80 Years Ago, Sunday, 29 October 1944

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Naval Operating Base, Leyte, and Naval Air Station, Samar, are established.

            TG 38.2 (Rear Admiral Gerald F. Bogan) attacks Japanese airfields in the Manila area and shipping in Manila Bay, damaging heavy cruiser Nachi. During Japanese air attacks on the fast carriers operating off Leyte, a kamikaze crashes Intrepid (CV‑11), 15°07'N, 124°01'E.

            Japanese guardboat No.3 Kyoei Maru is also lost on this date off Luzon; although the agent of her demise is unspecified, it is most likely Navy carrier-based aircraft, given the level of U.S. naval aviation activity in that area.

            PB4Y (VPB 115) sinks Japanese tanker Itsukushima Maru off Brunei Bay, 05°04'N, 119°47'E. Destroyer Shigure rescues survivors.

            Japanese army tanker Kokko Maru is sunk by RAAF mine off Balikpapan, Borneo, 01°17'S, 116°48'E.

            U.S. aircraft sink Japanese guardboat No.16 Kiku Maru at Rabaul.

            U.S. freighter John A. Johnson is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I‑12 1,000 miles northeast of Oahu, 29°36'30"N,141°43'W, and is abandoned when she breaks in two. I‑12 surfaces, shells the wreck, setting both halves ablaze, before bearing down on the lifeboats and rafts and firing on them with machine guns and pistols. These brutal actions result in the death of 4 of the 41 merchant sailors, the Army security officer and 4 of the 28-man Armed Guard (see 30 October and 13 November 1944).

 

US ARMY AIR FORCE

NINTH AF—About 170 medium bombers and light bombers bomb rail bridges at Mayen, Konz Karthaus, Ellern, Moerdijke, and Euskirchen. Fighters fly escort to bombers, sweeps, defensive patrols, armed reconnaissance over wide areas of Eastern France, the Netherlands, and Germany, bomb rail targets and bridges, and fly cover for US XIX Corps in Belgium.

TWELFTH AF—Weather again restricts operations. XXII Tactical Air Command fighter bombers fly 16 sorties against railroad targets in Po Valley.

FIFTEENTH AF—35 B‑24’s of over 165 heavy bombers dispatched with fighter escort, bomb Munich Western marshalling yard. The remainder and 670 other heavy bombers, dispatched against targets in Southern Germany, abort mission due to bad weather. 30 P‑38’s, after escort duty, strafe communications lines from Wels to Kienberg, destroying 17 locomotives and several other road and rail transportation targets.

TENTH AF—80‑plus fighter bombers again attack a wide variety of targets including troop concentrations, bridges, supply dumps, and numerous targets of opportunity at Kawlin, Wingnang, Hsenwi, Bhamo, Shwegu, Kyungon, Tugyaung, Yebyangale, Henu, and Kayin.

FOURTEENTH AF—Fighters in support of Chinese ground forces blast hill positions in Lungling and Mangshih areas. Others damage bridge at Sinshih, bomb Kweiyi and Paoching, hit railroad targets between Siaokan and Sinyang, and strafe airfields at Chingmen, Tangyang, and Ichang.

FEAF—Fighter bombers and B‑26’s, operating in small forces, are active against airfields, AA positions, and targets of opportunity on Halmahera Island. Fighter bombers also hit Ransiki while fighter bombers, A‑20’s, and B‑25’s bomb Urarom and Soeli and strafe targets of opportunity throughout Urarom‑Kaimana area.

THIRTEENTH AF—Thirteenth AF moves from Noemfoor Island to Morotai Island.

SEVENTH AF—19 B‑24’s from Saipan bomb Chichi Jima. 2 from Guam strike Yap.

ELEVENTH AF—4 B‑25’s on reconnaissance hit Tomari Cape buildings and a freighter which is left listing.

 

US ARMY

WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Canadian First Army area, 2 Corps is rapidly clearing South Beveland and completing reduction of Breskens Pocket. 52d Division and Canadian 2d Division establish contact on South Beveland and 52d Division takes Goes. British 1 Corps, upon reaching Bergen-op–Zoom–Tilburg road, is directed northward to secure crossings of Mark River. Breda falls to Polish 1st Armored Division.

            In British Second Army’s 8 Corps area, Germans attack in force from Meijel toward Liesel and Asten, taking Liesel from Combat Command B, U.S. 7th Armored Division, and pushing Combat Command R units back about halfway up road toward Asten. During night, 15th Division (which has completed its mission with 12 Corps) and a tank brigade are sent to reinforce corps. 75th Division relieves Combat Command B near Liesel and Combat Command R South East of Asten. U.S. 7th Armored Division, upon relief, concentrates about Nederweert and Weert.

            12th Army Group: In U.S. Third Army’s XX Corps area, 3 companies of 357th Infantry, 90th Division, omitting artillery preparation, attack from factory area at Maizièreslès-Metz into section South of Hôtel de Ville; 2 others attack from North. Most of the town is cleared by dark.

            6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s VI Corps area, 45th Division moves into Bru and Jeanménil, which enemy has successfully defended for the past month, without opposition. Drive on Raonl’Etape continues to right. 3d Division improves positions near St Dié. In 36th Division zone, 442d Infantry pushes closer to isolated 1st Battalion of 141st Infantry in Forêt Domaniale de Champ.

ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army area, elements of Combat Command B, South African 6th Armored Division, on left flank of division, take Palazzo, West of Highway 64.

            In British Eighth Army’s 5 Corps area, enemy garrison at Meldola is threatened with encirclement as Indian 10th Division begins attacks from bridgeheads and South of the town. 4th Division prepares for another attack across the river since flood waters are subsiding.

INDIA‑BURMA—On Salween front, Gen Wei Lihuang’s Chinese Expeditionary Force, closely supported by U.S. Fourteenth Air Force, renews offensive, attacking toward Lung-ling with Chinese 200th Division in the lead. Japanese have been thinning out.

            In NCAC area, British 36th Division, having paused briefly at Mawpin, resumes southward drive down RR corridor.

LEYTE—Since 77th Division will apparently not be needed on Leyte, Gen MacArthur transfers it from control of Gen Krueger to that of Adm Nimitz. U.S. Sixth Army: In X Corps area, 3d Battalion of 34th Infantry, 24th Division, takes the lead in drive to Jaro, reaching the town at 1700 after having cleared opposition en route to Galotan. 19th Infantry defends South flank of div; Company K establishes roadblock at Ypad. 2d Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, continues assembling in Barugo area, 1st Squadron joining Troop C there. In XXIV Corps area, 2d Battalion of 381st Infantry, 96th Division, takes Labir and Catmon Hills with ease. 1st Battalion jumps off at noon and makes contact with 2d Battalion. 1st Battalion, 383d Infantry, is relieved on Labiranan Head and passes to Sixth Army reserve. Withdrawing depleted 2d Battalion to reserve, 17th Infantry of 7th Division continues attack toward Dagami with 1st and 3d Battalions and breaks into South part of town. From Burauen, 2d Battalion of 32d Infantry moves without incident along Highway 1 to Abuyog. 7th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop, preceding it, pushes on toward Baybay.

 

US MARINE CORPS