July 29, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
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SUNDAY, 29 JULY 1945

Twentieth Air Force: Mission 304: During the night of 29/30 Jul, 24 B-29s mine Shimonoseki Strait and the waters at Fukuoka, Karatsu, and Najin; 2 others mine alternate targets.

Fourteenth Air Force: In China, 4 B-25s and 2 P-51s hit shipping off Luichow Peninsula near Cape Kami, barracks at Chingmen, and cannon-strafe trucks at Kuanshuishih and oil storage at Yingtak. About 100 P-51s, P-38s, and P-61s attack a variety of targets over a vast area from Haiphong to Peking continuing the steady campaign against enemy movement and withdrawal.

WESTERN PACIFIC [Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: P-47s from Ie Shima and B-24s, B-25s, and A-26s from Okinawa pound targets in the Japanese Home Islands; 70+ B-24s pound shipping at Kure, 41 B-24s hit a factory and storage area NW of Aburatsu, shipping and engine works in Nagasaki and vicinity, and the towns of Nobeoka, Kyushu and Oita; B-25s hit Kagoshima, Kyushu, Kibana, a bridge, barracks and other buildings at Miyazaki, warehouses, a lighthouse, and navigation light at Tozaki-hana, and bomb Tokuno Shima; A-26s pound the naval base and engine works at Nagasaki; numerous P-47s hit Kure Harbor, shipping and seaplane station at Ibusuki, railroad station, docks, and town area of Makurazaki, Chiran Airfield and Izumi Airfields, and shipping at Kagoshima Bay. P-51s hit numerous targets of opportunity on the southern coast of Korea and on the southern part of Kyushu, where shipping, railroads, and Omura, Kyushu and Sashiki factories are also attacked. B-24s hit Sidate Airfield and warehouses at Watampone on Celebes Island. Other B-24s bomb resistance pocket south of Fabrica. On Luzon, B-25s and P-38s hit Japanese positions near San Mariano and west of Kiangan, troop concentrations in the Marikina watershed, and ridge emplacements in the Bantayan area; several buildings are destroyed at Pasco Point. Unit moves: 17th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment), 71st Reconnaissance Group, from Lingayen Airfield to Ie Shima with B-25s (detachment remains at Lingayen Airfield until Sep 45); 868th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), from Leyte to Okinawa with B-24s with airborne radar for low-level attacks at night and for pathfinder operations.

P-47s from 7th AF on sweep for targets of opportunity in the Nagasaki area and sink auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 207 at Lat 32°00'N, Long 130°00'E.

B-25s from 5th Air Force damage Japanese escort carrier Kaiyo in Hiji harbor, Beppu Wan, 33°20'N, 131°32'E.

U.S. Navy: Three battleships, four heavy cruisers, and ten destroyers of TU 34.8.1 under Rear Admiral John F. Shafroth begins bombardment of shops, aircraft factory, and other facilities at Hamamatsu, Honshu. British battleship HMS King George V and three destroyers operates independently but joins in the bombardment. Carrier Bon Homme Richard (CV-31) supplies precautionary night combat air patrols and spotter aircraft.

Carrier planes sink Japanese army cargo ship No.18 Ono Maru and merchant cargo ship Tangetsu Maru off Ulsan, Korea, and merchant passenger ship Tenzan Maru, 35°40'N, 132°39'E.

Merchant cargo ship Tatsukashi Maru, damaged by mine, is beached off Pusan, Korea.

B-25s and P-51s on antishipping sweep off southeast coast of Korea sink Japanese army cargo ship Hokusei Maru off Kuryungpo; merchant cargo ship Seishin Maru, 35°32'N, 127°30'E; tanker Yushin Maru, and cargo vessel Shoryu Maru, 35°32'N, 127°30'E.

Destroyer Cassin Young (DD-793) and high speed transport Horace A. Bass (APD-124) are damaged by suicide planes off Okinawa, 26°08'N, 127°58'E and 26°17'N, 127°34'E, respectively.

Japanese merchant cargo ship No.12 Reisui Maru is sunk/damaged by aircraft, 34°59'N, 128°59'E.

Japanese merchant cargo ship Kokyu Maru is damaged by aircraft near Pusan, Korea.

A-26s damage Japanese merchant tanker No.5 Yamamizu Maru off Nagasaki.

Marine casualties sink Japanese merchant cargo ship Sumioyoshi Maru outside Kamaishi harbor, and damage merchant cargo ships Miesan Maru near Shira Jima, and No.2 Mitsu Maru south of Cape Wakamiya, Iki Island and also result in the loss of guardboats Asahi Maru east of Pusan, Korea, and No.6 Kaiyo Maru off Cape Wakamiya, Korean Strait.