80 Years Ago, Wednesday, 6 September 1944

US NAVY

PACIFIC—TF 58 (Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher) arrives off Palau to begin operations against Japanese airfields and defense installations in the western Carolines; a fighter sweep discloses no aerial opposition and reveals much damage caused by prior strikes. Task groups involved are TGs 38.1, 38.2 and 38.3. TG 38.4 (Rear Admiral Ralph E. Davison), meanwhile, conducts fighter sweep over Yap.

            Light carrier Independence (CVL-22) begins use of specifically trained air group for night work, marking the first time that a fully equipped night carrier operates with the fast carrier task force.

            Destroyers Ellet (DD-398) and Downes (DD-375) bombard Aguijan Island, Marianas, to destroy gun emplacement located by air reconnaissance.

            Submarine Albacore (SS-218) sinks Japanese auxiliary minesweeper No.3 Eguchi Maru at entrance to Kii Suido, Japan, 33°29'N, 135°32'E.

            Submarine Hake (SS-256) damages Japanese destroyer Hibiki east of the Ryukyus, 16°19'N, 119°44'E.

            USAAF P-40s sink Japanese fishing boats Sakae Maru, Tairyu Maru, Tatsuei Maru, and Takuyo Maru off Kai Island.

            Mine sinks Japanese army cargo ship Eiji Maru, 22°19'N, 120°30'E.

 

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—About 200 fighters strafe rail and highway traffic in Rotterdam, Aachen and Koblenz areas losing 4 aircraft to flak. 70 B-24’s fly supplies to battle area.

NINTH AF—Medium bombers and light bombers hit Brest area strongpoints, coastal battery at Pointe du Grand Gouin, defenses at Saint- Pierre-Quilbignon, and Brest area bridge. Fighters hit Brest area gun positions and ammo dump and fly cover for several armored and infantry divisions.

TWELFTH AF—During 5/6 September A-20’s attack targets of opportunity in Savona and Milan areas. During the day weather grounds XII TAC aircraft except for a few fighters based in France which fly armed reconnaissance over Belfort, Dijon, and Colmar areas, destroying or damaging numerous motor transport and railroad cars and several locomotives, field guns, trailers, and a tank.

FIFTEENTH AF—542 heavy bombers attack communications targets in Rumania, Yugoslavia and Hungary and troop and tank concentrations in S Yugoslavia. Tgts include 2 marshalling yards at Oradea, and 2 nearby bridges over Sebes Koros R, marshalling yard at Novi Sad, bridge at Belgrade, tanks and troops at Leskovac, and marshalling yard at Nyiregyhaza. 2 heavy bombers, with fighter escort, evacuate interned airmen from Bucharest.

TENTH AF—6 B-25’s hit Indaw while 3 bomb Katha. 24 B-24’s fly about 34,000 gals of fuel to Kunming. Largescale daily Troop Carrier and cargo operations to a variety of CBI terminals continue.

FOURTEENTH AF—20 B-25’s pound Yiyang, Lingkuantien railroad yards, trucks N of Lingling, troops and occupied areas around Kiyang and Paishui, and Hengyang airfield. 45 P-40’s and P-51’s on armed reconnaissance attack troops, shipping, and communications targets in Yiyang area, bomb warehouses at Hukow, destroy fuel barge at Pengtse, hit railroad yards, trucks, troops, and sampans at Kweiyang and Lingkuantien, and attack general targets of opportunity at Yangtien.

FEAF—B-24’s pound Santa Ana port. B-25’s bomb Buayan airfield in the first medium bomber raid in Phil Is since early 1942. Several B-24’s, turning back from the Santa Ana strike, bomb Rainis. B-25’s hit Galela and S coast of Morotai while fighter bombers hit Kaoe airfield and bomb Djailolo runway. A-20’s, B-25’s, and fighter bombers hit airfields at Manokwari, Moemi, Ransiki, and Waren, and stores and personnel area at Nabire. P-40’s attack S Soepiori I and Napido. Other P-39’s strafe barges and huts at Suain.

SEVENTH AF—Saipan-based B-24’s strike Iwo Jima while P-47’s make strafing and rocket runs on AA positions on Pagan. B-24’s on armed reconnaissance bomb Marcus. Eniwetok-based B-24’s bomb Truk.

