April 19, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 19 APRIL 1945

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Eight B-25s on a bombing mission against Kuriles abort due to weather.

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, twelve B-24s bomb railway repair shops at Taiyuan; three B-24 attack targets of opportunity in Bakli Bay, eight B-25s attack bridges and rail and road traffic N and NE of Anyang and NE of Taiku, damaging or destroying several locomotives and numerous boxcars; 100+ P-40s, P-51s, and P-47s attack town areas, troops, river, road, and rail traffic, and general targets of opportunity all over S and E China and hit a few targets of opportunity in north French Indochina.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 14 P-38s hit supplies near Paklu, a fuel dump at Hainang, and bridges near Kunna; 1 bridge is knocked out; 6 other P-38s attack targets of opportunity along roads behind enemy lines; air supply operations continue as 800 tons of supplies are landed or dropped in forward areas.

Burma: In Br Fourteenth Army's 33 Corps area, Ind 20th Div columns reach the Irrawaddy and take Magwe and Myingun.

AAFPOA Seventh Air Force: Seventeen B-24s from Guam hit Dublon, Fefan and Eten in Truk. Twenty-five B-24s from Angaur Airfield bomb Arakabesan and Koror. VII Fighter Command: 8 P-51s from Iwo Jima bomb and strafe Futamiko in the Bonin. During the night of 19/20 Apr, Six P-61s from Iwo Jima, operating singly and at intervals, bomb and strafe Chichi, Haha, and Muko Jima. Very Long Range Mission 4: 104 P-51s fly a fighter sweep to Atsugi Airfield and Yokusuka Airfield; they claim 23-0-7 aircraft in the air and 14-0-23 on the ground; 2 P-51s are lost.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA: B-24s bomb Tainan Airfield and Shinchiku town. Numerous missions are flown in support of ground forces on Luzon, Cebu, and Negros. On Mindanao, other B-24s bomb personnel areas at Kabacan, Cagayan, and along the Davao River. Tarakan is hit by a light B-25 strike while B-24s returning from a French Indochina coastal sweep bomb Sandakan. B-25s, with P-51 cover, hit Haimi. Unit moves on Luzon: HQ 3d Air Commando Group and the 3d Fighter Squadron (Commando) from Mangaldan to Laoag with P-51s; Headquarters (HQ), 35th Fighter Group from Lingayen to Clark Field; Headquarters (HQ), 312th Bombardment Group from Mangaldan to Floridablanca; the 431st Fighter Squadron, 432d Fighter Squadron and 433d Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group, from Clark Field to Lingayen Airfield with P-38s. The 25th Liaison Squadron, 13 AF, moves from Dulag to Malabang with UC-78s and L-5s.

U.S. Army: Gen MacArthur directs U.S. Sixth Army to seize reservoirs NE of Manila, a task subsequently undertaken by XI Corps. In the Bicols, RCT 158 attacks Cituinan hill mass from 3 directions for the next week, progressing slowly but methodically with aid of aircraft and arty. In I Corps' Highway 9 sector, 148th Inf of 37th Div clears all ridges S and NW of Irisan R bridge site, but enemy retains ridge positions to NE. 130th Inf of 33d Div, endeavoring to open Galiano-Baguio Road, is still engaged in Asin tunnels area. 123d Inf probes along Pugo-Tuba trail. 127th Inf, 32d Div, relieves 128th in Salacsac Pass area of Villa Verde Trail and makes contact with 126th Inf to N. 25th Div's 35th Inf is clearing draws near Kapintalan on Highway 5. 2d Bn, 27th Inf, withstands counterattack on its perimeter on Mt Myoko and continues efforts to advance. In XI Corps area, 6th and 38th Divs are ordered to exchange sectors so that 6th Div may have an opportunity to rest. 145th Inf, under command of 6th Div, patrols actively toward Mt Oro and Mt Pacawagan. In XIV Corps area, elements of 1st Cav Div and of 11th A/B Div maintain pressure on Mt Mataasna Bundoc but make little headway against stubborn opposition. On Mt Macolod, Japanese are compressed into small pocket during 2-bn assault by 187th Inf, 11th A/B Div.

