US NAVY
INTERNATIONAL—Romania signs armistice with U.S., Great
Britain, and Russia.
PACIFIC—TF 38 (Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher) (TG 38.1, TG
38.2, and TG 38.3) begins operations against Japanese shipping and airfields in
the Visayas. Planes from all three carrier groups pound enemy installations on
Cebu and shipping offshore, sinking gunboat Kiso Maru, auxiliary
submarine chasers Mogami Maru and No.12 Kyo Maru, auxiliary netlayer
Korei Maru, auxiliary minesweeper No.18 Choun Maru, guard boats No.97
Banshu Maru and No.4 Fukuju Maru, transports Bugen Maru, Nichiei
Maru, army cargo ships Keian Maru and Genkai Maru, merchant
tanker Ayazono Maru, merchant cargo ships Toyo Maru, No.2 Shintai
Maru, No.5 Shintai Maru, and No.8 Shintai Maru,10°20'N, 124°00'E;
salvage ship Miho Maru, 10°35'N, 124°00'E; transport Shiramine Maru, 10°34'N,
124°01'E;transport Oakita Maru, 11°21'N, 124°07'E; transport Rakuto
Maru, 10°35'N, 124°20'E. TF 38 planes also damage minesweeper No.21
Choun Maru off Cebu, 10°20'N, 124°00'E. Between Biliran and Cebu, TF 38
planes sink auxiliary minesweeper Takao Maru and auxiliary submarine
chaser Nan-Ho Maru; in Bohol Strait, carrier aircraft sink motor torpedo
boat Gyoraitei No.483.
Filipinos
rescue Ensign Thomas C. Tillar, USNR, a pilot from Hornet, in TG 38.1,
after his F6F ditches off ApitIsland, off the southwestern coast of Leyte.
Before Tillar is recovered by SOC from heavy cruiser Wichita (CA-45), he
learns from his rescuers that the size of the Japanese garrison on Leyte is
negligible. That fact, when combined with the lack of aerial opposition
encountered and the few airfields that exist on Leyte and Samar, prompts
Admiral Halsey (Commander Third Fleet) to recommend that the planned attack on
Yap be abandoned and that the date of the landings on Leyte be advanced from 20
December to 20 October 1944.
Light
minelayer Preble (DM-20) explodes acoustic mines in the shoals between
Angaur and Peleliu; she and sistership Montgomery (DM-17) sweep most of
the navigable waters by the end of the day.
Destroyer Marshall
(DD-676) captures boat with 44 survivors of Japanese light cruiser Natori
(see 18 August).
High speed
transport Noa (APD-24) sinks in collision with destroyer Fullam (DD-474)
off Palau, Carolines,07°01'N, 134°30'E; Fullam is damaged; oilers Millicoma
(AO-73) and Schuylkill (AO-76) are damaged in collision off the
Palaus.
Submarine Growler
(SS-215) sinks Japanese destroyer Shikinami 240 miles south of Hong
Kong, 18°25'N, 114°30'E, and escort vessel Hirado 250 miles east of
Hainan Island, 17°54'N, 114°49'E.
Submarine Pampanito
(SS-383) sinks merchant passenger/cargo ship Kachidoki Maru (ex-U.S.
passenger liner President Harrison) and tanker Zuiho Maru, 19°25'N,
112°27'E.
Submarine Pipefish
(SS-388) sinks Japanese auxiliary vessel No.7 Hakutetsu Maru off
Shiono Misaki, Japan,33°32'N, 135°56'E.
Submarine Redfin
(SS-272) carries out unsuccessful attack on Japanese cargo vessel Tosho
Maru, 05°27'S, 120°28'E; counterattack by submarine chaser Ch 53 is
likewise unsuccessful.
Submarine Sealion
(SS-315) sinks Japanese transport Nankai Maru and merchant
passenger/cargo ship Rakuyo Maruin South China Sea, east of Hainan
Island, 18°42'N, 114°30'E; Sealion crew is unaware that the latter
carries Allied POWs.
Aircraft
sink Japanese tanker No.2 Eiyo Maru, damaged by Paddle (SS-263)
on 7 September, 08°12'N,122°37'E.
ATLANTIC—Motor minesweeper YMS-409 founders and
sinks off Atlantic Coast.
Submarine U-518
torpedoes U.S. freighter George Ade, en route from Mobile, Alabama,
to New York, via Key West, Florida at 33°30'N, 75°40'W; the ship's Armed Guard
fires two rounds at what they believe to be a surfaced submarine. There are no
casualties among the 41-man merchant crew or the 27- man Armed Guard. Destroyer
Barton (DD-722) contacts the stricken ship, and salvage vessel Escape
(ARS-6) takes George Ade in tow (see 14-16 September).
