August 21, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 21 AUGUST 1945

Soviet-Japan: A localized cease fire ends the fighting betweem Soviet and Japanese forces in the Kurile Islands.

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS (Eleventh Air Force): Two B-24s are prevented by cloud cover from taking photos of the Soviet occupation of the Kurile Islands. Four others abort a photo mission to Paramushiru and Shimushu due to weather.

Tenth Air Force: The 71st Liaison Squadron, Tenth AF, moves from Kunming to Liuchow with UC-64s, L-1s and L-5s.

Fourteenth Air Force: The detachment of the 426th Night Fighter Squadron, Fourteenth AF (attached to 312th Fighter Wing), operating from Ankang, China with P-61s, returns to base at Shwangliu.

WESTERN PACIFIC [Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: The 408th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 22d Bombardment Group (Heavy) moves from Clark Field to Okinawa with B-24s.

IJN: After midnight, G6M1-L Betty "Bataan 1" from Ie Shima Airfield ran low on fuel and ditched off Samejima with the surrender delegation forced to wade ashore and take a train back to Tokyo. At 8:00am G4M1 Betty "Bataan 2" took off from Ie Shima Airfield and returns to Japan safely.

U.S. Army: On Okinawa, Tenth Army security patrols mop up Japanese and capture 69 and killed 218 since the island was declared secure.

Lieutenant General Robert L. Eichelberger, USA, commanding the Eighth Army, directs that the landing by Task Force 31 (TF-31) be made at Yokosuka Naval base. The reserve battalion of the 4th Marines was directed to land on Futtsu Saki to eliminate any threat by shore batteries and coastal forts.

U.S. Navy: Two Chinese junks under the command of Lt. Livingston Swentzel Jr. manned by 7 Americans and 20 Chinese guerrillas en route from Haimen to Shanghai are attacked by Japanese junk (with a crew of 83 men). In a 45-minute action, the Chinese craft, directed by Lieutenant Swentzel, engage the enemy with bazookas, machine guns, and grenades. Upon boarding the Japanese craft, the Allied force finds 45 dead and 35 wounded. The victory cost four Chinese killed, and one American and five Chinese wounded. For their heroism above and beyond the call of duty, Lt. Livingston Swentzel Jr. and Gunner's Mate 3rd Class James Ralph Reid, Jr. earn the Navy Cross in what probably proves to be the last surface action of World War II.

Asiatic Wing, Naval Air Transport Service, is established at Oakland.

Japanese escort vessel Miyake is damaged by mine near Moji, Japan, 33°58'N, 131°00'E.

USMC: Letters of Instruction Nos. 1108 (male enlisted personnel), 1109 (male reserve officers), and 1110 (women's reserve) governing demobilization became effective; eligibility for discharge was based on a system of credits.