TG 37.2 (Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman) attacks Japanese convoy off Kavieng, New Ireland. Planes from carrier Bunker Hill (CV-17) and small carrier Monterey (CVL-26), bomb shipping escorted by cruisers and destroyers, damaging light cruiser Noshiro.

Destroyers Smith (DD-378) and Hutchins (DD-476) are damaged in collision off eastern New Guinea, 05°00'S, 146°00'E.

Tank landing ship LST-446 is damaged by accidental explosion, Solomon Islands, 06°15'S, 155°02'E.

Submarine Balao (SS-285) damages Japanese transport Kiyosumi Maru south of Truk, Caroline Islands, 04°32'N, 147°23'E.

Submarine Herring (SS-233), pursuing Japanese convoy spotted the previous day, sinks aircraft transport Nagoya Maru 220 miles south-southwest of Tokyo Bay, 32°10'N, 138°37'E. Counterattack by escorting destroyer Ikazuchi is unsuccessful.

Submarine Puffer (SS-268), in attack on Japanese convoy at the western entrance of the Mindanao Sea, sinks army cargo ship Ryuyo Maru about 40 miles south of Negros Island, 08°36'N, 122°52'E.

Submarine Ray (SS-271) sinks Japanese gunboat Okuyo Maru at mouth of Ambon Bay, N.E.I., 03°51'S, 128°04'E.

PBYs sink Japanese cargo ship Kanaiyama Maru near Lorengau, Admiralty islands, 02°03'S, 147°27'E.

Aerial minelaying operations in the Marshalls continue: four PB4Y-1s (VB 108), flying from Apamama, mine Enijun Channel, Maleolap; flying from Tarawa, three PV-1s (VB 137) mine the waters off Jaluit; two PBY-5s (VP 72) mine Jabor Anchorage, Jaluit.

Pacific
TF 76 (Rear Admiral Daniel E. Barbey) lands U.S. Sixth Army troops (126th Regimental Combat Team, 32d Division, Reinforced) at Saidor, New Guinea, in Operation MICHAELMAS. Insertion of American troops at Saidor leap-frogs the Japanese garrison at Sio, 75 miles to the east. U.S. cruisers and destroyers provide cover.

Submarine Finback (SS-230) sinks Japanese merchant tanker Isshin Maru in East China Sea about 30 miles northwest of Takara Jima, Nansei Shoto, 29°30'N, 128°50'E.

Aerial minelaying operations in the Marshalls continue: flying from Tarawa, five PV-1s (VB 137) and one PBY-5 (VP 72) mine Jabor Anchorage.

Japanese planes bomb advanced base on Apamama Atoll, demolishing one PB4Y; exploding ammunition in the burning aircraft damages two additional PB4Ys.

Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter Albert Gallatin is torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-26 about 60 miles off the Arabian coast, 21°21'N, 59°58'E; there are no casualties among the complement (including the 28-man Armed Guard, who remain at their posts until the ship literally sinks beneath them). Norwegian tanker Britannia rescues the survivors.

Submarine Kingfish (SS-234) attacks Japanese convoy northwest of Miri, Sarawak, Borneo, and sinks fleet tankers Bokuei Maru, 06°58'N, 112°02'E, and Ryuei Maru, 08°06'N, 112°30'E.

Submarine Raton (SS-270) damages Japanese fleet tanker Akebono Maru east of Mindanao, P.I., 08°18'N, 129°59'E.

Submarine Scorpion (SS-278) departs Midway for her fourth war patrol. She will rendezvous with Herring (SS-233) on 5 January, but will never be seen again.

Submarine Tautog (SS-199) sinks Japanese transport Saishu Maru south of Honshu, 33°44'N, 136°02'E.

Aerial minelaying operations in the Marshalls continue: seven PB4Y-1s (VB 108 and VB 109), flying from Apemama, mine the waters northwest of Enijun Island, off west side of Taroa, and outside lagoon off Kumaru Island, and strafe shipping anchored off Taroa; four PV-1s (VB 137), flying from Tarawa, mine southeast pass, Jaluit.

Japanese planes again bomb advanced base at Apamama, but inflict neither casualties nor serious damage to installations.

Atlantic
Destroyer Turner (DD-648) is sunk by internal explosion, three miles north of Ambrose Lightship, New York Harbor. During efforts to help the injured, a Coast Guard helicopter transports needed blood plasma in the Navy's first operational use of the helicopter in treating casualties.

Destroyer Somers (DD-381) sinks German blockade runner Weserland, 14°55'S, 21°39'W, and recovers 130 survivors.

Motor torpedo boat PT-145, damaged by grounding off Mindiri, 05°34'S, 146°10'E, is scuttled by motor torpedo boat PT-370. The latter suffers damage during the attempt to tow PT-145 out of the area.

Escort carrier Tripoli (CVE-64) is damaged by accidental gasoline fire, Naval Repair Base, San Diego, California.

Submarines Bluefish (SS-222) and Rasher (SS-269) attack Japanese convoy off coast of French Indochina. Bluefish sinks merchant tanker Hakko Maru, 07°10'N, 108°28'E; Rasher damages tanker Kiyo Maru (ex-Norwegian Vigrid), 06°44'N, 108°43'E (see 5 January 1945). Third ship in convoy, Konsan Maru, escapes unharmed. Rasher also carries out mining operation in waters off Cochin China the same day.

Submarine Cabrilla (SS-288) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship No.8 Tamon Maru off Cape Padaran, French Indochina, 11°05'N, 109°10'E.

Submarine Tautog (SS-199), despite presence of two escort vessels, sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Usa Maru off southern Honshu, 34°09'N, 136°50'E.

Aerial minelaying operations in the Marshalls continue: two PV-1s (VB 137) and one PBY-5 (VP 72), flying from Tarawa, mine southeast pass, Jaluit.

USAAF B-25s (5th Air Force), covered by RAAF Beaufighters, attack Japanese shipping in Tenau harbor, Timor, sinking army cargo ship Heimei Maru, 10°10'S, 123°35'E.

Atlantic
Light cruiser Omaha (CL 4) and destroyer Jouett (DD- 396) intercept German blockade runner Rio Grande about 55 miles northeast of the coast of Brazil, 06°41'S, 25°36'W. Gunfire and scuttling charges sink Rio Grande (see 8 January).

Aerial minelaying operations in the Marshalls continue: one PBY-5 (VP 72), flying from Tarawa, mines Schischmarov Strait, Wotje.

Japanese guardboat No.5 Fukuyoshi Maru is wrecked following attack by USAAF B-24, Wotje Atoll, Marshalls.

Atlantic
PBM-3S (VP 203) sights German blockade runner Burgenland and summons light cruiser Omaha (CL 4) and destroyer Jouett (DD-396). Gunfire and scuttling charges sink Burgenland, 07°29'S, 25°37'W.

Atlantic
Gunboat St. Augustine (PG-54) is sunk in collision with U.S. merchant tanker Camas Meadows, 73 miles south- southwest of Cape May, New Jersey, 38°01'N, 74°05'W.

Mediterranean
U.S. freighter William S. Rosecrans drags anchor during storm south of Naples, Italy, and strikes a mine that starts a fire that dooms the ship. She sinks later that afternoon but there are no casualties to either the merchant complement or the 27-man Armed Guard, who are all rescued by British naval vessels.

Submarine Kingfish (SS-234) attacks Japanese convoy southwest of Palawan, sinking merchant tanker No.3 Fushimi Maru, 09°27'N, 117°36'E.

Eight PB4Y-1s (VB 108 and VB 109), flying from Apemama, encounter bad weather that forces cancellation of their minelaying mission to the Marshalls.

USAAF B-25s sink Vichy French merchant ship Kai Ping, Ben Thuy, French Indochina.

Japanese cargo vessel Katsuragisan Maru is sunk by Japanese mine in northwest channel of Truk harbor, 07°30'N, 151°50'E.

Atlantic
Fleet tug Carib (ATF-82) stops and boards Spanish merchant ship Monte Amiboto and removes a stowaway, an alleged German internee in Argentina from the armored ship Admiral Graf Spee.

Destroyer Davis (DD-395) rescues 21 survivors of sunken German blockade runner Burgenland, 08°06'S, 26°45'W.

Aerial minelaying operations in the Marshalls continue: eight PB4Y-1s (VB 108 and VB 109), flying from Apemama, mine the waters off Wotje and then strafe enemy facilities on the island and shipping offshore; seven PBY-5s (VP 72), flying from Tarawa, mine Wotje anchorage and Schischmarov Strait.

Atlantic
Light cruiser Marblehead (CL-12) rescues 72 survivors of sunken German blockade runner Rio Grande, 07°45'S, 33°00'W. Destroyer Winslow (DD-359) rescues 35 survivors of sunken German blockade runner Burgenland,08°14'S, 29°22'W.

Submarine Seawolf (SS-197) begins series of attacks on Japanese convoy about 70 miles north of Naha, Okinawa, sinking army cargo ship Asuka Maru, 27°30'N, 127°45'E, and merchant cargo ship Getsuyo Maru at 27°10'N, 127°28'E (see 11 January).

Submarine Steelhead (SS-280), in the midst of a "full- fledged typhoon," attacks Japanese convoy south of Honshu, sinking repair ship Yamabiko Maru, 31°28'N, 137°44'E.

Aerial minelaying operations in the Marshalls continue: two PBY-5s (VP 72), flying from Tarawa, mine Meichen Channel and Legediak Strait, Wotje.

Japanese planes again bomb advanced base at Apamama, but inflict neither casualties nor serious damage to installations.

Mediterranean
U.S. freighter Daniel Webster is damaged by German aerial torpedo during air attack on convoy KMS 37 while en route from Gibraltar to Augusta and Naples, 36°04'N, 00°14'W (see 11 January).

Submarine Sturgeon (SS-187) attacks Japanese convoy in approaches to Bungo Suido, sinking army cargo ship Erie Maru about 20 miles east of Saeki, Kyushu, 32°56'N, 132°02'E, and survives ensuing depth-charging by escorts.

Submarine Tautog (SS-199) damages Japanese ammunition ship Kogyo Maru off Honshu, 34°10'N, 136°56'E.

British submarine HMS Tally Ho sinks Japanese light cruiser Kuma (en route to conduct torpedo practice) 10 miles northwest of Penang, Malaya, 06°00'N, 39°00'E.

Aerial minelaying operations in the Marshalls continue: four PBYs (VP 72), flying from Tarawa, mine Meichen Channel and Schischmarov Strait, Wotje; Enibin and Torappu channels, Maleolap.

USAAF B-25Gs strike Japanese shipping and installations at Maleolap and Wotje, damaging destroyer Ushio.

Atlantic
Brazilian 10th Military Region forces take custody of 22 survivors of German blockade runner Rio Grande who reach Fortaleza, Brazil.

Mediterranean
U.S. freighter Daniel Webster, damaged by German aerial torpedo the previous day, reaches Oran under escort of British frigate HMS Barle; rescue tug ATR-47 brings Daniel Webster into port where she is subsequently written off as a total loss. There are no fatalities among the ship's complement (which includes a 29-man Armed Guard).

Submarine Albacore (SS-218) sinks Japanese gunboat No.2 Choko Maru about 350 miles southwest of Truk, 03°30'N, 147°27'E; she also damages motor gunboat Hayabusa-Tei No.4, under tow of No.12 Choko Maru, so badly that the smaller craft has to be scuttled, 03°37'N, 147°27'E.

Submarine Hake (SS-256) sinks Japanese aircraft transport Nigitsu Maru about 300 miles southeast of Okinawa, 23°15'N, 133°49'E.

Japanese army cargo vessel Kanjo Maru is sunk by USAAF mine in Takao harbor, Formosa, 22°37'N, 120°15'E.

Mediterranean
Naval Air Station, Port Lyautey, French Morocco, is established.

USAAF B-24 (5th Air Force) sinks Japanese transport Haguro Maru 35 miles northwest of New Hanover, 02°43'N, 149°25'E.

Thai ship Valaya is sunk by mine in Menam River, Thailand.

Atlantic
Brazilian minelayer Camocim while escorting convoy JT 19, picks up the last 34 survivors (26 German and 8 Italian) of the three German blockade runners sunk on 3, 4, and 5 January.

Submarine Scamp (SS-277) attacks Japanese convoy about 400 miles east-southeast of the Palaus, sinking fleet tanker Nippon Maru south of Sorol Island, 05°02'N, 140°50'E; Albacore (SS-218), nearby, sinks destroyer Sazanami, 05°30'N, 141°34'E; Guardfish (SS-217) sets upon same convoy attacked earlier by Scamp and sinks fleet tanker Ken'yo Maru 520 miles southeast of Palau, 05°23'N, 141°57'E.

Submarine Seawolf (SS-197) attacks Japanese convoy approximately 300 miles northeast of Okinawa, sinking fleet tanker Yamazuru Maru, 25°00'N, 132°00'E.

Submarine Swordfish (SS-193) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking transport Yamakuni Maru off Hachijo Jima, south of Honshu, 33°16'N, 139°30'E.

SBDs and TBFs, supported by Allied fighters, bomb Japanese shipping in Simpson Harbor, Rabaul, damaging destroyer Matsukaze and fleet tanker Naruto.

PBY-5 (VP 72) shot down attacking Jabor on 12 January is located and its crew rescued about 40 miles southwest of Jaluit.

USAAF B-25s strike Japanese shipping and installations at Wotje atoll, Marshalls, sinking guardboat Tama Maru.

USAAF B-24s (14th Air Force) sink army cargo ship Gyoei Maru in South China Sea, 20°35'N, 113°44'E.

Atlantic
Destroyers Bulmer (DD-222) and Parrott (DD-218) damage German submarine U-382, 560 miles west-northwest of Cape Finisterre, Spain.

Fuel oil barge (self-propelled) YO-159, torpedoed the previous day by Japanese submarine RO-42, is scuttled by gunfire of submarine chaser PC-1138 (see 14 January).

Submarine Crevalle (SS-291) lays mines east of Saigon, French Indochina.

Submarine Thresher (SS-200), in attack on Japanese convoy, sinks army cargo ship Toho Maru and merchant tanker Tatsuno Maru about 75 miles north of Luzon, 20°00'N, 120°51'E.

British submarine HMS Tally Ho sinks Japanese army cargo ship Ry_k_ Maru south of Port Blair, Andaman Islands, 10°03'N, 93°05'E.

USAAF B-25 sinks Vichy French coast patrol craft Ping Sung off Hongay, French Indochina.

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.

Atlantic
TBF (VC 13) from escort carrier Guadalcanal (CVE-60) sinks German submarine U-544 in mid-Atlantic, 40°30'N, 37°20'W.5

U.S. freighter Sumner I. Kimball, straggling from New York-bound convoy ON 219, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-960 in the North Atlantic, 52°35'N, 35°00'W. There are no survivors from either the 40-man merchant complement or the 29-man Armed Guard.

Japanese sources indicate guardboat No.6 Shinko Maru is sunk, but offers no location other than "South Seas area." The only naval air activity on this day that may have been responsible for the loss of a ship the size of No.6 Shinko Maru is a raid by PB4Y aircraft upon Kusaie in the Carolines.

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.

Atlantic
Airship K 36 crashes in a fog on the lee side of Ilha de Cabo Frio, Brazil.

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.

USAAF B-24 (5th Air Force) sinks Japanese cargo vessel Kaishu Maru at Manus, Admiralty Islands.

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.

Atlantic
Tank landing ship LST-228 sinks after running aground off the Azores, 38°39'N, 27°12'W.

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.

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.

Atlantic
Tank landing craft LCT-582 sinks after running aground, Azores.

Mediterranean
Elements of the British First Army and U.S. Third Army (Major General Lucian K. Truscott, USA) land on the Italian coast at Anzio, in Operation SHINGLE; naval commander is Rear Admiral Frank K. Lowry. Initial landings progress as scheduled with little opposition, and the troops are landed with small loss. Enemy opposition, however, will mount over the ensuing weeks, and naval gunfire support will prove crucial to troops holding the beachhead. Off Anzio, minesweeper Portent (AM-106) is sunk by mine, 41°24'N, 12°44'E; infantry landing craft LCI-20 is sunk by aircraft.

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.

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.

Japanese planes bomb U.S. shipping in Dreger Bay, New Guinea, damaging freighter John Muir at 06°32'08"N, 147°53'05"E, with one direct hit and at least four near-misses that injure 2 of 42 merchant sailors, one of the 28-man Armed Guard and 13 of the 40 Construction Battalion stevedores embarked to work cargo.

Mediterranean
Tank landing craft LCT-185 founders and sinks in heavy weather off Bizerte, Tunisia.

German planes attack invasion shipping off the Anzio beachhead: bombs damage destroyer Plunkett (DD-431), 41°15'N, 12°37'E, and minesweeper Prevail (AM-107), 41°00'N, 12°00'E; aerial torpedo damages destroyer Mayo (DD-422), 41°24'N, 12°43'E;

During German air raid on Allied shipping at Naples, Italy, U.S. freighter F.A.C. Muhlenberg is damaged by bomb and by near-miss of bomb; ship's crew and port firefighting crews extinguish the fires thus started. Of the ship's complement, 6 of 46 merchant sailors die; 1 of the 31-man Armed Guard perishes in the blaze.

Arctic
German submarines attack Murmansk-bound convoy JW 56A. U.S. freighter Penelope Barker is torpedoed and sunk by U-278 about 115 miles from North Cape, Norway, 72°23'N, 23°10'E; 10 merchant sailors and 5 Armed Guard men (of the 43-man merchant complement and the 28-man Armed Guard, respectively) perish in the explosions. British destroyer HMS Savage rescues the survivors (see 26 January).

Japanese cargo ship Nanshin Maru sinks after running aground on a shoal off Miyagiken peninsula, 35°31'N, 133°09'E.

Mediterranean
Off Anzio, motor minesweeper YMS-30 is sunk by mine, 41°23'N, 12°45'E; submarine chaser PC-676 is damaged by near-miss of bomb.

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.

Escort carriers Suwanee (CVE-27) and Sangamon (CVE-26) are damaged in collision while en route to the Marshalls.

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.

Mediterranean
Off Anzio, mines sink Infantry landing craft LCI-32 and damage tank landing ship LST-422. During German air raid on shipping off the invasion beaches, U.S. freighter John Banyard is damaged by near-miss of aerial bomb. While there are no casualties to those on board (including the 27-man Armed Guard), the ship will later be written off as a total loss. Off Nettuno, a German fighter plane crashes into freighter Hilary A. Herbert shortly before the freighter is further damaged by the near-miss of a bomb. Beached to prevent her loss, Hilary A. Herbert is later repaired and returned to service.

Arctic
German submarines continue attacks against Murmansk- bound convoy JW 56A. U.S. freighter Andrew G. Curtin is torpedoed and sunk by U-716, 73°25'N, 25°16'E; two of the merchant crew and one Armed Guard sailor (of the 43-man merchant complement and the 28-man Armed Guard, respectively) perish. British destroyer HMS Inconstant rescues the survivors.

Indian Ocean
U.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.

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.

Mediterranean
German air opposition to landings at Anzio begins to increase; submarine chaser SC-534 is damaged by near- miss of bomb. Adverse weather conditions there cause damage to one large infantry landing craft (LCI[L]) and eleven tank landing craft (LCT).

USAAF B-24 (13th Air Force) 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.

Atlantic
PB4Y-1 (VB 103) sinks German submarine U-271 off Limerick, Eire, 53°15'N, 15°52'W.

Mediterranean
Off Anzio, motor torpedo boat PT-201--that has Lieutenant General Mark Clark, Commanding General of the U.S. Fifth Army, on board--is damaged by friendly fire from minesweeper Sway (AM-120); submarine chaser SC-534 is damaged by near-miss of bomb.

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).

Mediterranean
German planes bomb U.S. shipping off the invasion beaches at Anzio and Nettuno; off the former place, rescue tug ATR-1 is damaged by near-miss of bomb, 41°27'N, 12°40'E. freighter Alexander Martin is damaged by strafing but there are no fatalities among the ship's complement (including the 24-man Armed Guard). Off Nettuno, freighter Samuel Huntington is sunk by bombs; three merchant sailors die in the explosions, one will die of his wounds later. Her survivors are rescued by tank landing craft LCT-277. There are no casualties among the 39-man Armed Guard; the ship will later be written off as a total loss. LCT-198 rescues survivors from British light AA cruiser HMS Spartan [along with HMS Dido and HMS Delhi, among others.]

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 (see 14 February).

Destroyer Burns (DD-588) sinks Japanese transport Akibasan Maru and guardboat Nichiei Maru off Ujae Atoll, Marshalls.

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.

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.

Aircraft from fast carrier group TG 58.3 (Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman) bomb aircraft and airfield facilities at Engebi Island, Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshalls. Attacks by this carrier group continue on the first three days of February and afterward by Rear Admiral Samuel P. Ginder's carrier group TG 58.4 through 7 February. TG 58.3 aircraft and destroyer Harrison (DD-573) sink Japanese auxiliary netlayer Katsura Maru off Eniwetok.

U.S. air strike on Nauru, in support of the Marshalls operations, sinks Japanese auxiliary submarine chasers Cha 25 and Cha 33.

Cargo ship Enceladus (AK-80) is damaged by storm, Solomons, 08°09'N, 157°38'E.

Submarine Trigger (SS-237) sinks Japanese auxiliary submarine depot ship Yasukuni Maru northwest of Truk, 09°21'N, 147°02'E, and damages destroyer Michisio, 09°50'N, 147°06'E.

Submarine Tullibee (SS-284) sinks Japanese auxiliary netlayer Hiro Maru north-northwest of Saipan, 15°23'N, 145°35'E.

USAAF B-24 sinks Japanese guardboat Seisho Maru off Celebes.

Japanese plane carries out high-level bombing raid on U.S. shipping in Langemak Bay, New Guinea; freighter Stephen Crane is damaged by bomb that glances off her stack and explodes in the water nearby. One Army passenger is killed; 22 men (including one merchant seaman and one of the 29-man Armed Guard) are injured.

Destroyer Walker (DD-517) sinks Japanese submarine RO-39 10 miles east of Wotje, Marshalls, 09°24'N, 170°32'E.

Submarine Plunger (SS-179) attacks Japanese convoy south of Honshu, and sinks merchant cargo ships No.5 Toyo Maru and No.8 Toyo Maru off Kushimoto, 33°29'N, 135°59'E, and survives resultant depth-charging.

Japanese transport Katsura Maru sinks after running aground off Futsing, China, 25°37'N, 119°47'E.

Submarine Tambor (SS-198) attacks Japanese convoy in East China Sea, sinking fleet tanker Goyo Maru and merchant fleet tanker Ariake Maru about 200 miles southeast of Shanghai, 28°53'N, 124°19'E. Although damaged by depth charges from escort vessels, the submarine remains on patrol.

PBYs and USAAF B-25s (5th Air Force) attack Japanese convoy west of New Hanover and sink cargo ship Nichiai Maru, 03°27'S, 149°32'E.

Europe
USAAF planes (8th Air Force) bomb German naval base at Wilhelmshaven, sinking accommodation ship Monte Pasqual and damaging minesweepers M 18 and M 19.

Destroyers bombard Sarine Plantation, northwest coast of Bougainville, Solomon Islands; destroyer Claxton (DD- 571) is damaged by return fire from Japanese shore battery, 05°49'S, 154°39'E.

Destroyer Charrette (DD-581) and destroyer escort Fair (DE-35) sink Japanese submarine I-175, 100 miles north of Jaluit, Marshalls, 06°48'N, 168°08'E.

PV-1s sink Japanese water tanker Goryu Maru off Emidj Island, Jaluit, 06°00'N, 169°44'E.

USMC PB4Ys (VMD 154) reconnoiter Truk in the first general reconnaissance of that important Japanese fleet base by U.S. planes.

Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) delivers supplies and evacuates certain personnel from near Libertad, Panay, P.I.

British submarine HMS Stonehenge sinks Japanese ship No.2 Koryo Maru north of Sumatra.

USAAF B-24s and B-25s (14th Air Force) attack convoy in South China Sea, sinking gunboat Rozan Maru and merchant cargo ships Lushan Maru and Seikyo Maru off Swatow, China, 22°00'N, 116°00'E.

USAAF B-25s sink Fatsumi Maru off Wewak.

Atlantic
PB4Y-1 (VB 107) sinks German submarine U-177 west of Ascension Island, 10°35'S, 23°12'W.

Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) delivers supplies and evacuates certain people from near Balatong Point, Negros, P.I.

Escort carrier White Plains (CVE-66) and destroyer Caldwell (DD-605) are damaged in collision while transferring people at sea, Marshalls area.

Mediterranean
Destroyer Ludlow (DD-438) is damaged by dud shell from German shore battery off Anzio, Italy.

Atlantic
Light cruiser Marblehead (CL-12) rescues the survivors of German submarine U-177, sunk by PB4Y (VB 107) on 6 February.

Mediterranean
Destroyer Ludlow (DD-438) is damaged by shore battery fire off Anzio, 41°28'N, 12°30'E.

Tank landing ship LST-170 is damaged by horizontal bomber, off eastern New Guinea, 08°39'S, 148°27'E.

Submarine Hake (SS-256) attacks Japanese mine/netlayer Wakatake, escorting a convoy to Manokwari, 01°43'N, 129°30'E, but achieves no damage. Wakatake's depth charge counterattack is also unsuccessful.

Submarine Pogy (SS-266) sinks Japanese destroyer Minekaze and merchant cargo ship Malta Maru, 85 miles north-northeast of Formosa, 23°20'N, 121°30'E.

Submarine Spearfish (SS-190) damages Japanese transport Tatsuwa Maru southwest of Formosa, 21°53'N, 119°13'E.

PBY sinks Japanese fishing boat Inawa Maru off Wewak.

Japanese fishing vessel Kirishima Maru is damaged by mine off Moulmein.

Japanese cargo ship Waka Maru is sunk by "sea trouble" near Bokai Bay, western Korea, 35°40'N, 126°20'E.

Submarine Gudgeon (SS-211) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Satsuma Maru (previously damaged by Chinese B-25s off Wenchow, China, at 28°01'N, 121°30'E), 27°38'N, 121°15'E.

U.S. aircraft damage Japanese guardboat Miyo Maru off Leyte, P.I.

Japanese flying boats bomb and destroy supply concentrations on Roi Island, Marshalls; tank landing craft LCT-346 and LCT-347 are damaged.

Submarine rescue vessel Macaw (ASR-11), stranded at entrance to Midway Channel since 16 January, slips off the reef and [begin to sink, going under following day].

Submarine Tambor (SS-198) sinks Japanese merchant tanker Ronsan Maru in East China Sea about 40 miles southwest of Amami O Shima, 27°45'N, 128°42'E.

British submarine HMS Stonehenge sinks Japanese netlayer Choko Maru off west coast of Malaya, 05°46'N, 99°52'E.

USAAF B-25 aircraft attack Japanese fishing boats operating in Tonkin Gulf, sinking No.12 Kainan Maru and damaging No.11 Kainan Maru, 20°44'N, 107°02'E.

Submarine Robalo (SS-273) conducts unsuccessful attack on Japanese army cargo ships Minryu Maru and Sekino Maru (see 14 February).

USAAF A-20s (5th Air Force) sink Japanese army cargo ship Yoshino Maru and motor sailboat Tok_n Maru (in tow of the cargo ship) off Aitape, 03°20'S, 143°00'E.

USAAF B-25s (14th Air Force) sink Japanese cargo ship Shoka Maru and damage Kokoku Maru off Hainan Island, 18°35'N, 108°30'E; USAAF and Chinese aircraft sink fishing vessel Meiji Maru off the China Coast, 26°40'N, 121°40'E.

Mediterranean
Tank landing craft LCT-220 founders in heavy weather and sinks off Anzio.

Light cruiser St. Louis (CL-49), covering the unopposed landing at Pakonian Plantation, west side of Green Island, is damaged by bomb dropped by Japanese dive bomber, 06°15'S, 153°29'E.

Submarine Flasher (SS-249) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Minryo Maru (which had escaped Robalo's attack the day before) off Cape Santiago, Luzon, 13°43'N, 120°39'E, and tanker Hokuan Maru, 13°44'N, 120°29'E.

Submarine Snook (SS-279) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Nittoku Maru southwest of Tsushima, Japan, 33°48'N, 128°50'E.

British submarine HMS Tally Ho sinks Japanese submarine UIT 23 (ex-Italian Reginaldo Giuliani) off Penang, Malaya, 04°25'N, 100°09'E.

PBY damages Japanese cargo ship Mitsu Maru and forces her aground east of Sepik, New Guinea. Allied air attacks subsequently destroy Mitsu Maru.

USAAF B-25 aircraft sink Japanese ship Satsuma Maru off Wenchow, 28°00'N, 121°30'E.

Salvage of Eiko Maru (sunk on 30 January) by U.S. Navy divers yields a large number of Japanese charts of the Pacific area and other intelligence material.

Naval aircraft from Abemama, Gilbert Islands, bomb Wake Island.

Submarine Aspro (SS-309) sinks Japanese submarine I-43, transporting sailors from the Sasebo Special Landing Force to Truk, 280 miles east-southeast of Guam, 10°23'N, 150°23'E.

Submarine Gato (SS-212) sinks Japanese guardboat No.3 Taiyo Maru off Rabaul, New Britain, 04°00'N, 150°10'E.

Submarine Snook (SS-283) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship No.2 Hoshi Maru off south coast of Korea, 34°23'N, 128°23'E.

Submarine Steelhead (SS-280) damages Japanese cargo ship Enju Maru 110 miles from Chichi Jima.

Submarine Tinosa (SS-283) attacks Japanese convoy east of Mindanao, P.I., sinking army cargo ship Odatsuki Maru east of Dinagat Island, 09°30'N, 127°00'E (see 16 February 1944).

British submarine HMS Tally Ho sinks German-manned Italian cargo submarine UIT-23, 04°53'N, 100°15'E.

USAAF B-25s and A-20s damage auxiliary netlayer Matsu Maru at Rabaul.

USAAF B-25s (14th Air Force) sink Vichy French patrol craft Ping Sang off Hongay, French Indochina, 21°00'N, 107°22'E.

Mine laid by 14th Air Force B-24s on 10 February sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Ryoka Maru off entrance to Yangtze River, 31°16'N, 121°46'E; a mine also sinks merchant cargo ship Hoshi Maru off south coast of Korea, 34°27'N, 128°45'E;

Mediterranean
Off Anzio, destroyer escort Herbert C. Jones (DE-137) is damaged by radio-controlled bomb, 41°27'N, 12°35'E, and large infantry landing craft LCI(L)-2 is damaged by mine, 41°24'N, 12°43'E. Bomb holes freighter Elihu Yale; the explosion start fires that spread to tank landing craft LCT-35 alongside, destroying that vessel as well. Firefighting efforts by fleet tug Hopi (ATF-71) ultimately prove successful but Elihu Yale is later written off as a total loss. Two of the 40-man Armed Guard perish in the attack, as do three of the 45-man merchant complement and seven of the 182 stevedores working cargo. Tank landing craft LCT-152 rescues survivors from Elihu Yale and LCT-35.

Destroyer Phelps (DD-360) and minesweeper Sage (AM-111) sink Japanese submarine RO-40, 45 miles northwest of Kwajalein, Marshalls, 09°50'N, 166°35'E.

Submarine Skate (SS-305) sinks Japanese light cruiser Agano 170 miles north of Dublon Island, Truk, 10°10'N, 151°40'E.

Submarine Tinosa (SS-283) continues pursuit of convoy engaged the previous day, and sinks Japanese army cargo ship Chojo Maru off Sarangani Island, 09°15'N, 127°05'E.

USAAF B-25s (38th and 345th Bomb Groups) carry out succession of attacks on Japanese convoy off New Hanover and Kavieng, sinking submarine chaser Ch 39, auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 16, and transport Sanko Maru, 02°24'S, 150°06'E.

Japanese transport Sanko Maru is sunk by aircraft off New Hanover Island, 02°24'S, 150°06'E.

Mediterranean
Destroyer Hilary P. Jones (DD-427) is damaged by near- miss of bomb off Anzio.

SB2Cs and TBFs from carrier Bunker Hill (CV-17) and TBFs from small carrier Cowpens (CVL-25) sink Japanese light cruiser Naka 35 miles west of Truk, 07°15'N, 151°15'E, while battleships New Jersey (BB-62) and Iowa (BB-61), heavy cruisers Minneapolis (CA-36) and New Orleans (CA-32) and destroyers Radford (DD-446) and Burns (DD-588) sink training cruiser Katori northwest of Truk, 07°45'N, 151°20'E, after she had been damaged by planes from carriers Yorktown (CV-10), Intrepid (CV- 11) and Bunker Hill (CV-17) and small carrier Cowpens. TG 50.3 gunfire sinks destroyer Maikaze 40 miles northwest of Truk, 07°45'N, 151°20'E. Destroyer Burns (DD-588), detached from TG 50.9, sinks Japanese submarine chaser Ch 24 west of Truk, 07°24'N, 150°30'E.

TF 58 planes sink Japanese destroyer Oite (carrying survivors of light cruiser Agano sunk the day before), 07°40'N, 151°45'E; destroyer Tachikaze, 07°40'N, 151°55'E; armed merchant cruiser Akagi Maru, 07°54'N, 151°25'E; auxiliary submarine depot ship Heian Maru; aircraft transport Fujikawa Maru; transports Rio de Janeiro Maru, Kiyozumi Maru, Aikoku Maru, Gosei Maru, Hanakawa Maru, Hokuyo Maru, Amagisan Maru, and Kensho Maru; Matsutani Maru, 07°23'N, 151°05'E; Momokawa Maru, 07°20'N, 151°53'E; Reiyo Maru, 07°25'N, 151°45'E; San Francisco Maru, 07°22'N, 151°54'E; Seiko Maru, 07°22'N, 151°45'E; Taiho Maru, 07°22'N, 151°34'E; Zukai Maru,07°46'N, 150°27'E; No.6 Unkai Maru; Yamagiri Maru, 07°23'N, 151°51'E; fleet tankers Fujisan Maru, Hoyo Maru (damaged on 4 November 1943 by submarine Scorpion), Shinkoku Maru, and No.3 Tonan Maru; water carrier Nippo Maru, 07°20'N, 151°40'E; auxiliary vessel Yamakisan Maru, 07°25'N, 151°45'E; army cargo ships Nagano Maru and Yubai Maru; merchant cargo ship Taikichi Maru; and motor torpedo boat Gyoraitei No.10, 07°31'N, 151°59'E.

TF 58 aircraft damage Japanese destroyers Shigure and Matsukaze, submarines I 10 and RO 37, target ship Hakachi, repair ship Akashi, ammunition ship Soya, seaplane tender Akitsushima, and auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 20.

Destroyer Nicholas (DD-449) sinks Japanese submarine I-11 northwest of the Marshalls, 10°34'N, 173°31'E.

Submarine Cero (SS-225) sinks Japanese transport Jozan Maru between Truk and New Ireland, 00°53'N, 146°26'E.

