April 9, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY, 9 APRIL 1945

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force: Nine B-24s bomb the docks at Canton and Kowloon in Hong Kong and attack targets of opportunity at Bakli Bay; eight B-25s bomb Sinyang railroad yards and nearby targets of opportunity; 13 other B-25s knock out a bridge N of Hsuchang and hit various targets around Laohokow, Sichuan, Sinyang, Likuanchiao, Lichen, and along the Han River; and 19 P-51s hit targets of opportunity in or near Neihsiang, Laohokow, and Sichuan. Two P-38s blast trucks in the Dien Bien Phu area. The 91st Fighter Squadron, 81st Fighter Group, based at Fungwanshan with P-47s, begins operating from Hsian.

CBI: Gen Wedemeyer meets with officers of Tenth Air Force and India-Burma Theater to discuss projected move of Tenth Air Force to China.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): 70+ P-38s and P-47s attack troops, supplies, gun positions, and general targets of opportunity along and behind the C Burma battleline around Mong Pawn, Wan Htum, Pang po, Kyawkku, Mong Hko, Hanhwe-Mu, Laihka, and other points; transports complete 415 sorties to forward areas.

AAFPOA Seventh Air Force: Seventeen B-24s from Guam pound Marcus Island Airfield and defensive installations. 22 B-24s from Angaur Airfield hit a troop concentration at Kabacan, Mindanao. VII Fighter Command: Sixteen P-51s from Iwo Jima bomb and strafe military installations at Chichi Jima during the early morning.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 62: During the night of 9/10 April, sixteen B-29s mine the Shimonoseki Strait between Kyushu and Honshu without loss.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: A-20s and fighter bombers support ground forces at Balete Pass, Baguio, and Solvec Cove areas and at several points in SW Luzon, and attack Japanese forces in the Legaspi area. B-24s and fighter-bombers support ground forces on Cebu and on Negros. Several B-24s on armed reconnaissance missions hit China and Indochina coastal targets.

U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army's Legaspi sector, RCT 158 overcomes resistance near Daraga and secures junction of Highway 1 and Highway 160. Widespread patrolling of Sorsogon Province indicates that Japanese are now concealed in hills around San Francisco, about 5 miles NE of Bulan. In I Corps area, 37th and 33d Divs prepare for strong effort against Baguio, 148th Inf of 37th Div moving from Manila to Naguilian area. Cos E and F, 129th Inf, try in vain to reach isolated Co G on Naguilian-Baguio Road. 3d Bn moves to base of mountain mass called Three Peaks in preparation for attack on Monglo. 130th Inf, 33d Div, relieves elements of 123d Inf at Galiano. 32d Div assault toward Salacsac Pass, on Villa Verde Trail, gains some ground. Elements of 27th Inf, 25th Div, finish clearing spur W of Mt Myoko, from which Japanese have been barring forward movement. In XI Corps area, air and arty continue to neutralize Mt Mataba. Elements of 38th Div that have been pushing along Sacobia R toward Mt Pinatubo have gained several thousand yards during last few days. In XIV Corps area, some elements of 1st Cav and 11th A/B Divs speed E toward the coast, establishing contact at Lucban, and others are maintaining pressure on Mt Malepunyo.

In the southern Philippines, in U.S. Eighth Army area, Americal Div gets into position on Cebu to place enfilade fire on enemy positions in mountainous interior. RCT 164 arrives at Cebu City at night. On Negros, 40th Div begins concerted effort to eliminate enemy in mountains, employing 503d Para Inf on left, 185th Inf in center, and 160th Inf on right. 503d, driving SE from Napilas area toward Manzanares, is soon halted by enemy fire. 185th drives E toward Lantawan, gaining 6,000 yards and clearing hill position. 160th, moving NE toward Hill 3155 later called Dolan Hill, reaches its base. 2d Bn of 186th Inf, 41st Div, begins shore-to-shore operations to clear Calamian Islands, with unopposed landing on Busuanga. RCT 163 (less 2d Bn), 41st Div, makes unopposed landing on Jolo and begins clearing it. Two weeks of aerial bombardment and preliminary naval bombardment by Seventh Fleet precede landing.

On Okinawa, In U.S. Tenth Army's III Amphib Corps area, 29th Marines of 6th Mar Div continues to explore Motobu Peninsula in effort to develop enemy positions there. In XXIV Corps area, battle for Kakazu Ridge, key feature in enemy's Shuri defense system, starts as 2 bns of 383d Inf, 96th Div, storm up the ridge in surprise attack beginning before dawn. Under enemy fire and frequent counterattacks, the regt withdraws. Both sides suffer heavy casualties. 184th Inf, 7th Div, captures Tomb Hill with assistance of massed fire. 32d Inf continues to advance along E coast. 27th Div (- RCT 105) lands to reinforce corps.

U.S. Navy: Three destroyers and USMC planes support the U.S. Army U.S. Army (163rd RCT) landing on Jolo. The Japanese garrison withdraws into the hills.

Off Okinawa, escort carrier Chenango (CVE-28) is damaged by crash of F6F (VF 25) on flight deck; kamikaze damages destroyer Sterett (DD-407), 26°47'N, 128°42'E; destroyer Porterfield (DD-682) is damaged by friendly fire, 26°34'N, 128°28'E; high speed transport Hopping (APD-51) is damaged by shore battery, 26°15'N, 127°55'E, as is tank landing ship LST-557, 26°14'N, 127°57'E; attack cargo ship Starr (AKA-67) is damaged by premature explosion of assault demolition boat, 26°20'N, 127°44'E.

Destroyers Mertz (DD-691) and Monssen (DD-798) sink Japanese submarine RO 56, 45 miles east of Okinawa, 26°09'N, 130°21'E.

Submarine Parche (SS-384) sinks Japanese minesweeper W.3 as she is escorting transport (ex-armed merchant cruiser) Ukishima Maru northeast of Sendai, 39°07'N, 141°57'E. Later, Sunfish (SS-281) attacks Ukishima Maru at the entrance to Yamada Bay, 39°30'N, 142°05'E. Although Sunfish claims damage, Ukishima Maru reaches port unscathed.

Submarine Spadefish (SS-411) damages Japanese merchant cargo ship Ritsu Maru off west coast of Korea, 37°21'N, 125°08'E. Ritsu Maru attempts to run aground to facilitate salvage, but sinks before she can accomplish her goal.

Submarine Tirante (SS-420) attacks Japanese convoy TAMO-53 in Yellow Sea, sinking army tanker Nikko Maru and damaging Coast Defense Vessel No.102, 36°50'N,123°55'E; transport (ex-seaplane carrier) Kiyokawa Maru evades Tirante and ultimately tows the damaged Coast Defense Vessel No.102 to safety.

USN land-based aircraft attack Japanese shipping in Kwangchow Bay, China, sinking cargo vessel Minko Maru, 21°26'N, 111°20'E.

Mines damage Japanese training ship (ex-armored cruiser) Izumo and fast transport T.19 off Okurokami Island.

USMC: The main body of the 27th Infantry Division, USA, went ashore on Beaches Orange near Kadena. The Kadena Airfield is ready for its first planes and Marine Aircraft Wing 33 (MAW-33) began tactical operations from the field immediately.

Marine Aircraft Group 32 (MAG-32) suppots the U.S. Army landing on Jolo.