USN
PACIFIC–Carrier-based aircraft and naval
gunfire from two task groups (Rear Admiral Joseph J. Clark and Rear Admiral
Ralph E. Davison) hit Japanese installations on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, and
Chichi Jima and Haha Jima, Bonins.
Carrier
planes sink submarine chaser Ch 16 at Chichi Jima; coastal minelayer Sarushima
in the Bonins, 27°10'N,140°10'E; landing ships T.103, 108 miles off
Chichi Jima Retto, 27°05'N, 140°09'E; and T.130 off east coast of
IwoJima, 24°47'N, 140°20'E; auxiliary net layer Taiko Maru off Onagawa
Retto; minesweeper W.25 [where°]28°35'N,141°04'E; auxiliary minesweeper No.5
Toshi Maru off Haha Jima, 26°20'N, 141°50'E; transports Shozui Maru,
Shima Maru, and Tatsuei Maru, 27°07'N, 142°12'E, and No.8 Un'yo
Maru, 27°05'N, 142°09'E, in Takinoura Bay; planes damage landing ship T.153
and victualling stores ship Kaiko Maru off Ani Jima, and submarine
chaser Ch 18 off Chichi Jima.
Destroyer
David W. Taylor (DD-551) and destroyer escort Riddle (DE-185)
sink Japanese submarine I-10, attempting an evacuation mission to
Saipan, 100 miles east-northeast of her destination, 15°26'N, 147°48'E.
Submarine
Guavina (SS-362), despite presence of four escort vessels, sinks
Japanese transport Tama Maru 60 miles northwest of Palau, 07°44'N,
133°17'E.
Submarine
Seahorse (SS-304) attacks Japanese convoy in South China Sea and sinks
army cargo ship Gyoyu Maru, cargo ship No.28 Kyodo Maru, and
merchant cargo ship Nitt_ Maru about 140 miles south of Hong Kong,
20°18'N,115°02'E.
Submarine
Tang (SS-306), operating in the Yellow Sea off the west coast of Korea,
sinks Japanese merchant cargo ships Asukasan Maru at 35°22'N, 125°56'E,
and Yamaoka Maru at 36°05'N, 125°48'E,
RAAF
Mitchells damage Japanese cargo vessel No.1 Koshu Maru north of the Kai
Islands, 05°05'S, 136°38'E.
Submarine S-28 (SS-133) is lost to
unknown cause during training exercises off Oahu.
INDIAN OCEAN–Indian Navy trawler Hoxa rescues
survivors (10 of the freighter's merchant complement, ten Armed Guard sailors, and
three passengers) of U.S. freighter Jean Nicolet, scourged by Japanese
submarine I-8 on 2 July 1944; 18 of Jean Nicolet’s 28-man Armed
Guard perish in the atrocity wrought by the Japanese. Of the three Americans
taken prisoner and retained on board I 8, only one, the passenger, will survive
internment.
CARIBBEAN–U.S. tanker Kittanning is
torpedoed by German submarine U-539 while returning to Cristobal, Canal
Zone, at09°50'N, 79°40'W; there are no casualties among the 49- man merchant
complement or the 25-man Armed Guard, who are rescued by Coast Guard cutter Marion
(WPC-145) which, along with cutter Crawford (WPC-134), arrive to
provide assistance. Crawford attempts, unsuccessfully, to tow the
crippled ship (see 5 July).
AAF
EIGHTH AF–256
Heavy Bombers attack 7 airfields N and W of Paris, plus several targets of
opportunity. Bad weather and mechanical failures cause over 350 others to
abort. VIII FC flies 594 sorties during Heavy Bomber escort and strafing
assignments against transportation targets.
NINTH AF–Although
bad weather curtails bomber operations, 95 B-26’s and A-20’s bomb rail bridge
at Oissel and strongly defended positions N of Anneville-sur-Mer, using
Pathfinder technique. More than 900 fighters strafe and bomb numerous targets
in France including troop concentrations, gun positions, rail lines, marshalling
yards, tunnel, radio station, bridges, highways, and a command post. Fighters
also fly escort and cover beach and assault areas.
TWELFTH
AF–Weather cancels Light Bomber and Medium Bomber operations. Fighter Bomber
operations are greatly reduced but attacks are made on bridges, rail lines,
roads, and guns in and N of battle area as US Fifth Army elements clear parts
of Rosignano, overrun Mount Vitalba and area to its E, and push into Casole
d’Elsa.
FIFTEENTH
AF–250-plus B-17’s and B-24’s bomb bridge and railroad repair works at Pitesti
and oil refinery at Brasov. 350-plus fighters escort Heavy Bombers and carry
out sweeps in target area. Claims of enemy fighters destroyed total 17. 1 fighter
group strafes 2 landing grounds and a troop train in Yugoslavia on return trip
to base.
TENTH AF–30-plus
P-40’s continue support of ground forces near Myitkyina. 20-plus P-47’s and
P-51’s fly offensive sweep over Lashio area, patrol Mogaung area, and bomb targets
of opportunity at Taungni, Nampadaung, and Mogaung. 4 B-25’s hit bridges and
railroad tracks in Hopin and Naba areas.
FOURTEENTH
AF–38 Medium Bombers and 74 Fighter Bombers pound targets throughout Tungting
Lake-Yangtze R region and in Yellow R and Canton areas. River shipping is hit
hard, particularly along Siang-Chiang R. Troop concentrations, road traffic,
and general targets of opportunity are hit at many locations. Towns bombed
include Shasi, Lukou, Yungfengshih, Liling, Siangtan, and Yuhsien. airfield at
Hengyang is bombed and supplies are dropped to Chinese troops in the area. airfields
and warehouses in Canton area are bombed and targets of opportunity at Linfen, Wenhsi,
and Puchou in Yellow R region are strafed.
