This day in the war in the Pacific 65 years ago.

[syscom3]

Oct 4th 1944

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Kurile , a B-24 weatheraborts a photo run off Matsuwa ; 4 B-25s bomb a freighter and a barge off Shimushu; 15-17 fighters intercept and the B-25s score 1 victory.

BURMA: In the British Fourteenth Army's XXXIII Corps area, the East African 11th Division overruns Yazagyo in the Kabaw Valley while the Indian 5th Division is closing in on Tiddim.

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 8 P-47s damage approaches to a bridge between Myitkyina and Bhamo; 16 P-47s hit the town of Palwesho; 4 others hit small towns S of Bhamo, including Man The and Hantet. CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 5 B-25s hit Hsinantien and areas N of Chefang; 80+ P-40s and P-51s continue to attack targets of opportunity during armed reconnaissance over areas of China S of the Yangtze River; 20+ fighter-bombers hit buildings, troops, and river shipping in the Paoching area.

CHINA: Five USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells hit Hsinantien and areas north of Chefang; 80+ P-40s and P-51 Mustangs continue to attack targets of opportunity during armed reconnaissance over areas of China south of the Yangtze River; and 20+ fighter-bombers hit buildings, troops, and river shipping in the Paoching area.

CAROLINE ISLANDS: On Peleliu Island in the Palau Islands, the 7th Marine Regiment continues attacks on the Umurbrogol Pocket but by end of day, the regiment is so depleted in strength that it is no longer an effective fighting force.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Saipan attack shipping W of Iwo Jima and bomb airfields, the radio station, buildings, and area targets on Marcus, Pagan, and Iwo Jima . P-47s hit gun positions, beach defenses, buildings, and the wharf area on Pagan . B-24s from the Marshall bomb Moen Airfield. B-24s from the Marshall Islands bomb the airfield on Moen Island, Truk Atoll.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-25s bomb Sidate and Bolaangoeki. P-40s and B-25s attack Galela and Kaoe Airfields. B-25s and A-20s on a shipping sweep bomb town and port area of Amboina on Ambon , hit a wharf at Halong on Celebes , and attack shipping and shore targets of opportunity at various points. In New Guinea, HQ 403d Troop Carrier Group moves from Los Negros, to Biak ; the 13th Troop Carrier Squadron, 403d Troop Carrier Group, based on Espiritu Santo ceases operating from Los Negros and begins operating from Wakde with C-47s; the 63d Troop Carrier Squadron, 403d Troop Carrier Group, based on Biak , begins operating from Wakde with C-47s. The 35th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, moves from Owi to Morotai with P-38s.

EAST INDIES: In the Netherlands East Indies, Lieutenant General Walter Krueger, Commanding General U.S. Sixth Army, declares the Morotai Island operation at an end, although mopping up continues. Japanese dead on Morotai total 102 and 13 prisoners. At least 200 are estimated killed on barges between Morotai and Halmahera Islands. Allied casualties number about 30 killed, 85 wounded, and one missing. Wama Airfield, built by the Australian Nos. 13 and 14 Airfield Construction Squadrons, is put into use by aircraft. A permanent fighter garrison arrives and the USN's escort aircraft carriers (CVEs) are able to leave.
USAAF Far East Air Forces B-25s bomb Sidate Airfield on Celebes Island,. On Halmahera Island, P-40s and B-25s attack Galela and Kaoe Airfields. B-25s and A-20s on a shipping sweep bomb town and port area of Ambon on Ambon Island, hit a wharf at Halong on Halong Island, and attack shipping and shore targets of opportunity at various points.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 140, OCTOBER 4, 1944
Further reducing the remnants of enemy troops still resisting on Peleliu and Angaur Islands, Marine and Army troops destroyed the occupants of a number of enemy held caves on October 3 (West Longitude Date). Mopping up operations on Angaur continued. The bodies of more dead Japanese soldiers have been counted, a total of 9,878 on Peleliu and 1,109 on Angaur.
Search Venturas of Fleet Air Wing Four bombed Paramushiru in the Kuriles on October 2. Meager antiaircraft fire was encountered. All our planes returned.
Seventh Air Force Liberators on October 1, scored a direct hit on an enemy cargo vessel near Chichi Jima in the Bonin Islands. Two enemy planes were in the air, but did not attempt interception. Shipping in Chichi Jima Harbor was attacked by Seventh Air Force Liberators on October 2. Antiaircraft fire varied from moderate to meager.
Buildings, gun emplacements, and docking facilities at Pagan Island were bombed and rocketed on October 2 by Thunderbolts of the Seventh Air Force. No antiaircraft fire was encountered.
Seventh Air Force Liberators bombed the runway and installations on Marcus Island on October 2. Antiaircraft fire was meager.
Corsairs and Venturas of the Fourth Marine Aircraft Wing bombed communications facilities and gun positions at Jaluit Atoll on October 2. Antiaircraft fire, which was moderate, damaged one Ventura. All our planes returned safely. Dauntless dive bombers of the Fourth Marine Aircraft Wing flew through meager antiaircraft fire to bomb installations at Taroa Island in the Maloelap Atoll.

 

[syscom3]

Oct 5th 1944

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): At dawn on Paramushiru , 2 B-24s bomb Kashiwabara and Kurabu Cape.

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 11 P-47s hit Mawlu and attack locomotives and targets of opportunity in the Naha area; 8 B-25s attack bridges at Namhkai, damaging the main bridge. Troop carriers fly 250+ sorties to various locations in the CBI. The 493d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 7th BG (Heavy), moves from Tezgaon to Pandaveswar, India with B-24s.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 12 B-25s and 22 fighter-bombers attack Samshui, Koyiu and Takhing; 8 hit targets of opportunity in the Canton-Wuchou area, and 3 bomb a storage area at Mangshih; 50+ P-40s and P-51s over wide areas of S China attack rivercraft, road traffic, bridges, town areas, and troops.

CHINA: The Japanese capture Fuzhou (Foochow), the last seaport under Chinese control.

CAROLINE ISLANDS: In the Palau Islands, on Peleliu Island, action against Umurbrogo Pocket is limited as the 5th Marine Regiment begins relieving the 7th Marine Regiment.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Saipan -based P-47s hit Pagan with rockets and bombs; a B-24 bombs gun positions on the island. B-25s from the Gilbert bomb runways and gun positions on Nauru while B-24s from the Marshall bomb an airfield at Moen and during the night of 5/6 Oct strike Wake. The 28th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Seventh Air Force, based at Kipapa Airfield, Hawaii, sends a detachment to Peleliu Airfield with F-5s.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb airfields in the Kendari area on Celebes . B-25s and P-38s hit Kairatoe Airfield on Celebes , the town of Amboina on Ambon and numerous coastal and shipping targets of opportunity in the Ambon-Ceram area. A-20s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers attack Urarom, the Simora Point area, Doom , Babo, Efman and Samate Airfields and disposal areas; A-20s blast Japanese bivouacs and supply areas near Sarmi; HQ 54th Troop Carrier Wing moves from Nadzab to Biak . In the Moluccas , the 418th Night Fighter Squadron, V Fighter Command [attached to HQ 310th Bombardment Wing (Medium)], moves from Owi, Schouten Islands to Morotai with P-61s.

EAST INDIES: USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24 Liberators bomb airfields in the Kendari area on Celebes Island. B-25 Mitchells and P-38s hit Kairatoe Airfield on Halmahara Island, the town of Ambon on Ambon Island and numerous coastal and shipping targets of opportunity in the Ambon-Ceram Islands area.

BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: The USN's Special Air Task Force (STAG 1), based on Stirling Island in the Treasury Islands, commences operations with Interstate TDR-1 target drones controlled from converted TBM-1C Avengers against Japanese targets in the southwest Pacific. Four Interstate TDR-1s, each carrying a 2,000-pound bomb, are launched against Japanese supply caves in the Keravia Bay, Rabaul, area of New Britain Island. One TDR hits in the vicinity of cave entrances; one misses the target area. Two are lost en route due to interference from communications frequency used by a motor gunboat (PGM) operating in the waters over which the drones fly.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 141, OCTOBER 5, 1944
United States forces on Peleliu Island continued to apply heavy pressure to the remaining pocket of enemy resistance at Bloody Nose Ridge on October 4 (West Longitude Date). Several defensive positions and caves were cleaned out during the day. Mopping up operations on Angaur Island are being continued.
During the operations in the Southern Palau Islands from September 25 to October 5 the following casualties were incurred
First Marine Division: 81st Infantry Division
Killed, 191 Killed, 145
Wounded, 1,011 Wounded, 696
Missing, 0 Missing, 8
The total in the missing category for the First Marine Division has been revised downward from 401 to 267 for the entire campaign.
During the same period an additional 2,618 enemy troops were eliminated on Peleliu and 137 were eliminated on Angaur.
Corsair fighters of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing, operating from the airfield at Peleliu, bombed Babelthuap Island on October 4, hitting the airstrips and strafing a concentration of motor vehicles. Warehouses at Koror were also bombed during the day.
Eleventh Air Force Liberators strafed a small cargo vessel near Onekotan in the Kuriles on October 3. On returning to their base the bombers were Intercepted by two enemy fighters near Paramushiru but were not damaged.
Seventh Air Force Liberators on October 3 bombed a large cargo ship and a destroyer northwest of Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands. Antiaircraft fire from the destroyer was meager. On the same day, Marcus Island was bombed by Seventh Air Force Liberators.
Thunderbolt fighters of the Seventh Air Force dropped bombs and rockets on gun positions and shore installations at Pagan Island on October 3. Other planes bombed barracks and communications facilities the same night.
Corsairs of the Fourth Marine Aircraft Wing dive bombed airfields and installations at Ponape Island on October 4. Antiaircraft fire was inaccurate.
Corsairs of the Fourth Marine Aircraft Wing and search Venturas of Fleet Air Wing Two bombed enemy positions on Jaluit Atoll on October 4. One Corsair suffered minor damage from antiaircraft fire.

 

[syscom3]

Oct 6th 1944

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 20+ P-47s bomb troop concentrations in Mawlu and Bilumyo and damage an approach to bridge at Seywa; 8 B-25s attack bridges at Hsenwi, damaging the main bridge but causing little harm to bypass bridges. Transport operations continue on large scale in the CBI. In India, HQ 7th Bombardment Group moves from Kurmitola to Pandaveswar while it's 436th and 492d Bombardment Squadrons move from Tezzgaon to Madhaigani with B-24s.

FRENCH INDOCHINA: Fifty plus USAAF Fourteenth Air Force P-40s and P-51s on armed reconnaissance over areas of China south of the Yangtze River attack river craft, bridges, town areas, troop concentrations and targets of opportunity along the north French Indochina coast.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 12 B-25s bomb Wucbou and attack boats and other targets of opportunity in the Canton area; the flight of the 35th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Fourteenth AF, at Nanning, returns to base at Chanyi with F-5s.

CHINA: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's personal representative to China, Major General Patrick J. Hurley, delivers to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek President Roosevelt's reply, in which the President agrees to recall General Joseph Stilwell but declines to put another U.S.
officer in command of Chinese troops. General Stilwell will command Chinese troops in Burma and in Yunnan Province of China but will be relieved of responsibility for lend-lease matters.

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Twentieth Air Force): The first P-61 night fighters arrive in Chengtu, China on the eve of the third air raid; in 10 attacks from 6 Sep to 19 Dec, only 43 aircraft participate.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Saipan hit Iwo Jima in harassment attacks during the night of 6/7. A B-24 from Kwajalein Atoll bombs a heavy gun battery on Emidj Island, Jaluit Atoll. During the night of 6/7 Oct, 3 B-24s bomb Wake.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In New Guinea, P-47s bomb Kaimana; and the 547th Night Fighter Squadron moves from Oro Bay to Owi, with P-38s and P-61s.

CAROLINE ISLANDS: On Angaur Island in the Palau Islands, particularly heavy fire is placed on the Japanese pocket at the northwestern tip of the island, and the 322d Infantry Regiment feints an attack, luring the Japanese into exposed positions.

EAST INDIES: In the Netherlands East Indies, USAAF Far East Air Forces P-38s hit Kaoe Airfield and shipping near Djailolo on Halmahera Island while B-25s and P-38s attack Namlea on Buroe Island, Waai on Ambon Island, Amahai on Amahai Island, and several small craft.

PACIFIC OCEAN: German submarine U-168 (Type IXC) is sunk at 0130 hours Berlin time, in the Java Sea about 93 nautical miles NW of Surabaya, Java, Netherlands East Indies, at position 06.20S, 111.28E, by a torpedo from the Dutch submarine HNMS Zwaardvisch (A British T Class construction). Twenty seven of the 50 men aboard the U-boat survive. The boat is intercepted, after the Allies, through code breaking efforts, learned of its exact position and time of arrival at several navigation points. After that it is a very simple to ambush her.

 

[syscom3]

Oct 7th 1944

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 5 P-47s bomb supplies and troops at Man Hpa. Large-scale transport operations continue to deliver men and supplies to various points in the CBI.
BURMA: In the Northern Combat Area Command (NCAC) area, the Chines 22d Division, which has been training for the fall offensive since the capture of Myitkyina, begins a movement to Kamaing.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 53 P-51s and P-40s on armed reconnaissance attack troop concentrations, bridges, river and rail traffic, town areas, and supply dumps around Tunghsiangchiao, Pingnam, Hsinganhsien, Chuanhsien, Lingling, Wuchou, Houmachen, Chiuchiang, and Paoching.

BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: The Australian 36th Battalion, 6th Brigade, 5th Division, lands at Cape Hoskins on the north coast of New Britain Islands. The battalion is assigned to the U.S. 185th Infantry Regiment.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Saipan , on armed reconnaissance, attack Marcus and nearby shipping.

CAROLINE ISLANDS: On Peleliu Island in the Palau Islands, ground attacks are temporarily suspended after a futile attempt by the 3d Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, assisted by tanks, to compress the Umurbrogol Pocket.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Celebes , B-25s bomb Langoan, Tompaso, and Tondegesang. P-38s attack Kaoe on Halmahera , and hit oil tanks at Boela. B-25s bomb a storage area at W Amboina, Ambon. In New Guinea, P-38s and B-25s strike Doom and Babo airfield.