 

US ARMY

WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Canadian First Army’s 2 Corps area, 2d Division, which has moved up behind assault forces, passes through 3d Division in Calais area. 4th Armored Division is advancing toward Ghent–Bruges canal. Polish 1st Armored Division crosses canal at St Omer.

12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army’s XIX Corps area, 113th Cavalry Group and 2d Armored Division reconnoiter eastward to general line Tirlemont–Namur. In VII Corps area, 3d Armored Division advances E from Namur astride the Meuse and occupies Huy. 9th Division expands and strengthens its Meuse bridgeheads against determined resistance. 1st Division, leaving 16th Infantry behind to complete mop up of Mons pocket, starts eastward. In V Corps area, 4th Infantry and 5th Armored Divisions move forward from the Meuse, 4th on left reaching Bièvre and 5th Armored overrunning Sedan.

            In U.S. Third Army’s XX Corps area, 7th Armored Division opens corps attack to force the Moselle. Four combat reconnaissance columns start toward the river at 0300 to search for crossing site, screen for main assault, and strengthen 3d Cavalry Gp; these soon encounter strong enemy outposts. Main body of 7th Armored Division attacks at 1400, with Combat Command A and Combat Command B leading and Combat Command R following CCB: on N, Combat Command A is brought to a halt at Ste Marie-aux-Chênes; Combat Command B is held up near Rezonville and Gorze but gets elements to canal between Noveant and Arnaville. 90th Division completes its crossing of the Meuse and assembles near Etain. In XII Corps area, 317th Infantry of 80th Division abandons efforts to cross the Moselle on N flank of Division after enemy overruns 3d Battalion’s bridgehead; 318th Infantry seizes Hill 326, overlooking Marbache, and attacks at W edge of Fort de l’Avant Garde; 319th is still unable to take Fort de Villey-le-Sec. 2d Cavalry Group inflicts heavy losses on retreating enemy column while making its way toward Madon I line.

S FRANCE—In U.S. Seventh Army area, French 2d Corps takes Châlon-sur-Saône. VI Corps, preparing to cross the Doubs at Dole, Besançon, and Baumeles- Dames, is meeting delaying opposition. Elements of 3d Division overrun Fort Fontain, night 6–7, opening way to outer defenses of Besançon. French 1st Corps becomes operational under command of Gen Emile Béthouart with mission of continuing toward Besançon– Belfort area on right flank of army. Corps consists of 3d Algerian Division, 9th Colonial Division, and 2d Moroccan Division. The last is to move up gradually. Corps seizes Pierrefontaine, Maîche, and St Hippolyte.

EASTERN EUROPE—Soviet forces reach Rumanian- Yugoslav frontier at Turnu-Severin, on the Danube at the Iron Gate. Other Red Army troops take Ostroleka (Poland).

ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army area, IV Corps for the next few days confines its activities to regrouping, patrolling, and making limited advances as enemy withdraws. 1st Armored Division withdraws 11th and 14th Armored Infantry Battalions to reserve for possible employment with II Corps. II Corps takes command of rest of its new sector and temporarily of 1st Division and elements of Indian 8th Division (British 13 Corps) within its zone. 88th Division is relieved by 34th Division and S African 6th Armored Division.

            In British Eighth Army area, while preparations are being made for all-out assault on S. Savino–Coriano feature, Canadian 1 Corps gets patrols to Marano I.

CBI—Gen Hurley and Donald Nelson arrive at Chungking. On Salween front, Japanese commander of Sung Shan forces dies.

SWPA—Elements of TF TRADEWINDIAN at Maffin Bay conduct rehearsals for Morotai operation on New Guinea mainland E of Wakde I. On Noemfoor, Gen MacNider takes command of TF CYCLONE and Regimental Combat Team 158.

CAROLINE Is.—Planes from fast carriers of U.S. Third Fleet, beginning 3-day strike against the Palaus in preparation for invasion, fIndian targets scarce as result of earlier aerial attacks by land-based planes of SWPA. During the 3-day operations, 1,470 sorties are flown; targets are also bombarded by cruisers and DD’s accompanying the carriers.

 

US MARINE CORPS