July 17, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 17 JULY 1945

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS (Eleventh Air Force): The 77th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 28th Bombardment Group (Composite), fly their last mission of the Pacific War when four B-25s make an unsuccessful shipping sweep between Kurabu Cape and Tomari Cape; two of the B-25s land in the USSR and 11 of the 12 airmen become the last U.S. aircrews interned in the USSR (one airman is KIA). An unsuccessful shipping sweep is flown by two B-24s over Shimushiru.

Twentieth Air Force: Mission 275: During the night of 17/18 Jul, 27 B-29s mine Shimonoseki Strait and waters in the Nanao-Fushiki area, at Henashi Cape, Iwase and at Seishin; 1 other B-29 mines an alternate target.

CHINA THEATER (AAF, China Theater) Fourteenth Air Force: A single B-25 attacks 3 truck convoys in the Siang Chiang Valley and bombs the area along the river at Hengyang; 70+ P-51s and P-47s continue to disrupt enemy movement in French Indochina and S and E China, attacking bridges, railroad yards, rail, road, and river traffic, airfields, gun positions, and many other targets at various locations, especially around Suichwan, Linfen, and Sinsiang, China.

WESTERN PACIFIC [Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In China, nearly 150 B-24s, B-25s, and A-26s pound Chiang Wan Airfield, P-47s attack shipping and warehouses in the Taishan Island area while others hit Tinghai Airfield and B-25s hit Itu Aba Island. P-51s over Kyushu and the northern Ryukyu Islands attack shipping, severely damaging a 10,000-ton cargo vessel in the harbor on Amami-O-Shima and P-47s dive-bomb railroad tunnels NW and SW of Kagoshima. B-24s bomb Limboeng, barracks and strafe a schooner off southwest Celebes. B-25s attack Jesselton Airfield. The 13th Troop Carrier Squadron, 403d Troop Carrier Group moves from Espiritu Santo to Dulag with C-47s. Lost is C-46 44-77767 (MIA).

RAAF: Spitfire A58-516 pilot FSgt Brian F. Gurney is damaged while landing at Sepinggang Airfield on Borneo.