October 21, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 21 OCTOBER 1944

(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 15 P-47s damage at least 3 bridges throughout the railroad corridor in N Burma; 15 other P-47s support ground forces in the Mohnyin area, hitting gun positions and defensive works at Ywathit; 12 others attack positions and occupied areas around Bhamo and Muse, 6 knock out the Paungni River bridge, and 4 attack the town of Mawhun; about 270 sorties are flown by Tenth AF transports in the CBI. The detachments of the 5th Fighter Squadron (Commando) and 6th Fighter Squadron (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, operating from Cox's Bazar, India with P-47s, return to base at Asansol.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): Three B-25s and 130+ P-40s and P-51s attack shipping, gun positions, troop areas, bridges, town areas, road traffic, and other targets of opportunity around Yuma, Takhing, Dosing, Konghow, Shawan, Kuanyang, Kweiping, Tungpingchi, Tingka, Muse, Wan Lai-Kam, Shekpo, Menghsu, and Amoy; the 530th Fighter Squadron, 311th Fighter Group, moves from Dinjan to Kwanghan with P-51s.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 28 B-24s from Saipan bomb Iwo Jima. Two B-24s, from Guam in the first US air strike from Guam hit Yap. The 26th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 98th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) and 431st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 11th Bombardment Group (Heavy), arrive on Guam from Kwajalein Airfield with B-24s.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb Cagayan and Parepare on Celebes. B-25s and fighter- bombers hit Misami, New Guinea and blast a truck convoy near Kibawe on Mindanao. Other fighter-bombers hit Kaoe Bay supply areas; fighter-bombers hit Boela Airfield and Amboina Town. Mongosah Airfield and Sagan Airfield are also bombed. Ditched off Wai Island are seven planes including: P-47D "Santa Maria" 43-25642, P-47D 42-25417, P-47D "Tot's Terror" 42-23235, P-47 43-25636, P-47D 42-75935, P-47D 42-75893 and P-47D pilot Taylor.

The ground echelon of the 17th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment), 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group begins a movement from Biak to Leyte (air echelon operations from Biak with B-25s until November 1944); the 64th Troop Carrier Squadron, 403d Troop Carrier Group based on Biak ceases operating from Wakde with C-47s.

Japanese decide to make a strong effort to defeat Americans instead of fighting delaying action as planned.

U.S. Sixth Army: Generals Krueger, Sibert, and Hodge take command ashore of Sixth Army, X Corps, and XXIV Corps, respectively. In X Corps area, 2d Brig (7th Cav) of 1st Cav Div seizes Tacloban and S half of hill to SW; 1st Brig (12th Cav on right and 5th on left) drives W, taking Utap and Caibaan. 34th Inf, on N flank of 24th Div, undergoes determined enemy counterattack, beginning at 0100, in Pawing area. Artillery and Seventh Fleet aircraft assist after daylight in routing enemy, more than 600 of whom are killed. 2d Bn then attacks ridge to W but cannot take it. 19th Inf clears far slope of Hill 522 and, with strong fire support, takes Palo. In XXIV Corps area, 96th Div's 383d Inf begins working around Catmon Hill, which is actually a series of hill positions. 1st Bn secures Labiranan Head but, since Japanese remain in this area, pulls back to Labiranan R. 2d Bn gains positions 300 yards N of Tigbao and 3d Bn, positions 1,110 yards NE of the barrio. 382d Inf drives an Tigbao but is slowed by pillboxes as well as swampy terrain. 7th Div attacks toward Dulag and Burauen airfields with 32d and 184th Regts. 32d, against considerable opposition, gets forward elements (2d and 3d Bns) to regimental beachhead line. 184th Inf easily takes Dulag Airfield by 0900 and continues west to positions about 1,000 yards beyond beachhead line, but gap exists between it and 32d Regt.

On Angaur, Japanese opposition aside for stragglers is overcome. About 1,300 Japanese have been killed and 45 captured on Angaur to date. Total U.S. casualties through this date are 264 killed and 1,355 wounded or injured. Angaur Airfield is ready for bombers.

RAN: HMAS Australia (D84) was hit by a kamikaze.