EAST INDIES: USAAF Far East Air Forces P-47s bomb Amahai on Amahai Island and Boela Aerodrome on Ceram Island. In the Moluccas Islands, P-38s hit Dodinga Bay barge hideouts, supplies and targets of opportunity along Wasile and Kaoe Bays on Halmahera Island.

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS: Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief Pacific Ocean Area (CINCPOA), publishes a Joint Staff Study that is a basis for the preliminary planning for the invasion of Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands.

NEW GUINEA: Australian General Sir Thomas Blamey, Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Military Forces and Commander of Allied land forces in the South West Pacific, Lieutenant General Leslie Morshead, General Officer Commanding I Australian Corps and Major General J.H. Cannan, the Quartermaster General, arrive at Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea to plan for the movement of the I Corps from Australia to the Philippine Islands. Blamey then meets with American Lieutenant General Richard Sutherland, Chief of Staff, South West Pacific Area, who tells Blamey that it is not politically expedient for the Australian Imperial Force to be amongst the first troops to land in the Phillipines.
In Dutch New Guinea, USAAF Fifth Air Force P-38s and B-25s strike Doom Island and Babo airfield.

PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24s over Mindanao Island bomb Zamboanga while a P-38 cover force hits seaplanes, shipping, and other targets of opportunity in the area.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 142, OCTOBER 7, 1944
Employing tanks and artillery, United States forces made some progress against stubbornly held enemy positions on Umurbrogol Mountain on Peleliu Island during October 6 (West Longitude Date). Total enemy killed at date total 11,083 on Peleliu Island and 1,128 on Angaur Island. Our forces have captured 214 prisoners on Peleliu and 10 on Angaur.
On the same day, Corsairs of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing attacked several small villages on Babelthuap Island, damaging nine fuel dumps, five supply dumps, two ammunition dumps, two buildings and 28 trucks. Three boats and seven barges in the vicinity of Komeball Lagoon were strafed also.
Liberators of the Eleventh Air Force, flying through weak antiaircraft fire, bombed Paramushiru on October 4. On the same date, Eleventh Air Force Mitchells struck at enemy shipping at Paramushiru and Shimushu, probably sinking a cargo ship and damaging a barge. Returning from the raid, the Mitchells were challenged by 15 to 20 fighters. Two enemy planes were probably destroyed and two damaged. Some of our planes suffered slight damage.
A Navy search plane bombed the airfield and gun positions on Yap on October 4. Antiaircraft fire was meager and ineffective. Seventh Air Force Liberators dropped 33 tons of bombs on the airstrip and hangars on Moen Island in the Truk Group on October 5. Antiaircraft fire was meager and the three or four enemy fighters that rose to intercept did no damage to our planes.

 

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Oct 8th 1944

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Photo missions to Paramushiru, Matsuwa, Onnekotan and Shasukotan turn back due to weather.

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 20+ P-47s hit targets of opportunity in the Mawhun and Manyut areas, knock out a bridge at Seywa, and bomb railroad tracks in N Burma; 5 B-25s damage a bridge and score hits on the other bridge approaches at Namhkai and knock out 2 bridges at Wuntho and Kawlin. In India, HQ 443d Troop Carrier Group moves from Dinjan to Ledo.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 12 P-40s and P-51s hit locomotives, trucks, and river traffic at Yuncheng and NE of Pengtse.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 3 Saipan -based B-24s hit Pagan and Marcus . 24 P-47s hit buildings, beach defenses, and gun positions on Pagan. During the day and night of 8/9 Oct B-24s from the Marshalls bomb Wake. In Hawaii, the 531st Fighter Squadron, 21st Fighter Group, moves from Kuoloa to Mokuleia Field with P-38s and P-51s.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: P-47s bomb Amahai and Boela. P-38s hit Dodinga Bay barge hideouts, supplies and targets of opportunity along Wasile Bay and Kaoe Bay. In New Guinea, B-25s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers hit Sorong, Doom, runways and targets of opportunity at Efman and Samate, and gun positions, bivouacs, and supplies at Simora Point; a detachment of the 17th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 4th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance), begins operating from Noemfoor with F-5s (squadron HQ begins a movement from Guadalcanal to Morotai; another detachment is operating from Bougainville.

UNITED STATES: Wendell Lewis Willkie, the Republican candidate in the 1940 Presidential election, dies in New York City of complications from an August heart attack. He is 50-years-old.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 143, OCTOBER 8, 1944
Supported by Corsair fighters of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing, which dropped 1000 pound bombs, U. S. Forces on Peleliu Island made further ad¬vances against enemy held positions on Umurbrogol Mountain on October 7 (West Longitude Date). On Angaur Island, mopping up operations continued. Enemy dead number 11,083 and Peleliu and 1,150 on Angaur. On Peleliu 214 prisoners have been captured, and on Angaur 11 have been taken. A fuel dump and two small buildings were destroyed by our planes in an attack on the villages of Ngatpang and Gamilangel on Babelthuap Island.
Military government was set up on Peleliu Island on September 16 and on Kongauru and Ngesebus Islands on September 30. As previously announced, military government was established on Angaur Island on September 30.
Two Liberators of the Seventh Air Force bombed Wake Island on the night of October 6 without encountering antiaircraft fire.
Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands was bombed on October 6. There was no antiaircraft fire.
The airfield and gun positions on Nauru Island were bombed by Seventh Air Force Mitchells on October 5. Antiaircraft fire was ineffective.
Neutralization raids against enemy held positions in the Marshall Islands continued.

 

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Oct 9th 1944

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 50+ P-47s knock out a bridge at Manyut and thoroughly pound the town area, bomb enemy positions at Nyaunggon, Pinhe, and near Mawhun, damage a bridge near Mawlu, and hit a variety of targets in the Katha area; 9 B-25s attack road bridges SW of Lashio, knocking out Na-lang and Nampawng bridges; the B-25s hit several targets of opportunity in the area. Transport aircraft continue a steady supply of various points in the CBI. A detachment of the 9th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, begins operating from Chittagong with F-5s (squadron is based at Barrackpore, India).

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 2 B-25s bomb the area N of Mangshih; 3 B-24s hit shipping along the lower Yangtze River; 29 P-51s and P-40s on armed reconnaissance attack river traffic, troops, bridges, and other targets of opportunity in areas around Tanchuk, Tengyun, Anking, and Amoy; the airstrip at Tanchuk is temporarily put out of commission.

CHINA: Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs T. V. Soong presents to the U.S. Ambassador to China, Major General Patrick Hurley, an aide memoire (position paper) from Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek denouncing Allied strategy in southeast Asia. General Joseph Stilwell, Commander-in-Chief US China-Burma-India Theater of Operations, Chief of Staff to Chiang Kai-Shek, Commander-in-Chief Northern Area Combat Command (NCAC) and Deputy Commander-in-Chief South East Asia Command, is blamed for the loss of eastern China but the criticism falls indirectly upon U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

CAROLINE ISLANDS: On Peleliu in the Palau Islands, the 5th Marine Regiment renews their attack on the Umurbrogol Pocket but makes little headway.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 18 B-24s from Saipan pound Iwo Jima. 25 B-25s from the Marshall bomb Truk Atoll. The 28th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Seventh AF (attached to VII Fighter Command), moves from Kipapa Airfield to Kualoa Airfield with F-5s (detachments are operating from Saipan and Peleliu).

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-25s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers attack Boela, Namlea and Kairatoe on Celebes , and Liang on Ambon , concentrating on oil tanks and airfields. On Halmahera, B-25s and fighter-bombers hit Lolobata Airfield and Hate Tabako Airfield and nearby barges, supplies, and other targets of opportunity. In New Guinea, A-20s and fighter-bombers strike Faan Airfield and Langgoer Airfields, P-40s hit Manokwari, and B-25s bomb Samate. Lost on a training flight is B-24D "Mr. Five By Five" 42-40505.

EAST INDIES: USAAF Fifth Air Force A-20s and fighter-bombers strike Faan and Langgoer Airfields in the Kai Islands; B-25s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers attack Boela Aerodrome on Ceram Island, Namlea on Buroe Island and Kairatoe on Halmahara Island, and Liang on Ambon Island, concentrating on oil tanks and airfields. On Halmahera Island, B-25s and fighter-bombers hit Lolobato and Hate Tabako Airfields and nearby barges, supplies, and other targets of opportunity.

BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: The USN's Special Air Task Force (STAG 1) continues operations from Stirling Island in the Treasury Islands, Solomon Islands. Four Interstate TDR-1 target drones controlled from converted TBM-1C Avengers are launched against Matupi Bridge, Simpson Harbor, Rabaul, on New Britain Island. Antiaircraft fire, however, downs three of the TDRs; one is lost en route to the target.

HAWAII: In a Warning Order for invasion of Iwo Jima, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief Pacific Ocean Area (CINCPOA), designates the Fifth Fleet Commander, Admiral Raymond Spruance, as commander of the operation (Commander, Task Force 50); Vice Admiral Richmond K. Turner, Commander Amphibious Forces, Pacific, to command the Joint Expeditionary Force (Task Force 51); Lieutenant General Holland M. Smith, USMC, Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, as commander of the Expeditionary Troops (Task Force 56). The invasion date is tentaviely set for 20 January 1945. Expeditionary troops are to be mounted in Hawaiian area and in the Mariana Islands.

MARCUS ISLAND: The USN's Task Group 30.2 consisting of three heavy cruisers and six destroyers conducts a diversionary bombardment of Japanese installations on Marcus Island. Japanese return fire is intense and accurate at the outset, with Japanese gunners repeatedly straddling U.S. ships.

RYUKYU ISLANDS: Saipan-based USN Navy PB4Ys, on interdiction patrols in the path of Task Force 58 as it approaches the Ryukyu Islands, damage Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser HIJMS Sankyo Maru off Okinawa.

UNITED KINGDOM: Prime Minister Winston Churchill asks Admiral Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Commander South East Asia Command, to meet him in Cairo, Egypt, to consider pre-monsoon operations.

UNITED STATES: The Dumbarton Oaks Conference consisting of representatives from the United States, the British Commonwealth, and the Soviet Union, which began meeting in Washington, D.C. on 21 August, concludes. The purpose of the conference is to plan for the establishment of the United Nations. The objective of the UN is to replace the League of Nations with a more effective organization to preserve world peace and security. The UN proposal is officially unveiled today.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 144, OCTOBER 9, 1944
Units of the Pacific Fleet attacked Marcus Island on October 8 (West Longitude Date) and throughout the day subjected enemy installations and shore defenses to deliberate and destructive gunfire in good visibility. Considerable damage was inflicted and the greater part of the coast defense batteries were silenced. Buildings were hit and fires were started.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 145, OCTOBER 9, 1944
Elements of the 81st Infantry Division landed on Garakayo Island in the Southern Palau Islands on October 8 (West Longitude Date). A beachhead has been secured and patrols are advancing inland against light opposition. On Peleliu Island Marines continued mopping up operations in the vicinity of Bloody Nose Ridge. Elements of the 81st Infantry Division are continuing to clean up on Angaur. Corsair fighters of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing bombed Umurbrogol Mountain on October 8, strafed small craft in Ngatpang Bay and bombed fuel dumps and warehouses on Babelthuap Island. All of our aircraft returned.
Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands was attacked on October 8 by Seventh Air Force Liberators which bombed the airfield and adjacent installations. Six to eight enemy fighters intercepted our force and two of the fighters were shot down and two were damaged. Antiaircraft fire was moderate.
On October 8 a single Navy search plane of Fleet Air Wing One shot down an enemy bomber while on routine patrol. On the same day another Navy search plane bombed and damaged an enemy picket boat.
A lone Catalina search plane of Fleet Air Wing One sighted four small enemy ships near Iwo Jima on October 8. The largest of the four was bombed and strafed. A direct hit was scored seriously damaging the vessel.
During October 6 Seventh Air Force Liberators bombed two small enemy cargo vessels northeast of Marcus Island and attacked targets on the enemy-held island on both October 6 and 7. The Liberators encountered meager antiaircraft fire. Other Liberators raided Wake Island on the night of October 6 and on October 8.
On October 7 the air strip, radio station, buildings, beach defenses and other military installations on Pagan Island in the Marianas were bombed and rocketed. No antiaircraft fire was met. One of our planes was shot down by antiaircraft fire over Rota Island on the same date.
Enemy held positions in the Marshall Islands were bombed on October 7.

 

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Oct 10th 1944

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Four USAAF Eleventh Air Force B-24 Liberators abort a strike at Kashiwabara, Paramushiru Island, Kurile Islands, due to strong headwinds. It took the aircraft 5 hours to fly to the location they turn at and 1 hour and 50 minutes to fly back to Shemya Island, Aleutian Islands.

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 28 P-47s support ground forces near Pinhe, bomb the towns of Tawbon and Man Naung, and hit targets of opportunity in and near Momauk. Transport operations to various points in the CBI continue at the rate of 250+ sorties.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 12 B-25s bomb and considerably damage the Kunlong ferry; 38 P-40s and P-51s on armed reconnaissance attack a bridge and other targets of opportunity near Mangshih, hit troop areas around Tanchuk and Wuchou, river traffic near Dosing, and locomotives and barges along the N French Indochina coast.

USN: Admiral "Bull" Halsey's carrier aircraft begin sustained attacks on Japenese bases from the Ryukyus to the northern Phillippines in preparation for the amphibious assault on Leyte. As many as 1,000 planes are in action at once. The war also draws closer to Japan as planes from Vice Admiral Mitscher's fast carrier task force bomb coastal defenses and ships at Okinawa and other islands of the Ryukyu group.

PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: Japanese air units have been reinforced and they have about 400 aircraft in the islands, half of them are considered operational.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 14 B-24s from Saipan bomb the airfield on Iwo Jima and shipping off the E shore. 24 P-47s pound buildings and storage caves on Pagan; later a B-24 bombs the radio station N of the airfield on Pagan. 12 B-25s from Makin bomb runways and adjacent AA positions on Nauru.

CAROLINE ISLANDS: On Peleliu Island in the Palau Islands, the 5th Marine Regiment makes limited progress against the Umurbrogol Pocket.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s strike oil refineries and an airfield in the Balikpapan, Borneo area; the B-24s and escorting P-47s and P-38s claim 30+ Japanese fighters downed. P-38s and B-25s bomb Djailolo, Kaoe, and Hate Tabako Airfield and the Wasile town area. P-47s hit Liang Airfield on Ambon . In New Guinea, A-20s hit the Sarmi area and A-20s and B-25s bomb Utarom Airfield.

