Saturday, October 5, 2024

80 Years Ago, Monday, 2 October 1944

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Storm damages tank landing ships LST‑129, LST‑278, and LST‑661, Palau, 06°59'N, 134°13'E.

            Submarine Aspro (SS‑309) sinks Japanese cargo ship Azuchisan Maru in South China Sea west of Luzon, 18°25'N,120°32'E.

            Submarine Pomfret (SS‑391) sinks Japanese army transports Tsuyama Maru and Makassar Maru south of Formosa,21°00'N, 121°46'E.

            Aircraft sink Japanese army vessel Ryochi Maru off Bantayan Island, north of Cebu.

MEDITERRANEAN—U.S. freighter Johns Hopkins drags anchor in storm and is mined off Marseilles, France, 43°16'N, 05°08'28"E; destroyer Hobson (DD‑464) is among the ships that proceeds to the stricken freighter's assistance. Rescue tug ATR-127 tows the merchantman into Marseilles, where she discharges her cargo and disembarks the 466 U.S. and French troops she had had embarked. There are no casualties among the 41-man merchant complement or the 28-man Armed Guard.

 

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—Over 1,100 heavy bombers, escorted by 17 groups of fighters, attack 4 assigned targets at Bettenhausen ordnance depot, Henschel plant and other Kassel areas, Cologne motor works, Hamm marshalling yard, and several targets of opportunity in these areas. 15 heavy bombers and 11 fighters fail to return.

NINTH AF—IX Tactical Air Command moved advanced HQ to Verviers, maintaining close association with US First Army. HQ XXIX Tactical Air Command (Provisional) goes into operation along with US Ninth Army. This new Tactical Air Command is formed from elements of IX and XIX Tactical Air Commands. 9th Bomb division strikes industrial area of Ubach and defended positions at Herbach. Fighters fly armed reconnaissance (and later night patrol) over Belgium, Eastern France, and Western Germany and support US First, Third, and Seventh Armies in Eastern France and Western Germany.

TWELFTH AF—Weather grounds medium bombers and restricts fighters to reconnaissance and patrols. During 1/2 Oct light bombers bomb targets of opportunity in Po Valley.

FIFTEENTH AF—Unfavorable weather again cancels bombing missions and limits operations to weather reconnaissance.

TENTH AF—49 P‑47’s pound several towns and bridges in Bhamo area and destroy buildings in Shwekyina, Kaungsin, Maingka, Kyungyi, Singan, and Kabani. 20‑plus P‑47’s hit Northern Burma railroad targets and troops at Man He and Manla. 7 P‑47’s bomb Kutkai while 8 sweep Lungling-Loiwing area, destroying a warehouse at Selan. 8 B‑25’s slightly damage road bridges North of Lashio. 4 others bomb and damage Namhkai road bridges and their vicinity. Troop Carrier airplanes fly 260‑plus sorties, delivering men and supplies to various points in CBI.

FOURTEENTH AF—11 B‑25’s attack town of Pingnam while 16 bomb Tien Ho and White Cloud airfields and town of Samshui. 70‑plus P‑40’s and P‑51’s on armed reconnaissance over Southern China attack various targets of opportunity, chiefly river traffic and troop areas around Chuanhsien, Taochuan, Takhing, Wuchou, Dosing, and Wenchow peninsula, and attack shipping in Campha PortHongay area.

FEAF—B‑25’s pound Laha airfield while B‑24’s hit Haroekoe. P‑38’s cover Laha raid, attack shipping in Seri and Amboina Bays and hit Amahai and Kairatoe airfields. Off Halmahera Island B‑25’s fly barge sweep, bomb Laboehan, and attack coastal villages on Weda and Boeli Bays. P‑40’s attack vessels off Tamoelol village and Misool Island and bomb Otawiri and Ransiki airfields.

SEVENTH AF—Saipan‑based B‑24’s hit Marcus and shipping West of Chichi Jima.

ELEVENTH AF—Photo reconnaissance missions, by 4 B‑25’s to Paramushiru and by 2 B‑24’s to Onnekotan, abort due to weather.

 

US ARMY

WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: Field Marshal Montgomery decides to drive South East against the Ruhr from Nijmegen rather than continue northward. Gen Eisenhower asks that the 2 U.S. divisions with British Second Army be returned as soon as possible.

