80 Years Ago, Monday 5 June 1944

USN

Pacific

Submarine Nautilus (SS-168) lands supplies at Tucuran, Mindanao.

Submarine Puffer (SS-268) attacks Japanese convoy in the Sulu Sea and sinks underway replenishment vessel Ashizuri and oiler Takasaki and damages tanker No.2 Hishi Maru, northeast of Borneo, 06°44'N, 120°54'E.

TG 17.12's operations against Japanese convoy 3530 continue as submarine Shark (SS-314) sinks transport TamahimeMaru and army transport Takaoka Maru west of the Marianas, 17°37'N, 140°32'E.

Atlantic

Off Normandy, France, mines sink minesweeper Osprey (AM-56), 50°12'N, 01°20'W, and damage tank landing ship LST-981, 50°45'N, 00°43'E.

AAF

Eighth AF

629 Heavy Bombers attack 6 coastal def installations in Cherbourg-Caen area and 8 in Pas de Calais area, along with 3 V-weapon sites and a railroad bridge. 6 bombers are lost. 7 P-51 Fighter Bombers attack truck convoy near Lille, destroying 2 trucks.

Ninth AF

Over 100 B-26’s bomb coastal def batteries in France. More than 100 P-47’s dive-bomb targets in same area.

Twelfth AF

Medium Bombers pound road bridges just N of forces retreating from Rome while Fighter Bombers continue attacks against motor transport, railway lines and roads in battle areas and N of Rome, destroying many vehicles and train cars, and scoring numerous hits on bridges, tracks, and roads, as most of US Fifth Army assault forces cross the Tiber in pursuit of enemy and British Eighth Army forces E of Rome prepare to advance astride the Tiber against Terni and Rieti.

Fifteenth AF

440-plus Heavy Bombers attack marshalling yards at Ferrara, Forli, Faenza, Castel Maggiore, and Bologna, bomb bridges, bridge approaches, and surrounding areas at Rimini, Fornovo di Taro, and Pioppi, and attack viaduct at Vado Ligure. P-38’s and P-51’s fly escort. 53 P-38’s strafe Ferrara and Poggio Renatico airfields and 40 strafe and dive-bomb airfields at Bologna and Reggio Emilia.

Tenth AF

9 B-25’s bomb Bhamo and 4 hit bridge at Ledan Chaung, while others continue ammo haul into Imphal. 50 Fighter Bombers pound Myitkyina area and 20-plus others hit Loilaw, Tagwin, Namti, and Mogaung. 12 P-40’s support ground forces at Watien and Lameng on Salween front. 18 P-24’s and 12 P-40’s bomb Lashio. 7 B-24’s blast barracks and warehouse area at Namhkam. 8 P-40’s hit 15 tanks at Taying. 29 P-40’s attack numerous oil barges near Yuankiang, leaving 16 of them burning.

Fifth AF

P-39’s and RAAF airplanes attack Wewak area. B-24’s bomb area N of Sorido airfield. During 5/6 Jun an all-night series of harassing raids by Japanese airplanes destroy several Allied aircraft on Wakde.

Thirteenth AF

23 B-25’s bomb truck park at Rabaul. 22 P-39’s strike Ratawul. 11 P-38’s hit barges and buildings in Vulcan Crater area. 30-plus P-39’s hit vehicles in Komai Tobago vicinity, a wooded supply area N of Buka airfield, and Cape Tanabom and Kangu Hill areas.

Twentieth AF

The Twentieth flies its first Very Heavy Bomber combat mission. Of 98 B-29’s airborne from India, 77 bomb primary target—the railroad shops at Bangkok. 5 Very Heavy Bombers are lost to nonbattle causes.

Seventh AF

B-25’s from Makin hit Nauru. B-24’s from Eniwetok escort photo aircraft over Guam, bomb the island, and proceed to Los Negros for rearming. B-25’s from Engebi strike Ponape.

USA

SWPA—Gen MacArthur tells Gen Krueger that ALAMO Force will direct the Noemfoor operation.

NEW GUINEA—On Biak, Gen Krueger urges TF HURRICANE to intensify efforts to take airfields quickly. 186th Inf resumes westward attack without opposition and reaches main ridge, NE of Mokmer airfield, which 3d Bn scales. In Ibdi area, 162d Inf succeeds in clearing trail inland and making contact with 186th Inf but, despite support of naval vessels offshore, can make little headway in Parai Defile. In Hollandia–Aitape area, initial elements of 6th Div arrive at Toem and begin relief of 158th Inf, TF TORNADO. TF PERSECUTION’S Herrick Force is withdrawn from Yakamul to beachhead by water. Bailey Force completes arduous trek via perimeter of Co G, 127th Inf, 2 miles W of Yakamul, and is sent W along coast to the Driniumor, to which Co G and its supporting arty also retire. During action in Yakamul area, 1st Bn, 126th Inf, has suffered 18 killed, 75 wounded, and 8 missing and has killed 200–250 Japanese. 1st Bn of 127th Inf, which has been trying for several days to drive enemy from ridge N of Afua, makes stronger effort and finds that Japanese have abandoned the ridge.

CBI—Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, conferring with Gen. Stilwell, asks that B–29 tonnage be diverted to meet Japanese threat in E China. Gen Stilwell agrees to request permission if situation grows worse.

On Salween front, 20,000 troops of Ch 71st Army have crossed to W bank of the Salween. Drive on Lung-ling continues. 11 Army Group: In 33 Corps sector of Br Fourteenth Army area, battle of Kohima is successfully concluded as Br 2d Div clears Aradura Spur, S of Kohima, but Kohima–Imphal road must still be opened by 33 Corps working S and 4 Corps pushing N.

THAILAND—B–29’s of U.S. XX Bomber Command, on their first mission, attack Bangkok in force.

ITALY—AAI: Gen Alexander orders vigorous pursuit of enemy to line Rimini–Pisa. Fifth Army, on W, is to seize Viterbo airfield and port of Civitavecchia, then advance on Leghorn. Br Eighth Army is to advance astride the Tiber to clear Terni and Rieti.

U.S. Fifth Army gets most of assault forces across the Tiber and pursues enemy as rapidly as possible, VI Corps using Highway 1 and II Corps, Highway 2. Fifth Army takes control of 3d Div for garrison duty within Rome. In VI Corps area, Br 5th and 1st Divs in coastal sector get advance elements to lower Tiber, where bridges must be built. 1st Armd Div’s CCB spearheads advance of 36th Div and CCA, that of 34th Div. II Corps employs 85th Div on left and 88th on right as it speeds northward. 91st and 117th Cav Rcn Sqs provide flank protection. FEC crosses the Aniene and drives to the Tiber, then suspends forward movement until S African 6th Armd Div of Br Eighth Army can cross its front.

In Br Eighth Army’s 13 Corps area, S African 6th Armd Div concentrates E of Rome in preparation for pursuing enemy northward along Route 3 (Via Flaminia) W of the Tiber. Br 6th Armd Div, advancing along Route 4 (Via Salaria) E of the river, makes contact with enemy outposts N of Rome. 10 Corps, which is initially to advance on Rieti, takes command of Ind 8th Div.