US NAVY
PACIFIC—Battle for Leyte Gulf (a succession of distinct
fleet engagements) opens. While Darter (SS‑227) continues to trail
Japanese ships detected the previous day, submarine Bream (SS‑243)
torpedoes heavy cruiser Aoba off Manila Bay,14°06'N, 119°37'E.
Subsequently, Darter and Dace (SS‑247) attack what proves to be
the "Center Force" (Vice Admiral Kurita Takeo), one of the three main
bodies of the Japanese fleet moving toward Leyte in a major effort to drive
U.S. forces from the Philippines. Dace sinks heavy cruiser Maya, 09°28'N,
117°20'E, while Darter sinks heavy cruiser Atago and damages her
sistership Takao, 09°24'N, 117°11'E.
Destroyer
escort Gilligan (DE‑508) bombards Emidj Island, Jaluit Atoll.
Submarine Croaker
(SS‑246) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Hakuran Maru in Yellow
Sea, off west coast of Korea, 35°29'N, 126°05'E.
Submarine Nautilus
(SS‑168) lands men and supplies on east coast of Luzon; she will repeat the
operation on 24 and25 October 1944.
Submarine Sawfish
(SS‑276) sinks Japanese seaplane carrier Kimikawa Maru west of
Luzon, 18°58'N, 118°31'E.
Submarine Snook
(SS‑279) damages Japanese merchant tanker Kikusui Maru in South
China Sea, west of Luzon Strait, 19°44'N, 118°25'E.
Submarine Tang
(SS‑306) sinks Japanese cargo ships Toun Maru and Tatsuju Maru and
transport Wakatake Maru,24°49'N, 120°26'E, and merchant cargo ship Kori
Go, 24°42'N, 120°21'E, in Formosa Strait.
Special
Air Task Force (STAG 1) operations continue in two missions (three TDRs each)
flown against beached Japanese ships in Moisuru Bay and off the south end of
the Kahili airstrip. In the first mission, one TDR scores a direct hit on
"Kahili Maru"; in the second, one TDR scores a direct hit on
"Kahili Maru" while another hits a beached merchantman in Moisuru
Bay.
MEDITERRANEAN—U.S. motor torpedo boats attack German
southbound convoy in Ligurian Sea south of Sestri Levanti with no success; a
subsequent attack, however, results in the sinking of one F‑lighter.
Destroyer Woolsey
(DD‑437) shells German targets in San Remo area; she repeats bombardment
mission the next day.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
NINTH AF—Weather prevents all commands, including 9th Bomb
division, from flight operations.
TWELFTH AF—Bad weather grounds medium bombers. Fighters and
fighter bombers although cancelling many operations, cause much damage to
transportation, destroying or damaging numerous locomotives, railroad cars, and
motor transport, and damaging vessels in Savona, Turin, Padua, and Genoa areas.
FIFTEENTH AF—Around 500 B‑24’s and B‑17’s bomb Skoda
armament works at Plzen, Rosenheim marshalling yard, Plauen industrial area,
Munich airplane engine plant, Augsburg diesel engine factory, and Regensburg
oil storage depot, and communications targets in northern Italy including
marshalling yard at Bressanone, bridges at or near Casarsa della Delizia,
Pordenone, Santo Stino di Livenza, and Maniago, and rail line running north to Brenner
area. Fighters escort missions to Germany and Czechoslovakia.
TENTH AF—20 P‑47’s hit Japanese concentrations at Nanhlaing
and Kyungyi. 16 support ground forces at Mawlu and Henu and in nearby areas.
Bivouac area south of Indaw is pounded by 4 fighter bombers while 7 knock out
bypass bridge at Panghkam. 3 B‑25’s blast train cars and sidings at Kyaukme, 3
hit nearby motor pool, 2 hit motor pool at Namhsim, and 1 blasts rail line at
Nawngpeng. Transports fly 270‑plus sorties in CBI.
FOURTEENTH AF—3 B‑25’s knock out bridge at Lohochai while 7
P‑40’s hit trucks and locomotives nearby. 6 B‑25’s and 11 P‑51’s pound town
area of Menghsu. 50‑plus P‑40’s and P‑51’s hit small towns and other targets of
opportunity in Menghsu area. 40‑plus others attack shipping, bridges, and
general targets of opportunity around Anfu, Kweiping, Shepchung, Kuanyang,
Ssuwangshu, Mangshih, Chefang, Panghkam, Wanling, Takhing, Tanchuk, Dosing,
Wuchou, and Tengyun.
FEAF—B‑24’s and P‑38’s maintain shipping sweeps in Makassar
area. B‑25’s, A‑20’s, and fighter bombers hit Boela oil storage, Amboina town,
2 airfields, and other targets in Amboina‑Ceram‑Boeroe area. Fighter bombers
hit Sagan while A‑20’s support ground forces further east in Sawar River‑Orai River
area. Vehicles and small vessels in Mindanao area are attacked by fighter
bombers while B‑25’s attack small shipping in Sulu Archipelago. Fighter bombers
over Halmahera Island hit scattered bivouacs.
SEVENTH AF—8 B‑24’s from Guam bomb Yap. 2 from Saipan hit
Pagan and, during 23/24 Oct, 1 bombs Iwo Jima.
ELEVENTH AF—3 B‑24’s hit Kashiwabara targets. 3 more B‑24’s
bomb Otomari and fly a photo mission over Onnekotan. 5 B‑25’s bomb Asahi Bay
area.
