USN
PACIFIC–Submarine Croaker (SS-246) sinks
Japanese merchant cargo ship Yamatero Maru off west coast of
Korea,35°33'N,126°10'E.
RAAF
aircraft sink Japanese cargo vessel No.2 Jun Maru off south coast of
Miscol Island.
Japanese
river gunboat Hira is damaged by aircraft at Kiukiang, China.
MEDITERRANEAN–Diversionary assault is carried
out with Special Operations Group (TG 80.4) penetrating Baie de Ciotat;
destroyer Endicott (DD-495) and two motor torpedo boats bombard western
half of the beach area; British river gunboats HMS Aphis and HMS Scarab
and the 24th Motor Launch Flotilla bombard eastern half. Enemy shore
battery fire is heavy but falls short. After group withdraws from beach area,
German submarine chasers Uj 6073 and Uj 6081 engage the small
task force. Endicott, Aphis, and Scarab engage them and sink both
13 miles off Cap Croisette light.
Heavy
cruiser Tuscaloosa (CA-37) is near-missed by shore battery off southern
France; beachhead screen (TU80.6.10) engages four German E-boats off southern
France; destroyer Harding (DD-625) sinks two, Carmick (DD-493)
and Satterlee (DD-626) one apiece. Destroyer Frankford (DD-497),
damaged by E-boat, later captures the craft, which sinks subsequently.
AAF
EIGHTH AF–10 B-24’s dispatched against
Les Foulons rail bridge abort because of cloud cover over target. 20 fighter
groups strafe and bomb between Brussels and Paris, 11 marshalling yards, 2
Airfields and numerous Targets of opportunity and destroy many locomotives,
train cars, and road vehicles along with bridges, towers, warehouses and
barges.
NINTH AF–400-plus A-20’s and B-26’s
bomb road bridges at Montfort-sur-Risle, Pont-Audemer, Nassandres,
Beaumont-le-Roger, Le Bourg, Brionne, and Beaumontel, and rail bridge at La
Ferriere-sur-Risle. fighters fly ground force cover over SaintMalo and Dreux
and armed recon in NW France. IX TAC fighters attack and severely damage
Gestapo HQ near Chateauroux.
TWELFTH AF–Despite bad weather, Medium
Bombers attack railroad bridges leading to beachhead area of S French coast and
hit coastal guns SW of Toulon. Light Bombers hit motor transport during night
and drop ammo to invasion forces. Fighter Bombers and fighters on armed recon
and patrol score excellent results against motor transport and rail cars and
destroy several airplanes on Airfields in S France.
FIFTEENTH AF–53 B-17’s, with fighter
cover, bomb Nish Airfield. 250 B-24’s, escorted by P-51’s, bomb 3 oil
refineries and Targets of opportunity in Ploesti area.
TENTH AF–47 Fighter Bombers support
ground forces in Pinbaw area. 9 B-25’s bomb Katha. 12 Fighter Bombers pound
town areas of Nanyinbya and Bilumyo. 12 other Fighter Bombers attack arty
positions and storage areas in Momauk area. India is cleared of all Japanese
forces.
FOURTEENTH AF–25 B-24’s blast Yoyang.
18 B-25’s bomb railroad yards and storage area at Chiuchiang and 4 hit road and
Airfield in Hengyang area and storage buildings at Nanyo. 100-plus P-40’s,
P-51’s, and P-38’s on offensive recon attack town areas, bridges, hangars,
supply dumps, railroad targets, and road and river traffic in E Burma, around
Hsenwi, Tungling, and Tengchung, and throughout Tungting Lake-C Yangtze R area,
particularly in Hengyang area. 8 P-40’s attack shipping in Haiphong area and
between Dong Trieu and Ha Duong.
FEAF–B-24’s pound Airfields on
Amboina, Ceram and Boeroe Is. B-25’s strafe installations at Dili, on Moloe,
and in NW Kai Is. Medium Bombers sink transport vessel off Halmahera I. A-20’s
bomb Klamono oil fields while Fighter Bombers hit gun positions, storage areas,
and other targets at Ransiki and Manokwari and troop concentrations along N
shore of MacCluer Gulf. On Biak P-40’s, supporting ground forces landing at
Wardo, pound shore positions and troops inland as enemy remnants on Biak break
up into small groups. P-39’s strafe troops from Cape Wom to Dandriwad R and
near But, and hit gun positions at Marubian.
