lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 16, 2023 3:48:29 GMT
Day 1589 of World War II, January 16th 1944Air War over EuropeCzechoslovakian forces in Britain proposed to the Soviets to send Czech pilots in Soviet fighters to assist a future uprising in Slovakia. The idea was approved. US Fifteenth Air Force B-17s bombed the Messerschmitt factory at Klagenfurt, Austria and the landing ground at Villaorba, Italy. Escorting P-38s claimed 9 Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 P-38s were lost. Air War over EuropeBritish General H. Maitland Wilson became Supreme Commander, Mediterranean. B-24s attacked the Osoppo, Italy landing ground and the town of Zara, Yugoslavia; they claimed 9 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-24 was lost. In Italy, US Twelfth Air Force B-25s bombed the marshalling yard and choke points at Terni; B-26s attacked the marshalling yard and bridge at Orte; A-20s bombed the town of Atina; P-40s attacked bridges in the San Giorgio del Sannio area and gun emplacements near Cassino; Sant' Angelo in Theodice and Picinisco; A-36s hit the railway junction at Cecina, road and railway S of Siena, and the town areas of Avezzano and Formia. Battle of the AtlanticUS freighter 'Sumner I. Kimball', straggling from New York-bound convoy ON 219, was sunk by 'U-960'. There were no survivors from either the 40-man merchant complement or the 29-man Armed Guard. TBF (VC 13) from escort carrier 'Guadalcanal' (CVE-60) sank the German submarine 'U-544' in the mid-Atlantic Black Sea Campaign Steam tanker 'Vaijan Kutur´e' (ex-Nikolaj Janson) was sunk by 'U-20' in the Black Sea. United StatesPhoto: Sailors manning a 20mm anti-aircraft gun at Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation, 16 January, 1944 Pacific WarCHINA-BURMA-INDIA 8 P-40's attack the town of Pingkai, China and strafe targets of opportunity in the surrounding valley area. PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (Seventh Air Force): 25 A-24s, 16 P-39's, and 8 P-40's from Makin strike Mille Atoll; A-24s bomb and strafe AA positions and storage areas, the P-40's bomb and strafe barracks and AA emplacements and the P-39's strafe runways; 2 P-39's are lost; P-39's sent up on interceptor missions claim 3 Japanese airplanes destroyed over Mille Atoll and Makin. Transfers: 28th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Seventh Air Force, to Kipapa Airfield, Territory of Hawaii from the US with F-5's. 431st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 11th Bombardment Group (Heavy), from Funafuti Atoll to Tarawa Atoll with B-24's. SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (Fifth Air Force): Madang, Erima, and Bogadjim areas are hit by B-25's, A-20's, and P-40's; P-39's strafe the area from Sio to Bogadjim; and B-25's bomb the area N from Cape Croisilles. Lost are B-25G 42-64827, B-25D "Exotic Express" 41-30179 and P-40N 42-105909. B-24's and B-25's attack positions near Arawe. B-24's carry out a light raid on the harbor of Amboina. SOLOMON ISLAND CAMPAIGN Photo: Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers on a combat mission off New Georgia Island in the Solomon Islands, 16 January 1944 MIDWAY Photo: The U.S. Navy submarine rescue ship USS Macaw (ASR-11) and the submarine USS Flier (SS-250) aground at Midway Atoll, 16 January 1944 PACIFIC Submarine Blackfish (SS-221) attacks Japanese convoy and sinks transport Kaika Maru about 275 miles southwest of Truk, 04°03'N, 148°41'E. Submarine Flier (SS-250) runs aground and is damaged as she transits channel at Midway Island; submarine rescue vessel Macaw (ASR-11) becomes stranded as she attempts to assist the stranded fleet boat (see 12 February). Submarine Redfin (SS-272) damages Japanese destroyer Amatsukaze, 250 miles north of the Spratly Islands, 14°40'N, 113°50'E. Submarine Seahorse (SS-304) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Nikko Maru southeast of the Marianas, 12°49'N, 150°19'E. Submarine Sturgeon (SS-187) damages Japanese destroyer Suzutsuki in Bungo Channel, 32°15'N, 132°29'E but fails to hit the destroyer's charge, cargo vessel Azaki Maru. Submarine Swordfish (SS-193), despite presence of escort vessel, sinks Japanese gunboat Delhi Maru off Honshu, 34°04'N, 139°56'E.4 Submarine Whale (SS-239) attacks Japanese convoy and sinks army cargo ship Denmark Maru about 400 miles southeast of Okinawa, 23°09'N, 135°14'E; Seawolf (SS-197), nearby, damages transport Tarushima Maru, 23°00'N, 135°00'E, which Whale later finishes off, 22°50'N, 135°40'E. PBYs attack Rabaul-bound Japanese convoy O-905, sinking army cargo ships Shunko Maru, 02°30'S, 149°42'E, and Hozugawa Maru and transport Meisho Maru about 45 miles northwest of New Hanover, 02°20'S, 149°42'E. Kosei Maru (see 17 January) and escorting submarine chasers Ch 24 and Ch 29 emerge unscathed. U.S. forces sink Japanese submarine I-181 in Gidiagu Strait.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 17, 2023 3:46:01 GMT
Day 1590 of World War II, January 17th 1944Eastern Front Slugging through deep mud, Soviet forces captured Slavuta. Photo: Me 110s flying over Budapest Italian CampaignBritish X Corps of the US 5th Army began Operation Panther with attacks along the river Garigliano against the German 14.Panzerkorps. The ancient town of Cassino, near the Rapido River, was a strategic point in the German Gustav Line, a defensive front across central Italy and based at the Rapido, Garigliano, and Sangro rivers. Taking Cassino would mean a breach in the German line and their inevitable retreat farther north. By evening the British X Corps had crossed the Garigliano River, forming a strong bridgehead around the town of Minturno. Canadian forces attempted an attack on German defences over the Arielli River. It was a disaster, with 185 Canadians killed or wounded. Battle of the Atlantic 'U-377' was sunk in the North Atlantic southwest of Ireland, by depth charges from destroyer HMS 'Wanderer' and frigate HMS 'Glenarm'. 52 dead (all hands lost). 'U-305' was sunk in the North Atlantic south-west of Ireland, by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS 'Wanderer' and the frigate 'Glenarm'. 51 dead (all hands lost). Photo: The U.S. Navy escort carrier USS Fanshaw Bay (CVE-70) transporting U.S. Army Air Forces aircraft on 17 January 1944. Indentifiable are 22 Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, two Lockheed P-38 Lightning and eleven Douglas A-20 Havoc United KingdomEisenhower appointed General Omar N. Bradley to command the US Army in the field under him. British Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder was appointed Deputy to Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force. United StatesPhoto: The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Nicholas (DD-449) at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California (USA), on 17 January 1944. She was in overhaul at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard from 15 December 1943 until 21 January 1944 Photo: The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Nicholas (DD-449) at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California (USA), on 17 January 1944. She was in overhaul at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard from 15 December 1943 until 21 January 1944 Photo: The U.S. Navy light aircraft carrier USS San Jacinto (CVL-30) off the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Pennsylvania (USA), on 17 January 1944. She is painted in camouflage Measure 33, Design 7a Pacific WarCHINA-BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, A-36's and P-51's support ground forces in the Shaduzup-Ngamaw Ga area and near Taro; others bomb supply dumps, warehouses, and rolling stock at Sahmaw; and P-40's hit Myitkyina Airfield. Transfer: HQ 7th Bombardment Group from Pandaveswar to Kurmitola, India. PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (Seventh Air Force): 9 B-25's from Abemama bomb and strafe Mille Atoll, Marshall , hitting the runway, AA positions, radio tower, warehouse area, lagoon dredges and possible oil dumps. 4 P-40's from Makin bomb and strafe the Mille Atoll landing ground. SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (Thirteenth Air Force): AAF and US fighters support a USN dive-bomber strike on shipping at Rabaul; they claim 18 Japanese airplanes; Kanshin Maru is sunk. 10 Allied fighters are lost. Japanese Zeros from the 204th Kokutai and 16 Zeros from the 252nd Kokutai at Tobera Airfield intercept. Lost are P-38J piloted by Munson (MIA), P-38J 42-67785 (MIA), P-38J 42-67179 (MIA), P-38J 42-67611 (MIA), P-38H 42-66680 (MIA), P-38H 42-66897 (MIA), P-38H 42-66897 (rescued), P-38J 42-67171 (MIA), F6F 26031 (MIA), SBD-5 28316 (MIA), TBF-1C 24363 (MIA). Damaged are TBF-1 24489 and SBD-5 35933. During the night of 17/18 Jan, a few B-24's, in 2 flights, bomb the Rabaul area, while 2 RNZAF Ventura's bomb the Kalakapisi coast watcher station on Choiseul. SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (Fifth Air Force): 47 B-24's and B-25's bomb the Hansa Bay area; B-25's bomb Nubia; P-39's strafe the Rai Coast; and B-24's bomb Bandanaira, Celebes. Lost is B-24J "Milady" 42-73134. MIDWAY Photo: The U.S. Navy submarine USS Flier (SS-250) and the submarine rescue ship USS Macaw (ASR-11) aground at Midway Atoll, 17 January 1944. The view is from East-North-East. The outflow from the channel into the lagoon is visible as a whitish band beyond Macaw. Note that the vessels are pointing in opposite directions—the Macaw north, in toward the lagoon, the Flier south and out to sea PACIFIC Submarine Bowfin (SS-287) attacks Japanese convoy, gunboat Delhi Maru off west coast of Palawan, 00°18'N, 118°37'E. USAAF B-24s (5th Air Force) sink Japanese merchant cargo ship Chiburi Maru 80 miles east of Manus, 02°27'S, 148°58'E, and No.9 Fukei Maru at 02°00'S, 149°00'E. Photo: The U.S. Navy escort carrier USS Fanshaw Bay (CVE-70) transporting U.S. Army Air Forces aircraft on 17 January 1944. Indentifiable are 22 Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, two Lockheed P-38 Lightning and eleven Douglas A-20 Havoc
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 18, 2023 4:03:22 GMT
Day 1591 of World War II, January 18th 1944Eastern FrontSoviet attacks in the Vitebsk area were met by stiff resistance and generally failed to make an impression. German forces from Heeresgruppe Mitte repelled the repeated Soviet attacks. Further to the north, Red Army forces were completing the encirclement of Novgorod, south of Leningrad. Photo: Colonel Karl Lorenz, Commander of the "Großdeutschland" regiment, meeting with the 5-man crew of a Panzer V "Panther" (Turret Number "0") in south Russia; KBZ HG south Ukraine Italian CampaignBritish attacks (10th Corps of US 5th Army) established a bridgehead over the Garigliano River that drew German reserves away from Anzio. Photo: The crossing of the Garigliano River, Italy by the Fifth Army on the night of 17 - 18 January 1944 - 4.5 inch guns of 214 Battery, 69 Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery firing during the six hour barrage laid down by the British section of the 5th Army Photo: A Sherman tank squeezes under a low railway bridge as it moves up towards the River Garigliano, 18 January 1944 Photo: Bogged Sherman tank of 12th Canadian Armoured Regiment (Three Rivers), River Arielli, 18 January 1944 US Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attacked marshalling yards, a bridge and an airfield in the Florence, Italy area; P-38s and P-47s provided close escort. US Twelfth Air Force B-26s hit the harbor, tin mills, steel works, power house, and blast furnaces at Piombino, and bombed the Montalto di Castro railroad and bridge; B-25s hit the town and railway viaduct at Terni, and A-20s blasted gun positions in the Minturno area; P-40s hit trains, wharves and vessels in the Ploca and Metkovic, Yugoslavia areas; A-36s and P-40s pounded troops, trucks, and gun positions in the Minturno area and near Pontecorvo and Atina, hit a gasoline dump at Pignataro Interamna, a warehouse at Fontana Liri, a factory at Ceprano, the rail and road junction at Avezzano, and railway at Santa Marinella. United StatesPhoto: Battleship USS California (BB-44) in Puget Sound, January 1944 Pacific WarCHINA-BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 P-38's hit the airfield and satellite field at Meiktila; 18 B-24's and 9 B-25's bomb the encampment area at Kyaukchaw; 17 A-36's and P-51's hit troops, dumps, and workshops at Sawnghka; 11 P-40's attack troops and stores at Shaduzup; 3 transport aircraft are lost to Japanese fighters during a supply dropping mission SE of Sumprabum. CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In French Indochina, 2 B-25's bomb the railroad yard and wharf at Campha Port and oil storage facilities at Mon Cay. PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (Seventh Air Force): 12 B-25's from Abemama attack barracks area, runway and gun position on the N part of Mille Atoll; 25 A-24s and 8 P-40's from Makin pound the oil storage area on the S side of Jabor in Jaluit Atoll; the P-40's also strafe a radio station in the target area. SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (Thirteenth Air Force): 34 B-25's supported by 70+ fighters, pound Tobera; and single B-24's on armed reconnaissance bomb the Maliai, Vunakanau, and Lakunai areas. Lost is P-38J 42-67155 SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (Fifth Air Force): Hansa Bay area is bombed by 40 B-24's. 70+ B-25's pound the Madang and Bogadjim areas and positions around Shaggy Ridge; 55 P-38's and P-40's engage a like number of Japanese fighters over Wewak, claiming 12 shot down. Lost are P-38H 42-66534, P-38H 42-66545 and P-38H 42-66554. Other B-24's bomb Laha, Celebes . HQ 345th Bombardment Group transfers from Port Moresby to Dobodura. NEW GUINEA CAMPAIGN Photo: Mattilda and General Grant tanks of the 4th Armored Brigade firing small caliber weapons during a demonstration for a contingent of New Guinea police boys who are touring Australian army units HAWAII Photo: The U.S. Navy aircraft carriers USS Saratoga (CV-3), right, and USS Langley (CVL-27) moored at Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii. Although the photograph was released on 5 April 1944, Saratoga was in the Indian Ocean at that time. After an overhaul in late 1943, Saratoga arrived at Pearl Harbor on 7 January 1944. She left on 19 January for operations in the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean. The heavy cruiser USS Salt Lake City (CA-25) is visible on the far left, and an unidentified Independence-class carrier is visible between Langley and Saratoga. Both formed Task Group 58.4 with USS Princeton (CVL-23) in January 1944, so the carrier may be Princeton PACIFIC Tropical hurricane batters Noumea, New Caledonia, damaging high speed transport Noa (APD-24), district patrol vessel YP-239, district auxiliary (miscellaneous) YAG-25, and a crane barge. Submarine Bowfin (SS-287) sinks Japanese merchant tanker Shoyu Maru off west coast of Palawan, 00°18'N, 118°37'E.6 Submarine Flasher (SS-249) sinks Japanese oiler Yoshida Maru about 140 miles west-southwest of Marcus Island, 23°50'N, 151°28'E. PB4Y-1 (VB 108), to simulate minelaying operations, sows unfuzed 100-pound bombs in Mellu, Gegibu and Onemak channels, Kwajalein. USAAF A-24s and P-40s bomb Japanese installations at Jaluit, sinking merchant tanker No.1 Nanyu Maru.