January 23, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology
TUESDAY, 23 JANUARY 1945
ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): A B-24 flies a reconnaissance sortie along the east coasts of Onnekotan and Matsuwa. Four B-24s strike Kakumabetsu cannery and targets on Paramushiru while 8 to 10 fighters intercept and the B-24s claim 2 victories; 1 B-24 is lost.
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 40 P-51s and P-40s on armed reconnaissance attack targets of opportunity (mainly river, road, and rail traffic) at several locations in both S China and in the N China plain, including the Wanting, Suchow and Yuankiang areas, the lower Tungting Lake region, points between Kiaotow and Kweiyi, and points as far north as Peking.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 B-25s bomb airfields
at Aungban and Hsumhsai; 34 P-47s support ground forces near Namhkam and along the Irrawaddy River in the the Twinnge and Bahe areas; 55 P-47s and P-38s
hit troop concentrations, storage areas and vehicles at Kawngwang, Sati, Kyaukme, Wengnan, Hko-lawng, Lothke, and Panglaw. Transports fly 542 sorties, carrying men and supplies to advanced bases and drop supplies to troops in frontline areas. In Burma, the 88th Fighter Squadron, 80th Fighter Group, moves from Shingbwiyang to Myitkyina with P-47s. The detachment of the 166th Liaison Squadron (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, operating from Arakan, Burma with UC-64s and L-5s, returns to base at Asansol.
AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 12 B-24s from Saipan bomb Iwo Jima airfields. 3 from Guam fly armed reconnaissance over Woleai, 2 of them bombing the main runway on the island. During the night of 23/24 Jan, 10 B-24s from Saipan strike Iwo Jima singly at about 45-minute intervals.
HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 22: 73 B-29s of the XXI Bomber Command are dispatched to bomb the Mitsubishi engine plant at Nagoya; 28
hit the primary and 27 hit the secondary target, the urban area of the city;
9 bomb other alternates and targets of opportunity; an estimated 600+ fighters offer heavy and aggressive opposition; the AAF claims 33-22-40 Japanese aircraft; Two B-29s are lost including: B-29 "Homing De-Vice" 42-24785 (MIA).
RAAF: Lost due to an aerial collision over Amuli are Beaufort A9-626 (KIA) and Beaufort A9-627 (KIA).
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA: During the night
of 22/23 Jan, B-24s again hit Formosa in force, bombing an aluminum factory
at Takao. In the day's principal missions against Luzon, B-24s bomb Baguio and,
along with A-20s hit Corregidor other A-20s attack Aparri Airfield while
fighter-bombers hit a bridge at Digdig, luggers S of Alcala, guns on Grande at the mouth of Subic Bay, a bridge over the Magata River, and the base at Camp John Hay. B-24s hit Silay Airfield.
U.S. Army: On Luzon, in U.S. Sixth Army's XIV Corps area, 40th Infantry Division (40th ID), 160th Infantry Regiment (160th IR) advancing southward along Route 3 liberates Bamban Airfield without opposition. By afternoon, small groups of Japanese defending Bamban are eliminated and they gain a crossing over Bamban River. Moving to left of 160th, 108th seizes Concepcion. Rcn elements S of Concepcion drive off enemy force at Magalang. In I Corps area, 2d Bn of 169th Inf, 43d Div, continues to meet strong resistance on Hill 355. From Hill 600, 3d Bn of 103d Inf moves back to Pozorrubio; 2d Bn advances to Bobonan. 172d Inf gains ridge at west edge of Pugo Valley.
In the Camotes Islands, 7th Div Task Force clearing Poro runs into opposition on Hill 854.
U.S. Navy: President Franklin D. Roosevelt embarks aboard USS Quincy (CA-71) at Newport News and starts the voyage to participate in the Argonaut Conferences at Malta and Yalta.
Destroyer escort Conklin (DE-439), supported by sisterships Corbesier (DE-438) and Raby (DE-698) sinks Japanese submarine I 48 (fresh from her unsuccessful kaiten mission to Ulithi), 25 miles off Yap, 09°45'N, 138°20'E.
Submarine Barb (SS-220) enters Namkwan harbor, China, and despite her claim that she sinks three ships, "probably" sinks a fourth, and damages two more, she actually destroys only a single vessel, merchant cargo ship Taikyo Maru, 27°04'N, 120°27'E.
Submarine Nautilus (SS-168) delivers supplies to east coast of Mindanao.
Submarine Sennet (SS-408) sinks Japanese guardboat No.7 Kainan Maru in Hangchow Bay, China, 30°00'N, 120°16'E.
Mines laid by RAF Liberators the previous day sink Japanese merchant tanker No.1 Hozan Maru and cargo ship Nikkaku Maru south of Sembilan Island off Sumatra, 04°08'N, 98°15'E.
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