80 Years Ago, Friday, 4 August 1944

USN

PACIFIC–While planes from TG 58.3 (Rear Admiral Alfred E. Montgomery) bomb airfields on Iwo Jima, aircraft from TG 58.1(Rear Admiral Joseph J. Clark), together with four light cruisers and seven destroyers detached from TG 58.1 and TG58.3 (organized as TU 58.1.6 under Rear Admiral Laurance T. DuBose) set upon Japanese convoy 4804 about 25miles northwest of Muko Jima, Bonins. Ship gunfire sinks escort destroyer Matsu, 27°40'N, 141°48'E, and collier Ryuko Maru, carrier planes sink transports No.7 Unkai Maru, Enju Maru, Tonegawa Maru and Shogen Maru,27°05'N, 142°11'E, and damage Coast Defense Vessel No.4 and Coast Defense Vessel No.12; ship gunfire and carrier planes combine to sink cargo ship Hokkai Maru. Planes from small carrier Cabot (CVL- 29) damage fast transportT.4, 27°07'N, 142°12'E (see 5 August and 1-2 September 1944); planes from carriers Bunker Hill (CV-17) and Lexington (CV-16) sink landing ship T.133 off coast of Iwo Jima, 24°47'N, 141°20'E.

            Heavy cruiser Baltimore (CA-68), with President Roosevelt embarked, departs Adak, Aleutians, bound for Kodiak, Alaska.

            Submarine Raton (SS-270) attacks Japanese merchant cargo ship No.1 Ogura Maru off coast of Luzon, 16°31'N,119°44'E, forcing her to take refuge at Santa Cruz.

            Submarine Ray (SS-271) attacks Makassar-bound Japanese convoy in Celebes Sea, sinking army cargo ship Koshu Maru, 04°05'S, 117°40'E; auxiliary submarine chaser Chga 112 conducts fruitless counterattack.

            Submarine Sterlet (SS-392) sinks Japanese guardboats Miyagi Maru and Zensho Maru northwest of Chichi Jima,28°11'N, 141°43'E.

            PB4Y attacks Japanese submarine chaser Ch 12 150 miles west of Palau, 07°20'N, 131°34'E.

 

AAF

EIGHTH AF–In late morning and mid-afternoon raids, over 1,250 Heavy Bombers attack 4 oil refineries, 4 aircraft factories, 4 airfields, Peenemunde experimental establishment, and torpedo plants in Germany, 2 coastal batteries in Pas de Calais area, and 2 V-weapon sites, 2 airfields, a marshalling yard, a railroad crossing, and a bridge in NW France. All of the Eighth’s 15 fighter groups support the operations, flying 782 sorties. Heavy Bombers claim 3 airplanes destroyed and fighters claim 39 destroyed in air and 15 on ground. Strafing claims include numerous items of rolling stock. 14 Heavy Bombers and 15 fighters are lost during the day.

NINTH AF–62 A-20’s and B-26’s bomb rail bridges at Oissel, Epernon, and Saint-Remy-sur-Avre and an ammo dump and bivouac area in Foret de Sille. fighters furnish cover over battle area and for an armd column, fly sweeps, dive-bomb enemy positions and also fuel dumps at Angers, attack ammo dump at Tours, and fly armed recon in Quimper-Nantes, Amines, and Saint-Quentin areas.

TWELFTH AF–Weather severely hampers the day’s operations. Medium Bombers attacking bridges at Levens, Ventimiglia, Fontan, and along Var R achieve poor results. Fighter Bombers in same general area hit bridges, tracks, guns, junction, and airfield, and strike at Nice harbor.

FIFTEENTH AF–In an attempt to comply with the first direct Soviet request for AAF air strikes, 70-plus P-38’s and P- 51’s leave Italy, attack airfield and town of Focsani and land at FRANTIC bases in USSR.

TENTH AF–B-25’s bomb town of Sahmaw in support of advancing Allied ground forces. P-51’s also support ground forces in the Sahmaw-Taungni area. Fighter Bombers hit various targets, including town areas, gun positions, troops, and comm lines in or near Shwegu Pinbaw, Kazu, Bhamo, Myitkyina, Bilumyo, Mawhe, Mainghka, and Onsansaing.

FOURTEENTH AF–20 B-25’s bomb town of Mangshih and airfields at Lashio and Hsenwi. 32 P-40’s hit town area and Targets of opportunity at Tengchung. 70 P-40’s attack troops, supplies, river shipping, and trucks at several points in Tungting Lake-Yangtze R region. 4 P-38’s knock out 2 bridges at Mongyu.

