January 13, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology
SATURDAY, 13 JANUARY 1945
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): Six B-25s blast 6 storage buildings at Kengtung, China. 3 others damage a bridge at Hawng Luk, Burma. In China,
31 P-51s, P-38s, and P-40s hit targets of opportunity in the Wanting area; 16 P-51s hit targets of opportunity around Shanhsien, Chiatsochen, and Chaling.
Burma: In ALFSEA area, 15 Corps strengthens Myebon bridgehead. Ind 25th Div begins landing.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 10 fighter-bombers hit Aungban Airfield while 4 others support ground forces along the Irrawaddy River at Molo; 20+ fighter-bombers hit horses and vehicles at Hsa-ihkao, buildings at Man Ping, and troops at Mankang and Man Sang. Transports fly 556 sorties to forward areas. The detachment of the 317th Troop Carrier Squadron (Commando), 2d Air Commando Group, operating from Dinjan C-47s, returns to base at Kalaikunda.
AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Fourteen Saipan based B-24s hit an airfield on Iwo Jima. Two B-24s from Guam and Saipan again raid the airfields on the night of 13/14 Jan.
MALAYA: Three B-29 bombers crashed in Negeri Sembilan. One at Rembau,
one at Port Dickson and another ditching into the South China off Kepas.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s hit
the Tarlac barracks and storage area, Batangas Airfield, and troop concentrations at San Juan, Del Monte, Muzon, and San Vicente, P-47s fly
a sweep from Laguna de Bay to Tarlac, destroying parked aircraft and vehicles and A-20s hit the town of Batangas and nearby railroads and highways, and bomb
Lucena Airfield and Calingatan Airfield. Also the N Luzon area is hit throughout the day by small raids. HQ 18th Fighter Group and the 12th Fighter Squadron move from Sansapor to Lingayen Airfield with P-38s (the 12th has been operating from Morotai since
Nov 44).
U.S. Army: Major enemy air attacks on the Luzon Attack Force in Lingayen Gulf come to an end with only scattered strikes. On Luzon, In U.S. Sixth Army area General Walter Krueger takes command ashore. In XIV Corps area, elements of 185th Inf, 40th Div, move along coast of Lingayen Gulf to site chosen for seaplane base in Cabalitan Bay and find that Allied Naval Forces have already secured it without enemy interference. Wawa falls to elements of 37th Div. In I Corps area, 6th Div gains its holding line, Malisiqui-Catablan-Torres. In 43d Div zone, RCT 158 takes Damortis without a struggle. Attacking from Alacan area, 63d Inf gets about halfway to Hill 363, its first objective. Hills 580 and 318 are practically cleared by 172d and 169th Regts, respectively.
U.S. Navy: Japanese kamikaze attacks against Lingayen Gulf invasion shipping culminate in a suicide plane crashing and damaging escort carrier USS Salamaua (CVE-96) at Lat 17°09'N, Long 119°21'E.
Destroyer escort Fleming (DE-32) sinks Japanese submarine I 362 320 miles north-northeast of Truk, 12°08'N, 154°27'E.
Open lighter YC-912 founders in heavy weather, North Pacific Ocean.
RAAF: Force landed is Spitfire A58-419 pilot F/Sgt Edmond M. Stevenson (POW).
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