80 Years Ago, Monday, 16 October 1944

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Japanese torpedo planes attack TG 30.3 (Rear Admiral Laurance T. DuBose) and again damage light cruiser Houston (CL‑81), 20°54'N, 125°09'E.

            Destroyer Ellet (DD‑398), together with surveying ship Bowditch (AGS‑4), two infantry landing craft (gunboat) and a submarine chaser arrive at Ngulu Atoll, western Carolines, and encounter no opposition.

            TF 38 planes sink Japanese torpedo boat Hato, 130 miles east-southeast of Hong Kong, 21°49'N, 115°50'E, and damage auxiliary vessel Santos Maru.

            Submarine Besugo (SS‑321) damages Japanese destroyer Suzutsuki off Toizaki, 32°30'N, 132°36'E.

            Submarine Tilefish (SS‑307) sinks Japanese guardboat No.2 Kyowa Maru five miles north of Matsuwa Jima, 48°07'N,153°04'E.

            Auxiliary minesweeper No.6 Hakata Maru is sunk by U.S. aircraft (perhaps PB4Y) off Minami Daito Jima, 25°30'N,131°00'E.

            USAAF aircraft (14th Air Force) sink Japanese cargo vessel Tensho Maru. They also damage auxiliary vessel Santos Maru and cargo ships Sagamigawa Maru, No.5 Okinoyama Maru, and No.3 Akatsuki Maru; and destroy army cargo vessel (in drydock at Kowloon) Bunzan Maru.

            USAAF P‑38s sink Japanese auxiliary sailing vessel No.6 Take Maru off Cagayan, Sulu Archipelago.

            RAAF Beaufighters sink Japanese Communications Vessel No.135 off Ambon harbor.

ATLANTIC—Coast Guard icebreaker Eastwind (WAG-279), supported by sistership Southwind (WAG-280), captures German weather ship Externsteine off Cape Borgen, Shannon Island, east coast of Greenland. Eastwind's crew unofficially christens the captured auxiliary "Eastbreeze." Both icebreakers, however, are damaged by pack ice.

 

US ARMY AIR FORCE

NINTH AF—Ninth AF advance HQ follows HQ 12th AG to Luxembourg. All operations cancelled due to weather.

TWELFTH AF—Medium bomber operations are cancelled by bad weather. Light bombers and fighter bombers hit troop concentrations, bridges, gun positions, road, rail lines, and vehicles in battle area, particularly in Monte Belmonte vicinity.

FIFTEENTH AF—Nearly 600 heavy bombers, with fighter escort, hit tank factory, tank assembly plant, and aero engine works at Steyr, benzol plant and ordnance depot at Linz, plus alternate targets and targets of opportunity in Austria, including Graz-Neudorf aircraft engine factory, Trieben, Linz, Graz, Villach, Salzburg, Klagenfurt, Spittal an der Drau and Zeltweg marshalling yards, town of Sankt Veit an der Glan, Brux synethetic oil refinery, and armament works in Plzen. Over 20 P‑51’s and P‑38’s fly photo and weather reconnaissance missions and sea patrol. 29 P‑38’s escort MATAF C‑47’s (transporting airborne troops) to Greece and back to Italy.

TENTH AF—11 P‑47’s attack 2 railroad bridges in Naba-Mawlu area, damaging approaches to both targets. 5 other P‑47’s hit Japanese forces in North Western part of Madangyang. 12 B‑25’s, supported by escort of 8 P‑47’s, pound airfield at Shwebo. Transports fly over 300 sorties in CBI.

FOURTEENTH AF—28 B‑24’s, 8 B‑25’s, 26 P‑51’s, and 21 P‑40’s blast shipping and Kowloon Dock area. 15 cargo vessels are damaged or sunk. 3 other P‑51’s hit Wuchou area. 36 P‑40’s, P‑51’s, and P‑38’s hit village and town areas, bridges, and troop concentrations in Kweiping, Tanchuk, Hsinganhsien, Tingka, and Chefang areas.

FEAF—P‑38’s hit harbor, shiping, airfield and trucks at Cagayan. B‑24’s blast Makassar area. B‑24’s, B‑25’s, and fighter bombers again pound the Boeroe‑Ceram airfields and towns of Boela and Amboina and hit shipping in Binnen Bay. Fighter bombers hit Timoeka and Mongosah and Sagan airfields. Langgoer airfield is pounded by A‑20’s.

TWENTIETH AF—Over 40 B‑29’s, out of Chengtu, bomb Okayama aircraft plant and Heito airfield. 20‑plus other B‑29’s bomb alternate or chance targets at Takao, Swatow, Toshien, and Sintien harbors, Hengyang, and several airfields, including Taichu.

