80 Years Ago, Thursday, 22 June 1944

USN

Pacific

Battleship Maryland (BB-46) is damaged by aerial torpedo off Garapan, Saipan, 15°13'N, 145°39'E; tank landing ship LST-119 is damaged by Tinian shore battery, Saipan, 15°10'N, 145°58'E; transport Prince Georges (AP-165) is damaged by near-miss of bomb off Saipan.

Submarine Batfish (SS-310) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Nagaragawa Maru off Honshu, 34°36'N, 137°56'E.

Submarine Flier (SS-250) torpedoes Japanese army cargo ship Belgium Maru west of Mindoro, 13°11'N, 120°27'E.

Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) damages Japanese tanker Itsukushima Maru in Sulu Sea, 09°00'N, 120°55'E.

USAAF aircraft damage Japanese cargo vessel Shoyu Maru off Sorong Island.

Atlantic

U.S. freighter Cyrus H.K. Curtis is damaged by mines off SWORD Beach, Normandy, but discharges her cargo; there are no casualties among the 43-man merchant complement, the 27-man Armed Guard, or the 250 U.S. troops onboard.

AAF

Eighth AF

In morning mission 216 Heavy Bombers attack 12 CROSSBOW installations in Pas de Calais area. Some of the 212 support fighters strafe coastal defenses. During the afternoon 718 Heavy Bombers attack 22 targets in France and Belgium, including marshalling yards transformer stations, airfields, bridges, fuel storage facilities, railroad facilities, CROSSBOW supply site, and numerous targets of opportunity. Fighters escort the mission and 3 P-47 groups strafe and bomb transportation targets, destroying an ammo train, 6 other freight cars, and a truck. 8 Heavy Bombers are lost, mostly to ground fire. Because of attack on B-17’s at Poltava on shuttle mission, the B-17’s at Mirgorod and P-51’s at Piryatin are moved farther E into USSR. They are to be returned to Mirgorod and Piryatin to be dispatched to bases in Italy as soon as weather permits. The move is fortunate as German bombers strike both Piryatin and Mirgorod during 22/23 Jun.

Ninth AF

Around 600 B-26’s and A-20’s and over 1,200 fighters fly missions during the day. The main effort consists of an attack on tip of Cherbourg Peninsula in support of US VII Corps assault on port of Cherbourg. Beginning 1 hr before ground attack and continuing until attack begins fighters and Fighter Bombers pound whole area S of city from low level. As ground assault begins, B-26’s and A-20’s strike series of strongpoints selected by US First Army, forming a 55-min aerial barrage moving N in advance of ground forces. Later in the day Medium Bombers attack marshalling yards, fuel dumps and a German HQ. Fighter Bombers fly armed recon over various railroads and bomb rail facilities, trains, road traffic, and gun emplacements in France. 25 Fighter Bombers are lost during the day’s operations.

Twelfth AF

Medium Bombers attack railway bridges and viaducts in NC Italy, at Marzabotto, Boccheto, and Gricigliana, A-20’s again hit ammo supplies. Fighter Bombers pound road and rail bridges, mainly in Pisa area, and cut rail lines between Bologna and Pistoia.

Fifteenth AF

Following 5 consecutive days of bad weather more than 600 Heavy Bombers bomb targets in N Italy, hitting motor transport works at Turin and Chivasso, marshalling yards at Parma, Modena, Fornovo di Taro, Bologna, Castel Maggiore, and Ferrara, oil storage at Fornovo di Taro, harbor at Pola, airfield at Poggio Renatico, and highway and railroad bridges at Nervesa della Battaglia and Rimini. Fighters fly more than 250 sorties in support of the missions.

Tenth AF

6 B-24’s fly fuel to Kamaing while 40 B-25’s supply Imphal with ammo. 40 A-36’s, P-51’s, and P-40’s hit Mogaung and Myitkyina while 10 others hit targets at Hopin, Namma, and Sahmaw.

Fourteenth AF

18 P-40’s destroy 20-plus trucks between Hsuchang and Lohochai. 4 P-40’s damage a troop steamer in Tungting Lake. 13 B-24’s bomb Bakli harbor, damaging dock facilities and claiming 1 freighter sunk.

FEAF

B-25’s, A-20’s, and P-47’s hit shipping at Efman I and airfields and targets of opportunity on Noemfoor, attack Manokwari, and hit villages in the Sarmi area. Attacks by A-20’s and fighters, along with RAAF airplanes, on wide coastal area around Wewak continue. B-24’s bomb Yap, Sorol, and Woleai. B-25’s join the Allied aircraft in pounding Nordup and Ralum.

Seventh AF

B-24’s, staging through Eniwetok from Kwajalein, hit Truk; 1 bombs Ponape. First fighters of Seventh AF arrive in Marianas; 22 aircraft of 19th Fighter Sq, taking off from aircraft carrier, land on Saipan.

