March 28, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 28 MARCH 1945

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): Six B-24s bomb Haiphong and Hanoi docks and the Bakli Bay barracks. In China, 9 B-25s and 8 P-40s hit rivercraft and other targets from Yanglowtung to Sienning; 9 other B-25s hit junks, storage, and targets of opportunity in the Lushan area and 7 bomb Chingmen; 14 B-25s, operating in groups of 1 to 4 aircraft, hit rivercraft and scattered targets of opportunity at several other points in S and E China; 120+ fighter-bombers over French Indochina and S and E China continue to pound numerous targets of opportunity, mainly river, road, and rail traffic and troop concentrations; rivercraft and airfields including Kai Tek Airfield plus Canton, Hankow Airfield, and Wuchang Airfield are hit. In China, the 11th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 341st Bombardment Group (Medium), based at Yangkai sends a detachment to operate from Chihkiang with B-25s; the 19th Liaison Squadron, 69th Composite Wing, moves from Kunming to Chengkung with L-1s and L-5s.

Burma: Burma Defense Army, renamed Burma National Army, rises in revolt against Japanese in central and S Burma. Adm Mountbatten establishes Air and Ground Supply Committee to study air supply situation and recommend improvements.

In Br Fourteenth Army's 4 Corps area, Japanese begin withdrawing from Meiktila sector during the night of March 28 to March 29.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): 3 mining missions are flown during the night of 28/29 Mar without loss:
Mission 46: 10 B-29s mine the mouth of the Hwangpoo River and the southern channel of the Yangtze River at Shanghai.
Mission 47: 17 of 18 B-29s mine the waters off Saigon and Camranh Bay.
Mission 48: 32 of 33 B-29s mine the Singapore area.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): 30+ fighter-bombers operating over and behind the battlelines in C Burma attack troop concentrations, supply areas, elephant transport, and general targets of opportunity at or near Wan Hong, Ho-na, Kyu-sawk, Nawnghkio, and Na-ti; 642 air supply sorties are flown to advanced bases and over the frontlines, where supplies are dropped, throughout the day.

Seventh Air Force: Ten B-24s from Guam bomb Truk. Flying separate snooper strikes, five hit Susaki Airfield during the night of 28/29 March. VII Fighter Command: Fifteen P-51s from Iwo Jima hit airfields and defenses on Chichi Jima.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA: B-24s and fighter-bombers hit Balete Pass tracks and ridges, installations at Santa Fe, and ground support targets N of Laguna de Bay and in Cavite and Batangas Provinces and B-25s and A-20s attack troop concentrations at Baguio and Ilagan. Bombers hit the Cebu City area and pound airfields on Negros. B-24s bomb Likanan Airfield. Other B-24s hit Takao and Tainan while B-25s hit shore targets along the French Indochina coast. The 39th Troop Carrier Squadron, 317th Troop Carrier Group moves from Leyte to Clark Field with C-47s.

U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army's I Corps area, 1st Bn of 129th Inf, 37th Div, joins 2d Bn and the combined force consolidates NE and E of Burgos for next few days. 3d Bn is responsible for San Fernando area. 35th Inf, 25th Div, is directed to halt drive on Balete Pass via Putlan R Valley since 27th Inf is making better progress on Mt Myoko; is to remain in present positions temporarily, then block E approach to Putlan Valley and attack N through 1st Bn of 27th Inf. In XI Corps area, 1st Bn of 1st Inf, 6th Div, drives 600 yards N from Mt Baytangan area. 2d Bn, 20th Inf, attacks toward Mt Mataba, gaining ridge position. 3d Bn also joins in attack, but progress is slow. In XIV Corps area, 1st Cav Div forces drive to outskirts of Lipa and San Agustin. To N, 12th Cav seizes Mayondon Point and reaches corps objective line within its sector. 187th Inf, 11th A/B Div, attacks from 2 directions in vain effort to gain saddle between Mt Macolod and Bukel Hill.