US ARMY
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Canadian First Army’s British I Corps area, U.S. 104th Division, inexperienced in combat, begins moving into line along Antwerp–Breda highway between 49th Division and Polish 1st Armored Division. On left flank of corps, Canadian 4th Armored Division swings west from Esschen toward Bergen-op–Zoom to seal off Beveland Isthmus, along which Canadian 2d Division of 2 Corps is preparing to drive.
12th Army Group:
Front is generally quiet as preparations for offensive in November continue.
6th Army Group:
Gen Eisenhower, in personal letter to Gen Devers, orders Sixth Army Group to
protect south flank of 12th Army Group in coming offensive toward the Rhine.
In U.S.
Seventh Army’s XV Corps area, 44th Division commits 71st Infantry to action,
relieving elements of 79th Division of newly won positions east of Forêt de
Parroy. In VI Corps area, 3d Division is meeting stronger resistance as it
approaches Les Rouges Eaux, on road to St Dié. To left, 180th Infantry of 45th
Division succeeds in establishing bridgehead across Mortagne River east of
Fremifontaine, from which to push northeast toward Raon-l’Etape. On right
flank, 36th Division extends positions east of Bruyères to Biffontaine; 1st
Battalion of 141st, attempting to secure heights north of La Houssière, becomes
isolated in Forêt Domaniale de Champ.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army area, South African 6th
Division, attacking in force toward Mont Salvaro, drives to summit; elements to
right begin assault on Mont Termine. In IV Corps area, TF 92, after
unsuccessful attempt to push northeast from Mont Cauala, goes on the defensive
in coastal sector. In II Corps area, enemy counterattacks and recovers Hill 459
from 85th Division. Elsewhere on right flank of corps, counterattacks are
repulsed and bypassed pockets cleared. At night, 2d Battalion of 351st
Infantry, 88th Division, attacks toward Vedriano and Company G takes Vedriano
by dawn of 24th. 133d Infantry, 34th Division, seizes Mont Belmonte. In British
13 Corps area, 78th Division, renewing assault on Mont Spadura with 11th and
38th Brigades, clears this feature. 1st Division takes Mont Cornazzano without
opposition; gains ground north of Mont Ceco. 21st Brigade, Indian 8th Division,
seizes Mont Giro and pushes on toward Mont Colombo; 17th takes Mont Casalino.
In British
Eighth Army’s 5 Corps area, Indian 10th Division reaches crest of Mont Cavallo
ridge, which extends northward to Bertinoro, commanding Highway 9; enemy begins
to pull back. Savio River is subsiding and reinforcements are crossed into 4th
Division’s bridgehead.
In
Canadian 1 Corps area, Canadian 1st Division maintains bridgehead across the
Savio but is unable to strengthen it. 11th Brigade, Canadian 5th Armored
Division, reaches the Savio to River.
BATTLE OF LEYTE GULF—Major 3-day naval battle opens as
submarines discover and attack elements of Japanese Combined Fleet steaming
toward the Philippines to eliminate U.S. threat to Leyte. Surface vessels and
carrier aircraft of Third and Seventh Fleets and Japanese land-based planes
later join in the action.
LEYTE—U.S. Sixth Army: At ceremony in Tacloban, Gen
MacArthur restores Philippine Civil Government under President Sergio Osmena.
In X Corps area, 8th Cavalry of 2d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, charged with
task of securing control of San Juanico Strait between Leyte and Samar and
cutting off Japanese movement, begins operations toward this end.
Reconnaissance party moves by LCI from Tacloban through San Juanico Strait to
Babatngon, on north coast, and on return reconnoiters ferry termini that
connect Leyte and Samar, the Leyte terminus being at Guintiguian and the Samar
terminus at La Paz, without incident. Other elements of the regiment move to
Diit River and secure bridge in preparation for drive on Santa Cruz, on
Carigara Bay. Japanese party raids Palo at night, using Filipinos to deceive
Americans, but is dispersed and leave behind 60 dead. 1st Battalion, 34th
Infantry, begins attack on Hill C, blocking passage into Leyte Valley on north
side of Highway 2 at west edge of Palo, a strongly defended feature. 2d
Battalion, 19th Infantry, reaches what it believes to be crest of Hill B, which
also blocks entrance into Leyte Valley. 2d Squadron of 12th Cavalry, 1st
Cavalry Division, relieves 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry, on Hill 522; 1st
Battalion of 19th Infantry is ordered to attack Hill 85, south of Palo. XXIV
Corps area, 96th Division is facing acute supply shortage, which limits forward
movement. 383d Infantry, less 1st Battalion, attacking at noon, crosses
Guinarona River and reaches positions west of Pikas. 382d is largely engaged in
patrolling. Tanks of 767th Tank Battalion act as spearhead for 7th Division as
it continues drive on Burauen in effort to take San Pablo airfield. 17th
Infantry ( — ), reinforced by 2d Battalion of 184th, leads troops, attacking
through 32d and 184th Regiments, which then follow. Tanks arrive at Burauen and
scatter enemy forces. Infantrymen drive through Julita and San Pablo and seize
San Pablo airfield.
PALAUS—Anti-Tank and Cannon Companies relieve infantry of responsibility
for eliminating the few remaining enemy on Angaur.
US MARINE CORPS
23-26 Oct 1944 Battle
of Leyte Gulf which ends in U. S. naval victory.
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