World War II in real time

Day 1889 of World War II, November 12th 1944

Western Front (1944) - Liberation of France

Map: HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map, November 12th 1944



Photo: Two color guards and color bearers of the Japanese-American 442d Combat Team, stand at attention, while their citations are read. They are standing on ground in the Bruyeres area, France, where many of their comrades fell, 12 November 1944



Air War over Europe

(US Eighth Air Force): The operational tour of duty for fighter pilots is set at 270 hours.

(US Ninth Air Force): Weather prevents operations by the 9th Bombardment Division; fighter operations are limited but IX and XIX Tactical Air Command's fly patrols and armed reconnaissance in W Germany and along the French-German border. In France, the 404th Fighter Squadron, 371st Fighter Group, based at Tavaux Airfield, Dole begins operating from Dijon with P-47s.

Italian campaign

(US Fifteenth Air Force):In Italy, 107 fighter-escorted B-24s strike at bridges at Ora, Albes, and Mezzocorona, a viaduct at Avisio, plus the alternate target of Casarsa della Delizia railroad bridges and targets of opportunity in NE Italy including the Latisana railroad bridge and an airfield to the N.

(US Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, bad weather grounds medium bombers; fighter-bombers support ground forces in the N Apennines and hit railway targets in the Po Valley, cut rail lines in 18 places and destroy or seriously damage 8 bridges; during the night of 11/12 Nov A-20s hit motor transport, Bergamo Airfield, and the Po River crossing at San Benedetto Po.

Destroyer Woolsey (DD-437) shells German howitzer emplacement east of San Remo, Italy, and encounters "fairly accurate" 88-millimeter gunfire in return; shrapnel showers the ship but she suffers no casualties.

Military operations, Norway (1944)

The German battleship Tirpitz is attacked at anchor in Tromsofiord, German occupied Norway by 21 British Lancaster bombers carrying 12,000-pound bombs. The planes are from No. 9 and No. 617 Squadrons. There are several direct hits and near misses which, combined, cause the ship to capsize. A total of 902 German sailors are killed in the attack. Offshore, British Royal Navy cruisers and destroyers attack a German coastal convoy.

Royal Navy sinks ten ships in a German convoy. Operation Counterblast's object was the destruction of shipping off the south west coast of Norway. Forces taking part were: 'Kent' (Rear Admiral Commanding, 1st Cruiser Squadron), 'Bellona', 'Myngs' (Captain (D) 26th Destroyer Flotilla), 'Zambesi', 'Verulam', and 'Algonquin'. Fighter cover was provided by Operation Steak.

Allied controlled Italy

80,000 leftists demonstrated in Rome in celebration of the anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution and denounced the monarchy.

Germany

Himmler reads out Hitler's speech at the "Beer-hall putsch" celebrations in Munich.

United Kingdom

Photo: Captain class frigate HMS Ekins, off Harwich, 12 November 1944



United States

Photo: The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Randolph (CV-15) in the Chesapeake Bay area during her shakedown period, 12 November 1944. She is wearing camouflage Measure 32 Design 17a. Photographed from USS Charger (CVE-30)



Pacific War

CHINA

(Fourteenth Air Force): 8 B-25s knock out a railway bridge and damage 2 others near Thanh Hoa, French Indochina. In Burma, 4 B-25s bomb the town of Man Pwe while 4 attack Wanling. In China, 38 P-51s and P-40s hit Hengyang Airfield and attack river, rail, and road traffic, artillery pieces, pillboxes, and storage around Hengyang, Lingling, and Kweilin; 13 P-40s hit the Changsha area; 40 P-51s and P-38s hit various targets of opportunity at several other locations scattered throughout S China and N French Indochina; the 21st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Fourteenth AF, based at Kunming, sends a flight to operate from Suichwan with F-5s (other flights are operating from Kanchow and Hanchung).

The East China Air Task Force, formed by Major General Claire Chennault, Commanding General USAAF Fourteenth Air Force, to help Chinese troops defend east China airfields from bases west and east of Japanese-held corridor, begins arriving at Suichwan and goes into action within a week.

(Twentieth Air Force): The USAAF Twentieth Air Force's XX Bomber Command flies Mission 16: 96 China-based B-29s are dispatched to bomb to bomb Omura, Kyushu Island. While en route, it is learned that there is bad weather at the target due to a typhoon and the aircraft are ordered to hit a target in China. Twenty nine bombers do not get the word and bomb Omura with the loss of five aircraft.

INDIA-BURMA

(Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 16 P-47s support ground forces in the Pinwe area and near Indaw; 24 attack supplies and communications targets in the Kawlin area while 9 bomb Japanese concentrations at Indaw and Man Hkong; the town of Pegon is attacked by 11 P-47s and 20+ others and 9 B-25s hit targets of opportunity during the sweeps of the Irrawaddy River from Singu to Katha and along rail lines at several points in N Burma. 250+ transport sorties are flown to forward bases and frontline areas. HQ 2d Air Commando Group arrives at Kalaikunda, India from the US.

CEYLON

Allied Land Forces South East Asia (ALFSEA) is activated under British Lieutenant General Sir Oliver Leese. The new headquarters consists of former Headquarters, 11 Army Group, previously under General Sir George Giffard, and some U.S. officers; has control over British troops, the Northern Combat Area Command (NCAC), Chinese Army in India (CAI), and Chinese forces within the South East Asia Command (SEAC). American Lieutenant General Raymond A. Wheeler takes over Lieutenant General Joseph Stilwell's former post of Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, SEAC.

SAIPAN

(Seventh Air Force): 29 Saipan based B-24s with P-38 escort bomb the airfield on Iwo Jima. 11 P-47s strafe the runway and storage area on Pagan. During the night a B-24 on a snooper mission bombs Iwo Jima. B-24s from Angaur Airfield bomb Koror.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA

[Far East Air Force]: Units moving to Leyte Island, Philippine Islands: HQ 91st Photographic Wing (Reconnaissance) moves from Biak Island; HQ 345th BG (Medium) and the 498th and 499th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) from Biak Island with B-25s (squadrons continue to operate from Biak Island). The 370th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 307th BG (Heavy), ceases operating from Noemfoor with B-24s and returns to base on Wakde.

JAPANESE OCCUPIED NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES

In the Netherlands East Indies, USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24 Liberators and fighter- bombers over northeastern Celebes and Halmahera Islands attack shipping and Djailolo Aerodrome on Halmahera Island. Lost is B-25G 42-65142.

In Netherlands New Guinea, over 50 USAAF Far East Air Force B-25s blast Mapia and Asia Islands.

PHILIPPINE CAMPAIGN (1944)

In the U.S. Sixth Army's X Corps area on Leyte Island, the 21st Infantry Regiment, the 24th Infantry Division gains the crest of Breakneck Ridge shortly after noon but is unable to advance south along Highway 2 from there. The 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, after receiving its first airdrop of supplies, moves through Consuegra to Cabiranan. The 2d Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, blocks Highway 2 south of Limon and maintains the block with difficulty until 23 November.
USAAF Far East Air Force B-24s bomb Alicante (Escalente) Airfield on northeast Negros Island while on Leyte Island, fighter-bombers hit Linao barges on the west coast and shipping in Ormoc Bay and B-25s bomb Degos (Digos or Daliao or Degosu) and Matina Aerodromes on Mindanao Island.
Major Thomas B. McGuire, Jr. shoots down two "Jack" fighters over Leyte bringing his total victories to 28.

ALASKA

(Eleventh Air Force): 2 B-24s fly armed reconnaissance over Onnekotan and Matsuwa Islands.

PACIFIC

Destroyer Nicholas (DD-449) sinks Japanese submarine I-37 south of Yap Island, 08°04'N, 138°03'E.

Submarines Barb (SS-220) and Peto (SS-265) continue attacks against Japanese convoy MOMA-07 in the East China Sea. Barb sinks army cargo ship Naruo Maru and damages merchant cargo ship Gyokuyo Maru, 31°39'N, 125°36'E (see 14 November 1944); Peto sinks army cargo ship Tatsuraku Maru, 31°18'N, 125°30'E.

Submarine Redfin (SS-272) damages Japanese ship Asogawa Maru, 12°45'N, 118°14'E.

Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 84 is sunk by aircraft off Banggi, North Borneo.

PB4Y attacks Japanese convoy SIMA-04 (see 2 November 1944) and sinks merchant cargo ship Atsuta Maru off Malampaya Sound, 11°50'N, 119°19'E.

USAAF P-51s damage Japanese auxiliary-powered sailing vessel Namikiri Maru at entrance to Haiphong River, French Indochina.

Day 1891 of World War II, November 14th 1944

Eastern Front

The Yugoslavs announce the fall of Skoplje, which has been a main staging point for the Germans withdrawing from Greece.

Photo: Bulgarian troops in Skopje on November 14, 1944



Western Front (1944) - Liberation of France

Map: HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map, November 14th 1944



In the U.S. Third Army's XX Corps area, Oudrenne falls to the 359th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Division; the 358th cuts the Inglange-Distroff road and clears Distroff. The 90th Reconnaissance Troop links the bridgeheads of the 90oth and 95th Infantry Divisions, providing the 10th Armored Division a protected route of advance. A Bailey bridge is completed at Thionville during morning, and Combat Command B of the 10th Armored Division starts across it in afternoon. Combat Command A of the 10th Armored Division and the 3d Cavalry Group (Mechanized) cross at Mailing, latter to screen in the Sarre-Moselle triangle. The 95th Infantry Division, which has been engaged largely in containing the German bridgehead west of Metz, begins attacks west of the river with the 379th Infantry Regiment after artillery preparation: while the 2d Battalion works around to the rear of Fort Jeanne d’Arc and holds off counterattacks, the 1st Battalion begins the reduction of fortifications known as the Seven Dwarfs, taking the three northern works and attempting in vain to gain the next, Fort Bois Ia Dame. The regiment is isolated in these advanced positions, though, and must be supplied by air. East of the Moselle River, the 2d Battalion of the 378th Infantry Regiment, 95th Infantry Division, takes Haute Yutz and opens an assault on Fort d’IlLange; the 1st Battalion, 377th Infantry Regiment, is heavily engaged at Bertrange and Imeldange. The 10th and 11th Infantry Regiments, 5th Infantry Division, drive northward abreast toward Metz while the 3d Battalion, 2d Infantry Regiment, moves to the Sorbey area; the 11th clears the woods southwest of Fort Verdun and takes Prayelle Farm; the 10th cleans out the southern half of Bois de l’Hôpital. In the XII Corps area, Lieutenant General Manton Eddy, Commanding General XII Corps, limits the 80th Infantry Division’s mission to clearing the high ground south of Faulquemont. Combat Command A of the 6th Armored Division attacks toward Côte de Suisse, a ridge extending from Landroff to Thicourt, taking Brulange, Suisse, and Landroff. The Germans begin a series of determined attempts to recover Landroff at dusk, pushing into the village. Combat Command B, 4th Armored Division, and the 137th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division, close in on Morhange, seizing Destry and Baronville in bitter fighting. The 134th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division, moves forward to the right. Combat Command A, 4th Armored Division, sweeps through Bois de Kerperche, extending northeast from Koecking ridge, and gets elements to Guebling. The 328th Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division, continues to clear Koecking forest, from which the Germans begin withdrawing, during the night of 14/15 November.