Submarine Sargo (SS-188), in attack on Japanese convoy about 150 miles northeast of Palau, sinks ammunition ship Nichiro Maru and damages oiler Sata, 08°50'N, 135°40'E.

Submarine Tang (SS-306) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking army cargo ship Gyoten Maru and merchant tanker Kuniei Maru about 130 miles west-northwest of Truk, 08°00'N, 149°17'E, and survives depth-charging by escorts (escort vessel Amakusa, submarine chaser Ch 31, auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 24 and auxiliary minesweeper Hagoromo Maru are screening the merchantmen).

Navy SBDs and TBFs bomb Japanese shipping in Keravia Bay, near Rabaul, sinking minesweeper W.26 (which had been damaged previously, 2 November 1943, and had been beached at that time to prevent her loss), guardboat No.2 Fuku Maru, and army cargo ship Iwate Maru.

USAAF B-25s attack Japanese ships going to the aid of convoy attacked north of New Hanover the day before (see 16 February), damaging Kashi Maru and forcing her to be run aground to prevent sinking.

USAAF P-40s attack Japanese shipping at Jaluit atoll, damaging cargo ship Chosen Maru.

Japanese merchant tanker Zuih_ Maru is damaged by mine downstream from Woosung, China.

TF 58 (Vice Admiral Raymond A. Spruance) repeats strike on Japanese installations and vessels at Truk; TF 58 planes sink destroyer Fumizuki, 07°24'N, 151°44'E; submarine chaser Ch 29, 07°25'N, 151°45'E; and motor torpedo boat Gyoraitei No.10, 07°31'N, 151°59'E.

Destroyer Squadron 23 (TG 39.4) (Captain Arleigh A. Burke) bombards Japanese positions at Kavieng; destroyer Squadron 12 (Captain Rodger W. Simpson) shells Rabaul, Japanese installations on the Crater Peninsula, and bivuoac and supply areas at Vunapope and Cape Gazelle.

British submarine HMS Trespasser sinks Japanese gunboat Eifuku Maru off Burma, 07°55'N, 93°03'E.

USAAf B-25s (14th Air Force) sink Japanese transport Shinsoku Maru south of Takhow Island, Wenchow, China, 28°23'N, 121°51'E.

U.S. aircraft sink Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 17 off Kavieng, 02°30'S, 150°30'E.

Japanese cargo ship Gokenzan Maru is stranded and sunk off northwestern Hokkaido, 44°01'N, 141°38'E.

Mediterranean
Heavy German air attacks, as well as artillery fire, continue on beachhead at Anzio on an almost daily basis; harbor tug YT-198 is sunk by mine off Anzio, 41°27'N, 12°38'E. Elsewhere in the Mediterranean theater, tank landing craft LCT-205 capsizes in Gulf of Tunis, while being towed; tank landing craft LCT-340 is stranded by heavy weather at Pantelleria, Italy. Heavy weather also damages large infantry landing craft LCI(L)-211, resulting in her being towed to Palermo, Italy; and minesweeper Pilot (AM-104) is accidentally rammed by U.S. merchant ship Samuel Ashe and damaged off Naples, Italy, 40°48.7'N, 14°16.5'E.

USAAF, USN and USMC land-based aircraft bomb airfield and other Japanese installations at Rabaul. The area has been repeatedly pounded, and after this date theJapanese abandon air defense of Rabaul.

Submarine Cero (SS-225) attacks Japanese cargo ship No.18 Shinsei Maru while en route to Palau, 03°34'N, 136°36'E, but does not score any damage on her quarry.

Submarine Grayback (SS-208) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Taikei Maru southwest of Takao, Formosa, 21°48'N, 119°50'E; subsequently, Grayback sinks army cargo ship Toshin Maru, 21°46'N, 120°06'E, which had arrived on the scene and rescued Taikei Maru's survivors.

Submarine Jack (SS-259) attacks Japanese convoy of six tankers shepherded by escort vessel Shimushu in South China Sea about 300 miles west of Luzon, sinking merchant tankers Kokuei Maru and Nanei Maru, 14°34'N, 114°11'E; Nichirin Maru, 15°40'N, 115°48'E; and Ichiyo Maru 15°46'N, 115°57'E.

USAAF B-25s (5th Air Force) sink auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 34 west of Kavieng, 02°45'S, 150°47'E; B- 25s, A-20s, and P-38s (5th Air Force) wipe out Japanese convoy O-902 off Kavieng, sinking submarine chasers Ch 22 and Ch 40, 03°04'S, 150°42'E, and cargo vessels No.1 Shinto Maru and Shinkiku Maru, 02°46'N, 150°42'E.

USAAF B-24s and B-25s sink Japanese cargo vessel Ebon Maru at Kusaie.

USAAF B-24s (14th Air Force) sink Japanese cargo ship Tairyu Maru and damage auxiliary submarine chaser Chikuzen Maru in Formosa Strait, 25°25'N, 121°30'E.

Japanese cargo ship Kogen Maru is sunk in collision in Kii Channel, 35°00'N, 135°00'E.

Mediterranean
Motor torpedo boats engage German convoy southeast of Elba.

Light cruiser Philadelphia (CL-41) arrives off Anzio to provide gunfire support; she is thrice under shore battery fire but suffers no damage in the encounters.

Destroyer Madison (DD-425) conducts unsuccessful hunt for enemy submarine believed off Anzio.

Submarine Pogy (SS-266) sinks Japanese cable layer Nanyo Maru about 100 miles east of Formosa, 24°12'N, 123°20'E, and merchant cargo ship Taijin Maru northeast of Formosa, 24°14'N, 123°17'E.

USAAF B-24 damages Japanese cargo vessel Tasmania Maru northwest of Wewak.

Mediterranean
Tank landing ship LST-348 is sunk by German submarine U-410, 40 miles south of Naples, Italy, 40°57'N, 13°14'E.

LCT-340 founders and sinks in heavy weather off coast of Algeria, 36°49'N, 01°55'E.

USAAF B-25s (5th Air Force) strike Japanese five-ship convoy (evacuating 751st Air Group maintenance people to Japan, via Palau) off New Hanover, sinking auxiliary submarine chasers Cha 38 and Cha 48, 02°30'S, 149°55'E, transport Kokai Maru and gunboat Kowa Maru, 02°30'S, 150°15'E, and damaging tug Nagaura, which, after effecting repairs, rescues some of the survivors of the two Marus and continues on her voyage north (see 22 February).

Submarine Cero (SS-225) damages Japanese army cargo ship Hasshu Maru north of New Guinea, 00°10'S, 139°45'E.

British submarine HMS Tally Ho sinks Japanese army cargo ship No.6 Taigen Maru in Strait of Malacca, 04°00'N, 101°00'E.

Marines land on Parry Island, Eniwetok Atoll, under cover of naval bombardment and carrier-aircraft bombing; this operation completes U.S. control of Eniwetok Atoll. Infantry landing craft LCI-365, LCI-440, and LCI-442 are damaged by friendly fire.

TG 39.4 (Captain Arleigh A. Burke) bombards Japanese airstrips, pier area, and anchorages at Kavieng; destroyers Charles Ausburne (DD-570), Dyson (DD-572), and Stanly (DD-478) sink Japanese minelayer Natsushima off New Ireland, 02°40'S, 149°40'E; the same three destroyers, joined by Conway (DD-507) and Spence (DD-512), sink tug Nagaura about 160 miles northwest of Kavieng, 00°54'S, 148°38'E. Other Japanese ships sunk during this action include auxiliary submarine chaser No.8 Tama Maru and small cargo vessels Choryu Maru and No.9 Tokuyama Maru. Destroyer Division 45 sinks Japanese auxiliary netlayer Kyosei Maru in Isabel Channel, New Hanover.

Submarine Gato (SS-212) sinks Japanese repair ship Yamashiro Maru off Truk, 07°13'N, 151°38'E.

Submarine Puffer (SS-268), despite presence of escort vessel, sinks Japanese army transport Teiko Maru (ex- French passenger liner D'Artagnan) about 120 miles northwest of Kuching, Borneo, 03°10'N, 109°15'E.

Submarine Ray (SS-271) lays mines off Saigon, French Indochina.

Submarine Tang (SS-306), in attack on Japanese convoy, sinks gunboat Fukuyama Maru about 60 miles southwest of Saipan, 15°14'N, 144°55'E.

Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 29 is sunk by mine (possibly laid by submarine Silversides (SS-236) on 4 June 1943) near Kavieng.

Navy SBD and TBF aircraft pound Japanese shipping in Keravia Bay, Rabaul, sinking guardboats No.2 Fuku Maru and No.2 Tenjin Maru, army cargo ship Taisho Maru, merchant tanker Takatori Maru, and damaging minelayer Nasami.

Vichy French river gunboat Francis Garnier is sunk by mine sown by USAAF planes (14th Air Force) in South China Sea off Cape St. Jacques, French Indochina, 10°30'N, 108°00'E.

Atlantic
Motor torpedo boat PT-200 is sunk in collision with unknown object off Long Island, N.Y., 41°23'N, 71°01'W.

Mediterranean
Five German E-boats approach Anzio beachhead during the night, but all are driven off without inflicting any damage. Submarine chaser PC-621 claims destruction of one E-boat and drives another ashore.

German submarine U-969 attacks convoy GUS 31 off the coast of Algeria, irreparably damaging U.S. freighters Peter Skene Ogden and George Cleeve, 37°18'N, 06°59'E; other than one fatality on board the former, there are no casualties to the American ships. Both ships are towed and beached to facilitate salvage: Peter Skene Ogden at Herbillon and George Cleeve to Bone, Tunisia. Both are later written off as total losses.

Submarine Balao (SS-285), in attack on Japanese convoy about 35 miles north of Biak, New Guinea, sinks army cargo ship Nikki Maru, 00°11'S, 135°00'E.

Submarine Cod (SS-224) sinks Japanese fleet tanker No.3 Ogura Maru off Halmahera, 04°23'N, 129°05'E.

Submarine Plunger (SS-179), in attack on Japanese convoy, sinks transport Kimishima Maru about 200 miles northwest of Chichi Jima, 30°11'N, 140°49'E.

Submarine Pogy (SS-266) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking merchant cargo ship Horei Maru, 26°20'N, 126°11'E, and damaging merchant tanker Teikon Maru, 26°22'N, 126°16'E, about 60 miles west of Okinawa.

Submarine Snook (SS-279) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking transport Kayo Maru about 120 miles north- northwest of Chichi Jima, 28°49'N, 141°13'E.

Submarine Sunfish (SS-281) and planes from carrier Yorktown (CV-10) sink Japanese collier Shinyubari Maru about 40 miles west of Saipan, 15°23'N, 145°03'E.

Submarine Tang (SS-306) sinks Japanese repair ship Yamashimo Maru west of Saipan, 14°45'N, 144°32'E. The cataclysmic explosion of the enemy auxiliary damages Tang, but not badly enough to prevent the boat from remaining on patrol.

Japanese gunboat Eiko Maru is sunk by aircraft north of Saipan, 15°12'N, 144°52'E, as she proceeds to the position of the loss of Fukuyama Maru that had been sunk by Tang (SS-306) on 22 February.

Japanese cargo ship Gyoko Maru is destroyed by accidental explosion in Naha harbor, Okinawa, 26°13'N, 127°40'E.

Indian Ocean
U.S. tanker E.G. Seubert, in convoy PA 69, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-510 about 200 miles fromAden, 13°45'N, 48°56'E; three of the 27-man Armed Guard (including its commander) perish, as do three of the ship's merchant complement. Australian minesweeper HMAS Tamworth and Indian Navy corvette RINS Orissa rescue survivors.

Submarine Grayback (SS-208) sinks Japanese oiler Nanho Maru about 20 miles east of Formosa, 24°20'N, 122°25'E, and damages transport Asama Maru, 24°15'N, 122°19'E. Escort vessel Shimushu's counterattack is ineffective.

Submarine Pogy (SS-266) bombards phosphate plant on Rasa Island.

Submarine Sand Lance (SS-381) is damaged by ice and heavy seas, Kurils.

Submarine Tang (SS-306), in attack on Japanese convoy west of Saipan, sinks merchant cargo ship Echizen Maru, 15°45'N, 143°29'E.

USAAF B-25s, P-40s, and P-38s hit targets of opportunity along the Yangtze, damaging Japanese guardboat Yoko Maru.

U.S. aircraft sink Japanese transport No.2 Shunzan Maru off Kusaie, Carolines, 05°20'N, 162°58'E.

British submarine HMS Tally Ho damages Japanese torpedo boat Kari in Strait of Malacca.

Atlantic
PBY-5As (VP-63), employing Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD) gear, and a PV-1 (VB-127), together with RAF Catalina (No. 202 Squadron) bomb German submarine U-761 as she attempts to transit the Straits of Gibraltar, 35°55'N, 05°45'W. British destroyers HMS Anthony and HMS Wishart rescue the 51 survivors who abandon their badly damaged U-boat after scuttling her to avoid capture. U-761 is the first U-boat destroyed through the employment of MAD equipment.

Open lighter YC-523 sinks after grounding off Portsmouth, N.H.

Destroyer Squadron 12 (Captain Rodger W. Simpson), en route to bombard Kavieng and its airstrips, shipping, and fortifications, encounters Japanese army cargo ship Tatsugiko Maru. In the ensuing action, destroyers Farenholt (DD-491), Buchanan (DD-484), Lansdowne (DD- 486), Woodworth (DD-460), and Lardner (DD-487) sink the enemy freighter at 02°46'N, 150°42'E. Japanese shore batteries subsequently give DESRON 12 a warm reception, damaging Buchanan and Farenholt, 02°20'S, 151°02'E.

Submarine Hoe (SS-258) attacks Japanese convoy at the mouth of Davao Gulf, 75 miles south of Davao, P.I., sinking fleet tanker Nissho Maru, 05°50'N, 126°00'E and damaging fleet tanker Kyokuto Maru, 05°38'N, 126°00'E, south of Davao Gulf.

Submarine Rasher (SS-269) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Ryusei Maru, 07°55'S, 115°15'E and merchant cargo ship Tango Maru, 07°41'S, 115°10'E off north coast of Bali.

Submarine Tang (SS-306) continues pursuit of Japanese convoy engaged the previous day, and sinks fleet tanker Choko Maru west of Saipan, 15°46'N, 144°10'E.

Mediterranean
Tank landing craft LCT-26 founders and sinks in heavy weather off Anzio, Italy, 41°04'N, 13°30'E.

Submarine Grayback (SS-208) is damaged by land-based Japanese naval aircraft, East China Sea, 25°47'N, 128°45'E.8

Motor torpedo boat PT-251 runs aground during action with Japanese barges in southern Empress Augusta Bay; and is then sunk by shore battery, Solomons, 06°30'S, 155°10'E.

USAAF B-25s (14th Air Force) attack shipping in port of Tourane, French Indochina, sinking Vichy French surveying vessel Astrolabe and dredging ship Gilmot, 16°04'N, 108°13'E. Vichy officials consider Astrolabe a total loss, given the absolute impossibility of raising her with the means available in French Indochina.

Mediterranean
Tank landing ship LST-349 sinks after running aground off south coast of Italy, 40°55'N, 12°58'E; LCT-36 sinks after grounding off Naples.

Submarine Trout (SS-202) sinks Japanese cargo ship Aki Maru east of Formosa, 22°40'N, 131°50'E. Submarine Grayback (SS-208) sinks Japanese cargo ship Ceylon Maru in the East China Sea, 31°50'N, 127°45'E.

Covered by large infantry landing craft LCI(L)-24, Army units carry out unopposed occupation of the Magine Islands.

Mediterranean
Light cruiser Philadelphia (CL-41) carries out seven gunfire support missions off Anzio.

Submarine Sand Lance (SS-381) sinks Japanese transport Kaiko Maru just east of Musashi Wan, off Paramushiro, Kurils, 50°20'N, 155°26'E, but is later damaged when she runs aground off Paramushiro.

Submarine Balao (SS-285), in attack on Japanese convoy, sinks army cargo ship Akiura Maru and transport Sh_h_ Maru about 90 miles northwest of Manokwari, New Guinea, 00°06'N, 132°53'E.

Destroyer Division 44 (Commander James R. Pahl) bombards wharf areas and installations at Rabaul.

PB4Y-1s (VB 108, VB 109, VD 3), flying from Apamama and staging through Kwajalein and Roi, carry out low-level bombing raid on Japanese installations on Wake Island.

Submarine Rock (SS-274), while making a night surface attack on a convoy of three Japanese freighters, is damaged by surface gunfire off Nansei Shoto Islands, 25°33'N, 130°42'E, and is forced to terminate her patrol.

Submarine Sargo (SS-188) attacks Japanese convoy and damages army cargo ship Uchide Maru about 120 miles west of Palau, 08°57'N, 132°52'E (see 1 and 2 March 1944).

Submarine Trout (SS-202) attacks Guam-bound Japanese convoy about 625 miles east of Formosa. She sinks army transport Sakito Maru southeast of Okinawa, 22°40'N, 131°50'E, and damages transport Aki Maru, but Trout is later sunk, most probably by Japanese destroyer Asashimo, 22°40'N, 131°45'E.9

USAAF B-25s sink Japanese merchant tow boat Choka Maru on the Yangtze near Chiuhsienchen.

USAAF B-24s damage Japanese cargo ship Narita Maru 45 miles east of Hollandia.

Mediterranean
Tank landing ship LST-197 is damaged by shore battery off Anzio.

Japanese army cargo ship Uchide Maru, damaged by submarine Sargo (SS-188) the previous day, is abandoned. Her crew transfers to torpedo boat Sagi and Patrol Boat No.31 (see 2 March).

Atlantic
Destroyer escort Bronstein (DE-189) sinks German submarine U-603 in the North Atlantic, 48°55'N, 26°10'W, and teams with destroyer escorts Thomas (DE-102) and Bostwick (DE-103) to sink U-709 at 49°10'N, 26°00'W.

After submarine Burrfish (SS-312) attacks Japanese army cargo ship Shinkyo Maru without success, submarine Picuda (SS-382) sinks Shinkyo Maru about 200 miles southwest of Truk, 06°22'N, 148°27'E; escort vessel Amakusa's counterattack upon Picuda is unsuccessful.

Japanese army cargo ship Uchide Maru sinks as the result of damage inflicted by submarine Sargo (SS-188) on 29 February.

Navy SBDs and TBFs damage small Japanese cargo vessel Ransei Maru south of Keravia, Rabaul.

Pacific
TF 94 (Rear Admiral Wilder D. Baker), comprising light cruiser Richmond (CL-9) and eight destroyers, begins two-day sweep of the Kurils. Adverse weather, however, not only results in the cancellation of the scheduled bombardments of Japanese positions in the Musashi Wan area but causes damage to the ships. The poor weather plays no favorites: Japanese minelayer Shirakami is sunk in collision with army transport Nichiran Maru in a gale south of Urup Island, 45°30'N, 150°00'E; Japanese supply ship No.2 Ten-Yo Maru is sunk by storm south of Paramushiro, 50°17'N, 155°55'E.

Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) damages Japanese river gunboat Karatsu (ex-Luzon (PR-7)) in Sulu Sea, 08°55'N, 123°20'E; ironically, Karatsu had been engaged in hunting down an enemy submarine at the time.

Submarine Rasher (SS-269) attacks Japanese convoy in Celebes Sea, sinking army transport Nittai Maru about 290 miles northwest of Waisile, Halmahera, 03°18'N, 123°56'E. Ironically, one of the escorts for the convoy is Patrol Boat No.103 (ex-minesweeper WHICH).

Submarine Sand Lance (SS-381) attacks Japanese convoy and sinks transport Akashisan Maru west of Uruppu, Japan, 46°00'N, 149°10'E; later that same day, however, the submarine accidentally sinks Soviet cargo ship Belorussia at 46°28'N, 149°18'E, mistaking the ship for an earlier victim Akashisan Maru.

British submarine HMS Sea Rover sinks Japanese army cargo vessel No.1 Matsu Maru in Strait of Malacca, 04°56'N, 100°17'E.

TF 74 (Rear Admiral Victor A. C. Crutchley, RN), composed of Australian heavy cruiser HMAS Shropshire, U.S. light cruisers Phoenix (CL-46) and Nashville (CL-43) and four U.S. destroyers, bombards Japanese shore batteries and positions on Hauwei and Norilo Islands in the Admiralty Islands (see 6 and 7 March).

Light cruiser Richmond (CL-9) and destroyers Luce (DD- 522), Kimberly (DD-521), Isherwood (DD-520), Sproston (DD-577), Wickes (DD-578), Picking (DD-685), William D. Porter (DD-579), and Young (DD-580) are all damaged by heavy weather during sweep of the Kurils (see 3 March).

Submarine Bluefish (SS-222) attacks Japanese convoy in the South China Sea, sinks oiler Ominesan Maru about 300 miles west of Miri, Sarawak, 05°29'N, 108°46'E, and survives ensuing depth-charging by escorts.

Submarine Peto (SS-265) attacks Japanese convoy, and sinks army cargo ship Kay_ Maru 75 miles west-northwest of Hollandia, 01°28'S, 138°40'E. Escorts (one of which is submarine chaser Ch 34) depth-charge Peto but do not inflict damage.

Japanese submarine I-10 is damaged by depth charges (attacker unknown), 06°10'N, 177°50'E.

Japanese army transport Ryoyo Maru is damaged when struck by a huge wave and driven aground off Matsuwa Jima, Kurils, 48°04'N, 153°16'E (see 22 May).

Submarine Rasher (SS-269), still pursuing same Japanese convoy attacked on 3 March, damages cargo ship Ryuwa Maru.

Submarine Nautilus (SS-168), in attack on Japanese convoy about 420 miles north-northwest of Saipan, sinks transport (ex-hospital ship) America Maru, 22°19'N, 143°54'E, and survives counterattack by torpedo boat Otori.

Mediterranean
Convoy UGS 33, bound from New York to Alexandria, Egypt, strays into Allied minefield off Tunis. U.S. freighter Daniel Chester French is sunk by mines at 37°18'N, 10°22'; four Armed Guard sailors (of the 28- man detachment), nine of the merchant crew (of 44 men) and 24 of the 86 Army passengers perish with the ship. British rescue tug Charon, steamer Thelma, and tug Rescue pick up the surviving crew and passengers. Freighter Virginia Dare is irreparably damaged at approximately 37°18'N, 10°22'E. There are no casualties (including among the 28-man Armed Guard) (see 8 March).

Japanese shore battery sinks motor torpedo boat PT-337, Hansa Bay, New Guinea, 04°09'S, 144°50'E; PBY (VP 34) rescues survivors on 11 March.

USAAF B-24s (10th Air Force) mine waters off Koh Chang, Thailand, harbor; mines sink merchant cargo ship Juy_ Maru, 13°10'N, 100°50'E.

Submarine Lapon (SS-260), in attack on Japanese convoy southeast of Hong Kong, damages merchant cargo ship Toyokuni Maru in South China Sea, 19°21'N, 116°09'E; merchant cargo ship Nicherei Maru takes the damaged freighter in tow (see 9 March).

British submarine HMS Sea Rover, in attack on Japanese convoy, sinks transport Sh_bu Maru in Strait of Malacca, 03°38'N, 99°12'E.

PBY sinks Japanese fishing boat No.5 Ebisu Maru off Tadji, 03°10'S, 142°13'E.

USAAF P-38s sink Japanese fishing boat No.38 Taigyo Maru off Aitape.

U.S. aircraft sink Japanese guardboat No.2 Nanshu Maru off Duke of York Isle, St. George Channel, 04°12'S, 152°30'E.

Mediterranean
U.S. freighter Virginia Dare, irreparably damaged by Allied mine on 6 March off Tunis, breaks up after encountering heavy weather; she is subsequently written off as a total loss.

PBYs bomb Japanese shipping off Hollandia, sinking the previously damaged Hasshu Maru and small cargo ships Yashima Maru and No.12 Genei Maru, and damaging Tenryu Maru.

USAAF B-25s bomb Japanese installations and dock area, Simpson Harbor, Rabaul, sinking small cargo vessels Mankei Maru and Kinka Maru.

USAAF B-24 sinks small Japanese cargo vessel No.1 Kissho Maru off Greenwich Island.

Atlantic
Naval Air Facility (Lighter than Air), Santa Cruz, Brazil, is established.

Destroyer escort Leopold (DE-319) is torpedoed by German submarine U-255, 650 miles west of Scotland.

Mediterranean
Destroyer Edison (DD-439) sinks German submarine U-450 off Anzio, 41°11'N, 12°27'E..

U.S. freighter Clark Mills is damaged by mine off North African coast, 37°18'N, 10°13'E; beached off Bizerte,the ship is later written off as a total loss. There are no casualties to either the merchant crew, passengers, or the 42-man Armed Guard.

Submarine chaser SC-700 is destroyed and fuel oil barge YO-44 is damaged by fire, Vella Lavella, Solomon Islands.

PBY bombs and sinks Japanese army cargo ship Hasshu Maru (see 21 February) off Hollandia, New Guinea.

Atlantic
Destroyer escort Leopold (DE-319) irreparably damaged by German submarine U-255, 650 miles west of Scotland, on 9 March, is scuttled by destroyer escort Joyce (DE-317).

Mediterranean
U.S. freighter William B. Woods is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-952 approximately 47 miles off Palermo, Sicily, 38°43'N, 13°50'E; one of the 28-man Armed Guard and 51 of the 407 Army troops being transported in the ship perish. There are no casualties among the 43-man merchant complement. Escorting Italian destroyer escort Aretusa provides no help.

Submarine Bowfin (SS-287) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Tsukikawa Maru, west of Halmahera Island, 01°25'S, 128°14'E. Japanese minelayer Wakatake and army aircraft carry out ineffective counterattack on Bowfin, which attacks, unsuccessfully, Asaka Maru, which is rescuing Tsukikawa Maru's survivors.

Japanese cargo ship Daitoku Maru is sunk in collision with cargo ship No.6 Daiboshi Maru in the Sea of Japan, 40°10'N, 137°41'E.

Mediterranean
Commander Cruiser Division 8 breaks flag in French light cruiser Emile Bertin and takes operational command of Emile Bertin, Gloire, Georges Leygues, and Duguay-Trouin for training purposes (see 24 March1944).

USAAF aircraft sink German submarines U-380 and U-410, Toulon, France.

Submarine Gato (SS-212) sinks Japanese army cargo ship No.3 Okinoyama Maru north of New Guinea, 01°15'S, 133°20'E.

PBYs attack Japanese convoy en route to Hollandia, sinking motor sailboat Hosho Maru.

Mediterranean
Submarine chaser PC-624 is damaged when she runs aground three miles east of Palermo, Sicily.

Light cruisers Philadelphia (CL-41) and Brooklyn (CL-40) provide gunfire support off Anzio; they repeat the missions on the 13th. On both occasions they encounter shore battery fire without damage.

Submarine Tautog (SS-199) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Ry_a Maru and transport Shojin Maru about 20 miles west of Rashuwa Island, Kurils, 47°38'N, 152°38'E.

PBYs bomb Japanese shipping off Pelillo Island, 02°09'S, 140°19'E, sinking small cargo ship Hara Maru.

Indian Ocean
U.S. tanker H.D.Collier is torpedoed and shelled by Japanese submarine I-26 at 21°30'N, 66°11'E, and abandoned; of the 28-man Armed Guard, 12 perish in the action (see 16-17 March).

Atlantic
TBF (VC 95) from escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9), along with destroyer Hobson (DD-464), destroyer escort Haverfield (DE-393), Canadian armed merchant cruiser HMCS Prince Rupert, and British Flying Fortress (No.220 Squadron) sink German submarine U-575, North Atlantic,46°18'N, 27°34'W.

Japanese seaplane carrier Sanuki Maru is damaged by mine, 10°31'N, 105°04'E.

Japanese cargo ship Fuki Maru is sunk, by stranding, off east coast of Honshu, near Fukushima, 37°29'N, 141°35'E.

15 March, Wed. Atlantic Destroyer escort McAnn (DE-179), coordinating her operations with USN and USAAF planes, rescues survivors of a crashed B-17 off coast of Brazil, 01°31'N, 32°35'W.

Pacific
USAAF B-25s sink small Japanese cargo vessel Konpira Maru off Hollandia.

Mediterranean
U.S. freighter China Mail is damaged by bomb fragments during German air raid on Naples, Italy. There are no casualties among the ship's complement, which includes 13 Armed Guard sailors.

Submarine Lapon (SS-260) carries out unsuccessful attack on Japanese seaplane tender Kunikawa Maru, 18°14'N, 117°44'E.

Submarine Silversides (SS-236) attacks Japanese convoy and sinks army cargo ship K_fuku Maru about 225 miles southeast of Palau, 05°00'N, 136°46'E.

Submarine Tautog (SS-199) sinks Japanese destroyer Shirakumo and army cargo ship Nichiren Maru off east coast of Hokkaido, southeast of Kushiro harbor, 42°18'N, 145°11'E; destroyers Kamikaze and Namikaze conduct unsuccessful hunt for Tautog.

PBYs (and later USAAF B-24s) attack Japanese convoy north of Hollandia, damaging submarine chaser Ch 35 and cargo ships Taiei Maru, Yakumo Maru, and Teshio Maru (see 19 March).

Indian Ocean
U.S. tanker H.D.Collier, torpedoed and shelled by Japanese submarine I-26 on 13 March, sinks; British ship Empire Raja rescues 14 survivors (see 17 March).

Mediterranean
PBY-5As (VP 63) employ MAD gear to detect German submarine U-392 as the enemy boat attempts to transit the Straits of Gibraltar; the PBYs bomb the U-boat, and British frigate HMS Affleck and destroyer HMS Vanoc depth charge her. Affleck delivers the coup de grace to sink U-392 at 35°55'N, 05°41'W.

Mediterranean
Off Anzio, destroyers Madison (DD-425) and Eberle (DD- 430) make sound contact 25 miles southwest of the port; five-hour search yields no result. Tank landing craft LCT-277 is damaged in air raid.

During German air raid on the port of Naples, Italy, U.S. freighter James Guthrie is damaged by bomb; there are no casualties among the ship's company.

German submarine U-371 attacks Naples-bound convoy SNF 17 about 30 miles north-northeast of Bougie, Algeria, and torpedoes U.S. freighter Maiden Creek, 37°08'N, 05°27'E. Initially, the ship is abandoned, but is reboarded and prepared for towing. U-371 again torpedoes Maiden Creek, the resulting explosion killing six merchant seamen and two of the 29-man Armed Guard.

Destroyer MacKenzie (DD-614) joins three British escort vessels for submarine hunt off Philippeville, with no results.

Indian Ocean
Last survivors of U.S. tanker H.D.Collier, torpedoed and shelled by Japanese submarine I-26 on 13 March 1944, are rescued by steamship Karagola.

Atlantic
Aircraft (VC 6) from escort carrier Block Island (CVE- 21), along with destroyer Corry (DD-463), and destroyer escort Bronstein (DE-189) sink German submarine U-801 west of the Cape Verdes, 16°42'N, 30°26'W.

TG 74.5 (Captain Kenmore M. McManes) commences bombardment of Japanese installations in Wewak area, New Guinea (see 19 March).

Submarine Lapon (SS-260) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking transport Hokoroku Maru about 250 miles southwest of Hong Kong, 19°24'N, 116°50'E.

Submarine Rock (SS-274) is damaged by depth charges off North Borneo, 07°25'N, 115°20'E, but remains on patrol.

Submarine Picuda (SS-382) conducts unsuccessful attack against Japanese cargo ship Kasuga Maru, 12°33'N, 141°08'E.

Large infantry landing craft LCI(L)-330 is accidentally rammed by freighter Richard Mosczowski off Koli Point, Guadalcanal. The latter suffers damage in the encounter.

USAAF B-25s bomb Japanese installations on Ponape, sinking small cargo vessel No.2 Kasuga Maru.

Japanese cargo ship Shinten Maru is damaged by mine off Kaimana, 03°40'S, 133°47'E.

Japanese motor torpedo boats Gyoraitei No.402 and Gyoraitei No.453 are sunk by British aircraft off Boronga, Burma.

Mediterranean
U.S. freighter Maiden Creek, torpedoed the previous day by German submarine U-371 about 30 miles north- northeast of Bougie, Algeria, is towed into Bougie where she is beached to facilitate salvage. Subsequently, however, she is swept off the beach by a storm and breaks up in the heavy weather, a total loss.

Atlantic
U.S. tanker Seakay, in Avonmouth, England-bound convoy CU 17, is torpedoed by German submarine U-311 at 51°10'N, 20°20'W, and abandoned. One Armed Guard sailor perishes in the abandonment; destroyer escort Reeves (DE-156) rescues survivors. Escort ships scuttle the irreparably damaged tanker with shells and depth charges.

USAAF B-24s, B-25s, A-20s, and P-38s (5th Air Force) destroy four-ship Japanese convoy 50 miles northwest of Wewak, sinking cargo ships Yakumo Maru and Taiei Maru and their escorts, auxiliary submarine chasers Cha 47 and Cha 49, 02°55'S, 143°40'E.

USAAF planes sink Japanese ship Kaen Maru off Wuhu, China.

U.S. freighter Oriental is damaged by mine east of Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, 15°31'36"S, 167°17'49"E, but makes port under own power; there are no casualties among the ship's complement, which includes a 28-man Armed Guard.

Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter John A. Poor is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-510 at 13°58'N, 70°30'E; 25 of the 43-man merchant complement perish with the ship, as do 9 of the 30-man Armed Guard (see 20 March).

Atlantic
TBF and FM-2 aircraft (VC 6) from escort carrier Block Island sink German submarine U-1059, Atlantic area, 13°10'N, 33°44'W.

Mediterranean
Submarine chaser PC-545, on patrol west of Anzio, sinks a German E-boat.

TF 37, including four battleships, two escort carriers, and destroyers (Rear Admiral Robert M. Griffin) bombards Kavieng, New Ireland.

Submarine Angler (SS-240) evacuates 58 people, including women and children, from the west coast of Panay, P.I.

Submarine Picuda (SS-382) sinks Japanese victualling stores ship H_k_ Maru about 40 miles north of Yap, Carolines, 10°09'N, 138°10'E.

Submarine Pollack (SS-180) sinks Japanese auxiliary netlayer Hakuy_ Maru about 30 miles northeast ofTorishima, 30°53'N, 140°42'E. Accompanying submarine chaser Ch 44 carries out unsuccessful counterattack on Pollack.

Japanese submarine chaser Ch 35, sent out from Hollandia to rescue survivors of cargo ships Yakumo Maru and Taiei Maru and auxiliary submarine chasers Cha 47 and Cha 49, sunk by USAAF planes the previous day, finds no trace of the four lost ships.

USAAF planes sink Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 62 130 nautical miles east of Hollandia, New Guinea, 02°55'S, 143°40'E.

U.S. aircraft sink Japanese guardboats Kaiun Maru and No.2 Taiho Maru off southern tip of Rabaul.

Indian Ocean
Survivors (who include 21 Armed Guard sailors) of U.S. freighter John A. Poor that had been sunk by German submarine U-510 the previous day, are rescued by British freighter Fort Worth.

