THURSDAY, 7 JUNE 1945
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 7 B-25s and 4 P-47s damage a
bridge near Anyang, bomb buildings N of Changsha and the airstrip at Paoching,
and hit targets of opportunity during a road and river sweep from Siangtan to
Yoyang; 45 fighters bomb or strafe numerous targets including troops, river
traffic, town areas, and supplies in S and E China and knock out bridges at
Singtai and Chihsien.
China: Gen McClure directs Chinese armies of Kwangsi Command (not a part of ALPHA Force) to prepare to open Operation CARBONADO--to clear Hong Kong-Canton area--with assault on Fort Bayard. 3 ALPHA armies (8th, 54th, and New First) are to join in the CARBONADO offensive. In Hunan Province, Chinese stop pursuing the Japanese forces, whose offensive they halted short of Chihchiang in May. The pursuit ends at Paoching, the point from which the Japanese had begun their offensive.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): Unit moves in India: HQ 7th Bombardment
Group from Pandaveswar to Tezpur; and 81st Bombardment Squadron (Medium),
12th Bombardment Group (Medium), from Fenny to Madhaiganj with B-25s.
AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 24 B-24s from Angaur Airfield,
bomb the boat repair basin on Aurapushekaru Island. HQ 41st Bombardment Group
(Medium) and the 396th and 820th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) move from Wheeler
Field to Okinawa with B-25s.
HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): 2 missions are flown. Mission 189: 409 B-29s,
escorted by 138 VII Fighter Command P-51s, drop incendiary and high explosive
bombs on Osaka, hitting the east-central section of the city which contains
industrial and transportation targets and the Osaka Army Arsenal (largest in
Japan); despite being forced to bomb by radar because of heavy undercast, the
B-29s burn out over 2 square miles (5.2 square km) of the city, destroying
55,000+
buildings; 9 other B-29s hit alternate targets; the P-51s claim 2-0-1 Japanese
aircraft; 2 B-29s and 1 P-51 are lost. Mission 190: During the night of 7/8
Jun, 26 B-29s mine Shimonoseki Strait and waters around Fukuoka and Karatsu,
Japan. 20 P-47s from Ie Shima hit targets of opportunity (radio station,
warehouses, freighter, and motor launches) on Kyushu and claim
5 aircraft downed.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon, A-20s
and fighter-bombers hit personnel and defensive positions near Infanta, at Mount
Mapatad, in the Marikina area, and in other areas in the Ipo sector; fighter-bombers pound numerous Cagayan Valley targets and support ground forces
north of Baguio and E of Manila. In Borneo, B-24s pound Brooketon and Muara Island;
B-25s and fighter-bombers hit Kudat, Ft Brook, Belait, Jesselton, and Keningau. Lost is F-5E 44-24559 (MIA) while buzzing USS Randolph (CV-15) and crashed into the flight deck.
U.S. Army: On Luzon in the U.S. Sixth Army's I Corps area, 3d Bn of 129th Inf, 37th Div, pursues enemy toward Solano.
On Mindanao, In U.S. Eighth Army's X Corps area, 19th Inf of 24th Div begins assault on Mandog.
On Okinawa, in U.S. Tenth Army's III Amphib Corps area, Japanese on Oroku Peninsula, determined to resist until death, are delaying 6th Mar Div, but marines clear Hill 57 strongpoint with aid of tanks. 1st Mar Div continues southward. 7th Marines reaches coast N of Itoman, sealing off Oroku Peninsula. XXIV Corps, while awaiting supplies for strong attack, conducts limited probing actions. Aircraft and arty pound Japanese defense line to neutralize it.
U.S. Navy: Off Okinawa, kamikazes damage escort carrier Natoma Bay (CVE-62), 24°46'N, 126°37'E, and destroyer Anthony (DD-515), 27°07'N, 127°38'E; operational casualties account for damage to medium landing ship LSM-270, landing craft flotilla flagship LC(FF)-988 and tank landing craft LCT-1054; tank landing ship LST-540 is damaged by grounding, 26°21'N, 127°45'E; destroyer Beale (DD-471) is damaged in collision with gasoline tanker Yahara (AOG-37) at Kerama Retto, 26°10'N, 127°20'E.
Task Group 74.3 (TG 74.3) under Rear Admiral Russell S. Berkey comprising three U.S. light cruisers, one Australian light cruiser, and seven destroyers, provides close cover and fire support for minesweepers and underwater demolition teams off Brunei Bay.
While in Leyte Gulf being loaded with bombs and ammunition, USS Randolph (CV-15) is buzzed by F-5E 44-24559 pilot Captain Lewis M. Gillespie (MIA) and accidentally crashes into the flight deck.
Submarine Shad (SS-235) sinks Japanese army transport Azusa Maru and tanker No.22 Nanshin Maru, 50 miles southwest of Yoso-do, Korea, 33°55'N, 126°50'E.
Submarine Tench (SS-417) sinks Japanese guardboat Hanshin Maru in Sea of Japan, 42°41'N, 143°53'E.
Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser No.43 Hino Maru is sunk by aircraft off Hiradojima, Miyanoura.
Mines sink Japanese auxiliary minelayer Hakun Maru near Hong Kong, merchant cargo ship No.2 Yubari Maru west of the mouth of Kammon Strait, and damage merchant cargo ship Taigen Maru outside Fushiki Harbor.
USMC: Marine Aircraft Group 14 (MAG 14) began movement from Samar to Okinawa.
