July 25, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 25 JULY 1945

Twentieth Air Force: During the night of 25/26 Jul, 106 B-29s fly 1 bombing and 1 mining mission; 1 B-29 is lost. Thirty B-29s mine the waters off Chongjin and Pusan, Korea, and Fushiki, Nanao, Ohama and Tsuruga, Japan. Mission 291: 75 B-29s attack the Mitsubishi Oil Company and Hayama Petroleum Company at Kawasaki destroying 33% of the storage tanks units and other facilities; 1 B-29 hits an alternate target. Lost is B-29 "Maniuwa" 42-63678 pilot Captain Henry G. Dillingham (MIA). Mission 292: 29 B-29s mine the waters at Nanao, Fushiki, Obama Island, Tsuruga, and Seishin, Japan, and Pusan; 1 other mines an alternate target. Lost is B-17H 42-3882 pilot 1st Lt. William C. Motsinger (MIA).

Fourteenth Air Force: 10 B-25s and 3 P-38s knock out bridges at Tho Linh and Quang Tri, French Indochina and damage a barge and a river steamer in the Wuchou, China area. 30 P-51s and P-38s attack river, road, and rail traffic, railroad yards, and other targets in the areas of Duc Tho, Bac Ninh, Vinh, and Hanoi and Kukong, Samshui, Wuchou, and the West River, China. The 71st Liaison Squadron, Fourteen AF [attached to XIV AF Tactical Air Command (Provisional)], arrives at Kunming from Piardoba with UC-64s, L-1s, L-4s and L-5s.

WESTERN PACIFIC [Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb Pontianak Airfield and Kuching Airfield while B-25s and fighters attack a dispersal area in the Jesselton Airfield area. B-24s pound enemy troops on Negros and B-25s bomb Itu Aba Island in China. B-24s bomb Kikaiga-shima and the town of Tsuiki. Unit moves from Luzon: HQ 38th Bombardment Group (Medium) and 71st Bombardment Squadron (Medium) from Lingayen Airfield to Okinawa with B-25s; Headquarters (HQ) 345th Bombardment Group (Medium) from Clark Field, to Ie Shima.

U.S. Army: In X Corps area, last organized Japanese resistance in Sarangani Bay sector collapses. Patrols mop up a few more Japanese until August 11, 1945.

U.S. Navy: Carrier planes from Task Force 38 (TF 38) on targets of opportunity in Inland Sea area continue. TF 38 planes sink Japanese guardboats No.10 Dairi Maru and No.2 Kompira Maru off Moji, and No.10 Fukuei Maru in Bungo Suido, 33°00'N, 132°10'E; army tanker Kaisoku Maru, off Hiro; merchant cargo ship Daio Maru at 35°06'N, 129°40'E; merchant tankers No.6 Ryuei Maru off eastern part of Okurokami Island; and No.6 Kinyu Maru off east coast of Anishima; and damage heavy cruiser Aoba, Kure, 34°13'N, 132°31'E; Coast Defense Vessel No.4, Toba, and merchant cargo ships No.6 Tokai Maru and No.5 Shokai Maru off Shimane peninsula; Meiho Maru, Agenosho; and merchant tanker Tenwa Maru, Kanoya. Lost is F6F Hellcat 77934 pilot Ensign John J. Hantschel (POW).

TG 35.3 (Rear Admiral J. Cary Jones, Jr.) of four light cruisers (from TG 38.3) and six destroyers (from TG 38.4) bombards Kushimoto Seaplane Base, airfield near Shiono Misaki, Honshu, and adjacent facilities.

Mines laid by B-29s sink Japanese merchant cargo ships Hoshi Maru at mouth of Maizuru Bay, 34°35'N, 135°21'E and Eian Maru off Tottori, Honshu, 35°33'N, 133°14'E.

Submarine Barb (SS-220) bombards lumber mill and sampan-building yard at Shibetoro, destroying 35 sampans under construction.

Japanese merchant cargo ship Azuna Maru is damaged, agent unspecified, Hakata Bay.

U.S. Navy: HMS Stubborn sinks Makassar-bound Japanese Patrol Boat No.2 (ex-destroyer Nadakaze) in Java Sea, 07°06'S, 115°42'E.