FEAF–A-20’s
continue support of Allied ground forces pushing E and SE from Kamiri airfield
area of Noemfoor I and taking Kamiri village and Kornasoren airfield. P-47’s
strafe targets of opportunity at nearby Biak I while B-24’s bomb airfield at Efman
I. Other aircraft bomb and strafe troops E of Maffin Bay. Personnel areas at
But and Dagua and barges at Wewak Pt are also attacked. B-24’s hit shipping and
airfields in Amboina-Ceram area. B- 24’s bomb Yap and hit airstrips on Woleai,
Sorol, and Peleliu.
SEVENTH
AF–P-47’s on Saipan continue Fighter Bomber operations against forces on
Saipan, Tinian, Aguijan and Rota Is. B- 24’s, staging through Eniwetok, pound
Truk.
USA
FRANCE—21 Army Group: In U.S. First
Army area, VIII Corps continues to make slow progress southward on W flank of
army. 82d A/B Div takes Hill 95, overlooking La Haye-du-Puits from NE, where it
remains until pinched out by 79th and 90th Divs on its flanks. VII Corps opens
attack to E of VIII Corps on narrow front between swamps of Prairies
Marcagéuses and Taute R. 83d Div, in action for first time, leads off toward
Priers but meets firm resistance that makes progress negligible. In Br Second
Army’s I Corps area, in preparation for all-out assault on Caen, Cdn 3d Div
seizes Carpiquet but is held up short of its airfield for some time by enemy
defenders. In 8 Corps area, 43d Div is attacking NE astride the Odon to ease
pressure on 1 Corps.
USSR—Troops of First Baltic Front
overrun Polotsk.
ITALY—U.S. Seventh Army moves to
Naples in preparation for invasion of S France. AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV
Corps area, 135th Inf, on 34th Div’s W flank, clears about a third of Rosignano;
442d Inf slightly improves positions in center; to right, 168th attempts in
vain to reach Castellina, key enemy position, but overruns Hill 675 (M.
Vitalba); 363d Inf is committed to right of 168th and gains ground on heights E
of Hill 675. CCA, 1st Armd Div, gets elements of 361st Inf into Casole d’Elsa
before dawn after most of the enemy garrison has withdrawn. After this action
361st Inf is detached from 1st Armd Div and reverts to 91st Div. Subsequent
action of 1st Armd Div on right flank of IV Corps is limited until time of its
relief.
In
FEC area, 3d Algerian Div completes withdrawal from corps zone to Naples and is
replaced by 4th Mtn Div.
In
Br Eighth Army area, 13 Corps, with S African 6th Armd Div on left, Br 4th Div
in center, and Br 6th Armd Div on right, moves forward to M. Lignano hill mass
below Arezzo against sporadic resistance. 6th Armd Div, using Highway 71, most direct
route to Arezzo, quickly reaches Castiglion Fiorentino but is slowed soon
afterward by demolitions.
NEW GUINEA—On Noemfoor, 3d Bn of 158th
Inf, continuing along N coast unopposed, takes Kornasoren airfield. 1st Bn ( —
) crosses Kamiri R and seizes Kamiri village without enemy interference; continues
SE against scattered fire to large Japanese garden area, some 1,700 yards
distant, where defensive perimeter is established for night on Hill 201. 3d Bn,
503d Para Inf, drops on Kamiri airfield, suffering casualties exceeding 8%, and
relieves elements of 3d Bn, 158th Inf. Because of high casualty rate during
airdrops, it is decided to f ly rest of 503d Para Inf to Kamiri airfield when
the field can receive C–47’s safely. In Wakde-Sarmi area, Hill 225 falls to
elements of 63d Inf.
POA—CINCPOA, in radio message to COMINCH,
rejects suggestion of 13 June that target dates for operations in the Pacific
be advanced; states that air forces should be established on Mindanao before
Formosa is invaded; expresses doubt that Gen MacArthur can reach Mindanao by 25
October as hoped.
SAIPAN—VAC completes drive to northern
neck of Saipan and prepares for final phase of battle in which 2 divs will
advance NE on Marpi Pt and its airfield. 2d Mar Div’s 2d Marines completes mop up
of Garapan and forces enemy remnants into tip of Mutcho Pt, but 6th Marines is
checked on ridge about 1,000 yards from coast. 27th Div, after fire fight with
large group of retreating enemy, completes drive to Tanapag Plain. 106th Inf
reaches seaplane base at Flores Pt and is joined by 8th Marines; eliminates the
cave strongpoint to rear; in center, 1st Bn of 105th Inf reaches beach; on
right, 1st Bn of 165th Inf quickly gains last ridge overlooking Flores Pt
seaplane base. 4th Mar Div drives forward to Hill 767 area, taking Hill 721 and
the nose from it with ease. In preparation for 2-div assault on 5th, 2 bns of
165th Inf, 27th Div, relieve 2 left flank bns of 4th Mar Div in late afternoon;
during the relief, gap develops in line through which almost a hundred Japanese
infiltrate, but the hole is later filled and Japanese are driven back or
killed.
U.S.—JCS, in memorandum to President Roosevelt,
recommend that Gen Stilwell be promoted from rank of Lt Gen to General; that
Chiang Kai-shek be urged to place Gen Stilwell in command of all Chinese
forces; that Gen Sultan be given command of Chinese Corps in Burma; and that
Gen Wheeler replace Stilwell as Deputy to Adm Mountbatten.
USMC
Renewed carrier attacks against Volcano-Bonins.
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