FRIDAY, 2 MARCH 1945
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): Three B-24s on sweeps over the Gulf of Tonkin and the South China Sea claim two vessels sunk and three damaged.
Burma: In Br Fourteenth Army's 33 Corps area, Ind 20th Div and Br 2d Div link their Irrawaddy bridgeheads W of Mandalay.
HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 41: 50 of 64 B-29s
dispatched bomb the shop and warehouse area at the naval base in Singapore;
5 others hit alternates on Bukum and at Arang Hill, and at Khao Huakhang, Thailand;
they claim 0-1-4 Japanese aircraft; 2 B-29s are lost.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 20+ P-47s fly close support strikes in the Mogok area; 2 B-25s damage ferry slips at Li-lu while 10 others hit bridges at Tonglau, Na-lang, Mong Pawn, and Namsang; 90+ fighter-bombers attack gun positions, troops, supply areas, and highway targets of opportunity in the general battle areas and behind enemy lines. Transports complete 564 sorties to forward areas.
Seventh Air Force: Seven Guam based B-24s make a daylight raid on Susaki Airfield. During the night of 2/3 March, five B-24s bomb Susaki Airfield and the town of Okimura. VII Fighter Command: The 78th Fighter Squadron, 15th Fighter Group, arrives on Iwo Jima from Hawaii with P-51s (first mission is 10 Mar).
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Formosa, B-24s,
B-25s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers hit Matsuyama, Toyohara, Kagi, and Kato Airfields. In Borneo, other B-24s pound Sepinggang and Manggar Airfields and
the waterfront area of Sandakan. The 394th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Morotai to Guiuan Airfield with B-24s. The detachment of the 432d Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group operating from San Jose with P-38s returns to
Clark
Field. B-25s sink Japanese landing ship T.143 off Mako, Pescadores, 23°35'N, 121°35'E.
U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army area, I Corps is ordered to press attack northward as XIV Corps is winding up battle for Manila. On Villa Verde Trail, 2d Bn of 127th Inf, 32d Div, reduces the strongpoint barring its progress. On Highway 5, 2d Bn of 35th Inf, 25th Div, seizes Puncan and 3d Bn begins assault on Digdig. In XI Corps area, 43d Div completes relief of 40th Div. 40th Div, less 103d Inf, which is given garrison duty on Leyte, assembles in army reserve.
Rock Force finishes clearing Corregidor and is deemed secure. For Japanese losses of about 4,500 killed and 20 captured, in addition to some 200 killed while trying to escape and about 500 sealed in caves or tunnels, American casualties number over 1,000 killed, wounded, injured, or missing. Para RCT 503 remains on Corregidor for garrison duty. At a ceremony at the old flag pole, soldiers from "Rock Force" stand at attention with General Douglas MacArthur, General Hall (Commanding Officer "Rock Force) and Lt. Colonel Jones (Commanding Officer, 503rd PIR RCT). After the U.S. flag was raised, Lt. Col Jones stepped forward, saluted and reported to MacArthur: "Sir, I present to you Fortress Corregidor." At the ceremony, MacArthur awards Jones the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) and states: "I see the old flagpole still stands. Have your troops hoist the colors to its peak,
and let no enemy ever haul them down."
In the southern Philippines, in the U.S. Eighth Army area, 1st Bn of 132d Inf, reinf, leaves Leyte for amphibious operations against Burias and Ticao Islands. On Samar, Co C of 182d Inf, Americal Div, drives to outskirts of Mauo and is joined there by Co B, which reports Mt Bermodo deserted. On Palawan, 186th Inf of 41st Div patrols actively to locate enemy, meeting fire near Hill 1125, N of Iratag.
USMC: VAC, now in control of about two thirds of island, attacks in greater strength in order to exploit gains in center. 3d Mar Div, in center of corps, gains control of Airfield 3, which enemy continues to rake with fire; continues N into 5th Mar Div zone to Hill 362; RCT 9 is virtually pinned
down on div right. 4th Mar Div, its combat efficiency greatly reduced by casualties and fatigue, continues to clear rough terrain abounding in pillboxes, caves, and underground passages on right flank of corps: RCT 24 concentrates on clearing reverse slope of Hill 382 and RCT 25 on reducing enemy reentrant near Minami. On left flank of corps, RCT 28 of 5th Mar Div makes slow progress in attack on Nishi ridge. Additional elements of RCT 26 are committed on div right as 5th Mar Div zone is broadened by northeastward attack of 3d Mar Div. Artillery support is limited by proximity of opposing forces and tank support by increasingly difficult terrain. Unloading begins on western beaches. Airfield 1 is ready for use by transport planes.
U.S. Navy: Off Iwo Jima, light cruiser Biloxi (CL-80) is damaged by shore battery fire; destroyer Bennett (DD-477), by dud bomb or torpedo; collisions account for damage to attack cargo ship Stokes (AKA-68), 24°46'N, 141°19'E; tank landing ship LST-247 [with attack cargo ship Selinur (AKA-41)], 24°46'N, 141°19'E; tank landing ship LST-224 [successive collisions with support landing craft LCS-52 and tank landing ship LST- 634], 24°46'N, 141°19'E; tank landing ship LST-642 [with tank landing ship LST-784], 24°46'N, 141°19'E; and attack transport Berrien (AP-62); cargo ship Hercules (AK-41) is damaged when she runs aground; tank landing craft LCT-1029 sinks.
Task group under Rear Admiral Francis E. M. Whiting consisting of three light cruisers and eight destroyers bombards Japanese positions on Okino Daito Jima, Ryukyus.
Destroyers (DesDiv 109) bombard Japanese positions on Parece Vela Reef in the Philippine Sea. During the retirement phase, destroyer Preston (DD-795) rescues eight survivors from a downed USAAF B-29.
Submarine Bowfin (SS-287) sinks Japanese transport Chokai Maru northeast of Miyake Jima, 33°50'N, 139°22'E.
PB4Y-2 (VPB-119) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking transport/ferry Nichirin Maru in East China Sea about 180 miles east by south of Wenchow, China, 27°12'N, 124°42'E.
Royal Navy: HMS Terrapin attacks Japanese Penang-to-Singapore convoy in Malacca Straits, 03°28'N, 101°00'E, sinking small cargo vessel Sanko Maru.
Japanese transport Kasei Maru is sunk by unknown causes off Shiogama, northern Honshu.
Japanese merchant cargo ship Sekiyo Maru is sunk by aircraft off Nansei Shoto.
Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.13 is damaged by aircraft, 19°47'N, 124°04'E.
