June 14, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 14 JUNE 1945

ZONE OF INTERIOR (ZI): The Joint Chiefs of Staff direct General Henry H "Hap" Arnold, General Douglas MacArthur and Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz to prepare for immediate occupation of Japan in the event the Japan suddenly collapses or surrenders.

Burma: Admiral Mountbatten attends Burma Victory Parade in Rangoon and while in Rangoon continues to plan for ZIPPER (recapture of Malaya). The operations will be mounted on 9 September, as planned, but on a drastically reduced scale.

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 42 P-51s attack bridges, shipping, AA positions, railroad targets, trucks, and communications around Hengyang, Hankow, Yoyang, Lingling, Anyang, Szeshui, Hohsien, Shihkiachwang, Neikiuhsien and Puchou.

China: Chinese recover I-shan and pursue enemy toward Liuchow.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon, B-25s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers pound areas around the Cagayan Valley, Cervantes and north of Baguio and E of Manila. In the Celebes, B-24s bomb warehouses at Parepare and a personnel area at Sidate. B-24s bomb AA positions at Balikpapan. The air echelon of the 25th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Reconnaissance Group, begins operating from Clark Field with F-5s (squadron is based at San Jose, Mindoro).

U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army's I Corps area, Highway 5 at Orioung Pass is cleared of enemy block. Armored column followed by 1st Bn of 145th Inf, 37th Div, drives through Ipil to Echague; from Santiago, 3d Bn, 145th Inf, starts along road running SW to Oscariz thence NE to Cabatuan and E to Cauayan where it joins Highway 5; 148th Inf, less security details at San Luis and Cordon, moves to Santiago area. XIV Corps turns responsibility for the Bicols over to Filipino guerrillas.

On Okinawa, In U.S. Tenth Army's III Amphib Corps area, 6th Mar Div is mopping up on Oroku Peninsula. 7th Marines, 1st Mar Div, holds firmly on W end of Kunishi Ridge under enemy fire. To ease pressure, 2d Bn, 1st Marines, attacks toward E end of the ridge at 0300; gains and holds this objective despite violent opposition. Tanks play an important role in the Kunishi Ridge battle, moving troops and supplies forward, evacuating the wounded, and blasting enemy from their positions. XXIV Corps continues to destroy enemy's elaborate cave defenses. 383d Inf, 96th Div, is still held up short of Yuza peak, but 381st drives to top of Yaeju-Dake peak. 7th Div is clearing Hills 153 and 115 on E flank of corps.

U.S. Navy: Motor gunboat PGM-24 is damaged when accidentally rammed by light minelayer Thomas E. Fraser (DM-24) off Okinawa, 25°30'N, 126°00'E.

Submarine Sea Devil (SS-400), despite presence of two escorts, sinks Japanese transport Wakamiyasan Maru in the northern Yellow Sea, 37°35'N, 123°30'E.

Submarine Spadefish (SS-411) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Seizan Maru off western Sakhalin, 47°03'N, 142°01'E.

PB4Y-2s (VPB 118), flying from Okinawa, mine waters between Gyuji-To, Toso-To and Jobai-To, Korean Archipelago, encountering antiaircraft fire from nearby anchored shipping. The same waters are mined each day over the next three days, but the Privateers encounter no further antiaircraft fire on those occasions.

Mine laid by B-29s sinks Japanese army cargo ship No.18 Umajima Maru at 33°39'N, 130°15'E.

PB4Y bombs Japanese shipping off Bandjermasin, sinking No.470 Shuttle Vessel.

USMC: The 6th Reconnaissance Company secured Senaga Shima off the southeast coast of Oroku Peninsula on Okinawa.

Australian Army: 26th Infantry Battalion captures Type 89B Otsu Yi-Go Tank near Chabai on Bougainville.

JAAF: At sunset, Ki-51 Sonia from 52nd Dokuritsu Chutai (52nd Independent Squadron) took off from Echague Airfield on a flgiht bound for Formosa. This plane was the last Japanese aircraft to take off from an airfield in the Philippines during World War II.

IJA: The Japanese Army on Fuga Island execute four Prisoners Of War (POW): 2nd Lt. Clarence E. Meides, Sgt James E. Blackmore, TSgt Raymond W. Cook and SSgt Robert L. Wiehl crew of OA-10A Catalina 44-34012.

Royal Navy: British TG 111.2 under Rear Admiral Eric J.P. Brind, RN including fleet carrier HMS Implacable, escort carrier HMS Ruler, four light cruisers and five destroyers, first day of strikes Truk Atoll to neutralize Japanese airfields.