April 8, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SUNDAY, 8 APRIL 1945

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 31 P-51s knock out a bridge S of Shaoyang, destroy a section of track at Sincheng, and hit numerous road and rail targets of opportunity in the Yellow River areas and points to the south, from Shanhsien to Loning, at Hungtung, and S of Hei-Shih Kuan; Four B-24s attack shipping targets of opportunity in the South China Sea and in Bakli Bay and Yulin Bay and bomb Kowloon Docks in Hong Kong.

China: Strong Japanese patrols begin probing Chinese outpost positions W of Paoching in preparation for drive on Chihchiang.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): 50+ P-38s and P-47s operating in C Burma battle areas attack troops, supplies, gun positions, and trucks at several points along and behind enemy lines, and sweep roads S of bomb line; transports maintain operations throughout the day. The 156th Liaison Squadron (Commando), 2d Air Commando Group, based at Kalaikunda, India with UC-64s and L-5s, sends a detachment to operate from Myitche, Burma.

AAFPOA Seventh Air Force: 25 B-24s from Angaur Airfield bomb the Bunawan area on Mindanao. VII Fighter Command: During the night of 8/9 Apr, 6 P-61s from Iwo Jima, operating singly at 2-hour intervals, bomb Chichi Jima, Haha Jima, Ani Jima, and Ototo Jima.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): 2 missions are flown against airfields on Kyushu from which kamikaze attacks are originating. Mission 60: 29 of 32 B-29s strike two runways at Kanoya Airfield. Mission 61: 48 B-29s attack the airfield at Kokubu; 1 B-29 is lost.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: For the second consecutive day bad weather prevents attacks on the primary targets north of the Philippines. B-24s and B-25s hit secondary targets including Chomosui Airfield in the Pescadores Islands, and on Formosa, Tainan and railroad yards, the towns of Takao, Toko, and Kaiko, and other scattered objectives. A-20s and fighter-bombers over Luzon support ground forces particularly in the areas E of Manila. B-24s join A-20s and fighter-bombers in support of ground forces on Cebu and Negros. Other B-24s bomb the north of Davao Bay on Mindanao and Jolo Island. Unit moves to Luzon: 33d Troop Carrier Squadron, 374th Troop Carrier Group from Hollandia to Nielson Field with C-47s; 69th Fighter Squadron, 58th Fighter Group from San Jose, Mindoro Island to Mangaldan with P-47s.

B-24 (13th Air Force) attacks Japanese auxiliary submarine chasers southeast of the Celebes, sinking Cha 101 and damaging Cha 72 at 04°43'S, 122°17'E.

U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army area, patrols of AT Co, RCT 158, reach Bulan, on W coast of Bicol Peninsula. In I Corps area, General Swift orders drive on Baguio hastened. 37th Div is to make main effort along Highway 9 while 33d Div is opening other routes, among them Galiano-Baguio Road and Kennon Road. 123d Inf has elements beyond Galiano, on the crude Pugo-Baguio trail, and on Mt Calugong, about 5½ miles SW of Baguio. 129th Inf is still held up in Salat area of the Naguilian-Baguio highway. 136th Inf reaches positions about midway between Rosario and Baguio on Kennon Road. Along Villa Verde Trail, 32d Div troops continue battle for Salacsac Pass, the saddle between Hills 504 and 505. On Highway 5, 161st Inf, 25th Div, reaches west slope of Crump Hill, about 1,000 yards west of Kapintalan, and pauses until 35th Inf can clear Kapintalan. In XI Corps area, air and arty fire saturates Mt Mataba as 63d Inf, 6th Div, prepares to renew ground assault. 43d Div mops up and patrols extensively. In XIV Corps area, some elements of corps probe eastward toward Lamon Bay; others maintain pressure on Mt Malepunyo. 187th Inf, 11th A/B Div, occupies Sulac, in western foothills of Mt Mataasna Bundoc.

In the southern Philippines, in U.S. Eighth Army area, 3d Bn of 132d Inf takes ridge 2,000 yards NW of Hill 27 on Cebu and holds it against night counterattack. Co E, 182d Inf, and guerrillas move against Hill 20, between the Reservoir and Race Course. On Negros, 3-regt assault is ordered to prevent enemy from improving positions in mountainous interior. Enemy positions are pounded by aircraft.

On Okinawa, In U.S. Tenth Army's III Amphib Corps area, battle for Motobu Peninsula begins as columns of 29th Marines, 6th Mar Div, move forward to fix enemy positions. In XXIV Corps area, 383d Inf of 96th Div, with air, arty, and naval gunfire support, presses toward Kakazu Ridge and makes unsuccessful attacks on its approaches. Japanese employ spigot mortar fire for the first time. 382d Inf is virtually halted since friendly forces on its flanks cannot advance. 184th Inf, 7th Div, attacks toward 2 strongpoints--Tomb Hill, 1,000 yards NW of Ouki, and Triangulation Hill, 1,000 yards NW of Tomb Hill--taking the latter. 32d Inf continues to gain ground on E in coastal sector.

U.S. Navy: Off Okinawa, destroyer USS Charles J. Badger (DD-657) is damaged by assault demolition boat, 26°18'N, 127°39'E; destroyer Gregory (DD-802) is damaged by kamikaze, 27°07'N, 128°39'E; motor minesweeper YMS-92 is damaged by mine, 26°12'N, 127°53'E; tank landing ship LST-939 is damaged in collision with tank landing ship LST-268, 26°22'N, 127°44'E; tank landing ship LST-940 is damaged by grounding, 26°20'N, 127°45'E.

Mines sink Japanese cargo ship No.12 Tamon Maru in Yangtze, near Shanghai, 31°16'N, 121°45'E, and damages escort destroyer Habushi ten miles below Woosung.

USMC: The 29th Marines, 6th Marine Division, moved across the base of the Motobu Peninsula and occupied Gagusuku and Yamadadobaru.

Royal Navy: HMS Stygian unsuccessfully attacks Japanese cargo vessel Enoshima Maru, 06°30'S, 113°08'E.

RAAF: P-40N A29-446 force landed at Bohle River Airfield and was written off.