US NAVY
PACIFIC—Planes from TGs 38.1, 38.2, and 38.3 conduct full
scale air strikes on Japanese installations throughout the principal Palaus;
they will repeat the evolutions (albeit with diminishing force in view of the
paucity of targets) the next day. CRUDIV 14 (Rear Admiral F.E.M. Whiting)
(three light cruisers, screened by four destroyers, drawn from TGs 38.2and
38.3) bombards Japanese installations on Peleliu, Angaur, and Ngesebus,
supplementing the carrier air strikes begun the previous day by TF 58. Heavy
cruiser New Orleans (CA-32) and light cruiser Biloxi (CL-80) and
four destroyers (from TG 38.4) bombard Yap; they will repeat the bombardment
the following day. Planes from TG 38.4, meanwhile, on this day and the next
will carry out operations against Yap and Ulithi.
U.S. Army
forces supported by naval vessels land on Soepiori Island in the Schouten
Islands of New Guinea.
Destroyer Flusser
(DD-368) is damaged by shore battery, Wotje Island, Marshalls, while on a
routine patrol to the south of the island.
Submarine Paddle
(SS-263) sinks Japanese transport Shinyo Maru, which unbeknown to
her attacker carries 750 American prisoners of war on board. Paddle damages
Tanker No.2 Eiyo Maru off the coast of Mindanao,08°11'N, 122°40'E, subsequently
beached at Sindagon Point, 08°10'N, 122°40'E.
RAAF
Beaufighters sink Japanese motor sailboat Keishin Maru off southern
coast of Ceram.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
NINTH AF—Bad weather grounds bombers. Fighters provide air
cover for US 8th and 29th Infantry Divisions.
TWELFTH AF—Weather cancels all flying except for weather reconnaissance
by a few P-47’s.
TENTH AF—22 B-24’s fly fuel to Kunming. Many other Troop
Carrier and cargo sorties are flown to numerous CBI terminals.
FOURTEENTH AF—24 B-25’s attack town areas, river shipping
and trucks in and around Kiyang, Lingling, and Yoyang. 11 B-25’s bomb Tien Ho
and White Cloud airfields and 2 bomb Siangtan ferry. 5 B-24’s hit 4 freighters
SW of Hong Kong. Nearly 100 P-40’s and P-51’s on armed reconnaissance over vast
areas of SE China attack numerous targets of opportunity including troops,
railroad targets, river shipping, warehouses, and bridges. 4 P-38’s hit targets
of opportunity in Hanoi-lower Red R area.
FEAF—B-24’s pound Menado area and B-25’s hit Wasile Bay
villages. Other B-24’s strike Galela in force while P-38’s dive-bomb Djailolo airfield.
A-20’s bomb Boela airfield and B-25’s sink lugger in Bara Bay. A-20’s hit
Mongosah airfield while fighter bombers hit Manokwari airstrip and villages in
Schouten Is and strafe and bomb Wewak airfield and surrounding areas.
SEVENTH AF—Saipan-based P-47’s make strafing and rocket
attacks on Pagan and Aguijan. B-24’s on snooper and armed reconnaissance missions
hit Iwo Jima and Marcus.
ELEVENTH AF—6 B-25’s on a shipping sweep attack a small
fishing fleet between Paramushiru and Onnekotan.
US ARMY
12th Army Group: In U.S. First
Army’s XIX Corps area, 113th Cavalry Group, leading eastward movement toward
Holland, reaches Albert Canal near Hasselt. In VII Corps area, 3d Armored
Division drives forward to Liége. 9th Division mops up Dinant and continues E.
1st Division, having completed mop up of Mons pocket, is assembling in rear
area. In V Corps area, 5th Armored Division, now immobilized by lack of gasoline,
is passed through by 28th Division, which drives some 15 miles E of Sedan. 4th Division
continues E on N flank of corps toward St Hubert.
In U.S. Third Army’s XX Corps area,
Combat Command A of 7th Armored Division, after overcoming opposition at Ste Marie-aux-Chênes
and St Privat, continues to the Moselle at Mondelange, N of Metz, and starts S
toward Hauconcourt; Combat Command B is forced to withdraw elements on canal
between Noveant and Arnaville because of heavy fire, but gets other elements to
the river in Dornot area, where they are under fire from both sides of the
river; Combat Command R starts forward to join in battle, but is ordered to
halt until passed through by 5th Division, 5th Division begins attack toward
Metz: Regimental Combat Team 2 is stopped by organized resistance in
Amanvillers– Verneville area; Regimental Combat Team 11 reaches heights W of
the Moselle in Dornot area. 90th Division starts toward Thionville, with 359th Infantry
echeloned to left rear in order to protect exposed left flank of corps; 358th advances
along Landres–Fontoy axis to heights W of Trieux; 357th is halted at outskirts
of Briey. 3d Cavalry Group is ordered to provide flank protection for corps. In
XII Corps area, 318th Infantry of 80th Division, after taking Hill 356, which
commands Marbache, outposts the town during night 7–8; 319th pushes up to moat
of Fort de Villey-le-Sec but is driven back. 2d Cavalry Group reaches Madon R,
where bridge is held intact.
S
FRANCE—In U.S. Seventh Army’s VI Corps area, Besançon falls to 3d Division,
45th Division crosses the Doubs in Baume-les-Dames area. 36th attempts
unsuccessfully to cross SW of Besançon; elements cross in 3d Division sector at
Avanne. French 1st Corps occupies Briançon.
BULGARIA—Declares
war on Germany.
ITALY—AAI:
In U.S. Fifth Army area, II Corps completes preparations for attack, but enemy
withdrawal during night 7–8 to Gothic Line itself from delaying positions on
hills N and NE of Florence (Morello, Senario, Calvana, and Giovi) makes first phase
of the assault unnecessary.
In British Eighth Army area,
Canadian 1 Corps is reinforced by British 4th Division, Greek 3d Mountain
Brigade, and British 25th Tank Brigade.
CBI—Gen
Hurley, Donald Nelson; and Gen Stilwell talk in Chungking with Chiang Kai-shek,
who reiterates his willingness to let Stilwell control all Ch troops in the
field but asks for new Ch SOS staffed by Americans. On Salween front, mop-up of
Sung Shan position is completed. Battle for this Burma Road strongpoint has
cost Chinese 7,675 dead, most of them from Ch 8th Army, and virtually destroyed
all of the estimated 2,000 Japanese on and around the position.
SWPA—Gen
Eichelberger, I Corps CG, takes command of U.S. Eighth Army.
US MARINE CORPS
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