April 22, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SUNDAY, 22 APRIL 1945

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): Two B-24s bomb targets of opportunity at Canton and in Bakli Bay; five B-25s bomb Hsuchang and hit the area to the NW; 19 P-51s and P-47s attack trains, trucks, troops, horses, and town areas at or near Linfen, Luan, Sincheng, Fentingtukou, Taiku, Chenghsien, Sinsiang, and Kaifeng.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, bad weather again cancels scheduled air strikes; 464 transport sorties fly 664 tons of supplies to forward areas.

Burma: Lt Gen Kimura orders withdrawal of bulk of Japanese forces from Rangoon to Pegu and Moulmein. In Br Fourteenth Army's 33 Corps area, Yenangyaung, largest of the Burmese oilfields, falls to Ind 7th Div. In 4 Corps area, Ind 5th Div reaches Toungoo 3 days ahead of schedule; leading elements continue S to Oktwin.

AAFPOA (VII Fighter Command): 99 effective sorties are flown by P-51D Mustangs during from Iwo Jima against Akenogahara Airfield and Suzuko Airfield in Japan; they claim 10 aircraft downed and 15 destroyed on the ground.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Missions 91 to 95: Strikes against airfields continue; 87 B-29s bomb airfields at Izumi, Kushira, Miyazaki, Tomitaka, and Kanoya and 6 others hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-29 is lost.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Numerous missions in support of ground forces on Luzon, Cebu, and Negros continue. In Borneo, B-24s bomb Manggar Airfield and Jesselton Airfield and P-38s hit Kuching. B-24s hit shipping and harbor installations at Saigon.

U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army's I Corps area, 129th Inf of 37th Div attacks through 148th toward Baguio, gaining about 4,000 yards, then suspends attack while approaches are being cleared to prevent enemy reinforcement of the city. 130th Inf, 33d Div, continuing assault on Asin tunnel positions, gains heights over first tunnel; elements are pushing toward Mt Mirador, at the western outskirts of Baguio. 32d Div troops continue to fight from hill to hill along Villa Verde Trail. 1st Bn of 27th Inf, 25th Div, eliminates resistance between its hill position N of the Wart and hill farther N while Co G makes wide enveloping move to base of Lone Tree Hill, at junction of Kapintalan and Balete Ridges 2,000 yards from Balete Pass. In XI Corps' 6th Div sector, 145th Inf continues attack on Mt Pacawagan but is unable to advance. XIV Corps takes control of Bicols sector and of RCT 158 engaged there. Attack to clear Cituinan Hill continues to progress slowly. Corps has by now virtually surrounded Mt Mataasna Bundoc. 11th A/B Div, given mission of clearing Mt Malepunyo area, is reinf by 8th Cav and 2d Sq of 7th Div regroups and maintains pressure on enemy.

In the southern Philippines, In U.S. Eighth Army's X Corps area, 31st Div, less 2d Bn of 167th Inf on Morotai, lands on Mindanao and begins relief of 24th Div elements, freeing them for push across the island to Davao Gulf. 19th Inf, 24th Div, continues along Highway 1 to point about 3 miles SE of Balabac. From Fort Pikit, 3d Bn of 34th Inf moves overland to junction of Highway 1 with Sayre Highway, which it takes, and continues to vicinity of Kabacan.

Japanese forces on Mindanao are thus divided. Amphibious forces move upstream and secure ferry crossing in Kabacan area. In Sulu Archipelago, troops of RCT 163, 41st Div, overrun Mt Daho, last organized enemy position on Jolo I., with ease. On Palawan, reinf platoon of Co G, 186th Inf, 41st Div, makes unopposed landing on Pandanan I., off S tip of Palawan. Liberation of Palawan Province is virtually completed. On Cebu, 3d Bn of 182d Inf moves W by truck from Cebu City to Toledo and then N along coastal road to Tabuclan. On Bohol, 3d Bn regains contact with Japanese, who have dug in N of barrio of Nanod, and is pinned down.

On Okinawa, Japanese air activity against shipping in Okinawa area increases. In U.S. Tenth Army's XXIV Corps area, 27th Div slightly improves positions on W flank of corps but Japanese retain Item Pocket, Kakazu, and most of Urasoe-Mura Escarpment. TF Bradford (Brig Gen William B. Bradford, 27th Div ADC), consisting of elements of 27th, 7th, and 96th Divs with supporting units, is formed to destroy the Kakazu Pocket. 383d Inf, 96th Div, relieves battered 382d and, with 2d Bn of 382d attached, attempts to take saddle in Nishibaru Ridge; elements seize Nishibaru Village. 7th Div's right flank is still held up at Rocky Crags; on left flank, 32d Inf holds current positions on Skyline Ridge and patrols.

U.S. Navy: Off Okinawa, support landing craft LCS-15 is sunk by aircraft, 27°20'N, 127°10'E; kamikazes sink minesweeper Swallow (AM-65), 26°10'N, 127°12'E, and damage destroyers Hudson (DD-475), 27°00'N, 127°00'E, and Wadsworth (DD-516), 26°10'N, 126°24'E; destroyer Isherwood (DD-520) and minesweeper Ransom (AM-283), 26°14'N, 127°28'E; and light minelayer Shea (DM-30), 26°00'N, 127°00'E; minesweeper Gladiator (AM-319) is damaged by strafing and near-miss of kamikaze, 26°21'N, 127°45'E.

Lost is FM-2 Wildcat 74105 pilot LtCdr Billy V. "Skipper" Gates (MIA).

Submarine Cero (SS-225) sinks Japanese guardboat Aji Maru west of Tori Jima, 31°38'N, 139°00'E, and damages guardboat No.9 Takamiya Maru, 30°04'N, 136°43'E.

Submarine Hardhead (SS-365) sinks Japanese cargo vessel Mankei Maru off Chimpon, 10°25'N, 99°06'E.

Japanese guardboat Ariake Maru is sunk by U.S. aircraft in Ise Bay, 34°43'N, 136°43'E.

USAAF P-51s sink Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Chikuyu Maru south of Toshi Jima.

Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.81 is damaged by aircraft, 31°26'N, 123°30'E.

Dutch submarine O-19 torpedoes Japanese heavy cruiser Ashigara escorted by destroyer Kamikaze bound for Batavia, 05°37'S, 106°55'E.

USMC: Marine Aircraft Group 24 (MAG-24) at Malabang Airfield begin air operations in support of the 24th Division and 31st Division advancing eastward across Mindanao.