U.S. aircraft sink Japanese transport Atsu Maru, north of New Guinea.

Submarine Tunny (SS-282) damages Japanese tanker Iro west of the Palaus, 07°22'N, 132°08'E.

Tank landing craft LCT-315 is sunk by explosion of undetermined origin, Eniwetok Atoll. The blast levels buildings and tents nearby.

Submarine Tunny (SS-282) sinks Japanese submarine I-42 six miles southwest of Angaur, Palaus, 06°40'N, 134°03'E.

Atlantic
Naval Air Facility, Dunkeswell, England, is established.

District patrol craft YP-331 founders and sinks in heavy weather off Key West, Florida, 24°56'30"N, 81°57'35"W.

USAAF B-24s bomb Wake Island, sinking Japanese motor torpedo boat Gyoraitei No.4.

Mediterranean
ComCruDiv 8 reports results of his inspection of French naval vessels: he considers Emile Bertin, Montcalm, and Georges Leygues ready for independent or joint duty; Duguay-Trouin, however, an older ship, is deemed as needing repairs. French battleship Lorraine, also inspected, is deemed in very good materiel condition; with a brief period of training and target practice, she is deemed ready for combatant service.

Submarine Pollack (SS-180) attacks Japanese convoy, and sinks submarine chaser Ch 54, about 50 miles north of Muko Jima, Bonins, 28°44'N, 141°45'E.

Atlantic
Oiler Salamonie (AO-26) is accidentally rammed by U.S. tug Joseph O'Brien, and damaged, off the Naval Supply Depot, Bayonne, New Jersey.

Japanese guardboat No.3 Tenjin Maru is sunk by U.S. aircraft off Mapia Island, Dutch New Guinea, 02°00'N, 135°00'E.

Japanese army cargo ship Shimotsuki Maru is sunk by mine off Murotozaki.

Motor torpedo boats PT-121 and PT-353 are mistakenly sunk by friendly bomber, Bismarck Archipelago, 05°17'S, 151°01'E.

Submarine Hake (SS-256) sinks Japanese merchant tanker Yamamizu Maru about 75 miles south of Borneo, 03°53'S, 109°42'E.

Submarine Rasher (SS-269), in attack on Japanese convoy in the Java Sea, sinks army cargo ship Nichinan Maru about 50 miles north of Bali, 07°27'S, 115°55'E.

RAAF Catalinas sink Japanese merchant cargo vessel Shinsei Maru in Banda Sea north of Dowalger Island, 07°44'S, 130°02'E

Mediterranean
Destroyer Livermore (DD-429) provides gunfire support at Anzio.

Motor torpedo boat PT-207 is damaged by naval gunfire off Anzio-Nettuno, Italy, 41°27'N, 12°40'E.

Allied force of American and British motor torpedo boats and British motor gunboats (Commander Allen, RN) destroys six German ferry barges off Vada Rocks, Corsica. U.S. motor torpedo boats PT-208, PT-214 and PT-218 participate in the battle.

Submarine Barb (SS-220) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Fukusei Maru off Rasa Island, 24°25'N, 131°11'E.

Submarine Silversides (SS-236) sinks Japanese cargo ship Kairyu Maru off Manokwari.

British submarine HMS Truculent, in attack on Japanese convoy, sinks army cargo ship Yasushima Maru in Strait of Malacca, 03°38'N, 100°50'E.

Submarine Haddo (SS-255) damages Japanese army cargo ship Nichian Maru in South China Sea, 17°42'N, 109°57'E.

Submarine Tunny (SS-282) damages Japanese battleship Musashi off Palau, 07°30'N, 134°30'E.

Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter Richard Hovey is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-26 at 16°40'N, 64°30'E, and abandoned. I-26 then surfaces and after shelling the ship and setting her afire (Richard Hovey sinks subsequently), fires upon the lifeboats and rafts, killing one Armed Guard sailor. The Japanese submarine then rams and sinks one of the boats before taking four POWs and clearing the area (see 2 and 14 April).

Mediterranean
Destroyer John D. Ford (DD-228) is damaged when accidentally rammed by British armed trawler HMS Kingston Agate while departing Gibraltar, British Crown Colony.

Destroyers Ericsson (DD-440) and Kearny (DD-432), along with submarine chasers PC-626, PC-556, and PC-558, and four British destroyers--HMS Laforey, HMS Tumult, HMS Hambledon, and HMS Blencathra--begin submarine hunt 30 miles northeast of Palermo, Sicily. Their efforts culminate in the sinking of German submarine U-223, 38°48'N, 14°10'E.

TF 58 planes sink destroyer Wakatake; repair ship Akashi; fleet tankers Ose, Sata, Iro, Akebono Maru, and Amatsu Maru; submarine chaser Ch 6; auxiliary submarine chasers Cha 22, Cha 26, Cha 53, and No.5 Showa Maru; Patrol Boat No.31; netlayer No.5 Nissho Maru; aircraft transport Goshu Maru; transports Gozan Maru, Nagisan Maru, Raizan Maru, Ryuko Maru, and No.18 Shinsei Maru; tankers Amatsu Maru and Asashio Maru; guardboats Ibaraki Maru and No.2 Seiei Maru; salvage vessel Urakami Maru; torpedo transport and repair ship Kamikaze Maru; army cargo ships Chuyo Maru, Kibi Maru, and Shoei Maru; army tanker No.2 Unyo Maru; and army cargo ships Bichu Maru (outside Palau harbor) and Teisho Maru (in the channel west of Palau), and, at Angaur, small craft No.3 Akita Maru, Chichibu Maru, Yae Maru, Toku Maru, Kiku Maru, Hinode Maru, Yamato Maru, Ume Maru, and Akebono Maru. TF 58 planes damage submarine chaser Ch 35, netlayer Shosei Maru, tanker No.2 Hishi Maru, and army cargo ship Hokutai Maru at Palau, 07°30'N, 134°30'E.

Submarine Tunny (SS-282), while on lifeguard duty off the Palaus, is attacked accidentally by TBF from carrier Yorktown (CV-10) 07°40'N, 134°00'E. Damage suffered in the friendly fire encounter forces Tunny to terminate her patrol.

Submarine Darter (SS-227), despite presence of one escort vessel, sinks Japanese army cargo ship Fujikawa Maru about 175 miles northwest of Manokwari, New Guinea, 01°50'N, 133°00'E.

Submarine Picuda (SS-382) attacks Japanese convoy, and sinks transport Atlantic Maru about 90 miles south- southwest of Guam, 12°20'N, 145°55'E.

Submarine Stingray (SS-186) attacks Japanese convoy and sinks transport Ikushima Maru about 350 miles north- northwest of Saipan, 20°43'N, 143°04'E.

Japanese minelayer Nasami is damaged by aircraft off Rabaul.

Mediterranean
Destroyer Eberle (DD-430) provides gunfire support off Anzio.

TF 58 aircraft sink Japanese guardboat Hakko Maru, Palaus.

Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) sinks Japanese cargo ship Minami Maru at Kaito Daito Jima, 25°57'N, 131°19'E.

Japanese minelayer Nasami sinks as the result of damage suffered off Rabaul, New Britain, on 30 March.

Mediterranean
Convoy UGS 36 is attacked by German torpedo bombers off Algiers; tank landing ship LST-526 is damaged when low- flying enemy plane knocks off radio antenna. U.S. freighter Jared Ingersoll is torpedoed; destroyer escort Mills (DE-383) and British tug Mindful rescue the crew (including the 29-man Armed Guard) from the sinking ship. After one attempt to quell the fires consuming the ship fails, Mills places a firefighting party on board which succeeds in its attempt; the destroyer escort then assists in towing Jared Ingersoll out of danger. Beached off Algiers, the freighter is subsequently returned to service.

Submarine Hake (SS-256) damages Japanese tanker Tarakan Maru in South China Sea, 01°58'N, 106°20'E.

TU 57.10.9, composed of destroyer escort Sanders (DE-40), tank landing ship LST-127 and infantry landing craft LCI-346 and LCI-449 occupies Mejit Island, Marshalls. The small Japanese force that opposes the occupation is wiped out by gunfire support provided by the LCIs.

USAAF B-24s and B-25s bomb Truk, sinking small Japanese vessel No.3 Akebono Maru.

Mediterranean
Submarine chaser PC-621 is damaged by aerial mine, and harbor tug YT-207 is damaged by near-miss from shore battery off Anzio.

Indian Ocean
British freighter Samcalia rescues 25 survivors of U.S. freighter Richard Hovey that had been torpedoed, shelled, and sunk by Japanese submarine I-26 on 29 March (see 14 April).

Transport Kenmore (AP-162) is damaged by grounding, Nawiliwili, T.H.

Submarine Pollack (SS-180), in attack on Japanese convoy, sinks army cargo ship Tosei Maru about 325 miles south of Yokohama, Japan, 30°14'N, 139°44'E.

Japanese submarine I-169 is sunk by accidental flooding during PB4Y bombing of Truk; efforts to save trapped crewmen (the last of whom live until 7 April) prove unsuccessful.

Other Japanese losses include provision ship Sapporo Maru sunk as the result of near-miss of bomb; and army cargo ships Choun Maru and Iwakuni Maru sunk by USAAF B-24 or B-25 aircraft at Rabaul.

5 April, Wed. --
Pacific
Harbor tug YT-247 is swamped, founders and sinks while in tow of tug Sunnadin (ATO-28) en route from Pearl Harbor to Palmyra, 425 miles south by west of Oahu, 14°14'N, 158°59'W.

PB4Y (VB 109) sinks Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 46 off Moen island, Truk, 07°26'N, 151°52'E.

TBMs and FM-2s (VC 66) damage Japanese submarine I-45, 650 miles northeast of Majuro, 14°27'N, 176°37'E.

Japanese army cargo ship Tenryu Maru is sunk by aircraft at Rabaul.

Japanese transport Hsing Yun Maru is sunk by USAAF mine in the Yangtze River near Chinkiang, 32°05'N, 119°56'E.

Mediterranean
Infantry landing craft LCI-34 is damaged by shore battery off Anzio.

U.S. motor torpedo boats engage German E-boats and a flak ship south of Vada Rocks, sinking one E-boat; flak ship later explodes as the result of gunfire damage. Enemy shore batteries take the motor torpedo boats under fire but inflict no damage.

Submarine Pampanito (SS-383) is damaged by depth charges off the Marianas, 12°46'N, 143°49'E, but remains on patrol.

Submarine Scamp (SS-277) is damaged by bomb from Japanese floatplane off Mindanao, 05°02'N, 126°07'E, and is forced to terminate her patrol.

Atlantic
Destroyer Champlin (DD-601) is damaged when she intentionally rams German submarine U-856, 380 miles southeast of Cape Sable, 40°18'N, 62°22'W; Champlin and destroyer escort Huse (DE-145) team to sink U-856.

Submarine Trigger (SS-237) is damaged by depth charges off the Marianas, 19°06'N, 142°36'E, but remains on patrol.

Submarine Seahorse (SS-304) attacks Japanese convoy MATSU No.4, and sinks transport Misaku Maru about 40 miles west of Saipan, 15°32'N, 145°00'E.

Submarine Trigger (SS-237) is again damaged by depth charges off the Marianas, 19°03'N, 142°31'E, but remains on patrol.

Submarine Whale (SS-239) sinks Japanese army cargo ship H_nan Maru off northwestern coast of Kyushu, 33°45'N, 128°42'E.

USAAF B-25s (14th Air Force) sink Japanese merchant vessel Hokurei Maru off southern tip of Hainan Island, 19°00'N, 110°00'E

Japanese hospital ship Takasago Maru is damaged by mine off Palau.

Atlantic
TBMs and FM-2s (VC 58) from escort carrier Guadalcanal (CVE-60), together with destroyer escorts Pillsbury (DE-133), Pope (DE-134), Flaherty (DE-135), and Chatelain (DE-149) sink German submarine U-515 off Madeira Island, 34°35'N, 19°18'W.

Destroyer Hilary P. Jones (DD-427) provides gunfire support off Anzio.

Atlantic
Aircraft (VC 58) from escort carrier Guadalcanal (CVE- 60) sink German submarine U-68 off Madeira Island, 33°25'N, 18°59'W.

Mediterranean
Convoy UGS 37 transits Straits of Gibraltar (60 merchantmen and six tank landing ships), escorted by TF 65 (Commander William R. Headden): four destroyers, eight destroyer escorts and British antiaircraft cruiser HMS Delhi and frigate HMS Nadder, in addition to radar jamming ships, destroyer Lansdale (DD-462) and British corvette HMS Jonquil (see 11 April). Escorts keep German submarines U-421, U-471 and U-969 at bay.

PB4Y sinks Japanese ship Sh_sei Maru off Vanimo.

Mediterranean
Convoy GUS 37 is attacked by German bombers and torpedo bombers east of Algiers. Destroyer escort Holder (DE-401) is damaged by aerial torpedo 35 miles northeast of Algiers, 37°03'N, 03°58'E, as she lays smoke ahead of the convoy. Freighter Charles Piez is damaged by strafing, 37°10'N, 03°45'E; her crew (including a 28- man Armed Guard), however, suffers no casualties. Aerial torpedoes narrowly miss destroyer escorts Stanton (DE-247) and Swasey (DE-248).

Increased German aerial mining activities are noted off Anzio.

Submarine Halibut (SS-232), despite presence of at least three escort vessels, sinks Japanese army passenger/cargo ship Taichu Maru about 20 miles southwest of the Nansei Shoto, 28°08'N, 128°57'E.

USAAF B-24s, B-25s, B-26s, and P-38s bomb Japanese installations in Hollandia, sinking army cargo ship Narita Maru and fishing vessels Aik_ Maru, Kompira Maru, and Ky_ei Maru.

USSAAF A-20s (5th Air Force) sink Japanese army cargo ship Narita Maru in Humboldt Bay, Hollandia, 02°30'S, 140°52'E.

Atlantic
Rescue tug ATR-98 is sunk in collision with ocean-going tug Abnaki (AT-96) off the Azores, 44°04.8'N, 24°08'W.

Mediterranean
U.S. freighter Horace H. Lurton, steaming in convoy west of Algiers, is damaged by shell fired by nearby ship, injuring five men of the 44 merchant sailors and 28-man Armed Guard. Destroyer Breckinridge (DD-148) provides medical assistance.

Indian Ocean
British freighter Samuta rescues 38 survivors of U.S. freighter Richard Hovey, sunk by Japanese submarine I-26 on 29 March.

Naval Base, Abemama, Gilbert Islands, is established.

Submarine Redfin (SS-272), in attack on Japanese convoy southwest of Mindanao, damages army cargo ship Shinyu Maru, 06°22'N, 123°42'E (see 16 April).

Japanese merchant cargo ship Sumida Maru is sunk, probably by mine laid by submarine Steelhead (SS-280), off Honshu, 42°07'N, 143°10'E;

British submarine HMS Storm sinks Japanese minesweeper W.7 in Andaman Islands, 11°56'N, 093°06'E.

Submarine Redfin (SS-272) continues to pursue the convoy attacked the previous day, sinking army cargo ship Yamagata Maru in Moro Gulf, southwest of Mindanao, 06°52'N, 123°47'E.

RAAF Catalinas mine the principal entrances to Woleai to prevent the Japanese from using them during the projected Hollandia operations. The evolution is repeated on 18 and 19 April.

Movement of Japanese convoy TAKE No.1, carrying elements of the Imperial Army's 32d and 35th Divisions to reinforce garrisons in the Halmaheras and in northwestern New Guinea, gets underway as four transports, and escorts, depart Pusan, Korea (see 18 April).

Battleship Colorado (BB-45) runs aground on Kuia Shoal, off Kahoolawe, T.H., but suffers no serious damage.

Atlantic
Battleship Wisconsin (BB-64)--the last battleship in the U.S. Navy--is commissioned at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

U.S. tanker Pan Pennsylvania, in United Kingdom-bound convoy CU 1, is torpedoed by German submarine U-550 150 miles east of Ambrose Light, 40°05'N, 69°40'W, and abandoned. Ten of the 31-man Armed Guard sailors perish in the action, as do 15 of the 50-man merchant complement; survivors are picked up by destroyer escorts Joyce (DE-317) and Peterson (DE-152). Later, destroyer escort Gandy (DE-764) is damaged when she intentionally rams German submarine U-550 off Nantucket Shoals, 40°09'N, 69°44'W, and teams with Peterson and Joyce to sink the U-boat. During the action, shells from the destroyer escorts set afire Pan Pennsylvania's abandoned wreck (see 18 April).

Mediterranean
German submarine U-407 attacks convoy UGS 37 about 17 miles off Derna, Libya, torpedoing U.S. freighters Meyer London and Thomas G. Masaryk, 32°51'N, 23°00'E; the latter, out of control at one point, nearly rams Meyer London. There are no casualties on board either ship (including the 27-man Armed Guard in each freighter). French-manned British corvette HMS La Malouine rescues Meyer London's crew; another escort vessel rescues the other ship's complement. British rescue tug HMS Captive later tows Thomas G. Masaryk and beaches her in Maneloa Bay, Libya, where the damaged ship is subsequently written off as a total loss. Meyer London sinks.

Submarine Harder (SS-257), in attack on Japanese convoy, sinks army cargo ship Matsue Maru about 150 miles northwest of Woleai, Carolines, 09°30'N, 142°35'E.

Submarine Searaven (SS-196) sinks Japanese auxiliary minesweeper No.2 Noshiro Maru 120 miles south of Haha Jima, Bonins, 26°01'N, 142°14'E.

USAAF planes sink Japanese army vessel No.2 Mikage Maru off Aitape, New Guinea, 02°41'S, 141°18'E.

Atlantic
Minesweeper Swift (AM-122) and submarine chaser PC-619 sink German submarine U-986, North Atlantic, 50°09'N, 12°51'W.

Mediterranean
U.S. freighters James Guthrie and Alexander Graham Bell, in convoy NV 33, are damaged by Allied mines off Isle of Capri, James Guthrie at 40°34'10"N, 14°16'50"E, and Alexander Graham Bell at 40°34'150"N, 14°17'20"E. James Guthrie is abandoned and taken in tow by salvage vessel Weight (ARS-35). Towed to Naples, James Guthrie is subsequently written off as a total loss. There are no casualties among either the merchant complement or the 28-man Armed Guard. Alexander Graham Bell returns to Naples under her own power and is repaired and returned to service. There are no casualties among the 42-man Armed Guard and only two injured from the merchant crew.

Submarine Gudgeon (SS-211) is sunk, probably by Japanese naval aircraft (901st Air Group), southwest of Iwo Jima, 22°44'N, 143°25'E.

Submarine Tambor (SS-198) sinks Japanese guardboat No.3 Shink_ Maru 300 miles northwest of Wake Island.

Second element of Japanese TAKE No.1 convoy sails from Shanghai and effects rendezvous with the first group that had departed Pusan, Korea, on 16 April.

U.S. freighter John Straub hits a mine off Sanak Island, Aleutians, 54°15'N, 163°30'W and sinks, breaking in two; 14 of the 27-man Armed Guard perish, as do 40 merchant seamen and the ship's solitary passenger. Army coastal freighter FP 41 rescues the survivors; frigate Albuquerque (PF-7) later scuttles the stern half with gunfire.

Atlantic
Abandoned U.S. merchant tanker Pan Pennsylvania, torpedoed by German submarine U-550 on 16 April, is scuttled by aircraft, 40°24'N, 69°37'W.

Submarine Finback (SS-230) sinks Japanese sampan Ryoho Maru at 08°22'N, 151°41'E. British submarine HMS Tantalus sinks tug Kampung Besar (nationality unspecified) in Strait of Malacca.

Atlantic
TBF (VC 13) from escort carrier Tripoli (CVE-64), in TG21.4, attacks German submarine U-543 with rockets and depth bombs in the face of heavy antiaircraft fire; U-543 escapes.

USAAF planes sink Japanese merchant cargo ship Iwakuni Maru.

Mediterranean
German torpedo planes, on the heels of an unsuccessful attack by submarine U-969, attack 87-ship convoy UGS 38 off coast of French Morocco. Destroyer Lansdale (DD- 462) is sunk by aerial torpedo about 15 miles northeast of Algiers, 37°03'N, 03°51'E; Coast Guard cutter Taney (WPG-37), destroyer escort Lowe (DE-325) and Dutch antiaircraft cruiser Van Heemskerk, however, escape torpedo attacks. Ammunition-carrying U.S. freighter Paul Hamilton, struck by aerial torpedo at 36°55'N, 03°54'E, disintegrates, killing all on board: the 47- man merchant complement, the 29-man Armed Guard, and 504 troops. Illuminated by the explosion, freighter Stephen F. Austin, at 37°02'N, 03°38'E, is torpedoed and abandoned. Reboarded, the ship receives assistance from British rescue tug HMS Hengist and proceeds to Algiers under her own power. By contrast with the disaster that has befallen her sistership Paul Hamilton, there are no casualties on board Stephen F. Austin.

Submarine Stingray (SS-186) is sunk when she strikes submerged pinnacle west of the Marianas, 20°30'N, 142°22'E.

Japanese cargo vessel No.2 Y_ei Maru is sunk by aircraft off Murilo Island, Carolines.

Mediterranean
U.S. freighter John Armstrong is damaged by mine at 41°12'N, 12°32'E, while en route from Anzio to Naples, Italy. One Armed Guard sailor perishes in the incident, but the ship reaches her original destination unaided.

PB4Y sights survivors of USAAF B-24 that had been damaged over the Marianas and had ditched on 18 April; PBY sent to rescue the aviators, however, suffers damage in landing and is unable to take off (see 23 April).

Army landing force (Company "I", 3rd Battalion, 111th Infantry) occupies Ujelang Atoll, Marshalls; operation to extend U.S. control over the westernmost atoll is supported by small seaplane tender Onslow (AVP-48) and motor minesweeper YMS-91.

USAAF B-24s (14th Air Force) attack Japanese Singapore- to-Saigon convoy anchored off Cape St. Jacques, French Indochina, sinking transport (ex-gunboat) Nagata Maru, 10°19'N, 107°05'E; fleet tanker K_ry_ Maru; army cargo vessel London Maru, and merchant tanker No.3 Sansui Maru; and damaging tanker Nisshin Maru. Only escort vessel, submarine chaser Ch 9, escapes the low-level onslaught unscathed.

U.S. aircraft sink Japanese transport Suiten Maru off Murilo Island, Carolines.

British submarine HMS Taurus sinks salvage vessel Hokuan I-Go off Malaya, 07°10'N, 99°20'E.

Europe
U.S. freighter George Popham, in convoy FS 28, is damaged by mine while en route from Methel, Scotland, to London, England, at 51 11'20"N, 01 48'40"E, but reaches her destination under her own power. There are no casualties to the merchant complement or the 29-man Armed Guard.

Submarine Seadragon (SS-194) attacks Japanese convoy and sinks merchant cargo ship Danju Maru off Shionomisaki, Honshu, 33°26'N, 135°46'E.

Dutch submarine HNMS K-XV, operating under U.S. control for the Netherlands Intelligence Service, sinks a prau and a coaster off New Guinea.

Japanese destroyer Amagiri (transporting air base materiel) is sunk by USAAF mine in Makassar Strait about 50 miles south of Balikpapan, 02°12'S, 116°45'E.

Submarine Robalo (SS-273) is damaged by aerial bomb off French Indochina, 10°29'N, 109°26'E, but remains on patrol.

Navy aircraft sink Japanese fishing vessel No.5 Shinh_ Maru and Mizuno Maru off north coast of Vogelkop.

Japanese army cargo ship Taka Maru is sunk by aircraft north of New Guinea, 01°36'S, 138°47'E.

USAAF B-24s damage Japanese fishing vessels No.5 Takara Maru and No.25 Sumiyoshi Maru off western New Guinea.

Submarine Guavina (SS-362) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Tetsuyo Maru northwest of Chichi Jima, 28°55'N, 140°28'E.

Japanese auxiliary minesweeper No.32 Kafuku Maru is sunk by mine, location unspecied.

Mediterranean
German mining operations commence off Capreira, Italy; minelayer TA 23 sinks after striking a mine. TA 26 and TA 29 battle U.S. motor torpedo boats PT-202, PT-213, and PT-218.

Submarine Bonefish (SS-223) sinks Japanese transport Tokiwa Maru at entrance to Davao gulf, 06°13'N, 125°49'E.

Submarine Guavina (SS-362) attacks Japanese convoy, and sinks transport Noshiro Maru I-G_ off Miko Jima, 28°42'N, 141°26'E, and attacks cargo ship No.2 Asahi Maru unsuccessfully.

Submarine Jack (SS-259) encounters Japanese TAKE No.1 convoy off west coast of Luzon, and sinks army transport No.1 Yoshida Maru, 18°06'N, 119°40'E, and damages army cargo ship Wales Maru, 18°14'N, 119°53'E.

Submarine Sargo (SS-188) attacks Japanese convoy and sinks army cargo ship Wazan Maru (ex-British Vitorlock) off Ichiye Zaki, Honshu, 33°31'N, 135°24'E.

Atlantic
Destroyer escorts Frost (DE-144), Huse (DE-145), Barber (DE-161), and Snowden (DE-246) sink German submarine U-488 in mid-Atlantic, 17°54'N, 38°05'W.

Japanese convoy TAKE No. 1 convoy reaches Manila.

Submarine Bluegill (SS-242) sinks Japanese light cruiser Y_bari west of the Sonsorol Islands, 05°20'N, 132°16'E.

Submarine Halibut (SS-232) attacks Japanese convoy and sinks minelayer Kamome west of the Nansei Shoto chain, about 40 miles north of Okinawa, 27°28'N, 128°02'E, and merchant transport Genbu Maru, 27°16'N, 128°21'E.

Submarine Seadragon (SS-194) damages Japanese merchant cargo ship Hawaii Maru off Shikoku, 33°16'N, 135°48'E.

Submarine Seahorse (SS-304) attacks Japanese convoy and sinks transport Akikawa Maru about 150 miles west of Saipan, 14°46'N, 143°22'E, and evades depth-charging by escorts.

Submarine Trigger (SS-237) attacks Japanese convoy about 90 miles north of Palau, and sinks transport M_ke Maru, 08°34'N, 134°53'E, and damages escort vessel Kasado and army cargo ship Asosan Maru, 08°32'N, 134°42'E.

Japanese submarine I-37 is damaged by mine laid by British submarine HMS Taurus on 18 April, south of Penang, Malaya.

USAAF B-24s damage Japanese cargo vessel Anshu Maru off Biak.

Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Hadayoshi Maru is damaged by mine off Balikpapan.

Atlantic
German motor torpedo boats S 100, S 130, S 136, S 138, S 140, S 142, S 143, S 145, and S 150 (5th and 9th Motor Torpedo Boat flotilla) attacks convoy of eight U.S. tank landing ships entering Lyme Bay, torpedoing and sinking LST-507 and LST-531 off Portland Bill, England, 50°28'N, 02°51'W; and damaging LST-289.

TBF from small carrier Monterey (CVL-26), with destroyers MacDonough (DD-351) and Stephen Potter (DD- 538), sink Japanese submarine I-174 north of Truk, 06°13'N, 151°19'E.

Motor torpedo boats PT-346 and PT-347 are accidentally sunk by F4Us (VMF 215) and F6Fs (VF 34), and SBDs and TBFs off Cape Lambert, Bismarck Archipelago, 04°13'S, 151°27'E. PBY (VP 91) rescues survivors from the two PT-boats.

Submarines Bang (SS-285), Parche (SS-384) and Tinosa (SS-283) attack Japanese convoy off northwest coast of Luzon. Bang sinks army cargo ship Takegawa Maru in South China Sea, 19°20'N, 118°50'E, and damages Yashima Maru (see 30 April).

Submarine Flasher (SS-249) damages Vichy French cargo ship Song Giang Go in South China Sea, five miles off Cape Varella, French Indochina, 13°02'N, 109°28'E (see 30 April).

Submarine Halibut (SS-232) bombards Japanese installations on Kure Jima.

Submarine Pogy (SS-266) sinks Japanese submarine I-183, 30 miles south of Cape Ashizuri, Japan, 32°07'N, 133°03'E.

Japanese transport Kunikawa Maru is sunk by mine laid by RAAF Catalinas (mining operations take place on 20, 24, and 27 April) near Balikpapan, Borneo, 01°17'S, 116°49'E.

British submarine HMS Tantalus sinks coaster Pulo Salanama in Strait of Malacca.

Japanese ship Hasshu Maru is sunk by aircraft southeast of Formosa, 20°00'N, 130°50'E.

Mediterranean
USAAF B-17s and B-24s bomb targets in northern Italy and in southern France; during the raid on Toulon, German submarine U-421 is sunk in harbor.

Japanese TAKE No.1 convoy, one group of ships destined for Manokwari, the other for Halmahera, sails from Manila (see 6 May).

Submarine Bang (SS-285) continues attack on convoy engaged the previous night, and sinks Japanese merchant tanker Nittatsu Maru off northwest coast of Luzon, 19°04'N, 119°14'E.

Submarine Flasher (SS-249) sinks French gunboat Tahure in South China Sea off Cape Varella, French Indochina, 13°02'N, 109°28'E. Damaged French cargo ship, Song Giang, torpedoed the day before by Flasher, sinks.

TF 58 air strikes against Japanese installations in the Carolines continue. Reflecting an expected paucity of shipping targets in the area, TF 58 planes operating over the waters off Palau can only sink transport Nagisan Maru, 07°30'N, 134°30'E, and merchant vessel No.2 Tenyu Maru.

Planes from small carrier Cabot (CVL-28) damage gunboat No.2 Hino Maru at Truk.

Arctic
U.S. freighter William S. Thayer, in convoy RA 59, is torpedoed by German submarine U-711, 50 miles south of Bear Island. 73°46'N, 19°10'E, and breaks into thirds; 23 of the 41-man merchant complement perish, as do 7 of the 28-man Armed Guard and 20 of the 165 Soviet Navy passengers. Freighter Robert Eden and British destroyer HMS Whitehall rescue the survivors, while escorts scuttle the stern section of the ship with gunfire.

District patrol craft YP-95 sinks after running aground in Beyer Bay, south shore of Adak, Aleutian Islands, while assisting in a minesweeping mission.

Submarine Bluegill (SS-242) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Asosan Maru [repaired after her encounter with Trigger (SS-237) on 19 April] east of Mindanao, 07°05'N, 130°00'E.

PB4Y damages Japanese cargo cessel Anshu Maru off Biak.

Atlantic
Destroyer Parrott (DD-218) is damaged in collision with U.S. merchantman John Morton off Norfolk, Virginia, 36°51'N, 76°18'W.

Submarine Sand Lance (SS-381) sinks Japanese transport Kenan Maru about 15 miles northwest of Saipan, 15°20'N, 145°34'E.

Submarine Tautog (SS-199) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Fushimi Maru off south coast of Uruppu Island, Kurils, 45°28'N, 149°56'E.

Submarine Tinosa (SS-283) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Toyohi Maru west of Bashi Channel between Formosa and Luzon, 20°51'N, 118°02'E.

British submarine HMS Tantalus sinks Japanese army cargo ship Amagi Maru 40 miles south of Port Blair, 11°00'N, 92°00'E.

USAAF B-24s (14th Air Force) attack Japanese convoy southwest of Takao, Formosa, sinking cargo ship Shingu Maru, 22°05'N, 117°50'E

Atlantic
Destroyer escort Donnell (DE-56) is damaged by German submarine U-765, 450 miles southwest of Cape Clear, Ireland.

Mediterranean
As convoy GUS 38 heads west toward the Straits of Gibraltar, German submarine U-371 closes in; destroyer escort Menges (DE-320) locates the enemy but is torpedoed and damaged by her quarry off Bougie, Algeria. Consequently, destroyer escorts Pride (DE-323) and Joseph E. Campbell (DE-70) hunt for U-371, joined by British destroyer HMS Blankney, French destroyer L'Alycon and destroyer escort Senegalais, and minesweeper Sustain (AM-119). U-371, however, escapes (see 4 May).

Submarines Bang (SS-385), Parche (SS-384) and Tinosa (SS-283) attack Japanese convoy of merchant cargo ships in Luzon Strait. Bang sinks Kinrei Maru, 20°58'N, 117°59'E; Parche sinks Shoryu Maru and Taiyoku Maru, 20°48'N, 118°03'E, and Tinosa sinks Taibu Maru and Toyohi Maru, 20°55'N, 118°12'E.

Submarine Pargo (SS-264) sinks Japanese auxiliary netlayer Eiry_ Maru east of Mindanao, 07°14'N, 129°12'E.

Submarine Tuna (SS-203) sinks Japanese guardboat Tajima Maru north of Wake Island, 22°06'N, 166°47'E.

At Truk, Japanese guardboat Sapporo Maru is sunk by aircraft; gunboat No.2 Hino Maru sinks as the result of damage inflicted by TF 58 planes on 30 April.

Japanese merchant vessel Akira Maru is sunk by gunfire, 00°53'S, 134°55'E.

Japanese convoy No.3503 (ten Marus and six escort vessels) leaves Tateyama, bound for the Marshalls (see 10-20 May 1944).

Mediterranean
While convoy GUS 38 continues on its way, destroyer escorts Joseph E. Campbell (DE-70) and Pride (DE-323), French destroyer escort Senegalais, and British destroyer HMS Blankney continue the hunt for German submarine U-371 in the western Mediterranean. Senegalais attacks the U-boat, 37°49'N, 05°39'E, which is scuttled by her crew and abandoned, but not before U-371 has torpedoed and damaged Senegalais.

U.S. motor torpedo boats blockading the southeastern coast of Bougainville encounter five or more heavily armed Japanese barges. In the ensuing action, the barges and enemy shore batteries on Rantan and Bougainville catch the three PTs in a cross fire, sinking PT-247, 06°38'S, 156°01'E.

Submarine Pogy (SS-266) attacks Japanese convoy, sinks transport Shirane Maru off Shionomisaki, Honshu, 33°27'N, 135°32'E.

Mediterranean
During convoy GUS 38's continued passage westward, destroyer escort Laning (DE-159) locates German submarine U-967, but the U-boat torpedoes and sinks destroyer escort Fechteler (DE-157) 120 miles northwest of Oran, Algeria, 36°07'N, 02°40'W.

Submarine Gurnard (SS-254) encounters Japanese TAKE No.1 convoy in the Celebes Sea, sinking Manokwari-bound troop-carrying army cargo ships Aden Maru, Amatsuzan Maru and Tajima Maru, 02°42'N, 124°07'E.

Submarine Spearfish (SS-190) attacks Japanese shipping in East China Sea west of Kyushu, and sinks merchant cargo ship Toyoura Maru and damages supply ship Mamiya, 32°16'N, 127°08'E.

Atlantic
Destroyer escort Buckley (DE-51) is damaged when she intentionally rams German submarine U-66, which has been damaged by aircraft (VC 55) from escort carrier Block Island (CVE-21), about 390 miles west of the Cape Verdes. The battle echoes close-quarters fights of the age of sail, as Buckley's sailors employ small arms, hand grenades, fists and even coffee mugs. U-66 sinks as the result of the multi-faceted pounding she has taken in mid-Atlantic, 17°17'N, 32°29'W.