SEVENTH AF—15 P‑47’s and 1 B‑24 from Saipan hit Pagan. From the Marshalls 14 B‑24’s hit Truk.

ELEVENTH AF—7 B‑24’s fly cover sorties for naval TF.

 

US ARMY

WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: Field Marshal Montgomery halts offensive operations except those to speed opening of Antwerp port.

            In Canadian First Army’s 2 Corps area, Zuid Beveland Isthmus is virtually sealed off with capture of Woensdrecht by Canadian 2d Division. Canadian 3d Division continues to reduce Breskens Pocket South of the Schelde. The pocket is about half its original size.

            In British Second Army’s 8 Corps area, 3d Division reaches outskirts of Venray. Combat Command B, U.S. 7th Armored Division, establishes bridgehead across canal on Deurne–Venray road.

            12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army area, army closes ring about Aachen as patrols of XIX and VII Corps establish contact on Ravels Hill at 1615.

            In XIX Corps area, 116th Infantry of 29th Division continues to batter Wuerselen, 30th Division attacks southward astride Wurm River with 119th Infantry; patrol makes contact with a patrol of 18th Infantry, 1st Division, VII Corps. 120th and 117th Regiments of 30th Division make limited attacks within their respective sectors. In VII Corps area, Germans react promptly and vigorously to closing of Aachen gap, attempting to overrun roadblock on Aachen–Wuerselen highway, night 16–17. 16th Infantry, 1st Division, stabilizes positions in Eilendorf area.

            6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s VI Corps area, 45th and 36 Divisions, against firm opposition, close in on Bruyères, column from South pushing through Laval.

            In French 1st Army’s 2d Corps area, 3d Algerian Division and French 1st Armored Division begin attack to pierce enemy’s winter line in the Vosges, pressing toward heights East of the Moselotte against violent opposition.

EASTERN EUROPE—Forces of Third White Russian Front launch offensive to break into East Prussia, which Germans are prepared to defend.

ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army area, 6th South African Armored Division, in conjunction with II Corps to right, renews northward attack between the Reno and Setta Rivers. II Corps begins final phase of attack toward Bologna, making main effort in center; left flank is still held up below Monterumici hill mass. 91st Division drives North astride Highway 65: passing through 361st Infantry, 362d heads for Lucca; 361st attacks along Highway 65 in center, elements pushing West of Casalino to protect left flank; 363d advances toward Mont Belmonte to help 34th Division take the feature. 34th Division attacks with 2 regiments abreast: on left, 133d drives through 91st Division on narrow front toward Mont Belmonte, target for artillery and aerial bombardment. Searchlights provide illumination for night action. At this time the use of artificial moonlight is still in the experimental stage. 168th Infantry of 34th Division attacks through 338th Infantry of 85th Division on broad front between Zena Creek and Idice R, heading for Mont della Vigna, North of Mont delle Formiche. East of the Idice, 85th Division’s 338th Infantry attacks toward Mont Fano while 339th attacks toward ridge above Monterenzio, taking Hill 622. 88th Division drives toward Mont Cuccoli–M. Grande ridge on right flank of corps: 350th Infantry makes no headway toward Mont Cuccoli, but 349th takes Mont delle Tombe and reaches South. Clemente. New boundary between II and British 13 Corps, effective 2330, passes between Mont delle Tombe and Mont Spadura, sharply reducing zone of 88th Division.

            In British 13 Corps area, 78th Division completes relief of U.S. forces on Gesso ridge.

            In British Eighth Army area, 5 Corps clears Mont Romano and Mont Reale, night 16–17. Elements of 20th Brigade, Indian 10th Division, establish small bridgehead across the Savio near its confluence with the Borello on South flank of corps. In Canadian 1 Corps area, Canadian 1st Division advances quickly toward Cesena, elements crossing Pisciatello River. Orders are issued for concerted attack on Cesena by Canadian 1 and British 5 Corps. New Zealand 2d Division takes Bulgarno without opposition.

YUGOSLAVIA—Soviet and Yugoslav forces are fighting side by side in streets of Belgrade. Nis, on Sofia–Belgrade RR line, is now free of enemy.

CAROLINE IS.—On Peleliu, Regimental Combat Team 321 of 81st Division, takes responsibility for completing reduction of Umurbrogol Pocket and is relieving marines there. Fresh forces, 1st Battalion of 323d Infantry, from Ulithi are assisting 321st Infantry. At Ngulu Atoll, elements of 81st Division begin clearing the atoll, which lies between Yap and the Palaus.

 

US MARINE CORPS