In the southern Philippines, in U.S. Eighth Army area, 40th Div forces on Panay embark at Iloilo bound for Negros. On Cebu, 182d Inf, in 2-pronged assault by 2d and 3d Bns, seizes Lahug Airfield. 1st Bn secures bypassed Hill 30 and attempts to clear Go Chan Hill, a spur of Hill 31 but finds it too strongly defended. 32 pillboxes are destroyed on Guadalupe Road E of Go Chan. Co E, 132d Inf, secures Mactan Island and Opon Airfield without opposition.

In the Kerama Islands, forces of the 77th Division, mop up Japanese resistance securing Aka, Zamami, and Tokashiki over the next two days. BLT 3, RCT 305, meets no further opposition on Aka. Other elements of RCT 305 are eliminating the enemy position on Zamami. RCT 306 seizes town of Tokashiki on Tokashiki Island.

U.S. Navy: Off Okinawa, minesweeper Skylark (AM-63) is sunk by mine, 26°20'N, 127°40'E; attack cargo ship Wyandot (AKA-92) is damaged by near-misses of bombs, 26°00'N, 127°00'E; medium landing ship LSM- 188 is damaged by kamikaze; infantry landing craft (gunboat) LCI(G)-588 is damaged by assault demolition boat.

Landing craft repair ship Agenor (ARL-3) is damaged in collisions with landing craft off Iwo Jima, 24°46'N, 141°19'E.

Submarine Blackfin (SS-322) is damaged by depth charges off the southeast coast of French Indochina, and is forced to terminate her patrol.

Submarines and USAAF planes begin attacks on Japanese convoy HI-88-J moving up the coast of French Indochina; submarine Bluegill (SS-242) damages tanker Honan Maru (ex-British War Sirdar) off Cape Varella, 12°40'N, 109°30'E; Honan Maru is beached to permit salvage (see 29 March). USAAF B-24 sinks merchant cargo ship Asogawa Maru off Nha Trang, 12°32'N, 109°22'E.

USS Snook (SS-279) departs Guam for her ninth war patrol; she is contacted by Tigrone (SS-419) on April 8, 1945, but is never seen again.

USS Threadfin (SS-410) sinks Japanese escort vessel Mikura off Kyushu, 31°45'N, 131°44'E.

USS Tirante (SS-420) sinks Japanese fishing boat Nase Maru west of Oniki Cape, southwest coast of Kyushu, 32°15'N, 29°55'E.

USS Trigger (SS-237) is sunk by Japanese patrol vessel Mikura, Coast Defense Vessel No.33, and Coast Defense Vessel No.59 in Nansei Shoto, 32°16'N, 132°05'E.

Floating workshop YR-43, being towed to Kodiak by Army tug LT 373, breaks free from her towline and runs aground two and half miles south of Zaikof Point, Montague Island; rescue tug ATR-68 and Coast Guard lighthouse tender Cedar (WAGL-207) are sent from Kodiak, while tender Bramble (WAGL-392) is dispatched from Seward to assist. Army transport Toloa brings YR-43's crew on board and takes the men to Dutch Harbor.

Planes from carrier Hornet (CV-12) sink Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.33 south of Kyushu, 31°45'N, 131°45'E;

USAAF B-24 damages Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.102 and Coast Defense Vessel No.106 (near- misses) off Keelung, Formosa.

USAAF B-24s (Fifth Air Force) sink Japanese army cargo ship Meiho Maru off north coast of Formosa, 25°00'N, 121°00'E.

USAAF B-24s (13th Air Force) attack Japanese shipping in the Celebes, sinking minesweeper W.11 off Makassar, 05°06'S, 119°14'E, and Patrol Boat No. 108 off Maniang Island 04°14'S, 121°28'E.

Japanese auxiliary submarine chasers Cha 167 and Cha 175 are sunk by aircraft, east of Fukashima.

USAAF B-24 damages Japanese cargo ship Seito Maru off North Laut Island 03°14'S, 116°13'E.

Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 178 is sunk by mine, 34°02'N, 130°54'E; cargo ship Tensei Maru is sunk by mine in Wakamatsu Harbor.