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 19, 2023 3:52:11 GMT
Day 1592 of World War II, January 19th 1944Eastern Front Soviet troops of the 59th Army took Novgorod, and pushed on to Estonia. In a co-ordinated offensive by the garrison troops and the armies of the Volkhov front, the Russians have torn a 25-mile gap in the German siege lines. In doing so they have smashed seven enemy divisions and captured 37 of the long-range guns which have been systematically bombarding the city in an attempt to fulfill Hitler's threat to destroy it when it was first besieged in September 1941. As the Volkhov Front surrounded German forces at Novgorod, the Germans began a break out attack. The Soviet attacks around Leningrad intensified as 42nd Army attacking out of the city linked up with 2nd Shock Army attacking toward the city. Columns of grim-faced Russian soldiers swung through its battered streets heading south to Krasnoye Selo or out across the ice of Kronstadt Bay to Oranienbaum where a pocket of Russians held out since the first days of the siege. The pocket was reinforced in great secrecy before the battle opened a week ago. Men of the 2nd Shock Army were ferried in by boat at night. They hid by day, and when they came storming out they took the Germans by surprise. Italian CampaignBritish forces established bridgeheads on the north side of the Garigliano. Backed by naval gunfire, troops of the British X Corps led by General Richard McCreery crossed the lower Garigliano river in landing craft and established vital bridgeheads on the northern bank. Minturno fell to the US 5th Army, which now attempted to cross the heavily defended Rapido river. The 56th Division succeeded in the crossing; however fierce German fire stopped a crossing by the 46th Division. German commander, General von Vietinghoff, was transferring two armoured divisions to face the new threat. Photo: British Royal Engineers of the 46th Infantry Division cross the Garigliano river, 19 January 1944 In Italy, US Fifteenth Air Force B-24s and B-17s hit airfields at Perugia, Iesi, Centocelle, and Ciampino; P-38s flew close escort for all the missions while P-47s flew top cover over Ciampino and Centocelle and carried out a sweep over the Rome area. US Twelfth Air Force B-25s bombed Rieti Airfield; B-26s hit the airfield at Viterbo; A-20s attacked the marshalling yard at Colleferro; P-40s bombed and strafed 2 schooners at Makarska, Yugoslavia; A-36s hit guns, trucks, and trains N of Rome and fly 70+ sorties against rail, communications and troop positions in the US Fifth Army battle area as the Garigliano bridgehead expands; P-40s also hit defended positions in the battle area and near Scauri, Tremensuoli, and Alvito. Battle of the Atlantic'U-641' was sunk was in the North Atlantic south-west of Ireland, by depth charges from the British corvette HMS 'Violet'. 50 dead (all hands lost). German occupied DenmarkGerman military patrols swept through the deserted streets of Copenhagen, occupied all the city's police stations and disarmed and arrested the entire police force. The move, ordered by SS Lt-Gen Gunther Pancke, followed the capture by a German patrol vessel of a boatload of refugees fleeing to Sweden. The Germans believed the Danish police had been aiding the escape of wanted Danes. Last week, the chief of the police passport department and his assistant fled to Sweden to escape arrest. Pacific WarCHINA-BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): 16 B-24's bomb the marshalling yard and Don Maung railroad station at Bangkok. In Burma, 4 P-40's hit the town of Wakshang; 26 A-36's and P-51's hit targets along roads from Ngamaw Ga to Maingkwan to Mashi Daru. CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 14 P-40's and 2 B-25's attack the barracks area at Mon Cay, French Indochina. PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (Seventh Air Force): 17 B-25's from Tarawa Atoll, hit Mille Atoll; flying at low altitude, the B-25's score hits on gun positions, fuel dumps, and the airfield area in general; AA fire claims. Lost is B-25G ??-?? and B-25G ??-?? SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (Thirteenth Air Force): Attacks during the day are limited to isolated strikes on shipping and other targets of opportunity by aircraft on armed reconnaissance over Bougainville , New Ireland, and Saint George Channel. During the night of 19/20 Jan, 11 B-24's, in 2 waves, fly strikes against Rabaul and Vunakanau. SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (Fifth Air Force): 57 B-24's bomb Boram; 17 more bomb Amboina , Molucca, and Halong, Celebes ; and 2 others score hits on freighter near Aitape. 65 B-25's, along with RAAF airplanes, pound positions in the Shaggy Ridge area. 2 P-39's bomb barges in the Cape Raoult, New Britain area. 25th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group begins transfer from Brisbane, Australia to Lae, New Guinea with F-5's. Lost are A-20G 42-86620, A-20G 42-86724, B-24J "Doodlebug" 42-73117 and B-24J "Paper Doll" 42-73187. PACIFIC Submarine Haddock (SS-231) damages Japanese carrier Unyo 140 miles east-southeast of Guam, 12°50'N, 146°23'E. USAAF B-24 (5th Air Force) sinks Japanese cargo vessel Kaishu Maru at Manus, Admiralty Islands.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 20, 2023 7:57:30 GMT
Day 1593 of World War II, January 20th 1944Eastern Front Soviet troops advancing south-west from Pulkovo and south-east from Oranienbaum joined up, encircling the Germans around Leningrad and sealing off the corridor to Finland. Novgorod fell to the Soviet 59th Army. Air War over EuropeGeneral Carl Spaatz, as Commanding General USSAFE, formally assumed administrative responsibility for all USAAF units in the UK. His HQ was located at Bushy Park, formerly Eighth Air Force HQ. US Eighth Air Force Mission 186: during the evening, 4 of 5 B-17s dropped 960,000 leaflets on Lille, Brest, Caen and Chartres, France without loss. 769 RAF aircraft - 495 Lancasters, 264 Halifaxes, 10 Mosquitos - returned to Berlin. It was the heaviest blow yet directed at Hitler's capital, with bombs falling at 80 tons a minute. One plane dropped its bombs 30 miles from the city, by chance wrecking a factory of the Todt Organisation. 35 aircraft - 22 Halifaxes, 13 Lancasters - were lost, 4.6 per cent of the force. RAF No 102 Squadron, from Pocklington, lost 5 of its 16 Halifaxes on this raid, 2 more crashed in England and the squadron would lose 4 more aircraft in the next night's raid. The bomber approach route took a wide swing to the north but, once again, the German controller managed to feed his fighters into the bomber stream early and the fighters scored steadily until the force was well on the way home. The diversions were not large enough to deceive the Germans. The Berlin area was, as so often, completely cloud-covered and what happened to the bombing is a mystery. The Pathfinder skymarking appeared to go according to plan and crews who were scanning the ground with their H2S sets believed that the attack fell on eastern districts of Berlin. No major navigational problems were experienced. No photographic reconnaissance was possible until after a further 4 raids on Berlin were carried out but the various sources from which the Berlin reports are normally drawn all show a complete blank for this night. In 11 major attacks on the city since the "Battle of Berlin" began on 18 November, the RAF has dropped 17,000 tons of bombs. Some 1,300 acres of buildings, equal to twice the area of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens in London have been destroyed. Despite the damage the results of this sustained onslaught were not as great as the RAF expected on either German morale or production - and its own losses were becoming unacceptably high. 12 RAF Mosquitos flew to Düsseldorf. 4 to Kiel and 3 to Hannover, 6 RCM sorties, 5 Serrate patrols, 29 aircraft minelaying in the Frisians and off French ports, 20 OTU sorties. No losses. Italian CampaignUS 2nd Corps in Italy attacked German defenses across the Rapido River south of Cassino, but the attck was a failure. Photo: A Sherman tank drives onto a raft which will transport it across the River Garigliano, 20 January 1944 Photo: A Sherman tank being rafted across the River Garigliano, 20 January 1944 In Italy, US Fifteenth Air Force B-24s and B-17s bombed airfields at Guidonia, Centocelle, and Ciampino; P-38s provided escort and P-47s carried out sweeps over the targets. Other P-47s escorted transport airplanes on a mission to Yugoslavia. US Twelfth Air Force B-26s bombed the Viterbo marshalling yard and attacked a bridge at Pontecorvo; B-25s attacked railroads in the Carsoli area; A-20's give close support to the US 5th Infantry Division in the Minturno area; British and US P-40s followed RAF light bombers in a raid on the Popoli station; A-36s pounded a rail and road crossing at Viterbo and P-40s hit communications at Frosinone, Palestrina, and Carsoli, where a traffic block was created; A-36s and P-40s flew nearly 200 sorties in support of the US Fifth Army ground forces as the 36th Infantry Division began an assault across the Rapido River in the Theodice area; and P-40s hit targets along the British Eighth Army front. Photo: DUKWs being reversed into landing ships at Salerno harbour in preparation for the landings at Anzio, 20-21 January 1944 Battle of the AtlanticBritish coastal guns sank the German blockade-runner 'Münsterland' . 'Münsterland' (which had made his way from Japan) from Boulogne to Calais, was sunk by the radar guided heavy Dover batteries since the ship had given his cargo offboard and wasn't able to manoeuvre fast enough to avoid the hits. The ship ran into a well-prepared ambush because the British realized that the Germans waited for the flash of the guns before making a sharp alteration of course, so they fired a salvo from the smaller guns which had no chance of actually reaching the ship, but which induced the 'Munsterland' to run into the fire of the heavy guns. All in all Dover batteries fired 46 salvos. 'U-263' sank near La Rochelle whilst carrying out deep dive tests. All 51 members of the crew were lost. During an attack on two merchants on 20 Nov,1942 convoy escorts had dropped some 119 depth charges on the boat causing so much damage that Nölke had to abort his mission and return to France. During the return on the 24th a British Hudson aircraft (Sqdn 233/Q) straddled the boat with 4 depth charges causing extensive damages to the already weak boat. She was told to head for El Ferrol, Spain but managed to limp back to La Rochelle, with assistance from the returning 'U-511' and covered by Ju-88 aircraft, reaching the base on the 29th. She then spent 13 months in repair and rebuilding. Her loss occurred when she was performing tests after the repairs had been completed, but not (it would now seem) at great depth , since 'U-263' has been located lying at 27m depth near La Rochelle, France and is a dive site. Pacific WarCHINA-BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force) In Burma, 11 P-40's score near misses on the Loilaw bridge and strafe Budagon nearby, starting several fires. 