EAST INDIES: One hundred seven USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24s escorted by 11 P-38s and 16 P-47s strike the Pendasari oil refinery and an airfield in the Balikpapan area in Dutch Borneo; this is the largest attack of the war on the oil refineries at Balikpapan and the lubricating oil refinery is projected to be out of action for one month. The B-24s and escorting P-47s and P-38s shoot down 18 Japanese Army fighters; four B-24s and a P-38 are lost. On Halmahera Island, P-38s and B-25s bomb Djailolo, Kaoe, and Hate Tabako Airfields, the Wasile town area on Galela Island and P-47s hit Liang Airfield on Ambon Island.

PACIFIC OCEAN: The Dutch submarine HNMS Zwaardvisch sinks a Japanese coastal vessel by gunfire about 80 nautical miles N of Surabaya, Java, Netherlands East Indies, in position 05.57S, 112.29E.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 146, OCTOBER 10, 1944
Carrier based aircraft of the Pacific Fleet swept over the Ryukyu Islands in great force on October 9 (West Longitude Date). All naval and merchant ships that could be found were attacked and severe damage was done to shore installations. Preliminary reports indicate that the following damage was Inflicted on the enemy:
Sunk:
1 destroyer
1 minesweeper
1 submarine tender
2 medium cargo ships
2 small cargo ships
5 coastal cargo ships
Probably sunk
2 medium cargo ships
4 small cargo ships
1 medium oil tanker
7 coastal cargo ships
Damaged:
3 medium cargo ships
6 small cargo ships
1 destroyer
2 small oil tankers
In addition to the foregoing, more than 20 luggers and other small craft were sunk or damaged.
Complete surprise was achieved in the attack. More than 75 enemy aircraft were destroyed on the ground. Fourteen enemy aircraft were shot down. Buildings and defense installations on the islands were severely bombed and strafed, and many were left burning. There was no damage to our surface ships, and our plane losses were light.
The carrier task forces which conducted the attack are part of Admiral Halsey's Third Fleet, and the carriers are under the immediate command of Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 147, OCTOBER 10, 1944
Garakayo Island in the Southern Palau Group which was occupied by elements of the 81st Division on October 8 (West Longitude Date) was completely secured by October 9. On Peleliu Island several hillside and ravine caves were cleared of enemy troops and a small hill was occupied as Marines made some progress in reducing the last stubborn pocket of enemy resistance. On Angaur sniper demolition teams of the 81st Division continued mopping up operations. Corsair fighters of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing strafed four small boats and nine barges in a sweep over the east and northwest coasts of Babelthuap Island.
A single Navy search plane on the night of October 8 9 bombed Nauru Island. There was no antiaircraft fire.
Neutralization raids by our aircraft in the Marshall Islands continued on October 8 and 9.

 

[syscom3]

Oct 11th 1944

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Kurile , 4 B-25s over Shimushiru and Paramushiru blow up 3 buildings and damage 2 others at Cape Namikawa.

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 15 P-47s hit guns and enemy positions near Pinhe while 9 attack the town of Manwein and hit targets of opportunity in the area; 8 others hit the towns of Nayakaung and Nansiaung; 8 B-25s attack bridges at Man Pwe, Tahpalai, and Namyao damaging only the Man Pwe bridge; 23 P-47s hit troops and stores near Tawbon and at Hkawan, knock out Kawnghka bridge and damage the Wanling bridge. Transport flights continue to points throughout the CBI. The detachment of the 4th Combat Cargo Squadron, 1st Combat Cargo Group, operating from Yunnani, China returns to base at Sylhet, India with C-47s.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 2 B-25s knock out a bridge S of Mangshih; 3 P-40s attack sampans from Tanchuk to Tengyun while 8 hit general targets of opportunity N of Mangshih.

CHINA: Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek asks that U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt recall Lieutenant General Joseph Stilwell immediately. Stillwell has four jobs: Deputy Commander in Chief South-East Asia Command (SEAC), Commander in Chief US China-Burma- India (CBI) Theater of Operations, Chief of Staff to Chiang Kai-Shek and Commander in Chief of the Northern Area Combat Command (NCAC) in Burma.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Saipan based P-47s hit buildings on Pagan with rockets and bombs. A Kwajalein Atoll-based B-24 bombs Wake during the night.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In New Guinea, Langgoer Airfield is bombed by P-47s and P-47s hit Babo Airfield while A-20s attack Sarmi troop concentrations. At night B-24s bomb Sasa, Matina and Buayoan Airfield. Lost on an administrative flight is B-25D "5 Minutes To Midnight" 41-30525.

EAST INDIES: In the Netherlands East Indies, B-24s bomb the Koeandang and Langoan area on Celebes Island and P-38s attack Miti Airfield on Miti Island off the east coast of Halmahera Island. A-20s and fighter-bombers attack airfields at Liang (Laha, Ambon East) Airfield on Ambon Island, Kairatoe Airfield on Halmahara Island, Haroekoe on Haroekoe Island southeast of Ceram Island, and Namlea on Buroe Island. P-47s bomb hit Langgoer Airfield in the Kai Islands southeast of Ceram Island.
During the night of 11/12 October, Australian Catalinas lay mines off Soerabaja, Java, Netherlands East Indies.

PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: In preparation for operations against Formosa, 61 aircraft of Task Group 38.1 (Vice Admiral John S. McCain) and TG 38.4 (Rear Admiral Ralph E. Davison) attack Aparri Aerodrome and other facilities on the north coast of Luzon, Philippine Islands; aircraft damage escort destroyer HIJMS Yashiro off San Vicente and cargo vessel SS Banei Maru off Aparri. Seven USN aircraft are lost.
During the night of 11/12 October, USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24 Liberators bomb Matina and Buayan Aerodromes on Mindanao Island.

AUSTRALIA: Shorts S-23 C Class Flying Boat, msn S-877, registered VH-ABB and named "Coolangatt" by the Australian airline QANTAS, crashes at Rose Bay, Sydney, New South Wales, while attempting to land. Only one of the 30 people aboard the aircraft perishes.

BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: Australian troops land at Jacquinot Bay, on New Britain Island. The Australians' arrival opens the successful New Britain campaign in which a small Militia force successfully contained the large Japanese garrison holding Rabaul.

UNITED STATES: The U.S. Army's Western Defense Command issues a proclamation allowing interior lighting in stores and taverns as long as the light is 6 feet from the windows. This includes lighted juke boxes and pinball machines. Trains, however, must continue to operate with drawn shades at night.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 148, OCTOBER 11, 1944
Troops of the 81st Infantry Division landed on Bairakaseru Island in the Palau Islands on October 10 (West Longitude Date). No opposition was encountered. Meantime troops of the First Marine Division continued to make slow but steady progress against the remaining pocket of enemy resistance on Bloody Nose Ridge. During the day a sizeable ammunition dump was exploded within one of the largest enemy held caves. On Angaur mopping up operations by the 81st Infantry Division proceeded. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas communiqué Number 143 stated in error that enemy dead on Peleliu number 11,08'3. This figure should have read 10,083. Enemy dead counted on Peleliu through October 10 were 10,305 and on Angaur 1,165. On Peleliu 284 enemy troops have been made prisoners of war and on Angaur 11 have been taken. In addition 184 civilians have been interned on Angaur. On October 10, the airstrip at Babelthuap was bombed by Corsair fighters of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing and several small craft were damaged by strafing in Gamilangel Bay.
The airfield and shipping in the harbor at Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands were bombed on October 9. Eight enemy fighters rose to Intercept; two were shot down, one was probably shot down and one was damaged. One of our planes suffered minor damage.
Supply dumps, personnel areas and a radio station on Pagan Island in the Marianas were bombed and strafed on October 9. One of our planes was shot down by antiaircraft fire but the pilot was rescued.
On October 9, Liberators of the Seventh Air Force bombed Wake Island.

 

[syscom3]

Oct 12th 1944

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): B-24s hit the airfield and shipping targets in the Matsuwa -Onnekotan area.

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 18 P-47s bomb railroad targets in the Naba-Mawlu rail corridor damaging a bridge approach, and strike troops and stores near Nayakaung; 12 other P-47s hit various targets at Pintha and Nyaunggon; 4 B-25s knock out a bridge just N of Lashio and 3 others knock out a bridge at Kawlin and damage tracks near the Man Pwe bridge.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 3 B-25s and 12 P-40s hit the Chefang storage area and a bridge and general targets of opportunity in the Mangshih area; 40+ P-40s and P-51s on armed reconnaissance covering wide areas of S China and extending into W Burma attack troop concentrations, river traffic, storage areas, and buildings in areas around Taochuan, Kweiping, Hsinganhsien, Yuncheng, Tanchuk, and Hsenwi.

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Twentieth Air Force): The following B-29 units are inactivated in India: HQ 58th Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) and the 795th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy), 468th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy), at Kharagpur; the 679th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy), 444th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) at Dudhkundi; the 771st Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy), 462d Bombardment Group (Very Heavy), at Piardoba.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Saipan bomb the harbor and shipping at Chichi Jima and shipping S of Haha Jima, AA positions on Marcus, and the airfield area on Pagan. P-47s hit the Pagan Airfield area with bombs and rockets. B-24s from Kwajalein bomb Wake during the night of 12/13. HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): The first B-29, JOLTIN' JOSIE, THE PACIFIC PIONEER, arrives on Saipan , piloted by Brigadier General Haywood S Hansell, Jr, Commanding General XXI Bomber Command, for whom temporary HQ are set up on Saipan; also the regular air echelon of HQ 73d Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) arrives on Saipan on this date, followed during Oct 44 and the first week in Nov 44 by 4 bombardment groups and 4 air service groups; HQ 313th Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) will be established in the theater in Dec 44, HQ 314th Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) in Jan 45, HQ 58th Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) in Mar 45, and HQ 315th Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) in Apr 45.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb Ambesia, Langoan, Mapanget, and Sidate Airfields. B-25s, A-20s, and P-47s again pound airfields at Liang and Laha on Ambon , Namlea on Buru , Kairatoe on Celebes and Haroekoe on Haroekoe , and the town of Boela. P-38s hit numerous targets of opportunity on Halmahera . Fighter-bombers hit Manokwari and Urarom and A-20s bomb pillboxes in the Sarmi area.

PALAU: Fighting continues on Peleliu Island. It will be declared completely occupied on September 30 by Admiral Fort.

EAST CHINA SEA: US naval TF 38 begins a series of attacks on FORMOSA. Between today and the 14th 2,350 sorties will be flown. US losses are 71 aircraft, damage to the carrier Franklin cruiser Houston and cruiser HMAS Canberra which was torpedoed. (This happened on the 13th, local time.)
Task Force 38 (Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher) launches 1,000+ aircraft from 17 aircraft carriers against Japanese shipping, airfields, and industrial plants on Formosa, regarded as the strongest and best-developed base south of the homeland proper, and on northern Luzon, Philippine Islands. The aircraft fly 1,378 sorties today and they sink 4 transports, a cargo ship, 4 IJA cargo ships, 5 merchant cargo ships and 8 merchant tankers and damage several other ships. Opposition is unexpectedly strong and 48 USN aircraft are lost. USN fighters destroy 211 Japanese aircraft, mostly fighters, between 0700 and 1442 hours. Late in the day, based on reports from inexperienced pilots, the Japanese order hundreds of carrier aircraft to reinforce Formosa to fight an all-out battle.
Two USN and a RN submarine sink a Japanese transport, destroyer and cargo ship.

RAAF - Lost over Manokwari is P-40N A29-824.

U.S.A.: The "Columbus Day Riot" occurs in New York City as 25,000 swooning teenagers, mostly young girls, stop traffic in Times Square in front of the Paramount Theatre where Frank Sinatra is making his first appearance since December 1942. The bobbysoxers block the streets, screaming and swooning for Frankie driving the police crazy.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 149, OCTOBER 12, 1944
A large force of carrier aircraft from a task force of the Pacific Fleet struck enemy air bases and installations on Luzon during the afternoon of October 10 (West Longitude Date). Detailed reports of the damage inflicted are not yet available.
During October 11 elements of the First Marine Division continued to root out enemy troops from caves on Bloody Nose Ridge at Peleliu Island.
A commanding height was seized during the day which overlooks the small area held by the beleaguered defenders. On Angaur enemy troops have been confined to an area 150 yards square by the mopping up of troops of the 81st Infantry Division. A single enemy plane bombed Angaur during the night of October 10 11 but did no damage and was later shot down by one of our night fighters. Elements Of the 81st Infantry Division reconnoitered Arimasuku Island during the day and found it unoccupied.
Three of our planes while on patrol near Iwo Jima on October 10 were attacked by eight enemy fighter planes. Six of the eight enemy planes were shot down. No damage was inflicted on our planes. Seventh Air Force Liberators sank a small enemy cargo ship south of Haha Jima in the Bonins on October 11 while other Liberators bombed shipping and installations at Chichi Jima. Antiaircraft fire on these attacks were moderate.
Thunderbolts of the Seventh Air Force bombed and rocketed Pagan in the Marianas once on October 10 while Liberators and Thunderbolts struck twice on October 11. Liberators of the Seventh Air Force attacked Marcus Island on October 11 experiencing meager antiaircraft fire. Liberators attacked Wake Island on October 10.
On the same day Seventh Air Force Mitchells bombed gun emplacements and the runways at Nauru Island. Moderate antiaircraft fire was encountered. On the night of October 10 Nauru was attacked by a single Navy search plane of Fleet Air Wing One.
Liberators of the Seventh Air Force dropped 55 tons of bombs on the airfield and other installations at Moen Island in the Truk Atoll on October 9. Antiaircraft fire was meager. Three enemy fighter planes attempted intercep¬tion without success.
The Fourth Marine Aircraft Wing conducted further neutralization raids against enemy held islands in the Marshalls on October 10.

 

[syscom3]

Oct 13th 1944

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): On Paramushiru , 4 B-25s bomb Kurabu Airfield and bomb and strafe buildings on Tomari Cape, scoring hits on canneries, warehouses, and barracks; later, 4 B-24s photograph and bomb targets at Kashiwabara.