USA

FRANCE—21 Army Group: In U.S. First Army area, VII Corps, receiving no reply to ultimatum begins final assault on Cherbourg fortress. Intense air preparation, beginning at 1240, does more to demoralize enemy than to damage his positions. VII Corps attack opens at 1400. On left flank, 9th Div presses NE toward Cherbourg with 60th Inf on left and 47th on right; 60th quickly takes Acqueville but is halted at edge of Flottemanville fortifications; 47th gets forward elements to slopes of Hill 171, just W of Bois du Mont du Roc. In center, 79th Div attacks with 3 regts: while 315th is clearing Hardinvast region and 314th the draws E of Tollevast, 313th makes main effort on div right astride Valognes– Cherbourg highway and thrusts to positions just S of La Mare a Canards, an enemy strongpoint. On right flank of VII Corps, 4th Div also attacks with 3 regts: on left, 8th Inf makes limited progress toward La Glacerie; 12th, in center, makes main effort toward Tourlaville but is held to small gains; to right, 22d Inf, with mission of clearing Digosville, becomes surrounded by enemy and is unable to advance.

USSR—German Air Force makes night attack on base at Mirgorod, but U.S. planes escape before the raid. Dumps and supplies are considerably damaged.

ITALY—AAI: Pol 2 Corps is forced to abandon its small bridgehead across the Chienti in Adriatic coastal sector. Activity along the river subsides to patrolling as corps moves troops and supplies forward in preparation for stronger assault.

U.S. Fifth Army continues to advance slowly, particularly in sector of FEC, where it is decided to outflank enemy holding Orcia R line. On right flank in IV Corps area, 1st Armd Div commits TF Howze between CCA on right and CCB on left.

CBI—In NCAC area, Chindits of 77th Brig, Ind 3d Div, begin assault on Mogaung and are joined by 114th Regt, Ch 38th Div. On Salween front, Japanese fall back hastily from Chiangtso toward Teng-chung, harassed by Allied planes. Ch XX Group Army has firm control of Shweli Valley, and is ready for drive on Teng-chung.

11 Army Group: In Br Fourteenth Army area, 4 and 33 Corps troops meet, reopening Dimapur– Kohima–Imphal road. Enemy offensive has failed, and Japanese are obliged to withdraw as best they can under difficult monsoon weather conditions.

NEW GUINEA—PT’s land Allied rcn party on Noemfoor, night 22–23. First big cargo ships arrive at Biak. Fifth Air Force P–40’s begin operations from Mokmer airdrome. 1st Bn, 162d Inf, continues to work on West Caves, using TNT charges and flame throwers, and at 1555 reports them clear. However, small groups of Japanese emerge from caves during night 22–23 and have to be eliminated by 1st Bn and 186th Inf to N. 186th Inf continues to probe the Teardrop; attempts unsuccessfully to seize 3 enemy guns that are firing from new positions NW of perimeter. In Wakde-Sarmi area, RCT 158 is relieved in preparation for Noemfoor I. operation. RCT 158 has had 70 killed, 257 wounded, and 4 missing during Wakde-Sarmi action; has killed an estimated 920 Japanese and captured 11. After air attack by P–47’s from Wakde and intense arty preparation, 3d Bn of 20th Inf drives to crest of Lone Tree Hill and establishes defense perimeter. 2d Bn also reaches the crest but gap exists between the two bns. Japanese counterattack 3d Bn in evening, isolating both it and 2d Bn. Co L, 1st Inf, starts forward with supplies for 3d Bn. On Aitape front, 3d Bn of 127th Inf replaces 1st Bn at Afua.

SAIPAN—2d and 4th Mar Divs begin northward attack toward 0–5 line, extending from W coast below Garapan across Mt. Tapotchau to Laulau village on Kagman Peninsula on E. On W, left flank of 2d Mar Div, 2d Marines remains in place since it is already on 0–5; in center, 6th Marines gets elements to top of Mt. Tipo Pale, about 1,200 yards SW of top of Mt. Tapotchau, achieving greatest div gain for day; on right, 8th Marines makes slow progress toward Mt. Tapotchau, which commands entire island, over extremely difficult terrain. 4th Mar Div attacks with 25th Marines on left and 24th on right; commits 23d in center during day. 25th and 23d Regts drive almost to objective, while 24th advances rapidly along E coast. 27th Div (less 105th Inf) is ordered to attack between 2d and 4th Mar Divs, relieving left flank elements of latter to permit 4th Mar Div to shift E to cover Kagman Peninsula. 27th Div regroups units about the Nafutan position. 3d Bn of 105th Inf shifts N, relieving 1st Bn on right flank, while 2d Bn replaces 3d Bn of 165th on left. No advance is made against the strongpoint and a little ground is lost on left, where relief is accomplished with difficulty. Late in day, 2d Bn of 105th Inf is ordered to continue mop up of Nafutan Pt, a task still believed to be an easy one.

USMC

V AC attacks northward on Saipan.