80 Years Ago, Thursday, 5 October 1944

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Special Air Task Force (STAG 1) operations continue in Southwest Pacific as four TDRs, each carrying a 2,000-pound bomb, are launched against Japanese supply caves in the Keravia Bay, Rabaul, area. One TDR hits in the vicinity of cave entrances; one misses the target area. Two are lost enroute due to interference from communications frequency used by motor gunboat (PGM) operating in the waters over which the drones fly.

            Submarine Cod (SS‑224) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Tatsuhiro Maru in South China Sea west of Mindoro,13°06'N, 120°15'E.

 

US ARMY AIR FORCE

INTERNATIONAL—Secretary of the Treasury Morgenthau and Lord Keynes begin series of talks on the course of Lend‑Lease between V‑E and V‑J Days.

EIGHTH AF—General Order 507 implements decision of 15 Sep to assign staff officers of HQ VIII Fighter Command to HQ Eighth AF to represent units in administrative functions, thus eliminating administrative and operational control from HQ VIII Fighter Command and placing it under Eighth AF HQ. This is necessitated by the transfer of fighter groups to bomb divisions. Over 900 heavy bombers, escorted by 15 fighter groups, strike 4 primary targets (a marshalling yard and 4 airfields) in North Western Germany and several secondary targets and targets of opportunity (marshalling yard, airfield, city areas) in the same area, especially around Dusseldorf and Cologne.

NINTH AF—330‑plus medium bombers and light bombers dispatched against targets in Arnhem, Aldenhoven, and Duren are recalled. Fighters hit pillboxes along Westwall, support ground forces of XV Corps in France, fly armed reconnaissance in Prum, Bonn, Koblenz, Trier and Landau areas, hit targets along Rhine‑Marne Canal, and during 5/6 Oct fly patrol in Belgium, Eastern France, and Western Germany.

TWELFTH AF—During 4/5 Oct A‑20’s bomb targets of opportunity in battle area in mountains South of Bologna and North of Arno River Valley. During the day weather grounds medium bomber wings and XII Fighter Command.

FIFTEENTH AF—Bad weather causes recall of heavy bombers.

TENTH AF—11 P‑47’s hit Mawlu and attack locomotives and targets of opportunity in Naba area. 8 B‑25’s attack bridges at Namhkai, damaging the main bridge. Troop Carriers fly over 250 sorties to various locations in CBI.

FOURTEENTH AF—12 B‑25’s and 22 fighter bombers attack Samshui, Koyiu and Takhing. 8 hit targets of opportunity in Canton‑Wuchou area, and 3 bomb storage area at Mangshih. 50‑plus P‑40’s and P‑51’s over wide areas of Southern China attack rivercraft, road traffic, bridges, town areas, and troops.

FEAF—B‑24’s bomb airfields in Kendari area. B‑25’s and P‑38’s hit Kairatoe airfield, town of Amboina and numerous coastal and shipping targets of opportunity in Amboina‑Ceram area. A‑20’s, B‑25’s’s, and fighter bombers attack Urarom, Simora Point area, Doom Island, Babo, Efman and Samate airfields and disposal areas. A‑20’s blast Japanese bivouacs and supply areas near Sarmi.

SEVENTH AF—Saipan‑based P‑47’s hit Pagan with rockets and bombs. A B‑24 bombs gun positions on the islands. B‑25’s from the Gilberts bomb runways and gun positions on Nauru while B‑24’s from the Marshalls bomb an airfield at Moen and during 5 /6 Oct strike Wake.

ELEVENTH AF—At dawn 2 B‑24’s bomb Kashiwabara and Kurabu Cape.

 

US ARMY

WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Canadian First Army area, British 1 Corps gets forward elements on left to Alphen, South West of Tilburg.

            12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army’s XIX Corps area, Combat Command B of 2d Armored Division on left flank overruns villages of Zweibruggen and Frelenberg and continues toward Geilenkirchen; on right, cuts Geilenkirchen–Aachen highway but is unable to reach Beggendorf, its objective. Combat Command A, reinforced by 3d Battalion of 116th Infantry, 29th Division, moves into bridgehead at Uebach to assist 30th Division. 117th Infantry, 30th Division, attacks South East from Uebach toward Alsdorf but is soon halted; working South from Uebach area, TF Cox of 119th Infantry reaches positions East of Merkstein–Herbach and clears ridge behind objective ridge except for a pillbox at its South tip. Strong opposition continues to keep 7th Armored Division from Overloon, though the town is almost encircled. Germans are assisted by heavy artillery fire, which corps counters with 99 missions, despite dwindling supply of artillery ammunition. German Air Force strikes at Palenberg in some strength but causes little damage. In VII Corps area, adverse weather conditions prevent 9th Division from launching attack toward Schmidt, an important objective commanding Roer River and Schwammenauel Dam, one of a series of Roer dams. V Corps closes in new zone in Monschau–Losheim area.

