TUESDAY, 1 MAY 1945
ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): A single B-24 flies a weather reconnaissance mission over
the Kuriles.
ZONE OF INTERIOR (Second Air Force): The detachment of the 4th Photographic
Charting Squadron, 311th Photographic Wing (Mapping and Charting) [attached
to 4th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance)] operating in Australia with F-7s,
returns to base at Hollandia, New Guinea (the squadron is mapping areas of the
SW Pacific).
China: Gen Wedemeyer selects Gen Stratemeyer to command Army Air Forces, China Theater, with both Tenth and Fourteenth Air Forces under his headquarters.
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): During May the Japanese decide to give
up their Greater E Asia Corridor and withdraw from S China; the Fourteenth AF
further concentrates its attacks on rail and road movements and river shipping
and thus plays a major role in critically reducing the enemy's mobility and
supply lines. In China, 2 B-25s and 16 P-51s knock out bridges near Taiku and
Kiehsiu and hit AA positions and locomotives near the bridges, blast gun emplacements
in the Loning area, and hit several locomotives, near Shihkiachwang. Lieutenant
General Albert C Wedemeyer, Commanding General US Forces China Theater, selects
Lieutenant General George E Stratemeyer to command HQ AAF China Theater, with
both HQ Tenth and Fourteenth AFs under his command. During May, the detachment
of the 449th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Group, operating from Posek, China
with P-38s, returns to base at Chengkung.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): Unit moves: 9th Photographic Reconnaissance
Squadron, 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, from Myitkyina to Piardoba with F-5s; the detachment of the 317th Troop Carrier Squadron (Commando),
2d Air Commando Group, operating from Akyab Airfield with C-47s, to base at Kalaikunda,
India.
AAFPOA Seventh Air Force): Sixteen Guam based B-24s bomb Marcus Airfield while ten hit air installations
on Param; during the night 9 more, flying individual snooper
strikes, hit Param Airfield and Moen Airfield. VII Fighter Command:
The 6th Night Fighter Squadron, VII Fighter Command, departs Kagman Field for Kipapa Field with P-61s.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-25s
hit the Heito sugar refinery and the town of Kagi. FEAF continues to support
ground forces on Luzon and Negros. On Borneo, B-24s support Australian
Army landings on Tarakan and bomb Tawau and B-25s attack Jesselton, Tarakan, Sandakan, and Kudat, concentrating on airfields. HQ 6th Photographic
Reconnaissance Group moves from Leyte to Clark
Field. Unit moves
during May: HQ 309th Bombardment Wing from San Marcelino to Lingayen; 7th Combat Cargo Squadron, 2d Combat Cargo Group from Biak to Dulag; the detachment of the 160th Liaison Squadron (Commando),
3d Air Commando Group, ceases operating from Mindoro with UC-64s and
L-5s and returns to base at Mabalacat.
U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army's I Corps area, 33d Div's 136th Inf effects junction with 123d, opening up Kennon Road to Baguio. 32d Div continues to clear heights in Salacsac Pass area. 25th Div is strengthened for final effort against Balete Pass by attachment of RCT 148, 37th Div. 161st Inf, with close fire support, launches attack against Kembu Plateau with 2 bns abreast. In XI Corps' 38th Div sector, RCT 145 consolidates on crest of Mt Pacawagan. 43d Div is directed to begin drive to Ipo on 7th. In XIV Corps area, 5th Cav of 1st Cav Div, pushing SE into the Bicols, is attached to RCT 158. 1st Bn, RCT 158, reaches Anayan, at junction of Highways 1 and 27, without opposition. 3d Bn is ordered to establish contact with 2d Bn, which is advancing W on Route 27.
In the southern Philippines, In U.S. Eighth Army's X Corps area, 19th Inf of 24th Div closes in on Davao against strong opposition, bypassing and containing Hill 550, which commands approaches to the city. Leading elements of 21st Inf reach Bayo, 3 miles N of Dalaio. On Sayre Highway, 3d Bn of 124th Inf, 31st Div, reaches Misinsman, where Japanese force is routed in fire fight. Japanese positions in Kibawe area are targets for air attacks. On Negros, 2d Bn of 164th Inf, Americal Div, gains another knob on Cuernos de Negros ridge (Negros Oriental) and holds against counterattacks. Under cover of heavy arty fire, 185th Inf, 40th Div, attacks for Virgne Ridge (Negros Occidental), target for extensive aerial bombardment for several days, and gains control of this feature with ease. On N flank, 503d Para Inf pushes forward onto Banana Ridge. 160th Inf remains on slopes of Hill 3155 (Dolan), which is still being pounded by fire and probed by patrols.
On Okinawa, In U.S. Tenth Army's XXIV Corps area, 1st Mar Div completes relief of 27th Div in line and takes responsibility for W sector of corps front. 1st Marines continue futile and costly efforts to reach Asa R line. 1st Bn of 307th Inf, 77th Div, attempts unsuccessfully to scale precipitous E edge of Maeda Escarpment with cargo nets and ladders; elements succeed in getting to the top but are driven off in night counterattack. Efforts of 3d Bn to take the Apartment House strongpoint also fail. In 7th Div zone, 184th Inf relieves 32d Inf in line by 1730. Enemy infiltrators delay the relief. Co L, 184th, penetrates to Gaja Ridge, night 1-2, but withdraws. 17th Inf, except for mopping up Onaga, remains in place while approach routes to Kochi Ridge are being cleared.
U.S. Navy: Naval attack force under Vice Admiral Daniel E. Barbey lands the Australian Army 9th Division on Tarakan Island off northeast Borneo, supported by naval gunfire and aircraft.
U.S. freighter Henry L. Abbott is damaged by mine, Manila Bay, 14°35'N, 120°58'E. Two of the merchant crew die in the explosion; there are no casualties among the 27-man Armed Guard.
Submarine Bowfin (SS-287) sinks Japanese gunboat Chowa Maru southeast of Erimosaki, Hokkaido, Japan, 41°02'N, 144°36'E.
Submarine Sennet (SS-408) damages Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.50 off Wakayama, 3358'N, 136°17'E.
PBMs (VPB 11 and FAW-1) sink Japanese cargo vessel Kyugkoku Maru off Mokpo, Korea, 34°35'N, 126°00'E; USN land-based planes on anti-shipping sweeps over Yellow Sea also sink merchant cargo ships Miyatama Maru and Komadori Maru off Mokpo, 34°11'N, 126°35'E. Land-based USN aircraft are also most likely responsible for damage inflicted on merchant vessel Taruyasu Maru in the Chochiku Channel the same day.
Japanese merchant tanker No.2 Iyasaka Maru is sunk by aircraft off Singapore.
Japanese merchant ship Richo Go is sunk by mine off Woosung, China.
Australian Army: 26th Brig, 9th Division lands on Tarakan Island off northeast Borneo.