SEVENTH AF–B-24’s from Saipan bomb Iwo
Jima. Makin-based B-25’s hit Ponape.
USA
N FRANCE—Hitler replaces von Kluge as commander of OB
WEST with Field Marshal Model. 21 Army Group: Br Second Army presses
southward against enemy pocket from vicinity of Flers, Condé, and Falaise. In
Cdn First Army’s 2 Corps area, capture of Falaise by Cdn 2d Div narrows enemy’s
escape corridor. Crossing Dives R near Morteaux, Cdn 4th Armd Div drives SE
toward Trun in conjunction with Pol 1st Armd Div to left.
12th Army
Group: Directs First Army to clear Chambois–Trun area and, in conjunction with
British, to complete encirclement and reduction of enemy pocket; orders Third
Army to drive on Mantes- Gassicourt while completing capture of Brittany
Peninsula; orders regrouping for above missions; adjusts boundaries.
In U.S.
Third Army’s VIII Corps area, opposition at St Malo ends with surrender of the
Citadel to 83d Div. To speed reduction of Brittany, 2d Div and 2d and 5th
Ranger Bns are allocated to corps; 29th Div is to be attached within the next 2
days. In XV Corps area, 5th Armd and 79th Inf Divs maintain their bridgeheads
across the Aunay and move elements toward Mantes-Gassicourt. In XX Corps area,
7th Armd Div completes mop-up of Chartres; 5th Div blocks exits. XII Corps mops
up in Orléans and Châteaudun. Enemy withdraws across the Loire on S flank.
In U.S.
First Army area, VII Corps establishes positions along Vire–Argentan highway
between Ecouché and Flers. 3d Armd Div overcomes strong resistance at
Fromental. 9th Div is on highway in Fromental–Briouze area. 1st Div is on its
objective to left and in contact with British. Regrouping must take place
before further offensive action can be undertaken. V Corps takes over new zone
and units previously under control of Prov Corps, Third Army, with orders to
close Argentan–Falaise gap. XIX Corps is given responsibility for sector and
troops previously held by V Corps. As reconstituted, V Corps consists of Fr 2d
Armd Div, 80th Div (less 319th Inf), and 90th Div. 90th Div seizes Le Bourg- St-Léonard,
below Chambois, against bitter opposition.
S FRANCE—In U.S. Seventh Army area, small German garrison
of Port Cros I., surrenders to U.S. Special Service Force. In U.S. VI Corps
area, 3d Div, with 7th Inf and attached Fr Commandos, continues to clear left
flank toward Toulon, reaching Blue Line in La Londe–Les Maures area. 1st and 2d
Bns of 30th Inf assemble E of Brignoles, night 17–18. On right flank, 36th Div,
moving elements through Trans-en-Provence to Draguignan, also reaches Blue
Line, completing assault phase; makes contact with 1st ABTF near Le Muy.
EASTERN EUROPE—Germans are strongly counterattacking about
Siauliai in Lithuania. Troops of Third White Russian Front reach border of East
Prussia along Sesupe R.
ITALY—AAI: U.S. Fifth Army orders attack on 8-mile front
between Florence and Pontassieve on 72 hours’ notice after 0001, 25 August.
During first phase, II Corps, raking main effort, is to take M. Morello, M.
Senario, and M. Calvana; Br 13 Corps is to take M. Giovi. Attack is to
penetrate Gothic Line during second phase.
In Br
Eighth Army area, Pol 2 Corps postpones attack across the Cesano, planned for
this time, until mine fields can be cleared.
CHINA—Gen Chennault asks Gen Hearn to send U.S. supplies to
Chinese to assist them in recapturing Heng-yang, regardless of Nationalist Government’s
view on this matter.
NEW GUINEA—On Noemfoor, 503d Para Inf regains contact with
enemy and overcomes last organized resistance. On Biak, 1st Bn of 186th Inf less
Co B but reinf by Co E, lands from LCM’s at Wardo Bay against token resistance.
After this, enemy remnants on Biak break up into small groups without hope of
making a further stand. In Vogelkop area, Gen Barnes of XIII Air Task Force
reports strip on Middleburg I., ready for fighters, a day ahead of schedule.
USMC
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