RUSSIA: Moscow: Stalin promises Churchill that the USSR will declare war on Japan once Germany has been defeated.

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 38 P-47s strike Okkyin, Yebyangale, and Theinlon, and hit troops in the Myothit area; 8 P-47s support ground forces in the Mohnyin area, 12 attack and considerably damage Wanling bridge and 4 hit targets of opportunity in the area. Transports fly 280+ sorties hauling troops and supplies to CBI terminals.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 138 P-40s and P-51s on numerous armed reconnaissance missions throughout S China and into W Burma attack troop areas, rivercraft, town areas, bridges, trucks, and other targets of opportunity; 71 of the fighter-bombers hit targets in the Kweiping area while the others attack targets around Chuanhsien, Litou, Shepchung, Tengyun, Lungfukwan, Kingshan, Mangshih, and Chefang.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Saipan bomb Yap. From the Marshall B-24s pound Truk Atoll. Gilbert -based B-25s bomb Nauru. In Hawaii, HQ 21st Fighter Group moves from Wheeler Field to Mokuleia Field.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-25s bomb Menado on Celebes and the surrounding area. P-38s hit AA positions, enemy concentrations, and other targets in NE Celebes and Halmahera. A-20s and fighter-bombers attack Boela, oil installations and airfields at Amahai, Kairatoe on Celebes , and Namlea on Buru . In New Guinea, the 17th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 4th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance), enroute from Guadalcanal to Morotai, sends a detachment to operate from Sansapor with F-5s (other detachments are at Bougainville and Noemfoor).

WESTERN PACIFIC: Aircraft from the USN's Task Force 38 attack targets on Formosa for the second day in a row. Opposition is very light and 947 sorties are flown. At twilight, Task Group 38.4 is attacked by 4 low-flying "Betty" bombers carrying torpedoes; one is shot down by an F6F Hellcat pilot, 2 are shot down by ship AA fire but the fourth crashes the aircraft carrier USS Franklin's deck abaft the island structure, slides across the deck and into the water on her
starboard beam.
USS Franklin is damaged but remains on station. In another attack, the heavy cruiser USS Canberra is struck below her armor belt at the engineering spaces by an aerial torpedo which blows a huge, jagged hole in her side and killed 23 of her crew instantly. Before damage control
could isolate the compartments, some 4,500 tons of water rushed in to flood her after fireroom and both engine rooms, which brought the cruiser to a stop. The ship is taken in tow and retires to Ulithi.

PALAU: Peleliu Island, in the Palau Islands, is secured.

ADMIRALTY ISLANDS: The U. S. 7th Fleet and troop transports carrying the 7th, 24th and 96th Infantry and 1st Cavalry Divisions sail from Hollandia, New Guinea, and the nearby Admiralty Islands. Their destination is Leyte in the central Philippines.

SUBMARINES:
1) A USN submarine sinks a Japanese merchant tanker off Nha Trang, French Indo
China.

2) USS Barbel sinks a destroyer at 29-38 N, 127-27 E at about 0600.

3) USS Begall sinks an attack transport at 11-53 N, 109-17 E (Japanese give location as 11-53 N, 109-17 E) at about 0900.

4) USS Permit sinks a patrol vessel at 07-15 N, 151-45 E at about 1500.

5) A RN submarine sinks 2 Japanese merchant coasters Kosei Maru and Hansei
Maru in Gulf of Boni, south of Celebes.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 150, OCTOBER 13, 1944
Carrier aircraft of the pacific Fleet fast carrier task force striking Formosa on October 11 (West Longitude Date) shot 124 enemy aircraft out of the air and did heavy damage to enemy shipping and shore defense works. Preliminary pilot reports and photographs show that 97 enemy aircraft were destroyed on the ground. Initial reports indicate the following damage to enemy shipping
Ships sunk:
Large cargo ships 2
Medium cargo ships 2
Small cargo ships 12
Ships damaged
Large cargo ships 2
Medium cargo ships 7
Small cargo ships 10
In addition to the foregoing, extensive damage was done to hangars, buildings, oil dumps, warehouses, docks and industrial establishments at Einansho, Okayama, Tamsui, Heito, Reigaryo and Taichu. Our losses were 22 aircraft. There was no damage to our surface ships.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 151, OCTOBER 13, 1944
During the late evening of October 11 and night of October 11 12 following the first day of its attack on Formosa, small groups of enemy aircraft attacked one of our fast carrier task forces operating in the approaches to the Japanese positions in Formosa and the Ryukyus, and repeatedly attempted to torpedo or bomb the carriers or supporting ships in the force. Night fighters sent up by our carriers shot down three fighters in the early evening, and later eight enemy aircraft were sent down in flames by ships' antiaircraft fire.
During the day of October 12 Formosa and the Pescadores were again brought under attack by fast carrier task forces, and heavy damage was done to the enemy air force and its bases, to shipping, port facilities, and shore installations.
A preliminary resume of damage inflicted upon the Japanese in the two-day strike which began before dawn on October 11, shows the following totals:
Enemy aircraft shot down, 221.
Enemy aircraft destroyed on the ground, 175.
Ships sunk
2 large cargo ships
4 medium cargo ships
9 small cargo ships
12 coastal cargo ships
Probably sunk:
1 large cargo ship
3 medium cargo ships
3 small cargo ships
1 oil tanker
5 coastal cargo ships
1 minesweeper
Damaged
6 medium cargo ships
15 small cargo ships
1 large troop transport
In addition to the foregoing 37 small craft were sunk or damaged. We lost 45 planes in the two day attack. Reports are not yet available as to flight personnel rescued.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 152, OCTOBER 13, 1944
More complete reports of the strike made by carrier based aircraft of the United States Pacific Fleet on October 9 (West Longitude Date) against the Okinawa Islands in the Ryukyu Archipelago indicate that the following dam¬age was inflicted upon the enemy (the following figures are a revision of those previously announced in United States Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas communiqué No. 146, and do not represent figures on the recent Luzon and Formosa strikes).
Sunk:
1 destroyer escort
4 small submarines
14 cargo ships
1 submarine tender
1 oiler
25 small ships
41 barges and small craft
Probably sunk:
10 small ships
1 minesweeper
9 small craft
Damaged
8 cargo ships
1 medium landing ship
1 light minelayer
10 small ships
Numerous sampans, luggers and barges
Aircraft destroyed:
23 shot down in the air
59 destroyed on the ground
Aircraft damaged
37 damaged on the ground
Installations destroyed or damaged
1 ammunition dump
3 fuel dumps
3 hangars
2 lighthouses
1 factory
Many barracks, buildings, warehouses, etc.
In addition on Yama Island in the Harbor of Naha on the Island of Okinawa and also the North shore of the Harbor of Naha were devastated by explosions and fire.
United States losses:
Our own losses were relatively light: 8 planes in combat, 5 pilots and 3 aircrewmen.
In the attack on Luzon Island on October 10, more complete reports indicate that numerous buildings were set afire in the region of Aparri, on the Northern Coast, and that 10 to 15 enemy aircraft were destroyed on the ground. There was no enemy airborne opposition.
Organized resistance in the Southern Palau Islands ceased on October 12, with mopping up operations continuing on Peleliu and Angaur Islands. Small pockets of enemy resistance on both of these islands have been further reduced by United States troops.
Corsair fighters of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing continued attacks against shipping and enemy installations on Babelthuap Island, sinking or damaging 11 barges in the Ngatpang River; and sinking or damaging 17 barges, 2 small boats and 8 motor launches off the west and east coasts of the Island. In addition boathouses at Arumonogui Point and Gamilangel Bay were damaged and a locomotive near the villages of Ngardmau was strafed and bombed. One of the Corsair pilots was forced to bail out of his plane but wits rescued later.
Liberators of the Seventh Air Force bombed enemy installations on Yap Island on October 12, encountering no antiaircraft fire.
Truk was also bombed on the night of October 11, by another group of Seventh Air Force Liberators.
Enemy held positions in the Marshall Islands were bombed on October 11.

 

[syscom3]

Oct 14th 1944

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 4 B-25s bomb and strafe buildings at Otomae Bay, Kurile.

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): Transport aircraft fly 200+ sorties, delivering men and supplies to various points in the CBI. The 165th Liaison Squadron (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, moves from Asanol, India to Tamu, Burma with C-64s and L-5s.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 32 P-51s and P-40s on armed reconnaissance attack troops, town areas, and river traffic around Samshui, Mangshih, Kweiping, Hsinganhsien, Konghow and Tajungchiang.

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Twentieth Air Force): 103 Chengtu, China-based B-29s bomb the Okayama aircraft plant on Formosa; 12 more hit last-resort targets and targets of opportunity; this is the first Twentieth AF mission during which 100+ B-29s attack targets and the first of a series of missions against Formosa in conjunction with the US invasion of Leyte, Philippine.

USN - Admiral Halsey's Task Force 38 carries out more attacks on Formosa until the island is completely neutralized as a Japanese base.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 3 B-24s on armed reconnaissance from Saipan bomb Marcus . P-47s on a sweep over Pagan bomb and strafe storage caves. 1 B-24 from the Marshall bombs Wake during the night of 14/15. HQ 41st Bombardment Group (Medium) and the 48th, 396th and 820th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) move from Makin to Wheeler Field with B-25s.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s again bomb oil refineries and associated industries in the Balikpapan, Borneo area; others bomb Pombelaa mine on Celebes. A-20s, B-25s, and fighter- bombers again hit Laha Airfield on Ambon and Haroekoe Airfield on Haroekoe. In New Guinea, HQ 374th Troop Carrier Group and the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron move from Nadzab to Biak with C-47s.

FORMOSA: The US attack has destroyed 321 Japanese aircraft and 40 destroyers, for the loss of 71 US planes, two destroyers and a carrier.
The aircraft of Task Force 38 again attack Japanese installations on Formosa. The Japanese have reinforced the island with hundreds of aircraft drawn from the carrier fleet and these aircraft fly 419 sorties during the day.
They attack the ships and damage three, one severely. The aircraft carrier USS Hancock is attacked by 2 aircraft; the first one drop's a bomb off Hancock's port bow a few seconds before the carrier's guns splashed her into the sea but a bomb from the second aircraft penetrates a gun platform but exploded harmlessly in the water.
The light cruiser USS Reno is struck by a torpedo bomber which explodes on the cruiser's main deck aft. Though Turret Six was partially incapacitated by the explosion, the turret captain succeeded in maintaining his fire against the attacking planes and ships.
The most severely damaged is light cruiser USS Houston which is attacked by 4 aircraft; AA gunners shoot down 3 but the fourth aircraft manages to put a torpedo in her engine room, causing loss of power. The ship retires in tow to Ulithi.
At this juncture, heavy air attacks on TF 38, together with enemy radio propaganda broadcasts that reflect a vast overestimation of the destruction wreaked by attacking Japanese aircraft, prompts Commander Third Fleet to withdraw TG 38.2 (Rear Admiral Gerald F. Bogan) and TG 38.3 (Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman) to the eastward to set upon any important Japanese fleet units that would attempt to finish off the "crippled remnants" of TF 38. The enemy, however, does not take the bait.
During the day, USN aircraft damage a coast minelayer and 2 auxiliary submarine chasers and shoot down 80+ IJN aircraft.

PACIFIC OCEAN: 3 USN and an RN submarine sink an IJA transport, a merchant cargo ship, 2 merchant tankers and a communications vessel.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: Airstrikes from US TF 38 on Aparri Airfield on Luzon, PI.

PELELIU: The US Army 81st Division replaces the 1st Marine Division. The fighting continues on this island where Admiral Fort announced a complete occupation on September 30. To the north on Angaur the fighting also continues.

 

[syscom3]

Oct 15th 1944

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 4 B-25s on armed reconnaissance over Paramushiru turn back when the flight drifts off course; 1 B-24 strafes a freighter off Shimushiru.

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, about 40 P-47s attack positions in the Mohnyin area and at Man Naung, supply concentrations at Kyungyi, railroad targets in the Mawhun area, ammunition stores at Manwing, and buildings near Muse; 12 B-25s hit the town of Onbauk, storage facilities at Indaw, and vicinity of Thabeikkyin. Transport operations in the CBI continue on a large scale; the 71st Liaison Squadron, Tenth Air Force [attached to 1st Liaison Group (Provisional)], moves from Ledo, India to Sahmaw with L-4s and L-5s. In India, the 5th and 6th Fighter Squadrons (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, based in Asansol, send detachments to operate from Cox's Bazar with P-47s.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 28 B-24s, 33 P-51s, and 18 P-40s pound White Cloud Airfield in Canton and shipping in the Hong Kong area; 2 B-24s bomb Amoy; 6 fighter-bombers hit targets of opportunity near Mangshih and Tajungchiang.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: Various Japanese positions north of Manila are attacked with airstrikes from US TF 38.

WESTERN PACIFIC: Task Group 30.3 (Rear Admiral Laurance T. DuBose) is formed to cover the retirement of the crippled heavy cruiser USS Canberra and light cruiser USS Houston; an augmented Task Group 38.1 (Vice Admiral John S. McCain) provides cover.

Task Groups 38.2 (Rear Admiral Gerald F. Bogan) and TG 38.3 (Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman) take up position to waylay Japanese fleet units that might try to attack the damaged ships.

TG 38.4 (Rear Admiral Ralph E. Davison), meanwhile, attacks Japanese installations near Manila. Between 1015 and 1100 hours, F6F Hellcat pilots shoot down 47 Japanese fighters. The aircraft carrier USS Franklin is attacked by 3 enemy aircraft, one of which scores with a bomb that hits the after outboard corner of the deck edge elevator, killing 3 and wounding 22.

JAPAN: Tokyo Rose announces the destruction of Admiral Halsey's Task Force 38 and Emperor Hirohito declares a victory holiday. A tongue-in-cheek Halsey message says all his sunken ships have been salvaged and are retiring toward the enemy.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 27 B-24s from Saipan strike fuel storage, AA positions, and installations at the airfield on Iwo Jima; one B-24 bombs the airfield at Pagan. 2 B-24s from the Marshalls bomb Wake during the night of 15/16.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: A-20s again pound airfields and oil storage on Ceram; P-38s carry out a shipping sweep over the Flores area n the Lesser Sunda and on Halmahera bomb the Pitoe and Kaoe areas; P-38s bomb Amahai Airfield while bombers on armed reconnaissance hit nearby targets of opportunity. In New Guinea, P-47s attack Sagan Airfield; the 33d Troop Carrier Squadron, 374th Troop Carrier Group, moves from Port Moresby to Hollandia with C-47s; the 70th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Hollandia to Biak with C-47s. HQ 38th Bombardment Group (Medium) and the 405th and 823d Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) move from Biak to Morotai with B-25s.

