August 6, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY, 6 AUGUST 1945

USA: Lost on an acceptance flight is P-80A Shooting Star 44-85048 pilot Major Richard I. Bong crashed after take off in North Hollywood.

20th Air Force: The world's first atomic bomb is used against Japan. At 2:45am B-29 "Enola Gay" 44-86292 piloted by Colonel Paul W. Tibbets, Jr. with atomic bomb "Little Boy" took off from North Field on Tinian. At 2-minute intervals, followed by B-29 "Great Artiste" piloted by Major Charles W. Sweeney and B-29 Number 91 piloted by Captain George W. Marquardt. At 8:15am from 31,600' the atomic bomb is released over Hiroshima it explodes fifty seconds later. 80+% of the city's buildings are destroyed and over 71,000 people killed according to Japanese figures (or 70,000–80,000 according to U.S. figures). Afterwards, B-29 "Enola Gay" 44-86292 lands at 2:58pm followed within the hour by the two observation B-29s.

Almost 100 fighters from Iwo Jima attack airfields and military installations at six locations around Tokyo. Lost is B-29 44-69848 pilot Floyd N. Hoffman ditched 200 miles northwest of Saipan.

Fourteenth Air Force: In China, 10 P-51s and P-47s damage 10 locomotives between Tehsien and Suchow and 5 around Anyang, Kaifeng, and Loyang, and lightly damage bridges N of Chihsien and S of Houmachen.

On Guam, representatives from China and the Allies finalized details for operation against Fort Bayard (Zhanjiang) in China.

WESTERN PACIFIC [Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Okinawa-based aircraft pound targets on Kyushu; 150+ P-47s and A-26s fight bad weather to hit the primary, Miyakonojo; 170+ B-24s, B-25s, and P-47s hit Kagoshima as a secondary target; and 60+ B-25s and P-51s attack shipping and ground targets of opportunity in the Tsushima Strait area and in the N Ryukyu Islands. P-51s operating in the area between Kyushu and Korea bomb an airfield and strafe numerous targets of opportunity on Saishu Island and P-47s bomb Anjo on Tanega Island. Other aircraft, operating individually or in pairs, hit various targets of opportunity on the southern Korea coast, in the Inland Sea, S Honshu, west Shikoku, throughout the N Ryukyu Islands, and in the Shanghai area. B-24s pound resistance pockets on Negros Island in the Philippine Islands. Unit moves: HQ 3d Bombardment Group and 89th and 90th Bombardment Squadrons from San Jose to Okinawa with A-26s; Headquarters (HQ), 8th Fighter Group and 36th Fighter Squadron from San Jose to Ie Shima with P-38s; ground echelon of 26th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Reconnaissance Group from Lingayen Airfield to Okinawa (air echelon remains at Clark Field with F-5s). B-25s and P-51s attack Japanese shipping in Tsushima Strait, sinking merchant cargo ships No. 7 Shintai Maru and Kowa Maru five miles east of Tsuno Jima, 34°26'N, 129°16'E.

USMC: Lost is PBJ Mitchell 35114 pilot 1st Lt. Charles W. Sieben (MIA) crashed off Palmyra.

U.S. Navy: Carrier planes from Task Group 95.3 (TG 95.3) escort carriers USS Lunga Point (CVE-94), USS Makin Island (CVE-93) and USS Cape Gloucester (CVE-109) under Vice Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf strike enemy shipping in Tinghai Harbor near Shanghai.

Carrier Intrepid (CV-11)'s air group bombs Japanese installations on Wake Island as the ship is en route from Pearl Harbor to join TF 38 in the western Pacific.

TF 58 planes damage Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.37 and small minelayer/netlayer Kyosai east of Nojimazaki, 34°52'N, 139°58'E.

USS Bugara (SS-331) encounters HMS Sleuth and four Japanese junks. Bugara aids Sleuth by sinking two of the enemy craft by gunfire, 06°51'N, 101°44'E.

Lost is USS Bullhead (SS-332) is sunk by JAAF Ki-51 Sonia off Bali at roughly Lat 08°20'S, Long 115°42'E.

Mines from B-29s sink Japanese merchant cargo ships No.2 Chokai Maru off Fushiki Light, 38°49'N, 137°04'E, Isojima Maru in south channel of Kammon Strait, 33°56'N, 130°56'E, and No.2 Kozan Maru at 33°53'N, 132°00'E.

Japanese auxiliary minelayer Kinjo Maru and auxiliary netlayer Kosei Maru, are damaged by aircraft, near Kujukuruhama.

IJN: J7W1 Shinden Prototype No. 1 made a second short, successful test flight piloted by designer Captain Masaoki Tsuruno.