In the U.S. Seventh Army's XV Corps area, the 44th Infantry Division continues to battle the Germans near Leintrey. The 79th Infantry Division overcomes opposition at Ste Pole and Ancerviller.

In the French First Army area, I Corps opens an offensive toward the Belfort Gap, attacking astride the Doubs River at noon with the 2d Moroccan Division assisted by the 5th Armored Division on the left and the 9th Colonial Division on the right. Tactical surprise is achieved and gains are made all along front.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory and his wife Doris die today when the Avro York transport carrying them to Ceylon crashes in atrocious weather on the Cheminee du Diable in the French Alps. Sir Trafford is on his way to take up his new appointment as Air Commander-in- Chief South East Asia Command (SEAC).

Western Front (1944) - Liberation of the Netherlands

In the British Second Army area, XII Corps opens an offensive to reduce the German bridgehead west of the Maas River in the Roermond-Venlo area, attacking across Nord and Wesscm Canals with the 53d and 51st Divisions while the 7th Armoured Division takes the locks at Panheel.

Air War over Europe

Photo: Aerial views an attack by USAAF Martin B-26 Marauders on the Konz-Karthaus railway bridge across the Moselle River on 14 November 1944



Italian campaign

In the British Eighth Army's V Corps area, the 4th Division reaches the Montone River in the region north of Highway 9. Advancing along the highway, the 167th Brigade of the 56th Division crosses the Montone River. South of Highway 9, the 6th Division continues toward the Samoggia River.

Bad weather restricts USAAF Twelfth Air Force operations to fighter-bomber attacks by 17 P-47 Thunderbolts on rail lines and a road north of the battleline.

Germany

General Andrei Vlasov, a Soviet officer captured by the Germans in 1942, defects. Vlasov argues that Germany should set up a Russian provisional government and recruit a Russian army of liberation under his command. Vlasov writes an anti-Bolshevik leaflet which aircraft drop by the millions on Soviet forces, and as a direct consequence thousands of Soviets desert. German Chancellor Adolf Hitler authorizes him to set up the Russian Liberation Committee and the Russian Liberation Army, known as ROA (from Russkaya Osvoboditel' naya Armiya), to fight the Soviets.

United Kingdom

The Norwegian government-in- exile announces that Norwegian troops under Colonel Arne Dahi have landed in Norway to operate with the Soviet Karelian forces against the Germans on the Arctic front.

United States

Photo: The U.S. Navy destroyer seaplane tender USS Childs (AVD-1) underway, 14 November 1944



Photo: The U.S. Navy troop transport USS General W. P. Richardson (AP-118) at sea in the Atlantic Ocean on 14 November 1944. She is painted in Camouflage Measure 32, Design 10T. The photo was taken by a blimp from squadron ZP-12



Pacific War

CHINA

(Fourteenth Air Force): In E Burma and in the China-Burma boundary areas 8 B-25s bomb Wanling and Hsenwi, Burma; 15 P-38s and P-40s on armed reconnaissance hit targets of opportunity around Wanling, Burma and Mangshih, China.

BURMA

In the Northern Combat Area Command (NCAC) area, the Chinese 22d Division, upon taking Man-tha with ease and blocking the road from Bhamo, is ordered to continue the drive to Si-u. The Chinese 38th Division’s 114th and 113th Regiments are converging on Bhamo: the 114th, pressing west toward the town, is bitterly opposed by the Japanese in the Mornauk area, 8 miles east of Bhamo; the 113th, upon crossing the Taping River at Myothit, moves west along the south bank of the river toward Bhamo.

INDIA-BURMA

(Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 B-25s bomb a supply area near Lashio; 56 fighter-bombers hit supply areas, enemy concentrations, town areas, and general targets of opportunity at Tingka, China and Kutkai, Sandaya, Palaung, Kawlin, and in the Shwebo-Kyaukmyaung area. 12 support ground forces in the Pinwe area, 4 bomb Sindaw River bridges and 30+ others maintain patrols S of Myitkyina. 300+ transport sorties are flown to forward areas.

SAIPAN

(Seventh Air Force): 22 Saipan and Guam based B-24s bomb Woleai, hitting an airfield and adjacent installations and firing an oil dump. 4 Saipan based P-47s hit the airfield on Pagan. During the night of 14/15 Nov a B-24 from Saipan on a snooper mission attacks shipping SW of the Bonin.

BONIN ISLANDS

PROJECT Mike continues as USAAF B-24s (42d Bomb Squadron) lay 6 mines in effective locations off Ani Jima and Haha Jima.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA

[Far East Air Force]: the 310th Bombardment Wing (Medium) moves from Morotai to Leyte; the ground echelon of the 418th Night Fighter Squadron, 13 AF, moves from Morotai to Dulag (the air echelon remains on Morotai with P-61s). The 370th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 307th BG (Heavy), moves form Wakde to Morotai with B-24s.

JAPANESE OCCUPIED NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES

In the Netherlands East Indies, B-24s strike Langoan Airfield on the northeastern tip of Celebes Island.

NEW GUINEA CAMPAIGN

B-25s pound Pegun Island, New Guinea in preparation for allied amphibious landings early the following morning

PHILIPPINE CAMPAIGN (1944)

In the U.S. Sixth Army's X Corps area, Lieutenant General Walter Krueger, Commanding General Sixth Army, orders Major General Franklin Sibert, Commanding General X Corps, to commit the 32d Infantry Division, originally intended to operate on southern Samar, in the zone of the 24th Infantry Division in order to relieve elements of that division. Breakneck Ridge is now largely clear, but the Japanese still retain several adjacent spurs. The 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, patrols actively on Kilay Ridge; supplies for the battalion are hand carried by Filipinos from Consuegra. In the XXIV Corps area, the 32d Infantry Regiment of 7th Infantry Division is ordered to start north to the Damulaan-Caridad area and upon order to advance upon Ormoc.

USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24s, with P-38 and P-47 cover, bomb Bacalod (Bacolod) Airfield on Negros Island while fighter-bombers hit trucks and buildings in the Valencia, Mindanao Island area. On Leyte Island, fighter-bombers attack targets near Linao and hit shipping south of Ormoc. On Cebu Island, B-25s and fighter-bombers attack Lahug and Opon Airfields.

Photo: 14 Nov 1944, USS Essex TBF-1 Avenger dropping a bomb over Pasig River in Manila targeting the dockyard



TF 38 (Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman) air strikes against Japanese shipping in Philippines continue. At Manila, Navy carrier-based planes sink transport Tatsura Maru, merchant tanker No.5 Horai Maru, merchant cargo ships Hatsu Maru and Aoki Maru, and damage transport Tottori Maru and army cargo ship Myogi Maru; cargo ship Yukihisa Maru is sunk just outside Manila Bay, 13°58'N, 120°36'E. Off Mindoro, F6Fs from carrier Yorktown (CV-10) attack Japanese convoy SIMA-04, sinking merchant tanker Ayagiri Maru, 12°40'N, 120°41'E; and damaging army cargo ship Yutaka Maru (see 15 November 1944) as well as escorting submarine chasers Ch 1, Ch 19, Ch 26, and Ch 36.

UNITED STATES NAVY DEPARTMENT COMMUNIQUES, CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 182, NOVEMBER 14, 1944

Hellcat fighters, Avenger torpedo planes and Helldiver bombers from car*rier task groups of the Pacific Fleet attacked enemy shipping and installations in and around Manila Bay on November 12 (West Longitude Date). The following damage was done to enemy shipping:

One light cruiser badly damaged.
Two destroyers exploded.

An estimated 11 cargo vessels and oilers sunk or blazing.
One floating dock hit by torpedoes.

Many docks in Manila Bay and at Cavite Navy Yard were struck.
In the attack, 18 of 20 intercepting enemy aircraft were shot down over Luzon and 10 others were shot down near the task groups.

An estimated 130 to 140 single and twin‑engined enemy planes on Legaspi, Manila and Clark Airstrips were strafed.

One of our surface ships was damaged.

The carrier task groups engaged in this operation were under the tactical command of Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman, United States Navy.

Corsairs of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing strafed and bombed the Northern Palau Area on November 11. One small enemy vessel was sunk. Hellcats bombed Koror , Malakal and Arakabesan in the Palaus on the same day. Avengers and Corsairs loosed bombs on the Yap Airstrip the same day. Liberators of the Seventh Air Force bombed a power station at Koror on November 11, but results were not observed.

A Navy search Liberator of Fleet Air Wing One dropped bombs on Iwo Jima in the Bonins on November 11. Results were unobserved.

Aircraft of Fleet Air Wing One bombed islands in the Bonins on Novem*ber 13. A near miss was scored on a medium cargo vessel, and two near misses on an escort surface craft at Chichi Jima. A few airborne enemy planes which were over Iwo Jima did not attack our planes.

PACIFIC

Submarine Halibut (SS-232) is damaged by depth charges and aerial bombs, Luzon Strait, 20°56'N, 121°33'E, but returns from patrol with no difficulty.

Submarine Jack (SS-259) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking merchant cargo ship Hinaga Maru and damaging merchant tanker No.2 Yuzan Maru, 11°02'N, 109°02'E (see 15 November 1944).

Submarines Batfish (SS-310), Raton (SS-270) and Ray (SS-271) attack Japanese convoy off the northwest coast of Luzon; Raton damages supply ship Kurasaki north-northwest of Cape Bolinao, 17°41'N, 118°00'E (see 15 November 1944), and sinks merchant tanker No.5 Unkai Maru, 17°48'N, 117°58'; Ray sinks Coast Defense Vessel No.7 65 miles northwest of Cape Bolinao, 17°45'N, 117°45'E.

Submarine Skipjack (SS-184) damages Japanese motor sailship No.6 Tatsu Maru off Shimushiru, Kurils,46°40'E, 151°40'E. Strong currents then drive the damaged vessel upon a reef; she is declared a total loss.

Submarine Spadefish (SS-411) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Gyokuyo Maru, previously damaged by Barb (SS-220) on 12 November 1944 while in convoy MOMA-07, 31°04'N, 123°56'E.

During Japanese air raid on U.S. shipping off Leyte, freighter Floyd B. Olson is damaged by bomb; there are, however, no casualties among the 43-man merchant complement, the 28-man Armed Guard, and the 409 stevedores embarked to work cargo.

USAAF B-24 sinks Japanese lugger Kiho Maru off Sandakan harbor.

