ZJune 6, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 6 JUNE 1945

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, eleven B-25s and 9 P-51s bomb railroad yards N of Siaokan and damage bridges, strafe gun positions, and attack general targets of opportunity around Saiping and Hwayuan; 30+ fighters bomb or strafe bridges near Chihsien and Fengstun and hit troops, railroad targets, and targets of opportunity around Linfen, Laohokow, Changsha, Peking, and Kweilin, and Dap Cau and Thanh Hoa, French Indochina.

AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 12 Guam based B-24s hit oil storage buildings on Eten.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): 36 Ie Shima based P-47s, sweeping the southern part of Kyushu hit numerous targets of opportunity with rockets and machinegun fire, and claim 9 aircraft downed; Ie Shima based P-47s patrol over Amami Gunto, strafing a lighthouse and buildings. Lost on an administrative flight is B-25J 44-29584 pilot 1st Lt. Otto L. Carter Jr. (MIA).

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA: A-20s and fighter-bombers blast bridges in Cagayan Valley and other fighter-bombers pound the Balete Pass area. On Borneo, B-24s, B-25s and fighter-bombers hit Labuan supply areas, support troops on Tarakan, and bomb Kota Waringin Airfield (Waringin) and Pontianak Airfield, areas along the Belait River, around Brunei, and strike Miri, Jesselton, Kudat, and Beaufort. Bad weather cancels all missions against Formosa targets. Lost is B-24L 44-41482 pilot Captain Hans H. Williams (MIA).

U.S. Army: On Luzon in the U.S. Sixth Army area, I Corps pursues completely disorganized enemy through Bambang to Magat R; destroys delaying force at bridge and fords the river. In XIV Corps area, 5th Cav reverts to 1st Cav Div.

On Mindanao, In U.S. Eighth Army's X Corps area, 19th Inf of 24th Div gains positions from which to make final assault on Mandog.

In U.S. Tenth Army's III Amphib Corps area, 6th Mar Div clears rest of Naha airfield on Oroku Peninsula and advances its right flank along coast but is brought to a halt in center of the peninsula by tenacious enemy on Hill 57. To protect right flank of 1st Mar Div as it moves S, 22d Marines is released from corps reserve to establish line across base of Oroku Peninsula. 7th Marines pushes forward to vicinity of Dakiton. In XXIV Corps area, rapid pursuit ends as corps approaches enemy's new defense line. After moving through Yunagusuku, 1st Bn of 381st Inf, 96th Div, attempts to drive up Yaeju-Dake Escarpment but meets intense fire when coming within range of enemy guns and falls back. 7th Div advances its right flank very slowly but its left is held up at ridge extending NE from Hill 95.

U.S. Navy: Off Okinawa, minesweepers Requisite (AM-109) and Spear (AM-322) are damaged in collision, 26°00'N, 127°00'E; light minelayers Harry F . Bauer (DM-26) and J. William Ditter (DM-31) are damaged by kamikazes, 26°14'N,128°01'E, and landing craft flotilla flagship LC(FF)-995 is damaged by operational casualty.

Mines sink Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 195, Nanao Bay, Honshu, Japan, 37°10'N, 137°05'E; guardboat No.5 Yawata Maru off Tsurumi; merchant cargo ship Gassan Maru off Moji, 34°00'N, 130°50'E, destroyer Kaki off Kominase, 33°46'N, 130°24'E, escort destroyer Habuto 1.3 kilometers north of Kannonzaki light, and cargo ship No. 18 Tamon Maru off Hesaki light.

Japanese army cargo ship No.20 Hokko Maru is damaged by marine casualty off east coast of Aomori Prefecture.

Auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 251 (ex-submarine chaser Ch 51) is damaged by aircraft, three miles off Akashima.