80 Years Ago Today, Saturday, 20 May 1944

USN

Pacific

TG 53.18 (three light cruisers and eight destroyers) bombards Japanese shore installations on Alu, Poporang, and Morgusia Islands, Shortlands. Enemy return fire damages light cruiser Montpelier (CL-57) and straddles light cruiser Cleveland (CL-55)

Submarine Angler (SS-240) sinks Japanese transport _tori Maru (ex-Panamanian Boyaca), 05°57'N, 105°12'E, and survives depth-charging by escort ship.

Submarine Bluegill (SS-242) despite presence of two escort vessels, sinks Japanese army cargo ship Miyaura Maru In the narrow passage between Halmahera and Morotai, 02°14'N, 128°05'E.

Submarine Picuda (SS-382) is damaged by depth charges, Luzon Strait, 19°00'N, 120°45'E, but remains on patrol.

Submarine Silversides (SS-236) sinks Japanese gunboat Shosei Maru off Saipan, 13°32'N, 144°36'E.

Planes from light carrier San Jacinto (CVL-30) sink guardboat Yawata Maru 150 miles north of Marcus Island,31°22'N, 154°59'E.

USAAF B-24s (14th Air Force) bomb Takao-bound Japanese convoy no. 88 in South China Sea south of Hong Kong, sinking army cargo ship Shinju Maru, 21°20'N, 117°10'E, and damaging Tsukuba Maru and Kori Maru. Gunboat Hashidate takes the crippled Tsukuba Maru in tow; Kori Maru reaches Takao unaided. Salvage vessel (ex-Chinese) Sonjo Maru is dispatched to aid Hashidate (see 22 May 1944).

Other USAAF B-24s (14th Air Force) attack Japanese warships sent to aid convoy no. 87, attacked the previous day, damaging auxiliary submarine chaser Kinsui Maru in the South China Sea, 22°00'N, 118°25'E.

AAF

Eighth AF

287 B-17’s and B-24’s bomb A/Fs, aircraft works, and M/Ys at Orly, Villacoublay, Reims and Reims/Champagne. Large force of nearly 250 HBs scheduled to bomb at Liege and Brussels is forced to abort because of dense cloud cover over tgts.

Ninth AF

Around 450 MBs attack A/Fs, coastal defenses, and V-weapon site in France. About 250 aborts are caused mainly by bad cloud conditions and failure to rendezvous with ftrs. P-47’s dive-bomb tgts in NW Europe.

Twelfth AF

Weather prevents operations by MBs and LBs. FBs continue to hit comm and gun positions in battle area. Areas in and around Vallecorsa and Terracina are hit especially hard. Ftrs maintain patrols and rcn, destroying or damaging numerous vehicles between Pisa and Pistoia.

Tenth AF

100-plus A-36’s, P-40’s, and P-51’s pound gun positions, attack bridges, bomb troops, and hit numerous T/Os in areas around Myitkyina, Kamaing, Nanyaseik, and Nsopzup. 16 A-31’s and 2 P-38’s hit tgts in Arakan area, including signal center SE of Buthidaung, gun positions SE of Maungdaw, and jetty at Akyab. 24 A-31’s bomb positions at Churachandpur. About 40 B-24’s and P-51’s hit oil installations at Yenangyaung and Chauk, A/F at Pakokku, and town of Akyab.

Fourteenth AF

13 B-24’s attack convoy S of Hong Kong claiming 2 motor launches sunk and damaging several larger vessels. 3 HBs are lost at sea. 37 P-40’s hit trucks, armored vehicles, river traffic, and troops in or near Shasi, Ichang, Tangyang, Chingmen, Loyang, and Loning. On Salween front 43 ftrs and 8 MBs spt ground forces and damage bridge N of Tengchung over Shweli R.

Fifth AF

B-24’s, A-20’s, and B-25’s hit airstrips, revetments, supply areas, AA positions, and shipping at Manokwari, Noemfoor and Biak Is, and Mawi Bay. A-20’s, B-25’s, and FBs continue to pound A/Fs, coastal villages, bridges, supply dumps, trucks, and various other tgts at Wewak and from Wewak to shore of Hansa Bay.

Thirteenth AF

22 B-25’s, 44 P-39’s, P-40’s, and P-38’s and 30-plus Navy and Marine aircraft pound AA positions, bivouacs, and supply areas from Muguai-Ebery’s Lease area to Maika area. 24 other P-39’s hit barges in Matchin Bay, AA guns at Sohano I, and bridges at Kieta. 3 B-24’s bomb Tobera runway while 2 B- 24’s, with Navy ftr escort, attack barges and a launch NW of Rabaul.

Seventh AF

B-25’s from Engebi bomb Ponape.

USA

MARCUS I.—Carrier planes of Fifth Fleet TF begin 2-day assault on island.

NEW GUINEA—After mopping up NE tip of Insoemoar I., TF TORNADO assault force returns to mainland, turning over control of island to AAF. Japanese casualties on Insoemoar total 759 killed and 4 captured. At least 50 more have been killed on the mainland. Total U.S. casualties during the Wakde operation is 43 killed and 139 wounded; of these, Army losses were 40 killed and 107 wounded. On the mainland, Japanese efforts to recover Tor R crossing site fail. ALAMO Force warns PERSECUTION TF to expect major Japanese effort against Toem– Arare beachhead.

CBI—In NCAC area, Gen Stilwell reminds Adm Mountbatten that his (Stilwell’s) forces will be released upon reaching Kamaing according to Cairo agreement. 112th Regt, Ch 38th Div, takes Warong.

On Salween front, Ch engineers complete landing strip begun on 12th. ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s II Corps area, elements of 349th Inf, 88th Div, clear Fondi and drive on to M. Passignano. FEC closes in on Pico.

ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s II Corps area, elements of 349th Inf, 88th Div, clear Fondi and drive on to M. Passignano. FEC closes in on Pico.

In Br Eighth Army area, Pol 2 Corps begins battle for Piedimonte and reaches outskirts, where indecisive fighting continues for next few days.