Japanese ship Heiyo is sunk by mine, Adang Bay, 01°43'S, 116° 26'E.

Day 1893 of World War II, November 16th 1944

Eastern Front

Twenty USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-24s bomb Visegrad Airfield and five others hit a highway; 26 P-38s strafe transport targets on roads between Sarajevo and Novi Pazar.

Western Front (1944) - Liberation of France

Map: HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map, November 16th 1944



In U.S. Third Army's XX Corps area, 357th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Division, silencing guns of the Hackenberg, takes a ridge beyond; the 358th Infantry seizes Inglange and Metzervisse. Combat Command B, 10th Armored Division, reaches Kirschnaumen; Combat Command A’s Task Force Chamberlain gets beyond Laumesfeld while Task Force Standish takes Ste Marguerite.

Task Force Bacon, 95th Infantry Division, starts south toward Metz along the east bank of the Moselle River, advancing steadily 4.5 miles miles to Traemery. In the region west of the Moselle River, the 377th and 378th Infantry Regiments take up pursuit as the Germans begin withdrawing their bridgehead, abandoning Woippy; the 379th Infantry, strengthening its attack, takes St Hubert Farm and Moscou Farm.
The 5th Infantry Division attacks north toward Metz: the 11th Infantry Regiment contains the Verdun Forts and is heavily engaged at Frescaty Airfield; the 10th Infantry finishes clearing Marly and pushes on toward Magny; the 2d Infantry is largely engaged at the Nied Francaise River line, but a battalion pushes toward Frontigny.

In the XII Corps area, Combat Command A, 6th Armored Division, and 318th and 319th Infantry Regiments, 80th Infantry Division, attack toward Faulquemont, supported by massed fire from Cote de Suisse, and seize the high ground south of town; during the advance, the Germans are driven from five towns and about 1,200 prisoners are taken.

In the U.S. Seventh Army's XV Corps area, the 79th Infantry Division gains ground toward the Vezouse River, overrunning Barbas.

The French 2d Armored Division, which is to exploit the expected breakthrough of infantrymen, clears the Nonhigny with reconnaissance elements of Combat Command R.
In the VI Corps area, 103d Infantry Division clears part of the triangular hill mass southwest of St Die.

In the French First Army area, I Corps overruns Ste Marie and pushes on toward Montbaeliard on the left and thrusts to Roches-les-Blamont on the right.

Western Front (1944) - Liberation of the Netherlands

In the British Second Army’s VIII Corps area, the 15th Division finds Meijel clear of the Germans. In the XII Corps area, patrols reach the Zig Canal, southeast of Meijel.

Western Front (1944) - Siegfried Line campaign

The U.S. Ninth and First Armies open a co-ordinated offensive to clear the Roer Plain between the Wurm and the Roer Rivers. The combined air-ground effort is called Operation QUEEN. The air phase of Queen marks the greatest close support effort yet made by Allied air forces, British and U.S. strategic and tactical air forces joining in the assault on relatively small zone of attack and dropping more than 9,400 tons of high-explosive bombs.

In the U.S. Ninth Army area, XIX Corps attacks for a crossing of the Roer at Juelich at 1245 hours. Combat Command B, 2d Armored Division, pushes toward Gereonsweiler on the left flank of corps from Waurichen and Beggendorf, seizing Immendorf, Floverich, and Puffendorf. Puffendorf is in the outer ring of the Juelich defenses.

Efforts of one column to take Apweiler are costly and unsuccessful, but another column seizes a hill 700 yards northeast of Puffendorf on the highway to Gereonsweiler. In the center, the 29th Infantry Division, committing a battalion each from 115th and 175th Regiments, attacks from the Baesweiler-Oidtweiler area toward Aldenhoven en route to Juelich but is stopped close to the line of departure near the villages of Siersdorf and Bettendorf.

The 30th Infantry Division, reinforced by a regiment of the 84th, attacks south in the Wuerselen area with three regiments abreast, the 117th taking Mariadorf and 120th overrunning Euchen; bit little progress is made in Wuerselen.

In the U.S. First Army area, VII Corps opens an attack at 1245 hours, pushing toward Dueren and Cologne to secure Roer River crossings, with the 104th Infantry Regiment, 3d Armored, 1st Infantry, and 4th Infantry Divisions from left to right.

The 104th Infantry Division makes their main effort on the right with 414th Infantry Regiment, reinforced by a battalion of the 415th Infantry, driving toward the Donnerberg (Hill 287) and Eschweiler Woods; German opposition from commanding ground of the Donnerberg limits progress, but elements secure a weak hold on the Birkengang, suburb of Stolberg northwest of the Donnerberg; the rest of the 104th Infantry Division conducts limited actions to the north without making appreciable headway. Combat Command B, 3d Armored Division, attacks in the Stolberg corridor toward four villages at the western base of Hamich Ridge.

Task Force Mills loses 15 tanks in a vain effort to take Hastenrath and Scherpenseel. Task Force Lovelady seizes Kottench and Werth. The 1st Infantry Division, reinforced by the 47th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division, makes the main effort of the corps from Schevenhuette, pressing through Huertgen Forest toward Langerwehe and Juengersdorf; the 47th Infantry Regiment gets a battalion into Gressenich; the 16th and 26th Infantry Regiments attack in the Huertgen Forest astride the Schevenhuette-Langerwehe highway, the 26th Infantry Regiment on the right, but lacks tank support and advance slowly; the 16th Infantry reaches the edge of the woods overlooking Hamich.

The 4th Infantry Division, reinforced by Combat Command R of the 5th Armored Division, attacks on a broad front in the Huertgen Forest at the scene of earlier battles in an effort to break through between Schevenhuette and Huertgen, making their main effort on the left in order to support the 1st Infantry Division: elements of the 8th Infantry Regiment on the north and the 22d Infantry Regiment in the center make extremely slow progress against well-organized positions within the forest; the 12th Infantry Regiment can scarcely move on plateau southwest of Huertgen.

Air War over Europe

The primary target for the USAAF Fifteenth Air Force today is the Main marshalling yard at Innsbruck: 62 B-17s bomb the yard with the loss of three aircraft. One each B-17 bomb the marshalling yard at Villach and the railroad at Zillertaller.

The USAAF Eighth Air Force flies Mission 715 in support of Operation QUEEN: 1,243 bombers and 282 fighters, along with Ninth Air Force and RAF aircraft, are dispatched to attack tactical targets east of Aachen, Germany in support of the US First and Ninth Armies' offensive; 1 fighter is lost: 713 B-17s and B-24s hit Eschweiler and 478 B-17s hit Duren.

Eighty USAAF Ninth Air Force 9th Bombardment Division bombers hit defended areas and strongpoints at Echtz, Luchem, and Eschweiler; IX Tactical Air Command fighter-bombers dive-bomb gun positions and other targets in the Stolberg and Hurtgen areas and XIX Tactical Air Command supports the US XX Corps in the Merzig, Trier, and Saarbrucken area; the XXIX Tactical Air Command attacks targets in 12 west German towns.

During the day, RAF Bomber Command is asked to bomb three towns near the German lines in the area between Aachen and the Rhine in support of Operation QUEEN. The RAF dispatches 1,188 aircraft to attack Duren, Jaelich and Heinsburg in order to cut communications behind the German lines. Duren is attacked by 485 Lancasters and 13 Mosquitos, Jaelich by 413 Halifaxes, 78 Lancasters and 17 Mosquitos and Heinsberg by 182 Lancasters. Three Lancasters are lost on the Duren raid and a Lancaster on the Heinsberg raid.

Four hundred forty eight USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack the Munich marshalling yard with the loss of three aircraft. Over 250 P-51s and P-38s support the attack on Munich.

Italian campaign

In the U.S. Fifth Army area, the British XIII Corps pauses to regroup so that troops may be rotated. In the British Eighth Army area, V Corps halts along the line of the Montone and Cosina Rivers and regroups.

USAAF Twelfth Air Force medium bombers fly 250+ sorties against rail lines in the Brenner Pass and other parts of northeastern Italy destroying the railroad bridge at Sacile; fighter-bombers in support of the British Eighth Army advance to the northwest of Forli, hit guns, ammunition supplies, and other military targets, attack pipeline crossings of the Po River at Ostiglia and Ferrara, and pontoon stores near Ficarola, as well as hitting communications targets north of the battle area.

USAAF Fifteenth Air Force bombs hit three targets: three bomb a railroad bridge at Casarsa, two attack the railroad in the Brenner Pass and one hits a railroad bridge at Pinzano. During the night of 16/17 November, RAF bombers of No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group fly two missions: 77 drop supplies to partisans in Northern Italy and ten bomb a pontoon bridge at Ficorolo.

Battle of the Atlantic

U.S. freighter 'Theodore Parker' is mined about 12 miles east of the mouth of the Humber River, 53°33'N, 00°39'E, but returns, under her own power, to the port of Hull for repairs. There are no casualties to the 42-man merchant complement or the 27-man Armed Guard.

Battle Indian Ocean

U.S. freighter Mary Ball rescues 17 survivors of U.S. tanker Fort Lee, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-181 on 2 November 1944, but not before she has fired on the lifeboat until identifying it as friendly. Fortunately, there are no casualties.

Belgium

Three Belgian government ministers without portfolio resign because of differences between the government in exile and the resistance.

United States

Photo: The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Bullard (DD-660) off San Francisco, California (USA), on 16 November 1944. She is painted in Camouflage Measure 32, Design 10D



Photo: The U.S. Navy high-speed transport USS Kinzer (APD-91) underway off Charleston, South Carolina (USA), on 16 November 1944. She is painted in Camouflage Measure 31, Design 20L



Photo: The U.S. Navy attack transport USS Fond du Lac (APA-166) at Astoria, Oregon (USA) on 16 November 1944. She is painted in Camouflage Measure 32, Design 4T



Pacific War

CHINA

(Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 23 B-24s bomb Changsha; 8 B-25s hit Lohochai and bomb the Wanling, Burma area. In French Indochina, 16 B-25s hit Nghia Trang, Duc Tho, Nha Trang, and Do Len. 70+ P-40s and P-51s over SE and SW China on armed reconnaissance attack road, river, and rail traffic, town areas, and other targets of opportunity at several scattered locations.

INDIA-BURMA

(Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 30 P-47s hit troop concentrations and supply areas at Naungmo, Nawngmoloi, and Lashio; 11 support ground forces in the Pinwe area, 4 attack bridges at Meza and over the Sindaw River; 4 bomb the Meza railroad station, 16 sweep the railroad from Sagaing to Kanbalu, and 16 strafe Nawnghkioand Hsumhsai Airfields. Transports fly 270+ sorties to forward bases and frontline areas.

BURMA

In the Northern Combat Area Command (NCAC) area, the British 36th Division is still held up in the railroad corridor by stubborn opposition in the Pinwe area. Two companies are isolated by a Japanese roadblock and have to be withdrawn.