Submarine Burrfish (SS-312) sinks German oiler Rossbach, bound for Balikpapan, south of Murotosaki, Japan, 33°15'N, 134°11'E.

Japanese TAKE No.1 convoy reaches Bangka Island, Celebes, where it will pause before continuing on toward Halmahera, while efforts continue to rescue survivors of the three ships (army cargo ships Aden Maru, Amatsuzan Maru and Tajima Maru) sunk by Gurnard (SS-254) the day before.

Submarine Tautog (SS-199) attacks Japanese convoy in Tsugaru Strait, sinking army cargo ship Miyazaki Maru off Ominato, northern Honshu, 41°52'N, 141°12'E.

Japanese TAKE No.1 convoy reaches Wasile Bay, Halmahera, having lost four of its original nine Marus during its passage to its destination.

Motor torpedo boat PT-79 is damaged in collision, Cold Bay.

Submarine Cod (SS-224) attacks large Japanese convoy off west coast of Luzon, sinking destroyer Karukaya and transport Shohei Maru about 150 miles northwest of Manila, 15°38'N, 119°32'E.

Submarine Silversides (SS-236) attacks Japanese convoy about 120 miles south-southwest of Guam, sinking auxiliary cable ship Okinawa Maru, gunboat No.2 Choan Maru, and collier No.18 Mikage Maru, 11°26'N, 143°46'E, and forces it to return whence it comes. Silversides survives depth-charging by one or more of the following ships: escort vessel Momi, submarine chaser Ch 30, auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 66 and auxiliary minelayer Wa 5.

Submarine Tambor (SS-198) encounters Japanese convoy 3503 (see 4 May 1944), and torpedoes aircraft transport Keiyo Maru about 420 miles northwest of Saipan, 19°26'N, 140°19'E.

Mediterranean
Off Anzio, submarine chaser PC-556 is damaged by bomb; destroyers Charles F. Hughes (DD-428) and Hilary P. Jones (DD-427) bombard German supply dumps.

Submarine Rasher (SS-269) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking auxiliary vessel Choi Maru in the Molucca Sea northwest of Boeroe Island, 03°30'S, 126°06'E.

Submarine Sand Lance (SS-381) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking transport Mitakesan Maru off Tinian, 14°57'N, 145°15'E.

Submarine Sturgeon (SS-187) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking army cargo ship Seiryu Maru about 140 miles north of Chichi Jima, 29°41'N, 141°35'E.

Europe
Naval Advanced Amphibious Base, Southhampton, England, is established.

Atlantic
Covered lighter YF-415 is destroyed by explosion of undetermined origin in North Atlantic off east coast of the United States, 42°24'N, 70°36'W.

Japanese transport Kasumi Maru is sunk by mine (probably Japanese) in Straits of Malacca, 03°50'N, 99°30'E.

Japanese river gunboat Saga is damaged by aircraft, South China Sea.

Submarine Pogy (SS-266) sinks Japanese cargo ship Anb_ Maru off Suruga Bay, Honshu, 34°31'N, 138°33'E.

Japanese landing ships T.128 and T.150 are damaged by mines, Palau.

Atlantic
Destroyer escort Francis M. Robinson (DE-220) sinks Japanese submarine RO-501 (ex-German U-1224), en route to Japan on her maiden voyage, 400 miles south- southwest of the Azores, 18°08'N, 33°13'W.

Submarine Bonefish (SS-223) attacks Japanese convoy bound for the Sibitu Passage, sinking destroyer Inazuma near Tawi Tawi, east of Borneo, 05°03'N, 119°36'E, and evades counterattacks by what is most likely destroyer Hibiki. Ironically, Bonefish had aimed her initial torpedo at a tanker (Nichiei Maru, Azusa Maru, or Tatekawa Maru) but ended up hitting Inazuma instead.

Submarine Crevalle (SS-291), en route to her base, is damaged by depth charges off northern Celebes, 00°57'N, 125°51'E.

Submarine Sand Lance (SS-381) encounters that portion of convoy 3503 that had been detached to proceed to Guam, and sinks army cargo ship K_ho Maru southwest of Apra harbor, 13°43'N, 144°42'E. Sand Lance survives resultant depth-charging from one or more of the escorts: escort vessel Oki, torpedo boat Otori, and auxiliary submarine chaser No.8 Shonan Maru.

Mediterranean
German submarine U-616 attacks convoy GUS 39 off Cape Tenes, Morocco, prompting a search by Oran-based U.S. destroyers (see 17 May 1944) (Captain Adelbert F. Converse).

During amphibious training exercises in the Hawaiian Operating Area, heavy seas break the moorings of three LCTs carried as deck cargo on board three tank landing craft. LCT-988 sinks, 20°00'N, 157°00'W; LCT-984 founders and is scuttled by submarine chaser PC-1079; LCT-999 is salvaged.

Submarine Aspro (SS-309) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking transport Jokuja Maru about 175 miles northwest of Palau, 10°10'N, 131°48'E.

Japanese destroyer Shiratsuyu is sunk in collision with Seiyo Maru west of Mindanao, 09°09'N, 126°51'E.

Mediterranean
PBY-5s (VP 63) and British escort vessels HMS Kilmarnock and HMS Blackfly sink German submarine U-731, western Mediterranean, 35°54'N, 05°45'W.

Destroyers Franks (DD-554), Haggard (DD-555), and Johnston (DD-557) sink Japanese submarine I-176, 150 miles north of Cape Alexander, Solomons, 04°01'S, 156°29'E. Haggard suffers slight damage from exploding depth charges. The sinking of I-176 prompts the Japanese to shift the position of a cordon of submarines (the NA line) in the New Guinea-Carolines area; much radio traffic accompanies the move (see 19 May 1944).

Japanese minelayer Aotaka is damaged by mine, Kaoe Bay.

Atlantic
Non-rigid airship K 5 is destroyed in crash into number one hangar, Lakehurst, New Jersey.

In an operation timed to coincide with the Wakde landings, planes from an Allied task force (Admiral James F. Somerville, RN) that includes carrier Saratoga (CV-3) and British carrier HMS Illustrious bomb Japanese shipping and harbor installations at Surabaya, Java, in Operation TRANSOM. British planes sink transport Shinrei Maru; Saratroga's damage Patrol Boat No.36, auxiliary submarine chasers Cha 107 and Cha 108, cargo ships Ch_ka Maru and Tencho Maru, and tanker Y_sei Maru.

Destroyers Frazier (DD-607) and Meade (DD-602) bombard Japanese defenses on Eniben Island, Maloelap Atoll, Marshalls.

Submarines Sand Lance (SS-381) and Tunny (SS-282) attack convoy 3503, the four Marus carrying Japanese soldiers earmarked for service at Yap and Palau, and the three escorts. Sand Lance torpedoes and sinks transport Taikoku Maru about 60 miles west of Saipan, 14°57'N, 144°47'E; Tunny torpedoes and sinks army cargo ship Nichiwa Maru west of the Marianas, 14°49'N, 142°39'E. Sand Lance torpedoes army cargo ship Fukko Maru, 14°49'N, 142°23'E when she stops to pick up Nichiwa Maru's survivors. Although destroyer Minazuki and submarine chasers Ch 31 and Ch 32 claim the destruction of Sand Lance and Tunny, both boats survive enemy depth-chargings.

USAAF P-38s, P-39s and P-40s carry out sweeps for targets in the Bismarck Archipelago; these operations may account for the sinking of Japanese guardboat Zuiho Maru off Duke of York Isle, 04°12'S, 152°20'E.

Mediterranean
Destroyers Gleaves (DD-423), Hilary P. Jones (DD-427), Ellyson (DD-454), Hambleton (DD-455), Rodman (DD-456), Emmons (DD-457), Macomb (DD-458), Nields (DD-616), and RAF Wellington (No. 36 Squadron) sink German submarine U-616 in western Mediterranean, 37°52'N, 00°11'E. U-960 attacks Ellyson without success (see 19 May 1944).

Submarine Puffer (SS-268) attacks Japanese convoy in Java Sea, sinking army cargo ship Shinryu Maru about 40 miles east-southeast of Surabaya, 07°33'S, 113°16'E.

Japanese merchant tanker Nichiyoku Maru is sunk by mine (laid by British submarine HMS Tally Ho on 14 May), 03°41'N, 99°04'E.

Japanese army cargo ship Fukko Maru sinks as the result of damage inflicted by submarine Sand Lance (SS-381) the previous day.

USAAF B-25s damage Japanese cargo ship No.3 Shinnan Maru.

Pacific
Aircraft from TG 58.6 (Rear Admiral Alfred E. Montgomery) bomb Marcus Island; attacks continue on 20 May.

Japanese radio traffic intercepted by U.S. Navy intelligence allows deductions to be made as to where the new submarine cordon established to intercept American carriers (see 16 May 1944) will be; consequently, destroyer escort England (DE-635) sinks Japanese submarine I-16, on a resupply run to Buka, 140 miles northeast of Cape Alexander, Solomon Islands, 05°10'S, 158°10'E. I-16 is the first of five Japanese submarines that England will sink in a week's time as U.S. antisubmarine forces work their way down the NA line (see 22, 23, 24, 26, and 31 May 1944).

Submarine Skate (SS-305) sinks Japanese guardboat Meisho Maru off Ogasawara-Gunto, 28°56'N, 141°38'E.

USAAF B-24s (14th Air Force) on antishipping sweep of the South China Sea bomb Japanese convoy no.87, but only succeed in inflicting minor damage upon cargo ship Yamadori Maru (see 20 May 1944 et.seq.).

Mediterranean
Light cruiser Brooklyn (CL-40) shells German supply dumps at Terracina, Sperlonga, and Ganta, Italy.

Motor torpedo boat PT-204 is mistakenly torpedoed and damaged by PT-304 off Vada Rocks, Corsica.

Destroyers Niblack (DD-424) and Ludlow (DD-438) and British aircraft sink German submarine U-960, western Mediterranean, 37°20'N, 01°35'E.

Submarine Angler (SS-240) sinks Japanese transport _tori Maru (ex-Panamanian Boyaca), 05°57'N, 105°12'E, and survives depth-charging by escort ship.

Submarine Bluegill (SS-242) despite presence of two escort vessels, sinks Japanese army cargo ship Miyaura Maru in the narrow passage between Halmahera and Morotai, 02°14'N, 128°05'E.

Submarine Picuda (SS-382) is damaged by depth charges, Luzon Strait, 19°00'N, 120°45'E, but remains on patrol.

Submarine Silversides (SS-236) sinks Japanese gunboat Shosei Maru off Saipan, 13°32'N, 144°36'E.

Planes from small carrier San Jacinto (CVL-30) sink guardboat Yawata Maru 150 miles north of Marcus Island, 31°22'N, 154°59'E.

USAAF B-24s (14th Air Force) bomb Takao-bound Japanese convoy no. 88 in South China Sea south of Hong Kong, sinking army cargo ship Shinju Maru, 21°20'N, 117°10'E, and damaging Tsukuba Maru and Kori Maru. Gunboat Hashidate takes the crippled Tsukuba Maru in tow; Kori Maru reaches Takao unaided. Salvage vessel (ex-Chinese) Sonjo Maru is dispatched to aid Hashidate (see 22 May 1944).

Other USAAF B-24s (14th Air Force) attack Japanese warships sent to aid convoy no. 87, attacked the previous day, damaging auxiliary submarine chaser Kinsui Maru in the South China Sea, 22°00'N, 118°25'E,

Accidental explosion occurs in tank landing ship LST-353 as she is being loaded with mortar ammunition at West Loch, Pearl Harbor. The cataclysmic blasts result in the loss of LST-39, LST-43, LST-69, LST-179, LST-353, and LST-480; tank landing craft LCT-961, LCT-963, and LCT-983; 17 tracked landing vehicles (LVT); and eight 155-millimeter guns. LST-205 and LST-225 are damaged. During firefighting efforts, big harbor tugs Osceola (YTB-129) and Hoga (YTB-146); medium harbor tug Geronimo (YTM-119); little harbor tugs YTL-233, YTL-306, YTL-307, YTL-308, YTL-309, and YTL-339; net tender (tug class) Tamaha (YTM-12); and Navy-chartered tug Mikioi suffer varying degrees of damage.

Oiler Neches (AO-47) is damaged by mine about 630 miles west of Los Angeles.

Submarine Billfish (SS-286) damages Japanese cargo ship Bokuy_ Maru west-southwest of the Marianas, 13°42'N, 140°41'E; Coast Defense Vessel No.12 counterattacks unsuccessfully.

Submarine Cero (SS-225) attacks, unsuccessfully, Japanese convoy, and survives enemy antisubmarine efforts conducted by Anshu Maru, No.5 Takunan Maru, and No.17 Shonan Maru, 05°15'N, 128°55'E.

Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) attacks, unsuccessfully, 12- ship Japanese convoy en route from Cebu to Wasile, 08°15'N, 127°15'E.

Destroyer escort England sinks Japanese submarine RO-106, 250 miles north of Kavieng, New Ireland, 01°40'N, 150°31'E.

Submarine Bluegill (SS-242) is damaged by aerial bombs off Halmahera, 04°00'N, 128°06'E, but remains on patrol.

Submarine Picuda (SS-382), patrolling the South China Sea, comes across Japanese gunboat Hashidate towing crippled merchant passenger/cargo ship Tsukuba Maru [the latter had been damaged by USAAF B-24s (14th Air Force) on 20 May 1944], accompanied by salvage vessel Sonju Maru. Picuda sinks Hashidate and Tsukuba Maru off Pratas Island, 21°08'N, 117°20'E; Sonju Maru flees in haste and reaches Hong Kong without further incident.

Submarine Pollack (SS-180) attacks Japanese convoy, and sinks destroyer Asanagi, 180 miles west-northwest of Chichi Jima, Bonins, 28°19'N, 138°54'E.

Submarine Ray (SS-271) attacks same Japanese convoy sought by Cero (SS-225) the day before, and sinks army cargo ship Tempei Maru off south coast of Mindanao, 05°42'N, 127°37'E.

British submarine HMS Sea Rover sinks Japanese gunboat Koshu Maru off southern entrance to Penang harbor, Malaya, in Strait of Malacca, 04°52'N, 100°18'E.

Destroyer escort England sinks Japanese submarine RO-104, 250 miles north-northwest of Kavieng, 01°26'N, 149°20'E.

Submarine Cero (SS-225) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Taijun Maru and teams with Ray (SS-271) to torpedo and damage army tanker Kenwa Maru off Halmahera Island, 02°42'N, 128°08'E.

Submarine Raton (SS-270) sinks Japanese merchant vessel Koshin Maru west of Borneo, 00°25'S, 107°34'E.

PB4Y damages Japanese cargo vessel Hakko Maru near Helen Reef, 00°25'S, 107°34'E.

Mediterranean
Light cruiser Brooklyn (CL-40) and destroyers Kearny (DD-432) and Ericsson (DD-440) shell enemy positions in vicinity of Ardea, Italy, with good results. The three ships repeat bombardment of troop concentrations and supply dumps on 24 and 26 May with equal success.

Light cruiser Philadelphia (CL-41) and destroyer Laub (DD-613) are damaged in collision 20 miles southwest of Nettuno, Italy, 41°11'N, 12°30'E.

Submarine chaser PC-626 captures German speedboat off Anzio and takes crew prisoner.

Submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) is damaged by premature explosion of own torpedo, Philippine Sea, 12°54'N, 134°52'E, but remains on patrol.

Submarine Gurnard (SS-254), in attack on Japanese convoy in the Celebes Sea, sinks fleet tanker Tatekawa Maru just off the coast of Mindanao, 05°45'N, 125°43'E.

Submarine Lapon (SS-260), in South China Sea, sinks Japanese cargo ship Bizen Maru 07°20'N, 109°20'E and merchant cargo ship Wales Maru07°16'N, 109°04'E.

Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) lands men and supplies on Samar, P.I.

Submarine Perch (SS-313) attacks Japanese convoy no. 88 in South China Sea, 22°15'N, 118°05'E, but without success. It is the convoy's last adventure with U.S. forces.

Submarine Raton (SS-270) attacks Japanese convoy about 220 miles east of Singapore and 150 miles west of Sarawak, sinking escort vessel Iki and damaging escort vessel Matsuwa, 01°17'N, 107°53'E.

Japanese transport Taichi Maru is sunk in collision near Chinhai, China, 30°00'N, 116°48'E.

Mediterranean
U.S. motor torpedo boats PT-202, PT-213 and PT-218 (Lieutenant Commander Robert A. Allan, RNVR) sink German corvette UJ.2223 (ex-Italian Navy corvette Maragone) and damage corvette UJ.2222 (ex-Italian Navy corvette Tuffeto) off Vada Rocks.

Mediterranean
Destroyer Kendrick (DD-612) shells German positions in the Ardea, Italy, area; enemy shore battery fire improved but inflicts no damage.

Operations against NA line continue; destroyer escort England sinks Japanese submarine RO-108 110 miles northeast of Manus, 00°32'S, 148°35'E.

Submarine Cabrilla (SS-288) sinks Japanese transport (ex-seaplane carrier) Sany_ Maru about 80 miles north of Menado, Celebes, 02°40'N, 124°35'E.

Submarine Permit (SS-178) torpedoes and damages Japanese submarine I-44 west-southwest of Truk, 07°05'N, 152°00'E.

Submarine Tambor (SS-198) sinks Japanese stores ship Chiy_ Maru west of the Marianas, 20°40'N, 141°50'E.

Motor torpedo boat PT-339, damaged by grounding off Pur Pur, western New Guinea, 04°01'S, 144°41'E, is scuttled by her crew to prevent capture.

Submarine chaser SC-699 is damaged by crashing Japanese plane off western New Guinea, 01°12'S, 136°13'E.

British submarine HMS Templar sinks Japanese cargo ship Tyokai Maru in Strait of Malacca.

Mediterranean
U.S. motor torpedo boats attack three German F-lighters in vicinity of Vada Rocks, sinking two and damaging one; PTs also attack an enemy motor vessel.

PV-1 (VB 148) accidentally bombs submarine Permit (SS-178) off Truk, 06°45'N, 151°52'E, but the damage sustained by Permit does not prevent her from continuing her war patrol.

Mediterranean
U.S. motor torpedo boats sink German corvette UJ.2210 in Ligurian Sea.

Submarine Rasher (SS-269) attacks Japanese convoy in the eastern Celebes Sea, damaging gunboat Anshu Maru about 110 miles north-northwest of Halmahera, 03°32'N, 127°07'E (see 30 May 1944).

Submarine Silversides (SS-236), despite the proximity of four escort vessels and aircraft, sinks Japanese transports H_raisan Maru and Sh_ken Maru about 100 miles north-northwest of Saipan, 16°23'N, 144°59'E.

Japanese convoy no. 3530 sails from Yokohama, bound for Saipan. The seven transports/cargo ships carry men and equipment of the Japanese Army's 118th Infantry (see 4- 7 June 1944).

Atlantic
German submarine U-549 sinks escort carrier Block Island (CVE-21) and damages destroyer escort Barr (DE-576) but is sunk by destroyer escorts Ahrens (DE-575) and Eugene E. Elmore (DE-686) northwest of Canary Islands, 31°13'N, 23°03'W.

Submarine Pompon (SS-267) sinks Japanese merchant passenger/cargo ship Shiga Maru off Murotosaki, Japan, 33°15'N, 134°11'E.

Submarine Rasher (SS-269) continues attack on Japanese convoy in the eastern Celebes Sea, sinking gunboat Anshu Maru about 110 miles north-northwest of Halmahera, 03°40'N, 126°58'E.

USAAF B-25s (11th Air Force) sink Japanese guardboat Shinyo Maru northeast of Paramushiro, Kurils, and damage guardboat No.3 Sh_wa Maru east of the Kurils.

USAAF B-25s damage Japanese cargo vessel Nansei Maru west of Manokwari.

Submarines Barb (SS-220) and Herring (SS-233) rendezvous in Sea of Okhotsk about 150 miles west of Matsuwa Island, Kurils, to plan operations against Japanese shipping in the vicinity. Subsequently, Herring attacks convoy NE, sinking escort vessel Ishigaki and army cargo ship Hokuyo Maru west of Matsuwa Island, 48°00'N, 153°00'E' (see 1 June 1944); Barb comes across convoy NE and sinks army cargo ship Madras Maru, 48°21'N, 151°20'E, and transport K_t_ Maru southwest of Paramushiro, 47°55'N, 151°42'E.

Japanese river gunboat Kotaka is sunk by Chinese aircraft in the Yangtze River.

Submarine Herring (SS-233) continues attacks against Japanese shipping in the Kurils, sinking transport Iwaki Maru [the lone surviving ship of convoy NE attacked the previous day by Herring and Barb (SS-220)] and merchant cargo ship Hiburi Maru off Matsuwa Island, 48°00'N, 153°00'E, but is sunk by shore battery (Guards Division 52, Matsuwa Detachment).

Submarine Pintado (SS-387) sinks Japanese transport T_h_ Maru about 250 miles northwest of Saipan, 18°08'N, 141°14'E, and damages transport Kinshu Maru (see 17 June 1944).

Big harbor tug Shahaka (YTB-368) sinks after collision with Section "A" of advance base section dock ABSD-2, about midway between the coast of California and the Hawaiian Islands, 27°21'N, 136°29'W.

Mediterranean
Destroyers Champlin (DD-601) and MacKenzie (DD-614) shell German strongpoints and shore batteries in the vicinity of Anzio; Champlin and Parker (DD-604) will alternate covering minesweeping operations west of Anzio and will also do so on 2 and 4 June.

Submarine Picuda (SS-382) attacks Japanese Moji-to-Singapore convoy, sinking escort vessel Awaji, 22°48'N, 121°24'E. As the convoy takes evasive action, however, cargo vessel Arimasan Maru accidentally rams Shinshu Maru's stern, setting off depth charges stowed there and damaging Shinshu Maru.

Submarine Shark (SS-314) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking transport No.2 Chiyo Maru about 600 miles northwest of Saipan, 21°00'N, 140°20'E.

Mediterranean
Destroyer MacKenzie (DD-614) shells German guns in the Partecica de Mari area, near Anzio.

In operations against Japanese shipping off New Guinea, a PBY (VPB 52) damages torpedo boat Kiji 23 miles northwest of Manokwari, 00°40'S, 134°00'E; USAAF A-20s sink fishing boat No.96 Banshu Maru west of Manokwari.

Submarine Flier (SS-250) sinks Japanese troopship Hakusan Maru about 375 miles southwest of Chichi Jima, Bonins, 22°45'N, 136°50'E.

Submarine Golet (SS-361) sinks Japanese guardboat No.10 Shinko Maru east of Japan, 35°47'N, 154°54'E.

Coordinated submarine attack group, TG 17.12, makes contact with Japanese convoy 3530 (see 29 May). Two of the group's three boats, Shark (SS-314) and Pintado (SS-387), will obtain favorable attack positions; the third, Pilotfish (SS-386), will not. Shark sinks army transport Katsukawa Maru about 475 miles northwest of Saipan, 19°45'N, 138°15'E (see 5 June).

USAAF B-24s sink Japanese landing ship T.128, 110 miles northeast of Morotai, 04°09'N, 129°45'E.

USAAF A-20s bomb Manokwari, New Guinea, and Japanese shipping in Geelvink Bay, sinking auxiliary submarine chaser No.2 Hakusan Maru and guardboats Shimane Maru, No.3 Tokyo Maru, and Gongen Maru.

Atlantic
TG 22.3 (Captain Daniel V. Gallery), a hunter-killer group comprising escort carrier Guadalcanal (CVE-60) and destroyer escorts Pillsbury (DE-133), Pope (DE-134), Flaherty (DE-135), Chatelain (DE-149), and Jenks (DE-665), forces German submarine U-505 to the surface 150 miles off the coast of Rio de Oro, Africa. Lieutenant (j.g.) Albert L. David leads a boarding party from Pillsbury (which is damaged in collision with the out-of-control U-boat during salvage operations) that saves the ship despite the dangers posed by scuttling charges. He later assists more well-equipped salvage parties that make the captured U-boat seaworthy for the tow to Trinidad. For his "gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty," David is awarded the Medal of Honor.

Submarine Puffer (SS-268) attacks Japanese convoy in the Sulu Sea and sinks underway replenishment vessel Ashizuri and oiler Takasaki and damages tanker No.2 Hishi Maru, northeast of Borneo, 06°44'N, 120°54'E.

TG 17.12's operations against Japanese convoy 3530 continue as submarine Shark (SS-314) sinks transport Tamahime Maru and army transport Takaoka Maru west of the Marianas, 17°37'N, 140°32'E.

Atlantic
Off Normandy, France, mines sink minesweeper Osprey (AM-56), 50°12'N, 01°20'W, and damage tank landing ship LST-981, 50°45'N, 00°43'E.

TG 17.12's operations against Japanese convoy 3530 come to a close as submarine Pintado (SS-387) sinks cargo ship Kashimasan Maru and army transport Havre Maru west-northwest of the Marianas, 16°28'N, 142°16'E.

Submarine Raton (SS-270) attacks Japanese convoy, and sinks Coast Defense Vessel No.15 about 160 miles off Cape St. Jacques, French Indochina, 08°57'N, 109°17'E. Raton is damaged by depth charges, but remains on patrol.

USAAF A-20s attack Japanese shipping off Manokwari, sinking motor sailships No.1 Asahi Maru, No.1 Kasuga Maru, and No.5 Taifuku Maru.

Japanese minelayer Yurishima is damaged by aircraft southeast of Woleai, 07°46'N, 147°30'E.

Atlantic
Allied Expeditionary Force under the supreme command of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, USA, invades Western Europe in Operation OVERLORD. Landings are made on thebeaches of Normandy, France, following preinvasion minesweeping and bombardment by Allied warships, and under cover of Allied aircraft and naval gunfire. The invasion fleet of thousands of warships, merchantmen, and landing craft under the command of Admiral Sir Bertram H. Ramsay, RN, is divided into a Western (American) Task Force and an Eastern (British) Task Force. The Western Task Force, commanded by Rear Admiral Alan G. Kirk and composed of two assault forces, "O" under command of Rear Admiral John L. Hall and "U" under command of Rear Admiral Donald P. Moon, lands the First U.S. Army commanded by Lieutenant General Omar N. Bradley, USA, on OMAHA and UTAH beaches, respectively. Naval gunfire support groups commanded by Rear Admiral Carlton F. Bryant prevent the Germans from moving up reinforcements and cover the Allied troops advancing inland. After the beachheads are established, the primary naval responsibility is the landing of men and supplies. The success of the Normandy landings virtually assures victory in the European theater.

Off Normandy, mines sink destroyer Corry (DD-463), 49°31'N, 01°11'W; submarine chaser PC-1261, 49°30'N, 01°10'W; tank landing craft LCT-25, LCT-197, LCT-294, LCT-305, LCT-332, LCT-364, LCT-555, LCT-593, LCT-597, LCT-703, and LCT-777; and infantry landing craft LCI-85, LCI-91, LCI-92, LCI-232, and LCI-497. LCT-27 and LCT-30 sink after running aground. LCT-362 founders and sinks. LCT-612 and LCI-93 and LCI-553 are sunk by shore batteries. Destroyer Harding (DD-625) sends armed whaleboat in to shore, landing small arms to help the 2d Ranger Battalion; the destroyermen relieve a number of soldiers as guards for German POWs, permitting the rangers to reinforce their comrades.

Submarine Harder (SS-257) sinks Japanese destroyer Hayanami as the latter patrols south of the Japanese Fleet anchorage at Tawi Tawi, southeast opf Sibitu Passage, Borneo, 04°43'N, 120°03'E.

Submarine Whale (SS-239) damages Japanese transports Shinroku Maru and Sugiyama Maru north-northeast of the Bonins, 31°06'N, 142°34'E.

Remnants of Japanese convoy 3530 reach Saipan, but because of the work of Shark (SS-314) and Pintado (SS-387), the Imperial Army's 118th Regiment arrives at its destination at half-strength, its weapons and equipment at the bottom of the Pacific.

Atlantic
Construction of artificial harbors and sheltered anchorages ("Mulberries") from sunken blockships and concrete caissons begins off Normandy. Off the beach- heads minesweeper Tide (AM-125) is sunk by a mine. As minesweeper Pheasant (AM-61) rescues Tide's survivors, she fouls the stricken minecraft and is damaged, 49°37'N, 01°05'W. Mines also sink transport Susan B. Anthony (AP-72), 49°33'N, 00°49'W, and tank landing craft LCT-458 and LCT-586; motor torpedo boat PT-505 is damaged by a mine, 49°30'N, 01°09'W, and destroyer Harding (DD-625) is damaged when she runs aground, 49°31'N, 00°50'W. U.S. freighter Francis Harrington, in OMAHA Beach-bound convoy EMB 2, is damaged by mine at 50°10'N, 00°40'W, but manages to discharge her cargo and disembark the troops she is bringing to the beachhead, although 6 of the 515 soldiers perish in the mining, There were no other casualties among the men on board, who include a 28-man Armed Guard.

Submarine Hake (SS-256) sinks Japanese destroyer Kazagumo at mouth of Davao Gulf, about 20 miles southwest of Cape San Augustin, Mindanao, 06°04'N, 125°56'E.

Submarine Harder (SS-257) evacuates coast-watchers from northeast coast of North Borneo.

Submarine Rasher (SS-269) attacks Japanese convoy in the Celebes Sea, sinking underway replenishment vessel Shioya northwest of Menado, 03°15'N, 124°03'E.

Submarine Whale (SS-239) is damaged by depth charges north of the Bonins, 31°00'N, 143°55'E, but remains on patrol.

Japanese army tanker No.5 Nippo Maru is sunk by aircraft off northwest coast of New Guinea, 00°33'S, 132°53'E.

Atlantic
Off Normandy, mines continue to take their toll: destroyer escort Rich (DE-695), 49°31'N, 01°10'W, and tank landing ship LST-499, 49°30'N, 01°10'W, are sunk; destroyers Glennon (DD-620), 50°32'N, 01°12'W, and Meredith (DD-726), 49°33'N, 01°06'W, are damaged.

Submarine Harder (SS-257) sinks Japanese destroyer Tanikaze in Sibitu Passage, 90 miles southwest of Basilan Island, 04°50'N, 119°40'E.

Submarine Swordfish (SS-193) attacks Japanese convoy east of the Bonins, sinking destroyer Matsukaze 55 miles east of Chichi Jima, 27°14'N, 142°55'E.

USAAF A-20s bomb Japanese shipping off Manokwari, sinking cargo vessels No.10 Fuku Maru, No.12 Fuku Maru, Ebisu Maru, Fukuda Maru, Atarashi Maru, and Shosei Maru.

Atlantic
Off Normandy, destroyer Meredith (DD-726) is sunk by horizontal bomber and as a result of mine damage suffered off the invasion beaches on 8 June, 49°26'N, 01°04'W. German schnellbootes S 172, S 174, S 175 and S 187 attack convoy in English channel, torpedoing and sinking tank landing ship LST-314, 49°43'N, 00°52'W, and damaging tank landing ship LST-376. The latter is later scuttled by escorts, 49°43'N, 00°53'W. Infantry landing craft LCI-416 is sunk by mine; motor minesweeper YMS-305 is damaged by shore battery, 49°31'N, 00°50'W. U.S. freighter Ezra Weston is damaged by shore battery fire that kills 5 and wounds 11 of her 600 embarked troops; there are no other casualties among the ship's complement, including the 26-man Armed Guard.

High speed transport Talbot (APD-7) is damaged in collision with battleship Pennsylvania (BB-38), en route to the Marianas.

Destroyer Taylor (DD-468) sinks Japanese submarine RO-111, 210 miles north-northwest of Kavieng, New Ireland, 00°26'N, 149°16'E.

Destroyer escort Bangust (DE-739) sinks Japanese submarine RO-42, 70 miles northeast of Kwajalein, Marshalls, 10°05'N, 168°22'E.

British submarine HMS Tantalus sinks Japanese army cargo ship Hiyoshi Maru in Strait of Malacca, 03°05'N, 99°56'E.

USAAF B-25s bomb Japanese shipping off Manokwari, sinking auxiliary sailing vessel Shinei Maru.

Japanese cargo vessel Yozan Maru is damaged by mine off Manila.

Japanese cargo vessel Kinmon Maru is sunk by accidental fire, Singapore, 01°17'N, 103°51'E.

Atlantic
Destroyer Glennon (DD-620) is sunk off Normandy by German shore battery, 50°32'N, 01°12'W; tank landing craft LCT-209 sinks after running aground off beachhead. U.S. freighter Charles Morgan is damaged by bomb off UTAH Beach that kills 7 of the 64-man Army stevedore unit on board and one merchant crewman; there are no casualties among the 27-man Armed Guard. Fleet tug Kiowa (ATF-72) takes on board the survivors. Charles Morgan, however, despite strenuous efforts to save her, is ultimately declared a total loss.

Mediterranean
Heaviest German air raid since 3 May occurs off Anzio against U.S. shipping off the beachhead. Minesweeper Symbol (AM-123), tank landing ship LST-211, infantry landing craft LCI-41, and U.S. freighter Tarleton Brown are all damaged by near-misses of bombs.

F6Fs from TF 58 (Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher), 16 from each carrier and 12 from each small carrier, accompanied by a TBF or SB2C from each task group (thelatter to lead the fighters in and out), blankets Japanese airfields in the Marianas. This move, which achieves complete surprise, also assures control of the air over the Marianas. Combat air patrol F6Fs from TF 58 begin to intercept and down Japanese planes in the vicinity of TF 58. F6Fs also damage Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser No.8 Shonan Maru and cargo vessel Keiyo Maru (see 13 June).14

Submarine Barb (SS-220) sinks Japanese merchant fishing vessels Chihaya Maru and Toten Maru in Sea of Okhotsk, east of Karafuto, 46°50'N, 144°05'E.

Submarine Redfin (SS-272), despite presence of escort vessel, sinks Japanese tanker Asanagi Maru west of Jolo, 06°02'N, 120°50'E.

Atlantic
U.S. battleships off Normandy provide gunfire support to U.S. Army forces ten miles inland at Carentan, France.

Off the invasion beaches, German torpedo boats S 130, S 144, S 146, S 150 and S 167 launch torpedo attacks on U.S. invasion shipping, sinking tank landing ship LST-496 and tug Partridge (ATO-138), 49°30'N, 00°50'N and damaging tank landing ship LST-538, 49°48'N, 00°31'W. German motor torpedo boat S 138 torpedoes and damages destroyer Nelson (DD-623), 49°31'N, 00°50'W; infantry landing craft LCI-219 is sunk by aircraft.

Aircraft (VC 95) from escort carrier Croatan (CVE-25) teams with destroyer escorts Frost (DE-144), Huse (DE-145), and Inch (DE-146) sink German submarine U-490 midway between Flores Island and Flemish Cap, 42°47'N, 40°08'W.

