80 Years Ago, Thursday, 10 August 1944

USN

PACIFIC–Organized Japanese resistance ends on Guam. Patrols soon begin off northeast coast of the island to prevent escape of Japanese forces still present on Guam and to aid marine forces in exterminating or capturing Japanese hidden in caves and brush along the shoreline. Not only do the infantry landing craft employed on this task carry out gunfire support duties but actively pursue measures to induce Japanese to surrender. LCI(G)-466, LCI(G)-469, LCI(G)-471, and LCI(G)-473 induce 157 Japanese to surrender up to the end of September.

            Submarine Bowfin (SS-287) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Seiyo Maru off Minami Daito Shima, 25°50'N,131°12'E.

            Submarine Cod (SS-224) sinks Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Toseki Maru south of the Celebes, 05°15'S,121°14'E.

            Submarine Guitarro (SS-363) attacks Japanese convoy off northwest coast of Luzon, sinking merchant tanker Shinei Maru, 16°15'N, 119°45'E.

            Japanese guardboat Sakae Maru is sunk by U.S. aircraft at Rabaul, 04°12'S, 152°15'E.

 

AAF

EIGHTH AF–45 P-51’s in Italy during FRANTIC mission are dispatched with Fifteenth AF aircraft to escort on a troop carrier evacuation mission. Over 150 B-24’s from UK bomb 2 bridges and 3 fuel dumps SE of Paris, plus T/O near Brienon-sur-Armancon. 5 fighter groups and a squadron afford escort, claiming 8 airplanes destroyed in combat. Rail and transportation facilities are strafed in Paris, Troyes, Dreux, Chartres and Evreux areas. 11 groups of Fighter Bombers, in 2 operations, bomb large number of rail and highway transportation targets, including 15 marshalling yards S and E of Paris, and along French-Belgian border.

NINTH AF–Almost 200 Medium Bombers and Light Bombers bomb rail bridges and embankments in wide areas around Paris. fighters escort bombers, support ground forces, give defensive cover, and fly armed recon in battle areas and around Amiens, Paris, Cambrai, Meaux, Dijon, and Troyes.

TWELFTH AF–Medium Bomber and Light Bomber missions are cancelled by bad weather. Fighter Bombers, operating on reduced scale, hit gun positions along S coast of France in preparation for Allied invasion of S France (Operation DRAGOON).

FIFTEENTH AF–More than 450 Heavy Bombers, with fighter escort, hit 6 oil refineries in Ploesti area.

TENTH AF–9 B-25’s bomb town of Shwekyina. A few P-51’s support ground forces by hitting railroad station at Mingon.

FOURTEENTH AF–9 P-40’s strafe Taiyuan airfield claiming more than 20 aircraft destroyed. 16 P-40’s destroy 4 trucks and damage about 50 others at Siangtan and in Changsha area. 2 P-40’s strafe numerous junks along S China coast.

FEAF–B-24’s attack Yap, concentrating on AA positions, airfields and town of Yap. Others hit airfields at Galela, Lolobata and Namlea. B-25’s bomb Langgoer airfield. Fighter Bombers attack Sorong, Manokwari, and villages along W coast of Geelvink Bay. Fighter Bombers continue to pound forces between Aitape and Wewak. Large-scale TC missions are flown to forward bases, especially in Schouten Is.

TWENTIETH AF–2 missions are flown during 10/11 Aug. In one, 24 B-29’s, out of Chengtu, bomb urban area of Nagasaki and 3 others hit Targets of opportunity. The B-29’s claim 1 fighter shot down, the first such claim (except probables) by the B-29’s. In other missions, the first staged through China Bay, 31 B-29’s bomb oil refineries at Palembang, 8 mine the Moesi R nearby, and 3 hit Targets of opportunity and a secondary target. The first attack, from Ceylon to Sumatra, is the longest single-stage combat flight (about 3,900 mi) by B-29’s during the war.

SEVENTH AF–B-24’s, flying their first mission from Saipan, pound Iwo Jima, beginning the AAF’s neutralization campaign of that island. Saipan-based P-47’s hit Tinian and Pagan Is. All organized resistance on Guam ends. B-24’s from Kwajalein hit Wotje.

ELEVENTH AF–4 B-25’s on a shipping sweep spot 2 patrol boats 75 mi ESE of Shimushu I. One is sunk, the other is damaged.

 

USA

FRANCE—21 Army Group: In Cdn First Army’s Br 1 Corps area, 49th Div, in conjunction with Cdn 2 Corps, advances to Vimont against strong opposition.

            12th Army Group: In U.S. Third Army area, VIII Corps continues to attack Dinard and the Citadel at St Malo and to contain Brest and Lorient. 1st Bn, 28th Inf, is attached to CCA, 6th Armd Div, in preparation for attack on Hills 95 and 105 at Brest. Elements of 4th Armd Div drive rapidly E, forcing enemy back into Nantes. In XV Corps area, armored columns continue steadily northward toward Alençon and Sées. In XX Corps area, 5th Div overruns Angers. 7th Armd Div is attached to corps.

            In U.S. First Army area, VII Corps, which has regained the initiative, is slowly driving enemy back toward Mortain. 9th Div improves positions NW of Sourdeval. Stubborn enemy defense of Mortain limits progress of 30th and 35th Divs toward that town. 22d Inf, 4th Div, is committed to right of 35th Div in Le Teilleul area. 2d Armd Div repels counterattack NE of Barenton. In XIX Corps area, CCA of 2d Armd Div and 28th Inf Div make co-ordinated attack on right flank of corps, overrunning Gathemo; armor then drives eastward along road toward Tinchebray. 29th Div, attacking toward St. Sauveurde- Chaulieu on narrow front, is hard pressed by enemy and makes little headway. In V Corps area, 2d Div begins limited attacks to SE while continuing to defend Vire. 9th Inf advances to Maisoncelles–la Jourdan area where it is ordered to halt.

MEDITERRANEAN—At AFHQ Gen Wilson receives directive from Br Chiefs of Staff to proceed with DRAGOON as planned. Phase I of air operations in preparation for invasion of S France ends. During this phase (28 April to date) MAAF has dropped more than 12,500 tons of bombs. During Phase II enemy coastal batteries, radar stations, and troops are to be hit, and target area is to be isolated by destruction of highway bridges across the Rhône. To deceive enemy, similar targets are to be bombed between Via Reggio in Italy and Beziers, near French-Spanish border.

USSR—Units of Second White Russian Front force Narew R near Bialystok.

CHINA—Brig Gen Patrick J. Hurley’s name is proposed to Chiang Kai-shek as President Roosevelt’s representative; Donald M. Nelson is suggested at the same time as Presidential representative to study China’s economy.

NEW GUINEA—On Noemfoor, 503d Para Inf regains contact with enemy near Hill 380, 21/2 miles SSW of Inasi. During the next few days 3d Bn, assisted by arty and aircraft, works in toward the hill while 1st Bn blocks escape of Japanese. In Aitape area, PERSECUTION Covering Force begins movement back to Blue Beach.

GUAM—All organized resistance on island ends as marines finish clearing their zone to N tip. In subsequent mopping up of scattered groups, several hundred Japanese are killed. Of an estimated 18,500 Japanese on Guam, those dead by actual count total a little over 10,000.

 

USMC

End of organized Japanese resistance on Guam, though hundreds of Japanese remain to be mopped up.