US NAVY
PACIFIC—While TF 38 remains nearby to provide cover for the
ongoing salvage of crippled heavy cruiser Canberra (CA‑70) that had been
damaged the previous day, Japanese aerial counterattacks continue, inflicting
damage on carrier Hancock (CV‑19), 23°30'N, 121°30'E; light cruiser Reno
(CL‑96) (suicide plane); and destroyer Cassin Young (DD‑793)
(strafing), 22°30'N, 124°50'E. Light cruiser Houston (CL‑81) is damaged
by aerial torpedo, and destroyer Cowell (DD‑547) is damaged when she
fouls Houston as Cowell lies alongside assisting in salvage
efforts, 22°27'N,124°01'E. Heavy cruiser Boston (CA‑69)--later relieved
by fleet tug Pawnee (ATF‑74)--takes Houston in tow. At this juncture,
heavy air attacks on TF 38, together with enemy radio propaganda broadcasts
that reflect a vast overestimation of the destruction wreaked by attacking
Japanese aircraft, prompts Commander Third Fleet to withdraw TG 38.2 (Rear Admiral
Gerald F. Bogan) and TG 38.3 (Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman) to the
eastward to set upon any important Japanese fleet units that would attempt to
finish off the "crippled remnants" of TF 38. The enemy, however, does
not take the bait.
During TF
38 operations against Japanese shipping and installations on Formosa, Navy
carrier-based planes damage coastal minelayer Enoshima and auxiliary
submarine chasers Cha 7 and Cha 151 off Takao.
Submarine Angler
(SS‑240) sinks Japanese army transport Nanrei Maru south of Tablas
Strait, 11°53'N, 121°39'E.
Submarine Bonefish
(SS‑223) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Fushimi Maru in South
China Sea off west coast of Luzon, 16°12'N, 119°45'E.
Submarine Dace
(SS‑247) sinks Japanese merchant tankers Eikyo Maru and Nittetsu
Maru and damages merchant ore carrier Taizen Maru off North Borneo,
06°05'N, 115°55'E.
British
submarine HMS Sturdy sinks Japanese Communication Vessel No.128 in
Gulf of Boni.
Carrier Saratoga
(CV‑3) and destroyer escort Howard F. Clark (DE‑533) are damaged in
collision during maneuvers off Oahu.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
EIGHTH AF—About 1,100 heavy bombers bomb 7 marshalling
yards at Saarbrucken, Kaiserslautern, and Cologne, city of Euskirchen, and
targets of opportunity in the Cologne area. 15 fighter groups give escort.
NINTH AF—Bad weather grounds 9th Bomb division. Fighters
escort leaflet mission, fly sweeps and rail cutting operations, armed
reconnaissance over Eastern France and Western Germany, and support US Third
Army.
TWELFTH AF—Bad weather cancels all medium bomber
operations. Over 100 fighters and fighter bombers pound troop concentrations,
gun positions, supplies, bridges, roads, and rail lines South of Bologna where
hard fighting is taking place in Monterumici, Livergnano, and Gesso ridge
areas.
FIFTEENTH AF—317 B‑17’s and B‑24’s hampered by bad weather,
bomb oil refineries at Blechhammer and Odertal, and several targets of
opportunity including marshalling yards at Bratislava, Nove Zamky, Komarom,
Komarom and Nove Zamky railroad bridges, Borzavar industrial area, and Ugod
military garrison. Escorting fighters strafe airfields, rail and road traffic
and other targets of opportunity in target areas. 52 B‑24’s bomb railroad
bridge and marshalling yard at Maribor. 54 P‑51’s on strafing mission in
Balaton Lake area attack airfields at Szekesfehervar and Seregelyes. 55 P‑38’s
escort MATAF C‑47’s carrying airborne forces to Megara airfield.
TENTH AF—Transport aircraft fly more than 200 sorties,
delivering men and supplies to various points in CBI.
FOURTEENTH AF—32 P‑51’s and P‑40’s on armed reconnaissance
attack troops, town areas, and river traffic around Samshui, Mangshih,
Kweiping, Hsinganhsien, Konghow and Tajungchiang.
