October 31, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 31 OCTOBER 1944

AMERICAN ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Four B-25s score direct hits on a cannery at Tomari Cape on Paramushiru and leave nearby buildings burning; one of two B-25s hit by AA heads for and safely lands in the USSR.

SEAC: Admiral Mountbatten, having returned to Kandy from meetings with Prime Minister Churchill at Cairo, at or near this time proposes to CCS that Phases 1 and 2 of CAPITAL be completed; Arakan and Akyab be cleared (Operations ROMULUS and TALON, respectively) in order to release main body of 15 Corps for use elsewhere; forward base on Kra Isthmus be seized in March 1945; Rangoon be taken after the 1945 monsoon; Malaya be invaded regardless of the monsoon.

India-Burma: 11 Army Group: In Br Fourteenth Army area, 4 Corps hq returns from India and opens near Imphal with Ind 19th Div under command about this time.

Burma: In NCAC area, Br 36th Div, against stiffening resistance, reaches Mawlu.

THEATER AAF, INDIA-BURMA SECTOR: The 427th Night Fighter Squadron arrives from Italy to Pandaveswar with P-61s (first mission is 23 Nov).

China: Gen Wedemeyer assumes command of U.S. Forces, China Theater. His primary task is to conduct air operations from China, with logistical support from IBT.

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): Six P-51s hit shipping targets of opportunity at Swatow and Amoy; about 70 fighters support Chinese ground forces by pounding positions in the Lungling area; 4 B-25s and 12 P-40s bomb a railroad bridge at Pengpu.

NDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Buram, 60+ P-47s attack occupied areas and supply areas at Namun, Bhamo, and Nakang, and railroad bridges, locomotive shelters, and rolling stock along the Kyaikthin-Naba line; 2 B-25s attack targets of opportunity from Katha to Bhamo along the Irrawaddy River.

AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): During the night of 31 Oct/l Nov a B-24 on a snooper mission from Saipan bombs Iwo Jima.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: P-47s and A-20s bomb Kairatoe Airfield and Saharoe village on Celebes. B-25s and P-40s hit Loloda and Soasioe in the Moluccas Islands. P-38s and A-20s concentrating on airfields, attack Samate Efman, Sagan, and Doom. Many 5th Air Force (5th AF) planes lost to all causes in the first year of the Pacific War were administratively written off on this date.

U.S. Army: U.S. Sixth Army: In X Corps area, while 3d Bn of 34th Inf, 24th Div, is engaged in clearing hill around Jaro, 2d Bn passes through in attack toward Tunga. 19th Inf protects S flank of 24th Div and blocks enemy escape routes. Elements move up to Jaro and make contact with 24th Div. In XXIV Corps area, 96th Div is mopping up Catmon Hill sector. Co G of 32d Inf, 7th Div, starts from Abuyog toward Baybay.

U.S. Navy: Submarine Gabilan (SS-252) sinks Japanese oceanographic research vessel No. 6 Kaiyo Maru off Murotosaki, Japan, 32°50'N, 134°21'E.

Submarine Guitarro (SS-363) attacks Japanese convoy and sinks cargo ship Komei Maru and army cargo ship Komei Maru off Botolan Point, Luzon, 15°17'N, 119°50'E, and although damaged by the concussion generated by the explosion of one of these two ships, remains on patrol.

USS Nautilus (SS-168) en route to Mios Woendi finishes the destruction of USS Darter (SS-227) aground on Bombay Shoal at Lat 09°26'N, Long 116°56'E since October 24, 1944 to prevent the boat from falling into enemy hands.

Submarine Sterlet (SS-392) sinks Japanese merchant tanker Takane Maru, damaged the day before by Salmon (SS-182) and Trigger (SS-237), southwest of Kyushu, 30°09'N, 132°45'E.

Motor gunboat PGM-9 bombards Japanese targets on Aguijan Island, Marianas.

Other Japanese casualties include landing ship T.131 damaged by aircraft, northeast of Panay; and auxiliary submarine chaser Uruppu Maru is sunk by aircraft near Mindoro Island.

Royal Navy: HMS Stoic sinks two Japanese sailing vessels, 07°40'S, 114°13'E, and bombards warehouses and fuel tanks at Jangka Island.