THURSDAY, 22 MARCH 1945
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, twenty-four fighter-bombers and a single
B-25 attack railroad traffic and railroad yards in and around Shihkiachwang,
at Chukiatsi, and from Sinsiang to Chenghsien.
ALFSEA: At a meeting of commanders in Monywa, the problem of air supply is discussed. It is agreed that CAI be moved from Burma as quickly as possible to ease supply situation of Br Fourteenth Army, but Adm Mountbatten is not willing to use transport from SEAC for this purpose.
HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 45: 76 of 78 B-29s, operating in 2 waves,
blast storage dumps at Rangoon without loss.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 16 fighter-bombers support
Chinese ground forces near Hsipaw; 12 B-25s and 41 fighter-bombers hit numerous
targets along and immediately behind the enemy lines; troops, supplies, and
communications are attacked and 2 bridges are knocked out; 547 air supply sorties
are flown to forward areas; the 71st Liaison Squadron, Tenth Air Force [attached to 1st Liaison Group (Provisional)], moves from Katha to Myitkyina with L-1s, L-4s, L-5s and UC-64s.
AAFPOA Seventh Air Force: 13 B-24s from Guam bomb Susaki Airfield. 20 B-24s from Angaur Airfield bomb Cebu. During the night
of 22/23 Mar, 4 B-24s from Guam make individual raids on Susaki Airfield.
VII Fighter Command: 16 Iwo Jima based P-51s bomb and strafe a weather station fuel
storage, and radar installations on Chichi Jima.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA: B-24s and A-20s (along with U.S. Marine Corps
aircraft) hit Cebu City, defenses at several locations on Cebu, and targets
on Inampulugan nearby. On Luzon, B-24s, B-25s, A-20s, and fighters continue
to hit numerous objectives, chiefly Balete
Pass, Tangadon, San
Fernando, and the Batangas areas. On Formosa,
other B-24s hit Tainan Airfield and Okayama Airfield, destroying several hangars, planes,
and gun positions. 64th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group
(Heavy) moves from Tacloban to Clark
Field with B-24s; the 69th
Bombardment Squadron (Medium) and 100th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 42d Bombardment Group (Medium), cease
operating from Morotai with B-25s and move to Puerto Princesa; The 75th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 42d Bombardment Group (Medium), moves
from Sansapor to Puerto Princesa with B-25s; and the 868th
Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) moves from Noemfoor to Morotai with B-24s (the squadron uses airborne radar for low-level attacks
at night and for pathfinder operations). Crashed is B-24M "Out of the Night" 44-40901 (MIA) near Alitao on the eastern edge of Mount Banahaw on southern Luzon.
U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army's I Corps area, 128th Inf of 32d Div is ordered to relieve 127th Inf on Villa Verde Trail. 35th Inf, 25th Div, moving toward Balete Pass along Putlan R Valley, is halted by strong opposition. In XI Corps area, 1st Bn of 20th Inf, 6th Div, begins attack toward wooded area about 600 yards ahead. 1st Inf patrols and mops up. Co B of 103d Inf, 43d Div, driving up Bosoboso R Valley, takes Mt Balidbiran and is joined there by Co C. 3d Bn, 103d, mops up on Mt Tanauan. 169th Inf, 43d Div, is relieved in 38th Div line by 2d Bn of 152d Inf, 38th Div.
In the southern Philippines, in U.S. Eighth Army area, Americal Div, less RCT 164, conducts amphibious rehearsal landing in Leyte Gulf and departs for Cebu. On Panay, Co G of 185th Inf lands on Inampulugan Island to reconnoiter and destroys mine control station.
Japanese make the last of a prolonged series of air attacks against Morotai.
U.S. Navy: Task Force 58 (TF 58) joins Logistic Support Group south of Okinawa and replenishes fuel, ammunition, and provisions in preparation for operations against Okinawa. During period 18-22 March, TF 58 has contributed materially to the success of the imminent invasion of Okinawa by destroying 528 enemy planes, damaging 16 surface vessels, and hitting ground installations.
Patrols land on Inampulugan Island in Guimaras Strait, and destroy a Japanese mine control station and eliminate the small garrison there.
Japanese aircraft attack American shipping in Lingayen Gulf. During the ensuing anti-aircraft barrage friendly fire damages SS Ransom A. Moore without casualties.
Tank landing ship LST-727 is damaged by grounding off Iwo Jima, 24°46'N, 141°19'E.
Submarine Perch (SS-313) sinks Japanese Communication Vessel No. 463 en route to Balikpapan, 01°03'S, 117°20'E.
Japanese submarine chaser Ch 23 is damaged by mine at mouth of Yangtze River.
Covered lighters YF-724 and YF-725 founder and sink in heavy weather 380 miles off the Farallones.
USMC: Assisted by flame-throwing tanks, RCT 26 of 5th Mar Div continues tortuous advance NW toward the sea while RCT 28 conducts holding action along S perimeter of the pocket and supports assault with fire. RCT 27 begins re-embarking.
