Discussion of late on the STMFC list reminded me that I’d done a couple of posts when the Rapido USRA Box Cars were released in 2017 and 2021.
Double Sheathed https://northbaylines.blogspot.com/2017/11/building-wwii-atsf-fleet-vii-freight.html
Single Sheathed https://northbaylines.blogspot.com/2021/06/the-rapido-single-sheathed-usra-box-car.html
John Barry
Lovettsville, VA
15 August 2025
US NAVY
PACIFIC—Before receiving the announcement of the end of
hostilities, planes from fast carrier task force (Vice Admiral John S. McCain)
raid airfields in the vicinity of Tokyo, encountering heavy aerial opposition.
Second strike is cancelled while it is en route to objectives; pilots jettison
their ordnance and return to their carriers.
TG 30.6
(Commodore Rodger W. Simpson) is formed to liberate, evacuate, and care for
Allied POWs in Japan.
Japanese
escort vessel Kanju is sunk by Russian aircraft off Wonsan, 39°10'N, 127°27'E.
Japanese
auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 167 is sunk by accident, Kure.
Japanese
merchant cargo ship No.12 Yamabishi Maru is damaged by aircraft, 34°41.5'N,
129°36'E.
MEDITERRANEAN—U.S. freighter William D. Byron is damaged by
two mines off Savona, Italy, 44°00'N, 09°00'E; one of four Armed Guard sailors
is injured.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
INTERNATIONAL—Gen MacArthur is notified that he is Supreme
Cmdr for Allied powers. All offensive action against Japan ends.
TWELFTH AF—All units are transferred or redeployed with
exception of 6719th WAC HQ Pltn (an assigned unit) and Det, 1054th MP Co, Avn.
US ARMY
PACIFIC—Gen MacArthur receives notice that he is Supreme
Commander for the Allied Powers. All offensive action against Japan comes to an
end.
US MARINE CORPS
Offensive action against Japan halted. 1st MAW Hq moved to
Philippines.
US NAVY
PACIFIC—Japan accepts the provisions of the Potsdam
Declaration and agrees to surrender ("VJ Day"). General of the Army
Douglas MacArthur is named Supreme Allied Commander to receive the enemy's
capitulation and conduct the occupation of his homeland.
Thirty‑five
USAAF B‑29s mine Shimonoseki Straits and the waters off Nanao, Maizuru and
Hamada, Japan, in the final B‑29 minelaying operations of the war.
Submarine
Spikefish (SS‑404) sinks Japanese submarine I 373, then en route from
Sasebo to Takao, 190 miles southeast of Shanghai, China, 29°00'N, 124°00'E.
In Sea of
Japan, submarine Torsk (SS‑423) sinks Coast Defense Vessel No.13 at 35°44'N,
134°38'E, and Coast Defense Vessel No.47 at 35°41'N, 134°38'E.
Mines laid
by USAAF B‑29s (20th Air Force) sink Japanese gunboat Hirota Maru off Mutsure,
Japan, 33°59'N,130°52'E, cargo ship Mikamasan Maru at 39°18'N, 126°28'E, and
merchant cargo ships Yojo Maru in Osaka harbor,34°38'N, 135°28'E; and Kashima
Maru off coast of Korea, 35°10'N, 129°00'E.
Marine
casualties account for damage to Japanese merchant tankers No.8 Nankai Maru at
36°54'N, 126°12.5'E and tanker Nanki Maru 300 miles off Bontensen.
Aircraft
(nationality and type unidentified) sink Japanese merchant cargo ship No.6
Hatokama Maru off Tanoura. and damage merchant cargo ships No.5 Shinko Maru at
34°35'N, 131°23'E, and Tatsusugi Maru at 34°12'N, 129°46'E. Merchant cargo ship
No.3 Takakawa Maru, damaged by aircraft, is beached north of Hirato Island.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
FEAF—B‑25’s, P‑47’s and P‑51’s attack shipping in Korea and
Kyushu waters, claiming several vessels destroyed and damaged. P‑47’s over
Osaka‑Nagoya area claim several Japanese aircraft shot down.
