August 13, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY, 13 AUGUST 1945

Surrender documents for the surrender of Japan approved by U.S. President Harry Truman are sent to General Douglas MacArthur.

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS (Eleventh Air Force): The Eleventh AF dispatches its last combat mission when six B-24s radar-bomb the Kashiwahara area on Paramushiru with incendiaries, leaving huge columns of smoke.

Eighth Air Force: The 461st Bombardment Squadron, 462d Bombardment Squadron and 463d Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy), 346th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) arrive on Okinawa from the US with B-29s.

Tenth Air Force: Unit moves in China: 27th Troop Carrier Squadron, 443d Troop Carrier Group, from Chengkung to Liangshan with C-47s; 427th Night Fighter Squadron, Tenth AF, from Dinjan to Liuchow with P-61s (detachments at Chengkung and Nanning).

Fourteenth Air Force: The flight of the 21st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Fourteenth AF, at Hanchung with F-5s, returns to base at Shwangliu (other flights are at Hsian and Ankang).

WESTERN PACIFIC [Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s and B-25s from Okinawa pound shipping in the waters off Korea and Kyushu and in the Inland Sea claiming several vessels sunk and damaged; P-47s over Keijo (Seoul) encounter 20 Japanese aircraft and claim at least 16 shot down. B-25s attack Japanese forces near Palacian, Luzon. P-38s hit shipping in the Singapore area. Unit moves from Luzon: Headquarters, 312th Bombardment Group and 389th Bombardment Squadron from Floridablanca to Yontan with B-32s; 547th Night Fighter Squadron, V Fighter Command, from Lingayen Airfield to Ie Shima with P-38s and P-61s.

U. S. Navy: Carrier planes from fast carrier task force under Vice Admiral John S. McCain strike targets in the vicinity of Tokyo, lost are TBM-3E Avenger 69066 pilot Ensign Giovanni "John" F. Brega (rescued), F6F Hellcat 79496 pilot Lt. Wilson L. Dozier (MIA), F6F Hellcat 77830 pilot Lt. Commander James H. McPherson (MIA) and F6F Hellcat 78006 pilot Lt(jg) William C. Henwood (rescued). While attempting to rescue the Hellcat pilots shot down was OA-10 Catalina 44-34080 pilot 1st Lt. Edmund L. Eliason (1 POW, 6 MIA).

OA-10A 44-34075 rescue the crew of TBM Avenger 69066 from the inner portion of Tokyo Bay midway between Yokohama and Kizarazu, the first time a U.S. seaplane accomplished a rescue so close to shore.

Attack transport Lagrange (APA-124) is hit by a kamikaze plane in Buckner Bay off Okinawa, 26°14'N, 127°52'E.

Submarine Atule (SS-403) sinks Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.6 and damages Coast Defense Vessel No.16 off Hokkaido, 42°16'N, 142°12'E.

Submarine Torsk (SS-423) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Kaiho Maru, 36°17'N, 136°09'E.

B-24s and/or B-25s operating against Japanese shipping in Korea Strait sink guardboat Ayanami Maru at 34°50'N, 131°10'E and damage merchant cargo ship Tatsukiri Maru at 34°35'N, 131°23'E.

Japanese merchant cargo ship No.11 Tosei Maru is damaged by aircraft off Hekata.

Japanese army tanker No.10 Nitto Maru is damaged by mine, 34°22'N, 130°54'E.

USMC: The last U.S. air raid on Wake Island by Marine Corps aircraft that target the gun battery at Peacock Point.