SAIPAN

(Seventh Air Force): 12 Saipan Island-based B-24s bomb shipping at Chichi Jima Island while 2 others attack barges at Haha Jima. 12 P-47s and 3 P-38s hit the airfield on Pagan in the first combat strike by P-38s in the Mariana Islands. During the night of 16/17 Nov a snooper mission in the Bonin Islands, a B-24 attacks shipping.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC

[Far East Air Force]: Colonel Willard R Wolfinbarger becomes Commanding Officer of the XIII Fighter Command. Units moving to Leyte: HQ 3d BG and 90th Bombardment Squadron from Hollandia, New Guinea with A-20s; HQ 348th Fighter Group from Noemfoor.

JAPANESE OCCUPIED NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES

In the Kendari area and on the northeast peninsula of Celebes Island, and on Halmahera Island in the Netherlands East Indies, USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers pound airfields, villages and shipping. B-25 also support ground forces in the Mapia Island and bomb Namlea Airfield on Boeroe Island.

PHILIPPINE CAMPAIGN (1944)

In the U.S. Sixth Armys X Corps area on Leyte, two battalions of the 128th Infantry Regiment, 32d Infantry Division, begin a drive on Ormoc, passing through the 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, on Breakneck Ridge. One battalion is soon halted but the second pushes forward 350 yards without opposition.

In the central Philippines and in the Mindanao Island area, USAAF Far East Air Forces B-25s, B-24s, and fighter-bombers hit airfields, harbors, shipping, and targets of opportunity.

UNITED STATES NAVY DEPARTMENT COMMUNIQUES, CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 183, NOVEMBER 16, 1944

A revision based on evidence gathered after the carrier task group at¬tacks in the Manila Bay Area on November 12 (West Longitude Date) raises the damage figures (given in communiqué Number 182) on Jap ship losses. It is now known that:

A light cruiser was sunk, it had been reported as badly damaged.
Four destroyers were sunk; two had been reported as exploded.

Eleven cargo vessels and oilers were sunk; this number had been reported as sunk or blazing.
There are no other revisions of any information contained in communiqué Number 182.

On the night of November 10 11 (West Longitude Date) search Liberators of Fleet Air Wing One bombed airplane storage areas on Iwo Jima in the Bonin Islands. Weak fighter opposition was encountered. On November 12 Navy search Liberators again bombed installations on Iwo Jima and scored near misses on a medium cargo vessel at Chichi Jima. The following day a Navy search Liberator was credited with probable hits on a small cargo ship near Iwo Jima. On November 13 a Mitchell of tile Second Marine Aircraft Wing made possible hits on a medium cargo vessel near Haha Jima.

Search Venturas of Fleet Air Wing One bombed installations on the Yap Airstrip on the night of November 10 11, meeting meager antiaircraft fire. On November 12 Corsairs and Hellcats of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing with Navy search Liberators of Fleet Air Wing One bombed and destroyed warehouses and vehicles on Japanese bases in the Northern Palau Islands. Corsairs of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing struck the airstrip on Yap on the same day.

Strafing Corsairs of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing sank several barges and small craft on November 13 in the Northern Palaus and Yap areas and struck the airstrip on Yap, and Liberators of the Seventh Army Air Force pounded docks and a radio station on Arakabesan. Hellcats of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing made harassing attacks on Japanese bases in the Palaus on the night of November 13.

On November 13 bombers of the Seventh Army Air Force and Navy search Liberators struck the airstrip and installations on Woleai in the Western Carolines.

Avengers and Corsairs of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing bombed Rota in the Marianas on November 12 13. Thunderbolts of the Seventh Army Air Force hit Pagan on November 13.

Continuing neutralization raids were made in the Marshalls on Novem¬ber 11. Corsairs of the Fourth Marine Aircraft Wing and a Navy search Ventura of Fleet Air Wing Two bombed Jaluit on the same day. Nine fires were seen. Dauntless dive bombers of the Fourth Marine Aircraft Wing at¬tacked installations at Mille on November 11.

PACIFIC

Submarine Scabbardfish (SS-397) sinks Japanese transport Kisaragi Maru north by west of Chichi Jima, 29°04'N, 142°12'E.

Submarine Tambor (SS-198) sinks Japanese guardboat Takashiro Maru southwest of Torishima, 30°00'N, 139°30'E.

Japanese guardboat Kojo Maru, damaged the previous day by submarine Saury (SS-189), sinks northwest of the Bonins, 29°59'N, 139°39'E.

Other Japanese losses include heavy cruiser Haguro, light cruiser Oyodo, and destroyer Yukikaze damaged by aircraft off Brunei, North Borneo; merchant tanker Asokawa Maru damaged by unspecified cause off Brunei; and fleet tanker Kyoei Maru sunk by USAAF B-24 and P-38 aircraft; and Man-yo Maru damaged off Tarakan, Borneo.

Day 1895 of World War II, November 18th 1944

YouTube (How Himmler Learned to Love the Russians)



Eastern Front

Soviet 8th Army (part of Leningrad Front) renew their efforts to win control of Gulf of Riga, stepping up action against the German garrison, which is clinging tenaciously to southern tip of Saaremaa Island.

Lapland War

Germans leave the northernmost tip of Finland.

Western Front (1944) - Liberation of France

Map: HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map, November 18th 1944



In the U.S. Third Army's XX Corps area, the 10th Armored Division continues to pursue the Germans, Combat Command B columns reaching Launstroff and Schwerdorff and Combat Command A detachment reaching the Nied River opposite Bouzonville; finding a damaged bridge north of Bouzonville near Filstroff, the Combat Command A force begins crossing. The 90th Infantry Division races southward to cut off the retreating Germans; the 359th Infantry Regiment is committed and gets elements across the Nied River at Conde Northen; the 90th Reconnaissance Troop seizes Avancy. The 357th Infantry Regiment, on the division's left, is slowed by antitank ditches, mines, and craters. Task Force Bacon, 95th Infantry Division, pushes into the northeast part of Metz, overrunning Fort St Julien and Fort Bellacroix; the 95th Infantry Division forces west of Metz reach the Moselle River and find all bridges except one blown; the 377th Infantry Regiment clears the island formed by the Hafen Canal and the river; a 378th Infantry patrol starts across the Moselle bridge into Metz but the Germans blow the bridge, and other elements of the regiment begin an assault on Fort Plappeville; the 379th Infantry Regiment drives to the Moselle River at Moulins-ls-Metz, where a bridge is down. The 5th Infantry Division advances into Metz from the south: the 11th Infantry Regiment, leaving elements behind to contain Fort St Privat, pushes into the city and begins clearing the southern part; some elements of the 10th Infantry drive into Metz while others remain behind at Fort Queuleu; the 2d Infantry Regiment advances northward as quickly as possible in an effort to make contact with the 90th Infantry Division and complete the encirclement of Metz, overrunning Courcelles-sur- Nied and Ars-Laquenexy. XII Corps renews a drive toward the Sarre River with two divisions abreast after preparatory fire. The 35th Infantry Division takes Bistroff and positions east of Vallerange. the 26th Infantry Division attacks to the right of the 35th Infantry Division against the German Dieuze-Benestroff line and pushes through Bois de Benestroff and recapturing Guebling with the assistance of tanks and tank destroyers and drives to edge of Bourgaltroff.

In the U.S. Seventh Army's XV Corps area, the 79th Infantry Division begins assault on Fremonville; elements find Blamont clear of Germans. In VI Corps area, the 100th Infantry Division attacks Raon-l'Etape, the 397th Infantry Regiment pushing into town and 398th Infantry starting across the Plaine River. The 36th Infantry Division is closing along the Meurthe River on the southern flank of corps and gains positions overlooking Gerardmer.

In the French First Army's I Corps area, the 5th Armored and 2d Moroccan Divisions are closing in on Belfort on the northern flank of the corps. The 1st Armored Division, assisted by the 9th Colonial Division, drives 7 miles through Belfort Gap between the Rhine-Rhone Canal and the Swiss border to Delle; from the Allaine River, where the Germans are holding out at Morvillars, the 1st Armored Division reconnoiters east toward the Rhine River, taking Faverois, Courtelevant, Suarce, and Joncherey.

Photo: S.S. LEE S. Overman ("Liberty" Ship) sunk in shallow water off Le Havre, France, November 18, 1944. She had struck a mine a few days earlier. Note: Date may be wrong. Some sources give this ship's loss date as December 11, 1944



Western Front (1944) - Siegfried Line campaign

In the British Second Army area, XXX Corps begins an offensive to reduce the Geilenkirchen salient (Operation CLIPPER), driving northeast with the 43d Division on the left and the U.S. 84th Infantry Division, reinforced by the British Drewforce (flail tanks and searchlight battery), on the right. The 43d Division secures Tripsrath and most of Bauchem. The 334th Infantry Regiment, 84th Infantry Division, takes Prummern; continuing their assault after nightfall with the aid of searchlights, gains a position dominating Sueggerath but is unable to take the high ground, called Mahogany Hill, northeast of Prummern. Geilenkirchen is now surrounded on three sides.

Photo: Troops of the 7th Somerset Light Infantry, 43rd (Wessex) Division resting during the assault on Geilenkirchen in Germany, 18 November 1944



Photo: Universal carriers of 43rd (Wessex) Division advance along a muddy lane during the advance on Geilenkirchen, 18 November 1944



Photo: A Sherman tank carrying infantry of 43rd Division advances towards Geilenkirchen, 18 November 1944



In the U.S. Ninth Army's XIX Corps area, Combat Command B of 2d Armored Division, after repelling a minor counterattack against Immendorf, takes Apweiler in a limited attack, then pauses while the 29th Infantry Division is clearing Setterich. The 29th Infantry Division, with close tank and artillery support, makes substantial progress, the 116th Infantry Regiment gaining a firm foothold in Setterich and other elements penetrating the outer defenses of Juelich to take Siersdorf and Bettendorf. The 30th Infantry Division continues to mop up Broichweiden and seizes Warden, southeast of Mariadorf, after being twice driven off.

In the U.S. First Army's VII Corps area, the 104th Infantry Division seizes most of the Donnerberg and breaks into Eschweiler Woods as the German opposition slackens. Task Force Mills of Combat Command B, 3d Armored Division, assisted by reserves, takes .Hastenrath and Scherpenseel; Combat Command B then goes on the defensive. The 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, committing its full strength, takes Hill 232, key to Hamich Ridge, and clears most of town of Hamich as the 26th Infantry Regiment continues slowly toward its first objective, Laufenburg Castle. The Germans make several strong efforts to regain Hamich and Hill 232. The 4th Infantry Division advances in the Huertgen Forest, where the 8th Infantry Regiment, in 1,000-yard (914 meter) drive, penetrates the outer defenses of the approach to Dueren and the 22d Infantry Regiment reaches positions astride the road leading east to Grosshau, but a gap exists between the regiments.

