August 18, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 18 AUGUST 1945

CHINA THEATER - Tenth Air Force: The 19th Liaison Squadron, Tenth AF, moves from Chengkung to Nanning with L-1s and L-5s.

WESTERN PACIFIC [Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Unit moves to Okinawa: 2d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 22d Bombardment Group (Heavy), from Clark Field with B-24s; 673d Bombardment Squadron, 417th Bombardment Group, from San Jose with A-20s.

B-32 "Hobo Queen II" 42-108532 and B-32 42-108578 followed by F-7B Liberator from 20th CMS conduct a reconnaissance mission over Tokyo to photograph the area spanning from Chiba, Kido, Higurashi and Iwabe. Although Japan had surrendered, the formation encountered anti-aircraft fire from Miyakawa Airfield and over Chosi intercepted by fourteen Japanese fighters that made ten firing passes. This was the last aerial combat between U.S. and Japanese aircraft during World War II. At 6:30pm all three B-32's return to Yontan Airfield with B-32 42-108578 landing first with wounded aboard.

RAAF: Auster A11-25 crashed on take off was written off on Bougainville.

USSR: A Soviet force of 8,360 troops from the Soviet Army and Navy supported by naval vessels and aircraft make an amphibious landing on Shumshu Island, despite the fact Japan had accepted the terms of surrender and the Pacific War had officially ended.

IJA: On Shumshu Island although the Japanese were in the process of disarmament they responded to the Soviet landing with a counter attack in accordance with their right to defend Japanese territory. Aided by a fog that covered the landing area, forty Japanese tanks from the 11th Tank Regiment attacked the Soviet landing by rushing the beach area. For more than two hours a vicious close quarters battle ensued as the Soviets rushed to deployed anti-tank guns. During the combat, the Japanese tanks claimed to have killed 100 Soviets troops but lost twenty-one tanks in their last tank action of World War II.