16 A-36's and P-51's support ground forces near Sumprabum, and 11 more bomb forces SW of Kamaing. AUSTRALIA After a week of talks here the prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand have today signed the Australian-New Zealand pact. Australia's leader, Mr John Curtin, described the agreement as a landmark in international collaboration in the Pacific. The text of the pact will not be published until it is formally ratified, but it covers the establishment of a regional defence zone in the South-west Pacific, co-operation in the war effort and agreement of armistice terms. PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (Seventh Air Force): 16 B-24's staging through Tarawa Atoll during the night of 20/21 bomb targets on Kwajalein Atoll; 6 Tarawa-based B-25's hit Arno Atoll, and 12 bomb Aur Atoll; 9 B-25's from Abemama hit gun positions, barracks, and runways on Mille Atoll; 23 A-24s and 11 P-40's from Makin attack gun positions, ammunition and oil storage, barracks, and 2 small vessels at Jaluit Atoll. SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (Thirteenth Air Force): 38 B-24's pound the runway and revetment area at Borpop Airfield. P-39's strafe Kara and Kahili; and RNZAF Ventura's and B-24's on armed reconnaissance bomb Kalakapisi, Nukiki, and Buka on Buka . SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (Fifth Air Force): B-25's, A-20's, and P-39's bomb the Madang area, and strafe villages near Saidor and troops from Reiss Point to Erima. On New Britain, B-25's and P-39's strafe barges from Cape Raoult to Rein Bay and hit targets of opportunity along the the N coast; single B-24's on armed reconnaissance blast a control tower at Hoskins Airfield, and hit ships near Kavieng and at Lorengau. 2 B-24's bomb Waingapoe, Sunda . PACIFIC Submarine Batfish (SS-310) attacks Japanese convoy off southern Honshu, sinking transport Hidaka Maru south of Shiono Misaki, 31°28'N, 134°52'E. Submarine Gar (SS-206) attacks Japanese convoy on the New Guinea-to-Palau route, sinking army cargo ship K_y_ Maru about 50 miles south-southwest of Palau, 06°40'N, 134°17'E. Submarine Seadragon (SS-194) damages Japanese stores ship Irako northwest of Truk, 08°04'N, 152°40'E. Submarine Tinosa (SS-283) lands men and equipment in northeast Borneo. USAAF B-24s (14th Air Force) sink Japanese transports Menado Maru and Kuzan Maru 140 miles southeast of Swatow, China, 22°10'N, 118°15'E. USAAF B-25s sink transport Ogashima Maru at Namu Atoll, Marshalls, 08°07'N, 168°00'E. USAAF planes sink Japanese dredge Jintsu Maru at 03°04'S, 142°10'E.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 21, 2023 8:43:45 GMT
Day 1594 of World War II, January 21st 1944YouTube (Monte Cassino, the Battle Begins)Eastern FrontThe key communications and supply center at Mga was captured by advancing Soviet forces in the Leningrad area. Air War over Europe 648 RAF aircraft - 421 Lancasters, 224 Halifaxes, 3 Mosquitos - flew on the first major raid to Magdeburg. The German controller again followed the progress of the bomber stream across the North Sea and many night fighters were in the stream before it crossed the German coast. The controller was very slow to identify Magdeburg as the target but this did not matter too much because most of the night fighters were able to stay in the bomber stream, a good example of the way the 'Tame Boar' tactics were developing. 57 aircraft - 35 Halifaxes, 22 Lancasters - were lost, 8.8 per cent of the force; it is probable that three quarters of the losses were caused by German night fighters. The Halifax loss rate was 15.6 per cent! The heavy bomber casualties were not rewarded with a successful attack. Some of the Main Force aircraft now had H2S and winds which were stronger than forecast brought some of these into the target area before the Pathfinders' Zero Hour. The crews of 27 Main Force aircraft were anxious to bomb and did so before Zero Hour. The Pathfinders blamed the fires started by this early bombing, together with some very effective German decoy markers, for their failure to concentrate the marking. 22 RAF Lancasters and 12 Mosquitos of 5 and 8 Groups carried out a diversionary raid to Berlin; 1 Lancaster lost. 111 RAF aircraft - 89 Stirlings, 12 Lancasters, 10 Mosquitos - carried out raids on 6 flying bomb sites in France without loss. 8 RAF Mosquitos went to Oberhausen and 5 to Rheinhausen, 8 RCM sorties, 5 Serrate patrols, 8 Wellingtons minelaying off St Nazaire, 16 OTU sorties. No aircraft were lost. Total effort for the night including the raid on Magdeburg: 843 sorties, 58 aircraft (6.9 per cent) were lost. The number of aircraft lost was the heaviest in any night of the war so far. US Eighth Air Force Mission 187: 36 V-weapon sites in France, 34 in the Pas de Calais area and 2 in the Cherbourg area, were targetted; 24 were attacked by 302 of 597 B-17s and 68 of 198 B-24s; 15 B-17s and 9 B-24' hit targets of opportunity (2 V-weapon sites and 3 airfields); they claimed 5-1-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 B-24s and a B-17 were lost, 3 B-24s were damaged beyond repair, and 103 B-17s and 41 B-24s were damaged. This mission was escorted by 49 P-38s, 531 P-47s and 48 Ninth Air Force P-51s; they claimed 6-0-4 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 2-2-0 on the ground; 1 P-47 was lost, 1 was damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged. 119 US Ninth Air Force B-26s also bombed V-weapon sites in France. Unternehmen Steinbock: By the end of 1943, the terrible pounding that the RAF was inflicting on Germany's cities had reached intolerable levels. In late November, Goering had ordered the young bomber expert, Dietrich Peltz, to prepare for a retaliation offensive against London under the code name of 'Steinbock' or Ibex. He promised that units detailed for these attacks would receive a full compliment of crews and aircraft. The Reichsmarschall had asked Peltz whether he would accept Do 217s in the bombing force and Peltz replied that he would welcome anything that would carry a bomb. That was precisley what he got. Over December and early January, the Germans accumulated a conglomeration of 550 aircraft on the airfields of France for the offensive; Ju 88s, Ju 188s, Do 217s, Me 410s, Fw 200s and even 35 brand new He 177s. The widely differing capabilities of these aircraft and the limited navigational and flying skills of the crews ed Peltz to make the attack as simple as possible. Specially trained Pathfinders, equipped with various marking devices, would locate and mark the target; the other bombers would hopefully bomb on these markers. Goering opened the offensive on 21 January with a typical gesture. He left Berlin to assume personal command of the operation. He might have saved himself the trouble as the offensive got off to a bad start. The Luftwaffe launched 447 bombers in 2 waves, guided by Ju 88 and Ju 188 guide aircraft dropping flares against the English capital, London. Included in the force were I./KG 40 and I./KG 100 using He 177 bombers. Using 'Duppel' - the German equivalent to 'Window' - the force returned to their bases after the bombing, reloaded and refueled and set off again. Navigation was poor, the pathfinder system broke down and out of 268 tons of bombs dropped over England, only 32 tons landed in London. The raiders lost 10% of the bomber force involved including one of the new He 177 bombers from I./KG 40 which was shot down by a RAF Mosquito night-fighter and crashed near Hasslemere in Surrey. Unlike the Night Blitz of 1940 / 41 and to a lesser egree, the Baedeker Raids of 1942, the night defenses now had the upper hand. Large numbers of radar controlled AA guns, 'Z' rocket batteries and searchlights, together with a well-equipped night-fighter force directed by an efficent Ground Controlled Interception radar system, took a very heavy toll of the attackers. Italian CampaignThe US 36th Infantry division suffered severe losses while attempting to establish a bridgehead over the Rapido River while the invasion force for Anzio steamed out of Naples. Photo: Sherman tanks move north from the Garigliano river towards Lorenzo, 21 January 1944 Photo: A Sherman tank near the River Garigliano, 21 January 1944 United Kingdom Eisenhower held a first meeting with his commanders to plan the Allied invasion of France. Eisenhower accepted the revised plan for Operation Overlord, with five divisions landing on fifty miles of Normandy beaches. Americans were to land on the west, aiming for Cherbourg, Brest, and ports around the Loire estuary. British and Canadian forces were to land on the east near Caen, seizing Caen on the first day. D-Day was set for June 5. Pacific WarCHINA-BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 16 B-24's bomb an encampment at Prome; 16 A-36's and P-51's and a single B-25 attack communications and supply dumps between Kumnyen and Ngamaw Ga; 12 A-36's and P-51's support ground forces in the Sumprabum area; 11 P-40's severely damage the Namkwin railroad bridge. 492d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), transfers from Panagarh to Madhaiganj, India with B-24's. SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (Fifth Air Force): B-25's strafe villages, bridges, and barges from Cape Gourdon to Cape Croisilles, New Guinea, and hit shipping at Papitalai, Los Negros , sinking a small vessel and a barge and severely damaging a jetty. A-20's, P-40's and RAAF aircraft hit numerous scattered targets of opportunity on New Britain. Lost on a test flight is P-38G 42-12711. GILBERT AND MARSHALL ISLANDS CAMPAIGN Photo: Men of the 32nd Inf Bn., 7th Infantry Division, boarding transports prior to Marshall Islands invasion, 21 January, 1944 ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): HQ 343d Fighter Group transfers from Amchitka , Aleutian to Alexai Point, Alaska. PBY-5As, flying from Attu, bomb and photograph Japanese installations in the Kurabu Zaki area, south Paramushiru, and in the Musashi Wan-Otomaye area, south coast of Paramushiru; PV-1s bomb and photograph enemy installations in the north Paramushiru area. PACIFIC Submarine Seahorse (SS-304) attacks Japanese convoy on the Palau-Hollandia track, sinking army transport Ikoma Maru and cargo ship Yasukuni Maru 280 miles east- southeast of Palau, 03°19'N, 137°02'E. British submarine HMS Tally Ho sinks Japanese cargo ship No.67 Daigen Maru at 03°15'N, 100°40'E.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 22, 2023 7:48:19 GMT
Day 1595 of World War II, January 22nd 1944Italian Campaign - Battle of AnzioThe Allied landings began at Anzio. The US VI Corps (US 5th Army) landed a two-division force consisting of the US 3rd and British 1st Infantry Divisions behind the German Gustav lines at Anzio, 30 miles south of Rome. Photo: German air attack on the Anzio invasion force on 22 January 1944, the first day of the invasion Photo: A German plane is shot down during an air raid on the invasion force, off Anzio, on 22 January 1944 Photo: A German bomb explodes among the invasion shipping off Anzio on 22 January 1944. Ship in center, background, is probably HMS Princess Beatrix In the inky blackness, British and American troops of VI Corps, taking part in Operation SHINGLE, boarded landing craft from a convoy of 243 ships that arrived off this small port on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Heavy opposition was expected when the landing craft hit the beaches. Yet there was no slaughter when the Allied army came ashore. Anzio was deserted, a ghost town; the inhabitants evacuated; there were no defenders. As evening fell on Anzio, nearly 50,000 men and 3,000 vehicles landed with the loss of 13 men, mostly from mines. The road to Rome, 32 miles to the north, was open. Intelligence reported that there were few, if any, German defenders on the route. The German reaction by General Kesselring was quick, but a scarcity of troops forced desperate improvisation to contain the Allied force. Photo: A Sherman tank of 23rd Armoured Brigade coming ashore from a landing craft at Anzio, Italy, 22 January 1944 Photo: Sherman tanks of 23rd Armoured Brigade come ashore with infantry at Anzio, Italy, 22 January 1944 Photo: US Army troops landing at Anzio in Operation Shingle — on 22 January 1944 Photo: A Sherman tank comes ashore from a landing craft at Anzio in Operation Shingle — on 22 January 1944 But with the memory of the near-debacle at Salerno still fresh in his mind, US commander, Major-General John Lucas was determined to build up his beach-head defences before venturing forth. He had calculated on a rugged defence, and ordered his army to dig in to fight off counter-attacks. Lucas's commander, General Mark Clark, arrived with General Alexander. The British commander was all for pushing forward with strong mobile forces. Clark advised Lucas not to "stick his neck out". Winston Churchill, ever an enthusiast for this invasion, cabled Alexander to say: "Am very glad you are pegging out claims rather than digging in."Lucas established his headquarters in an underground wine cellar and showed no sign of pegging out claims. In Italy, maximum aerial support was given to the Allied landings at Anzio; fighter-bombers, light and medium bombers directed efforts toward isolating the landing area by cutting roads, bridges, and railroads and obstructing towns in the surrounding region, at Valetri, Valmontone, Colleferro, Ceprano, and Fondi and hitting traffic and communications throughout the area; fighters maintained a patrol over shipping and beachhead and successfully intercept several enemy fighter-bomber missions directed against the landings. Unescorted B-17s and B-24s bombed the Terni and Arezzo marshalling yards, Pontedera marshalling yard and airfield, a road and rail junction NW of