SATURDAY, 28 JULY 1945
Twentieth Air Force: During the night of 28/29 Jul, 554 B-29s fly 6 incendiary
raids on secondary cities and 1 bombing raid without loss. Mission 297: 76 B-29s
attack the Tsu urban area destroying 0.84 sq mi (2.18 sq km), 57% of the city
area. Mission 298: 61 B-29s hit the Aomori urban area destroying 1.06 sq mi
(2.75 sq km), 64% of the city area; 3 others hit alternate targets. Mission
299: 122 B-29s attack the Ichinomiya urban area destroying 0.99 sq mi (2.56
sq km), 75% of the city area; 2 others attack alternate areas. Mission 300:
93 B-29s hit the Uji-Yamada urban area destroying 0.36 sq mi (0.93 sq km), 39%
of the city area; 1 other hits an alternate target.Mission 301: 90 B-29s attack
the Ogaki urban area destroying 0.48 sq mi (1.24 sq km), 40% of the city area. Mission 302: 29 B-29s hit the Uwajima urban
area destroying 0.53 sq mi (1.37 sq km), 52% of the city area. Mission 303: 76 B-29s bomb the Shimotsu
Oil Refinery; 75% of the tank capacity, 90% gasometer capacity and 69% of the roof area destroyed or damaged;
1 other B-29s hits an alternate target. 140+ P-51s, based on Iwo Jima, hit 9
objectives (airfields and military targets) in a wide area around Tokyo and
attack a destroyer escort along the Chiba Peninsula, leaving it burning.
Fourteenth Air Force: In China, 7 B-25s and 4 P-51s attack a supply movement
through the Siang Chiang Valley, hit a freighter and 2 smaller vessels off Shuitang,
and pound troops near Kian. About 90 P-51s, P-47s, and P-61s disrupt the Japanese
movement throughout S and E China and in French Indochina; the fighter-bombers
concentrate on river transport.
WESTERN PACIFIC [Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: 137 P-47s
from Ie Shima rocket and strafe airfields, oil stores, railroad yards, warehouses, industry,
gun positions, and other targets on Kyushu at or near Kanoya, Metatsubara, Tachiarai,
Kurume, Saga, and Junicho; 21 more P-47s attack shipping at Yatsushiro and A-26s
and B-25s pound the runways at Kanoya Airfield; P-51s and B-25s, sweeping over the Inland
Sea, destroy 2 small cargo vessels and a patrol boat and 70+ B-24s bomb shipping
at Kure, claiming direct hits on a battleship Haruna and further damage Amagi. Lost are B-24J "Lonesome Lady" 44-40680 (KIA / POW) and B-24J "Taloa" 44-40716 (KIA / POW).
On Luzon,
B-25s and P-38s in support of ground forces hit enemy positions in the Mankayan-Kiangan area and in the Marikina area. Other P-38s hit troop concentrations
on Jolo and B-24s support ground forces on Negros. Units moving
from Luzon to Ie Shima: 82d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and 110th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group, from Lingayen Airfield with F-6s; 499th Bombardment Squadron
(Medium) and 501st Bombardment Squadron
(Medium), 345th Bombardment Group (Medium) from Clark
Field with B-25s.
USN: Task Force 38 (TF-38) carrier aircraft attack Kure, sink Ise, further damage Amagi and heavily damage I-404. Ditched is SBC2 Helldiver 21079 pilot Lt(jg) Raymond Porter (POW).
USAAF: Flying in poor weather, B-25D "Old John Feather Merchant" 41-30577 crashed into the Empire State Building in New York City.