Destroyer Kalk (DD-611) is damaged by horizontal bomber off western New Guinea, 01°19'S, 136°19'E.

British submarine HMS Stoic attacks Japanese convoy, and sinks transport Kainan Maru off Phuket, Siam, 07°54'N, 98°27'E.

During the strikes, Commander William I. Martin, commanding officer of Enterprise's VT-10, is shot down and parachutes into the sea off Red Beach Three, Saipan. Before he is rescued, he observes that the Japanese have marked the length of the reef offshore with red and white pennants, indicating pre-sited artillery ranges--valuable intelligence information quickly disseminated to the approaching amphibious forces.

TG 58.7 (Vice Admiral Willis A. Lee) battleships and destroyers conduct an almost day-long bombardment of Japanese installations on Saipan and Tinian.

TF 94 (Rear Admiral Ernest G. Small) cruisers and destroyers bombard Japanese position on Matsuwa Island in the Kurils.

Submarine Barb (SS-220) sinks Japanese army transport Takashima Maru in Sea of Okhotsk, 50°53'N, 151°12'E, despite presence of escorting destroyer Hatsuharu, which carries out ineffective countermeasures.

Submarine Flier (SS-250) damages Japanese merchant tanker Marifu Maru in South China Sea west of Luzon, 15°57'N, 119°42'E (see 6 November 1944).

Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) shells oil tanks at Bula, Ceram Island, N.E.I.

Destroyer Melvin (DD-680) sinks Japanese submarine RO-36 between 50 and 75 miles east of Saipan, 15°21'N, 147°00'E.

Atlantic
Unarmed U.S. fishing boat Lark is shelled and machine- gunned by German submarine U-107 32 miles off Cape Sable Light, 42°54'N, 65°25'W, and abandoned with the exception of the master and the cook. Lark remains afloat as the U-boat leaves the scene, whereupon she rescues every man who had abandoned ship at the approach of the enemy submarine.

Submarine Golet (SS-361) is probably sunk by Japanese guard boat Miya Maru, auxiliary submarine chaser Bunzan Maru, and naval aircraft off northern Honshu, 41°04'N, 141°31'E.16

Submarine Rasher (SS-269), in attack on Japanese convoy in the Celebes Sea, sinks army cargo ship Koan Maru about 130 miles south of Mindanao, 04°33'N, 122°23'E.

Atlantic
Tank landing ship LST-280 is torpedoed by German submarine U-621 off Normandy, 49°55'N, 00°30'W.

Battleship Tennessee (BB-43) is damaged by shore battery, northeast of Tinian, 15°02'N, 143°50'E; light cruiser St. Louis (CL-49) is damaged by materiel casualty (dropped no.3 propeller and part of tail shaft), Saipan channel. Infantry landing craft (gunboat) LCI(G)-451 and LCI(G)-726 are damaged by mortar fire off approaches to Saipan landing beaches.

Carrier-based aircraft from TG 58.1 (Rear Admiral Joseph J. Clark) and TG 58.4 (Rear Admiral William K. Harrill) bomb Japanese installations on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, and Chichi Jima and Haha Jima in the Bonins; attack on Iwo Jima is repeated 16 June. Destroyers Boyd (DD-544) and Charrette (DD-581) sink transport Tatsutakawa Maru after she had been damaged by TBFs/TBMs and F6Fs from small carrier Bataan (CVL- 29) east of Ogasawara-shoto, 25°02'N, 144°37'E. TF 58 aircraft sink auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 54 off Rota Island, Marianas. Destroyer Halsey Powell (DD-686) sinks minelayer Ma 101 (ex-British netlayer HMS Barlight, captured at Hong Kong in December 1941) in Tanapag Harbor, Saipan, 15°15'N, 145°45'E.

Japanese submarine chaser Ch 7 is sunk by mine south of the Palaus, 04°03'N, 135°08'E.

Submarine Swordfish (SS-193) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking army cargo ship Kanseishi Maru about 150 miles north-northwest of Chichi Jima, 29°30'N, 144°07'E.

Japanese cargo vessel Kanzaki Maru is stranded and sunk off east coast of Korea, 36°01'N, 129°41'E.

Atlantic
TBFs and FM-2s (VC-9) from escort carrier Solomons (CVE- 67) sink German submarine U-860 in South Atlantic, 25°27'S, 05°30'W.

Off Normandy, tank landing ships LST-2, LST-266, LST-307, LST-331, and LST-360 are damaged by shore batteries; LST-133 by mine.

Mediterranean
Motor torpedo boats PT-552, PT-558, and PT-559 sink German torpedo boats TA 26 (ex-Italian Navy Intrepido) and TA 30 (ex-Italian Navy Dragone) off the Italian coast between La Spezia and Genoa, 43°58'N, 09°29'E.

High speed transport Gilmer (APD-11), on radar picket duty 25 miles west of Saipan, encounters Japanese convoy of small cargo vessels (whose sailors are apparently unaware of the presence of American ships in the Marianas) bound for Saipan, and sinks four: No.1 Yusen Maru, No.2 Usen Maru, Toa Maru, and Tatsutaka Maru. Destroyer Shaw (DD-373), ordered to support Gilmer, arrives in time to sink a fifth ship, No.17 Yusen Maru.

Light cruiser Vincennes (CL-91) is damaged by materiel casualty (main Kingsbury thrust bearing, no.3 shaft), at sea with TG 58.4.

Destroyers Melvin (DD-680) and Wadleigh (DD-689) sink Japanese submarine RO-114, 80 miles west of Tinian, 15°02'N, 144°10'E.

Destroyer escort Burden R. Hastings (DE-19) sinks Japanese submarine RO-44, 110 miles east of Eniwetok, 11°13'N, 164°15'E.

Submarine Bluefish (SS-222) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking merchant cargo ship Nanshin Maru in the Celebes Sea southwest of Tarakan, Borneo, 02°22'N, 118°24'E.

Submarine Bream (SS-243) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Y_ki Maru and damages army cargo ship Hinode Maru off Halmahera Island, 02°23'N, 128°43'E.

PB4Y-1 (VB 109) from Eniwetok sinks Japanese submarine RO-117, 11°05'N, 150°31'E.

Submarine Hake (SS-256) attacks Japanese convoy as it proceeds from Palau to Davao, and sinks transport Kinshu Maru about 65 miles southeast of Davao, 06°10'N, 126°18'E. Later that same day, submarine Flounder (SS-251) attacks the same convoy beset earlier by Hake and sinks torpedo recovery ship Nihonkai Maru south of Mindanao, 06°36'N, 127°55'E. Flounder survives depth- chargings by submarine chasers Ch 35 and Ch 64.

USAAF B-25s (5th Air Force) supported by fighters, work over Japanese shipping in Sorong harbor, sinking army cargo ships Minyu Maru and No.12 Sanko Maru, and merchant cargo ship Shofuku Maru, 00°53'N, 131°15'E.

Japanese tanker Nichiyoko Maru is damaged by mine off Belawan, Sumatra, N.E.I., 03°40'N, 99°07'E.

Atlantic
Motor minesweeper YMS-377 is damaged by mine off Normandy, 49°29'N, 01°08'W.

Aircraft (VC 95) from escort carrier Croatan damage German submarine U-853.

Mediterranean
Allied task force (Rear Admiral Thomas H. Troubridge, RN), including U.S. naval vessels, lands French troops on island of Elba off Italy. U.S. Navy ships participating in the landings include 6 destroyers, 1 destroyer escort, 5 minesweepers, 15 motor minesweepers, 16 submarine chasers, 10 tank landing ships, 20 tank landing craft, and 19 infantry landing craft; one LCI(L) is damaged by shore battery fire. Four U.S. motor torpedo boats sink four German F- lighters loaded with German troops being evacuated from Elba.

Off Saipan, battleship California (BB-44) is damaged by friendly fire; destroyer Phelps (DD-360), LCI(G)-371, and motor minesweeper YMS-323 are damaged by shore battery off Garapan, 14°58'N, 146°21'E.17 During Japanese bombing raid, oilers Neshanic (AO-71) and Saranac (AO-74) are damaged at 14°45'N, 146°10'E; oiler Saugatuck (AO-75) is near-missed.

Motor torpedo boats PT-63 and PT-107 are destroyed by fire off New Ireland, 01°45'S, 150°01'E.

British submarine HMS Storm attacks Japanese convoy off Penang, Malaya, sinking gunboat Eiko Maru, 05°59'N, 99°10'E.

Commander David McCampbell, Commander Air Group 15, flying from carrier Essex (CV-9), distinguishes himself in aerial combat, splashing at least seven Japanese planes in defense of TF 58 (see 24 October).

The Japanese lose at least 300 aircraft in what U.S. Navy pilots call the "Marianas Turkey Shoot." Submarine Albacore (SS-244) sinks Japanese carrier Taiho, 180 nautical miles north-northwest of Yap, 12°22'N, 137°04'E; submarine Cavalla (SS-244) sinks Japanese carrier Shokaku, 140 nautical miles north of Yap Island, 11°50'N, 137°57'E. Both boats survive counterattacks by escorts: Albacore counts 75 depth charges, Cavalla 106.

Motor minesweeper YMS-323 is damaged by shore battery, as she carries out survey operations off Tanapag Harbor, Saipan, 15°10'N, 145°58'E.

Aircraft (VT 60) from escort carrier Suwannee (CVE-27) sink Japanese submarine I-184, 20 miles south of Guam, 13°01'N, 149°53'E.

USAAF A-20s raid Manokwari, sinking small Japanese cargo vessels No.5 Masutuko Maru and No.43 Taigyo Maru.

Atlantic
Artificial harbor off Normandy installed on 7 June isseverely damaged by storm. Elsewhere off the invasion beaches, tank landing ship LST-523 is sunk by mine, 49°30'N, 01°10'W; rescue tug ATR-15 is damaged by grounding, 49°22'N, 00°26'W.

In the two-day Battle of the Philippine Sea the Japanese Fleet loses 395 (92%) of its carrier planes, and 12 float planes remain operational. Besides the losses afloat, an estimated 50 land-based Japanese aircraft from Guam are destroyed. The U.S. Fleet loss is 130 planes and 76 pilots and crewmen for the two days, predominantly from the "Mission Beyond Darkness" on 20 June 1944 (see 23 June 1944).

Destroyer Phelps (DD-360) is damaged by shore battery, Saipan, 15°10'N, 145°58'E.

Submarine Hake (SS-256) attacks Japanese convoy off south coast of Mindanao, and sinks army cargo ship Nichibi Maru in Saragan Strait, 05°36'N, 125°17'E.

Submarines Narwhal (SS-167) and Nautilus (SS-168) land supplies and evacuate people from Negros and Panay, P.I.

USAAF A-20s raid New Guinea coastline, sinking Japanese fishing vessels Shinei Maru and No.3 Kompira Maru at Manokwari and No.31 Taikoko Maru at Windessi.

Submarine Bluefish (SS-222), despite presence of escort, sinks Japanese army cargo ship Kanan Maru off southern approaches to Makassar Strait, 03°58'S, 116°35'E.

Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) sinks Japanese powered sailboat No.2 Shinshu Maru 12 miles southwest of Culasi, 11°22'N, 121°52'E.

Dutch submarine K 14 damages Japanese minelayer Tsugaru between Sorong, New Guinea, and Kau Roads, Moluccas, 01°10'S, 130°30'E.

TBF/Ms and F4Fs from escort carrier White Plains (CVE- 66) sink Japanese cargo ship Shoun Maru off Rota, Saipan, 14°10'N, 145°10'E.

Atlantic
Off Normandy, destroyer Davis (DD-395) is damaged by mine, 49°23'N, 00°46'W; Coast Guard cutters 83415 and 83471 are sunk by storm.

Mediterranean
German torpedo boat TA 25 (ex-Italian Navy Ardito), damaged by U.S. motor torpedo boats southwest of Viareggio, Italy, 43°49'N, 10°12'E, is scuttled by German torpedo boat TA 29 (ex-Italian Navy).

Submarine Batfish (SS-310) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Nagaragawa Maru off Honshu, 34°36'N, 137°56'E.

Submarine Flier (SS-250) torpedoes Japanese army cargo ship Belgium Maru west of Mindoro, 13°11'N, 120°27'E.

Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) damages Japanese tanker Itsukushima Maru in Sulu Sea, 09°00'N, 120°55'E.

USAAF aircraft damage Japanese cargo vessel Shoyu Maru off Sorong Island.

Atlantic
U.S. freighter Cyrus H.K. Curtis is damaged by mines off SWORD Beach, Normandy, but discharges her cargo; there are no casualties among the 43-man merchant complement, the 27-man Armed Guard, or the 250 U.S. troops on board.

SB2C crew (VB 14) is rescued by PBM (VH-1); the two men picked up by the flying boat are the last to be recovered in the wake of the "Mission Beyond Darkness" of 20 June 1944. Ironically, the PBM is off course when it recovers the men.

Japanese planes begin night high-level bombing attack on U.S. amphibious shipping off Saipan.

Aircraft from carrier task groups (Rear Admiral Joseph J. Clark and Rear Admiral Alfred E. Montgomery) strike Japanese airfields and facilities on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, and Pagan Island, Marianas.

Motor torpedo boat PT-193, irreparably damaged by grounding, western New Guinea, 00°55'S, 134°52'E, is burned by her crew.

Submarine Grouper (SS-214) attacks Japanese convoy off coast of central Japan, and sinks cargo ship Kumanoyama Maru and merchant tanker No.6 Nanmei Maru south of Yokosuka, 34°45'N, 139°30'E.

Submarine Redfin (SS-272) attacks Japanese convoy off southern coast of Leyte, and sinks army cargo ship Aso Maru southwest of Surigao Strait, 09°51'N, 125°06'E.

Submarine Tang (SS-306) attacks Japanese convoy leaving Koshiki Straits, and sinks army cargo ships Tamahoko Maru and Kennichi Maru, and merchant tanker Nasuzan Maru and cargo ship Tainan Maru outside Nagasaki harbor, Kyushu, 32°24'N, 129°38'E. Coast Defense Vessel No.1 does not prove fast enough to pursue Tang to counterattack.

Atlantic
TBM (VC 69) from escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) sinks Japanese submarine I-52, 800 miles southwest of Fayal, Azores, 15°16'N, 39°55'W.

Submarine Jack (SS-259) attacks Japanese convoy, and sinks merchant tanker San Pedro Maru off northwest coast of Luzon, 16°17'N, 119°40'E.

Japanese minelayer Nichiyu Maru (see 3 March 1943 and 12 June 1944) is further damaged by naval gunfire in Apra Harbor, Guam.

Europe
Battleship, cruiser, and destroyer force (Rear Admiral Morton L. Deyo) duels with German shore batteries and coastal defenses at Cherbourg, France; battleship Texas (BB-35) and destroyers Barton (DD-722), Laffey (DD- 724), and O'Brien (DD-725) are all damaged by the enemy gunfire.

Infantry landing craft (gunboat) LCI(G)-438 and LCI(G)-456 repel attack by Japanese barges (some of which fire torpedoes) off Tanapag Harbor, Saipan, but both gunboats are damaged in the battle. Elsewhere off Saipan, cargo ship Mercury (AK-42) is damaged by low- flying Japanese aircraft that flies into cargo boom, and is hit by dud aerial torpedo, 15°10'N, 145°58'E.

British submarine HMS Truculent attacks Japanese convoy, sinking cargo ship Harugiku Maru about 60 miles southeast of Medan, Sumatra, 03°15'N, 99°46'E.

USAAF P-38s sink Japanese army cargo ship Hokushin Maru east of Halmahera Island, 01°03'N, 131°08'E.

USAAF B-25s sink Japanese fishing boat No.1 Daisen Maru off Manokwari.

Europe
German garrison at Cherbourg, France, surrenders.

Submarine Seahorse (SS-304) attacks Japanese convoy, and sinks merchant tanker Medan Maru south-southwest of Formosa, 21°10'N, 120°31'E.

Submarine Pargo (SS-264) attacks Japanese convoy in Moro Gulf, army cargo ship Yamagiku Maru and damages Coast Defense Vessel No.10 about 35 miles east of Zamboanga, 06°50'N, 121°30'E.

Submarine Sealion (SS-315), despite presence of escorts, sinks Japanese collier Sansei Maru in Tsushima Strait, 33°53'N, 129°01'E.

USAAF B-24s (14th Air Force) attack Japanese convoy MATA 23 southwest of the Pescadores, sinking transport Ussuri Maru off Formosa, 23°49'N, 119°02'E.

Europe
U.S. freighter Charles W. Eliot fouls two mines about four miles off Juno Beach, Normandy, and breaks in two; there are no fatalities among the crew (which includes a 31-man Armed Guard). Survivors are transferred to freighter George W. Woodward and later tank landing craft LCT-527 for transportation to England. Charles W. Eliot is subsequently written off as a total loss.

Submarine Darter (SS-227) attacks Japanese convoy off northern tip of Halmahera Island, and sinks minelayer Tsugaru, 02°10'N, 128°05'E.

Submarine Flasher (SS-249) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking merchant cargo ship Niho Maru and damaging oiler Notoro about 125 miles southeast of Singapore, 00°44'N, 105°45'E.

Submarine Growler (SS-215), despite presence of three escort vessels, sinks Japanese transport Katori Maru in Luzon Strait, 19°00'N, 121°42'E.

Submarine Sturgeon (SS-187) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking army cargo ship Toyama Maru in the Nansei Shoto, off Taira Jima, 27°47'N, 129°05'E.

Atlantic
Coastal minesweeper Valor (AMc-108) is sunk in collision with destroyer escort Richard W. Suesens (DE-342) off Newport, R.I., 41°128'N, 70°57'W.

Europe
German submarine U-984 attacks Omaha Beach-bound convoy EMC 17 about 30 miles south of the Isle of Wight, torpedoing U.S. freighters Edward M. House and H.G. Blasdel, James A. Farrell at 50°07'N, 00°47'W, and John A. Treutlen at 50°11'50'N, 00°45'35'W. Edward M. House resumes her voyage and reaches the beachhead to discharge cargo and disembark troops; she suffers only two men injured (one of whom is from the 28-man Armed Guard). H.G. Blasdel suffers the loss of 76 of her embarked troops (180 are wounded) of the 436 on board; tank landing ship LST-326 takes off the surviving troops. The ship is later towed to Southampton where she is written off as a total loss. James A. Farrell is abandoned, survivors transferring to tank landing ship LST-50; four soldiers are killed and 45 wounded from among the 421 embarked on board. There are no casualties among the 42-man merchant complement or the 31-man Armed Guard, but the ship, towed to Spithead, is written off as a total loss. John A. Treutlen is abandoned save for a skeleton crew, the merchant complement and 31-man Armed Guard being picked up by Canadian corvette HMCS Buctouche and tank landing ship LST-336. John A. Treutlen is subsequently written off as a total loss.

Mediterranean
Motor torpedo boats PT-308 and PT-309 (Lieutenant John Newell, USNR), patrolling between Cape Falcone on the Italian mainland and the island of Elba, engage two Italian motor torpedo boats, damaging MAS 562 and forcing its abandonment (see 30 June).

Pacific
Submarine Jack (SS-259) attacks Japanese convoy about 70 miles west of Manila, and sinks army cargo ships Tsurushima Maru and Matsukawa Maru, 14°15'N, 119°40'E.

Submarine Plaice (SS-390) (despite a debilitating epidemic of intenstinal influenza on board) sinks Japanese gunboat Hyakafuku Maru northwest of Chichi Jima, 28°20'N, 141°23'E. Auxiliary netlayer Kogi Maru's counterattack is unsuccessful.

Submarine Tang (SS-306) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Nikkin Maru in the Yellow Sea off Mokpo, Korea, 35°05'N, 125°00'E.

Japanese guardboat Aikoku Maru is sunk by shore battery off Kwajalein Atoll.

Atlantic
Off Normandy during the month of June 1944 (exact dates unknown), tank landing craft LCT-572, LCT-713, and LCT-714 are sunk by mines; LCT-147 sinks after running aground; LCT-200, LCT-244, and LCT-413 are lost to the rigors of amphibious operations.

Mediterranean
Motor torpedo boat PT-306 captures Italian motor torpedo boat MAS 562 off Elba and tows it into Bastia, Corsica.

Submarine Tang (SS-306) sinks Japanese fleet tanker No.1 Takatori Maru off Mokpo, Korea, 34°21'N, 123°55'E, and merchant cargo ship No.2 Taiun Maru, 34°42'N, 125°25'E.

Japanese merchant cargo ship Nikko Maru is sunk by mine, possibly laid by submarine Kingfish (SS-234) on 10 October 1943, off Makassar, 05°38'S, 119°28'E.

Japanese landing ship T.150 is damaged by mine off Amoy, China.

Indian Ocean
U.S. freighter Jean Nicolet is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-8 at 03°00'S, 74°30'E and abandoned. I-8 then shells the ship, setting it afire. Survivors (41-man merchant complement, 28-man Armed Guard, and 30 passengers) are then taken on board the submarine, where their captors search them, bind them, and question them. At least one man is shot; some of the POWs are made to run a gauntlet; some are beaten. In the meantime, the Japanese destroy the lifeboats with gunfire. I-8 retains the master, radio operator, and a civilian passenger, and then submerges, leaving the remainder of the survivors on deck to drown. Some of the survivors, however, return to the burning Jean Nicolet (which sinks the following day) to launch rafts (see 4 July).

Atlantic
TBM (VC 58) from escort carrier Wake Island (CVE-65) sinks German submarine U-543 southeast of Azores, 25°34'N, 21°36'W.

Transport General W.A. Mann (AP-112), escorted by Brazilian destroyers Marcilio Dias, Mariz e Barros and Greenhalgh, sails from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the first elements of the Italy-bound Brazilian Expeditionary Force.

Europe
Motor minesweeper YMS-350 is sunk by mine off Cherbourg, France, 49°38'N, 01°35'W.

Submarine Sturgeon (SS-187), in attack on Japanese convoy, sinks Japanese army transport Tairin Maru north of the Nansei Shoto, 28°58'N, 129°51'E.

Submarine Tinosa (SS-283) attacks Japanese convoy in the East China Sea, and sinks merchant passenger/cargo ship Kamo Maru and tanker Konzan Maru west of Kyushu, 32°25'N, 128°46'E.

Atlantic
Destroyer escorts Frost (DE-144) and Inch (DE-146) sink German submarine U-154 off Madeira, 34°00'N, 19°30'W.

Carrier planes sink submarine chaser Ch 16 at Chichi Jima; coastal minelayer Sarushima in the Bonins, 27°10'N, 140°10'E; landing ships T.103, 108 miles off Chichi Jima Retto, 27°05'N, 140°09'E; and T.130 off east coast of Iwo Jima, 24°47'N, 140°20'E; auxiliary netlayer Taiko Maru off Onagawa Retto; minesweeper W.25 [where°]28°35'N, 141°04'E; auxiliary minesweeper No.5 Toshi Maru off Haha Jima, 26°20'N, 141°50'E; transports Shozui Maru, Shima Maru, and Tatsuei Maru, 27°07'N, 142°12'E, and No.8 Un'yo Maru, 27°05'N, 142°09'E, in Takinoura Bay; planes damage landing ship T.153 and victualling stores ship Kaiko Maru off Ani Jima, and submarine chaser Ch 18 off Chichi Jima.

Destroyer David W. Taylor (DD-551) and destroyer escort Riddle (DE-185) sink Japanese submarine I-10, attempting an evacuation mission to Saipan, 100 miles east-northeast of her destination, 15°26'N, 147°48'E.

Submarine Guavina (SS-362), despite presence of four escort vessels, sinks Japanese transport Tama Maru 60 miles northwest of Palau, 07°44'N, 133°17'E.

Submarine Seahorse (SS-304) attacks Japanese convoy in South China Sea and sinks army cargo ship Gy_y_ Maru, cargo ship No.28 Ky_d_ Maru, and merchant cargo ship Nitt_ Maru about 140 miles south of Hong Kong, 20°18'N, 115°02'E.

Submarine Tang (SS-306), operating in the Yellow Sea off the west coast of Korea, sinks Japanese merchant cargo ships Asukasan Maru at 35°22'N, 125°56'E, and Yamaoka Maru at 36°05'N, 125°48'E,

RAAF Mitchells damage Japanese cargo vessel No.1 K_sh_ Maru north of the Kai Islands, 05°05'S, 136°38'E.

Submarine S-28 (SS-133) is lost to unknown cause during training exercises off Oahu.

Indian Ocean
Indian Navy trawler Hoxa rescues survivors (10 of the freighter's merchant complement, ten Armed Guard sailors, and three passengers) of U.S. freighter Jean Nicolet, scourged by Japanese submarine I-8 on 2 July 1944; 18 of Jean Nicolet's 28-man Armed Guard perish in the atrocity wrought by the Japanese. Of the three Americans taken prisoner and retained on board I 8, only one, the passenger, will survive internment.

Caribbean
U.S. tanker Kittanning is torpedoed by German submarine U-539 while returning to Cristobal, Canal Zone, at 09°50'N, 79°40'W; there are no casualties among the 49- man merchant complement or the 25-man Armed Guard, who are rescued by Coast Guard cutter Marion (WPC-145) which, along with cutter Crawford (WPC-134), arrive to provide assistance. Crawford attempts, unsuccessfully, to tow the crippled ship (see 5 July).

Submarine Sunfish (SS-281) sinks Japanese merchant passenger/cargo ship Shinmei Maru off Paramushiro, Kurils, 51°28'N, 156°28'E.

USAAF B-24 sinks Japanese cargo vessel No.1 Koshu Maru off Gorong Island, 04°54'S, 131°28'E. Japanese army cargo ship No.1 Koshu Maru is sunk by aircraft in Java Sea south of Celebes Island, 04°00'S, 121°28'E.

Atlantic
Destroyer escorts Thomas (DE-102) and Baker (DE-190), from TG 22.5, sink German minelayer submarine U-233 off Halifax, Nova Scotia, 42°16'N, 59°49'W.

Europe
U.S. freighter Sea Porpoise, en route from Utah Beach, Normandy, to Southampton, England, is torpedoed byGerman submarine U-390 at 4937'N, 0051'W. There are no fatalities among the 90-man merchant complement, 45- man Armed Guard and 24 passengers, and the ship is ultimately repaired and returned to service.

Caribbean
U.S. tanker Kittanning, torpedoed the previous day by German submarine U-539, is taken in tow by tug Woodcock (ATO-145) before engine trouble compels the ship to abandon the attempt. Panama Canal tugs Tavernilla and Cardenas, and, ultimately, Maritime Commission tug Jupiter Inlet bring the damaged vessel to Cristobal.

Mediterranean
USAAF B-17s and B-24s bomb Montpellier and Beziers marshalling yards, as well as submarine pens and harbor installations at Toulon; German submarines U-586 and U-642 are sunk at the latter port.

Submarine Cobia (SS-245) sinks Japanese guardboat Takamiya Maru I-Go east of Ogasawara-gunto, 28°54'N, 150°50'E.

Submarine Paddle (SS-263) attacks Japanese convoy northwest of Halmahera, and sinks destroyer Hokaze off Sangi Island, 03°30'N, 125°25'E.

Submarine Sealion (SS-315) attacks Japanese convoy in East China Sea and sinks merchant passenger/cargo ship Setsuzan Maru off Ningpo, China, 29°55'N, 122°55'E.

Submarine Tang (SS-306) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Dori Maru in Chosen Bay, 38°50'N, 123°35'E.

Caribbean
U.S. tanker Esso Harrisburg, en route from Cartagena, Colombia, to New York, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-516 at 13°56'N, 70°59'W; four of the 44-man merchant complement and four of the 28-man Armed Guard perish (see 8 July).

Submarine Flasher (SS-249), despite presence of escort vessel, sinks Japanese transport No.2 K_t_ Maru off Cape Varella, French Indochina, 13°08'N, 109°28'E.

Submarine Mingo (SS-261) sinks Japanese destroyer Tamanami 150 miles west-southwest of Manila, 14°16'N, 119°50'E.

Submarine Skate (SS-305) attacks Japanese convoy in the southern Sea of Okhotsk, sinking destroyer Usugumo and damaging cargo vessel Kasado Maru about 160 miles north of Etorofu Jima, 47°43'N, 147°55'E.

Submarine Sunfish (SS-281) attacks Japanese fishing boats en route from Matsuwa to Uruppu, sinking No.105 Hokuyo Maru, No.5 Kannon Maru, Ebisu Maru, and Kinei Maru, 47°29'E, 152°29'E.

Submarine Bonefish (SS-223) sinks Japanese guardboat Moji Maru east of Borneo, 02°25'N, 118°14'E.

Submarine Tautog (SS-199) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Matsu Maru off Honshu, 41°17'N, 141°30'E.

U.S. aircraft sink Japanese guardboats No.11 Ebisu Maru, No.3 Fukuei Maru, No.1 Hosei Maru, Kofuku Maru, No.1 Kofuku Maru, No.3 Kofuku Maru, and No.3 Sachitaka Maru off Saipan.

Japanese auxiliary submarine chasers No.19 Nitto Maru and No.20 Nitto Maru are sunk by aircraft off Rabaul, New Britain.

Atlantic
Tank landing ships LST-312 and LST-384 are damaged by V-1 rocket-bomb while moored at Naval Advance Amphibious Base, Deptford, England.

Caribbean
Submarine chaser SC-1299 rescues 18 survivors from U.S. tanker Esso Harrisburg, sunk by German submarine U-516 on 6 July. Dutch escort vessel Queen Wilhelmina rescues 31 Esso Harrisburg survivors that same day. Subsequently, the last group of survivors reaches the Colombian coast.

Submarine Dace (SS-247) carries out unsuccessful attack on Japanese cargo vessel Gokoku Maru 06°22'N, 126°18'E

Submarine Nautilus (SS-168) lands men and supplies on Pandan Island off west coast of Mindoro, P.I.

Submarine Sunfish (SS-281) attacks Japanese convoy in the Kurils, sinking army cargo ship Taihei Maru north of Araito Island, 51°19'N, 155°43'E.

Submarine Tautog (SS-199) sinks Japanese fishing boat Yawata Maru southwest of Kushiro, 43°06'N, 144°08'E.

USAAF B-25s (5th Air Force) sink Japanese cargo vessel Oyashima Maru near Halmahera Island, 00°34'N, 128°30'E.

Aircraft damage auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 9, Rabaul.

Mediterranean
Minesweeper Swerve (AM-121) is sunk by mine about 16 miles southwest of Nettuno, Italy, 41°31'N, 12°285'E.

British submarine HMS Tally Ho damages Japanese auxiliary sailing vessel No.3 Choun Maru off Bernam River, Malaya.

RNZAF Corsairs, in strike on Japanese shipping in Keravia Bay, Rabaul, sink auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 23, 04°13'S, 152°11'E.

Europe
Command designated U.S. Ports and Bases, France (Rear Admiral John Wilkes) is established with headquarters at Cherbourg.

Submarine Sealion (SS-315), in the Yellow Sea off the west coast of Korea, near Shosei Jima, sinks Japanese merchant cargo ships No.2 Taiun Maru 37°30'N, 124°34'E, and No.2 Tsukushi Maru, 37°24'N, 124°31'E.

U.S. motor torpedo boats sink small Japanese cargo vessel Yawata Maru off Babo.

Japanese merchant cargo ship Senyo Maru is sunk by aircraft, Yangtze River, China.

Atlantic
Convoy UGS 46 is attacked at dawn by 30 German aircraft off Cape Ivi, but no bombs are dropped and only two torpedoes are sighted; U.S. forces suffer no damage. U.S. freighter Toltec is hit by friendly fire; destroyer escort Leslie L. B. Knox (DE-580) provides medical assistance for the six Armed Guard sailors wounded by shell fragments.

USAAF B-25s attack Japanese cargo ships off Halmahera, sinking T_kai Maru, 01°25'N, 128°42'E, and damaging Taimei Maru, 01°00'N, 128°00'E.

British submarine HMS Stoic sinks Japanese fishing boat No.55 Nanyo Maru 18 miles from Muka Cape, 05°28'N, 100°11'E.

Supported by two destroyers and four infantry landing craft (gunboat), Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) 3, in high speed transport Dickerson (APD-21), begins reconnoitering prospective landing beaches at Asan, Guam.

Destroyer escort William C. Miller (DE-259) sinks Japanese submarine RO-48, 75 miles east of Saipan, 15°18'N, 144°26'E, and teams with high speed transport Gilmer (APD-11) to sink Japanese submarine I-6 70 miles west of Tinian, 15°18'N, 144°26'E.

Submarine Sand Lance (SS-381) attacks Japanese convoy in the Banda Sea, sinking gunboat Taik_ Maru east of Salajar, 05°56'S, 121°34'E.

Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.12 is damaged by aircraft off Bonins.

Motor torpedo boat PT-133 is sunk by Japanese shore battery off eastern New Guinea, 03°28'S, 143°34'E.

Destroyer Longshaw (DD-559) is damaged when she runs aground on submerged reef, Eniwetok.

TG 17.16 (Captain William V. O'Regan) attacks Japanese convoys off northern Luzon; Piranha (SS-389) sinks army transport Seattle Maru, 19°17'N, 120°15'E, Guardfish (SS-217) (flagship for TG 17.16) sinks transport Mantai Maru and army cargo ship Jinzan Maru off Cape Bojeador, 19°21'N, 119°43'E; Thresher (SS-200) sinks army cargo ship Shozen Maru, 18°23'N, 119°06'E, and damages merchant cargo ships Sainei Maru and Nissan Maru, 18°23'N, 119°32'E.

Submarine Bonefish (SS-223) sinks Borneo-bound Japanese cargo vessel No.3 Tatsu Maru in Sulu Sea 10 nautical miles south of Palawan, 10°20'N, 119°50'E.

Submarine Cabrilla (SS-288) attacks Japanese convoy off the west coast of Mindanao, but is not successful against transport Natsukawa Maru, 08°18'N, 122°49'E; counterattacks by what is most likely submarine chaser Ch 31 and auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 64 (see 17 July 1944) prove equally unproductive.

Submarine Skate (SS-305) sinks Japanese transport Nipp_ Maru, east of South Sakhalin, Kurils, 48°29'N, 147°36'E. Survivors are rescued by Russian ship Dalstroi.

RAAF Beaufighters damage Japanese gunboat Man-Yo Maru, cargo vessel Tensho Maru, and motor sailboat No.14 Sakura Maru off Maumere.

Japanese cargo ship Hozan Maru is sunk by explosion inManila harbor, 14°36'N, 120°57'E.

Ammunition-carrying U.S. freighter E.A. Bryan explodes at the Port Chicago, California, ammunition depot; the adjacent freighter Quinalt Victory is also destroyed. Armed Guards on board both vessels are wiped out. Among the casualties are 250 African-American sailors. When survivors refuse to return to work in the wake of the blast, they are convicted of mutiny. The explosion destroys the greater part of smoke-making material earmarked for shipment to Pearl Harbor for use in amphibious operations, rendering it impossible to provide that material for Operation STALEMATE before the ships leave for the staging area in the Solomon Islands.