Frascati, Terracina road defile and Pontecorvo bridge and town area; P-38s strafed targets in the Arce-Frosinone area, including several vehicles and train cars; P-47s on a sweep over the Rome area encountered several fighters, and claimed 5 shot down; 2 P-47s were lost. Photo: Universal carriers and a Sherman tank comes ashore from a landing craft at Anzio in Operation Shingle — on 22 January 1944 Photo: A Priest 105mm self-propelled gun comes ashore from a landing craft at Anzio, 22 January 1944 Battle of the AtlanticConvoy JW-56B sailed for Murmansk. Destroyer HMCS 'Huron' departed Loch Ewe as part of the close escort for a 15-ship convoy to the Kola Inlet. In the summer of 1942, all subsequent Arctic convoys to Russian sailed in the winter months, taking advantage of foul weather and reduced daylight to conceal their movements from German aerial reconnaissance. This was very successful and subsequent losses were negligible. United KingdomUS General Dwight Eisenhower ordered George Patton to take command of the US 3rd Army in Britain. Pacific WarCHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 11 P-40's and 5 P-51's strafe the newly opened Nanchang airfield, killing about 20 troops and destroying an airplane and a truck; 12 P-38's knock out bridges at Shektan and Sheklung. PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (Seventh Air Force): In the Marshall , 18 B-24's, flying from Tarawa Atoll hit targets on Kwajalein, Jaluit and Mille Atoll; 10 B-25's from Abemama hit Maloelap; 9 others, flying out of Tarawa, bomb shipping and shore installations at Wotje Atoll; 3 B-25's are lost during the day's missions; 10 Japanese aircraft are claimed shot down. SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (Thirteenth Air Force): 27 B-25's, with 90+ supporting fighters, attack Lakunai Airfield, doing considerable damage to runway and revetment areas; they claim 18 Japanese aircraft; 1 B-25 and 4 fighters are lost. 6 B-25's and 30+ B-24's pound the town of Rabaul. PACIFIC Oiler Cache (AO-67) is torpedoed by Japanese submarine RO-37 about 155 miles southeast of San Cristobal, Solomons, 12°08'S, 164°33'E. Destroyer Buchanan (DD-484) then sinks RO 37 about 130 miles east-southeast of San Cristobal, 11°47'S, 164°17'E. Submarine Tinosa (SS-283) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking merchant tankers Seinan Maru and Koshin Maru about 120 miles north of Labuan, Borneo, 07°22'N, 115°05'E. USAAF B-25s and P-38s attack Japanese shipping in Lorengau harbor, Manus, Admiralties, sinking auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 40, 01°50'S, 147°20'E, and damaging cargo vessel No.3 Kurebame Maru.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 23, 2023 4:02:37 GMT
Day 1596 of World War II, January 23rd 1944Air War over Europe Nearly 200 B-26s bombed V-weapon sites in the French coastal area. 37 RAF Mosquitos were dispatched to 6 different targets, 3 RCM sorties, 9 aircraft minelaying off Cherbourg, Brest and Le Havre. No aircraft were lost. Italian Campaign - Battle of Anzio50,000 men were now ashore at Anzio. Lucas continued to cautiously expand the beachhead against feeble resistance. Kesselring decided that his strong positions at Cassino could be maintained so long as reinforcements promised from OKW reserves arrived as scheduled. In all, eight divisions from France, northern Italy and the Balkans were on the move to Anzio. The Luftwaffe was able to hit the beachhead and landing zone with several air raids. Photo: A Sherman tank of 46th Royal Tank Regiment towing a German 155mm gun, captured by the 2nd North Staffordshire Regiment, 23 January 1944. The gun was a vintage First World War French piece The initial German response to the major threat posed the landing was to strike against shipping and hinder the Allied build-up. 135 long-range bombers were rapidly moved to Italy from northwest Germany, France and Greece including 45 aircraft that came from I. and III./LG 1 in Greece, 55 aircraft combined from II., III./KG 30 and I./KG 76 from the Western front, 5 aircraft of II./KG 100 out of southern France and 30 aircraft from the reofitting I./KG 30 and II./KG 76. Included were aircraft that had recently participated in Unternehmen Steinbock. Simultaneously, the anti-shipping force in southern France was reinforced by 50+ Do 217s and He 177s, operating from as far away as Bordeaux, using the Hs 293 bomb. The German bombers went into action and the intial anti-shipping effort was not very successful as a number of bombers were lost. A He 177 from 4./KG 40 was shot down by Beaufighters off Cape Corso. A formation of 40 to 50 German bombers was intercepted enroute to Rome by a flight of 4 Spitfires. In the battle that ensued, 6 bombers were shot down with no loss to themselves. The bomber formation turned around and never reached their target. Photo: Litter bearers bring back wounded during attempt to span the Rapido River near Cassino, Italy.” 23 January 1944 Supporting the landing with gunfire, HMS 'Jervis' and her sister ship, 'Janus', were attacked by enemy aircraft using Henschel Hs 293 glider bombs. Both were hit; 'Janus’' forward magazine exploded, sinking her with the loss of nearly 160 of her crew; 'Jervis’' bow was blown off, leaving her to be towed stern-first to safety. Astonishingly, not one of her crew were harmed in this incident, and she was able to rescue over 80 of 'Janus’' crew. The loss of the destroyer 'Janus’' was a sad blow. She and 'Jervis' had fired over 500 rounds of 4.7", of the first two days of Anzio, a figure typical of many destroyers which indicated the enormous amount of help given by these ships during those critical days in Italy. In Italy, B-17s bombed road bridges at Pontecorvo and Ceprano, railroad line and bridge at Falconara, Marittima, and marshalling yards at Poggibonsi and Siena; P-47s escorted the B-17s to the latter 2 targets; B-24s bombed Rieti Airfield, Porto Civitanova marshalling yard, and targets of opportunity, including a bridge near Cagli, marshalling yard N of Perugia, and landing strip S of Iesi; P-47s and P-38s carried out sweeps in wide areas around Rome and Florence, reaching out to Viterbo, Rieti, Orte, and Terni. B-26s bombed the area S of Avezzano while B-25s hit the town of Avezzano and road junction at Monte Cornacchia; A-20s bombed Vallecorsa with good results; A-36s attacked Vallecorsa, road junctions at Fondi and in the Priverno area, the town of Ceccano, and railroad at Sezze; P-47s bombed the bridge at Skradin, Yugoslavia; RAF Desert Air Force (DAF) fighters strafed tanks and trucks on the British Eighth Army front, and XII Air Support Command fighters covered the US Fifth Army's Anzio beachhead during the day. United StatesPhoto: The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Williamson (DD-244) underway in San Francisco Bay, California (USA), on 23 January 1944. Though recently reclassified as a destroyer, Williamson retained most of her seaplane tender configuration (ex-AVD-2) Photo: The U.S. Navy light aircraft carrier USS San Jacinto (CVL-30) underway off the U.S. East Coast on 23 January 1944, with a North American SNJ Texan training plane parked on her flight deck. The ship is painted in Camouflage Measure 33, Design 7A Pacific WarCHINA-BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 19 B-24's, in 2 waves, attack shipping at Mergui, claiming a 350-ft (107 m) vessel and 2 small boats destroyed; 6 B-25's and 16 P-38's knock out a bridge at Myittha, damage a bridge at Samon, and damage several trucks and railroad cars; 28 A-36's and P-51's and a single B-25 pound supply dumps at Kamaing and Mogaung, achieving excellent results; 16 P-40's hit Myitkyina Airfield, railroad cars at Pidaung, and a railroad bridge at Loilaw. PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (Seventh Air Force): 21 B-25's from Tarawa Atoll and Abemama hit Taroa; the B-25's claim 3 fighters shot down; 23 B-24's, flying out of Makin and Abemama bomb Wotje Atoll at dusk; 1 B-24 bombs Mille Atoll during return flight after developing engine trouble. SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (Thirteenth Air Force): 80 AAF, USN and US Marine Corps fighters support 60+ USN dive bombers in a strike on the Lakunai Airfield and Matupi Harbor area; they claim 30+ Japanese aircraft; 3 Allied fighters are lost; later, 40+ fighters sweep the Rabaul area; during the night of 23/24 Jan, 7 B-25's hit Tobera and Lakunai. 20 P-39's strafe targets of opportunity in the Shortland area. 67th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group, transfers from Woodlark to Russells with P-39's. SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, 35 B-24's, with fighter escort, bomb Wewak; 50 Japanese fighters intercept; in the ensuing air battle US aircraft claim 12 of the fighters shot down; 5 US fighters are lost lost is P-40N piloted by Crowley; P-39's strafe barges and AA positions at Uligan Harbor and on the Rai Coast, lost is P-39 piloted by McAlarney. In New Britain, A-20's hit forces and AA positions near Cape Raoult and Gasmata. B-24's hit Flores, Lesser Sunda . 25th Liaison Squadron, V Bomber Command attached to 5212th Photographic Wing (Provisional), begins moving from Brisbane, Australia to Lae, New Guinea with L-5's. Photo: Troops from the Australian 2/9th Infantry Battalion resting prior to joining the fighting to capture Shaggy Ridge, New Guinea ALASKA Photo: U.S. Navy "SeaBees" laying matting for a hangar parking area for Patrol Squadron VP-42 on Amchitka Island, Alaska (USA), on January 1944 PACIFIC PBY-5As and PV-1s, flying from Attu, bomb Japanese installations on the west and south coasts of Paramushiro. Submarine Gar (SS-206), in attack on Japanese convoy, sinks transport Taian Maru about 75 miles south of Palau, 05°45'N, 134°45'E. Submarine Snook (SS-279) sinks Japanese gunboat Magane Maru about 175 miles north-northwest of Chichi Jima, 29°49'N, 140°08'E. USAAF B-25s (14th Air Force) attack Japanese convoy off Foochow, China, sinking army cargo ship Panama Maru, 27°15'N, 120°45'E. USAAF B-24s (10th Air Force) sink Japanese cargo ship Seikai Maru in Mergui harbor, 12°26'N, 98°36'E.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 24, 2023 3:49:14 GMT
Day 1597 of World War II, January 24th 1944Eastern FrontThe 1st and 2nd Ukraine Fronts began a major offensive. The Red Army attacks in the north gathered momentum as Pushkin and Pashovsk were captured and the important rail line between Narva and Krasnogvardeisk was cut. The Soviets, having regrouped and replenished supplies opened with a fresh set of attacks south of Kiev. 1st Ukrainian Front launched a major attack on the left wing of the German 1st Panzer Army positions near Korsun. Later in the day, similar attacks began by the 2nd Ukrainian Front to the south. Zhukov was coordinating the two offensives in the hope that the Germans would be trapped in their desperate and seemingly meaningless desire to hold some part of the Dnepr River. Air War over Europe US Eighth Air Force Mission 191: 857 B-17s and B-24s were put into the air with intentions of bombing transportation and industrial targets at Frankfurt-Heddernheim, Frankfurt/Main and Russelsheim. Most bombers had trouble forming up in bad weather and only 563 of the 857 airborne were dispatched; all of the B-24s were recalled. Because of worsening weather all groups were recalled at 1020 hours but 58 B-17s bombed the Zukunft Power Station near Eschweiler; they claimed 1-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 B-17s were lost. Escorting were 101 P-38s, 535 P-47s and 42 Ninth Air Force P-51s; the fighters were assigned area patrol, protecting all bombers as they passed through their designated area but this was abandoned when the bombers were recalled; they claimed 19-4-9 Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 P-38s, 3 P-47s and 2P-51s were lost and 6 P-47s were damaged. The RAF and USAAF in the United Kingdom, agreed to place most of the available P-51s in the US Eighth Air Force for long range escort of heavy bomber's. Eventually the Eighth was to be equipped almost exclusively with P-51s, with the P-38s and P-47s to be transferred to the US Ninth Air Force. 175+ US Ninth Air Force B-26s attacked V-weapon sites in the coastal area of France. Italian CampaignThe Battle of Cassino began. The US 100th Infantry Battalion fought in the first two assaults. The rest of the US 5th Army battered itself against the Gustav line with the Free French Corps attacking Monte Santa Croce, north of Casino, and the US 2nd Corps striking across the Rapido River near Caira. Adolf Hitler ordered the Gustav Line in Italy to be held at all costs. Allied troops paused at Anzio, giving Germany time to bring up reinforcements. The beachhead was slowly expanded (now 24 miles wide and 7 miles deep) against little resistance. Photo: Sherman tanks passing through the village of Lorenzo, 24 January 1944 Luftwaffe aircraft attacked and sank the British hospital ship 'St. David' and also damaged the destroyer USS 'Plunkett' (DD-431) and minesweeper USS 'Prevail' (AM-107); an aerial torpedo damaged the destroyer USS 'Mayo' (DD-422). Capt. Jenkin Robert Oswald Thompson (b.1911), RAMC, after four years of gallant service on hospital ships, went down with the 'St. David' while trying to save a trapped patient. (George Cross). During another Luftwaffe air raid on Allied shipping at Naples, U.S. freighter SS 'F.A.C. Muhlenberg' was damaged by a bomb and by a near-miss of a bomb; the ship's crew and port firefighting crews extinguished the fires. Seven crewmen were killed. Weather canceled all US Twelfth Air Force medium and light bomber operations. In Italy, fighters maintained cover over the Anzio beachhead (Anzio and Nettuno were captured during the day) and encountered increased air attacks. 