80 Years Ago, Wednesday, 12 July 1944

USN

PACIFIC–TG 17.16 (Captain William V. O'Regan) engages the enemy off north coast of Luzon; submarine Apogon (SS-308) attacks what is most likely army cargo ship Nichiran Maru but is damaged when she is rammed by what is probably cargo ship Mayasan Maru, 19°51'N, 123°04'E; Apogon is forced to terminate her patrol. Submarine Guardfish (SS-217) makes no attacks. Later, however, Piranha (SS-389) sinks Nichiran Maru, 18°50'N, 122°40'E.

ATLANTIC–Convoy UGS 46 is attacked at dawn by 30 German aircraft off Cape Ivi, but no bombs are dropped and only two torpedoes are sighted; U.S. forces suffer no damage. U.S. freighter Toltec is hit by friendly fire; destroyer escort Leslie L. B. Knox (DE-580) provides medical assistance for the six Armed Guard sailors wounded by shell fragments.

 

AAF

EIGHTH AF–131 B-24’s, with escort by 144 RAF Spitfires, are dispatched against 10 V-weapon sites in Rouen area but abort because of thick blanket of low cloud over target area. 1,117 Heavy Bombers bomb marshalling yards, aero engine plant, and airfield at Munich. 754 fighters support the Heavy Bombers. 24 Heavy Bombers are lost, 13 to AA fire and the rest to accidents and unknown causes.

NINTH AF–Over 300 Medium Bombers and Light Bombers fly morning and afternoon missions against fuel dumps at Foret d’Andaine and Foret d’Ecouves, military concentrations at Foret de Cinglais, rail bridges at Merey, Cinq Mars-la-Pile, Saumur, Nantes, and Nogent-le-Roi, and other rail and road targets. Fighters furnish escort, cover battle area, and fly armed recon over wide areas, attacking rail lines S and W of Rambouillet, bridges and fuel dump in Nantes vicinity, trains and military transport at Vitry-le-Francois, and grounded airplanes S of Chateaubriant, bridges at Craon, Le Mans, Pontorson, Mayenne, S of Rennes, N of Angers, and Tours, rail traffic S of Fougeres, and inf and artillery positions near Periers.

TWELFTH AF–A-20’s bomb scattered motor transport in Florence-Leghorn area during 11/12 Jul. Medium Bombers begin air offensive (MALLORY MAJOR) against road and rail bridges over the Pa R during the day. A-20’s continue attacking ammo supplies. Fighter Bombers hit barges and small boats on Arno R and attack roads, ammo dumps, gun positions, tracks, vehicles, and a number of other targets in that general area N of battleline.

FIFTEENTH AF–More than 420 B-24’s attack targets in SE France, scoring numerous hits on Nimes and Miramas marshalling yards and cutting rail lines at Theoule-sur-Mer bridge and Var R bridge in Provence. Around 50 enemy fighters oppose the missions. Heavy Bombers and escorting fighters claim 14 shot down. 7 US aircraft are lost.

TENTH AF–44 P-40’s support ground forces in Myitkyina area. 28 P-51’s and P-47’s hit bridge and other targets in Hopin, bomb Maingna pagoda, and hit Alanbo and Tagwin areas. 13 B-25’s bomb bridges at Mongyin and hit targets of opportunity in Myitkyina area.

FOURTEENTH AF–60-plus P-40’s hit towns of Liling and Yuhsien, river shipping at Hengyang, troop concentrations at Leiyang and near Yuhsien, airfield at Siangtan, and fuel dumps NW of Changsha. 34 P-51’s bomb Tsingyun and pound Japanese concentrations at Lienchiangkou. 11 P-40’s bomb railroad yards at Yuncheng and hit radio station N of Tungkuan with rocket fire. 12 B-25’s bomb Tengchung and 15 P- 40’s bomb and strafe storage areas, villages, troop areas, and general targets of opportunity in Lungling and Mangshih areas.

FEAF–B-24’s hit Manokwari airfield; weather curtails further operations in Geelvink Bay area. A-20’s, Medium Bombers, and Fighter Bombers again hit troop concentrations and barges in Wewak area. Smaller strikes by B-24’s and B-25’s are flown against airfield at Laha, Dili, and on Koer I. B-24’s pounds Yap.

SEVENTH AF–During 11/12 Jul B-24’s stage through Eniwetok to bomb Truk. During the day B-24’s hit Truk again. P- 47’s on Saipan continue to hit Tinian.

 

USA

FRANCE—21 Army Group: U.S. First Army relinquishes command of 101st A/B Div, which is to return to England for rest and training. VIII Corps makes substantial progress southward toward the Ay and Sèves Rivers as enemy opposition diminishes. 8th Div, in center, overruns Hill 92. VII Corps makes limited gains toward Raids, on Carentan– Périers road, and toward Les Champs-de-Losque crossroads against strong resistance. XIX Corps continues attack on St Lô, moving in slowly. 30th Div is still held up in Pont Hébert area. 35th makes negligible progress N of St Lô. 29th advances its right flank (115th Inf) to villages of La Luzerne and Belle-Fontaine, NE of St Lô, but 116th is practically halted on ridge leading W to St Lô. In V Corps area, 2d Div, against light resistance, finishes clearing all assigned objectives in Hill 192 area and gains firm control of highway to St Lô from Bérigny to La Calvaire. Br Second Army is largely engaged in regrouping.

USSR—Soviet offensive is broadening. Moscow announces opening of attacks in region between Nevel and Ostrov by Second Baltic Front, which overruns Idritsa, on rail line to Riga.

ITALY—Air offensive against Po R bridges, MALLORY MAJOR, is begun by TAF medium bombers under ideal weather conditions.

    AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps area, U.S. armored units driving on Leghorn along Highway 1 in coastal sector get beyond Castiglioncello. 34th Div makes limited progress to right: 442d Inf pushes into outskirts of Pastina, but 133d battles in vain for Hill 529, from which enemy begins withdrawing after nightfall. 363d Inf reverts to 91st Div as that div prepares to enter action. 88th Div’s 351st Inf, with strong arty and mortar support, overruns Laiatico.

    In FEC area, 4th Mtn Div drives forward almost to S. Gimignano.

CBI—In NCAC area, Myitkyina TF, with air support, makes major effort against Myitkyina, but the attack fails. As result of poor air-ground liaison some bombs hit friendly forces. On Salween front, Japanese continue to repel Chinese efforts to clear Sung Shan, although 2 Ch regts are committed to this task. 2-week lull ensues and Ch 8th Army breaks off attacks.

NEW GUINEA—In Aitape area, Gen Gill, CG of 32d Div and of Eastern Sector, takes control of PERSECUTION Covering Force, relieving Gen Martin, who becomes commander of Eastern Sector. Gen Gill sets up hq at Tiber and prepares for attack to recover positions along the Driniumor, dividing covering force into 2 groups: North Force, consisting of 124th Inf (less 2d Bn) reinf by 1st Bn of 128th Inf; South Force, consisting of 112th Cav and 3d Bn of 127th Inf. 2d Bn of 128th Inf, holding Tiber while reorganizing, is held in reserve. Co B, 128th Inf, moves from Tiber to Anamo in preparation for general attack. After dark, Japanese attack 2d Bn, 128th Inf, but are forced to withdraw. On Biak, about 200 Japanese escape from Ibdi Pocket.

 

USMC

FMFPac activated with Lt-Gen Holland M. Smith as commander.