Photo: M10 TDs move up in the Hurtgen forest, November 18, 1944



Air War over Europe

USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack two oil refineries in Vienna: 131 hit the Floridsdorf refinery with the loss of three aircraft while 71 bomb the Korneuburg refinery.

The USAAF Eighth Air Force flies Mission 716: 402 fighters (47 P-47 Thunderbolts and 355 P-51s) are dispatched to strafe oil storage depots in the Hanau and Ulm areas, airfields at Leipheim and Lechfeld, and miscellaneous ground targets; 374 actually attack. About 70 Luftwaffe fighters are encountered and the USAAF pilots claim 26-2-6 in the air and 69-0-41 on the ground. Two P-47s and five P-51s are lost.

During the day, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 479 aircraft, 367 Halifaxes, 94 Lancasters and 18 Mosquitos, to attack Munster; 444 bomb the city. The raid was not concentrated and bombs fell in all parts of Munster.

During the night of 18/19 November, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 285 Lancasters and 24 Mosquitos to bomb the Krupp Treibstoff synthetic oil refinery at Wanne-Eikel; 295 bomb the target. The intention of the raid is to hit the local oil plant. Large explosions seem to erupt in the plant and post-raid reconnaissance shows that some further damage is caused to it. The local report does not mention the oil plant but states that the Hannibal coal mine is destroyed.
Meanwhile, Mosquitos hit five targets: 31 fly a "spoof" raid to Wiesbaden; 18 hit Hannover; three bomb Erfurt; and one each attack Kassel and Rheinburg.

Over 340 USAAF Ninth Air Force bombers of the 9th Bombardment Division strike barracks areas, rail bridges, rail facilities, strongpoints, and defended positions at 13 locations in Germany; fighters escort the bombers, fly sweeps and armed reconnaissance over western Germany, and support ground forces east of Aachen, Germany and in the Sarreguemines, France area.

During the night of 18/19 November, USAAF Eighth Air Force flies Mission 717: four B-24s and six B-17s drop leaflets in Belgium, the Netherlands and France.

USAAF Twelfth Air Force medium bombers bomb a bridge at Zidani Most and also hit the Brod-Ljubljana railway, the principal German escape route in the Balkans.

Sixteen USAAF Fifteenth Air Force bombers attack the city and troop concentrations at Visegard.
During the night of 18/19 November, RAF bombers of No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group attack four targets: 42 hit the West marshalling yard at Sarajevo; 19 bomb tactical targets at Sjenica; 16 attack tactical targets at Novi Pasar; and one bombs tactical targets at Pribaj.

Italian campaign

The British Eighth Army orders a co-ordinated attack toward Faenza by V Corps and the Polish II Corps, beginning on 20 November. In the Polish II Corps area, the 3d Carpathian Division takes over from the 5th Kresowa Division in Mt. Fortino area and prepares to attack.

USAAF Twelfth Air Force medium bombers bomb bridges at Pizzighettone, Romano di Lombardia, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Migazzone, Casarsa della Delizia, and Casale Monferrato while fighter-bombers continue successful attacks on rail lines, dumps, guns, and pipelines in the northern Apennines and the Po Valley, XXII Tactical Air Command claiming 100+ train cars, eight locomotives, and nearly 75 vehicles destroyed.

During the night of 18/19 November USAAF Twelfth Air Force A-20s on armed reconnaissance bomb Ghedi Airfield and targets in the Bologna, Ferrara, Mantua, Cremona, and Parma areas.

USAAF Fifteenth Air Force bombers hit four airfields with the loss of four aircraft: 147 bomb Vincenza Airfield; 115 hit Aviano Airfield; 109 attack Udine Airfield and 96 bomb Villa Franca Airfield.

United States

Photo: The U.S. Navy attack transport USS Chilton (APA-38) off Boston, Massachusetts (USA) on 18 November 1944. She is painted in Camouflage Measure 32, Design 3D



Photo: The U.S. Navy destroyer escort USS Robert Brazier (DE-345) underway off New York City (USA) on 18 November 1944. Robert Brazier had the short mast with the HF/DF antenna, but retains the torpedo tubes. She is painted in Camouflage Measure 32, Design 3D



Belgium

Belgian resistance representatives agree to surrender their arms.

Pacific War

CHINA

(Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 10 B-25s blast stores at Hengshan and hit populated areas from Ishan to Liuchow; 130+ P-51s, P-40s, and P-38s pound targets of opportunity scattered over vast areas of S China; troops, shipping, supplies, trucks, and railroad targets are hit particularly hard N of Lingling, from Liuchow to Ishan, from Hengshan to Hengyang, from Kweilin to Liuchou, from Siangtan to Paoching, and at Chuanhsien, Hwaiyuanchen, Chingmen, Chuchiang, and Shihkiachwang.

INDIA-BURMA

(Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 27 fighter-bombers support ground forces S of Pinwe and in the Bhamo area; 16 attack troops and supply area at Panglong and Nga-pwegyi while 7 hit the ferry area at Meza; 20 hit targets of opportunity along the Kanbalu-Wuntho railroad and at Maymyo and Wetwin; 9 B-25s pound Man Pwe rail yards, destroying warehouses and other buildings and causing much general damage. Transports continue large-scale operations to forward areas. In India, the detachment of the 317th Troop Carrier Squadron (Commando), 2d Air Commando Group, operating from Tulihal with C-47s returns to base at Sylhet.

SAIPAN

(Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Saipan and Guam hit shipping at Chichi Jima and Haha Jima. P-38s and B-24s from Saipan escort photo planes over Iwo Jima. Project MIKE continues as USAAF B-24 Liberators lay 12 mines in effective locations in Futami Ko, Chichi Jima.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA

[Far East Air Force]: HQ 58th FG and the 310th and 311th Fighter Squadrons move from Noemfoor to San Roque with P-47s. 66th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Nadzab to Biak with C-47s. Lost is P-61 42-5515.

JAPANESE OCCUPIED NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES

USAAF East Air Force B-24s, with P-38s and P-47s supporting, launch a major strike against oil installations at Tarakan, Dutch Borneo; other B-24s and B-25s hit shipping off Tarakan and in Brunei Bay, Brunei On Celebes Island in the Netherlands East Indies, B-24s bomb the Makassar and Kendari area and the Polewali shipyards. Other B-24s bomb airfields in the Ceram Island-Ambon Island area while P-38s strafe shipping.

RAAF No. 22 Squadron flying (A-20C) Boston Mk. IIIs fly their first mission from Morotai
against targets on northern Celebes Island.

NEW GUINEA CAMPAIGN

In Dutch New Guinea, USAAF Fifth Air Force B-25s continue to support ground forces on Mapia Island off the northwest coast of New Guinea.

PHILIPPINE CAMPAIGN (1944)

In the U.S. Sixth Army's X Corps area on Leyte, the 3d Battalion of 128th Infantry Regiment, 32d Infantry Division, halts on a ridge 500 yards north of Limon to await the 1st Battalion, which is still battling the Japanese on Corkscrew Ridge. Positions of the 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, on Kilay Ridge are seriously threatened and under heavy fire.

USAAF Far East Air Force B-24s, B-25s and A-20s again hit airfields and targets of opportunity on Mindanao Island. Fighter-bombers, A-20s and B-25s over several locations in the Philippine Islands attack shipping, supply and personnel areas, harbors, barges, airstrips, and communications targets.

In the Philippine Sea, USN destroyer escort USS Lawrence C. Taylor and a TBM Avenger of Composite Squadron Eighty Two in the escort aircraft carrier USS Anzio, sink Japanese submarine HIJMS I-41 about 345 nautical miles ENE of Tacloban, Leyte, Philippine Islands in position 12.44N, 130.42E. This is the second submarine sunk by these units in two days.

Photo: The U.S. Navy escort carrier USS Makin Island (CVE-93) underway in the southwestern Pacific, near Leyte, Philippine Islands, 18 November 1944. The ship is wearing Camouflage Measure 32, Design 16A



Photo: The U.S. Navy high-speed transport USS George E. Badger (APD-33) in Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands, on 18 November 1944, during the early stages of the Leyte invasion. She is painted in what appears to be Camouflage Measure 31, Design 12T



ALASKA

(Eleventh Air Force): On Paramushiru Island, 4 B-24s strike Suribachi shore batteries, including one on Takikawa Cape. A shipping sweep by 6 B-25s is cancelled due to weather.

PACIFIC

Destroyer escort Lawrence C. Taylor (DE-415) and TBM (VC 82) from escort carrier Anzio (CVE-57) sink Japanese submarine I-41 in Philippine Sea, 12°44'N, 130°42'E.

Submarine Pampanito (SS-383) sinks Japanese depot ship No.17 Banshu Maru and merchant cargo ship No.1 Shinko Maru, 19°12'N, 110°51'E.

Submarines Peto (SS-265), Spadefish (SS-411) and Sunfish (SS-281) operate against the same Japanese convoy attacked the previous day in the East China Sea west of Saishu Island, Peto sinks army cargo ships Aisakasan Maru, 33°50'N, 124°44'E, and Chinkai Maru, 33°39'N, 124°26'E; Spadefish sinks auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 156, 33°07'N, 123°19'E; Sunfish sinks army transport Seisho Maru, 33°36'N, 124°18'E.

Submarine Saury (SS-189) damages Japanese merchant cargo ship No.11 Asahi Maru, 30°50'N, 141°56'E.

Japanese planes raid U.S. shipping off Leyte; freighter Nicholas J. Sinnott is near-missed by a kamikaze, 11°15'45"N, 125°02'45"E. There are no casualties among the 40-man merchant complement, the 80 Army passengers or the 26-man Armed Guard. Off Tacloban, Armed Guard gunners on board freighter Gilbert Stuart shoot the tail off a kamikaze which nevertheless crashes their ship, triggering fires that are ultimately brought under control with the help of fleet tug Chickasaw (ATF-83). While 5 of the 39-man merchant complement perish in the attack, only 1 of the 29-man Armed Guard is killed in action. Freighter Cape Romano is damaged by near-miss of bomb.

PROJECT Mike continues as USAAF B-24s (42d Bomb Squadron) lay 12 mines in effective locations in Futami Ko, Chichi Jima. B-24s sink auxiliary sailing vessel Sumiei Maru off Haha Jima.

Off Borneo, aircraft damage Japanese escort destroyer Okinawa off Labuan. Guardboats No.6 Kompira Maru, Benten Maru, and Eikoku Maru are sunk by U.S. aircraft off Tarakan.

Day 1897 of World War II, November 20th 1944

Eastern Front

German forces evacuate Tirana, Albania.

