SATURDAY, 10 FEBRUARY 1945
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, HQ 308th Bombardment Group moves from Kunming to Hsinching; the 35th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, based at Chanyi with F-5s, sends a flight to operate from Chengkung (another flight is at Chihkiang).
Burma: In NCAC area, Myitson falls to Br 36th Div troops. In Br Fourteenth Army's 4 Corps area, E African 28th Brig takes Seikpyu.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 5 B-25s destroy the Laihka Bridge; 4 others hit the Namsang Bridge, with poor results; 9 P-47s knock
out approaches to the Pa-mao Bridge while 8 others destroy half of the bridge
at Inailong; 15 P-47s support ground forces in the Mongmit area, concentrating on Japanese positions S of Myitson; 76 fighter-bombers attack troops and supply areas at Panglong, Namsangsok, Namtu, Kutkai, Mong Yaw, Mongmit, Ho-mong, Man Pwe, Namsam, and Loiya. Again transports fly 500+ sorties to forward areas.
AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Ten B-24s from Guam bomb Okimura on Haha Jima. Lost is B-24L "Royal Flush" 44-41465 (MIA). Six P-38s escort a photo mission and fly fighter a sweep over Iwo Jima. Seventeen B-24s from Guam,
with P-38 escort, pound Iwo Jima in
the late afternoon, and nine B-24s make single bomber harassment strikes on the during the night of 10/11 Feb.
HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 29: 118 B-29s from the Mariana are dispatched to hit the Nakajima aircraft plant at Ota, Japan; 84 hit the primary target and 14 hit other targets; they claim 21-15-26 Japanese aircraft; 12 B-29s are lost.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Brigadier General Frederick H Smith Jr. becomes Commanding General V Fighter Command. On Luzon, B-24s again blast Japanese gun positions while P-51s and P-38s, supporting ground forces hit communications targets in the Bayambang-Santa Fe area, while B-25s in the area blast villages where vehicles are hidden; B-24s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers completely saturate the S part of Bataan Peninsula with bombs during morning and afternoon attacks, thoroughly pummelling defenses and forces. P-47s on a fighter sweep over Formosa claim 10 aerial victories. HQ, 312th Bombardment Group and the 386th Bombardment Squadron and 387th Bombardment Squadron move from Tanauan to Mangaldan with A-20s.
U.S. Army: Samar Task Force (consisting largely of 1st Bn of 182d Inf, Americal Div, and guerrillas) is formed under Brig Gen L. H. Slocum, Americal Div CG. GHQ SWPA establishes boundary between U.S. Sixth and Eighth Armies. Sixth Army is responsible for Luzon and Eighth for all islands to S--about two thirds of land area of the Philippines.
On Luzon, 33d Div arrives from Morotai. In U.S. Sixth Army's XIV Corps area, opposition in S Manila is so stubborn and losses to 37th Div are so great that it is decided to increase volume of arty bombardment. 129th and 148th Regts, 37th Div, reach line Estero de Tonque-Estero de Paco. 1st Cav Div regroups, committing 112th Cav RCT along line of communications to permit 12th Cav to move into Rosario Heights. Div expands positions S of the Pasig and makes patrol contact with 37th Div near Paco Station. In center of 40th Div zone, 160th Inf finds that Japanese have abandoned McSevney Pt and pushes on toward final objective, Object Hill, gaining positions on Snake Hill West and Scattered Trees Ridge. In I Corps area, 3d Bn of 127th Inf, 32d Div, relieves 2d Bn on Villa Verde Trail. In U.S. Eighth Army area, as 11th A/B Div continues to clear enemy positions around Nichols Field it is transferred to command of XIV Corps, Sixth Army, and directed to maintain pressure on the airfield and determine location of enemy positions near the field and at Cavite.
On Leyte, X Corps takes command of tactical operations on Leyte and Samar. 92d Div (PA) is attached to Americal Div to help mop up. XXIV Corps closes in staging areas on east coast of Leyte.
U.S. Navy: Lost is SC-1 Seahawk 35362 pilot Lt. Everett N. Frothingham (MIA).
Japanese suicide swimmers attempt an attack against surveying ship Hydrographer (AGS-2) in Schonian Harbor, Palaus.
Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.33 and escort destroyer Mikura are damaged in collision in Formosa Straits, 23°51'N, 117°52'E.
USMC: Task Force 58 (TF 58) from Ulithi-including Marine Fighter Squadrons 123, 216, 217, 212, and 451 on board large carriers- attacked Tokyo (16, 17, and 25 February), furnished air support for the Iwo Jima Landing forces (beginning 19 February), and participated in a series of strikes on Okinawa.
