in and around Brest supporting ground forces’ attempt to capture Brest harbor. fighters provide air cover for 5 divs, fly armed recon along Seine R, and sweeps in wide areas around Paris which is liberated. fighters of IX TAC raid, and set afire with napalm tanks, the reported HQ of FM Model (CinC West) and Verzy.

TWELFTH AF–A-20’s hit Targets of opportunity during 24/25 Aug, and during the day fly armed recon over Po and Rhone Valleys, and hit ammo stores in S France. B-25’s and B-26’s attack Rhone R bridges at Avignon, Culoz, Saint- Alban-du-Rhone, Pont d’Ain, and Loyes, and hit gun positions around Marseille. Fighter Bombers on armed recon in SE France battle area and along battleline N of Arno R attack gun positions, roads, and bridges.

FIFTEENTH AF–More than 300 B-17’s and B-24’s supported by P-38’s and P-51’s bomb aircraft factories at Brno and Kurim and Airfields at Brno and Prostejov.

TENTH AF–9 B-25’s bomb Kondangyi. 4 P-47’s knock out bridge S of Bhamo and hit several Targets of opportunity in the area. 2 P-51’s bomb probable factory at Hopin. 6 flights of P-51’s attack buildings and Targets of opportunity at Pinlon and Kyagyigon. 32 other P-51’s support ground forces at Ingyingon and along Hsai-hkao and Namsang R.

FOURTEENTH AF–3 B-24’s bomb Kowloon docks. 3 B-25’s and 12 P-40’s hit buildings, troop compounds, and general Targets of opportunity in Yangtien area. 4 B-25’s and 21 P-40’s attack similar targets in and around Anjen. 2 B-25’s bomb fighter strip at Leiyang and 2 others hit town of Nanyo. 40 P-51’s and P-40’s attack wide variety of Targets of opportunity throughout Hengyang, Siangyin, Siangtan, and Siangsiang areas, Chenghsien, Lishui, Samshui, Chiangmen, Luichow Peninsula, and Red R delta.

FEAF–B-24’s strike Koror and Malakal I. B-24’s pound Lolobata. B-25s on shipping sweep over Lembeh Strait claim a merchant ship sunk and hit several small vessels. In Lesser Sunda Is a few B-25’s on shipping sweep attack several small vessels. A-20’s and Fighter Bombers hit Babo Airfield, Sagan, and Otawiri. P-39’s strafe troops near But.

SEVENTH AF–B-24’s from Saipan hit Airfield on Iwo Jima while P-47’s blast AA positions and troops on Pagan. A B-24 bombs Yap. Gilbertsbased B-25’s bomb Ponape.

ELEVENTH AF–1 B-24 flies recon over Shasukotan, Onnekotan, and Harumukotan Is but drops no bombs due to accurate AA fire.

 

USA

N FRANCE—21 Army Group: In Br Second Army’s 12 Corps area, 15th Div gets into position to cross the Seine at Louviers. In 30 Corps area, 43d Div establishes bridgehead across the Seine at Vernon under cover of arty fire.

            12th Army Group:

            In U.S. First Army area, XIX Corps overruns Elbeuf, its objective; makes contact with Br forces to N. In V Corps area, Fr 2d Armd Div, bypassing resistance in Versailles area, gets forward elements into Paris from SW at 0700. 4th Div enters from S soon afterward, following Tr A, 38th Cav, which enters at 0730. FFI forces and jubilant French civilians assist in methodical clearing of scattered strongpoints within the city. German commander in Paris, Lt Gen Dietrich von Choltitz, surrenders formally to Brig Gen Jacques- Philippe Leclerc of Fr 2d Armd Div at 1515. 22d Inf, 4th Div, establishes bridgehead across the Seine S of Paris. V Corps releases 80th and 90th Divs to Third Army, which assigns them respectively to XII and XX Corps. In VII Corps area, CCB of 3d Armd Div crosses the Seine below Paris at Tilly. 1st and 9th Divs are assembling S of Paris.

            In U.S. Third Army area, VIII Corps launches strong attack on Brest at 1300 after preparatory bombardment for an hour. 2d, 8th, and 29th Divs, on E, N, and W, respectively, batter at strong outer defenses of the city, making little headway. 29th Div employs TF Sugar (special 175th Inf force that consists of 2 cos of 2d Ranger Bn and elements of 86th Cav Rcn Sq as well as 175th Inf units and is commanded by Lt Col Arthur T. Sheppe of 175th Inf) on extreme right to clear Le Conquet Peninsula, where formidable Batterie Graf Spee is located. TF B continues clearing peninsulas S of Brest. XX Corps defends Seine bridgeheads at Melun and Montereau. 5th Div crosses Yonne R at Missy. In XII Corps area, CCA of 4th Armd Div overcomes strong opposition in Troyes.

S FRANCE—In U.S. Seventh Army’s VI Corps area, 3d Div drives through Cavaillon, Orgon, and Avignon without opposition. Germans attack 36th Div’s line along the Roubion at its weakest point, Bonlieu, routing the engineers and separating 141st and 142d Regts. Elements of 143d are moved forward to help plug gap. Efforts of 1st Bn, 141st Inf, and TF Butler to block Highway 7 in La Coucourde area fail. 3d Bn of 157th Inf, 45th Div, is attached to 36th Div and moves to La Coucourde area. Since 141st Inf is under constant pressure and unable to gain control of hills N and NE of Montélimar, reinforcements are moved to Crest, on the Drôme, among them 143d Inf ( — ). Arty and aircraft are helping troops interdict enemy withdrawal up the Rhône.

            In Fr Army B area, 2d Corps continues to battle enemy at Toulon and Marseille.

EASTERN EUROPE—Tartu, junction of Riga– Tallinn line, falls to forces of Third Baltic Front. Rumania declares war on Germany.

ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s Br 13 Corps area, driving up Route 69, which parallels the Arno, 6th Armd Div reaches Route 70 E of Pontassieve. Br 1st Div and Ind 8th Div deepen bridgehead across the Arno to left. Br Eighth Army begins main assault on Gothic Line from Metauro R line, employing Br 5, Cdn 1, and Pol 2 Corps, from left to right, night 25–26. Enemy, taken by surprise, offers only ineffective opposition.

NEW GUINEA—Gen Krueger declares the Aitape operation at an end. During this action, Allied forces have lost about 440 killed,. 2,550 wounded, and 10 missing as against Japanese losses, by U.S. count, of 8,821 killed and 98 captured. Japanese 18th Army has paid with 21/3 divs for vain attacks to regain Aitape area and is no longer a major threat on New Guinea. On the Vogelkop, Japanese make their first air attack on region held by TF TYPHOON.

 

USMC