Western Front (1944) - Liberation of France

Map: HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map, November 20th 1944



In the U.S. Third Army's XX Corps area, the 95th and 5th Infantry Divisions continue methodically to clear rear-guard opposition within Metz and contain the forts about the city. Preparations are made for the final drive to the Saar River. In the XII Corps area, the 80th Infantry Division conducts a reconnaissance in force on the northern flank of corps, seizing a bridge at Faulquemont and establishing a bridgehead north of the Nied Allemande River. The 137th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division, upon emerging from Bois de Freybouse, is disorganized by a German counterattack. Combat Command A, 4th Armored Division, followed by the 320th Infantry Regiment, secures Francaltroff. The 26th Infantry Division advances quickly behind the retreating Germans, elements of 101st Infantry Regiment reaching Torcheville, west of Munster. Corps orders Combat Command A, 6th Armored Division, to attack to gain Saar River crossings in the 35th Infantry Division zone and Combat Command B of 4th Armored Division to advance through Mittersheim in 26th Infantry Division zone; Combat Command A of 4th Armored Division is recalled from Francaltroff area to assembly area near Conthil.

Photo: American infantrymen patrol a section of Metz in search of snipers. 20 November, 1944



In the U.S. Seventh Army's XV Corps area, the French 2d Armored Division commits Combat Command D on the northern flank of corps in effort to outflank the Saverne Gap from the north while Combat Command L continues enveloping maneuver from the south; Combat Command D crosses the Saar River north of Sarrebourg and drives eastward in two columns, one toward Phalsbourg, at the western entrance to the gap, and the other toward La Petite Pierre, to the north; Combat Command L encounters stiffening resistance in the vicinity of the Wolfsberg Pass, southwest of Saverne, and Combat Command V is committed to assist in that area. In the VI Corps area, the 3d Infantry Division crosses the Meurthe River in the Clairefontaine-St Michel area before dawn to spearhead the drive, beginning at 0645 hours, on Strasbourg via Saales. The attack is preceded by intense artillery preparation and closely supported by the USAAF XII Tactical Air Command of the First Tactical Air Force (Provisional).

Photo: A tank crosses a treadway bridge near Belfort, France, as the French drive to take this German strong point. November 20, 1944



Photo: French Commando fires 30 caliber machine-gun at German positions on the road to Belfort, as his compatriots watch. 20 November, 1944



The Germans, stunned by bombardment and threatened by successes of the Allied forces on both flanks of VI Corps, is incapable of resisting effectively. The 3d Infantry Division gains a substantial bridgehead including the towns of Le Paire, Hurbache, and La Voivre. The 103d Infantry Division, cross the Meurthe River in the 3d Infantry Division zone, during the night of 20/21 November, to drive toward St Die. On the southern flank of the corps, the 36th Infantry Division’s 143d Infantry Regiment seizes ridge commanding Anould and Clefcy.

Western Front (1944) - Siegfried Line campaign

In the British Second Army's XXX Corps area, the 334th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. 84th Infantry Division eliminates resistance in environs of Prummern with help of British flame-throwing tanks, but enemy retains heights to NE. Strong opposition is slowing other elements of corps.

In the U.S. Ninth Army's XIX Corps area, the 2d Armored Division, assisted by attached British tanks, renews an all-out drive in heavy rainfall; Combat Command B employs three Task Force’s against Gereonsweiler and takes the town; one Combat Command A Task Force overruns Ederen and another clears Freialdenhoven. The 29th Infantry Division, after seizing the village of Niedermerz, makes a two-pronged attack on Aldenhoven, in the second defensive arc of Juelich defenses, and takes the town.
In the U.S. Third Army's XX Corps area, Combat Command B, 10th Armored Division, continuing toward Merzig, reaches Hill 378 but pulls back to Hill 383 because of fire from the Merzig area.

The weather is bad with low cloud cover and no aircraft fly in support of offensive operations of the US First Army. In the north, the 104th Infantry Division clears the towns of Rohe and Burgrath and up to Hehlrath and the outskirts southwest of Eschweiler. The 3d Armored Division is pinched out by the 104th and 1st Infantry Divisions which also clears Wenau, bypasses Hersten and has elements well across the open ground towards Schnthal. Its attached 47th Regimental Combat Team reaches to within a half mile of the Aachen-Stolberg-Dueren railway. The 4th Infantry Division's 8th Infantry Regiment is counter-attacked and loses some ground, while the 22d Infantry Regiment makes slow progress towards Grosshau.

The weather is bad with low cloud cover and no aircraft fly in support of offensive operations of the US First Army. In the north, the 104th Divisions clears the towns of Rohe and Burgrath and up to Hehlrath and the outskirts southwest of Eschweiler. The 3d Armored Division is pinched out by the 104th and 1st Divisions which also clears Wenau, bypasses Hersten and has elements well across the open ground towards Schnthal. Its attached 47th Regimental Combat Team reaches to within ½ mile of the Aachen-Stolberg-D¸railway. The 4th Division's 8 Infantry is counter-attacked and loses some ground, while the 22d Infantry makes slow progress towards Grosshau.

Western Front (1944) - Liberation of the Netherlands

In the British Second Army area, XII Corps continues toward the Maas River with the 49th Division, supported by elements of 4th Separate Armoured Brigade, and the 51st Division. The 51st finds villages on the river southwest of Venlo clear of Germans.

Western Front (1944) - Liberation of Belgium

Photo: How the Royal Navy Cleared the Scheldt To Antwerp. 20 1944, Antwerp. the Royal Navy Sweeping the Scheldt Channel Clear of Mines To Allow Access To Antwerp



Air War over Europe

USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-24s and B-17s encounter bad weather and attack several alternate targets and targets of opportunity: 166 bomb the marshalling yard at Brno, 50 hit the marshalling yard at Hodonin with the loss of one aircraft, 27 attack the Bata synthetic rubber plant at Zlin, 26 bomb the marshalling yard at Lundenburg, 21 hit Kromeriz and one each attack the marshalling yard at Ostrana Moravaska, the city of Trnava and a third unknown target.

The USAAF Eighth Air Force flies Mission 718: 60 B-17s are sent to hit the Schowen oil plant at Gelsenkirchen and 92 hit the secondary target, the marshalling yard at Munster.
Bad weather prevents USAAF Ninth Air Force bomber operations but fighters fly sweeps and night patrols over broad areas of western Germany and strafe and bomb numerous railroads, trains, buildings and various military targets.

USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-24s and B-17s bomb three targets: 172 bomb the I.G. Farben synthetic oil refinery at Blechhammer, six bomb Oppell and one hits the marshalling yard at Glewitz.
During the day, RAF Bomber Command sends 183 Lancasters to make a G-H attack on the Meerbeck synthetic oil plant at Homberg but the weather is stormy and many aircraft are not able to maintain formation with the G-H aircraft on the bombing run. The bombing by 168 aircraft, through cloud, is believed to have been scattered. Five Lancasters are lost.

During the night of 20/21 November, RAF Bomber Command sends 43 Lancasters on an unusual Pathfinder solo raid on Koblenz; 42 bombers attack without loss. The purpose of the raid is not recorded. It is possible that either the large road and rail bridges over the Rhine and Mosel Rivers or the local railway yards are the targets. Only high-explosive bombs are carried. Koblenz is completely covered by cloud and all bombing is by H2S from 15,000 feet (4 572 meters). The local report states that some bombs fall in the town, blocking several roads and railways and scoring hits on a road and a rail bridge, although these remained usable. Other raids are made by Mosquitos to six other targets: 58 hit Hannover, 14 bomb the Rauxel/Klocknerwerke synthetic oil refinery at Castrop, 11 attack the Meerbeck synthetic oil refinery at Homberg, seven bomb an aircraft engine factory at Eisenach and one each hit Duisburg and Minden.

Three targets of opportunity are bombed by USAAF Fifteenth Air Force bombers: two attack the marshalling yard at Nagykanizsa and one each bomb tactical targets at Gyor and the marshalling yard at Szombathely.

Italian campaign

As the autumn rains turn to driving snow, General Alexander, the Allied commander-in-chief in Italy, has called a halt to the grueling campaign and stood down his armies. British tanks have found the going almost impossible, particularly across hundreds of rivers in the marshy Po valley. The German defence in Italy has been outstanding - but costly. With the Germans equally exhausted, winter activity at the front lines seems likely to be confined to patrolling and occasional artillery duels. The Allies will devote much time to training, particularly in the skills of river crossing and the Alpine warfare yet to come.

In the British Eighth Army's V Corps area, German positions are heavily hit by air. The 46th Division, as a preliminary to their main assault, which is postponed until 21 November, begins to clear the Cosina loop north of Castiglione and takes Castiglione.

Bad weather prevents USAAF Twelfth Air Force medium bombers from successfully attacking targets but fighter-bombers are able to operate during the late morning and destroy two factories east of Modena, and supply dumps near Parma, and cause large explosions in a dump near San Felice del Benaeo.

Battle of the Mediterranean

In Liberated Greece, British General Scobie is given responsibility for disbanding the Greek guerrilla forces.

United Kingdom

In London, England, five years of darkness end as street lights are switched on in Piccadilly, the Strand and Fleet Street.

Germany

With the Red Army fast approaching Rastenburg, Chancellor Adolf Hitler leaves his old headquarters and returns to Berlin.

Belgium

An agreement to disarm resistance members is made public.

United States

Heavy cruiser Augusta (CA-31) is damaged by explosion of unknown origin, Boston Navy Yard.

Pacific War

CHINA

(Fourteenth Air Force): 8 B-25s hit the barracks area at Lashio, Burma; 60+ P-38s, P-40s, and P-51s on armed reconnaissance over parts of SE and SW China and French Indochina attack shipping--especially severely in the Chiuchiang, China area--and barracks, radio stations, villages, and other targets of opportunity. In China, the flight of the 21st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Fourteenth AF, operating from Kanchow with F-5s, returns to base at Kunming.

Chiang Kai-shek appoints a new Minister of War in an attempt to stem popular disenchantment with his regime

INDIA-BURMA

(Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 7 B-25s knock out the Hsipaw road bridge; 4 others fail to damage the Bawgyo bridge; 12 P-47s support ground forces in the Pinwe sector; 20+ others hit defenses at Mong Nge, a horse transport unit at Selan, bomb storage areas at Kyungon and Kyakataing, Japanese HQ and troop concentration at Man Mao, and several scattered targets of opportunity. Transports maintain continuous flights to forward bases and frontline areas.

BURMA

On the Salween front, the Chinese of the XI Group Army push through Mangshih, whose airfield is soon used to land supplies.

