Wednesday, July 24, 2024

80 Years Ago, Friday, 23 June 1944

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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