FRIDAY, 18 MAY 1945
ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Eight B-24s bomb naval, harbor, and airfield targets
at Kataoka on Shimushu Island; another B-24 searches for enemy radar along the Kuriles.
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 9 B-25s blast the Siangtan supply
areas; 8 B-25s, supported by 7 P-51s, hit railroad targets and other targets
of opportunity around Sinyang, Kiaotow, Sintsiang, and Chenghsien; about 75
fighter-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft continue the harassment of enemy
movement and supply lines throughout S and E China, escort of C-47 transports,
and surveillance of enemy forces.
China: The Chinese Army occupies Foochow in Fukien Province.
Burma: Movement of CAI (Chinese Army 30th, 38th, and 50th Divs) from Burma to China is begun.
AAFPOA (VII Fighter Command): In the Ryukus Islands, 8 P-47s from Ie Shima make bombing, strafing, and rocket attacks on radar and ground installations
on Kume Jima; other P-47s fly heckler strikes against Kyushu during the night of 18/19 May.
HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 177: During the night of 18/19 May, 30
B-29s mine Shimonoseki Strait and Tsuruga Harbor in Japan. The advance air echelon
of the 509th Composite Group arrives at North Field; the 509th
is scheduled to deliver atomic bomb attacks on Japan, the Commanding Officer (C. O.)
is Colonel Paul W. Tibbets Jr. a pilot with a distinguished record in the 97th
Bombardment Group in Europe and North Africa.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Formosa, B-24s
bomb Taichu Airfield and Tainan Airfield. Lost is B-24J 44-42358 pilot 1st Lt. James J. Franklin (MIA) suffered a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire and exploded. Damaged by the explosion was B-24J "Petty Gal" 44-40373 pilot 1st Lt. Rudolph J. Cherkauer. Also damaged was B-24J "Smitty Jr." 42-109864 pilot 2nd Lt. Charles H. Wilt and managed to reach the sea and the crew bailed out. B-25s and fighter-bombers fly sweeps hitting
numerous targets. B-25s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers support ground forces on
N Luzon Island and pound concentrations in S Luzon. Lost is B-25D "Charmin' Lady" 42-87444 pilot Lt. Frederic E. Kluth (KIA). Fighter-bombers also support
ground forces on Negros. In Borneo, B-24s and B-25s hit Ft Brook and Sarawak while B-24s and P-38s attack defenses on Tarakan.
U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army's XI Corps area, 149th Inf completes relief of 145th and takes responsibility for its sector. 145th is held in reserve. 152d Inf renews assault on Woodpecker Ridge but continues to progress slowly. 43d Div extends control over Osboy Ridge and opens Metropolitan Road from Bigti to Ipo.
On Mindanao, In U.S. Eighth Army's X Corps area, RCT 108, completing capture of Mangima Canyon, is able to advance rapidly southward along Sayre Highway. 1st Bn of 19th Inf, 24th Div, reaches positions near lower end of Sasa airfield. Tugbok falls to 2d Bn, 21st Inf, which halts for a few days to patrol and consolidate.
On Okinawa, In U.S. Tenth Army's III Amphib Corps area, Sugar Loaf falls to 29th Marines, 6th Mar Div; regt also consolidates positions on northern slope of Crescent Hill and seizes part of Horseshoe, commanding feature just SW of Sugar Loaf. 1st Mar Div continues seesaw battle for Wana Draw and Wana Ridge. 5th Marines further softens enemy positions with tank and M-7 fire while engineers clear lower slopes of the ridge. 3d Bn, 7th Marines, makes another fruitless effort to take Wana Ridge. In XXIV Corps area, 305th Inf of 77th Div slightly improves positions on Highway 5; 307th is still unable to take Chocolate Drop or Flattop but improves positions about former. 382d Inf, 96th Div, succeeds in holding crest of Dick Hill under fire from Flattop and starts clearing reverse slope. 3d Bn, 381st Inf, opens attack for Sugar Hill.
USMC: The 29th Marines, 6th Marine Division, captured the Sugar Loaf position, the western anchor of the Shuri defenses.
U.S. Navy: Destroyer Longshaw (DD-559), damaged by shore battery off Naha, Okinawa, 26°11'N, 127°37'E, explodes; wreck is demolished by destroyers Heywood L. Edwards (DD-663) and Picking (DD-685). Also off Okinawa, high speed transport Sims (APD-50) is damaged by kamikaze, 26°00'N, 127°00'E, and tank landing ship LST-808 by aerial torpedo, 26°42'N, 127°47'E. SS Cornelius Vanderbilt carrying gasoline and explosives, as well as general cargo is bombed by Japanese plane and set afire off Ie Shima, but the 38-man merchant crew, 27-man Armed Guard and the 108 stevedores on board working cargo assemble firefighting parties and put out the blaze in short order.
Submarine Shad (SS-235) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Chosan Maru in the Yellow Sea off Gunzan, Korea, 35°41'N, 126°17'E.
Navy land-based aircraft sink Japanese cargo vessel Enkyo Maru off western Korea, 33°14'N, 120°50'E.
Japanese submarine chaser CH-57 is damaged by mine laid by British submarine HMS Porpoise on January 9, 1945, in the south channel into Penang at 05°20'N, 100°08'E.
Japanese landing ship T.137 is damaged by aircraft, 12 miles off Daiosaki.
Japanese transport No.18 Nissho Maru is damaged by mine, 34°33'N, 134°47'E.
Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser No.3 Takunan Maru is damaged by aircraft, 32°05'N, 124°40'E.
Japanese merchant cargo ship No.5 Nissen Maru is damaged by aircraft, 34°43'N, 137°50'E.
USMC: The 29th Marines, 6th Marine Division, captured the Sugar Loaf position, the western anchor of the Japanese Shuri defenses.
