SATURDAY, 3 FEBRUARY 1945
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 B-25s attack troops and supplies at Loilem; 27 fighter-bombers support ground forces in the Molo, Hosi, and Myitson areas; 80+ fighter-bombers hit troop concentrations, supplies, town areas, tanks, and other targets at Kyaung-hen, Mongkyet, Hsipaw, Hsenwi, Na-sang, Konghsa, and Hkaihsi. Transports complete 531 sorties, landing men and supplies at advanced bases and dropping supplies
to forward troops.
Burma: Adm Mountbatten receives directive from CCS assigning the liberation of Burma as his first task and of Malaya as his next. Burma must be cleared with forces on hand unless reinforcements can be sent from Europe.
In NCAC area, 29th Brig of Br 36th Div loses contact with enemy in Twinnge area as it moves E toward Mongmit. 475th Inf, U.S. 5332d Brig, attacks to clear rest of Loi-kang ridge and makes substantial progress.
China: Japanese Army captures Namyung.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA: B-24s
again pound Corregidor and Canacao; other B-24s hit Aparri and Tuguegarao an
in the Batangas area, A-20s continue ground support missions. B-24s bomb Cebu City and surrounding targets. On Mindanao B-25s and P-38s hit Matina, Daliao and Padada. Lost is P-61A 42-5562 (pilot MIA crew rescued).
In U.S. Sixth Army area, Gen MacArthur orders Manila Bay reopened, a task that entails clearing Bataan, Corregidor, and south coast of Manila Bay in the Ternate area. In XIV Corps area, 1st Cav Div, when forward elements reach city limits of Manila, is given permission to enter and does so. 37th Div, whose progress is slower, is to clear narrow zone along waterfront. Slowed because they have to move on foot and cross numerous streams, forward elements of 37th Div are still short of Manila, at Meycauayan. 129th Inf arrives in Calumpit area. In I Corps area, 1st Inf of 6th Div pushes forward to positions S and SW of San Jose. 1st Bn of 35th Inf, 25th Div, is unable to take Lupao and 3d Bn prepares to join in attack. In XI Corps area, RCT 34, under corps control, takes over assault on Zigzag Pass from 152d Inf, 38th Div, but is up against Japanese MLR and makes little headway.
In U.S. Eighth Army area, 511th Para Inf of 11th A/B Div is dropped along Tagaytay Ridge. The parachute drops are widely scattered, but paratroopers are unopposed and make contact with 188th Inf at W end of the ridge and seize road junction at E end. With the ridge secured, plans are made to employ 511th Inf in northward advance on Manila.
U.S. Navy: Submarine Sea Robin (SS-407) damages Japanese transport Suiten Maru off Bawean Island N.E.I.
Japanese river gunboat Karatsu [ex-Luzon (PR-7)] is scuttled as blockship in Manila Bay.
Minesweeper W.102 (ex-HMS Waglan) is damaged (cause unspecified) north of Haitan Island 25°40'N, 119°50'E.
Merchant tanker No.3 Nanryu Maru is sunk by aircraft off Takao, Formosa.
RAAF: Lost is B-24L Liberator A72-88 pilot F/L A. A. Cambridge (2 killed, survivors rescued) force landed two miles west of Fenton Airfield.
RNZAF: Lost is F4U Corsair NZ5400 pilot F/Sgt Ronald E. Hallett (MIA).
USMC: In the morning, nine SBDs flew an air alert mission to fly a reconnaissance mission over Plaridel. Force landed is SBD-6 Dauntless 54769 pilot Captain G. H. Schluckebier.
