80 Years Ago, Sunday 7 May 1944

USN

Pacific

Submarines Bonefish (SS-223) and Flasher (SS-249) damage Japanese army cargo ship Aobasan Maru in Sulu Sea off Zamboanga, 07°07'N, 121°50'E.

Submarine Burrfish (SS-312) sinks German oiler Rossbach, bound for Balikpapan, south of Murotosaki, Japan,33°15'N, 134°11'E.

Japanese TAKE No.1 convoy reaches Bangka Island, Celebes, where it will pause before continuing on toward Halmahera, while efforts continue to rescue survivors of the three ships (army cargo ships Aden Maru, Amatsuzan Maru and Tajima Maru sunk by Gurnard (SS-254) the day before.

AAF

Eighth AF

549 B-17’s bomb city of Berlin, 167 B-24’s bomb industrial center of Osnabruck, 145 B-24’s strike industrial area of Munster, and around 30 other Heavy Bombers bomb various targets of opportunity in Germany in morning raids. During the afternoon 19 B-24’s bomb marshalling yards at Liege and 9 bomb targets of opportunity. This is the first day in which over 900 Eighth AF Heavy Bombers attack targets and the second time in which over 1,000 are airborne on a single day’s operations. 9 bombers are lost.

Twelfth AF

Weather remains poor and precludes Medium Bomber operations. A-20’s hit dump SW of Albano Laziale. Fighter Bombers hit comm, especially roads, with excellent results. Roads, motor transports, trains, gun positions, bridges, tracks, marshalling yards, harbor areas, and other targets are attacked in areas around Stimigliano, Vetralla, Viterbo, Bracciano, Anzio, Manziana, Acquapendente, Civitavecchia, Terracina, Rome, and Elba I.

Fifteenth AF

420-plus B-17’s and B-24’s bomb marshalling yards in Bucharest. 62 P-51’s escort Heavy Bombers to target and 53 provide withdrawal escort. 84 P-38’s and P-51’s fly target cover. 38 B-17’s attack bridge at Belgrade.

Tenth AF

35 A-31’s pound area around Bishenpur. 15 P-38’s hit Kangaung area. 4 P-40’s hit targets of opportunity along road from N of Nanyaseik to Kamaing. 4 B-24’s lay mines in Gulf of Siam off Sattahib.

Fourteenth AF

4 B-25’s hit vehicle concentrations W and NW of Hsiangcheng and bomb town of Chiahsien, and 4 P-40’s destroy at least 25 trucks between the 2 towns. 8 P-40’s destroy or damage 40-60 trucks, tanks, and other vehicles during road sweeps from Loyang to Yenshih and from Yehhsien to Paofeng. 8 P- 40’s strafe forces and equipment E of Luchou, while 4 hit railroad targets of opportunity at Lang Son.

Fifth AF

B-24’s, B-25’s, and P-40’s hit Urarom, Biak I, HollandiaWakde coast, and Sawar-Maffin Bay area. A- 20’s, B-25’s, and Fighter Bombers again attack targets of opportunity from Wewak to area around Hansa Bay and strafe villages along Sepik R.

Thirteenth AF

15 B-25’s, hampered by bad weather, attack coastal gun on Cape Friendship and bomb W coast of

Rantan I. 70-plus P-39’s, P-38’s, and P-40’s bomb numerous targets throughout Buka and Bougainville,

including shipping and supply area at Chabai and Tsirogei, huts at Hiru Hiru, near Tonu, and at

Monoitu, and bridges W of Haigi and on Miwo R.

Seventh AF

B-24’s, staging through Eniwetok, bomb Truk during 6/7 May. B-25’s from Engebi hit Ponape during the following day. Makin-based B-25’s bomb Jaluit and Wotje.

USA

NEW GUINEA—Nyaparake Force patrol, after clashing with strong enemy patrol across the Dandriwad R, withdraws to W bank.

NEW BRITAIN—Elements of 40th Div occupy Cape Hoskins airdrome without opposition.

BURMA—In NCAC area, TF END RUN blocks exits from Ritpong from S and during night 7–8 frustrates efforts of Japanese to withdraw.