SUBMARINES:
1) 0400 hours: Submarine USS Tambor sinks a cargo ship at 29-43 N,143-09 E.
2) A Dutch submarine sinks a Japanese oceanographic research vessel off Surabaya, Java. The ship was the 200-ton oceanographic research vessel Kaiyo No. 2; there were actually six of these vessels all with the name Kaiyo and the suffix No. 1 through No. 6. The ships were sometimes called Kaiyo Maru No. n.

PALAU ISLANDS, PELELIU: The battered 1st Marine Division is withdrawn from the battle for Peleliu's "Bloody Nose Ridge." The job will be finished by GIs of the 81st Infantry Division.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: The USN's Special Air Task Force (STAG 1) operations continue as four Interstate TDRs glide bombs are launched against Matupi Island, Birmarck Archipelago, as part of coordinated attack by other Green Island-based USMC PBJs, F4Us and SBDs against Simpson Harbor Rabaul, New Britain Island. Poor picture reception and pilot error results in none of the TDRs hitting their targets.

U.S.A.: During WW II, the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) produced numerous documents, most commonly known are the Intelligence Bulletins. The Military Intelligence Special Series continues with "Japanese Field Artillery."

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 153, OCTOBER 15, 1944

During the night of October 12 13 (West Longitude Date) strong counterattacks were delivered against task forces of the Pacific Fleet operating in the area of Formosa by aircraft of the Japanese Imperial Air Force. During these attacks on one of our task groups 13 enemy aircraft were shot out of the air by our own fighters and 7 by antiaircraft fire.
Beginning at dawn on October 13 carrier aircraft of the Third Fleet continued their destructive attacks against enemy forces and defense installations on Formosa Island and Luzon. Little air opposition was encountered over the targets. Preliminary reports indicate 11 enemy aircraft were shot down and 30 were destroyed on the ground.
In the mid afternoon of October 13 our forces were attacked by numerous single and twin engine enemy aircraft. A combat air patrol of one of our task groups shot down 28 of these aircraft and two were destroyed by antiaircraft fire. Complete reports are not yet at hand regarding known attacks on other units of our force, but it is known that many additional enemy aircraft have been shot down. Our plane losses so far have been light.
This fight is continuing. Further details will be released as they become available.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 154, OCTOBER 15, 1944
Troops of the First Marine Division on Peleliu Island sealed off several ire caves occupied by the enemy during October 13 (West Longitude Date). Angaur, the few remaining Japanese were kept under continual pressure.
Navy search planes of Fleet Air Wing One bombed and strafed two small coastal vessels and five barges off the coast of Iwo Jima on October 13. Other search planes damaged a small cargo ship and shot down an enemy torpedo bomber in the same area.
On October 12 Eleventh Air Force Liberators attacked nine small cargo vessels near Matsuwa Island in the Kuriles. The Liberators suffered slight damage from antiaircraft fire, but all returned safely. Mitchell bombers of
Eleventh Air Force on October 12 bombed buildings and installations on Shimushu and Paramushiru Islands. A single Navy search plane of Fleet Air Wing Four bombed Paramushiru Island on October 12. Two enemy aircraft made unsuccessful attempts to intercept, and antiaircraft fire was light. The Eleventh Air Force attacked Paramushiru again on October 13. Installations on the Eastern Coast were hit by Mitchell bombers. Moderate antiaircraft fire was encountered. Other Mitchells strafed a two thousand ton cargo ship and seven small cargo ships at Suribachi Bay. Liberators started several fires in the North, while other Liberators scored direct hits on docking facilities on the Southern tip of the Island. All planes returned safely.
Pagan Island was strafed and bombed by Seventh Air Force Thunderbolts on October 13. A Navy search plane of Fleet Air Wing One bombed the airfield and supply dumps at Rota Island on October 13.
Nauru Island was bombed by a single Catalina search plane of Fleet Air Wing One on the night of October 12. The airfield and other aviation installations at Nauru were also hit by Mitchells of the Seventh Air Force on October 13. Antiaircraft fire was meager. Seventh Air Force Liberators met moderate aircraft fire in bombing the airfield at Marcus Island on October 13. Other Liberators in a night raid dropped explosives on Wake Island.
Neutralization of enemy held positions in the Marshall Islands by air attacks was continued on October 13 and 14, by the Fourth Marine Air Wing.

CINCPAC PRESS RELEASE NO. 584, OCTOBER 15, 1944
The United States naval forces which have been operating in the sea approaches to Formosa are units of the Third Fleet, commanded by Admiral F. Halsey, Jr., USN, with Vice Admiral W. A. Lee, Jr., USN, as second in command.
In command of the entire Fast Carrier Task Force Is Vice Admiral M. A. Mitscher, USN. Carrier units included are under the command of Vice Admiral J. S. McCain, USN; Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman, USN; Rear Admiral R. E. Davison, USN; Rear Admiral G. F. Bogan, USN, and Rear Admiral H. B. Sallada, USN.

 

[syscom3]

Oct 16th 1944

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 7 B-24s fly cover sorties for a naval task force,

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 11 P-47s attack 2 railroad bridges in the Naba-Mawlu area, damaging approaches to both targets; 5 other P-47s hit Japanese forces in the NW part of Madangyang; 12 B-25s, supported by an escort of 8 P-47s, pound the airfield at Shwebo. Transports fly 300+ sorties in the CBI.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 28 B-24s, 8 B-25s, 26 P-51s, and 21 P-40s blast shipping and the Kowloon Dock area of Hong Kong; 15 cargo vessels are damaged or sunk; 3 other P-51s hit the Wuchou area; 36 P-40s, P-51s, and P-38s hit village and town areas, bridges, and troop concentrations in the Kweiping, Tanebuk, Hsinganbsien, Tingka, and Chefang areas.

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Twentieth Air Force): Over 40 B-29s, out of Chengtu, China, bomb the Okayama aircraft plant aircraft plant and Heito Airfield on Formosa; 20+ other B-29s bomb alternate or chance targets at Takao, Taichu Airfield and Toshien harbor on Formosa, and Swatow and Sintien harbors, Hengyang, and several airfields in China.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 15 P-47s and 1 B-24 from Saipan hit Pagan. From the Marshall 14 B-24s hit Truk Atoll. The 548th Night Fighter Squadron, 7th Fighter Wing, moves from Hickam Field to Kipapa Field, Hawaii with P-61s.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: P-38s hit the harbor, shipping, airfield and trucks on Cagayan, Philippines. Fighter-bombers hit Timoeka and Mongosah and Sagan Airfields; Langgoer Airfield in the Kai Islands is attacked by A-20s. HQ 5th BG and the 23d and 31st Bombardment Squadrons move from Noemfoor to Morotai with B-24s.

EAST INDIES: In the Netherlands East Indies, USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24s hit the Makassar area on Celebes Island. B-24s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers again bomb the airfields and the towns of Boela and Amboina on Ceram Island and hit shipping in Binnen Bay in the Moluccas Islands.

CAROLINE ISLANDS: On Peleliu Island in the Palau Islands, Regimental Combat Team 321 of the 81st Infantry Division, takes responsibility for completing the reduction of the Umurbrogol Pocket and is relieving marines there.
Fresh forces, a battalion of the 323d Infantry Regiment, from Ulithi are assisting the 321st Infantry Regiment. At Ngulu Atoll, elements of the 81st Infantry Divsion begins clearing the atoll, which lies between Yap and the Palaus.

PACIFIC OCEAN: Japanese torpedo planes attack Task Group 30.3 (Rear Admiral
Laurance T. DuBose) and again damage light cruiser USS Houston Japanese reconnaissance pilots tell the Imperial General Staff that the great victory over Task Force 38 two days ago was an illusion. They report that Halsey's fleet still has 13 carriers, seven battleships and 10 cruisers. It actually has 17 carriers.
In support of the upcoming invasion of Leyte and to cover the damaged USN ships in tow to Ulithi, Task Group 38.4 launches air strikes against Luzon in the Philippines. The aircraft carrier USS Franklin is attacked by three enemy planes, one of which scores with a bomb that hit the after outboard corner of the deck edge elevator, killing three and wounding 22.

SUBMARINES: At 0600 hours, the USN submarine USS Tilefish sinks a cargo ship about 66 nautical miles NNE of Shimushiru Island, Kurile Islands, Japan, in position 48.07N, 153.04E.

PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: Preliminary air atttacks begin today against Leyte. These preparations for the invasion will continue over the next three days. USAAF Far East Air Forces P-38s attack the harbor, shipping, airfield and trucks at Cagayan on Mindanao Island.

UNITED KINGDOM: Private Salter of the Pioneer Corps is the first British soldier to be demobilized, and given a regulation "demob suit".

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 155, OCTOBER 16, 1944
Aparri on the north coast of Luzon Island in the Philippines was swept by fighter aircraft of the Pacific Fleet on October 13 (West Longitude Date). Only two twin engine and three single engine aircraft were observed on the
ground, and all were destroyed by strafing. No airborne enemy opposition was encountered. Ground installations in the area were severely strafed
On October 15 a large force of carrier aircraft was launched against airfields in the vicinity of Manila Bay. This force was intercepted by an estimated 50 Japanese fighter aircraft. From 30 to 40 of the intercepting enemy planes were shot down. An additional 15 to 20 enemy aircraft were destroyed on the ground at Nichols, Nielson, and Mariveles Airfields. Meantime the ships in one carrier task group underwent persistent aerial attack during the day, and 30 Japanese aircraft were shot down in the vicinity of the group. Only superficial damage was done to our surface ships in this attack.
Nine enemy aircraft were shot down in the vicinity of another fleet unit. Complete reports from all units are not yet available.
Mitchell bombers of the Eleventh Air Force on October 14 bombed installations on the south coast of Paramushiru. Later, two Liberators of the Eleventh Air Force attacked wharves and shipping installations on the northeast coast of Paramushiru. Antiaircraft fire was meager and all our aircraft returned.
Seventh Air Force Liberators on October 14 dropped approximately 48 tons of bombs on the air strip, supply dumps and gun positions at Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands. Antiaircraft fire was moderate but eight aggressive enemy fighters, using phosphorous bombs, attacked our planes. One of the enemy fighters was probably shot down while three others were damaged. We suffered no losses.
The airfield runway on Moen Island in Truk Atoll was bombed by Liberators of the Seventh Air Force on October 13. Three enemy fighters were air, borne but did not press home their attack. Antiaircraft fire was meager.

 

[syscom3]

Oct 17th 1944

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 7 B-24s fly cover sorties for a naval task force.

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 15 P-47s bomb a supply area near Naba, hit Japanese HQ and a supply area near Mawhun, and blast a supply base and permanent camp at Myazedi; 8 B-25s bomb Nawnghkio airfield and 3 attack bridges near Kawlin and Thityabin; an approach to the latter bridge is damaged. Transports fly almost 300 sorties to various points in the CBI.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 15 B-25s, 12 P-40s, and 10 P-51s pound a supply depot at Tien Ho Airfield at Canton; 2 B-24s bomb a supply depot at Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong; 44 P-51s and P-40s on armed reconnaissance attack rivercraft, troop concentrations, villages, and other targets of opportunity around Kweiping, Tengyun, Mangshih, Tajungchiang, Wuchou, and Dosing; a runway at Tanchuk Airfield suffers considerable damage.

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Twentieth Air Force): 10 B-29s, flying out of Chengtu, China, bomb Einansho air depot on Formosa; 14 others bomb alternate targets.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 11 B-24s from Saipan hit shipping off Haha Jima, and the town of Okimura; later, during the night of 17/18 Oct, 1 B-24 bombs an airfield on Iwo Jima. B-25s from the Gilbert hit Nauru.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Fighter-bombers and B-25s hit airfields, shipping and scattered targets of opportunity in the Halmahera area. In the Ceram -Ambon-Boeroe area A-20s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers continue to pound airfields and oil facilities. HQ XIII Bomber Command moves from Wakde to Morotai . In New Guinea, HQ 433d Troop Carrier Group moves from Port Moresby to Biak ; the air echelon of the 82d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group, begins operating from Biak with F-6s and P-40s (squadron is based on Morotai).

EAST INDIES: USAAF Far East Air Forces fighter-bombers and B-25s hit airfields, shipping and scattered targets of opportunity in the Halmahera Island area. In the Ceram Island Ambon Island, Boeroe Island area A-20s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers continue to attack airfields and oil facilities.

BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: The USN's Special Air Task Force (STAG 1) (Commander Robert F. Jones), based on Stirling Island in the Treasury Islands, Solomon Islands, continues operations as Interstate TDR-1 target drones are launched against Japanese installations near East Rabaul on New Britain Island. One of the four hits the objective; a second hits a target of opportunity; a third is lost due to the failure of a vacuum tube in the drone receiver; a fourth may
have been shot down (light and inaccurate antiaircraft fire is noted).

INDIA: British Task Force 63, including two carriers and a battlecruiser, strike the Nicobar Islands as a diversion for the upcoming US attack on Leyte Island, Philippine Islands. The Nicobar Islands, part of India, are an island group in the Bay of Bengal northwest of Sumatra, Netherlands East Indies. These islands with be shelled today and tomorrow with additional air strikes on 19 October. Despite the damage this action as a diversion fails.

NEI: In the Java Sea, Dutch submarine HNMS Zwaardvisch torpedoes and sinks two Japanese ships, a minelayer and an auxiliary minelayer, about 126 nautical miles NE of Surabaya, Java, Netherlands East Indies.

PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: The USN's Task Group 38.4 (Rear Admiral Ralph E. Davison) attacks Japanese installations at Legaspi and Clark Field on Luzon.
Scheduled air strikes by escort aircraft carriers are postponed because of typhoon weather in the vicinity of the ships.
A USN force (Rear Admiral Arthur D. Struble) lands 500 army troops of the 6th Ranger Battalion on Suluan and Dinagat Islands at the entrance to Leyte Gulf to destroy Japanese installations that could provide early warning of U.S.forces entering the gulf. Unfortunately, the Japanese on Suluan Island unit transmits a warning.
Almost 60 USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24s hit oil installations, barracks, and shore targets on Ilang and northern Davao Bay areas of Mindanano Island.

