August 7, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 7 AUGUST 1945

Eleventh Air Force: Five B-24s bomb Kataoka Airfield on Shimushu; AA fire damages two B-24s.

Twentieth Air Force: 154 B-29s fly a bombing mission during the day and 30 B-29s fly a mining mission during the night of 7/8 Aug; 1 B-29 is lost. B-29s on shakedown flight bomb Japanese installations at Truk, sinking auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 66, 07°23'N, 151°53'E

Mission 317: 124 B-29s, escorted by VII Fighter Command fighters, bomb Toyakawa Naval Arsenal. 1 B-29 is lost. After escorting the B-29s on their bombing mission, P-51s attack railroad targets and shipping in and near Magarimatsu, Chofu, Atsugi, and Sagami.

Mission 318: During the night of 7/8 Aug, 29 B-29s, escorted by FEAF P-47s, drop mines in Shimonoseki Strait, at Miyazu, Maizuru, Tsuruga, Obama and at Najin; 1 other mines an alternate target.

Fourteenth Air Force: Unit moves in China: HQ Fourteenth AF from Kunming to Paishiyi; 16th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Group, based at Chengkung with P-51s, sends a detachment to operate at Pakhoi.

WESTERN PACIFIC: In Japan, P-47s cover the Twentieth AF B-29 strike Kyushu targets; B-24s and A-26s over Kyushu pound Tsuiki Airfield and other B-24s start fires at Omura; B-25s hit bridges and other targets at Matsubase, lost is B-25J 44-31300 pilot 1st Lt. Robert G. Neal (POW) also Kawajiri and bomb a convoy off Pusan; other B-25s hit Chiran Airfield and Izumi Airfields. fighter-bombers attack and considerably damage communications and transportation facilities throughout Kyushu. B-24s bomb Takao Airfield. On Luzon, B-25s and P-38s support ground forces near Ambuclao, Kiangan, Batangan, Aparri, Mankayan, Bontoc, and Tabayoc and the Palugloko Mountains. In the Netherlands East Indies, B-24s bomb an area east of Bandjermasin, and P-51s hit the harbor at Soerabaja. The 8th Bombardment Squadron and 13th Bombardment Squadron, 3d Bombardment Group, move from San Jose to Okinawa with A-26s.

B-25s attack Japanese convoy off Fusan, Korea, sinking Coast Defense Vessel No.39 at 35°06'N, 129°03'E, and merchant tankers No.7 Kinyu Maru and No.9 Nanki Maru near Koje-Do, 34°55'N, 128°44'E.

U.S. Army: Advance detachment of Headquarters, U.S. First Army arrive on Luzon to prepare for operations against Japan.

U.S. Navy: Submarine Pargo (SS-264), attacking Japanese convoy off northeastern Korea, sinking merchant cargo ship Rashin Maru, 41°15'N, 131°19'E.

Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser Rumoe Maru is sunk by aircraft near My Tho, French Indochina.

Japanese army cargo ship Kibitsu Maru is sunk by mine 250 meters east of Hiraiso, 34°37'N, 135°03'E.

Japanese merchant ship Keizan Maru is damaged by aircraft 13 miles south-southwest of Hime Jima light. Japanese merchant cargo ships Daigen Maru and Chiyotama Maru are damaged when they collide four miles south of Funagawa pier.

IJN: J9Y Kikka Prototype 1 made a sucessful twenty minute test flight. Japan's first jet power aircraft designed and built by Nakajima powered by Ishikawajima Ne-20 turbo jet engines.