US NAVY
PACIFIC—In the first occasion since the Marianas campaign
in which all four carrier task groups operate together as one unit, TF38 (Vice
Admiral Marc A. Mitscher) pounds Japanese shipping and installations on Okinawa
and other islands in the Ryukyus. TF 38 planes sink submarine depot ship Jingei,
landing ship T.158, minelayer Takashima and auxiliary
submarine chaser Cha 87, north-northwest of Okinawa, 26°39'N, 127°52'E.
In or near Naha harbor, Navy carrier-based aircraft sink auxiliary minesweeper Shimpo
Maru, 26°13'N, 127°40'E, and No.6 Hakata Maru, guard boats No.26
Nansatsu Maru and No.5 Daisei Maru, 26°13'N, 127°41'E; guardboat Yuki
Maru and motor torpedo boats Gyoraitei No.493, Gyoraitei No.496,
Gyoraitei No.498, Gyoraitei No.500, Gyoraitei No.805, Gyoraitei
No.806,Gyoraitei No.810, Gyoraitei No.812, Gyoraitei No.813, Gyoraitei No.814,
Gyoraitei No.820 and Gyoraitei No.820,26°30'N, 128°00'E; army cargo
ship Horai Maru, 26°38'N, 127°54'E; merchant cargo ships Taikai Maru,
Fukura Maru, Koryu Maru, and Tetsuzan Maru, 26°13'N, 127°39'E.
Elsewhere in the vicinity, Navy planes sink auxiliary minesweeper No.1
Takunan Maru off Okino Daito Jima, 25°30'N, 131°00'E, and army cargo ship Hirota
Maru off Miyako Jima, 24°26'N, 125°20'E, and merchant cargo ship Nanyo
Maru off Kume Jima. TF 38 planes damage Coast Defense Ship No.5 and
submarine chaser Ch 58 off Okinawa; and guardboat No.6 Daisei Maru, cargo
ship Toyosaka Maru, and merchant cargo ship No.7 Takashima Maru outside
Koniya harbor.
Motor
torpedo boat PT‑368 is damaged by grounding off western New Guinea,
01°59'N, 127°57'E.
Submarine Barb
(SS‑220) sinks Japanese transport Gokuku Maru northwest of Hirado
Jima, Kyushu, 33°31'N,129°10'E.
Submarine Lapon
(SS‑260) sinks Japanese army transport Ejiri Maru in South China Sea
west of Luzon, 16°10'N,119°44'E.
Dutch
submarine Zwaardvisch sinks Japanese guardboat Koei Maru southwest
of Bawean Island, N.E.I., 05°57'S,112°29'E.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
NINTH AF—Weather cancels daytime bomber and fighter
operations. IX Air Defense Command during 10/11 Oct flies patrol over Belgium
and Western Germany.
TWELFTH AF—Medium bombers are again grounded due to weather.
Fighter bombers, though also hampered by weather, manage to closely support
ground forces, particularly at Monte delle Formiche where US 85th infantry
division elements are stopped short of the crest, and attack communications
North of battle area in the Northern Apennines.
FIFTEENTH AF—Almost 170 B‑17’s and B‑24’s attack 4
marshalling yards at Treviso and Mestre and bridges at Susegana and San Dona di
Piave plus rail lines in surrounding areas. About 90 fighters provide support
in Udine‑Treviso area. 350‑plus other heavy bombers are forced to abort because
of weather.
TENTH AF—28 P‑47’s support ground forces near Pinhe, bomb
towns of Tawbon and Man Naung, and hit targets of opportunity in and near
Momauk. Transport operations to various points in CBI continue at the rate of
250‑plus sorties.
FOURTEENTH AF—12 B‑25’s bomb and considerably damage
Kunlong ferry. 38 P‑40’s and P‑51’s on armed reconnaissance attack bridge and
other targets of opportunity near Mangshih, hit troop areas around Tanchuk and
Wuchou, river traffic near Dosing, and locomotives and barges along Northern Indochina
coast.
FEAF—B‑24’s strike oil refineries and an airfield in
Balikpapan area. The heavy bombers and escorting P‑47’s and P‑38’s claim over
30 Japanese fighters downed. P‑38’s and B‑25’s bomb Djailolo, Kaoe, and Hate
Tabako airfield and Wasile town area. P‑47’s hit Liang airfield. A‑20’s hit
Sarmi area. A‑20’s and B‑25’s bomb Urarom airfield.