3 fighters were claimed destroyed in aerial combat, while 1 Allied fighter was lost. A formation of He 111s and Ju 88s were attacked by 4 British fighters and lost 2 He 111s and a Ju 88. P-40 fighter-bombers hit the road at Penne, while A-36s bombed Velletri and the road junction E of town, and hit other communications targets. Luftwaffe transfers to the Italian front continued. II./JG 77 transferred to Siena with 31 Bf 109s and came under the operation of Fliegerfuhrer Luftflotte 2. III./JG 53 stopped in Lagnasco with 26 Bf 109s. 2 of the Bf 109s ran into one another and another damaged its undercarriage. 9 Bf 109s then took off to join II./JG 77 at Siena. Battle of the MediterraneanUS Fifteenth Air Force B-24s bombed the airfield and town area at Skoplje, Yugoslavia. In Bulgaria, B-17s hit the marshalling yard at Vrattsa and the Dolno Tserovene area, both targets of opportunity. P-38s escorted the B-24's while P-47s accompany the B-17s. Arctic naval operationsGerman submarines attacked the Murmansk-bound convoy JW 56A. U.S. freighter SS 'Penelope Barker' was torpedoed and sunk by 'U-278' about 115 miles (185 kilometres) from North Cape, Norway. 10 merchant sailors and 5 Armed Guard men (of the 43-man merchant complement and the 28-man Armed Guard, respectively) perished in the explosions. British destroyer HMS 'Savage' rescued the survivors United StatesPhoto: The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Selfridge (DD-357) upon arrival at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California (USA), on 24 January 1944. She lost her bow after a torpedo hit during the Battle of Vella Lavella on 6 October 1943. A temporary bow was fittet at Tulagi and Noumea so that she could reach the U.S. West Coast for permanent repairs Pacific WarCHINA-BURMA-INDIA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, B-25's on sea sweeps claim sinking of a merchant ship W of Nampang , 2 freighters, a cargo-passenger vessel, and a coastal cargo boat anchored in Li-Shan Bay, and a cargo- passenger vessel at Paichuan. SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (Thirteenth Air Force): A large concentration of USAAF, USN, USMC, and RNZAF fighters support USN and USMC TBF's dive-bombing shipping in Simpson Harbor and Keravia Bay, New Britain ; several 300- to 500-ft (91 to 152 m) vessels are damaged or sunk; US aircraft claim 20+ fighters shot down. Sunmk are water tanker Koan Maru, aircraft transport Lyon Maru (previously rendered unnavigable on 17 January) and army cargo ships Taisho Maru and Yamayuri Maru, in position 04.13S, 152.11E. SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (Fifth Air Force): 40+ B-24's bomb airfields at Wewak and Boram; 50+ B-25's and P-47's hit Madang and troops in the vicinity and bomb the Hansa Bay area; 38 other B-25's attack shipping and harbor installations on Manus. HQ 22d Bombardment Group (Medium) and 19th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) transfer from Dobodura to Nadzab with B-26's. They are transitioning to B-24's and will be redesignated a Heavy unit on 3 Feb. PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (Seventh Air Force): In the Marshall , 24 A-24s from Makin supported by 12 P-39's and 7 P-40's, hit gun positions, storage areas, and barracks on Mille Atoll. In the late afternoon, 8 B-25's, staging through Makin bomb the airfield on Wotje Atoll. During the night of 24/25 Jan, 9 B-25's from Tarawa Atoll and 12 B-24's from the Ellice bomb several targets in Maloelap. 1 other B-24 bombs Mille Atoll. NEW GUINEA CAMPAIGN Japanese planes bomb U.S. shipping in Dreger Bay, damaging freighter SS John Muir with one direct hit and at least four near-misses that injure 16 men. GILBERT AND MARSHALL ISLANDS CAMPAIGN Photo: U.S. Navy Grumman F6F-3 Hellcats of Fighting Squadron 25 (VF-25) warming up on the flight deck of the light aircraft carrier USS Cowpens (CVL-25), while the carrier was operating with Task Group 58.3 during raids on the Marshall Islands, circa January 1944 Photo: The U.S. Navy heavy cruiser USS Minneapolis (CA-36) refueling at sea from the fleet oiler USS Platte (AO-24), during the Marshall Islands operation, January 1944. Platte was one of the few oilers that were fitted with a Mark 37 gun director, visible atop her bridge. Note the red navigation light on the oiler's port bridge wing. Photographed from USS Cowpens (CVL-25). Note Minneapolis' unique camouflage that should let her appear to be a destroyer PACIFIC PB4Ys damage cargo ship Ogashima Maru south of Kwajalein, 08°14'N, 168°02'E; deemed beyond salvage, Ogashima Maru is scuttled by auxiliary minesweeper No.5 Tama Maru. PB4Ys also sink auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 14 70 miles east-southeast of Eniwetok, 11°10'N, 163°25'E. USAAF B-25s bomb Japanese shipping and harbor installations at Manus, sinking transport Heiwa Maru and auxiliary minelayer Tatsu Maru, and damaging auxiliary minelayer Matsu Maru. USAAF B-25s (14th Air Force) sink Japanese ship Liu Hsing in Lishen Bay, China, 26°58'N, 120°04'E. Submarine Sturgeon (SS-187) attacks Japanese convoy in eastern approaches to Bungo Suido, sinking army cargo ship Chosen Maru, 32°28'N, 132°23'E.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 25, 2023 3:57:05 GMT
Day 1598 of World War II, January 25th 1944Eastern FrontThe attacks by Soviet forces around Korsun met serious resistance. The 1st Ukrainian Front met heavy resistance but continued to move toward Zvenigorodka. The 4th Guards and 5th Guards Tank Armies (2nd Ukrainian Front) were met with very serious resistance and suffered heavy casualties from concentrated German artillery support. The Red Army captured the railway junction at Krasnogvardeisk, south-west of Leningrad. Air War over Europe 76 RAF aircraft - 56 Stirlings, 12 Lancasters, 8 Mosquitos - attacked flying bomb sites in the Pas de Calais and near Cherbourg without loss. Nearly 150 US Ninth Air Force B-26s, airborne to bomb V-weapon sites in France, were forced to abandon the missions because of heavy clouds. During the evening, 5 US Eighth Air Force B-17s dropped 1.2 million leaflets on Caen, Reims, Chartres, Chateauroux and Brest, France without loss. Photo: Aerial photography of RAF Honington airfield, 25 January 1944 oriented north. The pre-World War II Honington Airfield is on the right, the 1st Strategic Air Depot is to the left. Note the large number of B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft parked on numerous hardstands at both the airfield and depot In an Oboe Mk II test, the Oboe equipment failed 3 minutes before the target (Aachen, Germany) and the B-17 dropped on the ETA; the B-17 was damaged by flak. 14 RAF Mosquitos also flew to Aachen, 18 OTU sorties. 1 OTU Wellington was lost. Italian CampaignGerman forces in the Casino area launched counterattacks against the Free French Corps, wiping out their gains from the previous day. Off Anzio, the motor minesweeper YMS-30 was sunk by a mine and the submarine chaser PC-676 was damaged by near-miss of a bomb. Photo: Sherman tanks of 46th Royal Tank Regiment provide fire support for the Loyal Regiment at Anzio, Italy, 25 January 1944 Photo: A Sherman tank of 46th Royal Tank Regiment fires in support of the Loyal Regiment at Anzio, 25 January 1944. A signaller can be seen using a radio in the foreground Photo: A Sherman tank of 46th Royal Tank Regiment supporting Irish Guardsmen north of Anzio, 25 January 1944 Photo: Sherman tanks pass a knocked-out German SdKfz 222 armoured car, 25 January 1944 In Italy, B-17s bombed targets of opportunity (highways and railroad bridges) at Pedaso, SE of Pedaso, at Stazione di Monte Silvano and on the Vomano River NW of Pescara; other B-17s returned bombs to base after finding targets obscured by bad weather. B-25s bombed Valmontone; B-26s hit the Sezze marshalling yard, the Sezze-Bassiano road, Amelia, and Rieti marshalling yard; A-20s attacked Terelle; A-36s hit Civita Castellana, Itri, Velletri, and railroad rolling stock in the area; P-40s hit Velletri and Belmonte in Sabina and strafe trucks E of Fondi; P-40s and P-47s hit shipping in Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia, and nearby road and rail traffic. British fighters of the RAF DAF hit bridge approaches at Popoli, near the British Eighth Army front. Battle of the AtlanticSS 'Fort Bellingham', a Canadian-owned, British-registered merchantman, was torpedoed and sunk by 'U-360', Kptlt Klaus Becker, CO, and 'U-957', OLtzS Gerhard Schaar, (Knights Cross), CO. Thirty-nine members of her crew were lost. 'Fort Bellingham' was proceeding to the Kola Inlet, Russia, as part of the 20-ship Convoy JW-56A. She and 2 other ships were sunk from this convoy. The destroyer HMS 'Obdurate' was damaged by a Gnat from 'U-360' while escorting the convoy JW-56A to North Russia. The U-boat missed the damaged destroyer with a coup de grâce. Convoy JW-56A arrived on 28 Jan 44. In total - including the U.S. freighter SS 'Penelope Barker' sunk the day before - the 3 ships' cargoes amounted to 21,650 tons of military stores. United StatesPhoto: The U.S. Navy light cruiser USS Reno (CL-96) underway off California (USA), 25 January 1944 Photo: USS Allen M. Sumner (DD-692): Delivery to the Navy - Kearny, NJ to New York Navy Yard, January 25 1944 Pacific WarCHINA-BURMA-INDIA (Fourteenth Air Force): B-25's on sweeps of the E China coast claim a patrol boat, a tanker and 2 freighters sunk S off Wenchow. PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (Seventh Air Force): 24 A-24s from Makin supported by 12 P-39's, attack gun positions on Mille Atoll; 8 B-25's from Tarawa Atoll bomb a vessel and shore targets at Taroa; later, in a dusk attack, 18 B-24's flying out of the Gilberts bomb Kwajalein Atoll, hitting runways and AA positions. 26th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 11th Bombardment Group (Heavy), transfers from Nukufetau to Tarawa Atoll with B-24's. SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (Thirteenth Air Force): 19 B-24's, following 3 which drop flares, attack Lakunai Airfield during the late evening. 106th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment), Thirteenth Air Force (attached to 42d Bombardment Group (Medium)) transfers from Guadalcanal, Solomon to Sterling , Treasury with B-25's. It will be redesignated 100th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 9 May. 419th Night Fighter Squadron, 18th Fighter Group, based on Guadalcanal, sends a detachment to Bougainville with P-70's. SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (Fifth Air Force): 50+ B-24's pound the Hansa Bay area; 37 B-25's bomb Alexishafen and Madang; and P-39's strafe barges on the Rai Coast. P-40's and A-20's hit Gasmata. 50+ B-25's bomb Lorengau, Manus and Momote. GILBERT AND MARSHALL ISLANDS CAMPAIGN Photo: USS North Carolina (BB-55) in Ms32/18d early pattern (radar is the clue). Taken by Intrepid CV-11 photographer on 25 January 1944. She received this camouflage scheme in September 1943 at Pearl Harbor. (Note the Fletcher-class Destroyer in the distance).  PACIFIC Escort carrier Sangamon (CVE-26) is damaged by fire following a TBM (VC 37) barrier crash, en route to the Marshalls. Japanese cargo ship Nanshin Maru sinks after running aground on a shoal off Miyagiken peninsula, 35°31'N, 133°09'E.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 26, 2023 3:59:21 GMT
