USN
Pacific
Aircraft from carrier task group (Rear Admiral
Joseph J. Clark) bomb Japanese air facilities and shipping in the Marianas,
sinking guardboat Haruta Maru off Pagan Island and cargo ship Shoun
Maru off Rota, 14°10'N, 145°10'E.
SB2C crew (VB 14) is rescued by PBM (VH-1); the
two men picked up by the flying boat are the last to be recovered in the wake
of the "Mission Beyond Darkness" of 20 June 1944. Ironically, the PBM
is off course when it recovers the men.
Japanese planes begin night high-level bombing
attack on U.S. amphibious shipping off Saipan.
AAF
Eighth AF
At midday
211 Heavy Bombers attack 12 CROSSBOW installations, damaging at least 6 of
them. Fighter support is furnished by 4 P-51 groups (161 aircraft) all of which
afterward strafe transportation targets in Paris area, destroying 3
locomotives, 100 pieces of rolling stock, and 14 motor vehicles. An exploding
ammo train causes a low-flying P-51 to crash, the only airplane lost on the
mission. During the late afternoon 196 Heavy Bombers attack airfields at
Juvincourt-et-Damary. Laon/Athies, and Coulommiers, and a railroad bridge at Nanteuil-sur-Marne.
Over 100 Heavy Bombers abort because of heavy clouds over targets. 226 P-47’s
and P-51’s provide support. Afterwards part of a P-47 group bombs and strafes a
marshalling yard while the remainder of the group bombs and strafes a train
carrying trucks and armored cars, destroying the locomotive, 3 trucks, and an
armored car, and damaging 20 freight cars. Total losses are 7 Heavy Bombers,
mostly to AA fire.
Ninth AF
Bad
weather prevents Medium Bomber and Light Bomber missions during morning. In the
afternoon over 175 B-26’s and A-20’s bomb 7 V-weapon sites in France. Around
630 fighters provide escort and also bomb and strafe rail and road traffic and
communications centers. 200 C-47’s and C-53’s fly supplies to the Continent.
Twelfth
AF
Weather
cancels Medium Bomber operations. A-20’s continue to attack ammo supplies. Fighter
Bomber operations are restricted but P-47’s hit rail communications at 4
different points in battle area as fierce struggle for Chiusi takes place.
Fifteenth
AF
More than
400 B-17’s and B-24’s attack oil storage at Giurgiu, 2 oil refineries at
Ploesti, and marshalling yard at Nish. More than 100 US aircraft are shot down.
Heavy Bombers and escorting fighters claim more than 30 aircraft destroyed.
Tenth AF
12 B-24’s
fly gasoline to Kamaing while 29 B-25’s make ammo run to Imphal. About 80
A-36’s, P-51’s, and P-40’s attack Mogaung, Myitkyina, Taungni, and bridge at
Namkwi.
Fourteenth
AF
20 B-24’s
bomb docks at Hankow. In Tungting Lake area 70-plus B-25’s and Fighter Bombers
attack wide variety of river shipping at several locations, bomb runway at
Hengyang, strafe cav troops in the area, and hit towns and villages of Chuchou,
Ikiawan, Chuting, Chwanchishih, and Siangtan. 30 B-25’s and Fighter Bombers hit
various targets of opportunity along Yellow R.
FEAF
Wewak
area is again pounded throughout the day by A-20’s, P-39’s, P-47’s, and RAAF
airplanes. A few A-20’s and A-26’s on barge search bomb offshore islands near
Manokwari. This marks SWPA debut of the A-26. P-47’s on sweeps strafe areas E
of Maffln. B-24’s hit airfield at Yap and Woleai. Heavy Bombers on armed recon
bomb Dublon, Koror, and Peleliu. B-24’s bomb Tobera airfield. B-25’s along with
other Allied airplanes, hit AA positions S and SW of Rapopo.
Seventh
AF
Eniwetok-based
B-24’s strike Truk. B-25’s from Engebi pound Ponape. During the evening, B-24’s
from Kwajalein also attack Ponape.
Eleventh
AF
2 B-25’s
fly a negative shipping sweep.
