July 8, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SUNDAY, 8 JULY 1945

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Two fighter groups (100+) P-51s from Iwo Jima pound airfields and other targets including Hyakuri Airfield, Chofu Airfield, Tokorozawa Airfield, and Yachimata Airfield in Japan; 5 aircraft are claimed downed and at least 25 destroyed on the ground; 8 P-51s are lost.

Fourteenth Air Force: Six B-25s and 4 P-47s severely damage a bridge N of Sinsiang and hit nearby trains. 60+ P-38s, P-47s, and P-51s pound river shipping, rail traffic, supplies, and troops at Haiphong, Do Son, and Tourane and at numerous locations in S and E China.

WESTERN PACIFIC [Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon, P-38s and P-51s supporting ground operations hit supply and personnel areas near Kiangan and Penablanca. On Formosa, B-24s bomb Shinchiku Airfield, B-25s start fires at the Getsubi alcohol plant and on Koto Island, and P-38s attack oil production area at Gyuni Kuki. On Borneo, B-24s and B-25s, supporting Australian forces, hit the Balikpapan area defensive positions, Samarinda shipyards, various targets along the Samarinda road, and warehouses at Tandjung. B-24s [including some of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)] bomb warehouses at Donggala on Celebes Island. The 69th Fighter Squadron and 311th Fighter Squadron, 58th Fighter Group move from Porac to Okinawa with P-47s.

U.S. Army: n U.S. Eighth Army's X Corps area, 24th Div's Sarangani TF continues limited operations. Prov infantry bn of U.S. Army AAA troops and Combat Company of guerrilla 118th Inf, 106th Div, start southeast overland from Lake Buluan toward Sarangani Bay. Expeditionary Bn of guerrilla 108th Div starts overland southwest toward bay from Davao Gulf. Patrol of 24th Rcn Troop and elements of guerrilla 116th Inf reach Dadjangas on northwest shore of bay to reconnoiter for main landing.

U.S. Navy: Submarine Cod (SS-224) rescues officers and men of Dutch submarine O 19 that had been stranded on Ladd Reef, in South China Sea, 300 miles northwest of Brunei Bay. O 19 is then scuttled by torpedoes and gunfire.

Submarine Sea Robin (SS-407) sinks Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 85 off Quelpart Island 33°50'N, 126°42'E.

Submarine Tirante (SS-420) sinks Japanese merchant passenger/cargo ship Saitsu Maru near Dairen, Korea, 38°48'N, 121°25'E.

Japanese merchant cargo ship Mikunisan Maru is sunk by aircraft at mouth of Mokpo harbor, Korea.

Japanese merchant cargo ship Sumera Maru is damaged by aircraft near Sakitozaki.

Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No. 95 is damaged by mine inside Yokosuka Harbor.

Japanese army cargo ship Tensho Maru and merchant cargo ship Koshin Maru are damaged by collision at 40°14'N, 131°42'E.

RAAF: Walrus X9515 lands in the Karawari River and a search party locates P-38 pilot Lt. John P. Carter and rescues him after two hours.

RNZAF: Lost is F4U Corsair NZ5308 pilot Trim (survived).