March 7, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 7 MARCH 1945

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Eight B-25s, dispatched to strike a reported convoy in the Kuriles but abort due to weather. Also, eight B-24s depart on a shipping sweep and a strike against Kataoka on Shimushu but abort due to weather.

Burma: In NCAC area, 112th Regt of 38th Div, Ch New First Army, occupies Lashio, successfully concluding second phase of CAPITAL. In Br Fourteenth Army's 4 Corps area, Japanese are making determined efforts to recover Meiktila and succeed, by capturing Taungtha, in cutting off Ind 17th Div troops at Meiktila.

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 4 B-25s and 9 P-40s blast railroad targets N of Kiaotow; single B-25s hit truck convoys in the Hsiang River Valley, the waterfront at Changsha, and a bridge and other targets of opportunity on the Pinghan railroad; 130+ fighter-bombers attack numerous targets throughout S and E China, concentrating on railroad, road, and river targets around Nanking, Yoyang, Sintsiang, and Changsha.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 30 P-47s support troops of the British 36 Division in the Mogok area; 18 others support elements of the Chinese 50th Division near Mansam; elements of the Chinese 38th Division occupy Lashio; 12 B-25s and 35 fighter-bombers attack road targets, troops,vehicles, and a variety of targets of opportunity immediately behind enemy  lines. Transports fly 630 sorties supplying forward areas with men and equipment.

AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Eleven Guam based B-24s hit Susaki Airfield and the town of Okimura. During the night of 7/8 Mar in individual harassment strikes, five B-24s more hit Susaki Airfield.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA: B-24s hit the Balete Pass area while A-20s and fighter-bombers hit troop concentrations and gun positions near Antipolo and near San Fernando, NW of Ft Stotsenburg, and in the Bayombong-Solano area and targets of opportunity in the Lake Taal area, the towns of Santa Fe, Lallo and Vigan, and on Caballo; numerous ground support missions are flown throughout Luzon. Lost is bombing Balete Pass are B-24L Liberator 44-41481 (MIA) and B-24J Liberator 44-40979 (6 KIA, 5 survived).

U.S. Army; HQ USAFFE closes on Leyte and opens in Manila. In U.S. Sixth Army's XIV Corps area, 6th Div and 1st Cav Div continue preparations for coordinated drive eastward against the Shimbu Line. Arty and aerial bombardment destroys or uncovers enemy positions. In 11th A/B Div zone, 158th Inf advances through undefended Taal and gains several miles to E and S, completing first phase of attack. 187th Inf joins in the attack: 1st Bn, attacking in 2 columns N of Lake Taal, advances rapidly against slight resistance. In I Corps area, 1st Bn of 130th Inf, 33d Div, takes Aringay bridge and town without opposition and probes toward Mt Magabang. Opposition to 1st Bn of 127th Inf, 32d Div, on Villa Verde Trail is so stiff that 3d Bn starts from Santa Maria in effort to outflank enemy. 25th Div continues N astride Highway 5 with 161st and 27th Regts; 1st Bn, 35th Inf, gains heights NE of Putlan with ease.

In the southern Philippines, U.S. Eighth Army designates Americal Div (-) to clear Cebu, Bohol, and Negros Oriental, and small islands adjacent. On Palawan, troops of 186th Inf are still unable to clear Hill 1445 although supported by arty and mortar fire as well as aircraft.

U.S. Navy: Navy task unit completes its work in the Baler Bay snd Casiguran Sound area, having found both bodies of water to afford excellent anchorages; it encounters no mines in Casiguran Sound but sweeps 98 in Baler Bay. Not more than 100 Japanese troops are determined to be in the vicinity.

Japanese submarine chaser Ch 51 is damaged by aircraft off Hachijo Jima.

Japanese merchant cargo ship Enkei Maru is damaged, most likely by marine casualty, 30°42'N, 128°20'E.

USMC: VAC begins assault in center before dawn, withholding preparatory fire and moving forward with great secrecy. RCT 21 of 3d Mar Div captures the Hill 362 E of Motoyama but RCT 9, to right, is pinned down after limited advance at daybreak. Elements on extreme left of div continue to attack in conjunction with 5th Mar Div but are unable to advance. 5th Mar Div, again attacking with 3 Regts abreast on left flank of corps, makes limited progress on right and in center; on left, where terrain is a greater handicap than enemy, overruns Hill 215 and gains up to 600 yards. On right flank of corps, 4th Mar Div's RCT's 23 and 24 advance slowly but RCT 25 is unable to move and continues to mop up rear areas. Island Commander takes responsibility for base development. Since use of naval gunfire is now greatly restricted, most of Gunfire and Covering Force (TF 54) leaves for Ulithi.

Company K of the 3d Battalion, 9th Marines, seized Hill 362C, a Japanese stronghold located in the northeastern sector of Iwo Jima. Major General James E. Chaney, USA, Island Commander, assumed responsibility for base development, air defense, and operation of the airfields. Brigadier General Ernest C. Moore, USA. became Commander. Air. Iwo Jima.