BORNEO: The USN submarine USS Narwhal lands supplies on northwest coast of Tawi Tawi Island.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 156, OCTOBER 17, 1944
Carrier aircraft of the Pacific Fleet are continuing to attack targets on Luzon Island in the Philippines.
Further details now available concerning the results of some of the carrier aircraft attacks on Formosa on October 11, 12 and 13 show that at Tainan the airfield was hard hit and seven hangars were completely destroyed and five heavily damaged. Several buildings in the barracks area were also destroyed.
At Takao the harbor area received severe damage. Thirty large ware houses along the dock area were completely destroyed; ships were dunk it the harbor; heavy damage was inflicted in the industrial area. The airfield at Takao was heavily hit and several adjacent buildings were damaged.
The Okayama Airfield and assembly plants, many shops, administrative buildings and hangars were destroyed or damaged.
At Heito, approximately 15 miles inland from Takao, 14 buildings near the airfield were completely destroyed and eight were heavily damaged. At another airfield near Heito, five barracks were destroyed.
Most of the airstrips at the fields which were attacked have been heavily pitted by bomb blasts.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 157, OCTOBER 17, 1944
During the fighting between our carrier task forces and the enemy air forces based on shore in the Ryukyus, Formosa and Luzon Island in the Philippines from October 10 (West Longitude Date) until the time of this
communiqué, there has been no damage of consequence to our battleships or carriers. However, two medium size ships were hit by aircraft torpedoes and are retiring from the area. Fortunately, the personnel casualties in these two ships were small.
Japanese Fleet units were sighted approaching the area in which U. S. Pacific Fleet Forces have been operating in the Western part of the Philippine Sea, but on discovering our fighting strength unimpaired have avoided action and have withdrawn toward their bases.
During October 13, 14 and 15, 191 enemy planes attacked one of our Task Groups off Formosa by day and night. Ninety five enemy planes were shot down by our fighters and antiaircraft fire, while we lost five planes. On Octo¬ber 15, fighters from two of our carriers shot down 50 more enemy aircraft out of approximately sixty planes which attempted to attack our damaged ships. On the same day an additional fifteen enemy planes were destroyed by search and patrol flights from our carriers.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 158, OCTOBER 17, 1944
Elements of the 81st Infantry Division covered by ships of the Pacific Fleet occupied Ulithi Atoll in the Western Carolines on September 20 and 21 (West Longitude Date). On September 20, advance patrols landed on Fassaran and Mangejang Islands on either side of the main entrance into Ulithi Lagoon, and on September 21, our troops occupied Mogmog, Asor, Patangeras, and Sorlan Islands. The landings were not opposed. The possibility that the enemy may not have been immediately aware of these landings led to the withholding of this information until this time.
Pagan Island in the Marianas was bombed by our aircraft on October 14 and 15. Runways and storage areas were hit.
During the night of October 14 15, and during daylight on October 15, Wake Island was bombed by Seventh Air Force Liberators.
On October 16, Eten Island in Truk Atoll was attacked by Seventh Air Force Liberators, and on the same day Haha Jima in the Bonin Islands was raided. In the latter attack Okdoura Town was hit, and several small ships in the harbor were bombed.
Carrier aircraft of the Pacific Fleet are continuing to attack objectives in the Philippines.

 

[syscom3]

ALASKA: 4 B-25s bomb Kurabu Cape Airfield on Paramushiru and Suribachi; 8-12 interceptors attack the B-25s, which claim 2 victories.

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA In Burma, 13 P-47s attack Mingaladon Airfield, 21 support ground forces in the Mohnyin area, 8 knock out 2 bridges at Wanting, and 6 hit troops near Hwemun; 6 B-25s damage approaches to 2 road bridges at Wuntho; 6 other B-25s damage approaches to 2 bridges at Namhkai and Meza. Transports again fly nearly 300 sorties to several locations in the CBI. In India, the 3d Combat Cargo Squadron, 1st Combat Cargo Group, moves from Sylhet to Tulihal with C-47s.

CHINA In China, 100+ P-40s and P-51s fly armed reconnaissance over vast areas of China S of the Yangtze River, attack town areas, troops, rivercraft, gun positions, supply facilities, airfields, and other targets of opportunity around Kweiping, Shangkaishow, Tajungchiang, Konghow, Wuchou, Shepchung, Hsinganhsien, Tengyun, Liutu, Tanchuk, and Takhing. Railroad targets at Lang Son. The flight of the 21st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Fourteenth AF, operating from Liangshan moves to Hanchung, China with F-5s (squadron is based at Kunming).

FRENCH INDOCHINA: USAAF Fourteenth Air Force fighter-bombers attack railroad targets at Lang Son.
CHINA: General Joseph Stilwell, Commanding General US China-Burma-India Theater of Operations, Chief of Staff to Chinese Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek, Commander-in-Chief Northern Area Combat Command (NCAC) and Deputy Supreme Command, South-East Asia Command (SEAC), is recalled from China by U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt. Roosevelt informs Chiang Kai-shek of Stilwell's recall, adding that while no other U.S. officer will be named to command Chinese forces, Major General Albert Wedemeyer, Deputy Chief of Staff South-East Asia Command (SEAC), is available to act as the Generalissimo's chief of staff, a proposal that is acceptable to Chiang Kai-shek.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA B-24s out of Saipan bomb Haha Jima while P-47s bomb and strafe Pagan.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA: P-38s hit barges, small shipping, and vehicles on W coast of Mindanao. B-25s and fighter-bombers again hit Namlea on Buru, Amboina and Liang on Ambon, and nearby targets, attack targets of opportunity at Djailolo and in the Wasile Bay area. HQ 307th BG (Heavy), moves from Wakde, New Guinea to Morotai . The 65th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Nadzab to Biak , New Guinea with C-47s.

NEW GUINEA: In Dutch New Guinea, USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24s attack Sagan and Babo Airfields. Meanwhile, B-25s attack Urarom, Manokwari, Babo, Sagan, Otawiri, and other Vogelkop area targets.

EAST INDIES: Bad weather curtails a major USAAF Far East Air Forces strike on Balikpapan, Borneo; of 120+ B-24s and fighters, only eight B-24s and eight P-38s reach the target. B-25s and fighter-bombers again hit Namlea on Buroe Island, Amboina and Liang (Laha, Ambon East) on Ceram Island, and nearby targets, attack targets of opportunity at Djailolo Aerodrome on Halmahera Island and in the Wasile Bay area.
RAAF - Ditched near Manokwari is P-40N A29-641.
BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: The USN's Special Air Task Force (STAG 1) operations continue as three Interstate TDR-1 drones are launched against a lighthouse on Cape St. George, New Ireland Island. None hit the target.

BURMA: In the British Fourteenth Army's XXXIII Corps area, after hard fighting on the approaches to Tiddim earlier in the month, the Indian 5th Division enters the town without opposition.
Thirteen USAAF Tenth Air Force P-47s attack Mingaladon Airfield, 21 support ground forces in the Mohnyin area, eight knock out two bridges at Wanting, and six hit troops near Hwemun; six B-25s damage approaches to two road bridges at Wuntho while six other B-25s damage approaches to two bridges at Namhkai and Meza. Transports again fly nearly 300 sorties to several locations in the China-Burma-India Theater.

CAROLINE ISLANDS: On Peleliu Island in the Palau Islands, the 321st Infantry Regiment completes the relief of 1st Marine Division elements at the Umurbrogol Pocket and continues attacks to reduce it. The pocket is now about 400 yards from east to west and about 80 yards
from north to south, The 1st Marine Division has suffered 6,526 casualties on the island, a large portion of them at the pocket. On Angaur Island, a Japanese pocket on the northwest tip of the island is compressed into a small zone about 100 yards long and 50 yards wide.

JAPAN: Receipt of the warning that American troops have landed in the Philippines, Admiral Toyoda Soemu, Commander in Chief Combined Fleet, orders Operation SHO-1 which calls for defending the Philippines against American invasion and bringing about a decisive battle. This order sends 76 warships, including four aircraft carriers and nine battleships, to sail from Japan and Malaya for an all-out attack on the invasion force.

PACIFIC OCEAN: In the Bismarck Sea, the Australian minesweeper HMAS Geelong (J 201) sinks after colliding with an American tanker about 31 nautical miles N of Finschhafen, Northeast New Guinea, in position 06.04S, 147.45E. There are no casualties; the 70 survivors are picked up by the tanker.

PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: The USN's Task Groups 38.1 (Vice Admiral John S. McCain) and TG 38.4 (Rear Admiral Ralph E. Davison) attack principal Japanese airfields near Manila, Luzon, and shipping in the harbor, sinking a passenger-cargo ship, an army cargo ship and a merchant cargo ship.
Meanwhile, TG 38.2 (Rear Admiral Gerald F. Bogan) pounds Japanese shipping off northern Luzon, sinking an auxiliary submarine chaser, two transports, and three merchant cargo ships off Camiguin, northern Luzon; a cargo ship near Babuyan Channel; and two landing ships and a minelayer/netlayer off northeastern Luzon. Japanese sources state that USN carrier air strikes have destroyed 650 Japanese aircraft on Formosa and the Philippines; the USN has lost 76 aircraft and has two cruisers damaged.
U.S. warships, led by the battleships USS California, Maryland, Mississippi, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, begin shelling the landing beaches on Leyte.
The escort aircraft carriers of Task Group 77.4 begin a preinvasion bombardment against airfields in the Visayan Islands, Leyte and northern Mindanao. They sink six Japanese ships in the Cebu area.

Company B, 6th Ranger Battalion, lands on Homonhon Island without opposition and sets up a channel light. Underwater demolition teams begin an uneventful reconnaissance of the landing areas under cover of naval gunfire bombardment.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 159, OCTOBER 18, 1944
Carrier aircraft of the Pacific Fleet again swept over Northern Luzon Island in the Philippines on October 17 (West Longitude Date). Preliminary reports indicate that the following damage was inflicted upon enemy shipping
At Camiguin Island, North of Luzon, two medium transports were sunk, one large transport and a small oil tanker were set afire, and two medium trans¬ports were left beached and burning; at Aparri one coastal cargo ship and fuel storage areas along the waterfront were set ablaze. One airborne enemy plane over San Vicente was shot down while 18 were destroyed on the ground, 15 of them at Laoag. Action is continuing and further details will be released as they become available.
A re assessment of plane losses inflicted upon the enemy, but based upon still incomplete reports, shows that during the seven day period, October 9 to 15, carrier aircraft of the Pacific Fleet destroyed approximately 915 Japanese airplanes of which 350 enemy planes were destroyed on the ground and 565 planes were destroyed in the air in the Ryukyu Formosa Luzon area. Of those shot down 269 were over the targets, 256 were in the vicinity of our fleet and 40 were knocked down by antiaircraft fire.
Based upon more complete information, the following damage was In¬flicted upon enemy shipping at Formosa by our carrier aircraft on October 11: (These losses are in addition to those reported in United States Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas communiqués Number 150 and 151)
Sunk:
3 medium cargo ships
2 coastal cargo ships
34 small craft
Probably sunk:
1 large cargo ship
1 oil tanker
3 medium cargo ships
5 coastal cargo ships
1 minelayer
2 escort vessels
Damaged:
7 small cargo ships
11 coastal cargo ships
1 oil tanker
34 small craft
United States Losses
21 planes
31 pilots
21 aircrewmen
Ngulu Atoll in the western Caroline Islands was occupied by United States forces on October 15. Only slight resistance was encountered. Seven of the enemy were killed and one taken prisoner.

 

[syscom3]

Oct 19th 1944

ALASKA A B-24 bombs Kurabu Cape on Paramushiru.

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 10 P-47s blast approaches to 2 bridges in the Mawlu area and 15 support ground forces in the Mohnyin area, hitting the village of Nyaunggaing and damaging a nearby bridge and pounding the railroad station at Kadu. In India, a detachment of the 1st Combat Cargo Squadron, 1st Combat Cargo Group, begins operating from Hathazari, India with C-47s (squadron is based at Sylhet, India).

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 100+ P-51s and P-40s on armed reconnaissance over S China hit numerous targets of opportunity from the Tungting Lake area to Luichow Peninsula; the fighter-bombers concentrate on rivercraft, troop compounds, and building areas; the 35th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Fourteenth AF, based at Chanyi, sends a detachment to operate from Chihkiang with F-5s.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA: B-24s on armed reconnaissance from Saipan bomb a bridge, a pier, and the town area on Yap.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA: Bombers hit shipping from Zamboanga S in the Sulu-Mindanao area, pound the airfield at Cebu, hit nearby shipping, and strafe Miti, Djailolo, and Hate Tabako. The 13th and 63d Troop Carrier Squadrons, 403d Troop Carrier Group, cease operating from Wakde with C-47s and returns to base on Biak .

EAST INDIES: USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24s attack Parepare, Celebes Island. Fighter-bombers hit Amboina and Boela Airfield on Ceram Island, hit nearby shipping, and strafe Miti Island Aerodrome on Miti Island, and Djailolo, and Hate Tabako on Halmahera Island.
Flying out of Truscott airfield in the remote Kimberly region of Western Australia, 18 B-24's of the 380th bomb Group successfully attack Japanese shipping centers at Pare-Pare, Malili and Palopo depriving the Japanese of much inter-island shipping.
In the Makassar Strait between east Borneo and west Celebes Island in the Netherlands East Indies, a USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24 sinks a Japanese weather ship.

NEW GUINEA: In Dutch New Guinea, USAAF Fifth Air Force A-20s and fighter-bombers attack Utarom, Sagan, and Babo Airfields.

