October 28, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 28 OCTOBER 1944

AMERICAN ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 8 B-25s fly cover for a naval task force.

Burma: In NCAC area, 713th Regt of Ch 38th Div encounters patrols from enemy's OPL along Taping River near Bhamo but routs them in order to reach the river at Myothit. 112th and 114th Regts are to make wide enveloping maneuver in order to turn the enemy line.

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, fighters strafe villages, troops, and horses in the Menghsu-Konghow area, pound bridges around Kaotienhsu, and hit Yangtong Airfield and shipping at Hongay, French Indochina and Wuchou.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 80+ fighter-bombers pound numerous targets including town areas, troops, railroad facilities, and a variety of targets of opportunity at Mannaun, Manoi, Sinkan, Winwa, Man Mao, Myazedi, Pinwe, Naba, Yebawgyi, and Kangon.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Saipan bomb Haha Jima while others, from Guam hit Yap. Saipan based P-47s bomb Pagan. In Hawaii, the 6th Night Fighter Squadron, VII Fighter Command, moves from John Rodgers Airport to Kipapa Field with P-47s and P-61s (a detachment is operating from Saipan).

(Twentieth Air Force): Marianas based XX Bomber Command flies its first combat mission when fourteen B-29s attack submarine pens on Dublon; 4 others, 1 carrying Brigadier General Haywood S Hansell, Jr, Commanding General XXI Bomber Command, abort; about a third of the bombs fall in the general target area.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s fighting bad weather, bomb Puerto Princesa Airfield. During the night of 28/29 Oct, B-24s bomb the Wilhelmina Docks area on Celebes. B-25s and P-38s blast town of Amboina. Headquarters (HQ), 475th Fighter Group moves from Biak to Dulag.

U.S. Army: U.S. Sixth Army: In X Corps area, 1st Bn of 34th Inf, 24th Div, followed by 2d Bn, drives through Alangalang to Mainit River and dislodges enemy from steel bridges spanning it. 3d Bn makes contact with 79th Inf S of Santa Fe. 1st Bn, 79th Inf, blocks road N of Binahaan River near Macalpe; 2d establishes perimeter at Tingib. 1st Cav Div regroups: 1st Sq of 12th Cav moves to Castilla to relieve 24th Div of responsibility for rear areas so that latter may drive on Jaro; 2d Cav Brig is ordered to advance on Carigara; 2d Sq of 8th Cav is to establish base at San Miguel, secure Cavite, and patrol as far N and NW as Barugo road, maintaining contact with 1st Sq, 7th Cav; 1st Sq of 7th Cav, while holding positions at Santa Cruz and Babatngon, is to concentrate in Barugo-Carigara area and patrol S and SE. Tr C of 7th Cav moves by water from Babatngon to Barugo and overland to Carigara, where prolonged fire fight ensues; withdraws to Barugo late in afternoon. In XXIV Corps area, 2d Bn of 382d Inf, 96th Div, finishes clearing Tabontabon and continues toward Kiling. 381st Inf begins attack on E slopes of Catmon Hill at noon. 2d Bn gets almost to Labir Hill, but 1st receives such accurate fire at foot of the hill that it pulls back to vicinity of line of departure. 2d Bn of 32d Inf, 7th Div, is alerted for drive on Abuyog on 29th. 3d Bn is ordered to Guinarona. 17th Inf makes slow progress toward Dagami. 2d Bn, in the lead, suffers heavy casualties. Two Americans earned the Medal of Honor, posthumously. Pfc Leonard C. Brostrom and Pfc John F. Thorson.

U.S. Navy: TG 38.4 (Rear Admiral Ralph E. Davison) bomb Japanese shipping near Cebu, damaging landing ship T.101 off Ormoc, Leyte, 11°00'N, 123°00'E.

Destroyer escort Dempsey (DE-26), assisted by tank landing craft LCT-406, sinks a Japanese torpedo- carrying craft off the main unloading beach, Peleliu. U.S. freighter United Victory is damaged by gunfire from Japanese surface craft; there are no casualties to United Victory's complement, which includes a 27- man Armed Guard.

Destroyer Helm (DD-388), assisted by Gridley (DD-380) and TBF from USS Belleau Wood (CVL- 24), sinks Japanese submarine I-46, 120 miles northeast of Surigao, 10°56'N, 127°13'E.

Light cruiser USS Denver (CL-58) is damaged by a bomb off Leyte at Lat 10°57'N, Long 125°02'E. During Japanese air attack on U.S. shipping in San Pedro Bay off Leyte, freighter Cape Romano is damaged by bombs exploding close aboard; bomb fragments injure two of the 26-man Armed Guard and two of the 47-man merchant complement.

Destroyer escort Eversole (DE-404) is torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-45 off Leyte, 10° 18'N, 127° 37'E; I-45, however, is in turn sunk by destroyer escort Whitehurst (DE-634) 120 miles east-northeast of Surigao, 10°10'N, 127°28'E.

Netlaying ship Viburnum (AN-57) is damaged by mine at Ulithi.

IJN: Japanese merchant tanker Baiei Maru is accidentally sunk by Japanese mine in Brunei Bay, 05°0825'N, 115°05'E.

Royal Navy: Swimmer vehicles ("Chariots") launched from British submarine HMS Trenchant (P331) sink Japanese transport Sumatra Maru in Phuket Harbor at Lat 7°54'N, Long 98°28'E.