Day 1599 of World War II, January 26th 1944Eastern FrontThe attack at Leningrad continued to move forward as Krasnogvardeisk was captured. The Germans were showing signs of collapse on this front. Slightly to the south, the Red Army opened an offensive to clear the Moscow-Leningrad rail line. Heavy fighting flared up at Tosno and Lyuban. Air War over Europe144 B-26s scheduled to bomb V-weapon sites in France were recalled because of bad weather. Italian CampaignThe US 5th Army made headway against the Gustav Line as the Free French Corps captured Colle Belvedere and the 2nd Corps finally established a secure position across the Rapido River. Off Anzio, mines sank Infantry landing craft LCI-32 and damaged tank landing ship LST-422. During a German air raid on shipping off the invasion beaches, U.S. freighter 'John Banyard' was damaged by near-miss of aerial bomb. While there were no casualties to those on board (including the 27-man Armed Guard), the ship would later be written off as a total loss. Off Nettuno, a German fighter plane crashed into freighter 'Hilary A. Herbert' shortly before the freighter was further damaged by the near-miss of a bomb. Beached to prevent her loss, 'Hilary A. Herbert' was later repaired and returned to service. In Italy, A-20s attacked Cisterna di Latina, toward which the US Fifth Army's VI Corps was moving; A-36s and P-40s flew harassing attacks against roads and railroads, bombing at Belmonte in Sabina, Cisterna, Itri, Ceccano, Frosinone, Poggio Mirteto and at points around these towns; A-36s destroyed a fuel dump and several trucks and artillery caissons in the Ceprano-Priverno area. Arctic naval operationsGerman submarines continued attacks against Murmansk- bound convoy JW 56A. Ten U-boats attacked the convoy, sinking three merchant ships. 'U-716' fired a spread of three FAT torpedoes on the convoy JW-56A, heard two hits and reported one ship with 7000 tons sunk and another of 7000 tons damaged. In fact, only the 'Andrew G. Curtin' in station #61 was hit by one torpedo on the starboard side between the #2 and #3 holds. The watch below secured the engines as the ship settled by the head and listed to starboard. The deck cracked forward of the #3 hold and extended across the vessel. As the Liberty ship sank, the crack widened and the bow soon hogged about 25°. The complement of eight officers, 35 men and 28 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 5in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns) abandoned ship in some confusion in one raft and four lifeboats aft of the crack. Two crewmembers drowned and one armed guard died in the explosion. The survivors observed the 'Andrew G. Curtin' breaking in two before sinking. In less than 30 minutes, HMS 'Inconstant' picked up the survivors and landed them later in Murmansk. The USS PTC-39 was on transfer from the USA to North Russia aboard the 'Andrew G. Curtin' and was lost. During operations against the convoy 'U-360' and 'U-601' collided, resulting in slight damage to both boats. Battle of the Indian OceanU.S. freighter Walter Camp is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-532 at 10°00'N, 71°40'E; all hands (40 merchant crew, 28 Armed Guards and one passenger) survive. British light cruiser HMS Danae rescues them four and a half days later. United StatesPhoto: The U.S. Navy light cruiser USS Houston (CL-81) underway off the U.S. East Coast, 26 January 1944. She is painted in Camouflage Measure 32, Design 1d The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Taylor (DD-468) in San Francisco Bay, California (USA), on 26 January 1944 Photo: A U.S. Army Air Forces Bell P-59 Airacomet at the Naval Air Test Center Patuxent River, Maryland (USA), on 26 January 1944 Pacific WarCHINA-BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force) In Burma, 15 B-24's bomb Maungdaw; 7 B-25's and 3 fighters hit a camp at Razabil and attack targets of opportunity between Maungdaw and Buthidaung. CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 18 P-40's from Kunming bomb and strafe the airfield and barracks at Kengtung. PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (Seventh Air Force): 9 B-25's from Makin hit several targets in Maloelap; about 20 fighters attack the formation; 12 P-40's, meeting the returning B-25's over Aur Atoll, join the battle against the fighters, claiming 10+ destroyed; the B-25's claim 5 shot down; several more are destroyed on the ground or while taking off during the bombing raid. 9 B-25's from Tarawa Atoll hit Aineman in Jaluit Atoll, and nearby shipping. GILBERT AND MARSHALL ISLANDS CAMPAIGN Carrier planes from Task Force 58 bomb targets in the Marshall Islands prior to invasion. Photo: View of a collision of the U.S. Navy escort carriers USS Sangamon (CVE-26) and USS Suwannee (CVE-27) on 26 January 1944. Having completed fueling two destroyers, Sangamon resumed zigzagging and commenced a 40-degree turn to port. Suwannee, about 1700 meters off the Sangamon's port side, started a starboard turn to conducting flight operations. When the ships began to run on converging courses, both carriers tried to slow. As they alomost lost all speed, they scraped bow to bow and only superficial damage occured SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (Thirteenth Air Force): 80+ Allied fighters cover a strike by 50+ USN dive bombers on the Lakunai area AA positions and revetments; 3 Allied fighters are lost; 20+ Japanese airplanes are claimed shot down. SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (Fifth Air Force): 42 B-24's bomb Momote and Lorengau, Manus. 140+ B-24's, A-20's, P-39's, and P-40's hit the Alexishafen-Madang area. 18 B-25's bomb Bogia village. On New Britain , A-20's hit the Cape Raoult area and P-40's strafe barges along the N coast. 26th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, transfers from Brisbane, Australia to Dobodura, New Guinea with F-5's; first mission is 10 Feb. NEW GUINEA CAMPAIGN TG 74.2 (Rear Admiral Russell S. Berkey), consisting of two light cruisers and three destroyers, bombards Japanese installations in Madang-Alexischafen area of New Guinea. Photo: The U.S. Navy light cruiser USS Boise (CL-47) shelling the coast during the Madang-Alexishafen bombardment of 25-26 January 1944. This view looks forward on the starboard side from the midships 20mm gun gallery. Note tracers, which appear several feet in front of gun muzzles. Those from the four starboard side 5/25 guns have a higher trajectory than the tracers fired from the forward 6/47 gun turrets. Tracers from the 6-inch guns appear to wobble slightly PACIFIC Motor torpedo boat PT-110 is sunk by depth charge explosion following collision with motor torpedo boat PT-114, Ablingi Harbor, New Britain, 06°17'S, 150°09'E; PT-114 is damaged. Submarine Crevalle (SS-291) sinks Japanese gunboat Busho Maru in South China Sea, about 175 miles southeast of Cape St. Jacques, French Indochina, 08°30'N, 109°10'E. Submarine Hake (SS-256) sinks Japanese auxiliary netlayer Shuko Maru off Ambon, N.E.I., 05°50'N, 126°00'E. Submarine Skipjack (SS-184) sinks Japanese destroyer Suzukaze 140 miles northwest of Ponape, Carolines, 09°00'N, 157°27'E, and transport Okitsu Maru 150 miles northwest of Ponape, 09°22'N, 157°26'E. British submarine HMS Templar damages Japanese light cruiser Kitakami southwest of Penang, Malaya, 04°54'N, 98°28'E.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 27, 2023 7:14:08 GMT
Day 1600 of World War II, January 27th 1944Eastern FrontThe blockade of Leningrad was lifted. This continued for 872 days and took the lives of over a million people. The news was announced by General Govorov, the planner and commander of the onslaught which drove the Germans away from the beleaguered city. In an order of the day he announced: "The city of Leningrad has been completely freed from the enemy blockade and the barbaric artillery shelling."Leningrad suffered grievous damage. Many of its fine buildings were destroyed by shelling and bombing. In the occupied southern suburbs the retreating Germans looted and set fire to buildings, and left the bodies of partisans hanging from the trees. Now, as they celebrated their release, their liberators werer rushing on to the west in great strength, outnumbering Field Marshal von Kuchler's weakened Army Group North in men, arms and aircraft. The Red Army was now approaching the German defence zone codenamed "Panther", which ran south from the Gulf of Finland, along the river Narva and the banks of Lakes Peipus and Pskovskoye, to the town of Ostrov. The Germans were beginning to collapse as Tosno and Valosovo both fell to Red Army advances. The battle around Korsun continued to rage as the 2nd Ukrainian Front captured the important road junction at Shpola. Fighting on the northern side of the bulge was heavy and 1st Ukrainian front made limited advances. Air War over EuropeChurchill laid down two priorities for Bomber Command: first to bomb targets on the continent, and second, to drop supplies to resistance fighters. In France, US Fifteenth Air Force B-17s bombed airfields at Salon-de-Provence and Montpellier-Frejorgues; B-24s hit Istres-Le-Tube Airfield; P-38s flew escort. 515 RAF Lancasters and 15 Mosquitos were dispatched to Berlin. The German fighters were committed to action earlier than normal, some being sent out 75 miles over the North Sea from the Dutch coast. A number of elaborate feints and diversions had some effect; Half of the German fighters were lured north by a Heligoland mining diversion and action in the main bomber stream was less intense than on recent nights. 33 Lancasters were lost, 6.4 per cent of the heavy force. The target was cloud-covered again and skymarking had to be used. Bomber Command was not able to make any assessment of the raid except to state that the bombing appeared to have been spread well up and down wind. The bombers dropped 1887 tons of ordnance, again inflicting severe losses on the city's population. Estimates were that 6000 people perished in the attack. Extensive RAF operations were carried out in support of the Berlin raid. 80 Stirlings and Wellingtons flew to the Dutch coast and laid mines there, 21 Halifaxes did the same near Heligoland, both hoping to draw the German fighters up early. 9 aircraft flew RCM sorties and 12 Mosquitos flew Serrate patrols. 18 Mosquito-bomber aircraft dropped imitation 'fighter flares' away from the main bomber routes to and from the target. 140 aircraft were thus engaged in various operations in support of the main raid. 1 Stirling minelayer was lost. Italian CampaignThe Free French Corps was once again hit by serious German counterattacks and was pushed back. German air opposition to the landings at Anzio began to increase; submarine chaser SC-534 was damaged by a near- miss of a bomb. Adverse weather conditions caused damage to one large infantry landing craft (LCI[L]) and eleven tank landing craft (LCT). In Italy, B-25s attacked roads at Velletri, the railway at Colleferro and marshalling yard at Orte; B-26s bombed bridges at Ceprano and marshalling yard at Terni; A-20s gave close support to the US Fifth Army attack near Terelle; A-36s bombed railways and buildings at Poggio Mirteto, Ceccano, and Ciampino, hit rail and road traffic S of Rome, and, with P-40s, hit the town of Piedimonte; 70+ P-40s provided close support to Fifth Army forces in Cisterna di Latina and Atina, bombing gun positions; Allied fighters over the Anzio beachhead successfully met increased enemy air effort, claiming 28 aircraft downed in aerial combat. Liberia The government of Liberia declared war on Germany and Japan. United KingdomPhoto: A concrete caisson or 'Phoenix', part of the Mulberry artificial harbour for D-Day, under construction, 27 January 1944 Pacific WarPACIFIC OCEAN AREA (Seventh Air Force): 6 B-25's from Tarawa Atoll hit Nauru, and 9 staging through Makin hit Wotje Atoll, Marshall ; 23 A-24s, supported by 10 P-39's, pound Mille Atoll; and 7 B-24's, staging through Makin bomb Taroa in a dusk attack. SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (Thirteenth Air Force): 19 B-25's, with and escort of 60+ AAF and USN fighters, pound Lakunai Airfield; 6 US fighters are lost; US aircraft claim 20+ Japanese fighters shot down. On Bougainville , P-39's ranging over a wide area, strafe targets of opportunity at Motupena, Gazelle Harbor, and Buka . 2 squadrons of B-24's blast concentrations at Sulphur Creek in the Rabaul area of New Britain . 72d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy), based at Munda, New Georgia ceases operating from Guadalcanal with B-24's. SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (Fifth Air Force): 41 B-24's bomb Lorengau, Manus . Almost 70 B-25's, A-20's, and P-39's, along with several RAAF aircraft attack the Madang and Bogia areas. B-24's hit a freighter and the town area at Dili and shipping at Sorong and MacCluer Gulf. 39th Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, transfers from Nadzab to Gusap with P-47's. GILBERT AND MARSHALL ISLANDS CAMPAIGN Photo: The U.S. Navy battleship USS Indiana (BB-58) steaming with Task Force 58.1 on 27 January 1944, en route to attack Taroa Island airfield, Maloelap Atoll, Marshall Islands Photo: The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Ingersoll (DD-652) en route to a strike on Taroa Island airfield, Marshall Islands, viewed from a plane from USS Enterprise (CV-6), 27 January 1944 PACIFIC Submarine Swordfish (SS-193), in attack on Japanese convoy about 130 miles south of Tokyo Bay, sinks gunboat Kasagi Maru, 33°31'N, 139°36'E. Submarine Thresher (SS-200) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking transport Kosei Maru and merchant cargo ship Kikuzuki Maru about 70 miles southwest of Formosa, 22°11'N, 119°12'E.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 28, 2023 15:11:10 GMT