PACIFIC OCEAN: USN destroyer escort USS Gilligan bombards Mille Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: The USN's Task Group 38.1 (Vice Admiral John S. McCain) and TG 38.4 (Rear Admiral Ralph E. Davison) continue attacks on principal Japanese airfields near Manila and shipping in the harbor. Navy carrier based planes sink an army cargo ship and four merchant cargo ships, damage an oiler and a cargo ship so severely that the ship is run aground.
TG 38.1 and TG 38.4 then proceed south to provide direct support for the landings at Leyte. Meanwhile, TG 38.2 refuels at sea. Aircraft from the escort aircraft carriers of Task Group 77.4 attack targets in the southern Philippines.
Twenty four TBMs and 48 FM Wildcats attack targets on Negros; 15 TBMs and 28 FMs attack targets on Panay. Throughout the day, a rotating force of 14 TBMs and 28 FMs patrol over the Dulag-Tacloban area on Leyte to attack ground targets as required.
On Luzon, Admiral ONISHI Takijiro, commander of the Japanese 1st Air Fleet in the Philippines, activates a "Kamikaze Corps" to fly suicide missions against U.S. ships off Leyte. Onishi resorts to suicide tactics out of desperation. Japanese air attacks on American naval forces have been cut to ribbons, and he now believes the only way Japanese pilots can sink ships is to crash-dive them. When Onishi proposes the "divine wind" mission to two squadrons, every pilot volunteers.
The Leyte assault convoy moves safely to Leyte under protection of the USN Seventh Fleet. Underwater demolition teams (UDTs) complete a reconnaissance of the assault areas and preinvasion bombardment continues.
The USN submarine USS Narwhal lands men and supplies on the southwest coast of Negros Island. USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24 Liberators attack shipping from Zamboanga south in the Sulu-Mindanao Island area.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: The USN's Special Air Task Force (STAG 1) based on Stirling Island in the Treasury Islands, continues operations with Interstate TDR-1 target drones. Two flights (one TDR each) are launched against Japanese gun positions west of Ballale. Ballale Island is a small island south of Bougainville. In the first, one drone misses its target during its run; in the second, the drone drops part of its ordnance [the two four-100-pound bomb clusters] on the target before it crashes.

UNITED STATES: The U.S. Navy announces that black women will be allowed into the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES).

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 160, OCTOBER 19, 1944
Carrier aircraft of the Pacific Fleet on October 16, 17 and 18 (West Longitude Date) continued to attack whatever enemy aircraft and shipping could still be found in the Manila area, Luzon Island, in the Philippines.
On October 16 aircraft from one group of carriers encountered up to 40 aggressive enemy planes over Clark Field, destroying 20 of them in the air. Another 30 or 40 planes on the ground were probably destroyed or damaged.
Incomplete reports show that on October 17 over Manila our fighters shot down 17 enemy planes which, although airborne, did not prove aggressive. An additional 13 enemy planes were shot down in the air and 15 were destroyed on the ground at Clark and Nichols Fields. Barracks, fuel dumps, hangars and ground installations at the two airfields were also heavily bombed.
On the same day in the south harbor of Manila Bay, an oil tanker, four medium cargo ships and a floating drydock were destroyed. In addition six large or medium cargo ships were damaged in Manila Bay while a large oiler was damaged in Mariveles Harbor.
Preliminary reports show that our own losses for the action on October 17 were four planes, two pilots and two aircrewmen.
On October 18 carrier based planes in a strike against enemy shipping in the south harbor of Manila Bay sank an oil tanker and damaged two large cargo ships, two large transports, six medium cargo ships, four small cargo ships and two medium oil tankers. Four enemy aircraft were destroyed over the target while one was probably shot down and one was damaged on the ground.
Seventh Air Force Mitchells bombed runways and installations on Nauru Island on October 17. One Mitchell sustained minor damage. Heavy to moderate antiaircraft fire was encountered.
Corsairs of the Fourth Marine Aircraft Wing on the same day bombed and strafed runways and storage areas at Ponape Island. Fires were started. Antiaircraft fire was moderate.
Corsairs and Dauntless dive bombers continued bombing and strafing attacks on enemy held positions in the Marshall Islands on October 17 and 18. Two planes were slightly damaged by antiaircraft fire at Jaluit on October 17, while one plane was shot down and another damaged at Jaluit on October 18. There were no personnel losses.

CINCPAC PRESS RELEASE NO. 591, OCTOBER 19, 1944
Admiral C. W. Nimitz, U. S. Navy, Commander in Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas, has received from Admiral W. F. Halsey, Jr., U. S. Navy, Commander, Third Fleet, the comforting assurance that he is now retiring toward the enemy following the salvage of all the Third Fleet ships recently reported sunk by Radio Tokyo.

 

[syscom3]

Oct 20th 1944

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 9 P-47s hit encampments and stores near Naha; 5 others knock out a road bridge near Wanling and hit a supply dump in the area, while 4 more attack troops and supplies in the Nansiaung area. Transports fly 200+ sorties in the CBI. In India, the 490th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 341st BG (Medium), moves from Dergaon to Moran with B-25s.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 18 B-25s bomb docks and storage area at Samshui and the town of Kweiping; 28 P-51s and P-40s join the attack on the Samshui area; 77 P-40s and P-51s on armed reconnaissance pound road, river, and rail traffic, town and village areas and other targets of opportunity around Kweiping, Menghsu, Shawan, Kaotienhsu, Pingnam, Hsenwi, Wuchou, Dosing, Tanchuk, and coastal areas of French Indochina including Hongay.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 6 Saipan based P-47s bomb and strafe Pagan ; later in the day 4 B-24s hit the . During the night of 20/21 Oct a B-24 on a snooper mission bombs Iwo Jima. In Hawaii, HQ VII Fighter Command moves from Ft Shafter to Hickam Field; the 549th Night Fighter Squadron, 7th Fighter Wing, arrives at Kipapa Field from the US with P-61s.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb Davao. B-25s hit Amboina town on Ambon, lost is B-25G 42-64946. In New Guinea, the 2d Photographic Charting Squadron, 311th Photographic Wing, arrives at Hollandia from the US with F-7s; the 6th Troop Carrier Squadron, 374th Troop Carrier Group, moves from Nadzab to Biak with C-47s; the ground echelon of the 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, begins a movement from Biak to Leyte , Philippine (air echelon continues operating from Biak with F-5s); the 67th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Squadron, moves from Hollandia to Biak with C-47s.

CAROLINE ISLANDS: In the Palau Islands, Major General Paul Mueller, Commanding General 81st Infantry Division, takes responsibility for ground operations in the Palaus from the III Amphibious Corps. Elements of 81st seize Pulo Anna Island in the Sosoral Group, between the Palau Islands and Morotai.

JAPAN: The Japanese Navy institutes Operation SHO-GO. To counter the U.S. landings on Leyte in the southern Philippines, a Japanese naval force consisting of four aircraft carriers, two battleships, three light cruisers, eight destroyers and only 116 combat aircraft, sorties from the Inland Sea for the Philippine Islands. This force, under Vice Admiral Ozawa, Tokusaburo, Commander-in-Chief Third Fleet and commander of the Northern Force, will act as a decoy to draw off the USN battleships and fast carriers so that other surface units can sink the American Seventh Fleet ships off Leyte.

PACIFIC OCEAN: USN submarine USS Hammerhead finds a six-ship Japanese convoy and sinks a transport and an army cargo ship of the west coast of Borneo about 176 nautical miles WSW of Jesselton, British North Borneo, in position 04.46N, 113.23E.

PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: The U.S. Sixth Army invades Leyte Island, landing on the east coast in the vicinity of Tacloban, the capital, and Dulag at approximately 1000 hours. Two firm beachheads are established, but at the end of day they are nearly 10 miles apart. In a preliminary operation, the 21st Infantry Regiment of the 24th Infantry Division lands well to the south in the vicinity of Panaon Strait at 0930 hours and secures the strait without opposition. Before landings naval guns of the USN Seventh Fleet pound the assault zone, beginning at 0600 hours, and lifting for a time at 0850 hours for an air strike on the Dulag area. Aircraft provide close support throughout the day.
The X Corps lands 2 divisions abreast in the north in the vicinity of Tacloban. On the northern flank, the 1st Cavalry Division, with the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the 2d Cavalry Brigade and the 12th and 5th Cavalry Regiments of the 1st Cavalry Brigade, lands and clears San Jose, Tacloban airstrip, and the Cataisan Peninsula.
The 24th Infantry Division, with the 34th Infantry Regiment on the north and 19th on south, meets heavy fire after initial waves have landed; against strong opposition they seize Hill 522, the key terrain feature north of Palo commanding the northern entrance to Leyte Valley, and secure a bridgehead averaging 1 mile in depth. The XXIV Corps lands near Dulag with the 96th Infantry Division on the north and the 7th Infantry Division on the south.
The 96th is slowed by harassing fire and difficult terrain but takes San Jose, positions astride Labiranan River, and Hill 120; they push inland about 2,500 yards on the N and 1,300 yards on the south.
The 7th Infantry Division gets forward elements on the north across Highway 1 and on the south takes Dulag and reaches the edge of the airstrip, where counterattacks are repelled during the night of 20/21 October.
Several hours after the initial landings on Leyte, General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Allied Commander, Southwest Pacific Area, lands. He broadcasts to the Philippine people announcing: "I have returned," thus redeeming his promise of 1942 upon arriving in Australia from Corregidor.
Forty six USAAF Fifth Air Force B-24s bomb a Japanese Army headquarters at Davao on Mindanao Island while 12 B-25s attack Dumaguete Airfield on Negros Island. Twelve P-38s and 16 P-47s attack numerous targets on Mindanao and Negros.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: Special Task Air Group (STAG 1) operations continue from Stirling Island in the Treasury Islands. Three Interstate TDR-1 target drones controlled from converted TBM-1C Avengers are launched against Japanese gun positions west of Ballale Island located south of Bougainville: one is lost, one makes a hit with its bomb but crashes before it can be directed into its ultimate target (the beached Japanese freighter serving as an antiaircraft gun site off the Kahili Airfield on southern Bougainville and christened the "Kahili Maru"), the last achieves a bomb hit and crashes into "Kahili Maru" as planned.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 161, OCTOBER 20, 1944
Hellcat and Corsair fighters, Avenger torpedo planes and Helldiver bombers of the fast carrier task force, in support of the invasion of the Philippine Islands, attacked targets at Leyte, Cebu, and Negros Islands on October 19 (West Longitude Date). Ground installations were bombed and rocketed. The San Pablo and Dulag Airfields on Leyte were attacked, and direct hits were obtained on revetments and other installations. The town of Dagami was heavily pounded, and a bridge was knocked out. At Cebu Airfield five enemy aircraft on the ground were strafed. An afternoon fighter sweep over airfields at Negros Island found little enemy activity. There was no airborne enemy opposition during these raids. One of our fighters was shot down by antiaircraft fire. A single engine enemy torpedo plane was shot down in the vicinity of our surface ships.
Additional reports have been received regarding strikes by carrier aircraft which occurred on October 17 and 18 in the vicinity of Manila and in the northern part of Luzon. On October 17 a large cargo ship and a patrol vessel were sunk at Laoag Bay on Luzon's northwest coast. A landing ship, a coastal cargo ship, and two luggers were probably sunk at Aparri. An escort vessel, two medium cargo ships, three small cargo ships, 16 coastal cargo ships, and 28 small craft found along the Luzon coasts were damaged by bombing, strafing, and rocket fire. Three enemy aircraft were destroyed on the ground, and extensive damage was done to ground installations. At Laoag several barracks and fuel dumps were destroyed.
On the same day, in the vicinity of Manila, Clark, Tarlac and Mabalacat Airfields were attacked. Several intercepting fighters were shot down, 19 twin engine enemy aircraft were destroyed on the ground at Mabalacat, 10 twin engine aircraft were destroyed on the ground at Tarlac, and one at Legaspi. Aviation installations at Clark and Mabalacat Fields were bombed and rocketed. We lost two fighters in this attack.
On October 18 our attacks in the Manila area continued, and Clark, Nielson, Pasig, and Nichols Airfields were further reduced. Seven enemy aircraft were destroyed on the ground at Nielson Field, 10 at Clark Field, four at Pasig Field, and one at Angeles. An additional 26 enemy aircraft were damaged on the ground at the several fields. Only slight airborne enemy opposition was encountered in these attacks. During the day a medium cargo ship found at San Fernando, a seaport on Lingayen Gulf, was attacked and damaged. Two barracks were destroyed at Clark Field, three hangars were blown up at Nielson Field, and two fuel dumps at Nielson Field were hit and destroyed. Extensive damage was done to dispersal areas and airport facilities in these strikes. Four of our aircraft were lost in these attacks, but the crew of one plane was rescued.
Corsairs of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing attacked Yap Island on October 17, and left two enemy planes on the ground afire. Gun positions south of Yap Town were bombed by a single Navy Ventura search plane the same day. Liberators of the Seventh Army Air Force on the following day dropped bombs on bridges and in the town area of Yap.
On October 18, in a night attack, the Second Marine Aircraft Wing's Hellcats shot up runways on Rota Island.
On October 19 Corsair fighters and Dauntless dive bombers of the Fourth Marine Aircraft Wing continued neutralization raids in the Marshall Islands.

 

[syscom3]

Oct 21st 1944

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 15 P-47s damage at least 3 bridges throughout the railroad corridor in N Burma; 15 other P-47s support ground forces in the Mohnyin area, hitting gun positions and defensive works at Ywathit; 12 others attack positions and occupied areas around Bhamo and Muse, 6 knock out the Paungni River bridge, and 4 attack the town of Mawhun; about 270 sorties are flown by Tenth AF transports in the CBI. The detachments of the 5th and 6th Fighter Squadrons (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, operating from Cox's Bazar, India with P-47s, return to base at Asansol, India.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 3 B-25s and 130+ P-40s and P-51s attack shipping, gun positions, troop areas, bridges, town areas, road traffic, and other targets of opportunity around Yuma, Takhing, Dosing, Konghow, Shawan, Kuanyang, Kweiping, Tungpingchi, Tingka, Muse, Wan Lai-Kam, Shekpo, Menghsu, and Amoy; the 530th Fighter Squadron, 311th Fighter Group, moves from Dinjan, India to Kwanghan with P-51s.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 28 B-24s from Saipan bomb Iwo Jima. 2 B-24s, in the first US air strike from Guam hit Yap. The 26th, 98th and 431st Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 11th Bombardment Group (Heavy), arrive on Guam from Kwajalein Atoll with B-24s.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb Cagayan in the Philippines and Parepare on Celebes . B-25s and fighter- bombers hit Misami, New Guinea and blast a truck convoy near Kibawe on Mindanao . Other fighter-bombers hit Kaoe Bay supply areas; fighter-bombers hit Boela Airfield and the Amboina town area on Ambon. Mongosah and Sagan Airfields are also bombed. Ditched are: P-47D "Santa Maria" 43-25642, P-47D 42-25417, P-47D "Tot's Terror" 42-23235, P-47 43-25636, P-47D 42-75935, P-47D 42-75893, P-47D piloted by Taylor.
The ground echelon of the 17th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment), 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group, begins a movement from Biak to Leyte (air echelon operations from Biak with B-25s until Dec 44); the 64th Troop Carrier Squadron, 403d Troop Carrier Group, based on Biak ceases operating from Wakde with C-47s.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: US forces capture Dulag Airfield and Tacloban village on Leyte Island. They are still unable to link their bridgeheads. Naval support is from the US 7th Fleet and one group of TF 38. Airstrikes on Cebu, Panay, Negros and Masbate islands, also in the Philippines, are made by 2 other groups of TF 38.
US forces repel a night attack killing over 600 Japanese.

