August 9, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 9 AUGUST 1945

Twentieth Air Force: B-29 "Enola Gay" 44-86292 piloted by Captain George Marquardt and crew B-10 took off on a weather reconnaissance over Kokura and reported clear skies. At 3:49am B-29 "Bockscar" 44-27297 piloted by Major Charles W. Sweeney armed with plutonium bomb nicknamed "Fat Man" took off from North Field followed by observation plane B-29A "The Great Artiste" 44-27353 piloted by Captain Frederick C. Bock (who has exchanged planes with Sweeney for the mission) and B-29 "Big Stink" 44-27354 piloted by Major James I Hopkins as camera ship (who loses contact with the other two B-29s). The primary target, Kokura was obscured by bad weather and smoke. After three unsuccessful bomb runs diverted to the secondary target, Nagasaki. At 10:58am local time the "Fat Man" bomb was released from an altitude of 28,900' and about a minute later explodes as the second atomic bomb dropped on Japan. Japanese reports claim nearly 24,000 killed; US figures estimate about 35,000. The B-29s refuel on Okinawa then return to Tinian by 11:39pm.

Mission 322: During the night of 9/10 Aug, 95 B-29s bomb the Nippon Oil Refinery at Amagasaki; 2 others hit alternate targets.

Tenth Air Force: HQ Tenth AF moves from Kunming to Liuchow, when the war ends, the deployment of Tenth AF units to China is still in progress; so, for the Tenth, war ends amidst a major reorganization.

Fourteenth Air Force: In China, 5 B-25s, with P-51 escort, damage the Puchi railroad bridge, and hit rail traffic N of Sinsiang; the P-51s strafe AA positions and targets of opportunity near the bridge; 4 other B-25s operating individually, attack truck convoys and targets of opportunity S of Changsha, S and N of Yoyang, and in the Siang Chiang Valley, and hit the S end of the town of Siangtan.

WESTERN PACIFIC [Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-25s over Kyushu bomb Kanoya Airfield, the town of Noma, shipping in Beppu Bay, bridges, factories, and oil storage at Tsurusaki, and shipping, coastal villages, and communications targets in the Tsushima Strait area; A-26s and A-20s hit Kanoya Airfield and the industrial areas of Kushikino, Minato, and Shimahira; B-24s over W Honshu Island bomb the airfield at Iwakuni; 200+ P-47s and P-51s hit numerous targets on Shikoku and Kyushu and in the Ryukyu Islands including airfields, barracks, harbor installations, bridges, shipping, vehicles, and various factories and storage facilities. B-24s bomb military stores at Matsuyama. On Luzon, B-25s and P-38s support ground forces in areas N of Baguio, SSE of Mankayan, S of Kabayan, SE of Cervantes, near Kiangan, and NW of Infanta. B-24s bomb Laha barracks on Ambon. Unit moves: HQ 3d Air Commando Group and 3d Fighter Squadrons (Commando) and 4th Fighter Squadrons (Commando) from Laoag to Ie Shima with P-51s; HQ from San Jose, Mindoro to Okinawa; and 35th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, from San Jose to Ie Shima with P-38s.

USSR: After midnight, the Soviet Union launched "Operation August Storm" attacking Manchukuo (Manchuria) on three fronts including the Khingan–Mukden Offensive Operation (Lesser Khingan-Mukden), the Harbin–Kirin Offensive Operation (Harbin-Jilin) and the Sungari Offensive Operation.

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

A6M7 Zero 82729 pilot Lt. Tsuneo Azuma ditched into Lake Biwa.