June 7, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology
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.
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.
USN: While in Leyte Gulf being loaded with bombs and ammunition, USS Randolph (CV-15) is buzzed by F-5E 44-24559 (MIA) and accidentally crashes into the flight deck.
|
