February 11, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SUNDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 1945

Yalta: The Argonaut Conference attended by President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Churchill, and Russian Premier Stalin concludes.

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Seven B-24s take off on an air cover mission for a Naval Task Force but only three reach them.

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 17 B-25s hit railroad yards at Sinyang and Lohochai and a locomotive foundry at Hsuchang; Twenty-three P-47s pound Hankow Airfield; Eight fighters hit Anyang Airfield and Pinghan railroad targets of opportunity; B-24s claim 2 cargo vessels sunk in the South China Sea.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 36: 56 of 59 B-29s bomb storage dumps around Rangoon; they claim 0-0-3 Japanese aircraft; no B-29s are lost; the mission is flown in conjunction with B-24s of the Eastern Air Command's Strategic AF which also hit the target.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 11 B-25s bomb troops and supplies at Loilem; 22 P-47s support ground forces in the Mongmit area, hitting buildings at Nabu and Japanese positions S of Myitson; 100+ fighter-bombers pound troop concentrations, supplies, ammunition dumps, gun positions, and targets of opportunity at several locations including Pangsang, Taung-gaing, Panghsapye, Nampok, Byaungbyan, Manai, Kutkai, Mongmit, Namun, and Pangmakhe-leng. Transports complete 503 sorties to forward bases and over frontline areas (dropping supplies).

AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 21 B-24s from Saipan operating in 2 separate forces, bomb airfields and defenses on Iwo Jima; Three B-24 on armed reconnaissance bomb Marcus. Twenty-five B-24s based on Angaur Airfield bomb Corregidor. During the night of 11/12 Feb, 10 B-24s from Saipan fly individual harassment strikes against Iwo Jima.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 30: 9 B-29s from the Mariana carry out a reconnaissance mission for the US Navy; 1 returns early; the area covers 135-OOE to 148-OOE to 30-OON.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s attack Corregidor almost continuously throughout the day; fighter-bombers support ground forces blasting numerous targets from Cauringan to Taytay and at Wawa, Montalban, Antipolo, and Marikina. P-47s blast a train NE of Heito. B-24s fly a light strike against Bago on Negros. The 388th Bombardment Squadron and 389th Bombardment Squadron, 312th Bombardment Group moves from San Jose to Mangaldan with A-20s. Lost is B-25D "Little Joe" 42-87281 pilot 2nd Lt. Walter K. Barber crashed while landing.

RAAF: Lost is Beaufort A9-599 pilot P/O Clyde S. J. Warbrook (MIA).

U.S. Army: On Luzon in the U.S. Sixth Army's XIV Corps area, 11th A/B Div presses northward toward Manila against decreasing resistance, reaching Pasay, a suburb, and clearing part of Nichols Field; makes patrol contact with 8th Cav outpost. To N, 37th Div and 1st Cav Div continue to clear Manila. In I Corps area, 161st Inf of 25th Div is ordered to advance from San Isidro area toward Puncan. 1st Bn is to move to Balaho and establish observation posts commanding Highway 5. 3d Bn of 127th Inf, 32d Div, begins drive up Villa Verde Trail but is forced back to starting point. For next few days, action in that region is confined to probing by both sides. XI Corps has advanced sufficiently against the Zigzag for 151st Inf to be released.

U. S. Navy: Joint Expeditionary Force begins final rehearsals for Iwo Jima operation, off W coast of Tinian in the Marianas.

Task Force 92 (TF 92) under Rear Admiral John F. McCrea, comprising three light cruisers and seven destroyers, arrives off Matsuwa Island Kurils, to conduct bombardment, but encounters heavy weather that would make high- speed retirement impossible; the operation is accordingly cancelled and the ships return to Attu on 14 February.

Marianas-based USAAF B-29s carry out extended search missions to look for Japanese guardboats in the path of TF 58 as it steams toward Japan, augmented by Tinian- based PB4Ys and planes from the carriers. These searches will be repeated on 12 and 14 February.

LST-577 is torpedoed by Japanese submarine RO-50 while in a reinforcement convoy proceeding from Hollandia to Leyte, 08°05'N, 126°17'E, is scuttled by destroyer Isherwood (DD-520). During the engagement, RO-50 is damaged by gunfire from U.S. ships.

Fleet tug Takelma (ATF-113) is damaged by collision east of Leyte, P.I., 10°50'N, 125°25'E.

Submarine Batfish (SS-310) sinks Japanese submarine RO 112 off Camiguin, P.I., 18°53'N, 121°50'E.

Submarine Burrfish (SS-312) is damaged by depth charges and aerial bombs off Bonins, 27°51'N, 141°55'N, but remains on patrol.

Japanese escort destroyer Miyake is damaged by aircraft, 19°08'N, 108°15'E.

Japanese fast transport T.13 is damaged by aircraft, Bonins. USAAF aircraft sink Japanese cargo vessel Shoto Maru, Saigon, French Indochina.