Submarine Cabrilla (SS-288) continues attack on Japanese convoy off west coast of Mindanao, sinking army transport Maya Maru and damaging transport Natsukawa Maru, 07°42'N, 122°05'E.

Submarine Gabilan (SS-252) sinks Japanese minesweeper W.25 northwest of Zenizu, Japan, 33°51'N, 138°35'E.

TG 17.16's attacks on Japanese shipping west of Luzon continue: submarine Guardfish (SS-217) sinks merchant cargo ship Hiyama Maru, 18°21'N, 119°49'E; Thresher (SS-200) sinks cargo ship Nichizan Maru near Luzon Strait; Sainei Maru and Nissan Maru, damaged by Thresher the previous night, sink.

British submarine HMS Telemachus sinks Japanese submarine I-66 in Strait of Malacca, 02°47'N, 101°03'E.

Fleet tug Apache (ATF-67) retrieves disabled LCI(G)-348 from waters off Guam where she had been abandoned the day before. Cruiser gunfire supports the successful extraction.

Motor gunboat PGM-7 is damaged in collision in Bismarck Sea, 07°15'S, 155°40'E.

Coordinated submarine attack group, TG 17.3 (Captain Warren D. Wilkin), operating near Luzon Strait, attacks Japanese convoy; submarine Tilefish (SS-307), trailing Rock (SS-274) and Sawfish (SS-276), torpedoes Coast Defense Vessel No.17, 21°50'N, 119°55'E as the latter hunts for Rock, whose attack on enemy ships is not successful. Sawfish torpedoes oiler Harima Maru, 21°56'N, 119°50'E.

Submarine Cobia (SS-245) sinks Japanese gunboat No.10 Unkai Maru northwest of Chichi Jima, 29°15'N, 139°10'E, and army cargo ship Nisshu Maru west of Chichi Jima, 28°17'N, 139°00'E.

Submarine Lapon (SS-260) sinks Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Kurama Maru off southern end of Palawan, 08°22'N, 116°40'E; and survey ship No.36 Kyodo Maru and auxiliary submarine chaser Kamo Maru northwest of Labuan, Borneo, 08°22'N, 116°45'E.

Submarine Plaice (SS-390) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking submarine chaser Ch 50, 200 nautical miles northwest of Chichi Jima, 29°22'N, 139°14'E.

Submarine Ray (SS-271) sinks Japanese merchant tanker Jambi Maru (ex-Dutch Djambi) in the Java Sea north of Bawean Island, 05°21'S, 112°30'E.

USAAF B-24 sinks Japanese transport No.3 Kaio Maru northwest of Morotai, 03°14'N, 127°41'E.

USAAF B-25s sink small Japanese cargo vessel Yamahama Maru off Maumere.

Submarine Flasher (SS-249) sinks Japanese light cruiser Oi in South China Sea, 280 miles east of Cape Varella, French Indochina, 13°12'N, 114°52'E.

Submarine Guardfish (SS-217) attacks Japanese army cargo ship Teiryu Maru in South China Sea, southwest of Formosa, 20°00'N, 118°29'E.

Submarine Tautog (SS-199) sinks Japanese guardboat No.1 Hokuriku Maru northeast of Tori Jima, 31°30'N, 140°00'E.

RAAF Mitchells sink Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Wa.4 off Dili, Timor, 08°38'S, 125°26'E; small cargo vessel No.53 Ebisu Maru off southwest coast of Alor Island; and motor sailboat Bokkai Maru southwest of Alor,08°30'S, 124°27'E.

Aircraft sink Japanese ship Tenyo Maru off Saipan

USAAF B-24s damage Coast Defense Vessel No.16, 156 miles southwest of Yap, Carolines.

Submarine Cobia (SS-245) engages three-ship Japanese convoy northwest of Chichi Jima, sinking auxiliary submarine chasers No.3 Yusen Maru and No.2 Kaio Maru, 28°06'N, 141°32'E, and damaging cargo vessel Shoei Maru, but not before one of the escorts, however, rams Cobia, causing minor damage.

High speed minesweeper Chandler (DMS-9) is damaged by fire, Marianas, 15°08'N, 145°28'E.

British submarine HMS Storm sinks Japanese cargo ship Kiso Maru and fishing vessel Taih_ Maru near Port Owen, 14°00'N, 96°50'E.

Japanese guardboat Wakayoshi Maru is sunk by mine, Hayatomo Seto, Inland Sea.

Japanese cargo vessel Takazan Maru is damaged by RAAF mine in Tiore Strait, Celebes, 04°25'S, 122°17'E. Later (indeterminate date) inflicted by what are most likely USAAF planes result in her ultimate sinking by 5 October.

Atlantic
U.S. freighter William Gaston is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-861 while she is en route from Buenos Aires to Baltimore, 26°37'S, 46°13'W; there are no casualties among either the merchant or Armed Guard complements (see 25 July 1944).

USAAF B-24s (5th Air Force) sink Japanese transport Asahisan Maru in Kau Bay, Halmahera, 01°10'N, 127°54'E.

Atlantic
German submarine U-861 attacks convoy JT 99 and eludes search aircraft from escort carrier Solomons (CVE-67).

USAAF B-25s sink Japanese salvage vessel Hoshin Maru 70 nautical miles east of Hong Kong, 22°00'N, 115°50'E.

Atlantic
Small seaplane tender Matagorda (AVP-22) rescues all 67 survivors of U.S. freighter William Gaston, sunk on 22 July by German submarine U-861 approximately 150 miles southeast of Florianapolis, Brazil.

U.S. freighter Robin Goodfellow is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-862 while en route from Cape Town, South Africa, to New York, at 20°03'S, 14°21'W. All hands (including the 27 Armed Guard sailors and the 41-man merchant complement) perish.

Europe
U.S. freighter David Starr Jordan is bombed and strafed while anchored off Utah Beach, Normandy; two of the 500 soldiers embarked on board are killed by bomb fragments, while 13 other men from among the 43-man merchant complement and 26-man Armed Guard are injured.

TF 58 strikes against Japanese installations and shipping in western Carolines continue; planes from carrier Bunker Hill (CV-17) damage landing ship T.150 (see 27 July 1944); planes from Lexington (CV-16) damage minelayer Sokuten, which is then finished off by planes from Bunker Hill at 07°20'N, 134°27'E.

U.S. submarines carry out succession of attacks on Japanese convoy in South China Sea. Angler (SS-240) damages transport (ex-seaplane carrier) Kiyokawa Maru, 18°15'N, 118°00'E; Flasher (SS-249) sinks merchant tanker Otoriyama Maru, 17°56'N, 118°07'E, and teams with Crevalle (SS-291) to sink army cargo ship Tosan Maru, 18°24'N, 118°02'E; Crevalle sinks transport Aki Maru, 18°26'N, 118°02'E.

Submarine Robalo (SS-273) is sunk by mine off western Palawan, Balabac Strait, P.I., 08°25'N, 117°53'E.19

Submarine Sawfish (SS-276) sinks Japanese submarine I-29 in Balintang Channel, Luzon Strait, 20°10'N, 121°55'E.

Submarine Dace (SS-247) attacks Japanese convoy and sinks fleet tanker No.2 Ky_ei Maru about 90 miles south of Zamboanga, 05°25'N, 121°42'E.

USAAF B-24s, B-25s and P-38s work over Japanese shipping near Halmahera Island, damaging motor sailboat Genjo Maru.

Japanese escort destroyer Kunashiri is damaged (cause unspecified) west of Paramushiro, Kurils.

Destroyer escorts Wyman (DE-38) and Reynolds (DE-42) sink Japanese submarine I-55, 400 miles east of Tinian, 14°26'N, 152°16'E.

Submarine Aspro (SS-309) damages previously damaged Japanese gunboat Peking Maru aground off Vigan Point, Luzon, 17°33'N, 120°21'E; Peking Maru remains aground, a total loss, gutted and abandoned.

Submarine Crevalle (SS-291) attacks Japanese convoy off northwestern Luzon, sinking merchant cargo ship Hakubasan Maru off Piedra Point, 16°23'N, 119°40'E.

Tank landing ship LST-340 is damaged by grounding, Marianas, 15°10'N, 145°58'E.

Submarine Drum (SS-228) sinks Japanese sampan Asahi Maru 100 miles off Palau, 09°18'N, 133°20'E.

Submarine Perch (SS-313) sinks Japanese guardboat Kannon Maru I-Go in Philippine Sea, east of Dinagat Island, 10°46'N, 127°13'E.

Europe
USAAF B-17s (Eighth Air Force) bomb oil refinery near Bremen; German submarines U-878 and U-2323 are lost this day in bombing raids on that German port city.

Cargo ship Adhara (AK-71) and U.S. merchant vessel Peter White are damaged when the latter accidentally rams the Navy ship off Lunga Point, Guadalcanal.

Sometime during July 1944, open lighter YC-961 is lost after grounding off Biorka Island, Alaska.

Submarine Bonefish (SS-223) sinks Japanese fleet tanker Kokuy_ Maru about 75 miles northeast of Borneo, 06°07'N, 120°00'E.

USAAF B-25s attack Japanese installations and shipping at Tobele, Halmahera, sinking small cargo vessel Mansei Maru.

Atlantic
Off Normandy, mines sink motor minesweeper YMS-304 and damage YMS-378, 49°33'N, 01°14'W.

Coordinated submarine attack group TG 17.15 (Commander Lewis S. Parks) carries out succession of attacks on Japanese convoy near the Bashi Channel. Submarine Parche (SS-384) (flagship) sinks transport Mank_ Maru, 19°08'N, 120°51'E, and merchant tanker K_ei Maru, 19°00'N, 122°55'E, and damages merchant cargo ship No.1 Ogura Maru, 19°10'N, 120°58'E, and army cargo ship Fuso Maru, and teams with Steelhead (SS-280) to sink army cargo ship Yoshino Maru, 19°05'N, 120°50.5'E. Steelhead sinks Fus_ Maru, 19°00'N, 120°55'E, and damages army cargo ship Dakar Maru, 19°08'N, 120°51'E, which is towed to San Fernando and abandoned. For the heroism he displays in pressing home a daring surface attack, Parche's captain, Commander Lawson P. Ramage, will be awarded the Medal of Honor.

Submarine Dace (SS-247) sinks small Japanese cargo vessel Shinju Maru 20 miles west of Palimban Point, 06°15'N, 124°11'E.

Submarine Lapon (SS-260) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking merchant tanker Tenshin Maru off the southwest tip of Palawan, 08°50'N, 116°00'E, and damages weather ship Hijun Maru, 08°51'N, 116°45'E.

Europe
U.S. freighter Exmouth is mined and sunk about 60 miles off the Scottish coast while en route from Hull, England, to Loch Ewe, Scotland, 56°33'N, 01°38'W; there are no casualties among the 43 merchant sailors and the 27-man Armed Guard.

Organized Japanese resistance ends on Tinian.

Naval Air Base, Tinian, is established.

Destroyer escort England (DE-635) is damaged when she runs aground in Seeadler Harbor, Manus, Admiralty Islands.

Submarine Puffer (SS-268) damages Japanese oiler Sunosaki northeast of Borneo, 05°08'N, 119°32.5'E.

Navy PBY attacks Japanese convoy, sinking ammunition ship Seia Maru in Taliaboe Bay, Soela Island, N.E.I., 01°46'N, 125°32'E.

U.S. freighter Extavia is damaged by explosion while en route from New Georgia to the Treasury Islands, but reaches her destination unaided; there are no casualties among the 73-man merchant complement or 81-man Armed Guard, or the 845 embarked troops.

Atlantic
Destroyer escort Fiske (DE-143) is sunk by German submarine U-804, 800 miles east of Cape Race, Newfoundland, 47°11'N, 33°29'W.

Pacific
Heavy cruiser Baltimore (CA-68), with President Roosevelt embarked, arrives at Adak, Aleutians.

Submarine Cod (SS-224) sinks Japanese auxiliary netlayer Seiko Maru off Mangole, Molucca Sea, 01°47'S, 126°15'E.

Japanese minelayer Hatsutaka is damaged by mine laid by British submarine HMS Truculent on 24 June 1944, Klang Strait, 02°51'N, 101°15'E.

Heavy cruiser Baltimore (CA-68), with President Roosevelt embarked, departs Adak, Aleutians, bound for Kodiak, Alaska.

Submarine Raton (SS-270) attacks Japanese merchant cargo ship No.1 Ogura Maru off coast of Luzon, 16°31'N, 119°44'E, forcing her to take refuge at Santa Cruz.

Submarine Ray (SS-271) attacks Makassar-bound Japanese convoy in Celebes Sea, sinking army cargo ship Koshu Maru, 04°05'S, 117°40'E; auxiliary submarine chaser Chga 112 conducts fruitless counterattack.

Submarine Sterlet (SS-392) sinks Japanese guardboats Miyagi Maru and Zensho Maru northwest of Chichi Jima, 28°11'N, 141°43'E.

PB4Y attacks Japanese submarine chaser Ch 12 150 miles west of Palau, 07°20'N, 131°34'E.

Fast Carrier Task Force is reorganized into First Fast Carrier Task Force, Pacific Fleet (Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher) and Second Fast Carrier Task Force, Pacific Fleet (Vice Admiral John S. McCain).

Submarine Barbel (SS-316) sinks Japanese merchant passenger/cargo ship Miyako Maru off Tokuno Jima, 27°36'N, 128°54'E.

Submarine Cero (SS-225) attacks Japanese convoy off Mindanao and sinks oiler Tsurumi in Davao Gulf, 05°53'N, 125°41'E.

British submarine HMS Terrapin bombards Japanese installations at Gunung Sitoli, engaging shore batteries and guardboat Shime Maru.

PBY sinks small Japanese cargo vessel No.2 Eiko Maru off Latoelahat, 03°47'S, 128°06'E.

PVs, attacking Japanese guardboats in the Kurils, damage Hyuga Maru, 50°35'N, 159°05'E.

USAAF B-25s (5th Air Force) sink Japanese army cargo ship Shirohama Maru off Boetoeng, Api Island, southern Celebes, 04°40'S, 122°47'E.

Mediterranean
Rear Admiral Don P. Moon, who had worked tirelessly to develop plans for the assault upon the strongly defended coast of southern France, commits suicide on board his flagship, attack transport Bayfield (APA-33); his death is attributed to combat fatigue. He is replaced as task group commander by Rear Admiral Spencer S. Lewis.

Submarine Rasher (SS-269) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Shiroganesan Maru west of Luzon, 14°10'N, 117°12'E.

Dutch Mitchells sink Japanese army cargo ship No.15 Uwajima Maru in Banda Sea, 04°31'S, 129°53'E.

Mediterranean
USAAF B-17s and B-24s bomb targets in southeastern France, including submarine pens at Toulon, where they sink German submarines U-471, U-952,and U-969.

Europe
Motor torpedo boats PT-510, PT-512, and PT-514 engage E-boats of the German 15th Patrol Boat Flotilla and turn them back to Le Havre. Battle concludes early the next morning.

U.S. freighter William L. Marcy is torpedoed (possibly by a schnellboote from the 2d or 6th Flotillas) off Juno Beach, at 49°23'42"N, 00°26'36"W; although the sole passenger is killed, there are no casualties among the 28-man Armed Guard, or among the 47-man merchant complement. The ship is later towed to Falmouth, England (17 August) and Swansea, Wales (21 August) where she is written off as a total loss.

Submarine Barbel (SS-316) sinks Japanese cargo vessel No.11 Sakura Maru, 15 kilometers southwest of Tokuno Jima, 27°36'N, 121°46'E.

Submarine Bluegill (SS-242) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking transport Yamatama Maru southwest of Mindanao, 06°05'N, 124°23'E.

Submarine Croaker (SS-246), despite presence of escort vessel and shore-based air cover, sinks Japanese light cruiser Nagara about 35 miles south of Nagasaki, Japan, 32°09'N, 129°54'E.

Submarine Guitarro (SS-363) attacks Japanese convoy and sinks escort vessel Kusagaki off Capones Island, Luzon, 14°51'N, 119°51'E; Guitarro survives depth-charging by other escorts (perhaps destroyer Asakaze, escort vessel Yashiro and/or Coast Defense Vessel No.14).

Submarine Puffer (SS-268) sinks Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser No.2 Ky_ Maru off Zamboanga, 07°50'N, 122°07'E.

Submarine Sailfish (SS-192) damages Japanese army cargo ship Kinsh_ Maru in Luzon Strait, 20°09'N, 121°19'E; transport Shinten Maru sinks.

Submarine Sand Lance (SS-381) is damaged by aerial bombs off northern Celebes, 01°18'N, 121°30'E.

Submarine Seawolf (SS-197) lands men and supplies at Tawi Tawi, P.I.

Tank landing craft LCT-182 founders and sinks in heavy weather, Solomon Islands.

Japanese army cargo ship Kinshu Maru is sunk by aircraft, 20°09'N, 121°19'E.

Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 94 is lost to marine casualty in Luzon Strait, 20°00'N, 122°00'E.

USAAF B-24 aircraft damages Italian passenger liner Conte Verde (scuttled in September 1943), Shanghai.

Mediterranean
Motor torpedo boats PT-511, PT-520, and PT-521 attack German coastal convoy off Cap D'Antifer; in the engagement with the 14th Motor Minesweeping Flotilla that lasts into the next day, PT-520 and PT-521 are damaged.

Submarine Sterlet (SS-392) sinks Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser No.6 Tama Maru west of Chichi Jima, 28°11'N, 141°06'E.

Europe
U.S. freighter Ezra Weston, in convoy EBC 66, is torpedoed by German submarine U-667 while en route to Falmouth, England, from Avonmouth, at 50°42'N, 05°02'W, and abandoned. British HMS LCT 24 and French trawler Jacques Morgand embark survivors. Canadian corvette HMCS Regina stands by the doomed freighter but U-667 finishes off Ezra Weston with another torpedo. There are no casualties among the merchant or Armed Guard complements, nor among the passengers.

PB4Y (VB 116) crashes on takeoff from Stickell Field, Eniwetok, and burns amidst the 340 planes in the carrier aircraft replacement pool area; 106 (F6Fs, FMs,SB2Cs, and TBMs) are destroyed.

Submarine Barbel (SS-316) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Yagi Maru and merchant cargo ship Boko Maru (ex- British Sagres) north of Okinoshima, 27°56'N, 128°47'E. Coast Defense Vessel No.1 and minesweeper W.17 carry out antisubmarine sweep to no avail.

Submarine Seawolf (SS-197) lands men and supplies on Palawan.

British submarine HMS Trenchant sinks Japanese merchant fishing boat No.2 Hiyoshi Maru off coast of Sumatra, 04°29'S, 102°54'E

USAAF B-25s sink Japanese ship Tokuyu Maru and damage fishing boat No.6 Meijin Maru off Halmahera.

Japanese merchant cargo ship Hokko Maru is sunk by aircraft off Shanghai, China.

Japanese cargo ship Koshin Maru is sunk by fire, 125 miles northeast of Keelung, Formosa.

Atlantic
Motor torpedo boat PT-509 is sunk by German surface craft off the isle of Jersey, English Channel, 49°11'N, 02°15'W.

In another channel action, three U.S. motor torpedo boats engage German convoy off Cap d'Antifer, France; German gunfire damages PT-520 and PT-521.

Submarine Bowfin (SS-287) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Seiyo Maru off Minami Daito Shima, 25°50'N, 131°12'E.

Submarine Cod (SS-224) sinks Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Toseki Maru south of the Celebes, 05°15'S, 121°14'E.

Submarine Guitarro (SS-363) attacks Japanese convoy off northwest coast of Luzon, sinking merchant tanker Shinei Maru, 16°15'N, 119°45'E.

Japanese guardboat Sakae Maru is sunk by U.S. aircraft at Rabaul, 04°12'S, 152°15'E.

Submarine Tang (SS-306) attacks Japanese convoy off southern Honshu, and sinks merchant cargo ship Roko Maru, 33°58'N, 136°18'E.

USAAF B-25s sink Japanese guardboat Daishin Maru east of Paramushiro, Kurils, 50°09'N, 157°03'E.

Other Japanese casualties include cargo vessel No.7 Kyoei Maru damaged by mine laid by USAAF B-29 (20th Bomber Command) in Musi River, while en route to Palembang; tanker Ikuta Maru sunk by mine off coast of Sumatra; guardboats No.20 Aiko Maru and No.32 Ebisu Maru by U.S. aircraft, Kaoe Bay, Halmahera; and Shinyu Maru sunk by aircraft, Halmahera Bay.

Submarine Pompon (SS-267) attacks Japanese convoy in Sea of Okhotsk, damaging merchant cargo ship Mayachi Maru east of Sakhalin, 50°35'N, 144°03'E.

Submarine Puffer (SS-268) attacks Japanese convoy off Mindoro, sinking merchant tanker Teikon Maru off Cape Calavite, 13°26'N, 119°55'E; Puffer also damages tanker Shinpo Maru, which is beached off Golo Island (see 14 August).

Submarine Bluegill (SS-242) attacks Japanese convoy off Cape San Augustin, Mindanao, and sinks submarine chasser Ch 12, auxiliary submarine chaser Misago Maru and transport Kojun Maru near entrance to Davao Gulf, 06°17'N, 126°10'E.

Submarine Cod (SS-224) attacks Japanese landing ship T.129 in the Banda Sea, 05°28'S, 125°08'E, but is driven off by the enemy amphibious ship's accurate return fire (see 14 August).

Submarine Flier (SS-250) is sunk by mine, south of Palawan, Balabac Strait, North Borneo, 09°00'N, 117°15'E.

Submarine Tambor (SS-198) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Toei Maru in southern part of Sea of Okhotsk, 48°35'N, 149°02'E.

Japanese submarine I-365 is damaged by Fairmile motor gunboats off Biak.

RAAF Beaufighters sink small Japanese cargo vessel No.3 Hamayoshi Maru off Kalig Island, 02°14'S, 130°31'E.

Japanese army cargo ship No.2 Asahi Maru is sunk by aircraft in South China Sea, southeast of Hong Kong, 22°03'N, 114°44'E.

Japanese tankerm Butsu Maru is sunk by accidental fire off Ahan Point, Formosa, 20°16'N, 121°52'E.

Submarine Cod (SS-224) sinks Japanese landing ship T.129 in Banda Sea, about 40 miles south of Boeroe Island and 80 miles southwest of Ambon Bay, 04°17'S, 126°46'E.

Submarine Croaker (SS-246) sinks Japanese gunboat No.7 Daigen Maru southwest of Inchon, Korea, 37°25'N, 125°12'E.

Submarine Ray (SS-271) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking merchant cargo ship Zuisho Maru off northwest coast of Borneo, 03°51'N, 112°58'E, and damaging cargo vessel Uga Maru, 03°51'N, 112°58'E (see 21 August).

Japanese cargo ship Miikesan Maru is sunk by mind laid by USAAF B-24 (14th Air Force) off Takao, Formosa, 22°00'N, 120°00'E.

Atlantic
Tank landing ship LST-921 is sunk by German submarine U-667 about 11 miles southwest of Hartland Point, England, 51°05'N, 04°47'W.

RAAF Mitchells sink Japanese cargo vessel No.14 Sakura Maru off north coast of central Timor.

Other aircraft sink vessel Kono Maru off Halmahera Island.

Mediterranean
Allied troops (Major General Alexander M. Patch, USA) land on coast of Southern France between Toulon and Cannes in Operation DRAGOON, preceded by heavy naval gunfire and aircraft attack. The operation is under the command of Vice Admiral H. Kent Hewitt, Naval Commander Western Task Force and Commander Eighth Fleet. After the landings, naval gunfire engages German coast defense batteries and continues to support the troops ashore. Infantry landing craft LCI-592 is damaged by mortar fire off southern France; LCI-588 and LCI-590 are damaged by mines off RED Beach ALPHA; tank landing ship LST-282, damaged by glider bomb while approaching GREEN beach, is beached and abandoned, 43°25'N, 06°50'E; submarine chaser SC-1029 is damaged when landing craft ahead of ship explodes, 43°12'N, 06°41'E. U.S. freighter Tarleton Brown is damaged by bomb and near-miss during German air raid on Allied shipping off St. Raphael; there are no fatalities among the merchant crew, the passengers, or the 44-man Armed Guard.

Destroyer Somers (DD-381) sinks German ship Esebart and damages corvette Uj.6083 (ex-Italian corvette Capriolo). The latter is captured and then scuttled southwest of Isle Port Cros.

Atlantic
Tank landing ship LST-391 is damaged by mine off Cherbourg, 49°38'N, 01°37'W.

Mediterranean
Off southern France, motor torpedo boats PT-202 and PT-218 are sunk by mines, Gulf of Frejus, 43°23'N, 06°43'E; motor minesweeper YMS-24 is sunk by mine, 43°25'N, 06°43'E; submarine chaser SC-525 is damaged; infantry landing craft LCI-951 is damaged by mine off YELLOW Beach. USAAF L-4 Piper Cubs, launched from tank landing ships, spot gunfire for light cruiser Marblehead (CL-12).

RAAF aircraft sink Japanese cargo vessel No.2 Jun Maru off south coast of Miscol Island.

Japanese river gunboat Hira is damaged by aircraft at Kiukiang, China.

Mediterranean
Diversionary assault is carried out with Special Operations Group (TG 80.4) penetrating Baie de Ciotat; destroyer Endicott (DD-495) and two motor torpedo boats bombard western half of the beach area; British river gunboats HMS Aphis and HMS Scarab and the 24th Motor Launch Flotilla bombard eastern half. Enemy shore battery fire is heavy but falls short. After group withdraws from beach area, German submarine chasers Uj 6073 and Uj 6081 engage the small task force. Endicott, Aphis, and Scarab engage them and sink both 13 miles off Cap Croisette light.

Heavy cruiser Tuscaloosa (CA-37) is near-missed by shore battery off southern France; beachhead screen (TU 80.6.10) engages four German E-boats off southern France; destroyer Harding (DD-625) sinks two, Carmick (DD-493) and Satterlee (DD-626) one apiece. Destroyer Frankford (DD-497), damaged by E-boat, later captures the craft, which sinks subsequently.

U.S. submarines Rasher (SS-269) and Redfish (SS-395) encounter Japanese convoy HI 71 off west coast of Luzon. Rasher sinks escort carrier Taiyo, transport Teia Maru, cargo ship Eishin Maru at 18°16'N, 120°21'E, and oiler Teiyo Maru southwest of Cape Bojeador, 18°09'N, 120°13'E, and damages transport Noshiro Maru southwest of Cape Bojeador, 18°09'N, 119°56'E; Redfish damages merchant tanker Eiyo Maru west of Luzon Strait, 20°28'N, 121°04'E.

Submarine Ray (SS-271) sinks Japanese merchant tanker Nansei Maru off southern tip of Palawan, 08°48'N, 117°02'E.

Dutch submarine Zwaardvisch sinks Japanese vessel Kim Hup Soen in Strait of Malacca, 04°00'N, 99°32'E.

Japanese destroyer Samidare is damaged when she runs aground on Velasco Reef, north of Palau, Carolines (see 26 August).

Mediterranean
Off southern France, amphibious force flagship Catoctin (AGC-5) is damaged by JU-88, 43°17'N, 06°38'E; the JU- 88 had followed closely behind USAAF P-38s and an RAF Beaufighter during an air raid alert. Elsewhere off the beachheads minesweeper Steady (AM-118) is damaged when a broken fire main floods jamming equipment compartment, and destroyer MacKenzie (DD-614) is damaged by operational casualty (starboard engine) during attack on submarine contact. U.S. freighter Albert A. Michelson is damaged off St. Tropez, by bomb during German air raid; while there are no casualties among the 27-man Armed Guard, 5 of the 43-man merchant complement are wounded badly enough to warrant their being left in a shoreside hospital for treatment.

Submarine Redfin (SS-272) lays mines off Sarawak, Borneo.

Submarine Spadefish (SS-411) sinks Japanese landing craft depot repair ship Tamatsu Maru west of Luzon, 18°48'N, 119°47'E.

Mediterranean
Battleship Nevada (BB-36), French battleship Lorraine, and heavy cruiser Augusta (CA-31) conduct reconnaissance in force off Toulon to support the U.S. Army's Third Division and French troops making a drive on that port. Escorted by four destroyers, Nevada, Lorraine, and Augusta shell the harbor and batteries at St. Mandrier; heavy cruiser Quincy (CA-71) provides counter- battery fire on Giens, from position south of Isle Port Cros.20

Europe
German submarines U-123 and U-129 are scuttled to avoid capture at Lorient, France.

RAAF Beaufighters sink small Japanese cargo vessel No.3 Yamada Maru off north coast of Ceram.

USAAF B-24s (14th Air Force) sink Japanese army tanker Chuko Maru near Hong Kong, 22°23'N, 115°34'E.

Atlantic
TBM and FM-2 (VC 42) from escort carrier Bogue (CVE-9) sink German submarine U-1229 in North Atlantic, 42°20'N, 51°39'W.

Mediterranean
German submarines U-178 and U-188 and UIT 21 (ex- Italian) are scuttled to avoid capture at Bordeaux, France.

Submarine Muskallunge (SS-262) attacks Japanese Manila- to-Singapore convoy, sinking Japanese army transport Durban Maru off Cam Ranh Bay, French Indochina, 11°45'N, 109°46'E.

PB4Ys damage Japanese guardboat No.10 Sumiyoshi Maru and small cargo vessel Shinyama Maru northwest of Marcus Island.

PB4Ys damage Japanese cargo vessel Tateishi Maru in Davao harbor.

RAAF Beaufighters and Kittyhawks attack Japanese shipping off Kaimana, 03°40'S, 133°50'E.

Japanese army cargo ship Tokuhei Maru is sunk, probably by USAAF aircraft, Tayeh, Yangtze River.

Mediterranean
Destroyer Eberle (DD-430) takes 140 Armenian prisoners from Porquerolles, France.

Submarines Haddo (SS-255) and Harder (SS-257) encounter three Japanese escort vessels off the mouth of Manila Bay. Haddo sinks Sado 35 miles west of Manila, 14°15'N, 120°05'E; Harder sinks Matsuwa and Hiburi about 50 miles west-southwest of Manila, 14°15'N, 120°05'E. Loss of the trio of escorts in one day prompts the Chief of Staff, 1st Surface Escort Unit, to lament candidly: "Escort vessels, whose prime duty it is to attack and sink enemy submarines, have themselves been being sunk by enemy subs. This year alone a total of 13 have been sunk and three badly damaged. In addition, the Kusagaki, Matsuwa, Sado and Hiburi have been sunk one after the other just recently." The situation mirrors the plight of Japanese antisubmarine operations.

Submarine Pintado (SS-387) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking merchant tanker No.2 Tonan Maru (see 10 October 1942) 200 nautical miles southeast of Shanghai, 29°52'N, 125°22'E.

Submarine Spadefish (SS-411) attacks Japanese convoy, damaging tanker No.2 Hakko Maru in Luzon Strait, 18°48'N, 120°46'E; the tanker takes refuge in Passeleng Bay. Subsequent efforts to salvage her prove unavailing as the tanker will break up in heavy swells on 18 September.

Submarine Tang (SS-306) sinks Japanese army cargo ship No.2 Nansatsu Maru off Mikizaki, 34°01'N, 136°21'E.

British submarine HMS Statesman sinks Japanese army cargo ship No.5 Sugi Maru (ex-Panamanian Gran) off Port Blair, 11°41'N, 92°47'E; escorting torpedo boat Kari and submarine chaser Ch.9 carry out unsuccessful counterattacks.

Japanese merchant cargo ship Kanzaki Maru is sunk by aircraft off east coast of Korea, 36°01'N, 129°41'E.

Battleships Tennessee (BB-43) and California (BB-44) en route from Eniwetok to Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, collide; damage to California will prevent her from participating in upcoming Palau operations.

Submarine Haddo (SS-255) torpedoes Japanese destroyer Asakaze as the enemy warship is escorting tanker Niyo Maru, 20 miles southwest of Cape Bolinao, Luzon, P.I., 16°06'N, 119°44'E. Asakaze sinks near Dasol Bay after attempts at salvage fail.

Submarine Tang (SS-306) attacks Japanese convoy off Honshu, sinking cargo ship Tsukushi Maru off Hamamatsu, 34°37'N, 137°52'E.

USAAF B-24s sink Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser No.5 Sh_nan Maru northwest of Chichi Jima, 27°07'N, 142°06'E.

Mediterranean
German garrison on Isle de Proquerolles, except isolated stragglers, surrenders to Commander TG 86.3 in light cruiser Omaha (CL-4); the island will then be occupied by Senegalese troops.

Destroyer escort Solar (DE-221) is damaged by collision with underwater object., [WHERE].

High speed transport Tattnall (APD-19) is damaged by collision with underwater object off southern France.

Europe
U.S. freighter Louis Kossuth, bound for Utah Beach, Normandy, is torpedoed by German submarine U-989 at 50°16'N, 01°41'30"W. Of the 334 embarked troops, 13 are injured; there are no casualties to either the merchant complement (40 men) or the 28-man Armed Guard, and the ship is towed to Cowes, England, by British tug Empire Winnie.

Submarine Harder (SS-257) is sunk by Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No. 22 off west coast of Luzon, 15°50'N, 119°43'E.

Submarine Ronquil (SS-396) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking army cargo ship No.3 Yoshida Maru off Keelung, Formosa, 25°29'N, 123°15'E, and merchant cargo ship Fukurei Maru off Sankaku Island, 25°13'N, 121°49'E.

Submarine Sailfish (SS-192) attacks Japanese convoy in Luzon Strait, sinking transport Toan Maru, 21°23'N, 121°37'E.

Submarine Seal (SS-183) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Tosei Maru off southeast coast of Hokkaido, 42°30'N, 144°05'E.

British carrier force attacks Padang, Sumatra, sinking Japanese merchant cargo ship Shiretoko Maru off the harbor and damaging Senko Maru and Chisho Maru.

Japanese casualties include minelayer Itsukushima is damaged by aircraft off Menado, N.E.I.

Japanese auxiliary vessel Senko Maru is damaged by aircraft north of Boetoeng harbor.

Japanese army cargo ship No.21 Kongo Maru is sunk by aircraft, Philippine location unspecified.

Mediterranean
Destroyer Rodman (DD-456) is incapacitated by inoperative 5-inch director, off southern France.

Motor torpedo boat PT-555 is damaged by mine at Cap Couronne bouy; a French vessel attempting to rescue crew is mined as well, 43°19'N, 05°30'E.

Submarine Tang (SS-306) sinks Japanese merchant tanker No.8 Nanko Maru off Honshu, 33°55'N, 136°18'E.

General stores issue ship Talita (AKS-8) is attacked by accident by U.S. merchant tanker Amatilla en route from Eniwetok to Espiritu Santo.

Europe
U.S. and French troops liberate Paris, France.

Motor torpedo boats PT-513, PT-516, and PT-519 engage German coastal craft off Le Havre; PT-513 and PT-516 are damaged.

Light cruiser Boise (CL-47) is damaged when rammed accidentally by harbor tug Heroine, Sydney, Australia.

Submarine tender Pelias (AS-14) is damaged by grounding in San Francisco Bay.