            In U.S. Third Army’s XX Corps area, 5th Division maintains foothold at Fort Driant against heavy fire from surrounding forts. Assistant Division Commander Brig Gen A. D. Warnock takes command of a TF that is being assembled to continue operations against the fort; 1st Battalion (—Company A) of 10th Infantry relieves Cos B and G of 11th at the fort, night 5–6. On North flank of corps, elements of 329th Infantry, 83d Division, assisted by artillery and fighter bombers, finally clear Grevenmacher after nightfall. XII Corps orders 3-division attack to begin on 8th. Regrouping follows, with 26th Division moving into line. Several days of aerial and ground bombardment serve to weaken enemy positions in zone of projected attack.

            6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s XV Corps area, 315th Infantry of 79th Division makes unsuccessful attempt to outflank enemy at main road junction in Forêt de Parroy and elements become temporarily isolated; 314th is held up near junction and at clearing in South part of the forest. With about half of the forest cleared, 79th Division goes on the defensive while preparing for new effort to break through. In VI Corps area, 7th Infantry of 3d Division continues assault on Vagney; 15th Infantry reduces quarry strongpoint near Cleurie after almost a week of hard fighting.

            In French 1st Army area, 2d Corps concentrates against the heights North of the Moselle in Longegoutte and Gehan forest, French 3d Algerian Division making main effort. Enemy is slowly forced up slopes of the high ground in Fort de Longegoutte.

EASTERN EUROPE—From Siauliai area of Lithuania, troops of First Baltic Front push in force toward the Baltic and East Prussia in effort to cut off German Army Group North, leaving Second and Third Baltic Fronts to continue drive toward Riga. Far to the South, Second Ukrainian forces launch offensive from Arad area of Rumania into South East Hungary, pressing North West toward Szeged and Budapest, on route to Vienna.

ITALY—AAI: U.S. Fifth Army issues alternative instructions for continuing attack after reaching Highway 9 (Bologna–Faenza) based on assumptions that enemy may or may not have withdrawn from Valle di Commachio–Apennines pocket by that time. IV Corps orders regrouping and continuation of attack toward La Spezia. South African 6th Armored Division, reinforced by Combat Command B of 1st Armored Division presses to direct command of army in order to achieve closer co-ordination with II Corps to right. This leaves IV Corps so weakened that it is incapable of making a major effort. TF 92, now consisting of 370th Infantry and 2d Armored Group (434th and 435th AAA Battalions with supporting tanks and Tank Destroyer’s) under command of Maj Gen Edward M. Almond, turns over sector East of Serchio valley to 107th AAA Group (British 39th, 47th, and 74th Light AA Regiments) and assumes responsibility for coastal sector previously held by TF 45, with orders to attack for M. Cauala, on approach to Massa. Regimental Combat Team 6 of BEF, as training exercise, is to continue along Serchio valley toward Castelnuovo.

            In II Corps area, 168th Infantry of 34th Division reaches Hill 661, North West of M. Venere, but enemy retains Hill 747 to rear; 133d takes Monzuno and finishes clearing M. Venere area. 91st Division, committing 361st Infantry on right, attacks with 3 regiments after preparatory artillery fire and takes Loiano and M. Bastia. 85th Division takes M. Bibele on left and holds positions on Hill 566 on right. 88th Division is held up by strong opposition on Hill 587. In British 13 Corps area, 1st Division, committing 2d Brigade to left of 3d, prepares to renew assault on M. Ceco, night of 6th, after strong artillery preparation.

            In British Eighth Army’s 5 Corps area, Indian 10th Division, after bitter fighting, succeeds in taking Sogliano–S. Martino ridge and forcing enemy back across the Fiumicino.

PALAUS—On Peleliu, action against Umurbrogol Pocket is limited as 5th Marines begins relieving 7th Marines.

 

US MARINE CORPS