80 Years Ago, Tuesday, 3 October 1944

US NAVY

PACIFIC— Japanese submarine RO-41 sinks Destroyer escort Shelton (DE‑407) off Morotai, 02°33'N, 129°18'E. During the ensuing antisubmarine operations, destroyer escort Richard M. Rowell (DE‑403), unaware of the proximity of friendly submarines, accidentally sinks Seawolf (SS‑197), which is transporting U.S. Army personnel to the east coast of Samar, 02°32'N, 129°18'E.

            Destroyer escort Samuel S. Miles (DE‑183) sinks Japanese submarine I‑177, 60 miles north-northeast of Angaur, Palaus, 07°48'N, 133°28'E.

            Submarine Thresher (SS‑200) sinks Japanese guardboat No.28 Nanshin Maru north-northwest of Marcus Island,30°49'N, 153°26'E.

            Tropical storm sinks tank landing craft LCT‑1052 at Ulithi.

            USAAF aircraft sink Japanese merchant tanker No.14 Nanshin Maru off Zamboanga, 06°54'N, 122°04'E

MEDITERRANEAN—Destroyer Niblack (DD‑424) destroys one MAS boat and damages three in San Remo, Italy, harbor, and then bombards Oneglia harbor. After encountering persistent and accurate fire from German 88-mm. gun battery, she shifts target to those guns and knocks them out; destroyer Plunkett (DD‑431) shells German artillery in Ventimiglia area.

 

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—Almost 1,000 heavy bombers attack 3 airfields West of Nurnberg, city of Nurnberg, synthetic oil works at Wesseling, and a motor works and airfield in Karlsruhe area (all assigned targets), and hit several other targets in Nurnberg‑Cologne‑Karlsruhe areas. 16 fighter groups give escort.

NINTH AF—220‑plus medium bombers and light bombers sent to bomb targets at Duren, Aldenhoven, and Arnhem are recalled because of weather. Fighters fly armed reconnaissance over Western Germany, hit railroads West of Rhine, and support US Third Army in Metz area. IX Air Defense Command continues night patrols.

TWELFTH AF—Medium bombers continue to pound road and rail bridges and fuel dumps in Po Valley. Light bombers, fighter bombers, and fighters of XII Fighter Command hit fuel dumps, rail lines, and transportation in the Valley and support US Fifth Army forces in battle areas in the Northern Apennines Southern and SW of Bologna and North of the Arno River Valley.

FIFTEENTH AF—For the eighth consecutive day bad weather prevents bombing operations.

TENTH AF—Troop Carriers fly 240‑plus sorties, delivering men and supplies to various points in CBI.

FOURTEENTH AF—23 B‑25’s attack Pingnam, trucks and rivercraft in Wuchou, Samshui, and Canton areas, and bomb Tien Ho and White Cloud airfields. 100 P‑51’s and P‑40’s continue armed reconnaissance over wide expanses of China South of the Yangtze, attacking rivercraft, road traffic, troops, town areas, and other targets of opportunity. Hsinganhsien, Pingnam, and Chuanhsien areas are covered exceptionally well.

FEAF—For second time B‑24’s bomb oil refineries in Balikpapan area, medium bombers hit shipping and bomb Sanana. Medium bombers smash Kaoe runway and bomb Galela. Medium bombers and heavy bombers over Ceram‑Amboina hit barge and coastal targets of opportunity and pound Taka airfield, while fighter bombers attack Halong seaplane base and Namlea and Haroekoe airfields. On Vogelkop Peninsula fighter bombers again hit Fak Fak and Otawiri.

SEVENTH AF—AF B‑24’s from Saipan hit shipping in the Bonins while P‑47’s pound gun positions, buildings, and wharf on Pagan. B‑24’s on special reconnaissance missions bomb airfield at Iwo Jima.

ELEVENTH AF—2 B‑24’s flying offshore reconnaissance over Onnekotan, Harumukotan, and Shasukotan also strafe several small vessels.

 

US ARMY

WESTERN EUROPE—RAF Bomber Command breaches Westkapelle Dike along West edge of Walcheren Island., causing extensive flooding.

            12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army’s XIX Corps area, 117th Infantry of 30th Division reaches Uebach and begins clearing house-to-house resistance; is overtaken there by Combat Command B, 2d Armored Division, which has crossed the Wurm at Marienberg to expand bridgehead northward while infantry works South to establish contact with VII Corps. The small bridgehead becomes very congested and neither armor nor infantry is able to get beyond Uebach. 119th Infantry, 30th Division, takes Rimburg castle and woods, the latter in flanking and frontal assaults, but can go no farther; its bridgehead is only 800 yards deep. On left flank of corps, 7th Armored Division replaces Combat Command A with Combat Command R as efforts to invest Overloon continue.

            In U.S. Third Army’s XX Corps area, 90th Division begins limited attack toward Maizières-lès-Metz to secure line of approach to Metz from the North and gain experience in attacking fortifications: 2 companies of 357th Infantry reach large slag pile overlooking the town from North West with little difficulty. At noon 5th Division renews limited attacks on Fort Driant, South of Metz, with close artillery support and smoke screen, although weather conditions prevent planned aerial bombardment; 2d Battalion of 11th Infantry, reinforced by Company B, combat engineers, and tanks, attacks South West and North West edges; Co, B forces gap in South part and Company G follows it through; fighting is confused and costly, with Germans emerging from tunnels to counterattack after nightfall. In XII Corps area, 2d Battalion of 317th Infantry, 80th Division, finishes clearing Sivry by 0555. Corps line in center and on right flank is now firmly re-established.

            6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s XV Corps area, 79th Division, assisted by tanks, makes limited progress in Forêt de Parroy, outflanking enemy roadblock.

ESTONIA—Troops of Leningrad Front land on Dagoe (Hiiumaa), off Estonian coast at entrance to Gulf of Riga, and begin clearing the island.

ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps area, enemy withdraws from M. Catarelto early in day. 11th Armored Brigade, South African 6th Armored Division, reaches M. Vigese, where enemy is firmly established.

            In II Corps area, 168th Infantry of 34th Division drives through Campiano to lower slopes of Hill 747; 133d takes M. del Galletto. 91st Division pursues enemy northward to within a mile of Loiano. 85th Division’s 339th Infantry, against weakening resistance, thrusts almost to Quinzano and takes Island Boschi; 337th continues to clear ridge between Idice and Sillaro Rivers, beating off counterattacks against Hill 751 and taking Hill 628 to North. 349th Infantry, 88th Division, pushes forward to Sassoleone; British 6th Armored Division continues relief of 350th on M. Battaglia, where fighting has been extremely costly. In British 13 Corps area, 1st Division’s 3d Brigade begins stiff battle for M. Ceco.

            In British Eighth Army’s 5 Corps area, Indian 10th Division takes command of Indian 4th Division’s sector on left flank of corps. Latter passes to corps reserve.

PALAUS—On Peleliu, 7th Marines gains hold on ridges along East side of Umurbrogol Pocket.

UNITED STATES—JCS direct Gen MacArthur to seize bases on Luzon from which to support future operations. Adm Nimitz is to provide cover and support for the Luzon operation; invade Iwo Jima in January 1945 and the Ryukyus, with assistance of SWPA aircraft, 2 months later.

 

US MARINE CORPS

UNITED STATES—JCS directive orders occupation of one or more islands in the Volcano-Bonins. JCS direct Adm Nimitz to invade Ryukyus (Operation ICEBERG) two months following Iwo Jima operation.