US ARMY AIR FORCE
EIGHTH AF—Over 800 heavy bombers escorted by 15 fighter
groups attack 4 synthetic oil plants, 2 oil refineries, an oil depot, an aero engine
works, and numerous targets of opportunity including several C and NW German
cities. 400 to 450 aircraft are encountered by the heavy bombers and fighters.
Heavy bombers lose 45 of their number and claim destruction of 27 fighters. 13
P- 51’s are lost. US fighters claim 63 air victories plus 26 on the ground.
NINTH AF—Medium bombers and light bombers hit Westwall
fortifications, Sankt Wendel station where an armored division and important
technicians are to entrain, and fortifications around Nancy. Fighters continue
ground support in French-German border area. 400-plus transports complete supply
and evacuation missions.
TWELFTH AF—Gen Chidlaw assumes command of XII FC. B-26’s
blast defended positions in C battle sector of Gothic Line. B-25’s pound Po R
railroad bridges and attack guns and strongpoints in battle zone as enemy falls
back to prepared Gothic Line defenses and rapid Allied adv halts. Fighter
bombers strike at guns, troop concentrations, strongpoints, and flak positions
in Genoa and Milan areas. Francebased fighter bombers cut tracks in Belfort,
Basel, and Freiburg areas.
FIFTEENTH AF—Nearly 330 B-17’s and B-24’s supported by
P-38’s and P-51’s bomb Lechfeld airfield, Munich/ Allach engine works, and
Wasserburg jet aircraft factory. 50-plus B-24’s fly supply mission to S France.
TENTH AF—4 B-25’s pound buildings in Katha area. 25 B-24’s
haul fuel to Kunming. 8 P-47’s sweep river from Bhamo to Katha, 3 strafe
official buildings at Bhamo, and 16 hit targets of opportunity on Burma Road
from Lungling to Wanling to Namhkam and blast gun positions N of Loiwing airfield.
FOURTEENTH AF—10 B-25’s and 6 P-40’s pound Lungling. 14
B-25’s hit town area and destroy 2 bridges and damage another at Sungpai. 22
others bomb Kaochishih, Tunghsiangchiao, and area E of Kiyang. 27 P-51’s and
P-40’s on armed reconnaissance over Hunan and other areas of inland SE China
attack road and river trafflc and general targets of opportunity around
Lingling, Hengyang, Kiyang, Yangtien, and Patpo. 15 P-40’s hit coastal and river
shipping in S China and in Indochina on S China Sea, in Chikhom Bay, and along
the Red R.
FEAF—B-24’s pound 3 airfields in Menado area. B-24’s and
B-25’s bomb Kaoe and Galela, airfields, and radar facilities on Morotai I.
B-24’s hit Lautem. P-38’s dive-bomb Namlea runways while P-47’s hit Boela.
A-20’s, B-25’s, and fighter bombers hit airfields, AA guns, and other targets
at Babo, Mongosah, Manokwari, Sagan, Moemi, and Samate.
SEVENTH AF—P-47’s from Saipan hit AA positions on Pagan
with rocket and bombing attack. A lone B-24 on armed reconnaissance bombs
building area on Marcus. B-25’s from the Gilberts bomb Nauru.
ELEVENTH AF—6 bombers fly a negative shipping sweep over
Shimushu. 3 more attack Suribachi airfield and offshore shipping targets. 1
B-24 flies negative recon.
US ARMY
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES—Second Quebec Conference
(OCTAGON) opens.
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Canadian First Army’s British
1 Corps area, German garrison of Le Havre surrenders. About 12,000 prisoners
are taken. In 2 Corps area, Polish 1st Armored Division, after relieving 7th Armored
Division of 12 Corps at Ghent, pushes forward to Lokeren and St Nicolas. 4th Armored
Division finishes clearing Bruges area and reaches Leopold Canal.
In British
Second Army area, 12 Corps, as relieved by Canadian First Army, is moving into
area Gheel–Diest– Malines Antwerp.
12th Army
Group: In U.S. First Army’s XIX Corps area, 30th Division, whose 117th Regiment
has joined 119th E of the canal and river S of Vise, drives N and NE, with
113th Cavalry Group advancing NE to its right. 2d Armored Division
reconnaissance Battalion clears bridge site along N bank of Albert Canal and
bridge is completed there at midnight. Combat Command A begins crossing at
once. VII Corps conducts reconnaissance in force to West Wall. 1st Division thrusts
at Aachen Municipal Forest, S of Aachen, where it repels counterattack. One 3d Armored
Division column, driving NE from Eupen, stops for night on edge of Eynattener
Wald, within about 1,000 yards of West Wall; another column probes E from
Eupen, some elements reaching West Wall at Schmidthof and others reaching
Roetgen, just short of West Wall. Gen Collins decides to bypass Aachen,
isolating it in conjunction with XIX Corps, and drive toward Stolberg corridor.
