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

THURSDAY, 10 MAY 1945

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): The Eleventh AF and the USN's Fleet Air Wing Four execute the heaviest and most successful joint mission to date in the Kuriles; twelve B-24s bomb shipping targets in the Kataoka naval base on Shimushu Island, and fly photo reconnaissance over east and west Paramushiru on the return trip. Next, sixteen Attu Airfield based B-25s take off; one aborts while the others hit shipping between Kashiwabara on Paramushiru and Kataoka; heavy AA fire claims one B-25; a B-24 and a B-25 force lands in the USSR. Lost is B-25J 43-36149 (MIA).

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 19 B-25s and 4 P-47s attack bridges at Fengstun and Pinyang, on the Song Chu River, and N of Singtai (a Pinyang, China target is destroyed), hit Yungfengshih and Chingshuping, and bomb the airfield at Paoching; 100-120 fighter-bombers pounding targets of opportunity over S and E China, disrupt enemy movement and supply lines.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): Unit moves in India: 1st Fighter Squadron (Commando), 2d Air Commando Group, from Cox's Bazar to Kalaikunda with P-51s; 164th Liaison Squadron (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, from Sinthe, Burma to Asansol with UC-64s and L-5s; the 315th Troop Carrier Squadron, 443d Troop Carrier Group, from Ledo to Dinjan with C-47s.

AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 11 Guam based B-24s bomb Marcus Airfield in the morning. During the afternoon, 19 B-24s flying in 2 forces, hit Param Airfield and Moen Airfield. Lost is P-51D 44-63957 pilot 2nd Lt. Henry R. Peebles (MIA).

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): 8 missions are flown; the B-29s claim 10 Japanese aircraft; 1 B-29 is lost. Missions 159 to 162: 42 B-29s hit airfields at Matsuyama, Usa, Miyazaki, and Kanoya on Kyushu and Shikoku; 14 others hit targets of opportunity. Mission 163: 54 B-29s bomb the Tokuyama naval fuel station; 2 others hit targets of opportunity. Mission 164: 56 B-29s hit the Tokuyama coal yards; 1 other hits a target of opportunity. Mission 165: 112 B-29s hit the Otake oil refinery; 14 others hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-29 is lost. Mission 166: 80 B-29s bomb Amami-O-Shima naval oil storage facilities; 4 others hit targets of opportunity.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb an airfield on Canton. A-20s and fighter-bombers hit Cagayan Valley targets and support ground action in the battle zones throughout Luzon. On Mindanao, B-24s hit Impasugong, Kalasungay, and Malaybalay and B-25s in support of ground forces attack Kibawe and Tagolaan. B-24s bomb Makassar ship basins and Limboeng Airfield and shore targets at Balikpapan. B-25s, with fighter escort, hit Kari and communications targets of opportunity on Formosa. The 500th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 345th Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from San Marcelino to Clark Field with B-25s.

U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army's XI Corps area, 145th Inf mops up and patrols within its sector. 152d Inf, 38th Div, continues almost futile efforts to advance in vicinity of Woodpecker Ridge. 43d Div advance slows as troops approach Ipo.

In the southern Philippines, In U.S. Eighth Army's X Corps area of Mindanao, RCT 108 lands on shore of Macajalar Bay at 0830 after uneventful mine sweeping and aerial and naval gunfire bombardment and, assisted by Filipino guerrillas, establishes beachhead without opposition. 2d Bn starts SE along Sayre Highway to make contact with 31st Div forces moving N along it, gaining 5 miles. 155th Inf, which has been probing down Talomo Trail toward 24th Div sector, is relieved by 167th Inf; 167th will continue to explore the trail. Japanese guns on Samal I. shell CP area of 19th Inf, 24th Div. 1st Bn, 21st Inf, withdraws its bridgehead across the Talomo in evening. After arty preparation, 2d Bn of 19th Inf begins attack to destroy bypassed enemy force on Hill 550, which commands Davao.

On Okinawa, In U.S. Tenth Army's III Amphib Corps area, 22d Marines, 6th Mar Div, begins attack across Asa Estuary at 0300, rear elements wading after Japanese destroy the footbridge. Against increasingly strong resistance marines push forward through Asa and establish bridgehead 350 yards deep and almost a mile wide. Bailey bridge is constructed, night 10-11, for heavy weapons. 1st Mar Div, under heavy fire from Shuri, makes little progress: 1st Marines is unable to advance; 7th Marines reaches Dakeshi Ridge and attacks it unsuccessfully. In XXIV Corps area, 77th Div continues laborious reduction of enemy positions N of Shuri. 383d Inf, 96th Div, relieves 184th Inf, 7th Div, and prepares to attack toward Conical Hill, E anchor of enemy's Shuri defense line. 383d Inf reaches crest of Zebra Hill and holds it against enemy counterattack at night.

USMC: Four F4U Corsairs from VMF-312 conduct a Combat Air Patrol (CAP) over Ie Shima. Flying at 10,000' they spotted the vapor trails from two enemy aircraft roughly 35,000' ten miles north of Kadena Airfield. After requesting permission to investigate, the other two Corsairs were unable to climb beyond 32,000' and 36,000' respectively and each broke off. Only Reusser and Klingman were able to continue climbing after both fired half their ammunition to lighten their planes. At 38,000' they turned into the enemy plane and began to close, despite the enemy's superior speed. The pair finally caught the enemy plane roughly 125 miles north of Okinawa after a 150 mile chase. F4U pilot Reusser opens fire damaging the wing and right engine. F4U Corsair pilot Klingman closed to within 50' but his guns were frozen and instead deliberately rams the tail of the enemy plane three times until it goes into a spin and crashes into the sea.

Lost on a ground support mission is F4U Corsair 57611 pilot 1st Lt William R. Swenson (MIA).

USS Block Island supports the Okinawa operation as a component of Task Unit 32.1.3.

U.S. Navy: Task Group 78.3 (TG 78.3) under Rear Admiral Arthur D. Struble lands Army troops at Macajalar Bay, Mindanao.

Off Okinawa, kamikazes damage destroyer Brown (DD-546), 26°26'N, 127°20'E, and light minelayer Harry F. Bauer (DM-26), 26°25'N, 128°31'E.

Mines sink Japanese transport Tatsuwa Maru off Imabari, Kurahashi Jima, 34°04'N, 132°26'E; merchant cargo ship Otowa Maru, 34°38'N, 135°12'E; and damage merchant tugboat No.7 Naniwazu Maru off Wadanomisaki.

USN land-based planes sink Japanese merchant tanker No.1 Toyu Maru and cargo ship No.2 Yumihari Maru off west coast of Korea.