80 Years Ago, Saturday 17 June 1944

USN

Pacific

Escort carrier Fanshaw Bay (CVE-70) is damaged by horizontal bomber off Marianas, 15°00'N, 145°00'E; Landing Ship Tank LST-84 is damaged by friendly fire, Marianas, 15°10'N, 145°58'E; Landing Craft Infantry (Gunboat) LCI(G)-468, damaged by Japanese torpedo planes en route to Saipan, is scuttled by destroyer Stembel (DD-644),13°28'N, 148°18'E. TF 58 aircraft sink Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 56 at Rota; and transport Marudai Maru off Saipan.

PB4Y-1 (VB 109) from Eniwetok sinks Japanese submarine RO-117, 11°05'N, 150°31'E.

Submarine Hake (SS-256) attacks Japanese convoy as it proceeds from Palau to Davao, and sinks transport Kinshu Maru about 65 miles southeast of Davao, 06°10'N, 126°18'E. Later that same day, submarine Flounder (SS-251) attacks the same convoy beset earlier by Hake and sinks torpedo recovery ship Nihonkai Maru south of Mindanao,06°36'N, 127°55'E. Flounder survives depth-chargings by submarine chasers Ch 35 and Ch 64.

USAAF B-25s (5th Air Force) supported by fighters, work over Japanese shipping in Sorong harbor, sinking army cargo ships Minyu Maru and No.12 Sanko Maru, and merchant cargo ship Shofuku Maru,

00°53'N, 131°15'E.

Japanese tanker Nichiyoko Maru is damaged by mine off Belawan, Sumatra, N.E.I., 03°40'N, 99°07'E.

Atlantic

Motor minesweeper YMS-377 is damaged by mine off Normandy, 49°29'N, 01°08'W.

Aircraft (VC 95) from escort carrier Croatan damage German submarine U-853.

Mediterranean

Allied task force (Rear Admiral Thomas H. Troubridge, RN), including U.S. naval vessels, lands French troops on island of Elba off Italy. U.S. Navy ships participating in the landings include 6 destroyers, 1 destroyer escort, 5 minesweepers, 15 motor minesweepers, 16 submarine chasers, 10 tank landing ships, 20 tank landing craft, and 19 infantry landing craft; one LCI(L) is damaged by shore battery fire. Four U.S. motor torpedo boats sink four German F-lighters loaded with German troops being evacuated from Elba.

AAF

Eighth AF

During first mission, 231 Heavy Bombers, including 16 Pathfinders, attack 8 airfields in N France. Clouds and malfunction of blind-bombing equipment cause nearly 100 aborts. 2 Heavy Bombers are lost. Favorable break in weather over N France permits a second mission. 273 B-24’s bomb 3 airfields and 2 landing strips, along with some Targets of opportunity, in same general area hit by the earlier mission. 1 B-24 is lost to AA fire. VIII FC fighters escort both Heavy Bomber missions and during first mission P-38’s bomb 2 bridges N of Paris, damaging 1 of them severely. After escorting second mission, a P-51 group bombs 2 marshalling yards with good results. Other fighters bomb a bridge and a marshalling yard as Targets of opportunity. 15 locomotives, train cars, trucks, and other vehicles are destroyed, along with 5 airplanes. VIII FC loses 8 fighters while flying 1,027 sorties during the day.

Ninth AF

Operational control of air-ground coordination of Fighter Bomber missions moves from HQ Ninth AF and 21 Army Group Combined Control Center (in UK) to Adv HQ IX TAC (in Normandy) operating in close proximity to US First Army. 265 Medium Bombers attack fuel dumps, a bridge and a railway line S of battle area in France. Over 1,300 fighters fly escort and top cover, and strafe and bomb troop concentrations, military vehicles, bridges, gun emplacements, tanks, and other tac targets.

Twelfth AF

Except for a B-26 attack on 1 bridge and an A-20 raid on an ammo dump, weather prevents completion of Light Bomber and Medium Bomber missions. Fighter Bombers are also restricted but manage to hit several gun positions, comm targets, boats, small ships, barges, and Targets of opportunity in battle area and at various other locations including Capo d’Enfola and other points on Elba (where French forces land and begin clearing island), and Rio Marina.

Fifteenth AF

Operations are limited to recon missions.

Tenth AF

8 A-36’s attack forces at Mogaung. 25 B-25’s fly ammo to Imphal area.

Fourteenth AF

B-25’s and Fighter Bombers attack large troop concentrations at Shanglishih and Fenglinpu, bomb town of Lanchi and nearby villages, attack 4 villages in Chuchou area, hit troop barges at Changsha, damage several supply boats at Yiyang, and bomb military installations at Ichang.

