Saturday, September 7, 2024

80 Years Ago, Sunday, 3 September 1944

US NAVY

PACIFIC—TG 12.5 (Rear Admiral Allen E. Smith), comprising light carrier Monterey (CVL-26), three heavy cruisers, and three destroyers, pound Japanese installations on Wake Island.

            Mine damages Japanese destroyer Hasu off Yangtze estuary, 31°19'N, 121°43'E.

MEDITERRANEAN—Storm damages submarine chaser SC-535 off southern France, 43°17'N, 06°38'E.

            Storm sinks tank landing craft LCT-151, 39°22'N, 08°00'E.

 

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—Over 300 B-17’s bomb Ludwigshafen/Opau synthetic oil plant. 5 escorting P-51 groups claim 7 combat victories. Nearly 400 B-17’s bomb 16 gun batteries and defense installations in Brest area, escorted by P- 51 group, which claims 7 aircraft destroyed. 3 P-47 groups strafe transportation targets in Tilburg, Namur and Cologne areas. Bad weather cancels fighter bomber mission against strongpoints in Brest area. Over 50 B-24’s fly supplies to Orleans/Bricy airfield.

NINTH AF—Medium bombers and light bombers supporting ground troops pound strongpoints and bridges in Brest area. Fighters fly armed reconnaissance, ground support, and sweeps in N and E France, Belgium, and W Germany.

TWELFTH AF—Medium bombers pound railroad and road bridges in W Po Valley while fighter bombers blast motor transport and rolling stock in Turin area. On 2/3 September A-20’s on armed reconnaissance of N Italy, start fires in Genoa harbor. Fighter bombers blast German vehicles retreating up Rhone Valley. Capture of Lyon is completed by French elements of US Seventh Army.

FIFTEENTH AF—Over 300 heavy bombers hit key escape routes of retreating German forces in the Balkans, and bomb rail communications and supply lines S from Budapest, 3 bridges in Belgrade area, bridges at Szajol and Szeged, and badly damage ferry docks at Smederovo. 3 B-17’s evacuate interned airmen from Bucharest. 40 P- 38’s divebomb Smederovo ferry and strafe Kovin and Baviniste airfields and a landing ground, destroying many parked aircraft, motor transport, vehicles, and fuel tanks. 75 P-51’s strafe roads, railroads, vehicles, bivouac areas, railroad repair shops, and miscellaneous targets in Skoplje-Nish-Krusevac-Belgrade areas.

TENTH AF—4 B-26’s attack and slightly damage Tahpalai bridge NE of Hsipaw. 1 B-26 knocks out center span of a railroad bridge in the area and another causes considerable damage at Indaw.

FOURTEENTH AF—12 B-24’s pound marshalling yards at Nanking. 7 B-25’s destroy at least 45 trucks and damage about 100 others during armed reconnaissance from Hengyang to Tungting Lake and Yoyang. 2 others bomb Hengyang airfield. More than 100 P-40’s, P-51’s, and P-38’s attack troops, railroad targets, bridges, and other targets of opportunity in areas around Changning, Hengyang, Sungpai, Chuki, Yangtien, Hengshan, and near Haiphong and in Red R Valley.

FEAF—B-24’s pound Langoan airfield and Lembeh Strait warehouses and shipping. B-25’s hit village of Tobelo. Fighter bombers hit Babo, Waren and Nabire airfields, Manokwari storage and personnel areas, strafe areas along MacCluer Gulf, and fly coastal sweeps in Wewak area, strafing troops, supplies, and occupied areas. Fighter bombers hit oil tanks and radio station at Boela.

THIRTEENTH AF—XIII Bomber Command moves from Los Negros to Wakde.

SEVENTH AF—Saipan-based B-24’s bomb Iwo Jima. P-47’s hit Pagan and Maug Is with rockets. A lone B-24 on armed reconnaissance bombs Yap.

 

US ARMY

N FRANCE-BELGIUM—21 Army Group: Gen Montgomery orders British Second Army to drive speedily to the Rhine and secure crossing; Canadian First Army to continue to clear coastal region. In Canadian First Army area, British 1 Corps closely invests Le Havre, moving 51st Division from St Valery to positions on right of 49th Division. Preparations are begun for all-out assault on the elaborate fortifications of the city and port. In 2 Corps area, 4th Armored Division establishes bridgehead across the Somme in Pont Remy area, E of Abbeville, and halts there temporarily. Polish 1st Armored Division, coming up on left, crosses the river W of Abbeville.

            In British Second Army’s 12 Corps area, 7th Armored Division, directed on Ghent, continues NE to Lillers, on Bethune–Aire road. 30 Corps, pressing quickly NE, crosses French-Belgian border. On left, 11th Armored Division, advancing on Antwerp, reaches positions E of Alost despite opposition in Lille–Tournai area. Guards Armored Division drives into Brussels and blocks exits from the city.

            12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army area, XIX Corps remains generally S of Tournai, containing pocket SW of Mons on W. V Corps is ordered to new zone on right flank of First Army, where it is to face E and advance as quickly as possible to the Meuse. In VII Corps area, Mons (Belgium) falls to 3d Armored Division. 1st Division exerts pressure against large body of disorganized enemy pocketed in Mons–Bavai–Forêt de Mormal area.

            In U.S. Third Army’s XX Corps area, 7th Armored Division columns feinting toward Sedan are recalled, returning on 4th after getting enough gasoline to do so. Airfield near Reims is sufficiently repaired by this time to receive cargo planes.

S FRANCE—U.S. Seventh Army, with capture of Lyon by French forces, completes original mission. Permission is granted for VI Corps to continue pursuit to Belfort Gap via Lons–Le Saunier–Besançon route. 2d Corps of French Army B is to advance up NW bank of the Saône on axis Dijon–Epinal. In VI Corps area, 36th Division continues northward toward Macon. 117th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, spearheading advance to right, reaches Bourg-en-Bresse and Montrevel but is strongly attacked by Germans fleeing from Meximieux and suffers and inflicts heavy losses. 3d Division is moving forward in center of corps. In French Army B area, 2d Corps, driving NW on left flank of army to make contact with OVERLORD forces, seizes Villefranche, N of Lyon.

ITALY—AAI: In British Eighth Army’s 5 Corps area, 46th Division secures small bridgehead across Conca R in Morciano region. Canadian 1 Corps continues to pursue enemy northward, 5th Armored Division clearing Misano.

NEW GUINEA—Plans for invasion of Morotai I. are now ready. In Vogelkop area, Mar airdrome for bombers is completed on schedule.

 

US MARINE CORPS

 

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