FRIDAY, 23 FEBRUARY 1945
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 29 B-24s and 22 fighters scheduled
to attack Shihkiachwang abort because of bad weather; Eight P-51s hit railroad
targets of opportunity near Siaokan and attack river traffic from Nanking to Hankow; Five B-24s sweep Gulf of Tonkin and South China Sea, damaging 1 vessel; 4
P-40s attack targets of opportunity in the Kaifeng area.
SEAC: At a commanders' conference in Calcutta, the decision is made to push overland toward Rangoon in Burma and not to make an amphibious assault before the monsoon.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 20+ P-47s support ground forces
in the Mongmit sector and near Lashio, hitting a Japanese concentration; 12
B-25s and 120+ fighter-bombers continue pounding troop concentrations, supply
areas, road traffic, and ammunition dumps in the frontline areas and behind
enemy lines. A large transport effort completes 655 sorties.
AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 26 B-24s from Angaur Airfield bomb San
Roque Airfield.
Two P-47s from Saipan on armed reconnaissance strafe Pagan. During the night of 23/24 February, seven B-24s from Guam fly
snooper raids against the Susaki Airfield and the town of Okimura
on Haha Jima.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Strikes supporting
ground forces continue throughout the battle zones on Luzon. In Borneo,
P-47s hit Jesselton Airfield while B-24s bomb Sandakan, Lahat
Datu, and Miri Airfields. In French Indochina, B-25s on shipping sweeps bomb
vessels in Phan Rang harbor and hit a small convoy SW of Camranh Bay. The 20th
Combat Mapping Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, based at Dulag,
ceases operating from Tacloban, Leyte with
F-7s. The 68th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group, moves from Middelburg to San Jose with P-38s. The 69th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 42d
Bombardment Group (Medium), based at Sansapor begins operating
from Morotai with
B-25s.
U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army's XIV Corps area, 37th Div begins assault on Intramuros, final enemy stronghold in Manila, at conclusion of powerful program of arty bombardment. 145th Inf enters by Quezon and Parian Gates; 3d Bn, 129th, works its way through Mint building after crossing the Pasig in assault boats. Stunned by preliminary bombardment, enemy at first offers light resistance but later rallies. 2d Cav Brig, 1st Cav Div, drives E and NE from Taytay area, meeting fire from enemy's Shimbu line. 20th Inf, 6th Div, crosses the Mariquina and takes edge of heights S of San Mateo; gives ground a little under enemy fire after nightfall. Elements of 11th A/B Div, in amphibious, overland, and airborne operation, take Japanese internment camp at Los Banos. In I Corps area, Co B of 35th Inf, 25th Div, reaches Pantabangan. 27th Inf prepares to attack strong enemy force located by patrols during the wide movement to E. On Villa Verde Trail, 127th Inf of 32d Div completes reduction of enemy positions within the bowl. In XI Corps area, Rock Force now holds W part of Corregidor. 40th Div renews attack to clear final enemy positions in Zambales Mtns of Luzon, employing 108th and 185th Regts.
In southern Luzon, in the U.S. Eighth Army area, Americans turn control of Biri over to 1st Filipino Inf and return to Samar. Japanese have lost 72 killed and Americans, 3. Verde I. attack force--reinf rifle co of 1st Bn, 19th Inf--leaves Mindoro for Verde Island.
USMC: Surface vessels, aircraft, and arty continue to support V AC closely as it attacks toward O-2 line, making main effort in center against Airfield 2. Limited progress is made on flanks, but enemy retains re-entrant in center. RCT 24, reinf by bn of RCT 25, relieves RCT 25 on 4th Mar Div right flank and gains a little ground, but RCT 21 is unable to advance except on extreme right. On left flank of corps, RCT 26 of 5th Mar Div is also slowed by heavy enemy fire. RCT 28, continuing assault on Mount Suribachi, gets elements to summit, where American flag is raised; completes circle about the mountain and is methodically eliminating enemy on slopes. 4th Mar Div CP opens ashore. 3d Mar Div, less RCT's 21 and 3, is released to corps from Expeditionary Troops Reserve but remains afloat. 2d Mar Div is designated area reserve.
A detachment from Company E, Regimental Combat Team 28, raised the American flag atop Mt. Suribachi. The volcano was encircled when elements of Company E contacted the 1st Battalion, 28th Marines, near the southern tip of the island. The 3d Marine Division (less RCT's 3 and 21) was re-leased to the V Amphibious Corps from Expeditionary Troops reserve but remained afloat.
At 10:00am Marines from Easy Company, 28th Regiment, 5th Marine Division reach the summit Mount Suribachi on on Iwo Jima. Spontaneously, they raised the first U.S. flag attached to a metal pipe found at the summit. Although small, the flag was visible from the invasion beach below and aboard warships and transports and instantly became an inspiration to every American that the U.S. had taken the high ground and was gaining the upper hand during the Battle of Iwo Jima. The first flag raising is photographed by SSgt Louis R. Lowery, USMC, staff photographer for Leatherneck Magazine. Pictured holding the metal pole is Sgt Henry O. Hansen, Pvt Philip L. Ward and Pharmacist’s Mate 2nd Class John Bradley. In the foreground Pfc J. R. Michaels stands guard holding his M-1 carbine. Standing behind him is Cpl C. W. Lindberg.
Later that day, another group of U.S. Marines climbed up to the summit of Mount Suribachi to raise a larger U.S. flag that would be more visible. The second flag raising was photographed by Associated Press (AP) photographer Joseph
Rosenthal and became one of the most iconic images of World War II and the Pacific War. Raising the second ag were six U.S. Marines: Ira Hayes, Pfc Franklin R. Sousley (KIA March 21, 1945), Sgt Michael Strank (KIA March 1, 1945), Pfc Harold Schultz (previously misidentified as John Bradley), Cpl. Harold “Pie” Keller (previously misidentified as Rene Gagnon) and Cpl Harlon Block (KIA March 1, 1945).
U.S. Navy: Motor torpedo boats sweep Coron Bay, P.I., destroying launches, lighters, a lugger, and setting fire to a large fuel dump.
Off Iwo Jima, shore batteries damage tank landing ships LST-684 and LST-792, 24°46'N, 141°19'E and medium landing ships LSM-46 and LSM-47; operational casualties damage hospital ship Solace (AH-5), motor minesweeper YMS-361, and medium landing ship LSM-92; as well as submarine chaser PC-877 and tank landing ship LST-716, 24°46'N, 141°19'E; friendly fire damages submarine chaser PCS-1461, 24°46'N, 141°19'E.
Submarine Hammerhead (SS-364) intercepts Japanese convoy, sinks escort vessel Yaku 15 miles south of Cape Varella, French Indochina, 12°42'N, 109°30'E, and eludes counterattack by Coast Defense Ship No.31.
District patrol craft YP-94, aground and damaged off Tugidak and Sitkinak Islands, Aleutians, since 17 February, breaks in two and sinks.
USAAF B-25s (Fifth Air Force) on antishipping sweep off French Indochina, attack Japanese convoy HI- 88-G and sink submarine chaser Ch 35, and damage submarine chaser Ch 20 and small tanker No.35 Nanshin Maru off Cape Padaran, 10°15'N, 107°31'E.
Japanese merchant cargo ship Bizan Maru is damaged by aircraft, 23°14'N, 116°49'E.
