July 7, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 7 JULY 1944

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, twenty fighter-bombers hit targets of opportunity at Okkyin and Namkwin and strafe trucks near Myitkyina; and 4 B-25s attack bridges and railroad tracks at Hopin and Naba.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In the Tungting Lake area of China, B-25s and fighter-bombers hit Yoyang, Siangtan, Liling, and Yungfengshih, strafe cavalry forces N of Yuhsien, hit river shipping, troops, and a pontoon bridge at Siangsiang, attack compounds in the Leiyang area, and bomb storage at Shihshow; 10 miles (16.1 km) E of Ichang on the Yangtze River P-40s thoroughly blast a Japanese post; and B-25s and P-51s bomb Tien Ho Airfield and White Cloud Airfield and pound the town of Tsingyun.

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Twentieth Air Force): 14 B-29s, operating out of Chengtu during the night of 7/8 Jul, bomb Sasebo, Omura, and Tobata, Japan (most of the planes hitting the Sasebo area); three others attack secondary and last resort targets at Laoyao and Hankow.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): During the night of 6/7 July, P-61s carry out interceptor missions over Guam, Saipan, and Rota.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In New Guinea, B-24s and A-20s bomb Moemi Airfield and Nabire Airfield; supply dumps along the Wiske River are also attacked; a few fighter-bombers and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aircraft attack barges, gun positions, and troops along the coast in the Wewak area. B-24s bomb Yap, Sorol radio station, and the runway at Woleai Airfield. Force landed is F-5B piloted by Deutschman (survived).

U.S. Army: In the evening on Saipan, General Saitō ordered the remaining 4,300 Japanese defenders to mount a banzai charge down the western coast in a suicidal attempt to breech the American lines. Many of the Japanese attackers were ill and poorly equipped with only their bayonets tied to pole while others were unarmed. The banzai attack managed to overrun the line defended by the U.S. Army 27th Division, 105th Infantry Regiment that suffered 406 KIA and 512 WIA. During the battle, three members of the 105th earned the the Medal of Honor posthumously Lt. Col William J. O'Brien, Sgt. Thomas Baker and Captain Ben L. Salomon. Forced to pull back and form a new line at the beach, the Americans managed to defeat the attackers.