In the southern Philippines, in U.S. Eighth Army's X Corps area, main body of 2d Bn, 21st Inf, remains at Lomopog and patrols to Highway 1 on Mindanao while Co F and elements of Boat and Shore Regt continue up Mindanao R to Ulandang; small party moves farther upstream toward Fort Pikit and lands without opposition at Paidu Pulangi. 19th Inf advances steadily along Highway 1 despite difficult road conditions. Floating reserve--34th Inf--lands at Parang and elements start up Mindanao R to assist the amphibious attack forces. On Cebu, 132d Inf is directed to move elements along E coast road. On Negros, 40th Div continues attack against enemy defenses near Negritos and Lantawan. Elements of 160th Inf again push up Hill 3155 and are again forced back. On Bohol, Co I of 164th Inf is directed to move forward from Candijay to assist main attack of 3d Bn.

On Ie Shima, 307th and 305th Regts of 77th Div continue futile efforts to take Bloody Ridge and Ie (Ie Town); 3d Bn of 307th, bypassing main enemy positions reach the base of Iegusugu on the east.

In U.S. Tenth Army area, XXIV Corps launches a three division assault on Okinawa against outer belt of Shuri defenses in the southern sector after tremendous preparatory bombardment in which naval vessels, 27 bns of arty, and aircraft participate. Aircraft make the largest single strike of the campaign. Landing force conducts diversionary feint off SE coast. Bombardment has little effect against well-organized network of cave and tunnel positions and corps gains are modest and costly. On W flank, 106th Inf of 27th Div is halted at W end of Urasoe-Mura Escarpment. After unsuccessful attacks on Kakazu Ridge, 105th Inf bypasses it to get elements on top of the escarpment, but this leaves gap between 27th Div and 96th Div. 22 tanks are lost in fight for Kakazu Ridge. In center, 381st Inf of 96th Div pushes through Kaniku and gains positions on forward slopes of Nishibaru Ridge while 382d gets toehold on N-S Tombstone Ridge between Kaniku and Nishibaru. 7th Div is held up by intense opposition from Rocky Crags on right and Skyline Ridge, E anchor of enemy line, in coastal sector. 32d Inf gains positions on Skyline Ridge but is unable to hold them.

U.S. Navy: Submarine Cero (SS-225) sinks Japanese guardboat No.3 Isuzu Maru south of Japan, 30°42'N, 136°42'E.

Submarine Pogy (SS-266) is mistakenly attacked by PB4Y (VPB 102) as Pogy approaches a Japanese convoy southeast of Honshu, 32°59'E, 139°58'E. Fortunately, the submarine escapes the encounter undamaged and remains on patrol.

Submarine Sennet (SS-408), attacking Japanese convoy in Kii Suido off the south coast of Kyushu, sinks auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 97, 33°32'N, 135°23'E, and merchant cargo ship Hagane Maru, 33°35'N, 135°23'E.

Submarine Silversides (SS-236) sinks Japanese guardboat Kairyu Maru, 32°57'N, 145°03'E.

Submarine Sunfish (SS-281) attacks Japanese convoy TSO-201 off Hokkaido, sinking gunboat Kaiho Maru, 42°22'N, 142°16'E, and merchant cargo ship Taisei Maru, 42°22'N,142°13'E.

Submarine Trutta (SS-421) sinks Japanese merchant vessel Kaiyo Maru, 37°52'N, 122°24'E, and merchant fishing boats Kinshu Maru and Mitsuyama Maru, 37°52'N, 122°24'E.

USAAF B-24s bomb Japanese shipping at Saigon, adding further damage to merchant cargo ships Kenei Maru and Chefoo Maru previously damaged by TF-58 carrier planes on January 12, 1945.

Japanese tanker Shonan Maru sinks after running aground off Belawan, Sumatra, 03°55'N, 98°49'E.