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January 18, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 18 JANUARY 1945

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Three B-24s fly an unsuccessful reconnaissance mission to Kurabu Airfield on Paramushiru; one of the B-24s force lands on the return trip in the USSR.

In NCAC area, U.S. 5332d Brig gains hold on Loi-kang ridge, commanding Burma Road, and gets arty into position to fire on the road. Japanese move reinforcements to Namhpakka area.

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 29 B-24s bomb and 25 P-40s pound shipping and railroad targets at Hong Kong; 7 B-25s bomb Ishan and Chinchengchiang, 4 B-25s and 12 P-40s hit shipping in the Puchi area, 4 B-25s bomb the town of Wanting, and 2 hit troop compounds at Chaling. 11 B-25s and 12 fighter-bombers attack Phu Lang Thuong, French Indochina. About 140 P-51s, P-40s, and P-38s on armed reconnaissance over southern China from the Burma boundary to Hong Kong attack a huge variety of targets of opportunity.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 23 P-47s and P-38s hit Anisakan and Hsumhsai Airfields; 12 B-25s bomb the airfield at Nawnghkio; 20+ P-47s support ground forces at Si-U and near Yenya-u and Mahlainggon; troops, supplies, and general targets of opportunity are attacked at Antawsai, Mong Nak, Namhpakka, Mong Yok, Loi-pyek, Kyawnghkam, Pangnok, and in the Namtu vicinity. 529 transport sorties are flown to forward areas. In India, the detachment of the 6th Fighter Squadron (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, operating from Cox's Bazar, India with P-47s returns to base at Asansol.

AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Nineteen Saipan based B-24s bomb targets on Chichi Jima and Haha Jima, damaging the naval base and the town of Okimura. Ten B-24s from Guam pound an airfield on Iwo Jima. During the night of 18/19 Jan, three B-24s continue snooper strikes against Iwo Jima airfields. HQ VII Fighter Command moves from Hickam Field to Ft Kamehameha.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-25s blast the Cotabato area on Mindanao . B-24s bomb targets in the Miti area, and on Luzon , B-25s hit troop concentrations at Bamban, A-20s hit warehouses and highway traffic N of Bataan, and P-38s strafe parked aircraft at Tuguegarao and vehicles at Enrile and Butigui and Calarian on Mindanao. A variety of FEAF aircraft fly small-scale raids and armed reconnaissance missions against road and rail targets, bridges, airfields, and numerous targets of opportunity throughout the Philippines. The 66th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group, on Biak begins operating from Hill Field and Dulag with C-46s and C-47s. The 67th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Biak to Tinauan with C-46s and C-47s.

IJN: Los is A6M2 31870 pilot PO Kentaro Miyagoshi (survived) ditched after a reconnassance flight.

Japanese raiding parties land on Peleliu. They attempt to damage parked aircraft at Peleliu Airfield and destroy ammunition but are not successful.

U.S. Army: U.S. Sixth Army orders XIV Corps to drive south beyond the Agno River in force from current general line Bayambang-Urbiztondo-Bogtong. In I Corps area, 1st Inf of 6th Div takes Urdaneta while 20th continues to probe into Cabaruan Hills without making contact with main enemy forces. 161st Inf, 25th Div, clears Binalonan. During the action, T/4 Laverne Parrish observed two wounded men under enemy fire and immediately went to their rescue. After moving one to cover, he crossed 25 yards of open ground to administer aid to the second. For these actions and his actions on January 24, 1945 when he was killed, he earned the Medal of Honor, posthumously. From Palacpalac, 2d Bn of 769th Inf, 43d Div, attacks through Bobonan to road junction near Sison; maintains roadblock there under strong enemy pressure. 758th and 63d Regts begin attack Blue Ridge a feature near Amlang; although progress is slow the assault regts gain contact with each other.

On Ponson, the 7th Div Task Force (3d Bn of 184th Inf, reinf) moves by sea to Poro. and establishes a beachhead.

USN: Ditched off Ormoc Bay is PV-1 Ventura 49624 pilot Lt(jg) Charles Parker (survived).

Tank landing ship LST-219 is damaged by grounding off west coast of Luzon, 16°10'N, 120°22'E.

Tank landing ship LST-752 is damaged in collision off Leyte, 11°11'N, 125°05'E.

Infantry landing craft (gunboat) LCI(G)-396 is damaged by mine in Palau.

Japanese merchant cargo ship Reizan Maru (previously damaged by 14th Air Force planes on August 31, 1944) is sunk by mine in upper Yangtze.



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