April 10, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 10 APRIL 1945

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In coordinated operations with U.S. Navy (USN) aircraft, seven B-24s napalm-bomb Kataoka Naval Base on Shimushu; Four B-25s attempt to hit radar installations on Minami Cape on Shumshu, the primary air warning station in the Kuriles, but fail to release bombs due to an approach error; three other B-25s deck level bomb a Masugawa River cannery; and a B-24 investigates ice floes along the Kuriles.

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 23 B-24s pound Yungcheng, China storage areas; 50+ B-25s and 180+ fighter-bombers (operating in small flights) attack numerous targets throughout S and E China; targets hit are mainly troops, horses, town areas, storage areas, and river, road, and rail traffic.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): About 30 fighter-bombers attack troop concentrations at Tonglau, at points along the Zawgyi River, and at other locations in the C Burma battle area; 455 transport sorties are flown to forward areas. The 82d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 12th Bombardment Group (Medium) based at Fenny with B-25s, begins operating from Meiktila.

Burma: In Br Fourteenth Army's 4 Corps area, columns of Ind 17th Div and 255th Tank Brig converge on Pyawbwe and with air assistance capture this key point on Mandalay-Rangoon railway.

AAFPOA (VII Fighter Command): During the night of 10/11 April, six Iwo Jima based P-61s, flying individual strikes bomb and strafe Chichi, Muko, Ani, and Haha Jima.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb the town of Koshun. A-20s and fighter-bombers again support ground forces in SW Luzon and in the Balete Pass, Baguio, and Solvec Cove areas, and pound the Legaspi area. B-24s and fighter-bombers support ground forces on Cebu. B-24s bomb Liang Airfield on Ambon and Bingkalapa Airfield on Celebes. Headquarters (HQ), 35th Fighter Group and 39th Fighter Squadron move from Mangaldan to Lingayen with P-51s.

U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army area, RCT 158, after securing Legaspi area, begins reconnaissance of islands in Albay Gulf and prepares to send elements to help AT Co in San Francisco area. In I Corps Baguio area, Sablan-Salat region is cleared as Cos E and F of 129th Inf, 37th Div, establish contact with Co G in advanced position. 3d Bn begins assault up Three Peaks and gets to within 100 yards of top. 27th Inf, 25th Div, gives 1st Bn task of continuing offensive for Mt Myoko and withdraws 3d Bn into reserve. On Villa Verde Trail the 128th Infantry Regiment captures Salacsac Pass No. 2 after a prolonged and costly battle. In XI Corps area, 63d Inf of 6th Div, having suspended ground attacks on Mt Mataba for several days while enemy positions there were being neutralized, renews assault and gets elements to the summit, but Japanese continue to defend positions on this feature for the next week. XIV Corps columns drive to Lamon Bay sealing off Japanese forces in the Bicols. Elements of 1st Cav Div take Mauban while units of 11th A/B Div seize Atimonan.

In the southern Philippines, in U.S. Eighth Army area, Gen Suzuki is lost at sea while withdrawing from Cebu bound for Mindanao. Hill 26 on Cebu falls to elements of 132d Inf. Co E, 182d, rejoins regiment after clearing Hill 20 in conjunction with guerrilla forces. On Negros, 160th Inf is pinned down by heavy fire at foot of Dolan Hill and for next few days reconnoiters extensively. In preparation for amphibious assault on Bohol, advance party of 3d Bn, 164th Inf, lands at Tagbilaran to secure guides.

On Okinawa, 3d Bn of 105th Inf, 27th Div, under command of Eastern Islands Attack and Fire Support Group (TG 51.19), lands on Tsugen Jima after preparatory aerial and naval gunfire bombardment and begins search for isolated enemy groups.

In U.S. Tenth Army's III Amphib Corps area on Okinawa, 29th Marines of 6th Mar Div is enveloping Japanese positions on Yae-Take hill mass, Motobu Peninsula. Some elements reach Toguchi, on coast NW of Yae-Take, and others are at Itomi, NE of Yae-Take. In XXIV Corps area, 96th Div, with unusually heavy fire support, attacks with 2 regts, 383d and 381st, toward Kakazu Ridge; gains positions on it in costly fighting but is unable to drive enemy off. 7th Div makes limited progress in region to E, 184th Inf consolidating and 32d pressing toward Ouki.

U.S. Navy: Eastern Island Attack and Fire Support Group supported by carrier aircraft land the U.S. Army 27th Division on Tsugen Jima off east coast of Okinawa, to begin the search for isolated pockets of Japanese troops.

Off Okinawa, destroyer USS Porterfield (DD-682) is damaged by own gunfire; submarine chaser SC-667 is damaged by grounding, 26°11'N, 127°57'E; motor minesweeper YMS-96 is damaged in collision with high speed minesweeper USS Hambleton, 26°03'N, 127°48'E.

Submarine Crevalle (SS-291) damages Japanese escort destroyer Ikuna southwest of Iki Island 33°38'N, 129°13'E.

Japanese merchant cargo vessel Maruko Maru is sunk by mine (laid by B-29s on March 4 and 28) in Yangtze, 31°15'N, 121°29'E. Mines also damage Japanese destroyer Tsubaki, 58 miles off Woosung, China; gunboat Uji and transport Kotobuki Maru (ex-Italian liner Conte Verde); Coast Defense Vessel No.124 near Futaoi-Jima; Coast Defense Vessel No.156 off Mutsure Light; and minesweeper W.21 east of the mouth of the Yangtze.

USMC: The 2d Battalion, 29th Marines, seized Unten Ko on the Motobu Peninsula where the Japanese had established a submarine and torpedo boat base.

IJN: Damaged Amatsukaze is scuttled with explosive charges at the entrance to Amoy Harbor off Amoy.

Royal Netherlands Navy: Dutch submarine O-19 sinks Japanese merchant tanker Hosei Maru as the enemy ship proceeds from Balikpapan to Batavia, 05°30'S, 106°40'E.