80 Years Ago, Wednesday10 May 1944

 USN

Pacific

Naval Base, Eniwetok, Marshalls, is established.

Motor torpedo boat PT-79 is damaged in collision, Cold Bay.

Submarine Cod (SS-224) attacks large Japanese convoy off west coast of Luzon, sinking destroyer Karukaya and transport Shohei Maru about 150 miles northwest of Manila, 15°38'N, 119°32'E.

Submarine Silversides (SS-236) attacks Japanese convoy about 120 miles south-southwest of Guam, sinking auxiliary cable ship Okinawa Maru, gunboat No.2 Choan Maru, and collier No.18 Mikage Maru, 11°26'N, 143°46'E, and forces it to return whence it comes. Silversides survives depth-charging by one or more of the following ships: escort vessel Momi, submarine chaser Ch 30, auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 66 and auxiliary minelayer Wa 5.

Submarine Tambor (SS-198) encounters Japanese convoy 3503 (see 4 May 1944), and torpedoes aircraft transport Keiyo Maru about 420 miles northwest of Saipan, 19°26'N, 140°19'E.

Mediterranean

Off Anzio, submarine chaser PC-556 is damaged by bomb; destroyers Charles F. Hughes (DD-428) and Hilary P. Jones (DD-427) bombard German supply dumps.

AAF

Ninth AF

About 300 Medium Bombers attack marshalling yards, airfields, and NOBALL targets in France and Belgium. P-47’s and P-51’s divebomb targets in NW Europe for the sixth straight day. Bad weather causes large number of aborts.

Twelfth AF

Weather permits Medium Bomber operations for first time in several days. B-25’s hit bridges near San Giovanni Valdarno, Orvieto, and Monte Molino, and Terni viaduct. B-26’s attack bridges W of Arezzo. Fighter Bombers continue attacks on roads and railroads N of Rome. Tgts in areas of Avezzano, Civitavecchia, Furbara, Terni, Todi, Orvieto, Manciano, Perugia, Monte San Savino, and La Spezia, and near Rome are attacked.

Fifteenth AF

485th BG (B-24) is declared operational, giving Fifteenth AF its planned operational strength of 21 Heavy Bomber gps. The 52d FG (P-51) also begins operations with the Fifteenth on this date, making a total of 6 fighter gps. Around 400 Heavy Bombers attack airfield and industrial complex at Wiener-Neustadt. Over 200 fighters provide support. 19 Heavy Bombers hit Knin railroad center. Over 300 Heavy Bombers are forced to abort due to bad weather which has halted operations for the past few days. Opposition is fierce against the Wiener-Neustadt missions. 21 Heavy Bombers and 1 fighter are lost. US aircraft claim 50 combat victories.

CBI

In drive to free the Burma Road, Chinese troops cross Salween R on a 100-mi front and attack Japanese positions in N Burma.

Tenth AF

12 A-31’s hit Buthidaung area. More than 70 B-25’s, A-36’s, P-51’s, P-40’s, and 10 B-24’s blast numerous targets, concentrating on barracks and storage in Myitkyina-Mogaung vicinity and also hitting gun positions and bridges at Kamaing, and railroad siding and buildings at Mohnyin. 60-plus A-31’s hit Kohima and Bishenpur, and damage bridge near Kalewa. 16 P-38’s destroy several aircraft in strikes on Aungban and Kangaung airfields.

Fourteenth AF

P-40’s sink 6 large junks and damage several others in Fan Tou Bay, and destroy several trucks between Wan Pa-Hsa and Mong Ho Pung. 28 P-40’s bomb Tengchung town area, strafe nearby truck convoy, damage bridges at Tingka, Bac Le and Hsenwi, hit power dam at Tasa, bomb tank and truck dispersal area at Hsiangcheng, and hit 30-plus railroad cars at Lang Giai, Dong Dang, and Na Cham.

Fifth AF

120-plus B-24’s, A-20’s, and Fighter Bombers, along with RAAF airplanes, maintain attacks on targets of opportunity along NE New Guinea coast from Hansa Bay area to Wewak. 2 B-24’s hit Mokmer airfield. 45 B-24’s of Thirteenth Air TF bomb airfield on Eten I and warehouse area at Dublon.

Thirteenth AF

41 Fighter Bombers attack Tobera airfield. 11 B-25’s hit Matupi I. Ftrs on sweep hit trucks W of Keravat. 4 B-25’s bomb Muguai Mission. 61 P-39’s (some back from Tobera strike) and 12 P-40’s attack targets throughout Buka-Bougainville area, including bridge over Crepers R, supply area at Mawareka, barge at Chabai, village on Schwarze Pt, pillbox at Gohi, and general area of Porton Plantations.

Seventh AF

B-24’s from Kwajalein bomb Wake during 9/10 May. During the day, B-25’s from Engebi bomb Ponape while Makin-based B-25’s raid Jaluit and Wotje.

Eleventh AF

The Eleventh directs its components to place more emphasis on photographing and bombing of specific targets instead of general recon.

USA

U.S.—James V. Forrestal is appointed Secretary of the Navy.

NEW GUINEA—GHQ SWPA issues instructions for Wakde-Biak operation. After air strike by RAAF, Nyaparake Force pushes E from Babiang and takes Marubian without opposition.

CBI—In NCAC area, H and K Forces are now concentrated at Lazu. On Salween front Y–Force begins crossing the Sal-ween without incident, night 10–11.

ITALY—AAI: On eve of offensive, Allied dispositions are as follows: U.S. Fifth Army, with II Corps on left and FEC on right, holds sector from Tyrrhenian Sea to confluence of Liri and Gari Rivers; 36th Div is in Fifth Army reserve. Br Eighth Army has 13 Corps on left and Cdn 1 Corps behind it; Pol 2 Corps and then 10 Corps to right, and 5 Corps in Adriatic coastal sector; S African 6th Armd Div is in Eighth Army reserve.