Day 1601 of World War II, January 28th 1944YouTube (Anzio Begins - Allies Already Pinned Down)Eastern FrontThe Korsun Pocket was formed: The spearheads of the Soviet 1st and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts linked up as forward elements of the 6th Tank Army and 5th Guards Tank Army entered Zvenigorodka. 56,000 Germans from the 11th and 42nd Corps (8th Army) were trapped in the salient at Korsun. Hitler insisted that the now surrounded positions on the Dnepr River be held and forbid a breakout attempt. Von Manstein, commanding Heeresgruppe South, began to assemble an armored force to break into the encircled troops. Red Army attacks in the north gained momentum as the German 18.Armee was ordered to abandon positions held since the fall of 1941 and retreat to the Luga River line. Soviet forces took Lyugan. Air War over EuropeUS Eighth Air Force Mission 195: 54 B-24s in 2 groups were dispatched to the Bonnieres V-weapon site in France; 2 Gee-H equipped PFF aircraft led each group; due to technical difficulties, the second formation was ordered to follow the lead and bombed the same target as a secondary; 4 minutes before the target the leader of one section accidentally released and the following 11 aircraft did likewise; 31 hit the primary; 1 B-24 was damaged. 122 P-47s provided escort without loss. Gee-H was more accurate than H2X but was of use only against targets within the 200-mi (320 km) beacon range; later, aircraft were equipped with both devices. During the evening, 5 B-17s dropped 1.36 million leaflets on Amiens, Rouen, Cambrai, Reims and Caen, France without loss. 677 RAF aircraft - 432 Lancasters, 241 Halifaxes, 4 Mosquitos were again sent to Berlin. Part of the German fighter force was drawn up by early diversions and the bomber approach route over Northern Denmark proved too distant for some of the other German fighters. The German controller was, however, able to concentrate his fighters over the target and many aircraft were shot down there. 46 aircraft - 26 Halifaxes, 20 Lancasters - were lost, 6.8 per cent of the force. The cloud over Berlin was broken and some ground-marking was possible but the Bomber Command claim that this was the most concentrated attack of this period is not quite fully confirmed by German records. The western and southern districts were hit but so too were 77 places outside the city. 63 RAF Stirlings and 4 Pathfinder Halifaxes carried out minelaying in Kiel Bay 5 hours before the main Berlin operation; this was the first time that Pathfinder aircraft helped a minelaying operation. 6 Mosquitos bombed Berlin 4 hours before the main attack and 18 Mosquitos bombed night-fighter airfields at Deelen, Leeuwarden and Venlo. 4 Mosquitos carried out a diversionary raid to Hannover and 6 more Mosquitos flew Serrate patrols at the same time as the main raid. 2 Stirling minelayers and 1 Serrate Mosquito were lost from these operations. 16 OTU Wellingtons carried out leaflet flights to France without loss. During the night, 1 US Eighth Air Force B-17 on an Oboe Mk II test dropped 2 tons of bombs on Emmerich, Germany. Italian CampaignOff Anzio, motor torpedo boat PT-201 - that has Lieutenant General Mark Clark, Commanding General of the U.S. Fifth Army, on board - was damaged by friendly fire from minesweeper 'Sway' (AM-120); submarine chaser SC-534 was damaged by near-miss of a bomb. In Italy, US Fifteenth Air Force B-17s, with fighter escorts, bombed Aviano Airfield and Verona marshalling yard; B-24s hit the marshalling yard at Ferrara. US Twelfth Air Force B-25s attacked the Orte marshalling yard; B-26s hit bridges at Orvieto and Montalto di Castro; A-20s bombed Cisterna di Latina with good results; P-40s and P-47s bombed the Popoli road junction, and A-36s hit railroad, road, and gun positions in the Cassino-Vicenza-Velletri areas, the Colleferro marshalling yard, and Atina town area; P-40s hit Terelle, Belmonte in Sabina, and Cisterna; Allied fighters over the Anzio area claimed 21 aircraft shot down. Battle of the Atlantic'U-271' was sunk west of Limerick, by depth charges from a US Consolidated PB4Y-1 Liberator aircraft (VB-103/E, based in St. Eval, Cornwall under operational control of RAF No. 19 (General Reconnaissance) Group, RAF Coastal Command). The PB4Y crew caught 'U-271' on the surface and dropped six depth charges causing the sub to settle by the stern and sink. 51 dead (all hands lost). 'U-571' was sunk west of Ireland, by depth charges from an Australian Shorts Sunderland MKIII aircraft (RAAF-Sqdn 461/D, out of Pembroke Dock, Wales). 52 dead (all hands lost). Unlike many U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, 'U-571' did not suffer any casualties until the time of her loss. United Kingdom Photo: 79th Armoured Division Churchill AVREs with fascines and Churchill bridgelayer loaded into a landing craft, Saxmundham-Ipswich area, 28 January 1944 Photo: Sherman tanks, a Churchill AVRE with fascine and a Churchill bridgelayer of 79th Armoured Division loaded into a landing craft, Saxmundham-Ipswich area, 28 January 1944 Pacific WarPACIFIC OCEAN AREA (Seventh Air Force): 9 B-25's, staging through Makin bomb Taroa; B-24's, staging through Tarawa and Makin and taking off at varying intervals, carry out several hours of strikes against Wotje, Kwajalein, Maloelap, and Jaluit Atolls. SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (Thirteenth Air Force): AAF and USN fighters support a USN dive-bomber attack on targets in the Rabaul area; 5 P-38's are lost; Allied aircraft claim about 30 aircraft shot down; at Lakunai Airfield, one of the targets, 20-30 parked aircraft are destroyed and several AA positions are destroyed or damaged; and 25 B-25's, covered by 12 P-38's, pound Tobera Airfield. 16 P-39's strafe the Shortland area. HQ 307th Bombardment Group transfers from Guadalcanal to Munda, New Georgia. 424th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 307th Bombardment Group (Heavy), based on Guadalcanal with B-24's begins operating from Munda, New Georgia. (13th Air Force) USAAF B-24 and USN PBYs sink Japanese transport Neikai Maru south of Kavieng, 03°45'S, 150°38'E; midget submarine Ha.49, carried on board Neikai Maru, is lost as well. SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (Fifth Air Force): B-25's attack targets of opportunity from Bogia to Cape Croisilles. A-20's attack in the Cape Gloucester area; P-40's hit Hoskins Airfield; and P-39's strafe barges in Rein Bay. HQ 417th Bombardment Group and 672d, 673d, 674th and 675th Bombardment Squadrons arrive at Cape Sudest, New Guinea from the US with A-20's; first mission is 27 Mar. PACIFIC Submarine Bowfin (SS-287) damages Japanese oiler Kamoi off Makassar, N.E.I., 03°25'S, 118°15'E.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 29, 2023 9:09:29 GMT
Day 1602 of World War II, January 29th 1944Eastern FrontSoviet forces cleared the important railway line between Moscow and Leningrad. General Model replaced Field Marshal von Kuchler as commander of Germany's Heeresgruppe North. Hitler, incensed over Kuchler's orders allowing 18.Armee to retreat from the vicinity of Leningrad before it was surrounded, replaced the commander of Heeresgruppe North with General Model. Model's new command continued to collapse as the Volkhov Front took Chudovo and 2nd Baltic Front overran Novosokolniki. Continuation WarPhoto: 3 Arado planes in formation flight. (Arado Ar 66 school machines in the picture). Shooting location: Malmi airport Air War over Europe80+ US Ninth Air Force B-26s bombed V-weapon sites in coastal France. Because of the transfer of so many Luftwaffe bombers to the Med, General Peltz who was in charge of the 'Steinbock' attacks, was only able to use 35 He 177s for operations against England. This night a total of 285 bombers were dispatched against London. US Eighth Air Force Mission 198: Led by PFF aircraft, 675 B-17s and 188 B-24s were dispatched to hit the industrial area at Frankfurt, Germany; 590 B-17s and 170 B-24s hit the primary target; 46 B-17s bombed Ludwigshafen due to a deviation from planned bomb route; they claimed 75-27-48 Luftwaffe aircraft; 24 B-17s and 5 B-24s were lost, 2 B-17s and 3 B-24s were damaged beyond repair and 116 B-17s and 19 B-24s were damaged. This was first Eighth Air Force mission in which more than 700 aircraft attacked targets. Escort was 89 P-38s, 503 P-47s and 40 Ninth Air Force P-51s; they claimed 47-6-14 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 P-38s and 10 P-47s were lost, 1 P-38 was damaged beyond repair and 3 P-38s and 1 P-47 were damaged. Raimund Koch of III./JG 3 shot down a B-17 near Kaiserlautern but his plane suffered damaged and he was forced to bail and survive. Bruno Bolowski, also from III./JG 3 was hit bt return fire from a B-17 near Scharzerden. Bolowski lost control and crashed into the Fortress, flown by Lee E. Anthony and both machines crashed to the ground. Bolowski was found 2 says later hanging dead from a tree. Italian CampaignWith his entire command (69,000 troops, 240 tanks, 500 guns) now ashore, Lucas made plans to break out of the Anzio beachhead. Regrettably, the Germans massed 8 divisions (grouped under the 14.Armee) against him. To the south, the US 2nd Corps made some progress in expanding their positions across the Rapido River. The cruiser HMS 'Spartan' was anchored in Anzio Bay to provide air defence for the amphibious landings. As night fell, approximately 35 minutes after sunset, the invasion force was subjected to a German glider bomb attack. Four enemy aircraft, flying at about 5,000 feet and a few miles inland made the attack. 'Spartan' was one of those targeted and engaged the aircraft when an Hs.293 glider bomb hit close to her aft funnel at 17.56 and started fires which could not be controlled. The bomb was engaged at close range by anti-aircraft fire and it was at first thought that the bomb would miss astern. However, the weapon altered course during the final stage of its approach and struck the ship at the after end of B funnel. A large fire broke out at the point of impact. The projectile passed through the ship and exploded on the port side, immediately flooding B boiler room. A secondary fire broke out by the port torpedo tubes. By 1900 the ship was listing 30 degrees and, shortly afterwards, the order was given to abandon ship. The list increased to 35 degrees and 'Spartan' sank at 1915, in six fathoms of water. For an hour the crew fought to save her before the order was given to abandon ship. Ten minutes later she settled on her beam in just over 30 feet of water, taking 5 officers and 41 ratings with her. There were 18 other casualties, and 523 survivors. The rescue tug ATR-1 was damaged by a near-miss of bomb. The freighter 'Alexander Martin' was damaged by strafing but there were no fatalities among the ship's complement (including the 24-man Armed Guard). Off Nettuno, freighter 'Samuel Huntington' was sunk by bombs; three merchant sailors died in the explosions, one would die of his wounds later. Her survivors were rescued by tank landing craft LCT-277. There were no casualties among the 39-man Armed Guard; the ship would later be written off as a total loss. In Italy, B-24s bombed the Siena marshalling yard through overcast; B-17s bombed marshalling yards at Ancona, Fabriano, Rimini, and Bologna; P-47s swept over the Rome and Florence areas. B-25s bombed San Benedetto de Marsi marshalling yard; B-26s hit bridges N of Rome; P-47s bombed a munitions factory at Bussi sul Tirino; P-40s and A-36s, in support of US Fifth Army forces, bombed positions in the Anzio beachhead area and hit enemy forward road and rail communications; fighters on patrol over Anzio met little air opposition. Photo: Supermarine Spitfire Mk IXs of No. 241 Squadron RAF return to their base at Madna, south-east of Campomarino, Italy, after a weather reconnaissance sortie over the Anzio beachhead, 29 January 1944 United States Photo: The U.S. Navy transport USS General J.R. Brooke (AP-132) off the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, California (USA), on 29 January 1944 Pacific WarCHINA-BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 13 B-24's, supported by 16 P-38's, bomb gasoline plants at Yenangyaung, causing large fires; 1 B-24 later bombs Akyab; 6 B-25's attack bridges at Meza and Pyintha, damaging the former and blasting railroad approaches to the latter. GILBERT AND MARSHALL ISLANDS CAMPAIGN Four groups of Task Force 58 (Rear Admiral M. A. Mitscher), opened the campaign to capture the Marshalls with heavy air attacks on Maloelap, Kwajalein, and Wotje. On the first day the defending enemy air forces were eliminated and complete control of the air was maintained by carrier aircraft during the entire operation. Photo: The U.S. Navy attack transport USS Sheridan (APA-51) and other attack transports en route to Kwajalein, circa in late January 1944 PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (Seventh Air Force): As a US invasion force approaches the Marshalls, B-24's, attacking from bases in the Gilberts maintain day and night attacks (both multiple-plane missions and single-plane attacks at intervals) against Maloelap, Jaluit, Aur, Wotje, and Mille Atolls. 9 B-25's from Tarawa Atoll also carry out a strike against shipping and shore installations at Wotje. 18 A-24s, supported by 12 P-40's, hit Jaluit. 12 P-39's, operating in flights of 4 aircraft, patrol and strafe Mille all day to deny the use of the airfield to the enemy. SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (Thirteenth Air Force): About 60 Allied fighters cover a strike by 40 USN dive bombers on Tobera, lost is TBF Avenger 47748; Lakunai Airfield is pounded by 19 B-24's, escorted by P-38's and USN fighters; at Tobera and Lakunai, Allied aircraft claim 20+ Japanese shot down. SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (Fifth Air Force): 40+ B-25's bomb Bogia and Nubia landing grounds, New Guinea. 45 A-20's hit positions in the Cape Gloucester area. Ground looped at Finschafen is B-17E "Yankee Diddl'er" 41-2458. MIDWAY Photo: Fourteen U.S. Navy Consolidated PB2Y-5 Coronado planes of patrol squadrons VP-13 and VP-102 anchored in the submarine basin at Sand Island, Midway Atoll, on 29 January 1944. These aircraft carried out four bombing raids on Wake Island between 30 January and 9 February 1944. 50 tons of ordnance were dropped without sustaining any casualties PACIFIC Submarine Bowfin (SS-287) lays mines off southeastern coast of Borneo. Submarine Tambor (SS-198) attacks Japanese convoy in the Nansei Shoto, sinking merchant cargo ship Shuntai Maru north of Okinawa, 27°51'N, 128°24'E. During Japanese bombing raid on U.S. shipping off Cape Cretin, New Guinea, freighter George Sterling is damaged by near-miss, 06°41'S, 147°52'E. There are no fatalities among complement (including the 26-man Armed Guard).