PALAU ISLANDS: The Japanese resistance on Angaur Island ends. Losses are: Japanese 1,300 KIA and 45 POW; US 264 KIA and 1355 WIA. US heavy bomber units are already operating from Angaur. The Palaus were declared secure on September 30 by US Admiral Fort.

U.S.A.: Major General Clayton L. Bissell becomes Assistant Chief/Air Staff, Intelligence (A-2) in Washington, DC. He was formerly CG of the US 10th Air Force.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 162, OCTOBER 21, 1944
Carrier aircraft of the, Pacific Fleet on October 20 (West Longitude Date) continued to attack enemy aircraft and shipping targets 3n the Philippines. At Coron Bay, southwest of Mindoro Strait, a cargo ship, previously dam¬aged, a small coastal cargo ship and a small escort vessel were sunk. Four enemy PT boats, three at Batangas Bay and one at Cebu Harbor, were also sunk. Several ammunition barges were destroyed in Masbate Harbor, while two medium cargo ships and two luggers were damaged. At Bulan, ground installations and a hangar near the airfield were bombed.
During the day, 13 enemy planes were shot down and 37 destroyed on the ground, some of which previously had been reported damaged. Our losses were three planes, one pilot and one aircrewman.
In the month long operations against the Philippines, Ryukyus and Formosa which commenced on September 21, and have continued until the present, the carrier aircraft employed have consisted of Hellcat fighters, Avenger torpedo planes and Helldiver dive bombers.

 

[syscom3]

Oct 22nd 1944

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 40+ P-47s hit a variety of targets including bridges at Panghkam, and at 2 other points along the N Burma rail corridor, the towns of Manna and Kyaungle, a bivouac in the Indaw area, and various targets of opportunity.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 2 B-25s knock out 2 railroad bridges at Pingnam while 8 P-51s pound the town area; 54 P-40s and P-51s on armed reconnaissance attack town areas and general targets of opportunity at Nampang, Kuanyang, Shekpo, Pingnam, Kweiping, near Menghsu and Wanling, Burma.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Guam-based B-24s hit Yap with harassment raids during the day, operating singly or in groups of 2 or 3. Makin based B-25s bomb Nauru.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine , B-25s and P-38s attack shipping in the Sulu Archipelago and Jolo Harbor and Zamboanga harbor on Mindanano while B-24s hit Opon and Lahug Airfields on Cebu; B-25s hit Ternate on Samar and B-24s pound Matina Airfield in the Cagayan , and Likanan on Mindanao; and HQ 308th Bombardment Wing moves from Hollandia, New Guinea to Leyte .

EAST INDIES: USAAF Far East Air Force B-25s hit Piroe Bay supply dumps on Ceram Island and gun positions and fighter-bombers hit Kairatoe Airfield on Halmahara Island, Amahai Airfield on Amahai Islands south Ceram Island and targets of opportunity in Binnen Bay.

NEW GUINEA: USAAF Fifth Air Force A-20 Havocs blast pillboxes and occupied areas in the Metimedan-Sawar Rivers sector of Dutch New Guinea.

PACIFIC OCEAN: In the South China Sea, USN submarine USS Darter detects a group of Japanese warships about 76 nautical miles NNW of Jesselton, British Borneo, in position 07.31N, 115.22E. This is Vice Admiral NISHIMURA Shoji's Southern Force, that sailed from Brunei, British Borneo, for Leyte Gulf earlier today. (See below.) The sub trails the Japanese reporting their position.
At 0700 hours, the USN submarine USS Sea Dog sinks a Japanese cargo ship about 161 nautical miles SSW of Kagoshima, Kyushu, Japan, in position 29.19N, 129.44E. Later in the day, the sub sinks a gunboat about 144 nautical miles SSW of Kagoshima in position 29.18N, 129.44E.

PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: On Leyte, In the U.S. Sixth Army's X Corps area, the 7th Cavalry Regiment (General George Custer's outfit) of the 2d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, mops up Tacloban and takes the rest of the hill to the southwest. The 5th Cavalry Regiment of the1st Brigade, after laborious effort to advance over difficult terrain west of Caibaan, is ordered to halt and maintain current positions. The 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, assisted by artillery fire and naval aircraft, secures the Pawing area with the capture of a hill to west. The 19th Infantry Regiment repels counterattacks against Palo, killing 91 Japanese, and mops up. In the XXIV Corps area, after night- long shelling of Labiranan Head, the 1st Battalion of the 383d Infantry Regiment, 96th Infantry Division, recaptures it while other elements of the regiment seize San Roque on Highway 1. The 382d Infantry Regiment takes Tigbao and Canmangui and sets up three night perimeters: one at Mati, on
e 800 yards E of Bolongtohan, and one 500 yards SE of Tigbao. The 32d Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, gets about halfway to Burauen against sporadic resistance. The 84th, assisted by aircraft of the Seventh Fleet, advances more rapidly, gaining 2,800 yards before being ordered to halt until the 32d Infantry Regiment can come abreast.
The Japanese naval forces under Vice Admirals KURITA Takeo, commander of the Second Fleet, and NISHIMURA Shoji, commander of the Southern Force, sail from Brunei, British Borneo, for Leyte Gulf. The decoy carrier unit under Vice Admiral OZAWA Tokusaburo, commander of the Northern Force, is already at sea from Japan. Between them, Kurita and Nishimura, command 7 battleships, 13 cruisers and 19 destroyers. The plan is for Ozawa to draw off Admiral William F. Halsey's Third Fleet aircraft carriers and fast battleships, so these heavy units can attack the vulnerable invasion transports. The invasion force is escorted by Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid's Seventh Fleet; six battleships, 14 escort carriers, eight cruisers and 40 destroyers.

 

[syscom3]

Oct 23rd 1944

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Kurile , 3 B-24s hit Kashiwabara targets on Paramushiru ; 3 more B-24s bomb Otomari and fly a photo mission over Onnekotan ; and 5 B-25s bomb the Asahi Bay area.

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 20 P-47s hit Japanese concentrations at Nanhlaing and Kyungyi; 16 support ground forces at Mawlu and Henu and in nearby areas; a bivouac area S of Indaw is pounded by 4 fighter-bombers while 7 knock out a bypass bridge at Panghkam; 3 B-25s blast train cars and sidings at Kyaukme, 3 hit a nearby motor pool, 2 hit a motor pool at Namhsim, and 1 blasts a rail line at Nawngpeng. Transports fly 270+ sorties in the CBI.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 3 B-25s knock out a bridge at Lobochai while 7 P-40s hit trucks and locomotives nearby; 6 B-25s and 11 P-51s pound the town area of Menghsu; 50+ P-40s and P-51s hit small towns and other targets of opportunity in the Menghsu area; 40+ others attack shipping, bridges, and general targets of opportunity around Anfu, Kweiping, Shepchung, Kuanyang, Ssuwangshu, Mangshih, Chefang, Panghkam, Takhing, Tanchuk, Dosing, Wuchou, and Tengyun and Wanling, Burma.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 8 B-24s from Guam bomb Yap, 2 from Saipan hit Pagan and, during the night of 23/24 Oct, 1 bombs Iwo Jima.

LEYTE - McArthur reinstalls the legitimate government of the Philippines.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]:In the Philippines, vehicles and small vessels in the Mindanao area are attacked by fighter-bombers while B-25s attack small shipping in the Sulu Archipelago. Fighter-bombers over Halmahera hit scattered bivouacs. In New Guinea, the detachment of the 17th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 4th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance), ceases operating from Noemfoor with F-5s (the ground echelon is enroute from Guadalcanal, Solomons to Morotai and other detachments are operating from Bougainville, Solomon and Sansapor. The 39th Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, moves from Owi to Morotai with P-47s.

EAST INDIES: In the Netherlands East Indies, USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24s and P-38s maintain shipping sweeps in the Makassar area on the southwestern tip of Celebes Island. B-25s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers hit oil storage at Boela and Amboina town on Ceram Island and two airfields and other targets in the Ceram Island area. Fighter-bombers over Halmahera Island hit scattered bivouacs.

NEW GUINEA: In Dutch New Guinea, USAAF Fifth Air Force fighter-bombers hit Sagan while A-20 Havocs support ground forces further east in the Sawar Rive-Orai River area.

PACIFIC OCEAN: The BATTLE OF LEYTE GULF opens. While the submarine USS Darter continues to trail Japanese ships detected the previous day, submarine USS Bream torpedoes heavy cruiser HIJMS Aoba in the South China Sea about 85 nautical miles WSW of Manila, Luzon, Philippines Islands, in position 14.06N, 119.37E. Subsequently, USS Darter and Dace attack what proves to be the "Center Force" (Vice Admiral KURITA Takeo), one of the three main bodies of the Japanese fleet moving toward Leyte in a major effort to drive U.S. forces from the Philippines. In the South China Sea, USS Dace sinks heavy cruiser HIJMS Maya about 84 nautical miles W of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippine Islands, in position 09.28E, 117.20E, while Darter sinks heavy cruiser HIJMS Atago and damages her sistership HIJMS Takao about 94 nautical miles WSW of Puerto Princesa in position 09.24N, 117.11E.
USN submarines sink seven Japanese vessels:
- At 0100 hours in the Yellow Sea off the west coast of Korea, USS Croaker sinks a cargo ship about 122 nautical miles SSW of Incheon, Korea, in position 35.29N, 126.05E.
- At 0400 hours in the South China Sea off the east coast of Formosa, USS Tang sinks two cargo ships and a transport about 40 nautical miles NNW of T'ai-chung, Formosa in position 24.49N, 120.26E. She also sinks a merchant cargo ship about 38 nautical miles NNWof T'ai-chung, Formosa in position 24.42N, 120.21E.
- At 1700 hours in the South China Sea, USS Sawfish sinks a seaplane tender northwest of Luzon about 127 nautical miles WNW of Laoag, Luzon, Philippine Islands, in position 19.58N, 118.31E.
- At 2400 hours in the South China Sea, USS Snook sinks a merchant tanker northwest of Luzon about 154 nautical miles NW of Laoag, Luzon, Philippine Islands, in position 19.44N, 118.25E.

PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: On Leyte, at a ceremony in Tacloban, General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander, Southwest Pacific Area, restores Philippine Civil Government under President Sergio Osmena. In the X Corps area, the 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, charged with the task of securing control of San Juanico Strait between Leyte and Samar and cutting off Japanese movement, begins operations toward this end. Elements of the regiment move to the Diit River and secure a bridge in preparation for drive on Santa Cruz, on Carigara Bay. A Japanese party raids Palo at night, using Filipinos to deceive the Americans, but is dispersed and leave behind 60 dead. The 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, begins an attack on Hill C, blocking the passage into the Leyte Valley on north side of Highway 2 at western edge of Palo, a strongly defended feature. In the XXIV Corps area, the 96th Infantry Division is facing an acute supply shortage, which limits forward movement. The 383d Infantry Regiment, less the 1st Battalion, attacks at noon, crosses the Guinarona River and reaches positions west of Pikas. Tanks of 767th Tank Battaion act as a spearhead for the 7th Infantry Division as it continues a drive on Burauen in an effort to take San Pablo Airfield. The tanks arrive at Burauen and scatter the Japanese forces. Infantrymen drive through Julita and San Pablo and seize San Pablo airfield.
USAAF Far East Air Force aircraft attack vehicles and small vessels in the Mindanao area while B-25 Mitchells attack small shipping in the Sulu Archipelago.
USN submarine USS Nautilus lands men and supplies on the east coast of Luzon; she will repeat the operation on 24 and 25 October.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: The USN's Special Air Task Group One (STAG-1) operations continue in two missions; three TDR-1 target drones each guided by TBF-1C Avengers are flown against beached Japanese ships in Moisuru Bay and off the south end of the Kahili airstrip on Bougainville Island. In the first mission, one TDR scores a direct hit on "Kahili Maru" the beached Japanese freighter serving as an antiaircraft gun site off the Kahili airstrip; in the second, one TDR scores a direct hit on "Kahili Maru" while another hits a beached merchantman in Moisuru Bay.

N. D. COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 549, OCTOBER 23, 1944
1. The submarines USS Herring and USS Golet are overdue from patrol and presumed lost.
2. Next of kin of casualties have been notified.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 163, OCTOBER 23, 1944
Mopping up operations on Angaur and Peleliu Islands in the Palau group continued on October d and 21 (West Longitude Date). Corsair fighters of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing, in support of ground operations, dropped incendiary bombs on the holed up enemy. Corsairs also bombed a lighthouse and gun emplacements on Babelthuap Island on October 20.
Seventh Army Air Force Liberators bombed Yap Island on October 20 and 21. A single Navy Ventura search plane attacked the island also on October 21. Antiaircraft fire was meager.
Liberators of the Seventh Air Force loosed 49 tons of bombs on the airfield and installations at Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands on October 20. Eight intercepting enemy planes were encountered; three were shot down, one was probably destroyed and one damaged. One of our Liberators was lost.
A Navy search Liberator on October 21 bombed and strafed a small cargo ship west of Iwo Jima.
Corsairs and Dauntless dive bombers of the Fourth Marine Aircraft Wing continued neutralization raids in the Marshall Islands on October 20 and 21. One of the Corsairs was shot down but the pilot was rescued.