June 26, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 26 JUNE 1945

USA: United Nations Conference on International Organization ends in San Francisco. United Nations Charter is signed by the participating nations but is not ratified until October 24, 1945.

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 21 P-51s bomb or strafe road, river, and rail traffic, motor pools, gun positions, and buildings around Yoyang, Hengyang, Chenghsien, Linfen, and Tsinan, and knock out a bridge SW of Yutze.

China: Chinese forces take Liuchow Airfield.

AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): At dawn, signle B-24 from Guam attacks heavy AA positions on the west side of Marcus.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): 510 B-29s and 148 P-51s fly 9 missions against aircraft factories, light-metals industries and arsenals in S Honshu and Shikoku; 6 B-29s and 1 P-51 are lost. Mission 223: 64 B-29s hit the light metal industry at Osaka and 4 others hit alternate targets. Mission 224: 109 B-29s attack the Osaka Arsenal; 3 others hit alternate targets; 1 B-29 is lost. Mission 225: 31 B-29s hit the Kawasaki aircraft plant at Akashi and 5 others hit targets of opportunity; the 4,000-pound (1,814 kg) bombs are well- placed but the target has been almost destroyed in previous raids. Mission 226 and Mission 227: 58 B-29s attack Nagoya Arsenal; 6 others hit alternate targets; 1 B-29 is lost. Missions 228 and 231: 85 B-29s hit the Kawasaki aircraft plant at Kagamigahara; 23 others hit alternate targets; 2 B-29s are lost; every important building is knocked out. Mission 229: 50 B-29s attack the Aichi aircraft plant at Eitoku and 14 others attack alternate targets; 2 B-29s are lost; the raid causes light damage. Mission 230: 29 B-29s hit the light metal industry at Nagoya and 2 others hit targets of opportunity. The B-29s claim 20 Japanese fighters destroyed. The Nagoya and Osaka missions are escorted by 148 P-51s; they claim 2-0-5 Japanese aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost. Mission 232: During the night of 26/27 Jun, 33 B-29s attack the Utsube Oil Refinery at Yokkaichi, the top-priority petroleum target; 1 other B-29 hits an alternate target.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Fighter-bombers hit targets in the Infanta area and troop concentrations in the Cagayan Valley and Kiangan area; ground support strikes are flown in the Cervantes area and E of Manila. Strikes against the Balikpapan area continue by B-24s and B-25s hitting oil targets and Manggar Airfield and B-24s bomb the Trombol Airfield. Other B-24s bomb Limboeng Airfield. On Formosa during the night of 26/26 Jun, P-61s set fires at the Ensuiko sugar refinery while B-24s hit the sugar refinery at Tanshi during the day. Lost is P-38 pilot Hootman (MIA).

U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army's I Corps area, 129th Inf of 37th Div and TF Gypsy effect junction near Alcala on Highway 5. 37th Div takes command of TF Connolly, TF Gypsy, and Filipino guerrillas in the area.

In U.S. Eighth Army's X Corps area, 167th Inf of 31st Div, which has been creeping forward along Talomo Trail, reaches Pinamola.


U.S. Navy: Special Task Group (TG 31.24) under Captain Charles A. Buchanan lands Marines on Kume Island without opposition to enlarge air warning net in Okinawa area. The task group consists of troops from FMF Rcn Bn with one reinf rifle co from 1st Mar Div and a small naval force.

Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs) off Balikpapan continue operations to clear obstacles, covered by close support unit (an element of TG 78.2) comprising 10 landing craft [LCS(L)], 8 rocket-equipped infantry landing craft [LCI(R)] and 6 infantry landing craft (gunboats) [LCI(G)].

PB4Y-2s (VPB 118), flying from Okinawa, continue aerial mining of waters of Korean archipelago, sowing mines in waters north of Chin-To, and north of Iion-To and Gantai-To.

Destroyer escort Halloran (DE-305) is strafed by Japanese aircraft in Davao Gulf, P.I.

Off Balikpapan, Borneo, motor minesweeper YMS-39 is sunk by mine, 01°19'S, 116°49'E; motor minesweeper YMS-365, damaged by mine, 01°18'S, 116°50'E, is scuttled by U.S. forces.

Off Okinawa, small seaplane tender Suisun (AVP-53) is damaged when accidentally rammed by tank landing craft LCT-1407, 26°10'N, 127°19'E.

Destroyers Bearss (DD-654), John Hood (DD-655), Jarvis (DD-799), and Porter (DD-800) sink Japanese auxiliary submarine chasers Cha 73, Cha 206 and Cha 209, and guardboat No.2 Kusunoki Maru, and damage auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 198, south of Onekotan, Kurils, 49°40'N, 155°30'E.

Submarine Parche (SS-384), attacking Japanese convoy, sinks gunboat Kamitsu Maru and merchant cargo ship Eikan Maru seven miles off Todozaki, southern Honshu, 39°25'N, 142°04'E, but although damaged by depth charges, remains on patrol.

Japanese escort destroyer Enoki is sunk by mine, Obama Wan, Fukui, Japan, 35°28'N, 135°44'E. Destroyer Hatsuume is damaged by mine off Maizuru.

Japanese merchant cargo ship Kisei Go is sunk by aircraft, 34°43'N, 127°15'E.

Japanese submarine I 162 is damaged by marine casualty off south coast of Korea.

Japanese naval vessel Bingo Maru is damaged by aircraft, East China Sea.

Japanese cargo ship Nadamitsu Maru is damaged by aircraft off Yodoe, Tottori prefecture.

Japanese cargo ship No.11 Shinsei Maru is damaged by marine casualty east of Kamoizaki.

Australian Army: After heavy fighting, 2/8th Infantry Battalion, Company C captures Mount Shiburangu.

USMC: The Marine Force Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion with one reinf rifle co from 1st Mar Div and a small naval force lands on Kume Island without opposition. The island is subsequently covered by patrols.