USN
PACIFIC–Seventh Amphibious Force (Rear Admiral
Daniel E. Barbey) is formed. Group One is to be commanded by Rear Admiral
Arthur D. Struble; Group Two by Rear Admiral Charles P. Cecil. Cecil, however,
is killed in crash of Naval Air Transport Service PB2Y, Funafuti.
Organized
Japanese resistance ends on Tinian.
Naval
Air Base, Tinian, is established.
Destroyer
escort England (DE-635) is damaged when she runs aground in Seeadler
Harbor, Manus, Admiralty Islands.
Submarine
Puffer (SS-268) damages Japanese oiler Sunosaki northeast of
Borneo, 05°08'N, 119°32.5'E.
Navy
PBY attacks Japanese convoy, sinking ammunition ship Seia Maru in
Taliaboe Bay, Soela Island, N.E.I.,01°46'N, 125°32'E.
U.S.
freighter Extavia is damaged by explosion while en route from New
Georgia to the Treasury Islands, but reaches her destination unaided; there are
no casualties among the 73-man merchant complement or 81-man Armed Guard, or
the 845 embarked troops.
AAF
EIGHTH AF–191 B-17’s drop supplies to
French interior forces; 3 P-51 groups furnish escort. 75 B-17’s bomb A/F at
Tours; escort is flown by 1 P-51 group. 387 B-17’s escorted by 1 P-51 group
attack 5 A/Fs and a railway bridge in area S and SW of Paris. A fourth force of
B-17’s (320) is dispatched to bomb targets in Paris environs. Bad weather
causes over 100 aborts but 219 planes bomb 4 A/Fs, 5 bridges, railway
facilities and a rail and highway junction, mostly Targets of opportunity. 3
fighter groups provide support. The fifth force of 100 B-24’s, sent against 8
V-weapon sites in NW France, runs afoul of bad weather which causes multiple
aborts. 34 of the planes manage to bomb 3 sites. Another force of 156 B-24’s is
dispatched against 7 Vweapon sites in same area plus oil storage depot at
Rouen. Bad weather prevents attacks on the sites but 85 HEAVY BOMBERs bomb the
oil depot and railroad junction nearby. 4 fighter groups strafe rail and ground
vehicles during course of day’s actions. 5 bombers and 3 fighters are lost
during the day.
NINTH AF–XIX TAC becomes operational
in conjunction with the US Third Army on the Continent. The Ninth’s fighter and
Fighter Bomber groups (Ninth AF refers to them collectively as Fighter Bomber
groups) are divided between IX and XIX TACs. About 250 Medium Bombers and Light
Bombers bomb rail bridges at Mezieres-sur-Seine, Maintenon, Les Ponts-de-Ce,
Chartres, Cinq Mars-la-Pile, Bouchmaine, Nogent-sur-Loir, and Bourth. XIX TAC
fighters carry out armd recon and rail bombing missions in Alencon, Dreux, Chartres,
Nogent-sur-Loir, Le Mans, Sablesur- Sarthe, Laval and Sille-le-Philippe areas,
while IX TAC fighters fly armd column and assault area cover, and armed recon
in battle areas.
TWELFTH AF–Medium Bombers hit bridges
in Po Valley, N of Genoa, at Canneto sull’Oglio, Balossa, Vigone, Ronco
Scrivia, and Ovada, and MARSHALLING YARD at Imperia. Fighter Bombers
concentrate on A/F in Po Valley (at Villanova d’Albenga, Airasca, and Venaria
Reale) hit small landing grounds throughout the area, and attack several comm
targets including roads, rail lines, bridges, and railroad cars.
FIFTEENTH AF–Bad weather limits
operations to recon missions.
TENTH AF–8 B-26’s bomb several points
along railway from Naba to Hopin. Fighter Bombers attack Shwegu, hit bridges in
Mohnyin area, and support ground forces in Myitkyina and Taungni sectors.
FOURTEENTH AF–8 B-25’s bomb Wuchang
A/F. 2 others hit town of Siangyin. More than 90 P-40’s and P-51’s on armed
recon hit trucks, troops, supplies, and river shipping in and around Hengyang,
Leiyang, Sinshih, Hengshan, Liling, Changsha, and Siangyin. AF and railroad
yards at Hengyang are also bombed.
FEAF–B-24’s bomb Utagal. Weather
cancels scheduled strikes against Vogelkop Peninsula area, but a few Medium
Bombers hit shipping in islands to the W, sinking luggers off Kaboe and Salawat
Is and strafing troops on shores of MacCluer Gulf. The weather also restricts
operations against Wewak area; a few P-39’s strafe coastal trails. B-24’s bomb
Namlea A/F.
AAFPOA–Army Air Forces Pacific Ocean
Areas is activated at Hickam Field with Gen Millard Harmon as CG. Harmon is to
be responsible to Gen Robert C Richardson, Jr, CG, USAFPOA, for logistics and
administration, and to Adm Nimitz, CINCPOA, for operations of AAF air units
except those of Twentieth AF. Harmon also is Dep Commandr of Twentieth AF and
is responsible directly to Gen Arnold in all matters affecting the Twentieth in
POA.
