FRIDAY, 8 JUNE 1945
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 15 P-51s and P-40s attack bridges
near Hankow, north of Sinsiang, and SE of Tayung, knocking out the latter; seventeen other
fighters bomb and strafe river-craft, warehouses, trucks, airfield, town areas,
and general targets of opportunity around Hwangkang, Ichang, Hengyang, Laohokow,
and Tehsien.
China: Gen Marshall queries Gen Wedemeyer as to why the air forces in China have not been put under command of Gen Stratemeyer, who has been raised in rank for that purpose.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): HQ 12th Bombardment Group (Medium) moves
from Fenny to Pandaveswar and Madhaiganj respectively with B-25s.
HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): 104 P-51D Mustangs fly Very Long Range Mission 17 (VLR Mission 17) from Iwo Jima to attack Kagamigahara Airfield and Meiji Airfield in the Nagoya area but abort due to bad weather. The 548th Night Fighter Squadron, VII Fighter
Command (attached to AAFPOA), moves from Iwo Jima to Ie Shima with P-61s.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Bad weather cancels
Formosa strikes and limits operations on Luzon to fighter-bomber strikes
against Cagayan Valley targets. Labuan Airfield is bombed
by B-24s, while other B-24s and B-25s and P-38s attack gun positions at Balikpapan.
U.S. Army: On Luzon in U.S. Sixth Army's I Corps area, 145th Inf of 37th Div, attacking through 129th Inf, drives through Solano to junction of Highways 4 and 5; while main body pushes on to within 1,000 yards of Bagabag, patrols probe to Magat R east of Bagabag to secure crossing of Highway 5 over it.
On Okinawa, in U.S. Tenth Army's III Amphib Corps area, 6th Mar Div is slowly pocketing enemy in Tomigusuki sector of Oroku Peninsula against vicious opposition. 1st Mar Div drives southward toward enemy's final defense line. XXIV Corps continues preparations for all-out assault on Yaeju- Dake Escarpment. Port of Minatoga is opened for use, easing supply situation. 7th Div works slowly forward on E flank of corps in limited action, but enemy retains firm hold on Hill 95; 32d Inf, which has been patrolling on Chinen Peninsula, relieves 184th Inf on div's left flank.
U.S. Navy: Task Force 38 (TF 38) under Vice Admiral John S. McCain planes attack Kanoya Airfield, Kyushu.
TG 74.3 under Rear Admiral Russell S. Berkey bombards Japanese positions in preparation for the landings at Brunei Bay, covering the reconnaissance parties ashore; bombardment is repeated on 9 June (see 7 June). During sweeping operations in Brunei Bay, minesweeper Salute (AM-294) is sunk by mine, 05°08'N, 115°05'E.
USAAF B-24s bomb Japanese shipping near Bandjermasin, sinking Shuttle Boat No.466 and damaging Shuttle Boat No. 423 near mouth of Barita River.
Japanese merchant cargo ship Ojima Maru is damaged by aircraft, between Ainoura and Tainosaki.
Japanese submarine tender Chogei is damaged by mine, 1.6 kilometers southwest of Bakuchizaki.
Submarine Cobia (SS-245) sinks Japanese transport Hakusa and tanker No.22 Nanshin Maru off southern French Indochina, 08°56'N, 105°37'E.
As fighting continues on Okinawa, Hospital Apprentice First Class Fred F. Lester, serving with a rifle platoon, sees a wounded marine beyond the front lines. As he advances under heavy fire, Lester is hit and severely wounded. He attempts unaided to drag the wounded marine to safety, but is hit again. Although paralyzed on his right side, Lester succeeds in dragging the marine to cover. Realizing he has been mortally wounded, the corpsman, spurning medical attention for himself, directs marines to treat the casualty he had brought to safety, thus saving that man's life. Lester devotes his last efforts to directing the treatment of two other wounded marines before he dies. For his courage "above and beyond the call of duty," Lester is awarded the Medal of Honor, posthumously.
USMC: Corsairs from VMF-512 took off from USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107) performing 25 sorties including Combat Air Patrol (CAP) and anti-submarine patrols plus strikes against the Sakishima Gunto armed with bombs and rockets. Her aircraft bomb Ishigaki Airfield and Hirara Airfield. Rockets are fired at a radar station on Ishigaki and dispersal areas at Miyako Shima, buildings on Erabu Shima and a bridge and installations at the south end of Ishigaki Airfield. Strafing was performed against installations at the northwest end of Ishigaki Airfield and Miyako Shima. Also, five to six camouflaged ships in the bay off Funaki on the west coast of Iriomote Shima were strafed, leaving them burning and smoking. Lost is FG-1D Corsair
87913 pilot 2nd Lt. Logan Millard White, Jr. (MIA).
Marine Fighter Squadrons 112 and Marine Fighter Squadrons 123 the last remaining Marine squadrons in Task Force 38 (TF 38) are detached and sent to Leyte.
Australian Army: At 4:35am, three LCA and three ALC15 make a night amphibious landing at Porton in northwest Bougainville, both waves land at the wrong locations and grounded on coral reefs and the soldiers waded ashore to establish a 100m x 100m perimeter that came under fire from Japanese machine guns in bunkers.
Royal Navy:
HMS Trenchant fires a spread of torpedoes hitting and sinking Ashigara roughly 14 nautical miles west-southwest of Muntok in northern entrance of Bangka Straits, 02°00'S, 104°56'E.
References
NARA "USS Gilbert Islands CVE-107 War Diary 29 November 1943 to 2 September 1945" page 28
(Page 28)
"On 8 June [1945], Second Lieutenant Logan Millard White, Jr. U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, in an F4U [sic FG], was shot down over the target."
NARA "USS Gilbert Islands CVE-107 War Diary June 1945" page 4
(Page 4) "Five of six camouflaged ships in the bay on the west coast of Iriomote Shima, estimated 100 to 150 feet in length, were strafed and left burning and emitting much black smoke. One F4U-1D [sic FG-1D] airplane, piloted by 2nd Lt. Logan Millard White, Jr. 031359, USMCR, was reported shot down over the target."