            12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army’s XIX Corps area, after aerial preparation that is none too successful and artillery bombardment that virtually eliminates enemy flak, 30th Division begins corps’ assault on West Wall, attacking across the shallow Wurm River between Aachen and Geilenkirchen. 117th Infantry of 30th Division, crossing at Marienberg, reduces band of pillboxes within its sector and takes Palenberg; 119th, crossing at Rimburg, is strongly opposed from Rimburg castle and Rimburg woods and cannot get beyond RR embankment. Armor attempts to assist the assault but is mired on East bank of river. Enemy counterattack, delayed until about midnight by interdictory fire, is quickly repelled. Diversionary attack by 115th Infantry of 29th Division, North West of Geilenkirchen, overruns Hatterath, Birgden, and Kreuzrath and penetrates into Schierwaldenrath despite strong opposition. 7th Armored Division is assisted by British and U.S. artillery as well as aircraft as it continues effort to clear corridor West of the Maas. TF of Combat Command B takes Vortum, but efforts to invest Overloon fail and enemy begins series of counterattacks. To South, Belgian 1st Brigade breaks off action in Wessem area since it is greatly outnumbered by enemy. 113th Cavalry Group makes little progress toward Roermond; establishes small bridgehead across Saeffler Creek. Corps troops receive heavy volume of artillery support during day. V Corps orders attack through West Wall toward Bonn, target date 7 October.

            In U.S. Third Army’s XII Corps area, elements of 319th Infantry, 80th Division, continuing limited attacks, take the farm strongpoint; 318th makes limited attack on Serrières that is unsuccessful and costly; elements of 317th get into position for attack on Sivry.

            6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s XV Corps area, 79th Division is still strongly opposed in Forêt de Parroy, although 106th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, screening North flank of corps, is assisting in North part of the forest. In VI Corps area, Grandvillers falls to 179th Infantry, 45th Division.

POLAND—Germans suppress insurrection of patriots in Warsaw after prolonged and bloody fighting during which possibly 250,000 Poles perish.

ITALY—AAI: Boundary between U.S. Fifth Army and British Eighth Army is moved about a mile East of Highway 67.

            In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps area, 24th Guards Brigade of South African 6th Armored Division continues futile efforts to take M. Catarelto. In II Corps area, 34th Division clears Cedrecchia but cannot take M. del Galletto or Hill 789 until after enemy pulls back, night 2–3. 91st Division seizes Monghidoro and reduces enemy defenses in this region. 85th Division’s 339th Infantry is laboriously clearing enemy from Idice valley; 337th works on ridge between the Idice and Sillaro Rivers, taking Hill 751 but bypassing pockets of enemy. 88th Division’s 349th Infantry continues to clear region East of the Sillaro. Enemy maintains pressure on M. Battaglia, where British 6th Armored Division (13 Corps) begins relief of 350th Infantry.

            In British Eighth Army’s 5 Corps area, Indian 10th Division begins relief of Indian 4th Division. Elements of Indian 4th continue drive on South. Martino.

SEAC—British Chiefs of Staff and War Cabinet have decided that DRACULA (attack on Rangoon) cannot be undertaken in March 1945 as hoped without detracting from the main effort in Europe. Adm Mountbatten, having concluded planning for CAPITAL (drive on Mandalay) and DRACULA at reduced cost in response to request from the Prime Minister, issues directives calling for CAPITAL to be undertaken at once and DRACULA about November 1945. NCAC part of CAPITAL is to be conducted in two phases: clearing to line Indaw–Kunchaung–Sikaw–Namhkam by mid-December; to line Lashio–Mongmit–Thabaikkyin by mid-February 1945. General tasks, of NCAC are to defend air route to China and overland communications; secure that part of Assam and upper Burma within its zone.

CBI—On NCAC front, gasoline deliveries to Myitkyina by pipeline are begun.

PALAUS—On Peleliu, 321st Infantry finishes clearing and mopping up Amiangal Mt on North part of West arm, having killed at least 175 Japanese. 7th Marines continues attacks on Umurbrogol Pocket. On Angaur, 322d Infantry suspends costly assault against enemy pocket on North West part of the island. The pocket, known to cover an area of less than 500 yards from East to West and 150 yards from North to South, is subjected to close-in fire.

 

US MARINE CORPS

 

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