80 Years Ago, Tuesday, 27 June 1944

USN

Pacific—TF 58 planes complete destruction of Japanese water tanker Kizugawa Maru, already damaged irreparably by submarine Seahorse (SS-304) on 8 April off Guam.

Submarine Seahorse (SS-304) attacks Japanese convoy, and sinks merchant tanker Medan Maru south-southwest of Formosa, 21°10'N, 120°31'E.

AAF

Eighth AF—40 B-24’s bomb CROSSBOW supply site at Saint Leu-d’Esserent while 51 others bomb marshalling yards and airfield at nearby Creil. 5 B-24’s are downed by AA fire. 101 B-17’s bomb CROSSBOW supply sites at Saint- Martin-l’Hortier, Biennais, Beauvoir-Riviere, and Domleger, and a canal lock at Espierres, losing 1 plane to AA fire. 183 P-51’s support the Heavy Bombers, losing 2 fighters to enemy aircraft and destroying 6 fighters. After completing escort, the P-51’s bomb and strafe targets of opportunity, including marshalling yards, bridges, railroads, transportation and airfield installations, and dispersal areas.

Ninth AF—Bad weather precludes bomber operations. Over 700 fighters take part in various operations. Most of them fly high cover over assault areas and bomb and strafe rail and road traffic and comm centers in France.

Twelfth AF—Continued bad weather cancels Medium Bomber operations. Light Bombers again hit ammo supplies. Fighter Bombers hit roads, bridges, rail lines, and other targets in and near battleline.

Fifteenth AF—Around 300 B-17’s and B-24’s bomb marshalling yards at Budapest and Brod. 75 to 90 enemy fighters attack the formations. 3 Heavy Bombers are lost. Heavy Bombers and escorting fighters claim over 30 planes shot down. 90 P-51’s sweep Budapest area, claiming 7 fighters destroyed.

Tenth AF—8 B-24’s fly gasoline to Kamaing while 52 B-25’s continue ammo run to Imphal.

Fourteenth AF—In Tungting Lake area 160 Medium Bombers and Fighter Bombers hit troop concentrations, supplies, and river and road traffic between Changsha and Hengyang, bomb artillery concentrations at Sinsiang, attack waterfront and docks at Hengshan, pound villages near Chuchou, and attack numerous targets of opportunity throughout the lake region. 4 B-25’s over Formosa Strait claim 2 cargo vessels sunk and others damaged.

FEAF—Fifth AF and RAAF Light Bombers and Fighter Bombers continue to attack Wewak area, hitting troop concentrations, villages, ammo dumps, and warehouses. B-24’s, B-25’s, A-20’s, A-26’s, P40’s and P-47’s hit airfields, gun positions, and various other targets in or near Babo, Manokwari, Biak I, Noemfoor I, Ransiki, Waren, and Moemi. B-24’s bomb Yap and Sorol; others on photo recon flight bomb Woleai and Ifalik Is. Thirteenth AF fighters and bombers join other Allied airplanes from the N Solomons in bombing AA positions at Ralum and other targets in Rabaul area.

Seventh AF—P-47’s continue strafing and rocket attacks on Tinian, Saipan, and Rota while P-61’s carry out defensive night patrols. B-24’s, staging through Eniwetok, pound Truk. During the night a single B-24 bombs Ponape.

USA

FRANCE—21 Army Group: In U.S. First Army’s VII Corps area, organized resistance at Cherbourg ceases during morning when Brig Gen Robert Sattler, deputy commander of the Cherbourg fortress, surrenders the arsenal to 47th Inf, 9th Div, after Allies broadcast an ultimatum. 4th Div takes over garrisoning of Cherbourg; its 22d Inf overruns Maupertus airfield and quickly clears Cap Lévy. 9th Div prepares to attack to clear Cap de la Hague. Advance engineer units arrive at Cherbourg to restore facilities. In VIII Corps area, newly arrived 83d Div takes over defensive positions on corps left flank held by 101st A/B Div. In Br Second Army’s 30 Corps area, 49th Div gains Rauray and holds it against strong counterattacks. 8 Corps secures small bridgehead across the Odon near Baron, bypassing resistance in Grainvillesur- Odon region.

USSR—Red Army overruns Orsha, NE of Minsk, and envelops Bobruisk.

ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army area, IV Corps continues toward Highway 68.

In FEC area, enemy, after resisting strongly during day, begins retiring after nightfall.

In Br Eighth Army’s 13 Corps area, 4th Div drives enemy rear guards from Gioiella. In 10 Corps area, Germans begin general withdrawal in region between Lake Trasimeno and the Tiber and are being pursued by corps. Elements of 6th Armd Div find M. Pacciano and M. Bagnolo free of enemy. CBI—On Salween front, regt of Ch Hon 1st Div, 8th Army, relieves New 28th Div, but in the process Japanese are able to recover ground lost during June. Enemy is reinforcing Sung Shan by infiltration through Ch lines.

NEW GUINEA—On Biak, Co C rejoins 1st Bn, 34th Inf. Preparations are made by 34th Inf to clear Japanese from cliffs NW of 1st Bn area. Gen Eichelberger decides that situation on Biak is now stable enough for him to leave. 1st Bn of 162d Inf, accompanied by members of 41st Counter Intelligence Detachment, patrols into innermost depths of West Caves. A hasty count reveals that at least 125 Japanese have been killed there. This is the last enemy position that can threaten Mokmer airdrome. On Aitape front, Maj Gen Charles P. Hall, CG XI Corps, takes command of TF PERSECUTION at midnight, 27–28. Reorganization and regrouping of forces is quickly undertaken. Cav RCT 112 arrives to reinforce TF PERSECUTION, which is threatened with enemy attack. In Wakde-Sarmi area, 3d Bn of 63d Inf encounters fire from few remaining MG positions as it mops up on Lone Tree Hill.

SAIPAN—6th Marines, 2d Mar Div, continues to clear div center against heavy resistance; 8th Marines, elements of which are relieved by 2d Bn, 25th Marines, starts clearing N slope of Mt. Tapotchau. 27th Div’s 106th Inf again attacks Hell’s Pocket on div left with 1st Bn and for first time makes some progress in reducing it. On div right, other elements of 106th arid 2d Bn, 165th, clear further ground on Purple Heart Ridge; 3d Bn of 106th, followed by 2d Bn, then drives W across Death Valley under enemy fire. On right flank of corps, 4th Mar Div gets additional elements to line 0–6; attached elements of 165th Inf make substantial progress on div left, but gap develops and bn of 24th Marines is brought forward to fill it. Japanese decide to make their final stand on N Saipan on line across island from Tanapag through Hill 221 to Tarahoha, delaying in current positions as long as possible while the new line is being organized. On S Saipan, 2d Bn of 105th Inf concludes operations against Nafutan Pt, which is declared secure at 1840. 550 Japanese dead are counted. Total number estimated to have held the position exceeds 1,000, rather than the 300–500 originally thought to have been there.

USMC