V Corps begins limited attacks toward West Wall. While 102d Cavalry Group protects
N flank and maintains contact with VII Corps, 4th Division advances toward St
Vith against light resistance. Elements of 109th Infantry, 28th Division, cross
bridge over the Our and take Sevenig; elements of Moth cross German frontier to
reach positions W of Grosskampenberg, on Kesfeld–Uttfeld route, coming up
against West Wall.
In U.S.
Third Army’s XX Corps area, 90th Division eliminates all resistance W of the
Moselle in Thionville area and clears Thionville W of the river except for
approach to main bridge there. Germans destroy the bridge. 2d Infantry, 5th Division,
continues bitter fighting to improve positions and straighten lines S of
Amanvillers. Arnaville bridgehead perimeter holds against co-ordinated German
counterattack. At noon engineers finish bridging the Moselle, thus per-mitting tanks
and TD’s from Combat Command B of 7th Armored Division to cross into
bridgehead. In XII Corps area, 80th Division’s 317th Infantry attacks across
the Moselle in Dieulouard area early in morning and finds E bank lightly held;
318th ( — ) follows just before noon. Weapons and vehicles start across later
in day. With little difficulty the bridgehead is expanded to include Ste
Geneviève, Loisy, Bezaumont, and La Côte Pelée. 137th Infantry, 35th Division,
and Combat Command B, 4th Armored Division, strengthen and expand Lorey
bridgehead S of Nancy. In XV Corps area, elements of 106th Cavalry Group cross
the Moselle N of Charmes without opposition. 79th Division’s 314th Infantry clears
Charmes, and after dark 1st Battalion fords the Moselle at Charmes; 313th
clashes with enemy near Poussay; 315th converges on Neufchâteau, where enemy
garrison is trapped. French 2d Armored Division’s CCL takes Vittel and CCV
clears Andelot. Germans move from Epinal in 2 columns in preparation for
counterattack to free encircled forces in Vittel area.
S FRANCE—In U.S. Seventh Army’s French 2d Corps area,
armored forces reach outskirts of Langres. In VI Corps area, 45th Division repels
counterattack near Villersexel. 36th and 3d Divisions continue clearing Vesoul
area.
RUMANIA—Signs armistice, drawn up in Moscow, with Allies,
agreeing to co-operate in war against Germany and Hungary and to pay reparations.
Boundary between USSR and Rumania is to be that established by Soviet-Rumanian
agreement of 28 June 1940. USSR promises to return Transylvania to Rumania.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps area, S African
6th Armored Division continues to gain ground on right flank of corps as enemy
falls back to prepared positions of Gothic Line. In II Corps area, rapid
advance comes to an end as outer defenses of Gothic Line are reached. 34th Division
is delayed on left by mine field SW of M. Frassino but on right gains lower
slopes of the mountain; 135th Infantry relieves 168th, on Division right. 91st Division
ambitiously tries to take M. Calvi and hills (Monticelli and Altuzzo) commanding
II Giogo Pass, but can get no farther than enemy outposts. In support of corps,
medium bombers strike at Firenzuola. In British 13 Corps area, 1st Division comes
up against outer positions of Gothic Line. 21st Brigade, Indian 8th Division,
crosses the Sieve and drives quickly northward toward M. Citerna. 6th Armored
Division is delayed on right flank of corps so that Indian 8th Division can
have the right of way on Highway 67.
In British
Eighth Army area, 5 Corps and Canadian 1 Corps begin second battle for S.
Savino–Coriano ridge at 2300, artillery fire preceding and closely supporting assault.
CBI—Gen Stilwell suggests to Chiang Kai-shek that
replacements be sent for Ch forces on Salween front, who thus far have received
none, instead of using Chinese from Myitkyina.
SWPA—TF TRADEWINDIAN convoy begins uneventful voyage toward
Morotai. P.I.—Carrier TF 38 begins 3-day strike against targets in central
Philippines, meeting surprisingly weak opposition from Leyte.
PALAUS—Western Fire Support Group of Adm Fort’s Western
Attack Force (TF 32) arrives off the
PALAUS and begins naval bombardment in preparation for
landings, covered by Task Group 38.4 and escort-carrier force, which make
aerial attacks. Mine sweeping and clearance of underwater obstacles offshore also
begins.
US MARINE CORPS
No comments:
Post a Comment