80 Years Ago, Sunday, 10 September 1944

US NAVY

PACIFIC—TF 38 air strikes against Japanese shipping, facilities and airfields on Mindanao continue. During these operations, TF38 planes sink Japanese merchant cargo ship No.7 Unyo Maru off Mindanao.

            Submarine Sunfish (SS-281) sinks Japanese merchant tanker Chihaya Maru east of Quelpart Island, 33°47'N,127°37'E.

            Other Japanese casualties include, mine laid by British submarine HMS Porpoise on 8 July 1944 sank army tanker Bukun Maru in Strait of Malacca, 03°54'N, 98°42'E; and mine sank merchant tanker No.2 Hoei Maru off Woosung, China.

EUROPE—Command designated Naval Forces France (Vice Admiral Alan G. Kirk) is established with headquarters at Paris, France.

MEDITERRANEAN—U.S. motor torpedo boat PT-206 on right flank of southern France beachhead gives chase to German explosive boat unit consisting of a control boat and two drones; one of the latter is destroyed. Mine damages minesweeper Seer (AM-112) while sweeping Grande Passe to Rade d'Hyeres, 42°59'N, 06°20'E; fleet tug Hopi (ATF-71) tows the damaged ship to Toulon for repairs.

            While patrolling between Noli and Genoa, Italy, PT-559 and British motor torpedo boats attack southbound convoy, sinking one F-lighter and an ammunition barge. Escorting German patrol craft break off action.

 

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—Over 1,000 heavy bombers attack aircraft, tank, motor transport and engine plants, airfields, and jet-propulsion units plant in SC Germany, along with Ulm and Heilbronn marshalling yards and several other secondary and targets of opportunity. 12 groups of escorting fighters claim 6 aircraft destroyed in air and 73 on ground. 12 heavy bombers and 12 fighters are lost. 3 P-47 groups strafe airfields and ground and rail traffic in sweep over Cologne, Frankfurt/Main, and Kassel areas, claiming destruction of 40 parked planes. 8 P-47’s are lost, mostly to flak.

NINTH AF—Adv HQ, Ninth AF, assigns rail lines approaching the Rhine from the W, N of Karlsruhe, to be attacked by IX and XIX TAC in first of series of orders setting up rail interdiction programs to cut lines W and E of the Rhine in September and early Oct. Changes and additions to targets appear on 12 and 14 September when a list of all lines to be cut is published. About 340 medium bombers and light bombers hit strongpoints and ammo stores in Foret de Haye, Custines rail bridge, and road bridge over Mosel R. Escorting fighters provide general air cover in MetzNancy area, and support US Third Army ground forces in stemming counterattack there. 800- plus transports complete supply and evacuation missions. Southern invading forces and those of the Normandy invasion meet. City of Luxembourg is liberated.

TWELFTH AF—Medium bombers continue campaign against railroad bridges in Po Valley and execute 4 attacks against supply and ammo dumps. Fighter bombers of 87th Wing hit dumps and communications as ground assault on Gothic Line commences during early morning. France based XII TAC Mrs and fighter bombers blast communications in Belfort and Dijon areas, cutting railroads and hitting several trains.

FIFTEENTH AF—344 B-17’s and B-24’s bomb 5 ordnance depots and SE industrial area in Vienna and 2 oil refineries in the area. 88 B-24’s escorted by P-38’s and P-51’s bomb Trieste port. 45 B-24’s, with P-51’s escorting, fly supply mission to Lyon.

TENTH AF—Troop Carrier and cargo hauls continue on large scale to numerous points in CBI. 24 B-24’s haul fuel to Kunming.

FOURTEENTH AF—45 B-25’s bomb towns of Kutkai, Ssutang, Samshui, Tunganhsien, Lingling, and Tunghsiangchiao, and hit fuel dump near Lingling. About 140 P-40’s and P-51’s on armed reconnaissance over E Burma, SW China, and inland SE China attack a huge number of targets of opportunity including troops, aircraft, river shipping, trucks, runways, bridges, and supply areas.

FEAF—B-24’s pound airfields at Langoan and Mapanget and hit Tomohon and waterfront area of Menado. Lolobata and Hate Tabako airfields are bombed and areas along Wasile Bay strafed. Medium bombers, A-20’s, and P- 38’s hit airfields and oil storage at Namlea, Amahai, and Boela while B-24’s hit Laha airfield. A-20’s and fighters hit airfields at Samate, Sagan, Nabire, Urarom, Manokwari, Moemi, and Ransiki.

SEVENTH AF—B-24’s from Saipan hit Iwo Jima and strike shipping near Iwo Jima. Eniwetok-based B-24’s bomb Truk.

ELEVENTH AF—6 B-25’s fly shipping sweep off Suribachi.

 

US ARMY

WESTERN EUROPE—Conferring with his commanders in Brussels, Gen Eisenhower decides to defer operations to open the port of Antwerp until after Operation MARKET-GARDEN to secure a Rhine bridgehead. Patrol contact is made between forces of OVERLORD and DRAGOON.