TWENTIETH AF—302 B‑29’s bomb naval arsenal at Hikari and
Osaka Army Arsenal while 108 bomb railroad yards at Marifu. VII FC planes
escort Very Heavy Bombers over Osaka area. During 14/15 Aug, 160‑plus B‑29’s
attack Kumagaya and Isezaki with incendiaries while 132 (in the longest nonstop
unstaged B‑29 bombing mission from the Marianas‑3,650 mi) bomb Nippon Oil
Company at Tsuchizakiminato. 39 others mine waters at Nanao, Shimonoseki,
Miyazu, and Hamada. These are the final B‑29 combat missions against Japan. Before
the last B‑29’s return, President Truman announces the unconditional surrender of
Japan. Immediately thereafter, 11th Airborne Div leaves Phil Is by air for
Okinawa, where it goes on standby as the initial occupation force for Japan.
VII FC—After escorting B‑29 strike over Osaka area, 160‑plus
fighters (from VII FC on Iwo Jima) fly last fighter strike against Japan Home
Islands, hitting airfields and other military installations in Nagoya general
area.
US ARMY
JAPAN—Accepts Allied unconditional surrender terms. 11th
Airborne Division moves by air from the Philippines to Okinawa en route to
Japan.
US MARINE CORPS
4th Marines (Reinforced), comprising the Yokosuka Landing
Force, departs Guam for Japan.
US NAVY
PACIFIC—Aircraft from fast carrier task force (Vice Admiral
John S. McCain) bomb targets in the vicinity of Tokyo.
USAAF OA‑10A
extracts TBM crew (VT 87) from Ticonderoga (CV‑14) from the inner reaches of
Tokyo Bay midway between Yokohama and Kizarazu, marking the first time that a
U.S. plane has accomplished a rescue in those waters.
Attack
transport Lagrange (APA‑124) is crashed by suicide plane, Buckner Bay, Okinawa,
26°14'N, 127°52'E.
Submarine
Atule (SS‑403) sinks Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.6 and damages Coast
Defense Vessel No.16 off Hokkaido, 42°16'N, 142°12'E.
Submarine
Torsk (SS‑423) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Kaiho Maru, 36°17'N,
136°09'E.
USAAF B‑24s
and/or B‑25s operating against Japanese shipping in Korea Strait sink guard
boat Ayanami Maru at34°50'N, 131°10'E and damage merchant cargo ship Tatsukiri
Maru at 34°35'N, 131°23'E.
Japanese
merchant cargo ship No.11 Tosei Maru is damaged by aircraft off Hekata.
Japanese
army tanker No.10 Nitto Maru is damaged by mine, 34°22'N, 130°54'E.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
FEAF—B‑24’s and B‑25’s from Okinawa pound shipping in
waters off Korea and Kyushu and in Inland Sea claiming several vessels sunk and
damaged. P‑47’s over Keijo encounter 20 aircraft and claim at least 16 shot
down. B‑25’s attack Japanese forces near Palaciaan. P‑38’s hit shipping in
Singapore area.
ELEVENTH AF—Eleventh AF dispatches its last combat mission
when 6 B‑24’s radar‑bomb Kashiwabara staging area, leaving huge columns of
smoke.
US ARMY
U.S.—Surrender documents, approved by President Truman, are
sent to Gen MacArthur.
US MARINE CORPS
US NAVY
PACIFIC—TF 92, comprising two light cruisers and 12
destroyers (Rear Admiral John H. Brown, Jr.) bombards Japanese installations on
Matsuwa Island and at Kurabu Cape and Suribachi Bay, Paramushiro Island Kurils.
A pre‑bombardment sweep of the Sea of Okhotsk results in the destruction of ten
trawlers.
Japanese
submarine I 58 conducts unsuccessful kaiten attack on dock landing ship
Oak Hill (LSD‑7) while she is enroute from Okinawa to Leyte Gulf accompanied by
destroyer escort Thomas F. Nickel (DE‑587).
Battleship
Pennsylvania (BB‑38) is damaged by aerial torpedo, Buckner Bay, Okinawa,
26°14'N, 127°50'E.