Submarine Batfish (SS-310) causes further damage to grounded destroyer Samidare on Velasco Reef, Palau, 08°30'N, 134°37'E (see 18 August). Submariners observe Japanese blowing up the remainder of the wreckage.

Submarine S-18 (SS-123) is damaged when accidentally rammed by medium landing craft LSM-135, Naval Repair Base, San Diego, California.

Europe
Motor torpedo boats PT-511, PT-514 and PT-520 take part in night engagement (that lasts into the following day) that turns back the last German attempt to reinforce the besieged garrison at Le Havre; the PTs sink German artillery ferries AFP 98 and AFP 108.

Submarine Stingray (SS-186) lands men and supplies on northwest shore of Luzon.

PVs sink Japanese vessel Tensho Maru between Odomari and Onnekotan Island, Kurils.

High speed minesweeper Boggs (DMS-3) and submarine chaser PC-783 are damaged in collision, San Diego, California.

Atlantic
Tank landing ship LST-327 is damaged by mine, while en route from Cherbourg to Southampton, England.

Mediterranean
Destroyer Ericsson (DD-440) captures fishing vessel attempting to escape Toulon, France, and takes 50 German submariners as POWs. Motor torpedo boat PT-552 sinks four German explosive motorboats at entrance to Toulon, harbor, but control boat escapes.

Arabian Sea
U.S. freighter John Barry, en route from Aden to the Persian Gulf, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-859 at 15°10'N, 55°18'E. Two members of the merchant crew are lost during the abandonment, but 39 of the 41- man merchant complement and the entire 27-man Armed Guard survive (see 29 August).

Mediterranean
German garrisons at Marseilles, including outlying islands and St. Mandrier battery (the sole remaining enemy pocket in Toulon), surrender at 1100.

Infantry landing craft LCI-566 is damaged by grounding, south of Oahu, 20°56'N, 157°00'E.

Submarine Jack (SS-259) sinks Japanese minesweeper W.28 and army cargo ship Mexico Maru northwest of Menado, Celebes, 02°15'N, 122°50.

PBY sinks Japanese auxiliary sailing vessel Toyokuni Maru at entrance to Ambon Bay, 03°22'S, 129°39'E.

Japanese merchant cargo ship Koryu Maru is sunk by aircraft, Kiukiang, China.

Japanese tanker Kaiko Maru is damaged by mine in Strait of Malacca, 03°40'N, 100°06'E.

Arabian Sea
Dutch freighter Sanetta and U.S. freighter Benjamin Bourn between them rescue the 66 survivors from the U.S. freighter John Barry, which had been sunk by German submarine U-859 the day before.

Mediterranean
Marine detachments from heavy cruiser Augusta (CA-31) and light cruiser Philadelphia (CL-41) accept the surrender of two German-held islands in Marseilles Harbor and disarm the garrisons.

U.S. motor torpedo boats PT-302, PT-303, and PT-304 attack two corvettes and one destroyer off Cap Mele, compelling the enemy ships to reverse course and steam for Genoa, Italy. The PTs will continue their patrol into the next morning but make no further sightings.

Pacific
U.S. tanker Jacksonville, steaming in convoy CU 36, is torpedoed by German submarine U-482 while en route to Loch Ewe, Scotland, at 55°30'N, 07°30'W; the gasoline cargo explodes, giving little chance for the 49-man merchant complement or the 29-man Armed Guard to abandon the blazing ship, which breaks in twain at the second massive explosion. Destroyer escort Poole (DE-151) rescues a fireman and one Armed Guard gunner, Jacksonville's only survivors. Escort vessels use depth charges and gunfire to scuttle the after section of the ship; the forward section sinks on its own accord.

U.S. submarines attack Japanese convoy bount for Manila. In Luzon Strait south of Formosa, Barb (SS-220) sinks auxiliary minesweeper No.20 Hinode Maru, 21°21'N, 121°11'E; and army cargo ship _kuni Maru, 21°14'N, 121°22'E. Queenfish (SS-393) sinks army tanker Chiyoda Maru, 21°21'N, 121°06'E, and damages army tanker Rikke Maru, 21°30'N, 121°19'E. Sealion (SS-315) sinks minelayer Shirataka, 21°05'N, 121°26'E.

Submarine Redfish (SS-272) lands supplies and evacuates people from Palawan Island.

PBYs sink small Japanese cargo vessels No.2 Kairyu Maru and Kabuchi Maru off Ceram.

RAAF Mitchells sink small Japanese cargo vessel No.8 Sanko Maru off north coast of Alor Island.

Other Japanese casualties include guardboat No.2 Kyoshin Maru sunk by U.S. aircraft off Halmahera; merchant cargo ship Suruga Maru sunk by aircraft off Iwo Jima, 24°46'N, 141°19'E.; and merchant cargo ship Hoyo Maru damaged by aircraft, Tayeh, Yangtze River.

Heavy cruiser New Orleans (CA-32), light cruiser Biloxi (CL-80), and four destroyers drawn from TG 38.4, bombard Japanese installations at Iwo Jima and Chichi Jima (the bombardment will be repeated the following day). The ships draw no return fire and U.S. gunfire damages landing ship T.105 off the latter place.

Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) lands men and supplies on east coast of Luzon.

Submarine Pilotfish (SS-386) sinks Japanese auxiliary vessel Ina Maru north-northwest of Chichi Jima, 30°32'N, 140°55'E.

Submarine Tunny (SS-282) is damaged by aerial bombs, Luzon Strait, 21°50'N, 119°18'E, and is forced to terminate her patrol.

Other Japanese casualties include merchant cargo ship Sekino Maru sunk by aircraft in Celebes Sea, 01°06'N, 122°21'E; and merchant cargo ship Tientsin Maru sunk by mine off Woosung, China.

Atlantic
Coast guard cutter Northland (WPG-49) locates German weather ship Kehdingen off Great Koldeyey Island, Greenland, and pursues her through the ice floes. Kehdingen, however, is scuttled by her crew to avoid capture. German submarine U-703's attack on Northland is thwarted by ice.

Mediterranean
Motor minesweeper YMS-21 is sunk by mine, Toulon, 43°06'N, 05°54'E.

Submarine Finback (SS-230), while lifeguarding for Chichi Jima strike, rescues Lieutenant (jg) George H.W. Bush, A-V(N), USNR, of VT 51; Bush will eventually become the 41st President of the United States.

British submarine HMS Sirdar sinks Japanese guardboat No.5 Kaiyo Maru off northwestern Sumatra, 03°55'N, 096°20'E; and submarine HMS Strongbow sinks Japanese army cargo ship No.1 Toso Maru off west coast of Siam, 07°57'N, 98°49'E.

TG 38.4 aircraft damage Japanese landing ship T.104 damaged by aircraft off Chichi Jima.

Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser No.2 Misago Maru is sunk by aircraft north of Mindanao.

Japanese destroyer Hasu is damaged by mine off Yangtze estuary, 31°19'N, 121°43'E.

Mediterranean
Submarine chaser SC-535 is damaged by storm off southern France, 43°17'N, 06°38'E.

Tank landing craft LCT-151 is sunk by storm, 39°22'N, 08°00'E.

Mediterranean
Aviation supply ship Tackle (IX-217) is damaged by mine, Port de Buoc, France, while being towed by French tug Provençal.

Tank landing ship LST-659 is damaged when she strikes a submerged wreck off RED beach, southern France.

British submarine HMS Tantivy sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Shiretoko Maru off Sumatra, 05°44'S, 104°58'E.

Japanese merchant cargo ship Kokka Maru is sunk by mine, Keelung, Formosa.

Mediterranean
Off southern France invasion beaches, French destroyer Le Malin discovers presence of German manned torpedoes and opens fire; destroyer Ludlow (DD-438) joins Le Malin in dropping depth charges, destroying three torpedoes and capturing the crews who manned them.

Small carrier Independence (CVL-22) begins use of specifically trained air group for night work, marking the first time that a fully equipped night carrier operates with the fast carrier task force.

Destroyers Ellet (DD-398) and Downes (DD-375) bombard Aguijan Island, Marianas, to destroy gun emplacement located by air reconnaissance.

Submarine Albacore (SS-218) sinks Japanese auxiliary minesweeper No.3 Eguchi Maru at entrance to Kii Suido, Japan, 33°29'N, 135°32'E.

Submarine Hake (SS-256) damages Japanese destroyer Hibiki east of the Ryukyus, 16°19'N, 119°44'E.

USAAF P-40s sink Japanese fishing boats Sakae Maru, Tairyu Maru, Tatsuei Maru, and Takuyo Maru off Kai Island.

Japanese army cargo ship Eiji Maru is sunk by mine, 22°19'N, 120°30'E.

U.S. Army forces supported by naval vessels land on Soepiori Island in the Schouten Islands of New Guinea.

Destroyer Flusser (DD-368) is damaged by shore battery, Wotje Island, Marshalls, while on a routine patrol to the south of the island.

Submarine Paddle (SS-263) sinks Japanese transport Shinyo Maru, which unbeknown to her attacker carries 750 American prisoners of war on board. Tanker No.2 Eiyo Maru is damaged by Paddle off the coast of Mindanao, 08°11'N, 122°40'E, and is beached at Sindagon Point, 08°10'N, 122°40'E.

RAAF Beaufighters sink Japanese motor sailboat Keishin Maru off southern coast of Ceram.

Submarine Seal (SS-183) damages Japanese destroyer Namikaze off Hokkaido, 47°28'N, 148°20'E.

Submarine Spadefish (SS-411) sinks Japanese transport Shokei Maru and army cargo ship Shinten Maru off Sakishima Gunto, 24°39'N, 123°31'E, and merchant cargo ships Nichiman Maru and Nichian Maru, 24°45'N, 123°26'E.

USAAF B-24s bomb Japanese shipping off Chichi Jima, damaging cargo vessels Heiwa Maru and Toyo Maru.

Atlantic
First German V-2 rocket bomb lands in England.

Mediterranean
German explosive boats attack destroyer Hilary P. Jones (DD-427) off Cap Martin, but inflict no damage; destroyer Madison (DD-425) is attacked by German explosive boats but sights them in time to avoid them. U.S. destroyers are attacked by German explosive boats five miles south of Cap Ampeglio; U.S. motor torpedo boats engage an additional four enemy craft.

Submarine Bang (SS-385) sinks Japanese transport Tokiwasan Maru south of Japan, 28°53'N, 137°42'E, and merchant cargo ship Sh_ryu Maru, 28°58'N, 137°45'E.

Submarine Queenfish (SS-393) sinks Japanese transport Toy_ka Maru and merchant passenger/cargo ship Manshu Maru and damages torpedo boat Manazuru northwest of Babuyan, Luzon, 19°45'N, 120°56'E.

Submarine Seal (SS-183) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Shonan Maru in Sea of Okhotsk, north of Etorofu, Kurils, 47°57'N, 148°15'E.

Japanese auxiliary submarine chasers Cha 8 and Cha 9 are sunk by mines (laid on 6-8 July by British submarine HMS Porpoise) off Sumatra.

Japanese merchant cargo ship Tsinan Maru is sunk by mine off Woosung, China.

Submarine Sunfish (SS-281) sinks Japanese merchant tanker Chihaya Maru east of Quelpart Island, 33°47'N, 127°37'E.

Other Japanese casualties include army tanker Bukun Maru sunk by mine (laid by British submarine HMS Porpoise on 8 July 1944) in Strait of Malacca, 03°54'N, 98°42'E; and merchant tanker No.2 Hoei Maru sunk by mine off Woosung, China.

Europe
Command designated Naval Forces France (Vice Admiral Alan G. Kirk) is established with headquarters at Paris, France.

Mediterranean
U.S. motor torpedo boat PT-206 on right flank of southern France beachhead gives chase to German explosive boat unit consisting of a control boat and two drones; one of the latter is destroyed. Minesweeper Seer (AM-112) is damaged by mine while sweeping Grande Passe to Rade d'Hyeres, 42°59'N, 06°20'E; fleet tug Hopi (ATF-71) tows the damaged ship to Toulon for repairs.

While patrolling between Noli and Genoa, Italy, PT-559 and British motor torpedo boats attack southbound convoy, sinking one F-lighter and an ammunition barge. Escorting German patrol craft break off action.

Pacific
Destroyer Ellet (DD-398) bombards supply dumps on Aguijan Island, Marianas.

Submarine Albacore (SS-218) sinks Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 165 off Kyushu, 32°20'N, 131°50'E.

Submarine Finback (SS-230) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Hassho Maru and merchant cargo ship No.2 Hak_n Maru north of Chichi Jima, 27°45'N, 140°40'E.

Submarine Pargo (SS-264) sinks Japanese auxiliary netlayer Hinoki Maru in Java Sea, 06°17'S, 116°24'E.

USAAF B-24 aircraft bomb Iwo Jima, damaging Japanese cargo vessel No.8 Saiwai Maru; difficulties encountered in attempting to tow the damaged craft result in her being scuttled.

Japanese cargo ship No.1 Horai Maru is sunk by aircraft two miles off Palau.

Pacific
TF 38 (Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher) (TG 38.1, TG 38.2, and TG 38.3) begins operations against Japanese shipping and airfields in the Visayas. Planes from all three carrier groups pound enemy installations on Cebu and shipping offshore, sinking gunboat Kiso Maru, auxiliary submarine chasers Mogami Maru and No.12 Kyo Maru, auxiliary netlayer Korei Maru, auxiliary minesweeper No.18 Choun Maru, guardboats No.97 Banshu Maru and No.4 Fukuju Maru, transports Bugen Maru, Nichiei Maru, army cargo ships Keian Maru and Genkai Maru, merchant tanker Ayazono Maru, merchant cargo ships Toyo Maru, No.2 Shintai Maru, No.5 Shintai Maru, and No.8 Shintai Maru, 10°20'N, 124°00'E; salvage ship Miho Maru, 10°35'N, 124°00'E; transport Shiramine Maru, 10°34'N, 124°01'E; transport Oakita Maru, 11°21'N, 124°07'E; transport Rakuto Maru, 10°35'N, 124°20'E. TF 38 planes also damage minesweeper No.21 Choun Maru off Cebu, 10°20'N, 124°00'E. Between Biliran and Cebu, TF 38 planes sink auxiliary minesweeper Takao Maru and auxiliary submarine chaser Nan-Ho Maru; in Bohol Strait, carrier aircraft sink motor torpedo boat Gyoraitei No.483.

Ensign Thomas C. Tillar, USNR, a pilot from Hornet, in TG 38.1, is rescued by Filipinos after his F6F ditches off Apit Island, off the southwestern coast of Leyte. Before Tillar is recovered by SOC from heavy cruiser Wichita (CA-45), he learns from his rescuers that the size of the Japanese garrison on Leyte is negligible. That fact, when combined with the lack of aerial opposition encountered and the few airfields that exist on Leyte and Samar, prompts Admiral Halsey (Commander Third Fleet) to recommend that the planned attack on Yap be abandoned and that the date of the landings on Leyte be advanced from 20 December to 20 October 1944.

Light minelayer Preble (DM-20) explodes acoustic mines in the shoals between Angaur and Peleliu; she and sistership Montgomery (DM-17) sweep most of the navigable waters by the end of the day.

Destroyer Marshall (DD-676) captures boat with 44 survivors of Japanese light cruiser Natori (see 18 August).

High speed transport Noa (APD-24) is sunk in collision with destroyer Fullam (DD-474) off Palau, Carolines, 07°01'N, 134°30'E; Fullam is damaged; oilers Millicoma (AO-73) and Schuykill (AO-76) are damaged in collision off the Palaus.

Submarine Growler (SS-215) sinks Japanese destroyer Shikinami 240 miles south of Hong Kong, 18°25'N, 114°30'E, and escort vessel Hirado 250 miles east of Hainan Island, 17°54'N, 114°49'E.

Submarine Pampanito (SS-383) sinks merchant passenger/cargo ship Kachidoki Maru (ex-U.S. passenger liner President Harrison) and tanker Zuih_ Maru, 19°25'N, 112°27'E.

Submarine Pipefish (SS-388) sinks Japanese auxiliary vessel No.7 Hakutetsu Maru off Shiono Misaki, Japan, 33°32'N, 135°56'E.

Submarine Redfin (SS-272) carries out unsuccessful attack on Japanese cargo vessel Tosho Maru, 05°27'S, 120°28'E; counterattack by submarine chaser Ch 53 is likewise unsuccessful.

Submarine Sealion (SS-315) sinks Japanese transport Nankai Maru and merchant passenger/cargo ship Rakuyo Maru in South China Sea, east of Hainan Island, 18°42'N, 114°30'E; Sealion crew is unaware that the latter carries Allied POWs.

Japanese tanker No.2 Eiyo Maru, damaged by Paddle (SS-263) on 7 September, is sunk by aircraft, 08°12'N, 122°37'E.

Atlantic
Motor minesweeper YMS-409 founders and sinks off Atlantic Coast.

U.S. freighter George Ade, en route from Mobile, Alabama, to New York, via Key West, Florida, is torpedoed by German submarine U-518 at 33°30'N, 75°40'W; the ship's Armed Guard fires two rounds at what they believe to be a surfaced submarine. There are no casualties among the 41-man merchant crew or the 27- man Armed Guard. Destroyer Barton (DD-722) contacts the stricken ship, and salvage vessel Escape (ARS-6) takes George Ade in tow (see 14-16 September).

High speed minesweeper Perry (DMS-17) is sunk by mine, 750 yards off the southeast coast of Angaur, southern Palaus, 06°53'N, 134°10'E.

Submarine Sunfish damages Japanese army cargo ship Gyoku Maru, 34°32'N, 124°44'E, and sinks army cargo ship Etajima Maru, 35°04'N, 124°49'E.

USAAF A-20s sink merchant cargo ship Akitsushima Maru off southeastern Ceram, 03°04'S, 128°11'E.

Japanese landing ship T.153 damaged (probably by USAAF aircraft) off Iwo Jima.

Atlantic
Destroyer Warrington (DD-383) is sunk by hurricane, 175 miles east-southeast of Great Abaco Island, Bahamas Islands, 27°00'N, 73°00'W.

Destroyers Farenholt (DD-491), McCalla (DD-488), and Grayson (DD-435), detached from TG 38.1, bombard suspected Japanese radar installation on Cape San Augustin, at mouth of Davao Gulf.

Submarine Pargo (SS-264) lays mines near Natuna Island, South China Sea.

Japanese escort destroyer Yashiro is damaged by mine off Formosa, 22°42'N, 120°12'E.

Atlantic
Coast Guard cutters Bedloe (WPC-128) and Jackson (WPC-142) are sunk by storm off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

Coast Guard Lightship No. 73 is sunk by storm, Vineyard Sound, Massachusetts.

Miscellaneous district auxiliary YAG-sinks after running aground off Chesapeake Bay, 36°57'N, 76°13'W.

Hurricane-engendered heavy seas cause towline from salvage vessel Escape (ARS-6) to the damaged U.S. freighter George Ade, torpedoed by U-518 on 12 September 1944, to part; the ship anchors to resume the passage toward Hampton Roads the following day (see 15-16 September 1944).

Mediterranean
Cruiser-based SOC spots small naval craft off Imperia, Italy, a 300-foot merchantman seven miles to the east, and 14 small craft off Cape Delle Mele; destroyer Ludlow (DD-438), with SOC spot and unopposed by enemy shore battery fire, scores at least twelve direct hits on the vessels off Imperia.

TF 77 (Rear Admiral Daniel E. Barbey) lands Army 41st Infantry (Reinforced) (Major General John C. Persons,USA) on Morotai Island, N.E.I., in Operation TRADE WIND; supported by two heavy cruisers, three light cruisers and ten destroyers (TG 77.2) (Rear Admiral Russell S. Berkey) and aircraft from six escort carriers (TG 77.1) (Rear Admiral Thomas L. Sprague), screened by eight destroyer escorts. Airfield facilities built on Morotai will be used in operations to support operations against Japanese positions in the Philippines.

Submarine Guavina (SS-362) sinks Japanese fast transport T.3 off Pagubas, southern Mindanao, 05°35'N, 125°24'E.

Submarines Pampanito (SS-383) and Sealion (SS-315) rescue 73 British and 54 Australian POWs who survived loss of Rakuyo Maru when she was sunk by Sealion on 12 September, about 300 miles west of Cape Bojeador, Luzon. There had been some 1,300 men on board Rakuyo Maru when she was attacked.

Submarine Stingray (SS-186) lands men and stores on Majoe Island, Molucca Sea.

USAAF B-24s sink small Makassar-bound Japanese cargo vessels Kirishima Maru and No.6 Keinan Maru off Mongole Island.

RAAF Beaufighters and USAAF A-20s bomb Japanese shipping off southeast coast of Ceram, sinking fishing vessels No.3 Hoyu Maru and No.4 Bonan Maru.

U.S. aircraft sink Japanese guardboats Kaiko Maru and No.1 Kaza Maru, Marshalls.

Atlantic
Salvage vessel Escape (ARS-6) resumes tow of damaged U.S. freighter George Ade toward Chesapeake Bay (see 16 September).

Pacific
Marine Air Wings, Pacific is redesignated Aircraft, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific (Major General Francis P. Mulcahy, USMC) with headquarters at Ewa, Oahu.

Motor torpedo boat operations begin from Morotai, N.E.I., to maintain patrols, break up the movement of Japanese troops in barges, and prevent seaborne counterattacks from Halmahera. Two Morotai-based boats, PT-489 and PT-363 transit 60 miles of mined waters and then run an 11-mile gauntlet of coast defense batteries to rescue downed F6F pilot from escort carrier Santee (CVE-29) in Wasile Bay, Halmahera; under fire for two and a half hours, both boats receive superficial shrapnel damage in the successful operation that snatches the aviator out of danger. Lieutenant Arthur M. Preston (Commander, MTBRon 33), commanding the operation, will receive the Medal of Honor.

Destroyer Wadleigh (DD-689) is damaged by mine off eastern entrance to Kossol Passage, Palau, 07°51'N, 134°39'E.

U.S. submarines operate against Japanese shipping south of Formosa: Picuda (SS-382) sinks army cargo ship Tokushima Maru in Bashi Channel, 21°27'N, 121°35'E; Redfish (SS-395) sinks fleet tanker No.2 Ogura Maru, 21°24'N, 121°14'E.

Submarine Sea Devil (SS-400) sinks Japanese submarine I-364 off Yokosuka, Japan, 34°30'N, 145°23'E.

Submarine Shad (SS-235) attacks, unsuccessfully, Japanese cargo ship Hakozaki Maru, 34°30'N, 138°25'E. Other Japanese losses include army cargo ship Imaharu Maru sunk by aircraft, 05°08'N, 121°14'E; and cargo vessel Imaji Maru sunk by mine, 05°08'N, 115°05'E.

Mediterranean
U.S. motor torpedo boats engage German explosive control boat and four drones off Cap Martin.

Atlantic
Salvage vessel Escape (ARS-6) brings damaged U.S. freighter George Ade into Hampton Roads; the ship is repaired and returns to active service.

Submarine Barb (SS-220) sinks Japanese escort carrier Un'yo and tanker Asuza Maru, 220 nautical miles southeast of Hong Kong, 19°08'N, 116°36'E. Barb and Queenfish (SS-393) pick up an additional 32 British and Australian POWs, survivors of the sunken Rakuyo Maru (see 12 and 15 September).

Motor torpedo boat PT-371 is damaged by grounding, N.E.I., 02°05'N, 127°51'E.

USAAF P-40s sink Japanese fishing vessel Hoyo Maru and damage No.5 Kyoei Maru off eastern Ceram.

Japanese merchant cargo ship Shinai Maru is sunk by mine off east coast of Celebes.

Submarine Flasher (SS-249) sinks Japanese auxiliary gunboat Saigon Maru off Manila Bay, 14°20'N, 120°05'E.

Submarine Pipefish (SS-388) damages Japanese army transport Rokko Maru off coast of Honshu, 32°49'N, 154°22'E.

Submarine Thresher (SS-200) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Gyoku Maru in Yellow Sea, 35°02'N, 124°24'E.

British submarine HMS Tradewind sinks Japanese army cargo ship Junyo Maru off Sumatra, 02°53'S, 101°11'E.

USAAF B-25s damage Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Wa.5, salvage tug Futagami, and coastal/harbor minesweeper Ma 3 at Enderby Island, Carolines.

Mediterranean
Destroyer Benson (DD-421) is assigned jammer duties at Toulon; destroyer Livermore (SS-429) is assigned the same task at Marseilles.

Motor torpedo boat PT-371, damaged by grounding off northwest coast of Halmahera, 02°05'N, 127°51'E, is sunk by demolition charges.

Submarine Bang (SS-385) attacks Japanese shipping off east coast of Formosa, sinking tanker No.2 Toosei Maru and damaging Coast Defense Vessel No.30, 24°54'N, 122°23'E.

Submarine Redfin (SS-395) sinks Japanese fishing vessel Nanko Maru, 05°36'N, 122°16'E.

Submarine Scabbardfish (SS-397) damages Japanese submarine tender Jingei, 80 miles northwest of Okinawa,27°45'N, 127°00'E.

Submarine Shad (SS-235) sinks coast defense ship Ioshima (ex-Chinese cruiser Ning Hai) 85 miles off Hachij_ Jima, 33°40'N, 138°20'E.

Saipan-based USAAF B-24s pound Japanes shipping off Chicchi Jima, damaging landing ship T.153 and small cargo vessel Tsukiura Maru.

20 September, Wed. --
Arabian Sea
USAAF B-24 aircraft attack Japanese shipping off Formosa, damaging cargo vessels Asaka Maru, Gokoku Maru, and Shinsho Maru.

Japanese army cargo ships Nansei Maru, 15°06'N, 119°05'E, and Soerakarta Maru, 15°23'N, 119°50'E, are sunk by aircraft.

Submarine Haddo (SS-255), while lifeguarding for TF 38, sinks Japanese surveying ship Katsuriki 80 miles southwest of Manila, 13°35'N, 119°06'E.

Off north coast of Luzon, Picuda (SS-382) sinks Japanese transport Awaji Maru, 18°43'N, 120°53'E; and Redfish (SS-395) sinks transport Mizuho Maru, 18°37'N, 120°43'E.

Submarine Searaven (SS-196) sinks Kurils-bound Japanesearmy transport Rizan Maru, 49°13'N, 145°30'E.

Submarine Shad (SS-235) sinks Japanese auxiliary minesweeper No.2 Fumi Maru east of Shinto, 34°45'N, 139°40'E.

TU 33.13.1 (Captain Robley W. Clark), consisting initially of light minelayers Montgomery (DM-17) (flagship) and Preble (DM-20), four minesweepers and seven motor minesweepers (YMS), begins minesweeping operations in Ulithi lagoon. These operations will continue daily until 13 October, after which operations will be conducted on the 17th, 27th and 28th.

Rescue tug ATR-1 is stranded on submerged wreck [WHERE].

Submarine Lapon (SS-260) damages merchant cargo ship Jungen Go, 15°22'N, 119°17'E.

Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) lands men and supplies on southwest coast of Mindanao.

Submarine Pargo (SS-264) attacks, unsuccessfully, Japanese cargo vessel Manshu Maru, 08°13'N, 117°02'E; counterattack by destroyer Shiokaze is likewise unsuccessful.

Atlantic
Storeship Yukon (AF-9) is torpedoed by German submarine U-979 about 43 miles west of Reykjavik, Iceland.

Battleship West Virginia (BB-48) reaches Pearl Harbor and rejoins the Pacific Fleet, marking the completion of the program of salvage and reconstruction of the ships damaged at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941.

Submarine Apogon (SS-308) sinks Japanese guardboat No.6 Choyo Maru east of Honshu, 34°57'N, 154°44'E.

Submarine Escolar (SS-294) departs Midway for first war patrol.

German submarine U-859 is sunk by British submarine HMS Trenchant off Penang, Malaya, 05°46'N, 100°04'E.

Navy land based aircraft sink Japanese auxiliary vessel Toshu Maru off Wowoni, Celebes, 04°23'S, 122°43'E.

PBY sinks cargo ship Heiho Maru in Celebes Sea, 03°40'N, 122°25'E.

Japanese gunboat Nankai and transport Hokkai Maru are damaged by mines (laid by submarine Bowfin on 29 January) off Balikpapan, Borneo, 03°37'S, 116°25'E.

Japanese army cargo ship Kurogane Maru is damaged by aircraft, Manila.

TF planes also damage supply ship Irako and oiler Kamoi, Coron Bay.

Aircraft also sink Japanese army cargo ship Chuka Maru, 11°11'N, 123°11'E; army cargo ship Olympia Maru, 11°58'N, 120°03'E; and merchant cargo ship Shinyo Maru, Manila; cargo ship No.2 Koshu Maru is damaged by aircraft, 11°56'N, 123°08'E;

Hospital ship Samaritan (AH-10) is damaged by grounding on Tauu Island Reef to the northeast of Bougainville.

Submarine Barbero (SS-317) bombards Japanese radar installation on Batag Island off north coast of Samar.

Motor minesweeper YMS-19 is sunk by mine off southeast coast of Angaur, Palaus, 06°53'N, 134°10'E;

Pacific
Submarine Barbel (SS-316) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Bushu Maru off Togara Gunto, 29°46'N, 129°40'E.

Submarine Guardfish (SS-217) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship No.2 Miyakawa Maru in Yellow Sea off Chinnampo, Korea, 38°30'N, 124°06'E.

Submarine Nautilus (SS-168) lands supplies on Cebu.

Submarine Searaven (SS-196) attacks Japanese small craft off southwest tip of Etorofu, Kurils, sinking No.1 Hirota Maru.

Submarine Thresher (SS-200) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Nissei Maru in Yellow Sea, 37°32'N, 124°33'E.

Mediterranean
USAAF B-24s sink German submarines U-565 and U-596, Salamis, Greece.

Submarine Pargo (SS-264) sinks Japanese minelayer Aotaka off Borneo, 07°00'N, 116°00'E.

Submarine Thresher (SS-200) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Koetsu Maru in Yellow Sea, 37°13'N, 123°48'E.

U.S. freighter Elihu Thompson is damaged by mines off Noumea, New Caledonia, 22°22'10"S, 166°34'E; fleet tug Apache (ATF-67) rescues survivors, and later beaches the ship to facilitate salvage. Of the 211 troops embarked as passengers, 32 perish in the explosions; there are no casualties among the 42-man merchant complement or the 33-man Armed Guard.

Japanese river gunboat Saga is damaged by mine, Hong Kong.

Submarine Apogon (SS-308) sinks Japanese cargo ship Hachirogata Maru in Sea of Okhotsk off Shimushir Island, 46°32'N, 146°48'E.

Submarine Bonefish (SS-223) damages Japanese oiler Kamoi 240 miles southwest of Manila, 13°48'N, 148°38'E.

Submarines Flasher (SS-249) and Lapon (SS-260) attack Japanese convoy in South China Sea west of Luzon; Flasher sinks army transport Ural Maru and damages merchant tanker Tachibana Maru, 15°45'N, 117°20'E; Lapon sinks merchant tanker Hokki Maru, 15°50'N, 117°41'E.

Submarines Narwhal (SS-167) and Stingray (SS-186) land supplies on north coast of Mindanao and east coast of Luzon, respectively.

Submarine Plaice (SS-390) sinks Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.10, 100 miles north-northwest of Amami-O- Shima, 29°26'N, 128°50'E.

Submarine Searaven (SS-196) damages Japanese destroyer Momi off Etorofu, Kurils, 45°44'N, 148°41'E.

British submarine HMS Thorough damages Japanese auxiliary sailing vessel No.9 Kashiwa Maru off north coast of Sumatra.

PBY damages Japanese cargo ship Tateishi Maru off Jolo, 06°02'N, 121°29'E; the ship is beached to prevent sinking.

Tank landing craft LCT-823 sinks after running aground off Palau.

Caribbean
Garbage lighter YG-39 sinks off Canal Zone, 10°10'N, 79°51'W.

Mediterranean
Motor torpedo boat PT-559, with British motor torpedo boats, attack northbound convoy off Raffallo, Italy.

Submarine Bonefish (SS-223) sinks Japanese merchant tanker Anjo Maru in South China Sea, 13°10'N, 120°08'E.

PBYs sink Japanese merchant cargo ship Tone Maru in Makassar Straits.

USAAF B-25s sink small Japanese cargo vessel Keishin Maru off Ceram.

Submarine Skate (SS-305) sinks Japanese auxiliary minesweeper H_ei Maru and army cargo ship Ekisan Maru off Yoron Jima, 27°14'N, 128°25'E.

Japanese guardboat Riki Maru is sunk by mine off Kota Bharu, Malaya.

Atlantic
PB4Ys (VP 107) sink German submarine U-863, South Atlantic, 10°45'S, 25°30'W.

U.S. freighter Edward H. Crockett, while proceeding from Archangel to Scotland in convoy RA 60, is torpedoed by German submarine U-310 at 73°00'N, 24°32'E; irreparably damaged, the freighter is scuttledby gunfire from a British destroyer. While there are no casualties to the 27-man Armed Guard, one of the 41-man merchant complement perishes in the explosion of the first torpedo.

Mediterranean
Motor torpedo boat PT-310 is mistakenly strafed by RAF Beaufighter off southern France.

During Japanese air raid on U.S. shipping off Morotai, freighter Carl G. Barth is damaged by strafing; although 6 of the 118 passengers on board are injured, there are no casualties to either the 52-man merchant complement or the 26-man Armed Guard.

Atlantic
Destroyer escort Fessenden (DE-142) sinks German submarine U-1062 in mid-Atlantic, 11°36'N, 34°44'W.

Mediterranean
U.S. motor torpedo boats make two gunnery runs on German explosive boat off San Remo, Italy.

Pacific
Special Air Task Force (STAG 1) drone operations continue with two separate attacks on Japanese positions on Bougainville. In the first, four TDRs are launched against antiaircraft gun positions on Ballale and Poporang Islands; one lands in the midst of them, a second detonates within 100 feet of the southwest end of Ballale runway; two explode on Poporang in the general area of the target. In the second, four TDRs (two allocated to each target) are launched against antiaircraft positions on Kangu Hill, two miles south of Kahili airdrome, and the Pororeri River bridge north of Kangu Hill; the first two TDRs hit the lower slope of Kangu Hill but one does not explode; one TDR crashes (perhaps hit by antiaircraft fire) while the second cannot find the target, and explodes north of Kangu Hill.

Destroyer Bailey (DD-492) is damaged by strafing off Palau, 06°59'N, 134°13'E.

During minesweeping operations in Ulithi lagoon with TU 33.13.1, motor minesweeper YMS-385 is sunk by Japanese mine in Zowariyau Channel, 09°52'N, 139°37'E.

Submarine Cabrilla (SS-288) sinks Japanese tanker Kyokuho Maru, and merchant tanker Zuiyo Maru in South China Sea, west of Luzon, 16°15'N, 119°43'E.

Submarine Hammerhead (SS-364) sinks Japanese ore carriers Kokusei Maru and Hiyori Maru and cargo ship Higane Maru north of Borneo, 06°30'N, 116°11'E.

