February 24, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 1945

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Four B-25s on a shipping sweep attack the Hayakegawa River in the Kuriles. Returning, they spot and photograph a Japanese balloon bomb floating eastward.

Burma: In Br Fourteenth Army's 33 Corps area, Br 2d Div starts crossing the Irrawaddy at Ngazun, W of Mandalay, bringing swift enemy reaction. In 4 Corps area, Ind 17th Div, continuing toward Meiktila, takes Taungtha, Japanese supply base.

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): Five B-24s on individual sweeps over the South China Sea and Gulf of Tonkin claim four vessels sunk.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 38: In an all-incendiary attack, 105 of 116 B-29s hit the Empire Dock area of at Singapore Harbor, burning out about 40 per cent of the warehouse area; 1 B-29 is lost; this is the last 100-aircraft strike by the XX Bomber Command. HQ 58th Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) and HQ 468th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) begin a movement from the Hijli Base Area and Kharagpur respectively to the Marianas. Japanese report: Penang and Singapore were attacked, one B-29 was smoked on left wing and was last seen heading to Malacca Strait, it will not make it.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, eight P-47s in close support of the ground forces near Lashio pound vehicle and a troop concentration; 12 B-25s and about 125 fighter-bombers strike against targets immediately behind the lines, hitting troops, supply areas, occupied towns and villages, vehicles, and general targets of opportunity. Transports complete 600 sorties carrying men and supplies to forward areas.

AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 28 B-24s from Angaur Airfield bomb Ising on Mindanao. Three B-24s on armed reconnaissance from Guam bomb Marcus Airfield. During the night of 24/25 Feb, five B-24s out of Guam fly individual snooper strikes against Susaki Airfield and the town of Okimura.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon, strikes in support of ground forces continue, especially W of Ft Stotsenburg; fighter-bombers attack forces holding out on Corregidor; B-24s bomb Sepinggaiig Airfield and Manggar Airfield. B-25s sweep off the China coast, bombing the naval base at Ryukyu-Sho, Formosa. The 20th Combat Mapping Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group based at Dulag begins operating from San Jose with F-7s. The 390th 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 overcomes organized resistance in Intramuros. Fire is placed on last 3 strongpoints in Manila: the Legislative, Finance, and Agriculture buildings. Against increasing resistance, 2d Cav Brig, 1st Cav Div, drives toward Antipolo, reaching positions less than 2 miles from that objective. 6th Div attacks with 2 regts: 63d takes Montalban and San Isidro; 20th reaches heights S of Mataba. In I Corps area, while 35th Inf of 25th Div patrols, 1st Bn of 27th Inf continues to clear Highway 5. 2d Bn of 127th Inf, 32d Div, passes through 3d Bn in Villa Verde Trail sector. In XI Corps area, Rock Force clears all of Corregidor except 3,000 yards at E end of the island. 40th Div continues action against enemy positions in Zambales Mtns of Luzon, committing 160th Inf in assault on Sacobia Ridge.

In the southern Philippines, U.S. Eighth Army Area Command, under Maj Gen Frederick A. Irving, relieves X Corps of responsibility for closing phase of mop up on Leyte, Samar, and the Camotes. Americal Div, under control of the new command, continues operations against enemy in Villaba on Leyte and attacks to clear San Bernardino Strait. Verde I. attack force lands without opposition on NE corner of Verde I. shortly after midnight, 24-25.

USMC: The 3d Marine Division (less RCTs 3 and 21 already ashore) began landing on Beach Black. Charlie-Dog Ridge, a strongly defended area running along the southeast edge of the east-west runway on Airfield No. 2, was secured by the 2d and 3d Battalions, 24th Marines. The 2d Separate Engineer Battalion rehabilitated a 1,500' north-south runway of Airfield No. 1.

After preparatory bombardment, V AC attacks toward limited objective line O-A, extending across island 800 yards N of Airfield 2 in region between lines O-1 and O-2. Both flanks reach O-A line and enemy re-entrant in center is eliminated. RCT 28, 5th Mar Div, continues to mop up on Mt Suribachi. Corps CG establishes CP ashore. 3d Mar Div, less RCT's 21 and 3, lands and is assigned zone in center of corps; div CP is established ashore. Seaplane base is established.

U.S. Navy: Off Iwo Jima, destroyers Heywood L. Edwards (DD-663) and Bryant (DD-665) are damaged by collision, 24°47'N, 141°25'E; heavy weather damages destroyer Moale (DD-693), 25°00'N, 141°00'E, and medium landing ships LSM-202 and LSM-241. Tank landing ship LST-792 is damaged by shore battery fire, 24°46'N, 141°19'E. Operational casualties account for damage to high speed minesweeper Howard (DMS- 7) and submarine chaser SC-1027.

Submarine Lagarto (SS-371) sinks Japanese submarine I-371 and merchant cargo ship Tatsumomo Maru off Bungo Suido, Kyushu, 32°40'N, 132°33'E.

Submarine Trepang (SS-412) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Uzuki Maru north-northeast of Mikizaki, 32°40'N, 132°33'E.

Japanese cargo vessel Kyuryu Maru is damaged by mine (laid by RAF planes) off Bangkok, Thailand 13°45'N, 100°35'E; she is later abandoned as a total loss and scuttled.

Japanese escort destroyer Nomi is damaged by aircraft, four miles south of Wanshan Island.

Japanese merchant cargo ship Yulin Maru sinks after running aground near Qui Nohn, French Indochina, 13°48'N, 109°14'E.