SATURDAY, 22 JULY 1944
ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Aleutians, 2 B-25s flying a negative
shipping search encounter a bomber which evades contact.
BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 14 P-40s attack forces in the Myitkyina area; 7 B-25s bomb the railroad at Mohnyin while 2 hit storage sheds at Maingna.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 120+ P-40s and P-51s attack the town
area, airfield, railroad yards, and shipping at Hengyang, bomb the towns of
Chaling, Yuhsien, and Chuchou, hit river shipping, troops, trucks, and targets
of opportunity in the areas around Changsha, Kiaotow, Siangtan, and Sinshih,
and hit troop compounds and shipping at Yuhsien; 25 B-24s bomb Changsha, causing
heavy damage; and 31 P-40s and P-51s blast Tsingyun and strafe about 40 junks
to the S of town. 4 P-40s sink several large junks off the NE French Indochina
coast.
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): P-47s from Saipan, using
napalm-bombs for the first time hit Tinian and Pagan. Makin based B-25s pound Ponape.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s attack
the airfield on Yap. B-24s, B-25s, A-20s, and an assortment
of fighter-bombers direct their main attacks against several shipping terminals
on the Vogelkop Peninsula area, sink a submarine chaser off Morotai,
bomb Saumlakki on Tanimbar Island, and hit But
Airfield and personnel areas, barge hideouts,
supply and ammunition dumps, bridges and roads at, and to the west of Wewak;
Headquarters (HQ), 35th Fighter Group moves from Gusap to Owi;
and 19th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 22d Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves
from Nadzab to Owi with B-24s. A-20s strike Kokas captured in a dramatic series of four photographs A-20G "Bavo" 43-9432 is shot down and crashes into the sea. The series of photographs later appears in TIME Magazine captioned "Death of an A-20".
RAAF: At 7:20am, two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) No. 31 Squadron Beaufighters strafed the runway area low level including Beaufighter A19-189 pilot S/Ldr Boyd and Beaufighter A19-184 with Beaufighter A19-159 pilot F/L Archer arriving later and not strafing.Over the runway at 7:20am, Boyd observed 15-20 Japanese personnel standing on the runway that were strafed. At the western end of the runway facing east ready for take off was a twin engine aircraft identified a Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF) Ki-57 Topsy that was strafed, set on fire and destroyed. At least six personnel were killed and the rest ran for cover. Also two trucks were observed at the southern end of the runway and large grass fires in the vicinity. Over the target heavy and light anti-aircraft fire that was moderate and accurate was reported. Excellent photographs were taken of aircraft under attack and fires burning afterwards.
USN: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt embarks aboard USS Baltimore (CA-68) bound for Pearl Harbor to meet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz and General Douglas MacArthur and focus attention on the Pacific campaign and encourage American armed forces that the President is devoting his personal attention to the Pacific War.
USMC: On Guam, Marines repel counterattacks on both beachheads and then expand them toward final beachhead line. 3d Mar Div thrusts salient 1,000 yards inland toward Mt. Chachao and seizes Piti Navy Yard; in shore-to-shore operation, elements begin clearing Cabras I. 1st Prov Mar Brig, reinf by RCT 305, gains Mt. Alifan and final beachhead line on S flank of corps. Gen Geiger orders 1st Prov Mar Brig to clear Orote Peninsula upon relief by 77th Div. Advance party of 306th Inf, which is to accomplish the relief, arrives to prepare for landing of rest of the regt.
The 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, reached the summit of Mt. Alifan on Guam.
U.S. Army: In Aitape area, 2d Bn of 169th Inf, 43d Div, moves to right of 124th Inf, North Force, along the Driniumor River. Japanese make unsuccessful attacks against North Force in effort to regain crossing of the Driniumor River. Enemy continues active in Afua area. Efforts to relieve isolated Tr C, 112th Cav, are futile, and South Force is obliged to refuse its right flank, leaving Afua to enemy and Tr C isolated. Private Donald R. Lobaugh earns the Medal of Honor, posthumously. On Biak, after air and arty preparation, 2 cos of 163d Inf attack Ibdi Pocket and clear it without serious opposition.