CAROLINE ISLANDS

Fleet oiler USS Mississinewa is sunk in the harbor of Ulithi Atoll, Admiral Halsey's Third Fleet anchorage, after being hit by a Japanese one man suicide submarine (Kaiten) while at anchor. The destruction of the Mississinewa proved to be one of the most important sinkings of the Pacific war as this was the first time the US Navy had encountered this type of submarine. Two kaitens, launched from their mother submarines I-36 and I-47 had penetrated the safety nets across the mouth of the harbor. One ran ashore but failed to explode and is recovered by the USN. The second kaiten found its mark on the starboard side of the Mississinewa which is loaded with 440,000 U.S. gallons of aviation fuel which explodes and erupts into a blazing inferno at 0547 hours local. At about 0900 hours the ship slowly turns over and disappeares. Casualties are three officers and 47 enlisted men killed, 11 officers and 81 enlisted wounded from the ships complement of 298.

Photo: Sinking in Ulithi anchorage after she was hit by a Japanese suicide torpedo, 20 November 1944



SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA

[Far East Air Force]: Units moving to Leyte Island: HQ Fifth AF moves from Owi; 13th Bombardment Squadron, 3d BG, from Hollandia, New Guinea to Dulag with A-20s. The 371st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 307th BG (Heavy), ceases operating form Noemfoor with B-24s and moves forward to Morotai.

JAPANESE OCCUPIED NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES

British carrier aircraft strike Sumatra, Netherlands East Indies. The targets are the airfields at Sabang and oil installations at Belawan Deli. The two carriers launch two strikes at these targets.

In the air, USAAF Far East Air Forces (FEAF) B-25s bomb Haroekoe Drome on Haroekoe Island, an island off Ambon Island, and Laha Drome on Amon Island. On Celebes Island, P-38s hit targets of opportunity over Sidate and in the Makassar areas.

Eight Australian Bostons and four Beaufighters attack the airfield and buildings at Tanamon Airfield on Celebes Island.

NEW GUINEA CAMPAIGN

The U.S. Eighth Army's operations on Asia and Mapia Islands are successfully concluded. The islands are to become sites for loran and radar stations.

PHILIPPINE CAMPAIGN (1944)

In the U.S. Sixth Army's X Corps area on Leyte, the 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry Regiment, 32d Infantry Division, is still held up on Corkscrew Ridge. Company C, 34th Infantry Regiment, joins the main body of the 1st Battalion on Kilay Ridge, abandoning forward positions.

Company B tries unsuccessfully to recover knoll lost yesterday. The ammunition supply is critically low.

The U.S. merchant ship SS Thomas Nelson, at anchor with twenty other ships in Dulag Bay. Leyte Island, is attacked by a Japanese suicide plane that has dived through a barrage of anti-aircraft fire to crash on her deck. On board are hundreds of tons of ammunition. The plane's single bomb explodes on impact, the explosion and fire causing the deaths of some 140 US Army enlisted men, navy gunners and merchant navy crewmen.

USN submarine USS Gar lands supplies on the north coast of Mindoro.

ALASKA

(Eleventh Air Force): 3 B-24s fly an air cover mission for the US Navy.

UNITED STATES NAVY DEPARTMENT COMMUNIQUES, CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 185, NOVEMBER 20, 1944

Aircraft from a carrier task force under the tactical command of Vice Admiral J. S. McCain struck at shipping and airfields in and around Manila on November 18 (West Longitude Date). Incomplete reports show that two large cargo ships and one large oiler were burned in Manila Harbor and about 100 enemy planes were destroyed on the ground. Light fighter opposition was met over the targets and 10 Japanese aircraft were shot down. Our fighters destroyed eight additional attacking planes near our carriers.
Fighter planes of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing hit a fuel dump and other storage areas on Babelthuap in the Palaus and sank two enemy barges in waters around this island on November 17. On the same day Catalinas of Fleet Air Wing One bombed the town on Koror in the Palaus. Fighters of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing pounded the runways on Yap Airfield.

On November 18 strafing and bombing attacks were made by planes of Fleet Air Wing One on barges near Kits. Iwo Jima in the Bonins. Unaggressive attacks were made on our planes by five enemy fighters.
Liberators of the Eleventh Army Air Force on November 18 bombed targets in Suribachi in the Northern Kuriles. Intense antiaircraft fire was encountered.

Second Marine Aircraft Wing fighters attacked the phosphate plant on Rota in the Marianas on November 18.

Fighters of the Fourth Marine Aircraft Wing encountered intense antiaircraft fire in bombing attacks on the power plant and other installations on Nauru on November 18. An explosion was observed near the power station.

PACIFIC

Japanese planes attack three U.S. tankers proceeding from Ulithi to Eniwetok, near-misses and strafing account for damage to tanker Fort Dearborn at 12°00'N, 155°00'E. There are, however, only four men wounded among the ship's 50-man merchant complement, 27-man Armed Guard and five passengers.

Submarine Atule (SS-403) sinks Japanese minesweeper W.38 southwest of Formosa, 21°21'N, 119°45'E.

Submarine Gar (SS-206) lands supplies on north coast of Mindoro.

British submarine HMS Tally Ho sinks Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Ma 4 30 miles east of the southern tip of Great Nicobar Island, 06°55'N, 94°15'E.

USAAF B-25 (14th Air Force) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Daichi Maru in Yangtze River northeast of Shanghai, China, 31°57'N, 122°18'E.

USAAF B-25s sink Japanese ship No.79 Nany Maru off Timor.

Day 1899 of World War II, November 22nd 1944

Western Front (1944) - Liberation of France

Map: HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map, November 22nd 1944



Forces of the US 3rd Army capture Metz.

US 7th Army forces take St. Die as others approach Saverne.

The French 1st Army occupies Mulhouse, after defeating a counterattack by German forces.

Photo: A Moroccan soldier waits in cover for an expected enemy counterattack, Mulhouse area, France, 22 November, 1944



Photo: A group of German snipers, taken during the fight for a road leading out of Belfort, France, is led through the streets of the city by members of the 1st French Armored Division. 22 November, 1944



Western Front (1944) - Liberation of the Netherlands

Photo: Churchill tanks of 3rd Scots Guards, 6th Guards Tank Brigade, with infantry of 2nd Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, advance near Beringe in Holland, 22 November 1944



Photo: Infantry of 2nd Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders riding on Achilles 17-pdr tank destroyers during the advance east of Beringe, 22 November 1944



Photo: Sherman Crab flail tanks of the Westminster Dragoons carrying infantry of 2nd Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders during the advance east of Beringe, 22 November 1944



Western Front (1944) - Siegfried Line campaign

Operations of the US 9th Army and the US 1st Army secure Eschweiler.

Air War over Europe

First Tactical Air Force (Provisional): HQ 63d Fighter Wing moves from San Pietro Italy to Vittel, France; the 432d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 17th Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Poretta, Corsica to Dijon, France with B-26s. Ninth Air Force: Bomber operations are cancelled due to bad weather; fighter operations are limited. 16 aircraft from the IX and XIX Tactical Air Commands patrol over the V and VII Corps area (SE of Aachen), the Bonn- Cologne area, and fly reconnaissance around Saarbrucken, Homburg/Saar, Neukirchen and Kaiserslautern, Germany, and Sarrebourg, France. In France, the 377th Fighter Squadron, 362d Fighter Group, moves from Prosnes to Rouvres, France with P-47s.

171 RAF Lancasters and 7 Mosquitos of No 5 Group were dispatched to attack the U-boat pens at Trondheim but the target was covered by a smoke-screen and the Master Bomber ordered the raid to be abandoned after the illuminating and marking force had been unable to find the target. 2 Lancasters and 1 Mosquito lost.

(US Fifteenth Air Force): 205 B-17s and B-24s hit E and W marshalling yards at Munich, Germany; 214 others fail to reach primaries because of impenetrable weather and attack alternates and targets of opportunity including marshalling yards at Regensburg, Germany, Salzburg, Lienz, and Villach, Austria and several targets of opportunity at scattered points; fighters provide escort to Munich, Germany. In Italy, 88 B-24s attack a bridge at Ferrara and rail line at Carbola, while 39 P-38s bomb the Osoppo motor transport depot.

Italian campaign

(US Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, B-25s again pound defenses in the Faenza area as British Eighth Army forces push into that area from the SE; fighter-bombers and fighters fly nearly 350 sorties against rail lines in the Po Valley and very successfully hit guns, vehicles, troops and other targets in the US Fifth Army battle area S of Bologna, and supply dumps and pipelines N of the battle area.

Battle of the Mediterranean

Photo: Three Enemy Destroyers Sunk in 1 1/2 Hours. 22 November 1944, on Board HMS Wheatland, Malta. the Hunt Class Destroyers HMS Wheatland and HMS Avonvale Sank Three Enemy Destroyers Within 1 1/2 Hours on 1 November 1944, in the Adriatic Near Pag Island



Canada

At a cabinet meeting, Prime Minister King announces that the request for volunteers for overseas duty had failed. The Army High Command threatens to resign if the government does not impose conscription to send soldiers into overseas battle. With a risk of District Officers Commanding threatening to resign, the only option left was mandatory conscription. Defence Minister Andrew McNaughton recommends to Cabinet that 16,000 conscripted soldiers be sent to fight in Europe.

Finland

Photo: Photograph of Finnish military intelligence agents onboard a ship travelling from Närpiö (Närpes), Finland, to Härnösand, Sweden, as a part of the Operation Stella Polaris, 22 September 1944



United States

Photo: The U.S. Navy destroyer USS John R. Pierce (DD-753) after delivery from Bethlehem Steel off Staten Island, New York (USA), on 22 November 1944. The destroyer was commissioned on 30 December 1944. She is painted in Camouflage Measure 33a



Photo: The U.S. Navy light cruiser USS Atlanta (CL-104) at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey (USA), on 22 November 1944. She is painted in Camouflage Measure 33, Design 24D



Pacific War

CHINA

(Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 22 B-24s bomb Hankow; 11 B-25s pound the Ishan and Liuchenghsien areas while 8 hit storage facilities at Wanling and Kutkai, Burma; 95 P-51s, P-40s, and P-38s on armed reconnaissance over wide expanses of S China attack town areas, supplies, and road and rail traffic, hitting the Chefang area especially hard.

INDIA-BURMA

(Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 15 P-47s support ground forces at Bhamo while 37 others fly close support in the Pinwe area; supply and personnel areas at Nawngchio, Kutkai, Ingon, Selong, Man Mao, and in the vicinity of Kanbalu are pounded by more than 40 P-47s; 12 others attack the airfield at Kawlin Transports fly 188 sorties to forward areas. In India, the 2d Combat Cargo Squadron, 1st Combat Cargo Group, moves from Sylhet to Imphal with C-47s.

BURMA

Photo: Private Putterill of the Royal Sussex Regiment, 36th Infantry Division, armed with a Bren gun during a patrol, 22 November 1944



Photo: A Bren gun team of 36th Infantry Division man a front-line position during the final assault on Pinwe, 22 November 1944



SAIPAN

(Seventh Air Force): 22 B-24s from Saipan escorted by 22 P-38s (the first long-range P-38 escort of Seventh AF bombers), bomb airfields on Moen and Param. P-47s from Saipan pound the airfield on Pagan.

