March 29, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 29 MARCH 1945

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Six B-24s bomb Kataoka Naval Base on Shimushu; Eight B-25s weather abort a mission to Tomari Cape and one B-24 flies a radar-ferret mission along the Paramushiru coast.

Burma: In Br Fourteenth Army area, Ind 7th Div (less 33d Brig, which is assisting Ind 5th Div of 4 Corps in Taungtha-Meiktila area) is transferred from 4 to 33 Corps control.

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): Eleven B-24s attack shipping in the South China Sea at Bakli Bay and Samah Bay and at Haiphong, heavily damaging a destroyer and a merchant vessel. In China, 18 B-25s, escorted by 12 P-40s, bomb railroad yards at Yoyang; Four B-25s claim six small steamers sunk and several vessels damaged in the Liuchow area while 2 others hit the town area and railroad targets in the Dong Giao area of French Indochina; single B-25s hit targets of opportunity at or near Loyang, Loning, Neihsiang, Yiyang, and Hsuchang; 90+ fighter-bombers over S and E China and French Indochina attack troops, supplies, transport, and communications targets at several places, concentrating strikes around Hengyang, Chuchou, Isuho, Nanking, and Namyung, and among many targets hit Amoy Airfield and Kai Tek Airfield. The 22d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 341st Bombardment Group (Medium), based at Yangkai with B-25s, sends a detachment to operate from Chihkiang.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 49: 24 of 29 B-29s fly the last mission under the XX Bomber Command, attacking oil storage facilities on Bukum in the Malayan States during the night of 29/30 Mar; 2 other B-29s bomb individual targets on the Malay Peninsula.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): Bad weather curtails operations in C Burma; 6 B-25s hit troop concentrations and 8 others attack unsuccessfully 2 bridges immediately behind the enemy lines. Transports complete 560 sorties to forward areas. The 166th Liaison Squadron (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, moves from Asansol to Ondaw, Burma with UC-64s and L-5s. Lost is B-24M Liberator 44-50335.

Seventh Air Force: Nine B-24s from Guam bomb Dublon. VII Fighter Command: 31 Iwo-based P-51s bomb and strafe Haha Jima.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): HQ 58th Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) arrives from India to West Field.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s and B-25s attack Toshien, Byoritsu, and Eiko on Formosa. On Luzon, B-24s bomb Camalaniugan, B-24s and P-51s hit Legaspi and the surrounding area, and A-20s and numerous fighters hit various targets in southwest of Luzon. Cebu is bombed by B-25s in support of ground forces while A-20s support troops landing on Negros. B-24s bomb Oelin Airfield.

U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army's XI Corps area, elements of 43d Div gain positions on Hill 1200, commanding last enemy escape route, which runs NW from New Bosoboso. 1st Inf, 6th Div, pushes forward to within about 300 yards of its objective. Some 20th Inf elements consolidate on ridge near Mt Mataba while others continue attack under intense fire. In XIV Corps area, 8th Cav of 1st Cav Div seizes Lipa and its airdrome and establishes contact with 11th A/B Div near there. Highway 19 is now open for traffic from Calamba to Batangas. 7th Cav pushes to San Andres. Elements of 187th Inf, 11th A/B Div, driving W on Mt Macolod, clear part of Dita, on Route 417. The 38th Division, 151st Infantry 2nd Battalion declares Caballo Island cleared except for approximately 200 Japanese hiding in the east and west mortar pits of Battery Craighill and tunnels near the eastern slopes of Hill 2.

In the southern Philippines, In U.S. Eighth Army area, Without pre-invasion bombardment to give the element of surprise, a reinf platoon of Co F, 185th Infantry Regiment, 40th Infantry Division made an amphibious landing at Patik (Patic) on western Negros without opposition and and secures Bago bridge over the Bago River, which is needed for drive on Bacolod, in lively action with bridge guards. Main body of 185th Inf goes ashore near Pulupandan unopposed; using Bago bridge, drives northward to the outskirts of Bacolod. While 132d Inf patrols actively on Cebu, 182d battles enemy on Go Chan Hill, securing it in costly battle. Japanese explosives blow up the eastern spur of Go Chan, causing heavy American casualties, particularly to Co A, which is withdrawn from line. 76 pillboxes are destroyed. On Mindanao, organized resistance in Zamboanga sector collapses as 3d Bn, 163d Inf, gains heights near Mt Pulungbatu, but mopping up continues for some time. Philippine guerrilla forces land on Masbate after LCI bombardment and soon take town of Masbate.

77th Div completes capture of the Kerama Islands, RCT 305's BLT 1 withdraws from Zamami and BLT 2, the garrison force, takes over. BLT 3, RCT 305, withdraws from Aka after mopping up the island. RCT 306 secures rest of Tokashiki and withdraws, except for BLT 1, which remains to patrol until end of month. The anchorage and seaplane base are put into operation. With approaches to Okinawa landing beaches now cleared of mines, naval surface vessels move in to pound assault area at close range. Aircraft continue to bombard Okinawa. Underwater demolition teams reconnoiter Hagushi beaches.

U.S. Navy: Elements of TF 58, after uneventful search for enemy fleet units off Japan, attack Kyushu airfields and enemy shipping on return trip to Okinawa. TG 58.1 under Rear Admiral Joseph J. Clark and TG 58.3 under Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman attack airfields and Japanese shipping in the Kagoshima Bay area, Kyushu. Carrier-based planes sink auxiliary submarine chasers Cha 200 west of Sata Misaki, 31°05'N, 130°39'E, and Chikuto Maru in Kagoshima Bay, and Cha 205, Kuchinoerabu Jima, 30°30'N, 130°10'E, as well as cargo vessels No.5 Yusen Maru and 11 Ebisu Maru, Holin Maru, Genyo Maru and 8 Seizan Maru and 17 Koshin Maru and 27 Koan Maru and 32 Koan Maru and Taimokuzan Maru in Yamagawa Harbor; merchant vessel No.3 Yamato Maru is damaged at the latter place.

Submarine and USAAF attacks continue against Japanese convoy HI-88-J; USS Bluegill (SS-242) further damages tanker Honan Maru off Cape Varella (see 5 April); Hammerhead (SS-264) damages Coast Defense Vessel No. 84 115 miles north of Cape Varella, 14°44'N, 109°16'E;

USAAF B-25s (Fifth Air Force) sink Coast Defense Vessel No.18, Coast Defense Vessel No.130 and cargo ship Kaiko Maru, 15°10'N, 109°26'E.

Later the same day, PBMs further damage Coast Defense Vessel No. 134 south of Hainan.

USAAF B-24 damages Japanese hospital ship Kazura Maru off coast of French Indochina, 15°05'N, 109°23'E.

USAAF B-24s (Fifth Air Force) sink Japanese auxiliary submarine chasers Cha 156, Cha 189, Cha 192, and merchant tanker Iwakuni Maru in Takao harbor, 22°40'N, 120°15'E.

Japanese auxiliary patrol vessel Pa No.173 is sunk by mine, Wakamatsu, Japan.

Japanese submarine chaser Ch 9 is damaged by aircraft, 15°10'N, 109°26'E.

Japanese submarine I-47 equipped with Kaitens is damaged by 5th Fleet surface ships/craft off Okinawa and returns to Kure for repairs.

USMC: Marine Air Group 14 (MAG-14) provides air cover for the U.S. Army landing on Pulupandan on western Negros.

The Fleet Marine Force Reconnaissance Battalion scouted Mae and Kuro Shima, midway between Kerama Retto and Keise Shima.