July 7, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 7 JULY 1945

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): 100+ P-51s from Iwo Jima take off on a mission to attack airfields in the Tokyo area but abort due to bad weather. HQ XX Bomber Command arrives at Sakugawa, Okinawa from India; HQ 414th Fighter Group and 413th Fighter Squadron, 437th Fighter Squadron and 456th Fighter Squadron arrive at North Field, from the US with P-47s (first mission is July 13, 1945).

Fourteenth Air Force: 80+ P-51s and P-38s over French Indochina and S and E China continue to disrupt the Japanese withdrawal, pounding numerous communications and transport targets and general targets of opportunity particularly in the Yangso, Kweilin, and Fenstun areas.

WESTERN PACIFIC [Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon, B-25s and fighter-bombers strike at remnants of the Japanese Army in the Laguna de Bay and Marikina areas and fighter-bombers also hit areas of resistance near Kiangan, Penablanca, and Mankayan. B-24s, B-25s, and P-38s support Australian ground forces in the area near Balikpapan. On Formosa, B-24s bomb Matsuyama Airfield and Taihoku Airfield in force.

U.S. Navy: Two PB4Y-2 Privateers from VPB-124 fly a search and reconnaissance mission over the Taushima Straits between Kyushu and Korea. Lost is PB4Y-2 Privateer 59538 (MIA / POW).

Submarine Trepang (SS-412) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship No.2 Koun Maru, 42°21'N, 141°28'E.

Mines sink Japanese merchant cargo ships Meizan Maru at mouth of Mokpo Harbor, and Nachizan Maru in Shimonoseki Strait, and damage merchant tanker No.10 Kinyu Maru, Osaka harbor, and cargo ships Tairi Maru off Hime Jima, and Taiju Maru and No.5 Tokai Maru (location unspecified).