FEAF

MBs, Light Bombers, and fighters hit shipping in Sorong harbor and airstrips in Babo area. In Wewak area, A-20’s, B- 25’s, and fighters continue to pound barges and villages. Heavy Bombers again bomb Truk, hitting targets on Eten and Dublon. Heavy Bombers hit Lakunai airfield while A-20’s, B-25’s, and fighters attack numerous targets between Rapopo and Tobera.

Seventh AF

B-24’s, flying from Kwajalein, bomb Ponape. B-25’s from Makin hit Nauru.

Eleventh AF

12 B-25’s fly 3 air cover missions for Naval TF on withdrawal, following the shelling of Kurabu Cape installations.

USA

FRANCE—21 Army Group: In U.S. First Army’s VII Corps area, 9th Div, against disorganized resistance, breaks through to W coast, sealing off Cotentin Peninsula as attack continues through night 17–18. Coastal road is cut at Barneville-sur-Mer and Grande Huanville. 90th Div reaches assigned defensive line Golleville–Urville and halts. 82d A/B Div, which is to pass to VIII Corps control, is ordered to establish bridgehead S of the Douve at Pont l’Abbé. In XIX Corps area, efforts of 29th Div to advance are largely contained by enemy strongly established in gap between 175th and 116th Regts near Villiers- Fossard. 115th Inf is committed in center but is unable to reduce the enemy salient. 175th Inf, employing a single bn, is stopped on Hill 108.

ITALY—AAI: 2 Pol Corps, under AAI control, takes command of Adriatic coastal sector from Br 5 Corps, which by this time has advanced to line Teramo–Giulanova. Poles are to continue pursuit toward Ancona.

In U.S. Fifth Army area, IV Corps commits RCT 517 (Para) on right of Highway I to give it battle experience before it joins U.S. Seventh Army for Operation ANVIL. 36th Div continues steadily northward.

In Br Eighth Army’s 10 Corps area, torrential rains begin, slowing movement. When bridge across the Tiber 3 miles N of Todi is completed, advance on Perugia continues astride the river. Ind 8th Div encounters strong opposition SE of Perugia at Bastia, where Chiasco R is forced.

ELBA—Fr TF based on 9th Colonial Inf Div, under control of AFHQ, lands on Elba and begins clearing the island. This operation, coded BRASSARD and originally planned for an earlier date, is undertaken to disrupt enemy’s seaborne traffic and assist offensive on mainland.

CBI—On Salween front, Ch 88th and 87th Divs are ordered to fall back in Lung-ling area, and XI Group Army later withdraws to line Mengmao– Hwangtsoapa.

11 Army Group: In Br Fourteenth Army area, Br casualties during battle of Imphal Plain, 4 March to date, total 2,669 killed and nearly 10,000 wounded and missing. Japanese are estimated to have lost 30,000.

NEW GUINEA—On Biak, TF HURRICANE, attacking with 1st Bns of 186th and 162d Regts, clears heights commanding West Caves strongpoint. P–38’s, unable to reach Wakde I., after attack on Sorong, land successfully at Owi, although the field is not yet completed. Since reinforcement of Aitape sector is being considered to meet imminent threat, Gen MacArthur offers Gen Krueger use of a regt of 31st Div.

SAIPAN—RCT 105, 27th Div, lands but is not committed to action; 2d Bn is attached to 4th Mar Div and 1st to 165th Inf. NTLF commander, Gen Holland Smith, and XXIV Corps Arty commander, Brig Gen Arthur M. Harper, set up CP’s ashore. After intense preparatory bombardment, marines begin attack that gains immediate objectives except in center, where heavy enemy fire is directed from 600-yard gap existing between 2d and 4th Mar Divs in difficult terrain around Lake Susupe. On N flank of beachhead, 2d Mar Div’s 2d and 6th Marines press NE and 8th Marines, reinf by elements of 29th Marines, advances due E. Enemy holds out stubbornly in coconut grove in 8th Marines sector. In 4th Mar Div zone, enemy soon pins down left flank of 23d Marines, causing gap to develop between the assault bns that is filled after dark by 3d Bn of 24th Marines. 24th Marines, in 4th Div center, and 25th Marines, on right, reach 0–2 line, 24th against strong resistance; 25th Marines, from N part of ridge W of Aslito airfield, penetrates building area N of airfield proper. 165th Inf of 27th Div, attached to 4th Mar Div, is closely supported by arty and naval gunfire as it fights for Aslito airfield and heights commanding it. Because of threat of naval battle, planes of TF 58 are diverted from support duties to conduct searches and neutralize Guam and Rota.

USMC