FEAF—B‑24’s again bomb oil refineries and associated
industries in Balikpapan area. Others bomb Pombelaa mine. A‑20’s, B‑25’s, and
fighter bombers again hit Laha and Haroekoe airfields.
TWENTIETH AF—103 Chengtu‑based B‑29’s bomb aircraft plant
at Okayama. 12 more hit last‑resort targets and targets of opportunity. This is
first Twentieth AF mission during which over 100 very heavy bombers attack
targets and the first of a series of missions against Formosa in conjunction
with US invasion of Leyte.
SEVENTH AF—3 B‑24’s on armed reconnaissance from Saipan
bomb Marcus. P‑47’s on sweep over Pagan bomb and strafe storage caves. 1 B‑24
from the Marshalls bombs Wake during 14/15 Oct.
ELEVENTH AF—4 B‑25’s bomb and strafe buildings at Otomae
Bay.
US ARMY
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Canadian 2 Corps area, the
land approach to Breskens Pocket from the east is secured by Canadian 3d
Division at Isabella, tip of Savojaards Plaat.
12th Army Group:
In U.S. First Army’s VII Corps area, 26th Infantry of 1st Division continues to
make slow progress in Aachen and on Observatory Hill. 9th Division commits
elements of 47th Infantry to insure safety of Road Junction 471 in Huertgen
Forest.
6th Army Group:
In French 1st Army’s 2d Corps area, 3d Algerian Division finishes clearing
Forêt de Gehan and takes Cornimont, but by this time is so weakened that
offensive is broken off.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army area, South African 6th
Armored Division finds Grizzana undefended. In II Corps area, enemy clings to
Monterumici defenses despite attacks by 135th Infantry of 34th Division and
Combat Command A of 1st Armored Division. At noon 1st Armored Division takes
command of 135th Infantry and Combat Command A. 133d Infantry shifts eastward
to 91st Division zone. 91st Division improves positions in Livergnano area and
takes Querceta. Germans abandon Livergnano village. 339th Infantry, 85th
Division, pushes northward from Hill 578. 2d Battalion of 350th Infantry, 88th
Division, takes Hill 373, north of Hill 339; 351st Infantry, ordered to
consolidate on Gesso ridge, breaks off attacks. In British 13 Corps area, 78th
Division continues attacks toward Mont la Pieve.
In British
Eighth Army area, 2 Polish Corps takes command of 10 Corps sector and troops on
left flank of army with orders to drive on Forlì. 5 Corps continues to clear
heights east of the Savio, 46th Division seizing Mont dei Pini, beyond
Carpineta. In Canadian 1 Corps area, 1st Division takes village of Bulgaria.
Elements of New Zealand 2d Division clear south. Angelo, night 14–15.
YUGOSLAVIA—Soviet and Yugoslavia forces are converging on
Belgrade, which is encircled.
CBI—Gen Stilwell flies to east China, where Chinese are
preparing to take the offensive.
FORMOSA—TF 38 achieves its purpose of neutralizing Formosa,
where some 280 enemy planes have been destroyed since 12th, but another
cruiser, Houston, is damaged by Japanese torpedo. Part of the TF
withdraws from Formosa area in effort to lure enemy fleet into the open.
SWPA—III Amphibious Force, with elements of Leyte invasion
force that have reached Manus from Hawaii aboard, sail for Leyte.
POA—CG, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, designates CG, V
Amphibious Corps (Gen Schmidt, USMC) as Landing Force Commander (CTG 56.1) for
Iwo Jima operation and directs him to prepare plans.
PALAUS—Adm Fort turns over control of all operations in the
Palaus to Adm Hoover, heading Forward Area Central Pacific (TF 57). On Peleliu,
81st Division prepares to relieve marines at Umurbrogol Pocket while defending
eastern arm of the island, recalling 2d Battalion of 321st Infantry from
offshore islands. On Angaur, attack and occupation phase is terminated by III
Amphibious Corps, although pocket still remains at North West tip.
US MARINE CORPS
V Amphibious Corps directed to prepare plans for Iwo Jima operation.
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