January 25, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology
THURSDAY, 25 JANUARY 1945
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 21 P-51s hit rail targets and airfields in the Peking area, claiming 4 locomotives and 40 aircraft destroyed; 16 P-40s and P-51s attack railroad targets around Kaifeng, Shihkiachwang, Pengpu, and Chingmen; 42 locomotives are claimed destroyed.
Burma: In ALFSEA area, Gen Leese orders 15 Corps to develop air bases at Akyab and Kyaukpyu; open Taungup-Prome road and secure bridgehead at Taungup; clear rest of Arakan coast. W African 82d Div, driving S toward Kangaw, occupies Myohaung. In NCAC area, 113th Regt of Ch 38th Div attacks to finish opening Burma Road. Ch 30th Div is to concentrate in Hosi-Namhpakka area.
China: Gen Wedemeyer informs Chiang Kai-shek that he is sending Gen McClure to Kunming to head Chinese Combat Command.
Japan: Tokyo orders China Expeditionary Forces to concentrate on seacoast and in north China rather than to move into interior.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 24 P-47s support ground forces in the Namhkam area, near Molo, and near Myitson; Twelve B-25s pound the Heho Airfield; 80+ fighter-bombers attack troops, supplies, and targets of opportunity at Hsenwi, Loi-weng, Ho hpong, Loi Nan, Ting-yet, Mong Tat, Ho-mong, Mong Long, Pangkwai, and in the Kutkai area. Transports fly 581 sorties to forward areas.
20th AF: During the night of January 25-26, 41 of 50 B-29 bombers dispatched
from the 58th BW drop sea mines into the six approaches to Singapore Harbor and Penang.
AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 14 Saipan based B-24s bomb Iwo Jima in the afternoon; during the night of 25/26 Jan, 10 more, flying individual harassment strikes at intervals.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s hit Corregidor; B-24s, B-25s, A-20s,
and fighter-bombers on sweeps, armed reconnaissance, and small-scale strikes
hit vehicles, enemy positions, airfields, ammunition and supply dumps, barges,communications,
and targets of opportunity in general, over wide areas of Luzon and Palawan, and in the Central Philippines. During the night of 25/26 Jan, B-24s fly a harassing
raid on Takao. The 20th Combat Mapping Squadron, 6th Photographic
Reconnaissance Group, based at Dulag, begins operating from Tacloban with F-7s; the 387th Bombardment Squadron, 312th Bombardment Group moves from Tanauan to San
Jose with A-20s. Force landed is B-25D "Hawg-Mouth" 41-30222 (survived).
U.S. Army: Gen Joseph W. Stilwell is assigned as commander of Army Ground Forces, succeeding Lt Gen Ben Lear, who has been named deputy commander to Gen Eisenhower.
On Luzon, in the Sixth Army's XIV Corps area, while 160th Inf of 40th Div is working on enemy positions on hills west of Bamban, 108th moves forward to assist with local attacks on scattered pockets. 37th Div, while protecting E flank of corps, begins pushing its right flank southward: 145th Inf takes Mabalacat East Airfield and reconnoiters south to Mabalacat. In I Corps area, 103d Inf of 43d Div takes Hills 600 and 800, bypassing Hill 700. 169th clears Hill 1500, and 3d Bn of 63d Inf takes Bench Mark Hill to N. 158th continues efforts to gain ridge NW of Cataguintingan. 72d takes Hill 900, overlooking Highway 11, which leads to Baguio.
U.S. Navy: USS Greenling (SS-213) is damaged by depth charges off Nansei Shoto, 29°27'N, 130°09'E, and is forced to terminate her patrol.
USS Silversides (SS-236), despite presence of auxiliary submarine chasers Cha 90 and Cha 168, sinks Japanese army cargo ship Malay Maru, 31°18'N, 130°08'E.
USMC: The first planes, from Marine Scout Bomber Squadron 133 (VMSB-133) and Marine Scout Bomber Squadron 241 (VMSB-241) arrive at Mangaldan Airfield as part of Marine Aircraft Groups, Dagupan to provide close air support for U.S. Army operations on Luzon.
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