SEVENTH AF—14 B‑24’s from Saipan bomb airfield at Iwo Jima
and shipping off the Eastern shore. 24 P‑47’s pound buildings and storage caves
on Pagan. Later a B‑24 bombs the radio station North of Pagan airfield. 12 B‑25’s
from Makin bomb runways and adjacent AA positions on Nauru.
ELEVENTH AF—4 B‑24’s abort a strike at Kashiwabara due to
weather.
US ARMY
WESTERN EUROPE—12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army’s XIX
Corps area, after further efforts to clear Bardenberg, reserve battalion of
119th Infantry, 30th Division, withdraws at night to permit shelling of enemy
there; 120th Indian seizes Birk crossroads, which controls road to Bardenberg,
thus jeopardizing enemy forces at Bardenberg; 30th Division claims 20 German
tanks during fighting on 9th and 10th. In VII Corps area, so favorable do the
prospects of closing the Aachen gap appear that 1st Division delivers ultimatum
calling for surrender of the city within 24 hours. In Huertgen Forest, Germans
overrun the 2 forward platoons of 39th Infantry of 9th Division in Wittscheidt
area early in day; 39th Infantry later recovers lost ground and takes Germeter
without opposition;
60th Infantry units re-enter the woods and seize road
junction almost a mile South West of Richelskaul.
In U.S.
Third Army area, III Corps hq (Maj Gen John Milliken), which has recently
arrived on the Continent, is assigned to Third Army. In XII Corps area, 35th
Division clears enemy from Fossieux.
6th Army Group:
In French 1st Army area, the 2d Corps expands Moselotte bridgehead to Planois,
on East–West road to La Bresse. Hopes of a quick lateral thrust to secure that
communications center are dashed when corps is asked to extend northward to
line Fougerolles–Remiremont–Le Tholy–Gerardmer, effective on 14th, to relieve
South flank units of U.S. Seventh Army. No further effort is made at this time
to extend holdings along North bank of the Moselotte.
EASTERN EUROPE—Soviet troops of First Baltic Front break
through to the Baltic Sea near Memel (Lithuania), which is being invested; to
left thrust to Niemen River at North East border of Prussia. Forces of Third
Ukrainian Front cut Nis–Belgrade RR at Velika Plana (Yugoslavia).
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army area, South African 6th Armored Division makes another futile attempt to take Mont Stanco, getting almost to crest before being driven back. II Corps opens third phase of offensive toward Bologna. 34th Division tries in vain to outflank the Monterumici hill mass. In 91st Division zone, 361st Infantry makes main effort against Livergnano escarpment’ without appreciable gains. Efforts to relieve Company K in Livergnano fail; most of the co is captured by enemy. 2d Battalion of 338th Infantry, 85th Division, its left flank protected by 2d Battalion of 363d Infantry, 91st Division, attacks lofty Mont delle Formiche but, although strongly supported by air and artillery, is stopped short of crest; 337th, reinforced by 1st Battalion of 338th, makes some progress toward Hill 578 of Monterenzio hill mass. In 88th Division zone, 350th Infantry attacks through 349th on left flank of division in effort to come abreast 85th Division to left, reaching Hill 339, above II Falchetto Hill, on left and positions near Mont delle Tombe on right; 351st Infantry makes little headway against Gesso ridge. In British 13 Corps area, 2d Brigade of 1st Division takes command of division front, relieving 3d Brigade. Indian 8th Division gains positions near top of Mont Casalino.
In British
Eighth Army’s 5 Corps area, German opposition along the Fiumicino collapses
with capture of Spaccato by Indian 10th Division. 46th Division takes Longiano
and La Crocetta. 56th Division patrols across the river on right flank of
corps. Canadian 1 Corps regroups for drive across the Fiumicino. Reconnaissance
elements of 1st Division cross at Savignano di Romagna without opposition;
bridging is begun at the crossing site. RYUKYU Is.—Fast carrier task force of
Third Fleet successfully attacks Okinawa, depleting enemy’s air and surface
strength there and damaging airfields and facilities. Aerial photographs of the
island are obtained.
PALAUS—On Peleliu, 5th Marines makes limited progress
against Umurbrogol Pocket.
US MARINE CORPS
First U. S. carrier raid on Okinawa.
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