Sunday, September 8, 2024

80 Years Ago, Monday, 4 September 1944

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Bowfin (SS-287) sinks Japanese guard boat No.6 Hinode Maru east of Nanpo Shoto, 31°54'N, 152°05'E.

MEDITERRANEAN—Mine damages aviation supply ship Tackle (IX-217), Port de Buoc, France, while being towed by French tug Provençal.

            Tank landing ship LST-659 is damaged when she strikes a submerged wreck off RED beach, southern France.

 

US ARMY AIR FORCE

NINTH AF—Weather prevents bomber activity. Fighters fly armed reconnaissance over Belgium, E France, Luxembourg, and E and C Germany, and defensive night patrols over W and NW France. British complete liberation of Brussels and clear most resistance from Antwerp.

TWELFTH AF—B-25’s and B-26’s hit several road and railroad bridges and tunnel in Po Valley while fighter bombers strike pontoon bridges, roads, bridges, and motor transport in preparation for Allied ground assault on Gothic Line. During 3/4 September A-20’s on armed reconnaissance of Po Valley bomb vehicles in Turin-Milan areas. Fighters fly armed reconnaissance and offensive patrols in Po and Rhone Valleys.

FIFTEENTH AF—305th Fighter Wing (Prov) is organized and given control of the 3 P-38 groups of 306th Fighter Wing. Almost 400 heavy bombers, with fighter escort, attack submarines in Genoa harbor and hit communications in N Italy including Avisio viaduct, marshalling yards at Trento, Bronzola, and Ora, and railroad bridges at Ora, Casarsa della Delizia, and Latisana.

TENTH AF—24 B-24’s haul 32,000 gals of fuel to Kunming. Though heavy rains curtail combat operations, 9 P-47’s attack Bhamo and Myothit.

FOURTEENTH AF—12 B-25’s blast sampan, barge, and motor launch concentrations in Kweiyang area. 6 B-25’s, with P- 51 3pt, pound Paishui and Lingling areas, considerably damaging town of Lingling and killing an estimated 60 soldiers and 10 horses. 100-plus P-40’s and P-51’s on armed reconnaissance kill large numbers of troops and horses, pound river and road traffic, and a variety of other targets of opportunity in the E Burma-SW China region around Changning and Lungling and throughout areas mainly to the S of Tungting Lake- Yangtze R section of inland SE China, mainly around Hengyang, Lingling, Leiyang, Yangtien, and Kiyang.

FEAF—Bad weather cancels most large-scale operations. A-20’s and B-26’s hit Urarom airfield and fighter bombers attack Moemi and hit Napido. During 4/5 September B-24’s bomb Kendari airfield.

SEVENTH AF—5 B-24’s, on armed reconnaissance, snooper mission, and training flight, bomb Iwo Jima, Marcus, Yap, and Pagan Is. P-47’s hit Pagan with rockets and strafing attacks. B-24’s from Kwajalein strike Wotje.

ELEVENTH AF—6 B-25’s fly antishipping sweep close to Paramushiru and draw shore-based AA fire. 8 fighters intercept but there are no losses on either side.

 

US ARMY

WESTERN EUROPE—Gen Eisenhower directs 21 Army Group and U.S. First Army toward the Ruhr and U.S. Third Army toward the Saar. Hitler reinstates Rundstedt as Commander in Chief West (OB West).

            21 Army Group: In Canadian First Army’s 2 Corps area, while 4th Armored Division maintains positions astride the Somme in Pont Remy sector, Polish 1st Armored Division continues NE toward St Omer. 3d Division, moving up from vicinity of Rouen, joins in advance along Pas de Calais coast.

            In British Second Army’s 12 Corps area, 7th Armored Division, swinging E to bypass enemy in Bethune–Lille region, continues toward Ghent, leaving 53d Division and 4th Armored Brigade to mop up. In 30 Corps area, 11th Armored Division drives into Antwerp and clears city except for N suburbs and dock area.

            12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army area, XIX Corps continues elimination of Mons pocket in conjunction with 1st Division of VII Corps; releases 79th Division to Third Army. In VII Corps area, 3d Armored and 9th Infantry Divisions continue E to the Meuse in Namur– Dinant area. V Corps begins assembly in new zone on right flank of army, moving through rear area of VII Corps. 4th Division continues mopping up in old zone.

            In U.S. Third Army area, XII Corps opens attack to outflank Nancy. On N flank, 317th Infantry of 80th Division begins reconnaissance in force of Moselle N of Nancy, reaching the river at Pont a Mousson and locating crossing sites; 318th (less battalion attached to Combat Command A of 4th Armored Div) moves toward Marbache; 319th, on 80th Division S flank, fords the Moselle at Toul and establishes bridgehead on E bank.

S FRANCE—In U.S. Seventh Army area, French Army B forces protecting right flank of army reconnoiter to outskirts of Briançon. In VI Corps area, 45th Division takes Bourg-en-Bresse, having overcome resistance below the town. Corps then loses contact with enemy as it continues northward toward Besançon, strongly fortified city on Doubs I.

EASTERN EUROPE—Hostilities between Finland and the USSR cease under truce agreement.

ITALY—AAI: U.S. Fifth Army issues final orders for attack on Gothic Line. II Corps, after clearing hills Morello, Senario, Calvana, and Giovi, is to breach Gothic Line at Il Giogo Pass, rather than at Futa Pass as planned previously, and continue to Firenzuola. British 13 Corps is to attack along 2 routes: Dicomano–Forlì and Borgo S. Lorenzo– Faenza. In IV Corps area, Combat Command A of 1st Armored Division thrusts to edge of Lucca. Combat Command B overcomes delaying opposition at Altopascio road center. II Corps, which is to make main effort through zone now held by British 13 Corps, takes over S part of its new sector and under cover of darkness begins movement into attack positions.

            In British Eighth Army area, 10 Corps, advancing along Arezzo–Cesena road (Highway 71), is in contact with outer defenses of Gothic Line. In 5 Corps area, 46th Division expands Conca bridgehead against strong resistance in S. Clemente area. 1st Armored Division moves forward to exploit possible breakthrough by 46th Division and begins bitter struggle for S end of S. Savino–Coriano ridge. Canadian 1 Corps drives forward along coast, meeting heavy fire from Coriano ridge on left. Polish 2 Corps begins moving into army reserve.

CBI—Gen Hurley and Donald Nelson arrive in India after brief stopover in Moscow. 11 Army Group: Gen Slim, commander British Fourteenth Army, tells 15 Corps commander that his corps will contain enemy on Arakan front while 4 and 33 Corps conduct strong offensive across the Chindwin, beginning in December. In 33 Corps area, E African 11th Division, which has taken over pursuit of enemy from Indian 23d Division at Tamu, takes Sittaung without opposition; elements are moving S down Kabaw Valley toward Kalemyo.

SWPA—Elements of TF TRADEWINDIAN at Aitape, New Guinea, conduct rehearsals for Morotai operation (INTERLUDE). Aitape and Maffin Bay are the two principal staging areas for TF TRADEWIND. U.S. Eighth Army hq arrives at Hollandia, New Guinea.

POA—First elements of Allied convoy, with III Amphibious Corps (Marine) assault force embarked; starts from the Solomons for the Palau Is., Caroline Is.

 

US MARINE CORPS

 

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