THURSDAY, 8 MARCH 1945
Mexico: The Inter-American Conference, in session at Mexico City since February 21, 1945 concludes.
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 34 B-24s, supported by
21 P-51s, pound Shihkiachwang; 3 B-24s claim a transport sunk in the South China Sea. B-24s damage Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.69 southeast of Hainan Island 19°02'N, 111°50'E that later sinks while under tow on March 16, 1945. P-51s attack Japanese shipping in the Yangtze, off Hankow, sinking cargo vessel Toyo Maru (ex-Chinese Tang Yang), 30°33'N, 114°17'E. 16 B-25s and 6 P-40s attack railroad tracks, boxcars, gun positions,
sampans, and locomotives, knock out 2 bridges and damage another, and destroy
and damage several locomotives at or near Hengshan, Yehhsien, Lohochai, and
Chungmow; 140+ fighter-bombers fly armed reconnaissance over wide areas of
S and E China, attacking numerous targets of opportunity, mainly river, road,
and railroad targets, storage areas, gun positions, and troops, concentrating
around Changsha, Changanyi, and a bridge at Puchi.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 20 P-47s support the British
36 Division; 40 fighter-bombers hit troop concentrations and supply areas
along the battlefront and behind the enemy lines; 39 others sweep roads S
of the bomb line, attacking gun positions and other targets of opportunity.
Transports fly 554 sorties to advanced bases and over frontline areas. B-24s attack Japanese shipping in Andaman Sea, sinking cargo vessel Hoyo Maru, 13°00'N, 98°00'E.
AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Fourteen B-24s from Guam bomb Susaki Airfield through heavy cloud layers; 5 more B-24s hit the airfield again in 5
individual harassment strikes during the night of 8/9 Mar.
P-51s from 15th Fighter Group on Iwo Jima take over combat air patrol (CAP) duties after U.S. Navy carrier planes depart on March 10, 1945 and fly close support missions until March 14, 1945.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA: B-24s pound the Zamboanga area.
B-24s hit road targets at Balete
Pass while A-20s support guerrilla forces
in the San
Fernando area; fighter-bombers hit fuel dumps, gun positions, and other
targets near Angat and Ipo Dam and numerous targets of opportunity in the Antipolo area, personnel
and storage areas near Baguio,
and several targets in the Cagayan Valley (including the town of Caggay,
the Dummun River area, and barges at Naguilian). The 6th Combat Cargo Squadron,
2d Combat Cargo Group, based on Biak with C-46s, begins operating from Guiuan Airfield; and the 550th Night Fighter Squadron, XIII Fighter Command, based
on Morotai with
P-38s, P-61s and P-70s, sends a detachment to operate from Tacloban. Destroyed during a take off accident is P-51K 44-12032 (survived). USAAF aircraft (5th Air Force) sink Japanese merchant cargo ship Ishima Maru, 22°34'N, 114°53'E.
U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army area, XIV Corps begins eastward drive against Shimbu line with 6th Div and 1st Cav Div, former on N. 1st Inf, 6th Div, having been relieved in precarious positions on Mt. Pacawagan and Mt. Mataba by 63d Inf, attacks against unexpectedly light opposition and gains initial objectives. 1st Cav Div, with 5th, 12th, 7th, and 8th Cav Regts abreast from N to S, attacks toward hills near Antipolo, taking one, Bench Mark 11. In 11th A/B Div sector, 158th Inf mops up and patrols while 187th Inf columns converge on Talaga and advance beyond that town until stopped by strong opposition from Hill 660. In I Corps area, Co C of 130th Inf, 33d Div, seizes Mt Magabang, NE of Aringay. 1st Bn of 35th Inf, 25th Div, takes Putlan, on Highway 5, but Japanese destroy Putlan bridge to N.
In the southern Philippines, in U.S. Eighth Army area, 41st Inf Div force departs Leyte bound for Zamboanga on Mindanao. To assist guerrillas in holding Dipolog airfield there, Cos F and G of 91st Inf, 24th Div, are
flown in. On Palawan, Co G of 186th Inf reaches top of Hill 1445 without incident. This ends organized resistance on Palawan. Patrols are searching for enemy remnants. Palawan Force later seizes Busuanga I., off S tip of Palawan, and Balabac and Pandanan Islands as well.
U.S. Navy: Covered lighter YF-926, being towed to Pearl Harbor, T.H., founders in heavy weather and sinks.
USAAF aircraft sink Japanese landing ship T.143 off Formosa, 23°35'N, 121°35'E.
Japanese guardboat No.3 Daikoku Maru is sunk by U.S. aircraft east of Ogari Jima.
Japanese merchant cargo ship Toyo Maru is sunk by aircraft off Hankow, China.
Navy PBMs bomb Japanese convoy, sinking cargo vessel No.21 Yusen Maru off Chinman Tao, 24°27'N, 118°19'E.
USAAF B-24s bomb Japanese shipping at Hong Kong, sinking guardboat Hyushin Maru off St. John Island 21°42'N, 112°44'E.
Japanese cargo vessel Kwan-Shan Maru is sunk by mine off Kiangyin, China, 31°55'N, 120°16'E.
USMC: VAC attacks toward coast after arty and naval gunfire preparation, 4th Mar Div leading off at 0620 and 3d and 5th Mar Divs following at 0750. A few hundred yards are wrested from enemy in some sectors. In center, 3d Mar Div's RCT 21 gets elements to O-3 line; RCT 9 starts toward coast from Hill 362, gaining about 400 yards. 4th Mar Div; profiting a little by early hour of attack, makes limited progress in zone of RCT 23 but is unable to advance its right flank; withstands counterattack in force against left flank. 5th Mar Div, attacking on left flank of corps with 3 regts, gains some ground on left. First detachment of carriers leaves Iwo for Ulithi.
The 4th Marine Division repulsed a large-scale Japanese counterattack during which the Japanese sustained heavy losses. The forward echelon of Marine Torpedo-Bomber Squadron 242 arrived from Tinian to fly antisubmarine patrol.
RAAF: Lost is Beaufort A9-637 pilot F/Lt Richard K. Ottaway (survived) force landed at Tadji Airfield.
