Thursday, November 7, 2024

80 Years Ago, Wednesday, 1 November, 1944

US NAVY

PACIFIC—In Leyte Gulf, kamikazes sink destroyer Abner Read (DD‑ 526), 10°47'N, 125°22'E; and damage destroyers Anderson (DD‑411), 10°11'N, 125°02'E, and Claxton (DD‑571) and Ammen (DD‑527), 10°40'N, 125°20'E. Destroyers Bush (DD‑ 529), 10°13'N, 125°21'E, and Killen (DD‑593), 10°40'N, 125°20'E, are damaged by horizontal bombers.

            Submarine Atule (SS‑403) attacks Japanese convoy, and sinks transport Asama Maru in Luzon Strait, 20°09'N,117°38'E.

            Submarine Blackfin (SS‑322) attacks Japanese convoy, and sinks auxiliary vessel Caroline Maru and transport No.12Unkai Maru in Mindoro Strait, 12°54'N, 120°10'E.27

            Submarine Ray (SS‑271) sinks Japanese merchant tanker No.7 Horai Maru, 13°02'N, 120°17'E, and lands men and supplies on west coast of Mindoro.

            British submarine HMS Storm sinks Japanese schooner No.3 Goenong Perak, 04°56'S, 120°59'E.

MEDITERRANEAN—Destroyer Benson (DD‑421), although troubled by inadequate spotting, fires bombardment mission against railroads and troop concentrations.

 

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—Over 300 heavy bombers attack 2 synthetic oil plants near Gelsenkirchen, a bridge at Rudesheim, and marshalling yards at Koblenz and Hamm. 9 Fighter Groups fly escort.

NINTH AF—Weather prevents bomber operations. Fighters fly patrols, sweeps, armed reconnaissance over Belgium, eastern France, and large areas of western Germany and attack bridges, railroads, and various other targets.

TWELFTH AF—Operations are again curtailed by bad weather. However, fighters and fighter bombers successfully attack bridges, rail lines, roads, vehicles, and trains in Central Po Valley and hit scattered targets elsewhere in northern Italy.

FIFTEENTH AF—320‑plus B‑17’s and B‑24’s, with fighter escorts, bomb diesel works, ordnance works, and marshalling yard at Vienna. Also hit are marshalling yards at Graz, tank factory at Kapfenberg, targets of opportunity including marshalling yards at Gussing, Ljubljana, and Cakovec, and scattered communications targets in southern Germany, Hungary, Austria, and Yugoslavia. Several fighters strafe road and rail transport targets and troops in Gyor‑Parndorf and Neusiedler Lake areas.

TENTH AF—70‑plus fighter bombers knock out bridge at Panghkam, slightly damage bridges in the Wingkang and Kawnghka area, hit railroad targets of opportunity between Indaw and Naba, attack Japanese positions near Bhamo, Si‑in, Hantet, and Shwegu, and bomb towns of Loiwing and Lagaw. 9 B‑25’s damage bridge approaches at Hsenwi, Namhkai, and Kawnghka.

FOURTEENTH AF—About 70 fighters again support Chinese ground forces in Lungling area. 13 fighters strafe river, road, and rail traffic from Kunghsien to Loyang.

FEAF—B‑24’s bomb airfields at Cebu City, and Alicante and supply dumps at Del Monte. Fighter bombers hit Bacolod, Alicante, and Carolina airfields. A‑20’s and B‑25’s hit Babo airfield. P‑38’s and B‑25’s pound Namlea airfields. P‑47’s attack shipping and shore targets during sweep over Sulu Archipelago.

ELEVENTH AF—B‑24’s from Guam attack shipping northeast of Iwo Jima. 12 B‑24’s escorting Navy photo airplanes over Iwo Jima, Haha Jima, and Chichi Jima, bomb airfields, a warehouse, and shipping. P‑47’s from Saipan strafe Pagan. During 1/2 Nov a B‑24 on snooper mission from Saipan bombs Iwo Jima.

ELEVENTH AF—A B‑24 on an armed weather mission bombs Otomari Cape.

 

US ARMY

WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Canadian First Army area, 2 Corps begins an all‑out assault on Walcheren. Continuing attack on causeway from south Beveland, Canadian 2d Division gains a few hundred yards but is forced back. From Breskens, Canadian 4th Cdo of 4th Special Service Brigade, under 52d Division command, followed by 155th Brigade of 52d Division, crosses estuary to south coast near Flushing and begins clearing that town. From Ostend, 41st, 47th, and 48th Cdos of 4th Special Service Brigade and Dutch cdo force move to west coast, land at gap in Westkapelle dyke, and seize Westkapelle; some elements turn northeast along coast while others drive south east toward Flushing, Reconnaissance force is sent to north Beveland. Planned air support is curtailed when missions from U.K. are canceled because of weather conditions. Warships and support craft provide close naval support, but latter suffer heavily from enemy fire and mines. British 1 Corps prepares for co‑ordinated attack across the Mark.

            In British Second Army area, 12 Corps finishes clearing its sector south of the Maas except for small region between Afwaterins Canal and the river. In 8 Corps area, 53d Division goes into line on right flank of corps along Wessem Canal south east of Nederweert and Belgian 1st Brigade and British 4th Separate Armored Brigade are attached to it. U.S. 7th Armored Division prepares for limited offensive to secure Northwest bank of Canal du Nord.

            12th Army Group: In U.S. Third Army area, Gen Patton and his commanders draw up plans for Third Army offensive. After First Army’s attack on D Day, XII Corps will attack on D plus 1, XX Corps on D plus 2, and III Corps will eventually be responsible for mopping up Metz pocket. Regrouping is in progress. In XX Corps area, 5th Division reoccupies Arnaville bridgehead south of Metz, relieving 95th Division. XII Corps, in preparation for offensive, makes limited attack with 319th Infantry, 80th Division, to clear Seille River bend in Létricourt–Abaucourt area and quickly takes both towns.

            6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s XV Corps area, French 2d Armored Div’ after completing capture of Baccarat, driving to the Blette River at Herbéviller and Mignéville, and helping 117th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (VI Corps) take Bertrichamps, halts to await relief. In VI Corps area, 100th Division arrives in corps zone to relieve 45th Division on north flank. 3d Division’s 15th Infantry seizes La Bourgonce, in valley Northwest of St Dié.

MEDITERRANEAN—North African Theater of Operations (NATOUSA) is redesignated Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTOUSA).

ITALY—AAI: In British Eighth Army’s 5 Corps area, Indian 10th Division reaches the Rabbi at Collina and Grisignano, but 4th Division is halted short of Forlì airfield by sharply increased resistance.

HUNGARY—Germans are driven from Kecskemet, communications center south east of Budapest.

GREECE—With withdrawal of enemy from Florina and Salonika, only rear‑guard forces remain south of Yugoslav border.

LEYTE—Japanese land reinforcements at Ormoc.

            In U.S. Sixth Army’s X Corps area, 1st Battalion of 34th Infantry, 24th Division, executes wide flanking movement through Tuba; 2d Battalion followed by 3d continues along Jaro–Carigara road and finds that enemy has withdrawn hastily. By end of day, 1st Battalion, in the lead, is within 1,000 yards of Sagkanan. As plans for concerted assault on Carigara are being made, Japanese begin undetected withdrawal from the town toward hills near Limon. In XXIV Corps area, 96th Division completes mop up of entire Catmon Hill area. 1st Battalion of 32d Infantry, 7th Division, relieves 21st Infantry of 24th Division in Panaon Strait area.

 

US MARINE CORPS

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