CAROLINE ISLANDS

Aircraft from a USN Task Group 38.4 bomb Japanese air facilities on Yap using napalm, the first time this weapon had been used by carrier-based aircraft.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA

[Far East Air Force]: Fighter-bombers hit targets of opportunity in the Makassar area, loosing the P-38 piloted by Robert Westbrook.

JAPANESE OCCUPIED NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES

On Celebes Island in the Netherlands East Indies, fighter-bombers hit targets of opportunity in the Makassar area while B-24s bomb the nickel mine and targets of opportunity in the Kendari area and hit airfields in northeastern Celebes. Other B-24s hit small shipping during a sweep over Brunei Bay, British Brunei, Borneo.

Nine Japanese aircraft raid Pitu and Wama Airfields on Morotai Island, Netherlands East Indies, destroying 15 RAAF and USAAF aircraft on the ground and damaging 29.

PHILIPPINE CAMPAIGN (1944)

In the U.S. Sixth Army's X Corps area on Leyte, the 2d and 3d Battalions of the 128th Infantry Regiment, 32d Infantry Division, attack south astride Highway 2 and take Limon, virtually completing the battle of Breakneck Ridge. Bypassed Japanese pockets are eliminated by mid-December. Forward elements of the 128th Infantry Regiment cross the tributary of the Leyte River south of Limon. The 1st Battalion of the 34th Infantry Regiment, under heavy Japanese attack on Kilay Ridge, is forced to compress its defense perimeter to avoid encirclement. In the XXIV Corps area, the 7th Infantry Division is ordered to assemble in the Baybay area as quickly as possible. The 11th Airborne Division, although not originally intended to operate on Leyte, is ordered to relieve the 7th Infantry Division, less the 17th Infantry Regiment, so the 7th can clear the eastern shore of Ormoc Bay.

USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers pound Bacalod Airstrip and Ipil on Negros Island, and Ormoc, Leyte Island area bridges, barges, and targets of opportunity. B-24s also bomb Sasa Airfield on Mindanao Island.

ALASKA

(Eleventh Air Force): 4 B-25s abort an air coverage mission due to weather.

UNITED STATES NAVY DEPARTMENT COMMUNIQUES, CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 187, NOVEMBER 22, 1944

Further reports of the air strikes in and around Manila on November 18 (West Longitude Date) reveal the following total damage to shipping and Installations by planes of the Third Fleet:

One medium cargo ship and one small coastal cargo ship set afire in Subic Bay.
Two medium cargo ships burning and one small coastal cargo ship sunk near San Fernando.
One cargo ship burned and another burning in Manila Bay.
An oiler in flames and one medium cargo ship and two other oilers hit in Manila Bay.
Five luggers burning off Batangas and another sunk at Laoag.
Locomotive destroyed at Lucena.

Our planes strafed a heavy cruiser which appeared to be beached or in shallow water near Santa Cruz.
Ten fires were started in fuel dumps at San Fernando, Del Carmen Field and Clark Field while buildings and other installations were destroyed at West Lipa, Nichols, Malvar and Del Carmen Fields.

Liberators and Lightnings of the Seventh Army Air Force on November 21 strafed and bombed airfields on Truk. Five enemy fighters were seen of which four were destroyed.

Fighters of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing on November 19 hit Babelthuap in the Palaus, setting fuel dumps afire, and pounded the airfield on Yap.

Defenses on Rota in the Marianas were pounded by fighters of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing on November 19.

PACIFIC

Aircraft from carrier group (Rear Admiral Ralph E. Davison) bomb Japanese air facilities on Yap, Carolines.

Japanese planes raid U.S. air facility at Morotai, destroying 15 bombers and damaging 31.

Submarine Besugo (SS-321) sinks Japanese landing ship T.151 off northern tip of Palawan, 11°22'N, 119°07'E.

Submarine Guavina (SS-362) sinks Japanese army cargoship D_wa Maru near Tizard's Bank, northwest of Borneo, 10°23'N, 114°21'E.

Submarine Scabbardfish (SS-397) damages Japanese escort vessel Oki, 33°20'N, 142°00'E.

Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 82 is sunk by aircraft off Balabac Island, P.I., 08°00'N, 117°00'E;

USAAF planes damage cargo ship Enoshima Maru at Makassar.

Day 1901 of World War II, November 24th 1944

Eastern Front

In the Baltic, Soviet forces complete the occupation of Saaremo Island in the Gulf of Riga. About 5000 German troops have been evacuated. Most of the remaining German surface fleet 'Lutzow', 'Admiral Scheer' and 'Prinz Eugen' provide support for the evacuation, in addition to shelling mainland targets in support of German Army Group North. German Army Group North is now isolated in the Baltic province of Kurland.

Western Front (1944) - Liberation of France

Map: HQ Twelfth Army Group situation map, November 24th 1944



Troops of the French First Army (de Tassigny) capture Mühlhausen in Alsace, while the French 2nd Division completes the capture of Strasboug.

Photo: Members of Company E, 324th Regiment, 44th Division, who are temporarily supporting a French Armored Division, march through the Strasbourg area of France. 24 November, 1944



Western Front (1944) - Siegfried Line campaign

The US 3rd Army captures crossings over the Saar River, about 25 miles north of Saarbrucken.

Air War over Europe

58 RAF Mosquitos to Berlin and 6 to Gottingen, 13 Halifaxes minelaying off Denmark. No aircraft lost.

(US Ninth Air Force): Weather cancels all operations except for 3 XIX Tactical Air Command (Provisional) fighters which fly a night intruder mission in Saarbrucken, Zweibrucken, and Homburg/Saar areas of Germany.

Italian campaign

(US Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, B-25s, in support of the British Eighth Army, bomb defenses in the Faenza area; bad weather restricts fighter-bombers to 2 missions which damage a road bridge and cut rail line S of Modena.

Photo: Infantry pass a knocked-out German PzKpfw IV tank on the road to Faenza, 24 November 1944



Photo: Sappers of 225 Field Company Royal Engineers remove a shell placed by the Germans to destroy a crossroads on Route 9 to Faenza, 24 November 1944. British troops reached the area before the charges could be detonated



Battle of the Atlantic

In the Cabot Strait, Canada, German submarine 'U-1228' torpedoes and sinks Canadian corvette HMCS 'Shawnigan'. All 90 on board die.

Pacific War

CHINA

(Fourteenth Air Force): 21 B-24s bomb the warehouse area and docks at Hankow, China. 3 others hit the Haiphong, French Indochina area. 22 B-25s bomb a storage area near Lashio, Burma, targets of opportunity in the Hankow, China area, and the towns of Wanling and Wan Lai-Kam, Burma, and Siangtan, and Wuchang, China. 120+ P-40s, P-38s and P-51s on armed reconnaissance attack many targets of opportunity in E Burma and SW and SE China, concentrating on river and rail traffic and supplies at Chefang, Hengshan, and the Sinshih-Changsha, China area.

Japanese forces in southern China, attempting to gain contact with their forces garrisoning French Indochina, take Nanning.

INDIA-BURMA

(Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 32 P-47s fly close support strikes in the Pinwe and Bhamo se#2ctors; 50 P-47s attack troops and supply areas at Panma, Hpa-Hpen, Nawng-Sang, Kawlin, Wahkyet, Kawngai, and in the Pintha area, 8 damage bridges at Meza, Namhkai, and Hsenwi while 10 others hit Lashio Airfield; 6 B-25s pound the storage and ferry area at Meza and 4 damage approaches to the Namhkai and Hsenwi road bridges. 323 transport sorties are flown to forward areas.

SAIPAN

(Seventh Air Force): 2 B-24s from Saipan Island on a shipping reconnaissance attack vessels at Haha Jima and Chichi Jima Islands. 3 B-24s from Guam Island on armed reconnaissance bomb Marcus. 14 Saipan based P-47s strafe landing ground on Pagan.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA

[Far East Air Force]: In the Philippine Islands, B-24s bomb AA positions and targets of opportunity at Camp Downes and Panalisan Point and US fighters attack and destroy several aircraft over Carigara Bay and the Leyte Island area; B-24s hit AA positions and other targets at Matina Airfield on Mindanao; units arriving on Leyte Island: 25th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, at Dulag from Biak Island with F-5s; 65th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy), at Tacloban from Owi with B-24s. Lost on a flight from Biak to Hollanida is C-46 42-101046.

JAPAN

The USAAF Twentieth Air Force's XXI Bomber Command flies Mission 7, their first against Japan; the objective is Tokyo. The 111 B-29s are led by Brigadier General Emmett O'Donnell Jr, Commanding General, 73d Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy), piloting "Dauntless Dotty," copiloted by Major Robert K Morgan, erstwhile pilot of the famed B-17 "Memphis Belle." Thirty five B-29s bomb the primary target, the Musashino aircraft plant while 50 bomb the secondary target, the urban area and docks. Seventeen others abort en route, the remainder are unable to bomb due to mechanical difficulties. Unfortunately, even with the use of radar, overcast skies and bad weather prove an insurmountable obstacle at 30,000 feet and fewer than 50 bombs hit the primary target. One B-29 crashes off Honshu Island when a fighter rams the bomber, shearing off the elevator and right horizontal stabilizer, becoming the first XXI Bomber Command B-29 lost to Japanese action; one other ditches after running out of fuel. B-29 gunners claim 7-18-9 Japanese aircraft. This is the first time Tokyo has been bombed since the Doolittle raid of 18 April 1942.

PHILIPPINE CAMPAIGN (1944)

In the U.S. Sixth Army's X Corps area on Leyte, the 1st Battalion of the 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, repels a minor counterattack against Kilay Ridge. In the XXIV Corps area, the 32d Infantry Regiment recovers some ground previously lost on Shoestring Ridge and holds the perimeter--about 2,000 yards long and less than 1,500 yards deep against a vigorous counterattack during the night of 24/25 November.

USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24s bomb antiaircraft positions and targets of opportunity at Camp Downes and Panalisan Point and fighters attack and destroy several aircraft over Carigara Bay and the Leyte Island area. B-24s hit antiaircraft positions and other targets at Matina Aerodrome on Mindanao Island. P-40s and P-47s attack one of the groups of ships involved in the 5th phase of the TA Operation, sinking a submarine chaser and three landing ships in Cataingan Bay, Masbate Island.

CAROLINE ISLANDS

Photo: The U.S. Navy light aircraft carrier USS Monterey (CVL-26) at anchor in the Ulithi Atoll, Caroline Islands, on 24 November 1944. Note F6F-5 fighters of Carrier Air Group 28 (CVG-28) parked aft on her flight deck



VOLCANO ISLANDS

USN heavy cruisers USS Chester, Pensacola and Salt Lake City bombard Iwo Jima.