SEVENTH AF–Seventh AF comes under
control of AAFPOA. Makinbased B-25’s hit Ponape. Organized resistance ends on
Tinian. P-47’s and P-61’s on Saipan will continue steady daylight and night
combat patrols and strikes almost around the clock to the fall of Guam on 10
Aug. Most of the P-47 flying is devoted to neutralizing A/Fs on Pagan and Rota
and to direct support of Marine and Army forces fighting on Saipan, Guam, and
Tinian.
USA
FRANCE—12th Army Group: U.S. 12th Army Group (Gen Bradley)
becomes operational and takes command of U.S. divs engaged in France, these
being divided between U.S. First and Third Armies. Gen Montgomery, however, is
to retain command of all ground forces through month of August. XIX TAC of U.S.
Ninth Air Force becomes operational with mission of supporting Third Army. IX
TAC continues to assist First Army.
U.S.
Third Army (Gen Patton) becomes operational with 4 corps under its command
(VIII, XII, XX, XV) as well as Forces Françaises de l’Interieur (FFI).
Operating on right of First Army and on extreme right of Allied forces, Third
Army is to secure Brittany Peninsula and its valuable ports. VIII Corps,
consisting of 4th and 6th Armd Divs and 8th and 79th Inf Divs, passes from
First to Third Army command; with 4th and 6th Armd Divs spearheading, pours
through the narrow Avranches corridor and fans out to S, SW, and W. Crossing La
Selune R at Pontaubault, 6th Armd Div swings W into Brittany in 2 columns and
reaches Pontorson– Antrain area. 4th Armd Div drives southward to cut off the
peninsula and reaches positions near Rennes. XV Corps (Maj Gen Wade H.
Haislip), consisting of 83d and 80th Inf and 5th Armd Divs, is concentrating
between Sée and Selune Rivers to block enemy movement toward Avranches. U.S.
First Army, command of which passes from Gen Bradley to Lt Gen Courtney H.
Hodges, directs all but V Corps to drive SE. V Corps is to take heights N of
Vire and remain there until pinched out. VII Corps expands Brécey bridgehead on
right flank with 1st Div reinf by CAA of 3d Armd Div. 4th Div, reinf with CCB
of 3d Armd Div, pushes forward toward St Pois. 9th Div moves southward on left
flank of corps. XIX Corps overruns Percy and Tessy, Percy falling to 28th Div
and Tessy to CCA, 2d Armd Div. V Corps continues southward toward Vire on 2-div
front after 5th Div is pinched out on right flank by British. 5th Div assembles
in rear in Army reserve.
21 Army
Group: In Br Second Army’s 8 Corps area, 11th Armd Div overruns Le Bény-Bocage.
To left, Gds Armd Div is driving on Estry. 30 Corps works forward toward Mont
Pincon on right and Villers-Bocage on left. 7th Armd Div is committed to drive
on Aunay-sur-Odon. In Cdn First Army area, 2 Corps evokes strong opposition as
it attacks below Caen in Tilly-la-Campagne– La Hogue area. In Br 1 Corps are,
49th Div takes control of Sannerville–Troarn sector.
MEDITERRANEAN—AFHQ changes code word for invasion of S
France from ANVIL to DRAGOON. Plans for the operation are largely completed by this
time. Hq of 6th Army Group (Gen Devers) is formed at Bastia, Corsica, and will
eventually take control of the U.S. and Fr forces in S France.
EASTERN EUROPE—Pol underground forces revolt as Soviet
offensive nears Warsaw; fighting continues throughout the next two months.
First Baltic Front pushes to Gulf of Riga at point 25 miles W of Riga. Kaunas
(Kovno), Lithuania, falls to Third White Russian Front, which is headed toward Konigsberg.
CBI—Gen Stilwell, who is promoted to rank of full general,
arrives in Kandy, Ceylon, and Adm Mountbatten leaves there for London to
discuss future strategy in SEAC. In China, siege of Heng-yang continues despite
efforts of Chinese to break through enemy lines. U.S. Fourteenth Air Force,
during period 26 May to date, has flown 4,454 sorties in support of Chinese in
E China.
NEW GUINEA—PT sq begins operations from Amsterdam. LCT’s are
shuttling aviation engineers and equipment to Middleburg, a more suitable
airfield site than the mainland of the Vogelkop. On Biak, engineers complete
4,000-foot runway at Borokoe airdrome. Mokmer airfield has been extended to
7,000 feet. In Aitape area, TED Force gets last of its 4 columns to Niumen
Creek and consolidates perimeters along the creek. Japanese attack right flank
of South Force in strength just as South Force is preparing a rcn in force.
About 2 enemy cos make suicidal onslaughts against Tr C, 112th Cav, N of Afua,
but are repulsed with heavy casualties. Tr G and elements of Co K, 127th Inf, then
reconnoiter well beyond South Force’s perimeter against scattered opposition.
POA—U.S. Army Forces, Pacific Ocean Areas, under command of
Gen Richardson, supersedes U.S. Army Forces in Central Pacific Area and
contains all Army forces of South Pacific area as well. AAF POA is activated
under Lt Gen Millard F. Harmon. Adm Halsey issues outline plan for invasion of
W Carolines.
TINIAN—Organized resistance comes to an end, and marines
begin to mop up.
GUAM—111 Amphib Corps continues to pursue enemy northward,
reaching 0–2 phase line beyond Agana–Pago Bay road.
USMC
Organized enemy resistance ends on Tinian.
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