            21 Army Group: In Canadian First Army area, British 1 Corps, after very strong aerial bombardment during which almost 5,000 tons of bombs are dropped, and after naval softening of defenses, launches all-out assault on Le Havre at 1745 with 49th and 51st Divisions, penetrating enemy defenses.

            In British Second Army’s 30 Corps area, enemy disposed along Albert Canal continues to offer stiff opposition to forces holding bridgeheads across it, but Guards Armored Division reaches Meuse–Escaut Canal near Overpelt and establishes bridgehead.

            12th Army Group: Gen Bradley orders First Army to break through West Wall and secure crossings over the Rhine in vicinity of Koblenz, Bonn, and Cologne; Third Army to secure crossings of the Rhine at Mannheim. Offensive is scheduled to open on 14th.

            In U.S. Ninth Army area, VIII Corps closes up to Brest proper and finishes clearing Le Conquet Peninsula. 94th Division begins arriving in corps zone to relieve 6th Armored Division ( — CCB) for action with Third Army. 83d Division is detached from corps and starts E toward Third Army front.

            In U.S. First Army’s XIX Corps area, 30th Division, advancing NE with little difficulty, finds Fort Eben Emael undefended. 113th Cavalry Group crosses the Meuse at Liége and drives N. VII Corps speeds toward German frontier against rear-guard opposition, 1st Division reaching Battice and 3d Armored moving through Verviers. In V Corps area, 4th Division reaches general line Regne–Bastogne. 28th, in rapid strides, overruns Bastogne, Longvilly, Wiltz, Selange, and Arlon. Combat Command A, 5th Armored Division, takes city of Luxembourg with ease and probes eastward toward Germany; Combat Command R drives to within about 8 miles of German border.

            In U.S. Third Army’s XX Corps area, 90th Division progresses toward Thionville against delaying opposition. 359th Infantry takes Aumetz, 357th seizes Hayange, and 358th overruns Algrange. 2d Infantry, 5th Division, assisted by elements of Combat Command A, 7th Armored Division, continues almost fruitless attacks against German line W of Metz. 10th Infantry, 5th Division, begins crossing the Moselle between Noveant and Arnaville about 0200 under smoke screen, the first to be used by Third Army on large scale, taking enemy by surprise. Hills 386 and 370 and Bois de Gaumont are cleared. Enemy rallies and begins strong counterattacks from Arry, which XIX TAC helps to stem. From this time on, XIX TAC is to divert some of its planes from primary targets at Brest to assist Third Army as it fights for Moselle crossings. Since the hard-pressed bridgehead forces E of Dornot are by now completely exhausted and greatly reduced in strength, they are withdrawn, night 10–11. Engineers begin difficult task of bridging the Moselle under fire after nightfall. In XII Corps area, 80th Division’s 319th Infantry occupies Fort de Villey-le-Sec when enemy withdraws toward Nancy. 35th Division moves up to the Moselle in Flavigny area in preparation for assault across it with 134th Infantry on left and 137th on right. 2d Battalion, 134th, seizes bridge intact and crosses, but enemy destroys bridge before TD’s can follow and sharply counterattacks the isolated infantrymen, some of whom escape to W bank by swimming or wading. XV Corps makes patrol contact with DRAGOON patrol at Sombernon. 79th Division completes concentration in Joinville area. 106th Cavalry Group is moving through it to screen advance.

S FRANCE—In U.S. Seventh Army area, French 2d Corps reaches Dijon and makes patrol contact with OVERLORD forces. In VI Corps area, 36th and 3d Divisions are moving against Vesoul. 45th Division, to right, is driving on Villersexel.

ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps area, TF 45 gets additional elements across the Serchio at Vecchiano. Combat Command A, 1st Armored Division, crosses elements over the river in order to clear both sides within its sector; 6th Armored Infantry Battalion takes Villa Basilica. S African 6th Armored Division crosses additional forces over the Arno, using bridges at Florence. II Corps opens drive toward Gothic Line at 0530 with 2 Divisions abreast. 34th makes steady progress on left, forward elements getting beyond M. Maggiore. 91st Division drives to the Sieve and fords it during night 10–11. British 13 Corps attacks toward Gothic Line with 3 Divisions, making main effort on left in support of U.S. II Corps. 1st Division drives up Highway 6521 to the Sieve and secures bridgehead W of Berge, San Lorenzo. Indian 8th Division, handicapped by lack of roads in center of corps zone, holds current positions in M. Calvana-M. Giovi area with 2 brigs while another patrols across the Sieve at Vicchio. On E flank, 6th Armored Division takes Dicomano, on Highway 67.

            In British Eighth Army area, 5 Corps commits 46th Division to assist 56th in battle for Gemmano ridge, where Germans continue to resist stubbornly. In Canadian 1 Corps area, NZ 2d Division is attached to corps.

PALAU Is.—U.S. Third Fleet’s Task Group 38.4 (fast carriers), having recently bombarded targets in Bonins, Volcanos, Yap, and Ulithi, arrives off the Palaus and begins 2-day strike against AA positions and beach defenses at Peleliu and Angaur in preparation for invasion.

 

US MARINE CORPS