80 Years Ago, Tuesday 13 June 1944

 

I'm a bit behind between the East Coast Santa Fe Modeler's meet in mid-June, the Santa Fe Historical and Modelling Society convention at the end of June and a mild case of Covid on my return.  I'll do my best to catch up over the next couple weeks.

John Barry

Lovettsville VA

80 Years Ago, Tuesday 13 June 1944

USN

Pacific

TF 58 (Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher) strikes against Saipan continue; Navy carrier-based planes sink aircraft transport Keiyo Maru, which had been damaged in the 11 June fighter sweep, and destroy convoy of small cargo vessels: No.11 Shinriki Maru, Sekizen Maru, Myogawa Maru, Shigei Maru and Suwa Maru. F6Fs from TF 58 attack Japanese convoy spotted the previous day and damage fast transport T.1 southwest of the Marianas, 11°43'N,140°42'E. During the strikes, Commander William I. Martin, commanding officer of Enterprise's VT-10, is shot down and parachutes into the sea off Red Beach Three, Saipan. Before he is rescued, he observes that the Japanese have marked the length of the reef offshore with red and white pennants, indicating pre-sited artillery ranges--valuable intelligence information quickly disseminated to the approaching amphibious forces.

TG 58.7 (Vice Admiral Willis A. Lee) battleships and destroyers conduct an almost day-long bombardment of Japanese installations on Saipan and Tinian.

TF 94 (Rear Admiral Ernest G. Small) cruisers and destroyers bombard Japanese position on Matsuwa Island in the Kurils.

Submarine Barb (SS-220) sinks Japanese army transport Takashima Maru in Sea of Okhotsk, 50°53'N, 151°12'E,despite presence of escorting destroyer Hatsuharu, which carries out ineffective countermeasures.

Submarine Flier (SS-250) damages Japanese merchant tanker Marifu Maru in South China Sea west of Luzon,15°57'N, 119°42'E (see 6 November 1944).

Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) shells oil tanks at Bula, Ceram Island, N.E.I.

Destroyer Melvin (DD-680) sinks Japanese submarine RO-36 between 50 and 75 miles east of Saipan, 15°21'N,147°00'E.

Atlantic

Unarmed U.S. fishing boat Lark is shelled and machine- gunned by German submarine U-107 32 miles off Cape Sable Light, 42°54'N, 65°25'W, and abandoned with the exception of the master and the cook. Lark remains afloat as the U-boat leaves the scene, whereupon she rescues every man who had abandoned ship at the approach of the enemy submarine.

AAF

Eighth AF

Bad weather cancels large-scale bombing of high priority targets in Germany. Overcast bombing against tac targets in NW France is undertaken. On first mission of the day cloud cover is less than anticipated and visual runs are made by 128 B-17’s against airfields at Dreux, Saint Andre-de-L’Eure, and Evreux.

On second mission 208 Heavy Bombers, including 15 Pathfinders, attack airfields at Beauvais/Nivillers and Beaumont-sur-Oise, and bridges and scattered targets between Brittany and the assault area. Bridges bombed are at Porcaro, Montfort-sur-Meu, Ploermel, La Vicomte-sur-Rance, Saint-Vincent-sur-Oust, and Vannes. AA fire downs 2 B-24’s. VIII FC furnishes support for the Heavy Bomber missions and conducts Fighter Bomber and strafing attacks against bridges, trains, trucks, and other vehicles. The fighters, flying a total of 782 sorties, claim 6 airplanes, bomb 5 bridges, and destroy 3 locomotives, 23 trucks, and 4 other vehicles. Losses of VIII FC total 4.

Ninth AF

397 B-26’s and A-20’s bomb rail and road junctions, marshalling yards, and fuel dumps in assault areas in France. Aircraft of 9 fighter groups escort bombers and attack bridges, marshalling yards, troop areas, rail and road traffic, gun emplacements, ammo dumps, and other targets.

UK

The first V-1 lands in S England. More land during 13/14 Jun, and throughout the rest of the month.

Twelfth AF

MBs bomb shipping at Leghorn with excellent results and score numerous hits on bridges, viaducts, rail lines, and roads in NC Italy. Fighter Bombers continue to disrupt retreat over entire area N of battle zone as British Eighth Army’s 13 Corps pushes toward Orvieto and 10 Corps reaches Terni.

Fifteenth AF

560-plus B-17’s and B-24’s, most with fighter escorts, attack airfield at Oberpfaffenhofen, aircraft component plants at Munich-Allach, marshalling yards at Innsbruck, Munich, and Porto Marghera, and several Targets of opportunity in Germany, Austria, and Italy. Heavy Bombers and fighters claim over 30 aircraft shot down. 10 US airplanes are lost and several others are missing.

Tenth AF

A few P-51’s hit Mogaung while 39 B-25’s fly ammo to Imphal area.

Fourteenth AF

18 B-25’s and 56 Fighter Bombers pound marshalling yard at Wuchang. About 70 other B-25’s and Fighter Bombers attack a variety of other targets in the Tungting Lake region, including many river vessels, airfield at Pailochi, troop positions NE of Changsha, warehouse and factory area at Shasi, and numerous general Targets of opportunity. 12 Fighter Bombers hit Japanese HQ and barracks at Loyang. 4 B-24’s over S China Sea claim 1 cargo vessel sunk. 4 P-40’s pound Japanese positions at Watien and Kaitou.