Submarine Snapper (SS-185) sinks Japanese coastal minelayer Ajiro and transport Seian Maru northwest of the Bonins, 28°11'N, 139°30'E.

Submarine Trepang (SS-412) sinks Japanese supply ship Takunan Maru north of Ogasawara-gunto, 25°30'N, 142°30'E.

Auxiliary minesweeper Kaiyo Maru is sunk by mine off Tsingtao, China.

Mediterranean
Destroyer Gleaves (DD-423) shells German gun positions in Ventimiglia, Italy, area and encounters intense shore battery fire; destroyer Benson (DD-421) shells enemy gun emplacement and then destroys two Italian motor torpedo boats (MAS).

Destroyer Forrest (DD-461) is damaged in collision with tank landing ship LST-550 off Southern France, 43°20'N, 05°20'E.

Submarine Aspro (SS-309) sinks Japanese cargo ship Azuchisan Maru in South China Sea west of Luzon, 18°25'N, 120°32'E.

Submarine Pomfret (SS-391) sinks Japanese army transports Tsuyama Maru and Makassar Maru south of Formosa, 21°00'N, 121°46'E.

Japanese army vessel Ryochi Maru is sunk by aircraft off Bantayan Island, north of Cebu.

Mediterranean
U.S. freighter Johns Hopkins drags anchor in storm and is mined off Marseilles, France, 43°16'N, 05°08'28"E; destroyer Hobson (DD-464) is among the ships that proceeds to the stricken freighter's assistance. Rescue tug ATR-127 tows the merchantman into Marseilles, where she discharges her cargo and disembarks the 466 U.S. and French troops she had had embarked. There are no casualties among the 41-man merchant complement or the 28-man Armed Guard.

Destroyer escort Samuel S. Miles (DE-183) sinks Japanese submarine I-177, 60 miles north-northeast of Angaur, Palaus, 07°48'N, 133°28'E.

Submarine Thresher (SS-200) sinks Japanese guardboat No.28 Nanshin Maru north-northwest of Marcus Island, 30°49'N, 153°26'E.

Tank landing craft LCT-1052 is sunk by tropical storm at Ulithi.

USAAF aircraft sinks Japanese merchant tanker No.14 Nanshin Maru off Zamboanga, 06°54'N, 122°04'E

Mediterranean
Destroyer Niblack (DD-424) destroys one MAS boat and damages three in San Remo, Italy, harbor, and then bombards Oneglia harbor. After encountering persistent and accurate fire from German 88-mm. gun battery, she shifts target to those guns and knocks them out; destroyer Plunkett (DD-431) shells German artillery in Ventimiglia area.

Tank landing craft LCT-579 is sunk by mine off Palau.

Submarine Flasher (SS-249) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Taibin Maru in South China Sea north of Luzon, 15°22'N, 119°51'E.

British submarine HMS Rover damages Japanese auxiliary sailing vessel Mie Maru, 08°05'S, 117°00'E.

PBYs sink Japanese cargo ship Tateishi Maru and auxiliary sailing vessels Kigen Maru and Kiku Maru, Jolo, Philippines.

USAAF B-25s sink Japanese motor sailship Man Maru in Ambon bay.

Atlantic
Two-platoon landing force from Coast Guard cutter Eastwind (WAG 279) captures German weather station at Little Koldeyey, Greenland, 76°41'N, 18°50'W.

Mediterranean
Destroyer Niblack (DD-424) bombards MAS boat pens in San Remo, harbor and artillery positions in Cap Martin area.

Submarine Cod (SS-224) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Tatsuhiro Maru in South China Sea west of Mindoro, 13°06'N, 120°15'E.

Submarine Seahorse (SS-304) sinks Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No. 21, 140 miles northwest of Cape Bojeador, Luzon, 19°27'N, 118°08'E.

Submarine Whale (SS-239) sinks Japanese transport Kinugasa Maru and merchant tanker Akane Maru west of Balintang Channel, north-northwest of Luzon, 19°40'N, 118°05'E.

British submarine HMS Tally Ho sinks Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 2, 110 nautical miles west of Penang, Malaya, 04°20'N, 98°24'E.

Dutch submarine Zwaardvisch sinks German submarine U-168 in Java Sea, 06°20'S, 111°28'E.

Japanese gunboat Saga is sunk by mine off Hong Kong, 22°17'N, 114°10'E.

Europe
U.S. freighter George Popham is mined off Normandy, but suffers little damage; there are no casualties amongthe 42-man merchant complement, the 26-man Armed Guard, or the 70 stevedores embarked to work cargo.

Mediterranean
Destroyer Niblack (DD-424) bombards railroad yards on Cape Impeglio. Niblack is later damaged when accidentally rammed by destroyer Jouett (DD-396) when the latter drags anchor.

U.S. freighter Elinor Wylie is mined while en route from Marseille to Toulon, France, at 42°57'30"N, 05°49'30"E; there are, however, no casualties among the 40-man merchant complement or the 29-man Armed Guard, and the ship is towed into Toulon, where she discharges her cargo without further incident.

Submarine Cod (SS-224) damages Japanese oiler Shiretoko in South China Sea, west of Mindoro, 13°40'N, 119°25'E.

Submarine Hawkbill (SS-366) damages Japanese cargo ship Kinugasa Maru, 14°37'N, 115°55'E; Baya (SS-318) then finishes off Kinugasa Maru subsequently.

Submarine Hoe (SS-258) sinks Japanese army transport Makassar Maru in South China Sea west of Luzon, 17°46'N, 119°40'E.

Submarine Becuna (SS-319) damages Japanese seaplane carrier Kimikawa Maru in South China Sea, 14°05'N, 115°38'E.

Submarine Hoe (SS-258) sinks Japanese army transport Kohoku Maru and damages Coast Defense Vessel No.8 in South China Sea east of Hainan, 18°32'N, 116°13'E.

Mediterranean
Destroyer Eberle (DD-430), with spot provided by aircraft from light cruiser Brooklyn (CL-40), bombards vessels in Maurizio harbor; enemy shore battery fire is accurate in return.

Destroyer Jouett (DD-396) is attacked by six small, fast craft, but suffers no damage in the encounter. The next morning Jouett will sink several floating mines.

Special Air Task Force (STAG 1) operations continue in Southwest Pacific as four TDRs are launched against Matupi Bridge, Simpson Harbor, Rabaul. Antiaircraft fire, however, downs three of the TDRs; one is lost enroute to the target.

One company of the U.S. Army 321st Infantry is landed on Garekayo Island, north of Ngesebus, and quickly overruns the island.

In wide-ranging U.S. submarine operations against Japanese shipping in the South China Sea, Becuna (SS-319) damages tanker San Luis Maru, 12°45'N, 118°00'E; and teams with Hawkbill (SS-366) to sink merchant tanker Tokuwa Maru, 12°43'N, 118°05'E; Croaker (SS-246) sinks merchant cargo ship Shinki Maru west of Kyushu, 32°08'N, 129°51'E; Sawfish (SS-276) sinks merchant tanker Tachibana Maru at 19°33'N, 116°38'E.

Mediterranean
Destroyer Eberle (DD-430) bombards ammunition dump and buildings, later Eberle and destroyer Jouett (DD-396), and planes from light cruiser Brooklyn (CL-40), destroy several floating mines in the vicinity.

Tank landing craft LCT-459 sinks after running aground off western coast of France.

Motor torpedo boat PT-368 is damaged by grounding off western New Guinea, 01°59'N, 127°57'E.

Submarine Barb (SS-220) sinks Japanese transport Gokuku Maru northwest of Hirado Jima, Kyushu, 33°31'N, 129°10'E.

Submarine Lapon (SS-260) sinks Japanese army transport Ejiri Maru in South China Sea west of Luzon, 16°10'N, 119°44'E.

Dutch submarine Zwaardvisch sinks Japanese guardboat Koei Maru southwest of Bawean Island, N.E.I., 05°57'S, 112°29'E.

Submarine Tang (SS-306) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ships Joshu Go and Oita Maru in Formosa Strait, 25°00'N, 121°00'E.

Submarine Trepang (SS-412) sinks Japanese landing ship T.105 off Honshu, 33°18'N, 137°42'E.

USAAF B-24 sinks Japanese motor sail ship Hash_ Maru of Tacloban, P.I.

Japanese merchant vessel Sumiei Maru is damaged by aircraft, Takao, Formosa.

Atlantic
Tank landing craft LCT-293 founders and sinks in heavy weather in English Channel.

TF 38 planes also sink merchant cargo ship Shinan Maru in Putai harbor, 23°22'N, 120°10'E. Destruction of Japanese air power on Formosa paves way for USAAF B-29 bomber strikes on aircraft plant and airfield facilities on the island on 14 and 16 October 1944. Air strikes on the Formosa area sink Japanese transport Josho Maru, and army cargo ship Yamahagi Maru, off Takao; army ship Mitsuki Maru and merchant tanker No.6 Horai Maru, off Mako; Japanese cargo ship Shirotai Maru is sunk by mine off Mako.

Motor torpedo boat PT-368, damaged by grounding, western New Guinea, 01°59'N, 127°57'E, is scuttled by demolition charges.

Submarine Ray (SS-271) sinks Japanese transport Toko Maru near Cape Cavalite, Mindoro, 13°32'N, 120°21'E, and survives counterattack by Hiyodosi and Coast Defense Vessel No.2.

Submarine Trepang (SS-412) damages Japanese destroyer Fuyuzuki off Omaesuki, 33°56'N, 138°09'E.

British submarine HMS Strongbow sinks Japanese cargoship Manryo Maru in Strait of Malacca, 02°50'N, 100°50'E.

Submarine Bergall (SS-320) sinks Japanese merchant tanker Shinshu Maru off Nha Trang, French Indochian, 11°52'N, 109°20'E.

British submarine HMS Sturdy sinks Japanese merchant coasters Kosei Maru and Hansei Maru in Gulf of Boni, south of Celebes.

Peleliu Island, Palaus, is secured.

During TF 38 operations against Japanese shipping and installations on Formosa, Navy carrier-based planes damage coastal minelayer Enoshima and auxiliary submarine chasers Cha 7 and Cha 151 off Takao.

Submarine Angler (SS-240) sinks Japanese army transport Nanrei Maru south of Tablas Strait, 11°53'N, 121°39'E.

Submarine Bonefish (SS-223) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Fushimi Maru in South China Sea off west coast of Luzon, 16°12'N, 119°45'E.

Submarine Dace (SS-247) sinks Japanese merchant tankers Eikyo Maru and Nittetsu Maru and damages merchant ore carrier Taizen Maru off North Borneo, 06°05'N, 115°55'E.

British submarine HMS Sturdy sinks Japanese Communication Vessel No.128 in Gulf of Boni.

Carrier Saratoga (CV-3) and destroyer escort Howard F. Clark (DE-533) are damaged in collision during maneuvers off Oahu.

TG 30.3 (Rear Admiral Laurance T. DuBose) is formed to cover the retirement of the crippled heavy cruiser Canberra (CA-70) and light cruiser Houston (CL-81); an augmented TG 38.1 (Vice Admiral John S. McCain) provides cover while TG 38.2 (Rear Admiral Gerald F. Bogan) and TG 38.3 (Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman) take up position to waylay Japanese fleet units that might try to attack the damaged ships. TG 38.4 (Rear Admiral Ralph E. Davison), meanwhile, attacks Japanese installations near Manila, drawing an enemy aerial response that damages carrier Franklin (CV-13), 16°29'N, 123°57'E.

Sweep Unit (Captain Robley W. Clark) arrives off Ngulu Atoll, Western Carolines. Light minelayer Montgomery (DM-17) destroys Japanese radio and weather station, and, accompanied by five motor minesweepers (YMS), enters the lagoon to begin minesweeping operations which will continue daily until 23 October.

Special Air Task Force (STAG 1) operations continue in Southwest Pacific as four TDRs are launched against Matupi Bridge, as part of coordinated attack by other Green Island-based PBJs (VMB 423), F4Us (VMF 218 and VMF 222) and SBDs (VMSB 244 and VMSB 341) against Simpson Harbor Rabaul. Poor picture reception and pilot error results in none of the TDRs hitting theirtargets.

USAAF P-38 sinks Japanese auxiliary sailing vessel No.5 Yamato Maru off Bochi archipelago, 01°10'N, 128°21'E.

Dutch submarine Zwaardvisch sinks Japanese oceanographic research vessel No.2 Kaiyo Maru off Surabaya, Java, 06°30'S, 111°35'E.

Mediterranean
Minesweeping test is conducted in Bay de Ciotat, France, using blimp; the blimp proved very satisfactory, using loud hailer, VHF radio, and smoke flares to direct attention to mines.

Destroyer Ellet (DD-398), together with surveying ship Bowditch (AGS-4), two infantry landing craft (gunboat) and a submarine chaser arrive at Ngulu Atoll, western Carolines, and encounter no opposition.

TF 38 planes sink Japanese torpedo boat Hato, 130 miles east-southeast of Hong Kong, 21°49'N, 115°50'E, and damage auxiliary vessel Santos Maru.

Submarine Besugo (SS-321) damages Japanese destroyer Suzutsuki off Toizaki, 32°30'N, 132°36'E.

Submarine Tilefish (SS-307) sinks Japanese guardboat No.2 Kyowa Maru five miles north of Matsuwa Jima, 48°07'N, 153°04'E.

Auxiliary minesweeper No.6 Hakata Maru is sunk by U.S. aircraft (perhaps PB4Y) off Minami Daito Jima, 25°30'N, 131°00'E.

USAAF aircraft (14th Air Force) sink Japanese cargo vessel Tensho Maru. They also damage auxiliary vessel Santos Maru and cargo ships Sagamigawa Maru, No.5 Okinoyama Maru, and No.3 Akatsuki Maru; and destroy army cargo vessel (in drydock at Kowloon) Bunzan Maru.

USAAF P-38s sink Japanese auxilliary sailing vessel No.6 Take Maru off Cagayan, Sulu Archipalego.

RAAF Beaufighters sink Japanese Communications Vessel No.135 off Ambon harbor.

Atlantic
Coast Guard icebreaker Eastwind (WAG-279), supported by sistership Southwind (WAG-280), captures German weather ship Externsteine off Cape Borgen, Shannon Island, east coast of Greenland. Eastwind's crew unofficially christens the captured auxiliary "Eastbreeze." Both icebreakers, however, are damaged by pack ice.

Naval force (Rear Admiral Arthur D. Struble) lands army troops (6th Ranger Battalion) on Suluan and Dinagat Islands at the entrance to Leyte Gulf to destroy Japanese installations that could provide early warning of U.S. forces entering the gulf. Unfortunately, the Suluan Island unit transmits a warning, prompting Admiral Toyoda Soemu, Commander in Chief Combined Fleet, to order operation SHO-1 for defending the Philippines against American invasion and bringing about a decisive battle (see 23-25 October).

Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) lands supplies on northwest coast of Tawi Tawi, P.I.

Motor minesweeper YMS-70 is sunk in storm off Leyte, 10°56'N, 125°12'E.

During the third day of sweeping operations in Ngulu Atoll, Western Carolines, light minelayer Montgomery (DM-17) is damaged by Japanese mine while anchoring, 10°56'N, 125°12'E.

Special Air Task Force (STAG 1) operations continue in Southwest Pacific as four TDRs are launched against Japanese installations near East Rabaul. One of the four hits the objective; a second hits a target of opportunity; a third is lost due to the failure of a tube in the drone receiver; a fourth may have been shot down (light and inaccurate antaircraft fire is noted).

Dutch submarine Zwaardvisch sinks Japanese minelayer Itsukushima and damages minelayer/netlayer Wakatake, off Bawean Island, N.E.I., 05°26'S, 113°48'E. Submarine chaser Ch 26 carries out determined counterattack, but Zwaardvisch escapes.

British carrier-based planes sink Japanese collier Ishikari Maru off Nicobar.

The first bombardment ships begin shelling Japanese installations on Leyte.

Seventh Fleet aircraft, meanwhile, sink Japanese ships Daikoku Maru, No.2 Gokuku Mar, No.8 Nankai Maru, Rinkyu Maru, Yoto Maru, and Zuin Maru in the Cebu area.

Submarine Bluegill (SS-242) sinks Japanese army cargo ships Arabia Maru and Chinzei Maru, and merchant cargo ship Hakushika Maru in South China Sea, west-southwest of Manila, 14°06'N, 119°40'E.

Submarine Raton (SS-270) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Taikai Maru and army cargo ship Shiranesan Maru in South China Sea, southwest of Luzon, 12°37'N, 118°46'E. Special Air Task Force (STAG 1) operations continue in Southwest Pacific as three TDRs are launched against lighthouse on Cape St. George, New Ireland. None hit the target.

Atlantic
Naval Advanced Base, La Havre, France, is established.

Mediterranean
Motor torpedo boat PT-558 is damaged in engagement with two German R-boats west of Portofino; while retiring to Leghorn, Italy, PT-561 is damaged by heavy seas. Tank landing ship LST-906 drags anchor and is damaged when driven ashore by heavy sea, Leghorn.

Off Leyte, destroyer Ross (DD-563) is damaged by mine, 10°17'N, 125°40'E; destroyer Aulick (DD-569), by shore battery, 11°13'N, 125°02'E.

Seventh Fleet aircraft sink Japanese ships Kosei Maru, Kafuku Maru, Koei Maru, No.8 Kanekichi Maru, No.11 Akita Maru, and No.18 Taigyo Maru at Cebu.

Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) lands men and supplies on southwest coast of Negros, P.I.

Special Air Task Force (STAG 1) operations continue in Southwest Pacific in two flights (one TDR each) conducted this date against Japanese gun positions west of Ballale. In the first, one drone misses its target during its run; in the second, the drone drops part of its ordnance (the two four-100-pound bomb clusters) on the target before it crashes.

Destroyer escort Gilligan (DE-508) bombards Mille Atoll.

USAAF B-24 sinks Japanese weather ship Shonan Maru in northern waters of Makassar Strait.

Under the overall command of General Douglas MacArthur, who makes good on his promise to "return" to the Philippines, and Vice Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid, Commander Seventh Fleet, TF 78 (Rear Admiral Daniel E. Barbey) and TF 79 (Vice Admiral Theodore S. Wilkinson) land four divisions of the U.S. Sixth Army (Lieutenant General Walter Krueger) on Leyte. Fast carriers and battleships of the Third Fleet provide support, as do the older battleships and escort carriers of the Seventh Fleet.

Japanese aerial counterattacks (horizontal bombers) result in damage to escort carrier Sangamon (CVE-26), 10°46'N, 126°23'E, and salvage vessel Preserver (ARS-8), 10°50'N, 125°25'E, and (aerial torpedo) to light cruiser Honolulu (CL-48), 11°01'N, 125°07'E. Japanese shore batteries damage destroyer Bennion (DD662), 10°50'N, 125°25'E, and tank landing ship LST-452, 11°01'N, 125°01'E.

Submarine Hammerhead (SS-364) sinks Japanese transport Oyo Maru, 04°41'N, 113°22'E, and army cargo ship Ugo Maru, 04°52'N, 113°24'E, off Borneo.

Special Air Task Force (STAG 1) operations continue: three TDRs are launched against Japanese gun positions west of Ballale: one is lost, one makes a hit with its bomb but crashes before it can be directed into its ultimate target (the beached Japanese freighter serving as an antiaircraft gun site off the Kahili airstrip and christened the "Kahili Maru"), the last achieves a bomb hit and crashes into "Kahili Maru" as planned.

TG 38.2 (Rear Admiral Gerald F. Bogan) attacks Japanese shipping and installations near Panay, Cebu, Negros, and Masbate, Navy carrier-based planes sinking auxiliary minesweeper Wa.8, 11°30'N, 123°20'E; auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 15, 12°55'N, 121°35'E; and army tanker Doko Maru, 12°35'N, 122°16'E.

British submarine HMS Tantivy sinks Japanese merchant cargo ships No.2 Chokyu Maru, No.3 Takasago Maru, and Otori Maru in Makassar Strait.

Mediterranean
Destroyer Eberle (DD-430) bombards targets near San Remo, Italy.

Navy carrier-based planes (TF 77°) sink Japanese motor sailships No.3 Akebono Maru and No.5 Taihei Maru

Submarine Darter (SS-227) detects a group of Japanese warships northwest of Borneo, 07°31'N, 115°22'E, and trails them (see 23 October 1944).

Submarine Sea Dog (SS-401) sinks Japanese supply ship Muroto south-southwest of Kagoshima, 29°19'N, 129°44'E, and gunboat Tomitsu Maru south of Akuseki Jima, 29°18'N, 129°44'E.

British submarine HMS Tantivy sinks Japanese Communication Ship No.137 in Makassar Strait.

U.S. freighter Augustus Thomas is strafed in San Pedro Bay, Leyte; one man of the 27-man Armed Guard is wounded.

Mediterranean
Destroyer Jouett (DD-396) conducts two bombardment missions while destroyer Madison (DD-425) supports minesweeping operations in the vicinity [WHERE]

Destroyer escort Gilligan (DE-508) bombards Emidj Island, Jaluit Atoll.

Submarine Croaker (SS-246) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Hakuran Maru in Yellow Sea, off west coast of Korea, 35°29'N, 126°05'E.

Submarine Nautilus (SS-168) lands men and supplies on east coast of Luzon; she will repeat the operation on 24 and 25 October 1944.

Submarine Sawfish (SS-276) sinks Japanese seaplane carrier Kimikawa Maru west of Luzon, 18°58'N, 118°31'E.

Submarine Snook (SS-279) damages Japanese merchant tanker Kikusui Maru in South China Sea, west of Luzon Strait, 19°44'N, 118°25'E.

Submarine Tang (SS-306) sinks Japanese cargo ships Toun Maru and Tatsuju Maru and transport Wakatake Maru, 24°49'N, 120°26'E, and merchant cargo ship Kori Go, 24°42'N, 120°21'E, in Formosa Strait.

Special Air Task Force (STAG 1) operations continue in two missions (three TDRs each) flown against beached Japanese ships in Moisuru Bay and off the south end of the Kahili airstrip. In the first mission, one TDR scores a direct hit on "Kahili Maru"; in the second, one TDR scores a direct hit on "Kahili Maru" while another hits a beached merchantman in Moisuru Bay.

Mediterranean
U.S. motor torpedo boats attack German southbound convoy in Ligurian Sea south of Sestri Levanti with no success; a subsequent attack, however, results in the sinking of one F-lighter.

Destroyer Woolsey (DD-437) shells German targets in San Remo area; she repeats bombardment mission the next day.

During the aerial action that day, Commander David McCampbell, Commander Air Group 15, flying from carrier Essex (CV-9), again distinguishes himself in combat. With only one wingman, McCampbell attacks what is estimated as being over 60 hostile aircraft and downs nine, breaking up the attacking formation before it even reaches the fleet. For his "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life" on this occasion and on 19 June, McCampbell is awarded the Medal of Honor.

Elsewhere off Leyte, Japanese planes damage destroyer Leutze (DD-481), 10°50'N, 125°25'E; tank landing ship LST-552, 11°11'N, 125°05'E; and infantry landing craft LCI-1065. Oiler Ashtabula (AO-51) is damaged by aerial torpedo, 11°03'N, 125°22'E.

U.S. freighter Augustus Thomas, anchored in San Pedro Bay, Leyte, is attacked by a Japanese plane. The ship's Armed Guard gunfire sets the aircraft ablaze but the kamikaze presses home his attack, a wing striking the stack of the nearby tug Sonoma (ATO-12) before it crashes the freighter's starboard side. The bombs detonate in the water between the two ships, and the exploding suicider sets Sonoma afire. There are no casualties on board Augustus Thomas (41-man merchant complement, 27-man Armed Guard and 480 troop passengers), which is subsequently beached by tugs Chowanoc (ATF-100) and Whippoorwill (ATO-169). Sonoma subsequently sinks off Dio Island, 10°57'N, 125°02'E.

U.S. freighter David Dudley Field is damaged by kamikaze off Tacloban, Leyte; there are no fatalities among the 40-man merchant complement, 30-man Armed Guard, 50 stevedores embarked to work cargo and 10 Army passengers. After repairs, the freighter will resume active service.

Late on 24 October, Commander Third Fleet (Admiral William F. Halsey Jr.) orders TF 38 (Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher) to proceed north to be in position to strike the "Northern Force" (Vice Admiral Ozawa Jisaburo) on the morning of 25 October, but does not inform Commander Seventh Fleet (Vice Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid) of his action. Unbeknown to the Americans, remnants of the "Center Force" transit San Bernadino Strait and head for Leyte Gulf. Commander Seventh Fleet meanwhile makes his dispositions to meet the expected enemy onslaught: bombardment and support group TG 77.2 (Rear Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf) is augmented by close covering group TG 77.3 (Rear Admiral Russell S. Berkey).

Local airfields, however, are not yet ready to base night reconnaissance aircraft, and the only carrier equipped to operate such planes, small carrier Independence (CVL-22), is proceeding north with TF 38.

Coordinated submarine attack group TG 17.15 (CommanderAlan B. Banister), meanwhile, operates against Japanese shipping in South China Sea west of Luzon Strait: Drum (SS-228) sinks merchant cargo ship Shikisan Maru, 20°27'N, 118°31'E; Icefish (SS-367) sinks army cargo ship Tenshin Maru, 19°31'N, 118°10'E; Seadragon (SS-194) sinks transport Eiko Maru and cargo ship Daiten Maru, 20°31'N, 118°33'E, and merchant passenger/cargo shipo Kokuryu Maru, 20°27'N, 118°31'E.

Hospital ship Comfort (AH-6), fully illuminated in accordance with the dictates of the Geneva Convention, is bombed 22 miles southeast of Leyte.

Tank landing ship LST-695 is damaged by Japanese submarine I-56 in Philippine Sea, west of Mindanao, 08°31'N, 128°34'E.

Destroyer escort Richard M. Rowell (DE-403) sinks Japanese submarine I-54, 70 miles east of Surigao, 09°45'N, 126°45'E.

Submarine Besugo (SS-321) damages Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.132 south of Ashizuri Saki, Japan, 30°19'N, 132°49'E.

Submarine Croaker (SS-246) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Mikage Maru and passenger/cargo ship Gassan Maru southwest of Quelpart Island, 33°00'N, 125°49'E.

Submarine Darter (SS-227), damaged by grounding on Bombay Shoal, Palawan Passage, P.I. is scuttled by submarines Nautilus (SS-168) and Dace (SS-247) to avoid the boat's falling into enemy hands.

Submarine Kingfish (SS-234) sinks Japanese cargo ship Ikutagawa Maru east of Chichi Jima, 27°08'N, 143°13'E.

Submarine Shark (SS-314) is sunk, probably by Japanese destroyer Harukaze, in Luzon Strait, 20°41'N, 118°27'E.24

Submarine Snook (SS-279) sinks army cargo ships Arisan Maru, 20°54'N, 118°19'E, and No.1 Shinsei Maru, 20°10'N, 118°17'E. Merchant tanker Kikusui Maru sinks as the result of damage inflicted by Snook the day before, 19°46'N, 118°30'E.

Submarine Tang (SS-306) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Ebara Maru in Formosa Strait, 25°03'N, 119°35'E, and damages tanker Matsumoto Maru, 25°04'N, 119°35'E, but is herself sunk by the circular run of one of her own torpedoes, 25°06'N, 119°31'E.

TF 38 planes damage Japanese light cruiser Kinu and destroyer Uranami at Manila, and sink Japanese army ore carrier Fuyukawa Maru off Luzon, 16°30'N, 120°15'E.

USAAF aircraft sink army cargo ship Taimei Maru off Sandakan, Borneo, 05°50'N, 118°07'E.

Mediterranean
Motor torpedo boats patrolling off Monte Grosso attack five south-bound targets, firing six torpedoes. No definite claims are made.

Destroyer Woolsey (DD-437) and British destroyer HMS Fortune sink two abandoned German explosive boats 16 miles off Cap Ferrat; Woolsey and minesweeper Sway (AM-120) recover prisoners.

Pacific
Battle for Leyte Gulf continues as TG 77.2 (Rear Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf), augmented by TG 77.3 (Rear Admiral Russell S. Berkey) and TG 70.1 (39 motor torpedo boats) execute the classic maneuver of "crossing the tee" of the Japanese "Southern Force" (Vice Admiral Nishimura Shoji and Vice Admiral Shima Kiyohide) in the Battle of Surigao Strait. TG 70.1 begins the action against the Japanese ships. PT-137 torpedoes light cruiser Abukuma, but PT-493 is sunk by enemy secondary battery gunfire, 10°15'N, 125°23'E. DESRON 54 (Captain Jesse G.Coward) then attacks; McDermut (DD-677) sinks destroyer Yamagumo, 10°25'N, 125°20'E, and damages destroyers Asagumo and Michisio. Subsequently, light cruiser Denver (CL-58) sinks Asagumo at entrance of Surigao Strait, 10°04'N, 125°21'E. DESRON 24 (Captain Kenmore M. McManes) enters the fray and Hutchins (DD-476) (McManes's flagship) sinks Michisio, 10°25'N, 123°25'E; DESRON 56 (Captain Roland M. Smoot) attacks; Albert W. Grant (DD-649) is damaged by both friendly and Japanese gunfire at this phase of the battle, 10°27'N, 125°25'E. Two Australian warships take part in this fleet action--heavy cruiser HMAS Shropshire (in TG 77.3) and destroyer HMAS Arunta (in DESRON 24)--that see the destruction of battleships Fuso and Yamashiro, 10°25'N, 125°20'E. Heavy cruiser Mogami and destroyer Shigure are damaged.

Meanwhile, the "Center Force" (Vice Admiral Kurita Takeo), which includes four battleships and five heavy cruisers, having passed into the Philippine Sea during the night, surprises TG 77.4 (Rear Admiral Thomas L.Sprague) off Samar. Kurita's force wreaks havoc on the six escort carriers, three destroyers, and four destroyer escorts of TU 77.4.3 (northernmost carrier force) (Rear Admiral Clifton A. F. Sprague). In this battle, which becomes a precipitate flight in the face of an overwhelming enemy force, Kurita's ships inflict severe damage but emerge bloodied by the Homeric efforts of the "small boys" (destroyers and destroyer escorts) and planes from the escort carriers that compel Kurita to retire, inexplicably, without destroying the CVEs and their consorts in detail. In the Battle off Samar, Japanese surface gunfire sinks destroyers Hoel, 11°46'N, 126°33'E; Johnston, 11°46'N, 126°09'E; and destroyer escort Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413), 11°40'N, 126°20'E; and damages destroyer Heermann (DD-523), 11°40'N, 126°15'E; and destroyer escort Dennis (DE-405), 11°40'N, 126°20'E. Johnston damages heavy cruiser Kumano.

Japanese surface gunfire (either battleship Haruna or Kongo) straddles escort carrier White Plains (CVE-66), 11°40'N, 126°20'E, St.Lo (CVE-63), and Kitkun Bay (CVE- 71) but scores no direct hits. Heavy cruisers Chikuma, Haguro, and Chokai; light cruiser Noshiro; and a destroyer sink escort carrier Gambier Bay (CVE-73), 11°31'N, 126°12'E. Japanse surface gunfire also damages Fanshaw Bay (CVE-70) and Kalinin Bay (CVE-68), 11°40'N, 126°20'E; the latter claims one hit on a Japanese heavy cruiser with her single 5-inch gun. Navy carrier-based aircraft damage battleships Kongo (from near-misses) and Yamato and heavy cruisers Chikuma, Chokai, and Suzuya.

Subsequently, Japanese planes attack escort carriers of TU 77.4.1 (Rear Admiral Thomas L. Sprague). Suwannee (CVE-27) is damaged by kamikazes, 09°45'N, 126°42'E, and Santee (CVE-29) by suicide plane and Japanese submarine I-56, 09°45'N, 126°20'E. Kamikazes near-miss Sangamon, 09°45'N, 126°42'E, and Petrof Bay (CVE-80). Destroyer escort Richard M. Rowell is damaged by strafing, 10°05'N, 127°10'E.

Following its ordeal off Samar, TU 77.4.3 (Rear Admiral Clifton A.F. Sprague) comes under Japanese air attack. Kamikazes sink St.Lo, 11°13'N, 126°05'E, and damage Kalinin Bay and Kitkun Bay, 11°10'N, 126°20'E. At the same time, in the Battle off Cape Engano, carrier aircraft from the Third Fleet (Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr.) strike the Japanese "Northern Force" (Vice Admiral Ozawa Jisaburo). Planes from carriers Essex and Lexington sink carrier Zuikaku 220 nautical miles east-northeast of Cape Engano, 19°20'N, 125°51'E, and carrier Chitose 235 nautical miles east of Cape Engano, 19°20'N, 125°20'E; carrier Chiyoda, damaged by planes from carriers Lexington and Franklin and small carrier Langley, is sunk by heavy cruisers New Orleans and Wichita and light cruisers Santa Fe and Mobile (CL-63) 260 nautical miles southeast of Cape Engano, 18°37'N, 126°45'E. Carrier Zuiho is sunk by planes from Essex, Franklin, Lexington, Enterprise, and small carrier San Jacinto east-northeast of Cape Engano, 19°20'N, 125°51'E.

U.S. aircraft, during the Battle for Leyte Gulf, damage Japanese battleships Yamato and Nagato and heavy cruiser Myoko in San Jose Strait; battleship Haruna, east of Samar; light cruiser Yahagi off Leyte; destroyer Kiyoshimo off Leyte. Heavy cruiser Chikuma, damaged by carrier-based aircraft (TU 77.4.2) off Samar, is scuttled by destroyer Nowaki, 11°22'N, 126°16'E; heavy cruiser Suzuya, damaged by carrier- based aircraft off Samar, is scuttled by destroyer Okinami, 11°50'N, 126°25'E; heavy cruiser Chokai, damaged by carrier-based aircraft (TU 77.4.2) off Samar, is scuttled by destroyer Fujinami, 11°26'N, 126°15'E; heavy cruiser Mogami, damaged by heavy cruisers Minneapolis, Portland (CA-33), Louisville (CA-28), light cruisers Columbia (CL-56) and Denver, and collision with heavy cruiser Nachi, south of Bohol Island, P.I., is scuttled by destroyer Akebono, 09°40'N, 124°50'E; light cruiser Tama is sunk by aircraft from Essex and Lexington and submarine Jallao (SS-368), east of Luzon Strait, 21°23'N, 127°19'E; destroyer Hatsuzuki is sunk by the gunfire of four heavy cruisers and twelve destroyers east north-east of Cape Engano, 20°24'N, 126°20'E.

Japanese air attacks continue against shipping off Leyte: U.S. freighter Adoniram Judson is attacked by Japanese planes off Tacloban; Armed Guard gunners claim splashing six. One bomb explodes close aboard, causing fragmentation damage and wounding two of the embarked stevedores. There are no casualties to the ship's company: 43 merchant seamen and 28 Armed Guards. Freighter John W. Foster, anchored in San Pedro Bay, is strafed; 7 of the 27-man Armed Guard, 3 of 170 embarked troops, and 1 officer, are wounded.