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jan 30, 2023 3:50:24 GMT
Day 1603 of World War II, January 30th 1944Air War over Europe534 RAF aircraft - 440 Lancasters, 82 Halifaxes, 12 Mosquitos - returned to Berlin. There were no preliminary diversions on this night and the attempt by the German controllers to intercept the bomber stream over the sea failed. The bombers were, therefore, well on the way to Berlin before meeting any fighters but the Germans were then able to follow the bomber stream until well into the return flight. 33 aircraft - 32 Lancasters and 1 Halifax - were lost, 6.2 per cent of the force. 22 RAF Mosquitos went to Elberfeld and 5 to Brunswick, 8 RCM sorties, 7 Serrate patrols, 12 Stirlings minelaying in the River Gironde, 22 OTU sorties. No losses. US Eighth Air Force Mission 200: 623 B-17s and 154 B-24s were dispatched to hit aviation industry plants in Brunswick, Germany but cloud cover prevented visual bombing; 597 B-17s hit the secondary target, the city of Brunswick and 2 others hit targets of opportunity; the B-24s found dense smoke and contrails over the secondary and 104 bombed Hannover and 39 hit other targets of opportunity; the bombers claimed 51-7-27 Luftwaffe aircraft; 18 B-17s and 2 B-24s were lost, 3 B-17s were damaged beyond repair and 104 B-17s and 11 B-24s were damaged. Escort included 635 P-38s, P-47s and Ninth Air Force P-51s; they claimed 45-15-31 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 P-38s and 2 P-47s were lost, 2 P-38s, 3 P-47s and 2 P-51s were damaged. Air Ministry head Charles Portal replied to a letter from Bomber Command head Arthur Harris, that Bomber Command must comply with orders that his bombers be used for operation Overlord. Italian CampaignLucas' offensive out of the Anzio beachhead opened with a disaster. Darby's Rangers (1st, 3rd and 4th Ranger Battalions) were ordered to spearhead a night attack against the key German position at Cisterna. The attack went badly as the infiltration groups (1st and 3rd battalions) broke into separate groups in the confusing terrain. Upon reaching the town, the Rangers were brought under a horrific fire. The Germans brought forward the tanks of newly reformed Herman Goring Panzerdivision. The 1st and 3rd Rangers were cut off and pushed into a small perimeter. They fought throughout the day but lacked heavy weapons, and ammunition to prolong the battle. By the evening, they surrendered or were dead. All but 6 of the 767 men from the two battalions were lost. Map: Allied plan of attack and force dispositions at Cisterna 30 January 1944 Heavy fighting continued along the Gustav Line as the US 34th Division held its bridgehead over the Rapido River against counterattacks while the British 50th Division (10th Corps) took Monte Natale. Photo: Front view of 240mm howitzer of Battery `B', 697th Field Artillery Battalion, just before firing into German held territory. Mignano area, Italy. January 30, 1944 In Italy, B-17s hit airfields and landing grounds at Villaorba, Maniago and Lavariano; B-24s bombed Udine Airfield and Fier radar station; P-38s escorted the B-17s on the Villaorba and Maniago missions and P-38s and some RAF Spitfires escorted the B-24s on the Udine mission; P-47s carried out a sweep over the Villaorba area; the B-24s and fighters claimed 60+ aircraft shot down and a larger number destroyed on the ground. B-25s hit road junctions at Valmontone and Genzano di Roma, and bombed the town of Monte Compatri; weather cancelled all B-26 operations and several B-25 missions. A-20s hit the town of and road junction near Cori, and XII Air Support Command fighter-bombers hit Sora; US and RAF fighters hit barges and fishing boats off Zara and Trojica, Yugoslavia; fighters on patrol over Anzio met no air opposition. Battle of the AtlanticU-Boat attacks were conducted againt the convoy JW.56B south of Bear Island, Norway. Whilst escorting the convoy, the destroyer HMS 'Hardy' was struck by a torpedo fired by 'U-278' (Kapitanleutnant Joachim Franze) and her magazine exploded. There were 40 casualties. 'U-957' had fired two Gnats at the escorts of the Convoy JW-56B and heard two detonations, which were claimed by Schaar as hits on two destroyers, but they were end-of-run detonations. At 0357, 'U-278' had fired a Gnat that struck HMS 'Hardy'. This hit was observed and claimed by 'U-957' and also by 'U-472', which had fired a Gnat at 0357 hours, but missed KNM 'Stord'. At 0420, 'U-957' fired a spread of three FAT torpedoes at two corvettes, which laid stopped (probably the destroyer HMS 'Venus' rescuing survivors from the torpedoed destroyer HMS 'Hardy') and heard one detonation after four minutes, but no destroyer had been hit at this time. 'Hardy' had been seriously damaged and had to be sunk by a coup de grâce by HMS 'Venus'. This detonation was heard by 'U-601', which thought that her Gnat, fired at 0524 had hit this destroyer. The U-boat then crossed the sinking position of 'Hardy' and sighted an oil slick and debris. 'U-314' (Type VIIC) was sunk in the Barents Sea southeast of Bear Island, Norway, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS 'Whitehall' and 'Meteor'. 49 dead (all crew lost). Pacific WarCHINA-BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 6 B-25's attack bridges at Meza, Zawchaung, and N of Kyungon; Meza bridge is put out of commission, Kyungon bridge demolished, and Zawchaung bridge damaged; a locomotive and tender are destroyed at the latter target; and a single B-25 attacks vehicles and other targets of opportunity between Taihpa Ga and Tsumhpawng Ga. CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 20 P-40's fly armed reconnaissance over E Burma. 8 of them strafe buildings at Loi wing Airfield, Burma. SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (Thirteenth Air Force): 20 P-39's attack Kunrai, Bougainville. 26 B-25's, with large fighter cover, bomb Lakunai Airfield; 18 B-24's, supported by fighters, hit Vunakanau Airfield; 50 Allied fighters support a USN dive bomber strike on shipping in the Rabaul area; altogether 20+ Japanese fighters are claimed shot down. SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (Fifth Air Force): 34 B-25's bomb the Hansa Bay area and Nubia. A-20's fly a barge sweep along the N coast and P-39's strafe barges and fuel dumps at Rein Bay. 90th Bombardment Squadron, 3d Bombardment Group , transfers from Dobodura to Nadzab with A-20's. JAPANESE OCCUPIED WAKE ISLAND PB2Ys (VP 13, VP 102) from Midway Island carry out nocturnal bombing raid on Wake Island to neutralize Japanese airfield installations there that could threaten the imminent Marshalls operations. Motor torpedo boats Gyoraitei No.5 and Gyoraitei No.6 are sunk during the raid. The strike marks the first time that Coronados are used as bombers. GILBERT AND MARSHALL ISLANDS CAMPAIGN (Seventh Air Force): In the Marshall , P-40's and P-39's maintain patrols over Mille Atoll, bombing and strafing the airfield to prevent its use by the enemy against invading US forces; B-24's maintain all-night strikes against Kwajalen Atoll in preparation for the invasion the following morning; the invasion of Majuro begins during the night of 30/31 Jan. Photo: Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, photographed from a U.S. aircraft on 30 January 1944, before it was wrecked by pre-invasion bombardment. Note the many buildings and the pier (with a "hammerhead" crane) of the Japanese base there. Roi Island is in the far upper left. Virtually everything seen here was destroyed in the next few days During preinvasion bombardment of Wotje, Marshalls, destroyer Anderson (DD-411) is damaged by shore battery, 09°33'N, 170°18'E. SBDs and F6Fs from TG 52.8, comprising carriers Enterprise (CV-6), Yorktown (CV-10) and Bunker Hill (CV- 17) and small carrier Belleau Wood (CVL-24) sink Japanese auxiliary submarine chasers Cha 18 and Cha 21 at Kwajalein Atoll, Marshalls; auxiliary submarine chasers Cha 14, Cha 19, and Cha 28 at Mili; and damage cargo vessel Katsura Maru at Eniwetok. Destroyer Phelps (DD-360) subsequently finishes off the crippled enemy merchantman. Battleships Washington (BB 55), Indiana (BB 58) and Massachusetts (BB 59) and destroyers Ingersoll (DD- 652), Knapp (DD-653), Caperton (DD-650), and Cogswell (DD-651) bombard Japanese installations at Kwajalein. Battleship North Carolina (BB 55) sinks transport Eiko Maru off west coast of Roi, 09°10'N, 167°20'E. Destroyer Burns (DD-588) sinks Japanese transport Akibasan Maru and guardboat Nichiei Maru off Ujae Atoll, Marshalls. NEW GUINEA CAMPAIGN Navy SBDs and TBFs, supported by Allied fighters, bomb Japanese shipping at Rabaul, sinking water supply ship Iwata Maru and damaging auxiliary vessel Juzan Maru, 04°12'S, 152°12'E. TG 31.8 (four destroyers, three high speed transports, and two motor torpedo boats) lands 30th New Zealand Battalion and U.S. Navy personnel on the Green Islands, north of Bougainville, to locate areas suitable for airstrips and landing beaches. The reconnoitering force is recovered the next day. PACIFIC Submarine Seahorse (SS-304) attacks Japanese convoy on the Palau-Rabaul track, sinking army cargo ship Toko Maru southeast of Palau, 06°10'N, 138°14'E. Submarine Spearfish (SS-190) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking transport Tamashima Maru about 400 miles north- northeast of Saipan, 21°15'N, 149°18'E.
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