80 Years Ago, Tuesday, 29 August 1944

USN

PACIFIC–Destroyer escort Conklin (DE-439) accidentally fires upon U.S. freighter Dominican Victory because of unfamiliarity with recognition signals north of the Marshalls.

            Infantry landing craft LCI-566 is damaged by grounding, south of Oahu, 20°56'N, 157°00'E.

            Submarine Jack (SS-259) sinks Japanese minesweeper W.28 and army cargo ship Mexico Maru northwest of Menado, Celebes, 02°15'N, 122°50.

            PBY sinks Japanese auxiliary sailing vessel Toyokuni Maru at entrance to Ambon Bay, 03°22'S, 129°39'E.

            Aircraft sink Japanese merchant cargo ship Koryu Maru, Kiukiang, China.

            Mine damages Japanese tanker Kaiko Maru in Strait of Malacca, 03°40'N, 100°06'E.

ARABIAN SEA–Dutch freighter Sanetta and U.S. freighter Benjamin Bourn between them rescue the 66 survivors from the U.S. freighter John Barry, which had been sunk by German submarine U-859 the day before.

MEDITERRANEAN–Marine detachments from heavy cruiser Augusta (CA-31) and light cruiser Philadelphia (CL-41) accept the surrender of two German-held islands in Marseilles Harbor and disarm the garrisons.

            U.S. motor torpedo boats PT-302, PT-303, and PT-304 attack two corvettes and one destroyer off Cap Mele, compelling the enemy ships to reverse course and steam for Genoa, Italy. The PTs will continue their patrol into the next morning but make no further sightings.

 

AAF

EIGHTH AF–5 Fighter Bomber groups attack rail transportation in N France, Belgium, and W Germany. 2 Airfields, 3 marshalling yards, rail lines at several points, and a large number of rail and road vehicles are attacked.

NINTH AF–Bad weather allows only minimum bomber and fighter operations. B-26’s attack 1 fuel dump while a few fighters fly sweeps over NW France. Over 100 transports complete supply and evacuation missions.

TWELFTH AF–Medium Bombers hit 4 bridges and a viaduct in NE Italy while Light Bombers hit fuel station. Fighter Bombers hit roads and bridges in N Italy and support ground forces in Arno R Valley. P-47’s of 87th Wing fly Medium Bomber escort and armed recon, claiming 100 vehicles destroyed. XII TAC fighters attack targets in Rhone Valley.

FIFTEENTH AF–550 Heavy Bombers strike comm targets in Po Valley and in the Hungarian Plain, oil refineries and comm targets in the Silesian Plain, including Bohumin area, steel works and marshalling yard, Moravska-Ostrava marshalling yard, oil refineries and industrial area including tank works, Szolnok and Szeged marshalling yards, and railway bridges at Szeged, Borovnica, Salzano, and Ferrara. P-38’s bomb Latisana bridge.

TENTH AF–8 B-25’s attack targets in Katha and hit 2 bridges just N of the town area. 8 P-51’s attack Bilumyo. 5 P- 47’s destroy road bridge at Mainghka and 5 others hit buildings in Bhamo.

FOURTEENTH AF–24 B-24’s escorted by 45 fighters, blast railroad yards at Yoyang. 15 B-25’s bomb Pailochi, White Cloud, Tien Ho, and Hankow Airfields. 10 others hit trucks and other Targets of opportunity from Hengyang to Yoyang, from Hankow to Chinchiang, and near Anjen. 18 P-40’s hit storage area and Targets of opportunity around Tangyang. 17 attack trucks and buildings from Siangtan to Changsha. 14 P-40’s claim 8 fighters downed over Shayang. 22 others attack trucks, supplies, and troops at Wuhu, Ichang, S of Isuho, SW of Lungling, and N of Hengshan.

FEAF–B-24’s bomb Koror, Malakal, seaplane base on Arakabesan, and supply area N of Ngesebus Airfield. B- 24’s bomb barracks at Amboina and P-38’s hit seaplane base at Halong.

TWENTIETH AF–Gen LeMay becomes CG XX BC.

SEVENTH AF–Saipan-based B-24’s bomb Iwo Jima and Pagan during the evening. P-47’s strafe AA positions on Pagan while a B-24 on armed recon bombs Yap. Gilberts based B-25’s bomb Nauru.

 

USA

N FRANCE—Gen Eisenhower directs that main effort be made in N.

            21 Army Group:

            In Br Second Army’s 12 Corps area, 15th Div has completed crossing of the Seine and holds loop of river W of Les Andelys. In 30 Corps area, 11th Armd Div, reinf by 8th Armd Brig, takes the lead, heading toward the Somme at Amiens and reaching Mainneville area.

            12th Army Group: Issues instructions for operations beyond the Seine. Gasoline shortage is acute and Third Army is given priority on supply by air.

            In U.S. First Army area, XIX Corps takes over zone of XV Corps at noon and assumes command of 2d Armd and 30th and 79th Inf Divs. 2d Armd Div drives through 79th Div to Magny en Vexin. 30th Div, to right, reaches line Wy-dit-Joli-Village– Saillancourt. XV Corps reverts to Third Army control and is held in reserve. V Corps, leaving Fr 2d Armd Div behind in Paris, drives NE with 4th Div to Mitry Mory–Le Plessis area. 28th Div parades NE through Paris to its assigned attack position W of 4th Div. In VII Corps area, 3d Armd Div, spearheading drive on Laon, crosses Aisne R east of Soissons.

            U.S. Third Army orders advance continued to the Meuse. In VIII Corps area, 2d Rangers of TF Sugar, 29th Div, take Pointe de Corsen as assault on Brest continues against unabated resistance. XX Corps speeds NE to Reims, which 5th Div captures. In XII Corps area, CCA of 4th Armd Div overruns Châlons-sur-Marne and Vitry-le-François.

S FRANCE—In U.S. Seventh Army area, 1st ABTF, on Mediterranean coast, begins crossing Var R. Plans are made at commanders’ conference at Seventh Army hq for junction of OVERLORD and DRAGOON forces. In VI Corps’ Rhône Valley sector, organized resistance at Loriol and Livron, on Highway 7, comes to an end. 36th and 3d Divs are mopping up enemy rear guards. 3d Div is to assemble at Voiron, NW of Grenoble, upon relief by French; 36th is to continue N toward Lyon. To right, 45th Div continues to probe northward with 179th and 180th Regts.

            In Fr Army B area, 2d Moroccan Div, in process of debarking, is ordered to extreme right flank of Seventh Army; 3d Algerian Div is to advance to its left; 9th Colonial Div is to be committed gradually.

EASTERN EUROPE—Troops of Third Ukrainian Front take Constanta, Black Sea port.

ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s Br 13 Corps area, 6th Armd Div column reaches Consuma, on Highway 70.

            In Br Eighth Army area, as Pol 2 Corps attempts to clear Pesaro, on Adriatic coast, Cdn 1 and Br 5 Corps thrust to Foglia R, behind which enemy is moving reinforcements in effort to stem Br advance. Ind 10th Div of 10 Corps finds Bibbiena, on Route 71, abandoned by enemy.

CHINA—Japanese 11th Army, consisting of 7 divs, starts S down RR from Heng-yang, threatening U.S. Fourteenth Air Force bases at Kweilin and Liuchow.

 

USMC