FEAF–B-24’s bomb supply area on Utagal I and airfield at Yap. Other B-24’s bomb oil installations at Boela and attack Faan. B-25’s and A-20’s hit oilfields at Klamono and at Kasim I and bomb Nabire airfield. P-39’s strafe Pegun I. A-20’s and Fighter Bombers in support of Allied forces pound enemy concentrations, supplies, and barges E of Driniumor R, at Abau, S of Torricelli Range, at Boram, and just W of Wewak.

SEVENTH AF–Saipan-based B-25’s fly 2 strikes against Guam. B-25’s staging from the Marshalls, hit Ponape.

ELEVENTH AF–4 P-38’s accompanied by 1 B-25 fly top cover for naval force near Massacre Bay. 4 Medium Bombers fly an uneventful shipping sweep.

 

USA

FRANCE—21 Army Group: Gen Montgomery orders Br Second Army to continue pivoting eastward about 12 Corps and Cdn First Army to attack toward Falaise as soon as possible.

            In Br Second Army area, 8 Corps is still held up by stiff resistance in Vire and Estry areas. In 30 Corps area, 43d Div seizes Hermilly, NW of Aunay. Villers-Bocage falls to 50th Div. 12 Corps, swinging eastward toward Orne R SW of Caen, is beyond line Le Locheur–Evrecy–Esquay–Notre-Dame– Feugerolles-sur-Orne.

            12th Army Group: In U.S. Third Army’s VIII Corps area, planned attack on Dinan is canceled and 6th Armd Div continues toward Brest instead. Advancing through night 4–5, 6th Armd Div reaches vicinity of Carhaix, which supporting FFI forces report strongly held. TF A and elements of 83d Div reach enemy stronghold of St Maio, where prolonged struggle ensues. Rennes falls to 13th Inf, 8th Div. 4th Armd Div is driving toward Vannes. U.S. First Army releases 5th Div to XX Corps, Third Army. In VII Corps area, 1st Div, to which 39th Inf of 9th Div and CCB of 3d Armd Div are attached, improves positions in Mortain area on right flank of corps; patrols probe southward toward Mayenne. 4th Div, which releases CCB of 3d Armd Div to 1st Div, battles vigorously but indecisively for St Pois and heights about the town. 9th Div pushes into Forêt de St Sever against strong opposition. XIX Corps is almost halted by stiffening resistance and mine fields. V Corps reaches its objectives above Vire, 2d Div continuing advance through night 4–5, and halts to permit XIX Corps to cross its front to take Vire. 30th Div is transferred to corps from XIX Corps.

FRANTIC—In response to the first direct Soviet request for air support, group of U.S. Fifteenth Air Force fighter bombers attacks airfields in Rumania and then lands at Soviet bases.

ITALY—AAI: Alters plan of attack on Gothic Line. New plan, OLIVE, calls for main effort by right f lank of Br Eighth Army, which will be quietly strengthened, rather than attack against center of enemy’s line as previously planned. U.S. Fifth Army, which is to be strengthened by attaching Br 13 Corps, is to make a subsidiary attack up road from Florence to Bologna after enemy has thinned out in center. Br Eighth Army successfully concludes campaign for central Italy as 13 Corps reaches the Arno at Florence and drives into S part of the city. Enemy has destroyed all bridges except the Ponte Vecchio. Period of extensive regrouping is begun by Eighth Army in preparation for coming assault on the Gothic Line in N Apennines.

CBI—On Salween front, Chinese break into Teng-chung, where prolonged battle for the city ensues. In 33 Corps sector of 11 Army Group’s Br Fourteenth Army area, Tamu falls to Br 2d Div.

NEW GUINEA—In Aitape area, Japanese, suffering from casualties, logistic problems, and disease, withdraw southward from front of South Force in Afua area after a last desperate attack that costs them over 200 dead. South Force patrols move forward in pursuit against scattered fire and make contact with TED Force. Both the main assault force and the enveloping column of TED Force continue S in region between the Driniumor and Niumen Creek to E–W trail. Co-ordinated attack by TED Force and South Force scheduled for this date must be postponed until TED Force reaches the Driniumor.

GUAM—77th Div succeeds in reaching 0–3 line, overrunning Mt. Barrigada, and makes contact with 3d Mar Div to left, closing dangerous gap. Progress during day is slowed more by terrain than by skirmishes with enemy. 3d Mar Div is obliged to hold up its advance on left flank of corps in order to tie in with 77th Div. Gen Geiger prepares to commit 306th Inf, which is comparatively fresh, in pursuit toward Mt. Santa Rosa. 1st Prov Mar Brig ( — ) is relieved of defense duties on S flank and held in reserve.

 

USMC