Fifth AF

More than 100 A-20’s and a few B-25’s and P-39’s attack miscellaneous targets in Wewak area. P-39’s hit area around Hollandia and P-47’s bomb bridge over Orai R and fuel dumps near Sarmi. A-20’s blast enemy positions N of Borokoe. B-24’s bomb airstrip at Liang. B-24’s from Admiralty Is bomb Woleai, Dublon, and Satawan.

Thirteenth AF

9 P-38’s and 23 P-39’s hit Ralum and AA positions to the S. 24 B-25’s bomb Tobera AA guns and airfield; 15 others, in 2 waves, bomb Praed Pt. 6 B-24’s also bomb Tobera. 31 P-39’s and 12 Navy aircraft attack supply dumps at Buka and Tapsadawato, bomb approach to Abia R bridge, and hit garden area at Tabago.

Seventh AF

Attack during 12/13 Jun by B-24’s from Eniwetok against Truk and Ponape is followed by daylight attack by Makin-based B-25’s against Nauru and Ponape.

Eleventh AF

During 12/13 June 6 B-24’s dispatched to fly an offensive sweep and provide air cover for a naval TF abort missions due to weather.

USA

FRANCE—21 Army Group: U.S. First Army halts southward attack of V Corps at end of day, ordering it to hold positions while VII Corps makes main effort to cut Cotentin Peninsula and take Cherbourg. XIX Corps (Gen Corlett), which is not yet operational, is given mission of securing and deepening corridor between VII and V Corps in Carentan–Isigny region. In VII Corps’ 4th Div sector, 39th Inf (attached) makes limited progress against coastal strongroupoints S of Quinéville; 22d Inf gets into position for drive down ridge to Quinéville; 12th maintains positions at W end of Quinéville ridge; 8th contains enemy at Montebourg. 90th Div, whose commander is replaced, continues extremely slow advance, reaching general line Gourbesville–Pont l’Abbé. The 508th Para Inf force of 82d A/B Div reaches Baupte by 0800 as Germans withdraw hastily. Enemy makes strong effort from SW to recover Carentan and gets almost to city limits before 101st A/B Div, assisted by elements of 2d Armd Div, halts attack. 101st A/B Div then attacks with 502d Regt, which passes through 506th, on N and 501st on S and reaches line along road from Baupte to Carentan–Périers highway; 327th Gli Inf, expecting counterattack that does not materialize, pulls back to defense positions along N side of RR between Carentan and the Vire. VII Corps is now securely joined with V Corps. V Corps halts attack toward St Lô at end of day. Isolated elements of 175th Inf, 29th Div, withdraw from Montmartin- en-Graignes area; 116th Inf takes St Clairsur- Elle and Couvains. 38th Inf, 2d Div, with strong arty support, pushes about 2 miles beyond Elle R toward St Lô. Caumont falls to 1st Div in morning.

In Br Second Army’s 30 Corps area, 7th Armd Div reaches Villers-Bocage, important communications center, but withdraws northward to tie in with U.S. V Corps, after enemy counterattack gets almost to road from there to Caumont. 50th Div is still held up near Tilly-sur-Seulles.

ITALY—AAI: In Br Eighth Army’s 13 Corps area, S African 6th Armd Div breaks through enemy positions at Bagnoregio and pushes on toward Orvieto. In 10 Corps area, Br 6th Armd Div advances through Narni to Terni, arriving just as enemy demolishes bridge.

BURMA—In NCAC sector, hard fighting is in progress in Myitkyina area, where Japanese penetrate positions of Co K, NEW GALAHAD, but are finally halted.

CHINA—CBI theater ships trainload of arms and ammunition from Kweilin to Hengyang for Chinese IX War Area in response to information by U.S. observer group there that Chinese need them.

NEW GUINEA—Acceding to request by Gen Fuller for a fresh regt, Gen Krueger alerts 34th Inf, 24th Div, for movement to Biak on 18 June. On Biak, Mokmer airfield is repaired sufficiently for fighter planes to use it. 186th Inf, 41st Div, continues to patrol from first phase line; 162d endeavors in vain to close gap between 3d and 2d Bns; 1st Bn moves forward to protect right and rear of 162d Inf. Enemy fire from East Caves position has been neutralized enough for trucks to use coastal road.

MARIANAS—G–2 estimates that 15,000–17,600 enemy troops are on Saipan and 10,150–10,750 on Tinian. TF 58 continues aerial bombardment of the Marianas and begins naval bombardment as well in effort to destroy enemy’s defenses. 7 fast BB’s and 11 DD’s pound W coast of Saipan and Tinian at long range with doubtful results. During further air attacks on enemy shipping, a transport is sunk and other vessels are set on fire. Mine sweepers operate off W coast of Saipan under protection of TF 58. Enemy offers no opposition to air attacks on Saipan.

U.S.—JCS ask Adm Nimitz and Gen Mac- Arthur to comment on the following proposals: (1) advance target dates so that invasion of Formosa, tentatively planned for 15 February 1945, can be advanced; (2) bypass certain objectives, among them S Philippines, also to hasten invasion of Formosa; (3) bypass certain targets, including S Philippines and Formosa, in order to advance directly to Japan. Both men subsequently reply in the negative

USMC

TF 58 continues aerial bombardment of Marianas and begins naval bombardment.