USA
FRANCE—21
Army Group: Unloading is resumed as storm abates. In U.S. First Army area, VII
Corps penetrates outer defenses of Cherbourg. On left, 9th Div’s 60th Inf
overruns Flottemanville area, and 47th completes capture of Hill 171; 39th
overcomes bypassed resistance near Beaudienville. 79th Div makes limited progress
in vicinity of La Mare à Canards but is unable to reduce this strongpoint. In
4th Div zone, 12th Inf, assisted by tanks, advances steadily toward Tourlaville,
but units flanking it make little progress. In Br Second Army’s I Corps area,
51st Div, in limited offensive, takes Ste Honorine, NE of Caen and E of the
Orne. 1 Corps subsequently exerts limited pressure against enemy N of Caen
without making decisive gains.
USSR—Red
Army opens summer offensive on central front, where main attack, on 350-mile
front, is made by First Baltic and 3 White Russian Fronts against enemy’s Minsk
salient in White Russia. Particularly strong pressure is applied near Vitebsk and
Bobruisk. Soviet aircraft and arty lend powerful support to troops. Both German
and Soviet forces have by this time completed extensive reorganization, but
enemy is spread thin and lacks adequate reserves.
ITALY—AAI:
Gen Alexander, meeting with his commanders, proposes that AAI advance through Ljubljana
gap into S Germany.
In Br
Eighth Army area, elements of 13 Corps break into Chiusi after hard battle, but
German counterattack isolates the troops. 4th Div takes command of sector in
center of 13 Corps, between Vaiano and Lake Chiusi, relieving elements of 78th Div.
In 10 Corps area, King’s Dragoon Gds gain foothold on M. S. Croce.
CHINA—At
meeting between Mr. Wallace and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, a proposal is
presented that a U.S. observer group be sent to Chinese communists to secure
information and assist pilots shot down over N China. When approval is gained, the
project (coded DIXIE Mission) is undertaken by 16 officers and enlisted men and
2 civilians.
NEW GUINEA—TF
CYCLONE Issues FO 1 for Noemfoor operation. On Biak, 1st Bn of 162d Inf continues
to probe West Caves area. 3d Bn, 163d, makes patrol contact with 186th Inf at
the Teardrop. Photographs of the Teardrop indicate that Japanese are
concentrated on W of the position and preparations are made for attack. 186th
Inf is still unable to seize weapons firing on it from NW. In Wakde-Sarmi area,
2d Bn of 20th Inf repels dawn attack against its perimeter on Lone Tree Hill in
costly fighting; after unsuccessful attempt to push N to make contact with 3d
Bn, moves back down hill and up again, along route used by 3d Bn, to positions just
NW of 3d Bn’s perimeter. Some supplies are obtained from volunteer groups and
from Co L, 1st Inf, which arrives after hard fight. Japanese make determined
attempt to destroy forces on Lone Tree Hill in evening; attack in small groups through
night 23–24. Gen Sibert decides to try to outflank enemy on the hill.
SAIPAN—VAC
attacks northward on 3-div front as 27th Div enters center of line. 2d Mar
Div’s left and center regts remain in place until more progress can be made to
right; 8th Marines, on div right, gains cliff commanding most practical route
to crest of Mt. Tapotchau. 27th Div is slow in accomplishing relief of left
flank elements of 4th Mar Div and consequently slow in opening attack up
valley, called “Death Valley,” which is flanked on left by hill mass of Mt.
Tapotchau and on right by ridge, called “Purple Heart Ridge.” Upon attacking,
with 106th Inf on left and 165th on right, div meets intense opposition from
cave-studded heights; progress is slow and costly, particularly on left. On
right flank, 4th Mar Div attacks with 23d Marines on left and 24th on right:
23d Marines is slowed by inability of 165th Inf to advance but gets to top of
Hill 600; 24th continues to make rapid progress along Magicienne Bay and
reaches 0–5 line just E of Laulau. Enemy tank supported counterattacks down
Death Valley and against Hill 600 are repelled, night 23–24. On S Saipan, 2d Bn
of 105th Inf, after reorganizing throughout morning, continues attack on
Nafutan position, getting platoon to top of Mt. Nafutan; rest of bn, after
small initial gains, pulls back to starting line.
USMC
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