SUNDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 1945
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, six B-25s, supported by five P-40s,
hit sampans and buildings in the Puchi area; three B-25s and 19 P-40s pound the
Isuho ferry and attack river and road traffic from Siangtan to Hengyang; a
single B-25 bombs truck convoys south of Hengyang; Four B-24s over the Gulf of Tonkin and South China Sea claim damaging hits on two vessels; 44 P-51s and P-40s hit bridges,
river shipping, troop areas, and motor transport at Kweiyi, Paoching, and Siangtan,
from Lingling to Hengyang and Leiyang, from Anjen to Chaling, north of Liuchow,
and west of Ishan.
Burma: In Br Fourteenth Army's 4 Corps area, Ind 17th Div takes Mahlaing.
HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): HQ 40th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) begins
a movement from Chakulia India to the Mariana Islands.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, in joint operations with the
British and Chinese army forces, 16 P-47s support the British 36 Division in
the Mongmit sector while 31 P-47s support the Chinese 38th and 50th Divisions
near Lashio and Namtu, respectively; a low B-25 strike knocks out a suspension
bridge at Namsang; 9 B-25s and 85 fighter-bombers blast troop concentrations,
supply areas, road traffic, and general targets of opportunity behind enemy
lines. 600+ transport sorties are completed to forward areas.
AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Nine B-24s from Guam hit blockhouses, and mortar and rocket-launching positions on the northwest of Iwo
Jima; During the night of 25/26 February, eight B-24s, flying separate harassment strikes, pound Susaki Airfield. In Hawaii,
HQ 508th Fighter Group and the 466th Fighter Squadron move from Kahuku to Mokuleia with P-47s.
HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 38: 172 of 229 B-29s carry out a heavy
raid on Tokyo and bomb the urban area of Tokyo; 29 others hit alternates and
targets of opportunity; this is the XXI Bomber Command's largest mission to
date and its first three wing strike against Japan as the the 73d and 313th Bombardment
Wings (Very Heavy) are joined by the 314th; 3 B-29s are lost.
Major effort of XXI BC B-29's against Tokyo with incendiary bombs demonstrates clearly the effectiveness of this weapon, which is still being used experimentally; leads to change in XXI BC tactics from daylight precision attacks on industrial targets, which have proved none too successful, to night fire attacks on Japanese urban areas.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In Formosa, B-24s
bomb Takao and P-51s hit targets of opportunity along the east coast. B-24s attack troop concentrations on the east side of the Ipo River and pound
Japanese positions between Ipo and Osboy. B-24s bomb Tawau Airfield and Labuan Airfield.
HQ 49th Fighter Group and 7th Fighter Squadron move from San
Jose to Lingayen Airfield with P-38s. Lost is P-51D 44-63373 pilot 2nd Lt. Jack Helm, Jr. (survived).
U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army area, XIV Corps continues preparations for assault on last three strong points in Manila. 2d Cav Brig, 1st Cav Div, is checked for some days by stubborn enemy in Antipolo area. 6th Div is also strongly opposed. 63d Inf mops up and patrols toward Mt Pacawagan. 20th gets to within about a mile of Mt Mataba peak. 1st Inf, less 2d Bn, is committed in center and directed toward Wawa and Wawa Dam; advances through San Mateo. In I Corps area, 2d Bn of 35th Inf, 25th Div, reaches vicinity of Carranglan with ease; repels counterattack, night 25-26. 1st Bn closes in Pantabangan. 27th Inf continues to clear hill commanding Lumboy and Highway 5. 161st Inf completes capture of Bryant Hill NW of Puncan. In XI Corps area, 2d Bn of 151st Inf, 38th Div, replaces 3d Bn of 34th Inf, 24th Div, on Corregidor, where 1,000 yards are gained along E end of island. On Luzon, 185th Inf of 40th Div completes its mission with capture of Hill 1700. 160th clears most of its sector.
USMC: V AC, with 3 divs abreast, continues attack toward O-2 line, making main effort in center where, by end of day, E-W strip and two thirds of N-S strip of Airfield 2 are secured. 3d Mar Div, resuming command of RCT 21 and passing RCT 9 through it, begins attack in center for rest of Airfield 2 and gains several hundred yards under heavy fire from heights commanding both runways. On right flank of corps, 4th Mar Div employs RCT 24 on right and RCT 23, which is released from corps reserve, on left; secures portion of E-W runway of Airfield 2 within its sector. On left flank, RCT 26 of 5th Mar Div remains in place waiting for 3d Mar Div to come abreast. RCT 28 continues to mop up on Mt Suribachi. Airfield 1 is ready for emergency use.
The 3d Marine Division assumed responsibility for clearing the central portion of the Motoyama Plateau en-compassing Airfields Nos. 2 and 3 and Motoyama Village. The 12th Marines began landing.
U.S. Navy: TF 58 umder Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher begins first day of strikes on targets in Tokyo area.
Off Iwo Jima, collisions account for damage to tank landing ship LST-121 (accidentally rammed by medium landing ship LSM-140), 24°46'N, 141°19'E; tank landing ship LST-928 [successive collisions with tank landing ships LST-764 and LST-713 and attack transport Fayette (APA-43)], 24°46'N, 141°19'E; submarine chaser PC-578 (with medium landing ship LSM-207), 24°46'N, 141°19'E; and attack transport President Adams (APA-19) (with tank landing ship LST-370), 24'46'N, 141°19'E. Friendly fire damages seaplane tender Hamlin (AV-15), 24°46'N, 141°19'E; Japanese shore battery damages infantry landing craft LCI-760.
Destroyer Harrison (DD-573) is damaged by storm south of Honshu, 33°00'N, 141°00'E.
Motor minesweeper YMS-275 is damaged by mine off the Carolines, 07°20'N, 134°35'E.
Destroyers Hazelwood (DD-531) and Murray (DD-576) sink Japanese guardboats No.1 Fuji Maru and Koki Maru, 31°06'N, 141°00'E, and guardboat No.5 Seiun Maru off Tori Jima, 31°00'N, 141°00'E.
Submarine Flasher (SS-531) sinks Japanese cargo vessel Koho Maru near Hainan, 20°01'N, 111°19'E. USAAF B-24 attacks escorting submarine chaser Ch 21 while she is rescuing Koho Maru's survivors, but does not damage her.
Submarine Hoe (SS-258) attacks Japanese convoy and sinks escort vessel Shonan south of Hainan Island 17°05'N, 110°05'E.
Submarine Piper (SS-409) sinks Japanese guardboat No.3 Hosen Maru and sinks merchant cargo ship Koho Maru, 20°04'N, 111°22'E.
Japanese merchant cargo ship Kazusa Maru is sunk by aircraft off Miyake Jima; Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Wa 14 is damaged.
Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 208 is damaged by aircraft, location unspecified.
Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser No.5 Miyatake Maru is damaged by aircraft, off Shirahama.
Royal Navy:
British submarine HMS Trenchant attacks Japanese convoy in South Malacca Strait, sinking cargo vessel No.9 Akiyama Maru, 03°07'N, 99°56'E; Japanese army aircraft bomb Trenchant but she escapes unharmed.
