80 Years Ago, Saturday, 4 November, 1944

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarines Bream (SS‑243), Guitarro (SS‑363) and Ray (SS‑271) attack Japanese convoy off western Luzon, all three team up to sink transport Kagu Maru off Dasol Bay, 15°55'N, 119°44'E. 

            Submarine Sailfish (SS‑192) damages Japanese destroyer Harukaze and landing ship T.111 in Luzon Strait, 20°08'N,121°43'E. Although damaged by aerial bombs, 20°09'N, 121°43'E, the submarine remains on patrol; Patrol Boat No.38 takes the damaged Harukaze in tow and brings her into port.

            British submarine HMS Terrapin attacks Japanese convoy in Malacca Strait, and sinks minesweeper W.5, 03°14'N,99°50'E.

            U.S. freighter Frank J. Cuhel is damaged by friendly fire while anchored off Tacloban, Leyte; the explosion of a shell wounds one of the 500 troops being transported by the ship, and 2 of the 28‑man Armed Guard. During Japanese air attack shortly thereafter, freighter Cape Constance is damaged when a kamikaze, having been hit by the heavy fire being put up by the Armed Guard gunners, explodes over the ship and scatters wreckage. Only the Armed Guard officer is wounded during the attack; there are no other casualties among the 41‑man merchant complement and the28‑man Armed Guard.

MEDITERRANEAN—Destroyers Benson (DD‑421) and Woolsey (DD‑437) bombard German gun emplacements in Cap Ampeglio area.

 

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—More than 1,000 heavy bombers operating in 6 forces attack synthetic oil plants, oil refineries, and benzol plant at Bottrop, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Hamburg/Harburg, Misburg, and Neunkirchen, and several targets of opportunity. 17 Fighter Groups, including a Ninth AF group, provide support.

NINTH AF—218 medium bombers and light bombers hit Trier ordnance depot, Baumholder depot, and Eschweiler gun positions. Fighters escort the 9th Bomb Division, attack railroads, bridges, and other targets, and support US XIX Corps in Aachen area.

TWELFTH AF—Over 200 B‑25’s and B‑26’s of 42d Bomb Wing hit railway and road bridges in Brenner Pass. More than 130 B‑25’s of 57th Bomb Wing strike communications in western Po Valley, cutting at least 4 bridges. Fighters and fighter bombers of XXII Tactical Air Command concentrate on communications targets and trains in Po Valley and defenses in battle area south of Bologna. Some XXII Tactical Air Command aircraft hit guns on northern Italian coast, some hit rocket launching site and communications north of battle area, and 4 P‑47’s bomb Milan hotel where Hitler is rumored to be staying.

FIFTEENTH AF—715 heavy bombers with fighter escorts pound oil storage at Regensburg, marshalling yards at Munich and Augsburg, main marshalling yard and a benzol plant at Linz, a troop concentration at Podgorica, as well as attacking several alternate targets and scattered targets of opportunity including marshalling yards at Wels and Kufstein, Erding, airfield, railroad targets in and near Rosenheim, and towns of Strass and Muhldorf.

TENTH AF—17 P‑47’s pound Shwebo airfield while 6 others bomb stores of guns and ammo at Mong Yaw.

FOURTEENTH AF—34 P‑40’s, P‑51’s, and P‑38’s attack road traffic and other targets of opportunity in Mangshih and Lungling areas. 4 P‑38’s bomb pass near Menghsu, blocking the highway.

FEAF—B‑24’s again pound Alicante airfield.

SEVENTH AF—18 Saipan‑based B‑24’s bomb Iwo Jima airfields. 2 others, on shipping reconnaissance, bomb Haha Jima. 2 B‑24’s on armed reconnaissance from Guam bomb Marcus. 16 P‑47’s bomb landing strip on Pagan.

ELEVENTH AF—6 B‑24’s strike airfield, buildings, and off shore shlpplng at Suribachi and Kurabu.

ZONE OF THE INTERIOR—First report is received of Japanese balloon southwest of San Pedro; USN recovers some apparatus, envelope, and rigging.

 

US ARMY

WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Canadian First Army area, first mine sweepers reach Antwerp. In 2 Corps area, British 52d Division and commandos are methodically clearing Walcheren. Junction is made between forces at causeway and those who have crossed Slooe Channel. Enemy is being cleared from north coast. In British 1 Corps area, 49th and U.S. 104th Divisions continue to push north toward the Maas in center of corps. Polish 1st Armored Division, on right flank, takes Geertruidenberg. Steenbergen, on left flank, is encircled. 104th Division is directed to move to Aachen when released from current mission.

            In British Second Army’s 8 Corps area, Combat Command A of U.S. 7th Armored Division continues to clear northwest bank of Canal du Nord.

            12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army’s V Corps area, Germans counterattack vigorously toward Schmidt and Kommerscheidt, regaining former. A few tanks that have reached Kommerscheidt help materially in turning enemy back. 109th Infantry, 28th Division, withstands determined enemy attack to north; on south, 110th makes limited progress and takes Simonskall. In U.S. Third Army’s XX Corps area, 3d Cavalry Group takes hill overlooking Berg but is driven off in counterattack.

            6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s VI Corps area, 3d Division continues to clear For de Mortagne west of St Dié and open ground to north, where La Salle is now clear. 36th Division is clearing Forêt Domaniale de Champ and pushing toward Corcieux on south flank of corps.

ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army area, IV Corps takes command of South African 6th Armored Division’s sector and U.S. troops (Combat Command B, 1st Armored Div) attached to that div; releases 92d Division to Fifth Army control to hold Serchio Valley and coastal sector on left flank of army. In British 13 Corps area, 1st Guards Brigade of 6th Armored Division completes relief of 1st Division in line. 1st Division then moves to relieve 88th Division and elements of 85th Division, U.S. II Corps, to west.

HUNGARY—Soviet forces of Second Ukrainian Front seize Cegled and Szolnok, on rail line to Budapest. Autumn rains and stiffening opposition in environs of Budapest are beginning to slow Red Army.

YUGOSLAVIA—Sibenik, on Dalmatian coast, falls to Partisans.

BURMA—11 Army Group: In British Fourteenth Army’s 33 Corps area, Indian 5th Division clears Kennedy Peak, another enemy strongpoint south of Tiddim.

LEYTE—U.S. Sixth Army: X Corps, directed to take up defensive role against seaborne attack in Carigara area and to patrol to locate sites for artillery within range of Ormoc, regroups. After patrol of 34th Infantry, 24th Division, finds that enemy has fallen back, advance continues through Colasian and Pinamopoan to edge of ridge later called Breakneck Ridge. In XXIV Corps area, 1st Battalion of 382d Infantry, 96th Division, continues attack west of Dagami toward Bloody Ridge and gains about 1,000 yards against light opposition. Main body of 2d Battalion moves up behind 1st. Japanese counterattacking on night 4–5 are turned back by artillery fire and leave 254 dead behind.

 

US MARINE CORPS

VMF‑122, commanded by Major Joseph H. Reinburg, supports U. S. Army landing on Pulo Anna Island south of the Palaus.