SATURDAY, 28 APRIL 1945
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, ten B-25s bomb Paoching Airfield
and the Shaho railroad yards, knock out a bridge near Kaifeng, and damage a
bridge W of Showyang; about 80 fighter-bombers attack troops, airfields, storage
facilities, railroad targets, rivercraft, trucks, and enemy positions in south and
east China, again concentrating on the Fantung area; a B-24 claims a freighter
sunk in the South China Sea.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 8 P-38s attack a cavalry
regiment and supplies in the Namhok area; 6 others hit a bivouac area near Pawngleng;
22 P-47s are detailed to strike at troops, artillery positions, trucks, elephants,
and carts along and behind the enemy lines in C Burma; despite bad weather most
of the fighter-bombers complete their missions; transports make 441 flights
to forward areas, landing or dropping 610 tons of supplies. The 82d Bombardment
Squadron (Medium), 12th Bombardment Group (Medium), ceases operating from Meiktila and returns to base at Fenny with B-25s.
Burma: In ALFSEA's 15 Corps area, 82d W African Div occupies Taungup, which patrols had found clear of enemy in mid-April, completing reconquest of Arakan coast. In Br Fourteenth Army's 33 Corps area, Allanmyo, on road to Prome, falls to Ind 20th Div.
AAFPOA Seventh Air Force: Twelve B-24s from Guam hit Param during the early morning hours; Twelve more attack Param during the afternoon.
Twenty P-47s from Saipan sweep Truk, strafing small
vessels, Param Airfield and Moen Airfield.
HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Missions 114 to 119: 119 B-29s hit airfields
at Kushira, Kanoya, Miyakonojo, Kokubu, Miyazaki, and Izumi on Kyushu; 4 others hit targets of opportunity; they claim a total of 14 Japanese
fighters; five B-29s are lost.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA: On northern Luzon,
B-25s hit targets in the Itogon area; A-20s attack Itogon mines and start fires
among huts at Fabrica; fighter-bombers attack Balete
Pass, Cagayan Valley, Tuguegarao,
Trinidad, and Cervantes. On south Luzon A-20s and fighter-bombers support ground
forces at various points including the Batangas sector and hit targets around Norzagaray, Ipo Dam, Montalban, New Bosoboso, and along the San Andres trail.
B-24s bomb Toshien, Formosa and several secondary targets. In Borneo, B-24s
hit Kuching while B-25s and P-38s hit Tarakan and targets of opportunity
along the Sarawak coast. B-24s over the Celebes bomb Masamba, Malimpoeng, and Mandai Airfields. B-25s sink about 20,000 tons of merchant shipping in Saigon Harbor. The 36th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th
Photographic Reconnaissance Group, moves from Biak to Clark
Field with F-5s.
U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army's I Corps area, 37th and 33d Divs prepare to clear northward from Baguio. In effort to exploit toward Balete Pass from Lone Tree Hill, 25th Div attaches 3d Bn of 35th Inf to 27th Inf. 3d Bn, 27th Inf, when relieved on Mt Myoko by 3d Bn, 35th, is to move to Lone Tree Hill sector. Co A, 35th Inf, overtakes Co F on ridge 1,300 yards NNE of Kapintalan and starts NE to establish contact with 27th Inf but is soon pinned down. 3d Bn, 27th Inf, gets to within 40 yards of crest of Myoko hill mass. XI Corps is directed to regroup for drive on Ipo Dam. In XIV Corps area, Japanese resistance in Cituinan hill mass collapses, concluding organized resistance in the Bicols. 11th A/B Div continues attack in Mt Mataasna Bundoc area with 511th Inf on S and 8th Cav and 188th Inf on N. Some progress is made, but gap of 2 miles exists between N and S forces.
In the southern Philippines, In U.S. Eighth Army's X Corps area, 2d Bn of 34th Inf, 24th Div, seizes Digos, cutting Mindanao in two. 19th Inf attacks N through 34th toward Davao. 2d Bn of 124th Inf, 31st Div, gains over 4 miles along Sayre Highway, reaching positions beyond Atoman. On Negros, 2d Bn of 164th Inf in Negros Oriental continues to clear heights near Palimpinon while 1st Bn moves to Luzuriaga to drive W in region S of 2d Bn. Contact with enemy is light. In Negros Occidental, 2d Bn of 185th Inf returns to parent unit after assisting 10th Inf in attack on Hill 3155, on slopes of which Japanese are still clinging. Guerrillas replace 2d Bn in this sector. Ground attack on Hill 3155 is suspended for some days while patrols develop enemy positions and fire softens them.
On Okinawa, in U.S. Tenth Army's XXIV Corps area, lively fighting continues in Yafusu area of Okinawa on 27th Div front. Japanese hold Maeda Escarpment against 96th Div attacks. Co K, 381st Inf, moves through 27th Div zone toward strongpoint, called Apartment House, S of the escarpment but is forced back with heavy losses. In 7th Div zone, 3d Bn of 17th Inf replaces 1st Bn W of Kochi Ridge and attempts unsuccessfully to outflank enemy positions. 32d Inf attacks toward Kuhazu but is stopped short by heavy fire. Armored flame throwers push into the village, however.
The 3d Battalion, 165th Infantry, USA, captured Machinato Airfield.
U.S. Navy: Off Okinawa, kamikazes damage destroyers Wadsworth (DD-516), 26°47'N, 126°38'E; Daly (DD-519), 27°12'N, 128°16'E; Twiggs (DD-591), 27°12'N, 128°16'E; and Bennion (DD-662), 27°26'N, 127°51'E; high speed minesweeper Butler (DMS-29), 26°00'N, 127°00'E; USS Comfort (AH-6), 25°30'N, 127°40'E. This is the third attack on a medical vessel. and transport fitted for the evacuation of wounded Pinkney (APH-2), 26°00'N, 127°00'E. Destroyer Lang (DD-399) is damaged in collision with oiler Brazos (AO-4), 26°11'N, 127°20'E. Japanese assault demolition boat causes extensive damage to U.S. freighter Bozeman Victory; six men among the 59-man merchant crew, 13 stevedores and the 27-man Armed Guard suffer injuries.
Motor minesweeper YMS-329 is damaged by mine off Tarakan, Borneo, 03°14'N, 117°42'E.
Submarine Sennet (SS-408) sinks Japanese cable layer Hatsushima off Kii Suido, south-southeast of Mikizaki, 33°55'N, 136°18'E.
Submarine Springer (SS-414) sinks Japanese submarine chaser Ch 17 west of Kyushu, 32°25'N, 128°46'E, as the latter is escorting landing ship T.146; later that day, submarine Trepang (SS-412) sinks T.146 off Osezaki, Japan, 32°24'N, 128°40'E.
British submarine HMS Tradewind attacks Japanese convoy off coast of Malaya, sinking merchant tanker Takasago Maru 53 miles from Kota Bharu, 06°48'N, 101°36'E.
USAAF B-25s and P-38s (Far East Air Force) bomb Japanese shipping at Saigon, sinking tanker No.8 Takasago Maru, 10°49'N, 106°41'E, and motor sailships No.10 Shingi Maru and 9 Nittai Maru and 1 Kashima Maru, Shuttle Boat No.51, Shuttle Boat No.57 and Shuttle Boat No. 74.
Japanese escort vessel Uku and Patrol Vessel No.102 [ex-U.S. destroyer Stewart (DD-224)] are damaged by aircraft, 34°52'N, 124°23'E.
USAAF mine sinks Japanese cargo vessel Gakujo Maru at western entrance of Shimonoseki Strait, 34°00'N, 130°50'E.