Aircraft
sink Japanese auxiliary patrol vessel Pa 166 five miles southeast of Urasaki,
Japan, and merchant cargo ship Hozugawa Maru off the east coast of Korea,
35°00'N, 126°00'E, and damage Kitanami Maru off Mishima light.
Mines sink
Japanese merchant cargo ship No.1 Shinyo Maru north of Kyushu, and damage
merchant cargo ship Yurakawa Maru eight kilometers off Wakamatsu light, and
army cargo ship No.16 Tamon Maru in Koguchi Channel, Nanao, 37°07'N, 137°02'E.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
INTERNATIONAL—Soviet troops move into Korea.
NINTH AF—Col Reginald F Vance becomes commander of 9th Air Division.
FEAF—B‑24’s from Okinawa bomb Matsuyama airfield. B‑25’s
and A‑26’s hit Chiran and Kanoya airfields while other A‑26’s and A‑20’s and P‑47’s
hit towns of Kushikino, Akune, and Miyazaki. More B‑25’s and Fighter Bombers
hit shipping and communications targets in Kyushu, N Ryukyus, and between Japan
and Korea. The aircraft claim several small merchant ships sunk ancl damaged,
and numerous bridges, railroads, factories, and other targets of opportunity
hit. B‑24’s from the Philippine Islands pound Kagi airfield and Takao marshalling
yard. P‑38’s support ground forces in or near Kabayan, Kiangan, and Uldugan.
ELEVENTH AF—4 B‑24’s make a combined visual and radar bomb
run over Kataoka. 3 more bomb Suribachi airfield, hitting runways and
buildings. 1 B‑24 flies a radar‑ferret mission.
US ARMY
U.S.—War Department suspends projected operations against
Fort Bayard since end of hostilities is imminent.
KOREA—Soviet troops move into Korea.
US MARINE CORPS
Soviet troops move into Korea.
US NAVY
PACIFIC—TG 95.4 (Captain Henry J. Armstrong, Jr.)
comprising four light minelayers (DM), 40 minesweepers (AM) and 10 motor
minesweepers (YMS), and various supporting vessels, departs Buckner Bay,
Okinawa, to proceed into the East China Sea to conduct minesweeping operations.
TF 38
planes damage Japanese destroyer Kaba and submarines I 36, I 159, and
I 402 at Kure, Japan.
Destroyer
McDermut (DD‑677) is damaged by small‑caliber naval gunfire in Kurils, 49°30'N,
155°01'E.
Submarine
Chub (SS‑329) sinks Japanese army auxiliary sailing vessel No.32 Sakura Maru,
06°40'S, 115°44'E.
Submarine
Hawkbill (SS‑366) puts landing party and Australian commandoes ashore at
Terampah Harbor, Matak Island Anambas Islands, that destroys a gasoline dump,
captures intelligence documents, and rescues an Indian POW.
Submarine
Jallao (SS‑368) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Teihoku Maru, 38°03'N,
133°12'E.
Mines laid
by USAAF B‑29s (20th Air Force) sink Japanese merchant cargo ship No.2 Nisshin
Maru eight kilometers off Wakamatsu light, 33°45'N, 131°30'E, and damage
landing ship T.153 two miles east‑northeast of Kanawaiwa, Japan.
Japanese
merchant vessel Wajun Go is damaged by marine casualty near Funagawa.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
FOURTEENTH AF—9 P‑51’s attack troops, trains, and
rivercraft around Chenhsien, Tehsien, and Hengyang.
FEAF—Okinawa‑based B‑24’s, B‑25’s, A‑26’s, A‑20’s, and fighters
flying about 530 sorties cause extensive destruction of shipping and shore
installations in the Inland Sea, in Tsushima area, and of communications, transportation,
and other targets throughout Kyushu. Philippine Islands‑based B‑24’s bomb Heito
Airfield and Laha barracks. P‑38’s hit buildings near Dibuluan and fieldguns
near Kiangan.
US ARMY
U.S.—Replies to Japanese surrender offer.
US MARINE CORPS
