March 13, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 13 MARCH 1945

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): Seven B-24s over the Gulf of Tonkin and the South China Sea claim a cargo vessel and a large junk destroyed. 13 P-40s, P-38s, and P-51s destroy a storehouse and damage a compound at Chinchengchiang, China and knock out a bridge and hit machinegun positions and other targets of opportunity at Lang Son, French Indochina.

Burma: In ALFSEA's 15 Corps area, elements of Ind 26th Div conduct final amphibious operation on Arakan coast, landing on mainland in vicinity of Letpadan to cut Ru-ywa-Taungup road.

B-24s and B-25s on antishipping sweeps off the China coast between Foochow and Hong Kong attack Japanese convoy KAI-311, sinking cargo vessels No.12 Aikoku Maru and 37 Kokoku Maru and 18 Tarumizu Maru and No.34 Tarumizu Maru.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 16 P-47s support forces of the Chinese 50th Division, hitting Japanese positions along the Namtu River in the Namhsan area; 26 P-38s hit road targets S of the bomb line in central Burma; 12 B-25s attack troop concentrations, supplies, and gun positions behind enemy lines; 4 P-47s hit a wooded area in the British 36 Division battle sector; other fighter-bombers make ineffective bridge strikes. Transports complete 500+ sorties to forward areas.

AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Six B-24s from Guam hit Woleai while 10 others bomb Susaki Airfield; during the night of 13/14 Mar, 8 B-24s, flying individual strikes pound Susaki Airfield. 24 B-24s from Angaur Airfield bomb a storage area at Saragani Bay, Mindanao.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 42: In the third of the Twentieth AF's great fire raids, 274 of 301 B-29s begin bombing Osaka, shortly after 2400 hours local on the night of 13/14 March; because of 8/10 cloud cover, bombing is by radar; the heart of the city, an area of 8.1 square miles (21.0 square km), is wiped out during 3 hours of bombing from altitudes of 5,000' to 9,600' (1,524m to 2,926m); 134,744 houses are destroyed, 1,363 houses damaged and Japanese casualties are 3,988 dead, 678 missing and 8,463 dead. Japanese merchant cargo ships Shiraume Maru and Shirogane Maru are sunk. Meanwhile, other B-29s bomb other targets; the B-29s claim 1-0-0 Japanese aircraft; two B-29s are lost including B-29 42-24754 (KIA).

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA: On Mindanao, B-24s hit targets in the Saragani Bay area and effectively hit Lagao Town and B-25s support ground operations in the Zamboanga area. B-25s, A-20s, and fighters support ground forces hitting forces and positions in the Cagayan Valley. B-25s hit sampans off Hainan while P-51s sweep Samah Airfield. B-24s hit installations in WC Formosa and at Mako. The 408th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 22d Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Guiuan Airfield to Clark Field with B-24s. Lost is P-51K 44-12054 (MIA). B-24s sink Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.66 and transport Masajima Maru in South China Sea east of Swatow, 23°30'N, 117°10'E.

U.S. Army: U.S. Sixth Army postpones Legaspi operation for a week, permitting RCT 158 to remain in XIV Corps line a while longer. In XIV Corps area, 6th Div repels further piecemeal counterattacks with little difficulty. Elements of 103d Inf, 43d Div, reach W base of Bench Mark 7. TF consisting of Co B, reinf, motors N from Taytay along Laguna de Bay coast; makes contact with div rcn troops in Morong and Maybancal. In 11th A/B Div sector, 3d Bn of 158th Inf is unable to outflank enemy strongpoint N of Mainaga and is jeopardized as enemy, in amphibious operation, blocks road behind it at Baliti R. After further aerial and arty pounding of Mt Bijang, 511th Inf of 11th A/B Div renews attack and gets up slopes but is forced off. For next few days aircraft and arty conduct softening bombardment. In I Corps area, 1st Bn of 161st Inf, 25th Div, is directed to attack through 2d Bn in Putlan area, on Highway 5, for Norton's Knob, a spur of Balete Ridge about 1,500 yards SW of Kapintalan. In the southern Philippines, in the U.S. Eighth Army area, Japanese resistance on Mindanao north of San Roque and south of Pasananca stiffens.

B-24s from 5th Air Force sink Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.66 and transport Masajima Maru in South China Sea east of Swatow, 23°30'N, 117°10'E.

US Army: Army barge PSB 111 ran aground on northeast of Seguam Island in the Aleutians, but is pulled free by fleet tug USS Sarsi (ATF-111).

U.S. Navy: USAAF B-24s and B-25s on antishipping sweeps off the China coast between Foochow and Hong Kong attack Japanese convoy KAI-311, sinking cargo vessels No.12 Aikoku Maru and 37 Kokoku Maru and 18 Tarumizu Maru and No.34 Tarumizu Maru.

Army barge PSB 111 runs aground on northeast side of Seguam Island Aleutians, but is pulled free by fleet tug Sarsi (ATF-111).

USMC: 4th and 3d Mar Divs, V AC, continue to mop up and reduce small enemy pockets within their sectors. 5th Mar Div encounters fewer pillboxes and makes relatively good progress on right flank. Since ridges in this area extend from center of island to W coast, attack will be from E to W. Tanks, flame throwers, and arty are again employed to flush enemy from concealed positions, but restricted area denies troops air support. Co B, Amphib Rcn Bn, lands on Kangoku and Kama Rocks, off W coast, and secures these small islands without opposition.

RAAF: Lost is Beaufort A9-650 pilot FLTLT Harry J. Fowler (KIA) over Maprik.