January 31, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 31 JANUARY 1945

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, P-51s strafe targets of opportunity along the Pinghan (Hankow-Peking) railroad.

Burma: In NCAC area, plans for Sino-American attack on heights in Hpa-pen area on 2d continue, although Ch 30th Div wants it postponed until 3d. Elements of Br 36th Div moving SE toward Mongmit, reach Shweli R in Myitson area and send patrol across it.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 B-25s hit troops and stores at Namlan; 50+ P-47s attack troops and supplies at several locations including Na-mawtawng, Tawkut, Mong Long, Hsipaw, Hsenwi, and Namhpakka. Transports complete 535 sorties to forward bases and frontline areas. The 13th, 14th and 16th Combat Cargo Squadrons, 4th Combat Cargo Group, move from Agartala to Chittagong with C-46s. The 164th Liaison Squadron (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, moves from Kan to Asansol with UC-64s and L-5s.

AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 20 B-24s from Guam bomb airfields and AA defenses on Iwo Jima; during the night of 31 Jan/1 Feb, 9 more B-24s, flying single-bomber harassment strikes, hit the island. HQ 419th Troop Carrier Group is activated on Guam; no tactical squadrons or aircraft are assigned; the group's HQ had detachments on Saipan, Tinian and Angaur Airfield to operate transportation terminals that assisted in moving troops, equipment, food and mail to, and in evacuating wounded personnel from combat areas.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Brigadier General Earl W Barnes again assumes command of the XIII Fighter Command. The 157th, 159th and 160th Liaison Squadrons (Commando), 3d Air Commando Group, move from Leyte to Calasio, Mangaldan and Calasio, Luzon respectively with UC-64s and L-5s (first mission is 17 Feb and 7 Feb espectively). B-25s sink Japanese escort destroyer Ume and damage destroyer Shiokaze and escort destroyer Kaede west of Takao, Formosa, 22°30'N, 12°00'E. Lost is P-38L 44-25427 pilot 2nd Lt Francis J. Hill (MIA).

U.S. Army: On Luzon, U.S. Sixth Army, holding in reserve 32d Div, 126th Inf, 13th Armd Gp (less 44th Tank Bn), and 112th Cav RCT, begins final phase of drive on Manila. In XIV Corps area, 129th Inf of 37th Div attacks toward hill mass dubbed Top of the World about 1,300 yards from W edge of Fort Stotsenburg and gets halfway up forward slopes. 138th Inf seizes crossing sites over the Pampanga at Calumpit late in day. 1st Cav Div starts toward Manila from Guimba, employing 5th and 8th Cav Regts, each with a motorized sq spearheading. Preceding the motorized forces, Prov Rcn Sq crosses the Pampanga and takes Santa Rosa, south of Cabanatuan, without opposition. On right flank of corps, 40th Div is clearing mountains west of Clark Field and Fort Stotsenburg. In I Corps area, 20th Inf of 6th Div continues limited attack on Munoz but is unable to take it. Patrols of 25th Div find Umingan, div's next objective, strongly held by enemy. XI Corps, leaving RCT 34 to hold at Olongapo and keeping RCT 151 of 38th Div in reserve, begins drive across base of Bataan Peninsula with 152d and 149th Regts of 38th Div. 152d, taking Route 7, reaches vicinity of enemy position, called Zigzag Pass, beginning about 3 miles NE of Olongapo. 149th moves alongs trail to N without opposition.

In U.S. Eighth Army area, 188th Glider Infantry Regiment of 11th A/B Div lands at Nasugbu area after naval gunfire bombardment; takes Nasugbu, Wawa, and Lian and drives inland toward Tagaytay Ridge without opposition. So successful is this operation that 187th Gli Inf is landed at once and General Eichelberger asks Fifth Air Force to drop 511th Para Inf on February 2 instead of February 3.

7th Div Task Force finishes clearing Poro and prepares to return to Leyte.

21st Inf (-) moves from NE Mindoro, where about 135 Japanese have been killed in Pinamalayan Calapan region, to San Jose area. Leaving platoon on Marinduque, Co D, 21st Inf, returns to Mindoro.

USMC: Colonel Clayton Jerome is designated commander of the base at Mangaldan.

U.S. Navy: Task Group 78.2 (TG 78.2) under Rear Admiral William M. Fechteler lands Army troops (two RCTs of the 11th Airborne Division) at Nasugbu, south of the entrance to Manila Bay in Operation MIKE SIX; TG 77.4 under Rear Admiral William D. Sample provides cover. A third RCT of the 11th Airborne is airdropped at Tagtaytay Ridge, 14 miles inland and the three RCTs link up on 3 February. This operation, designed to outflank the enemy forces defending Manila, meets little resistance at the outset; Japanese assault demolition boats attack the screen, however, and sink submarine chaser PC-1129, the flagship for the control unit, TU 78.2.7, 14°05'N, 120°30'E.

Submarine Boarfish (SS-327) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Enki Maru 50 miles southeast of Tourane, French Indochina, 14°55'N, 109°01'E, and damages cargo ship Taietsu Maru, which is run aground (see 1 February) 14°56'N, 109°00'E.

Submarine Pargo (SS-264) damages Japanese escort vessel Manju, 11°51'N, 109°12'E.

Submarine Spadefish (SS-411) unsuccessfully attacks Japanese ship Nanshin Maru in Yellow Sea west of Ch'uja Kundo, Korea, 34°14'N, 122°36'E.

PT-338 "Gray Ghost" irreparably damaged by grounding on January 27, 1945 is destroyed by demolition squad off Semimara Island at roughly Lat 12°06'N, Long 121°23'E.

Japanese small cargo vessel No.4 Kiri Maru is sunk by mine off Cape Tavoy, Burma, 13°32'N, 98°10'E.