July 1944 (1)

503rd Regiment at Noemfoer, 2 July 1944

1 July – on Saipan, the US 27th Infantry Division and the 2nd and 4th Marine divisions were within 5.5 miles (9km) of the northern tip of the island.  On the left flank of the advance they had taken the heights overlooking Tanapag Harbor.

2 July – for Operation Cyclone, paratroopers of the 503rd Regiment [not yet a part of the 11th Airborne Division] dropped on Noemfoor Island, off New Guinea.  Sgt. Ray Eubanks received the Medal of Honor for his actions here posthumously.  A landing was also made in the vicinity of Kaimiri Airdrome on the northwest coast of Noemfoor.

Sgt. Ray E. Eubanks

The amphibious attack force, under the command of Rear Admiral Fechteler, consisted of an attack group, a covering group of cruisers and destroyers, a landing craft unit, and a landing force built around the 148th U. S. Infantry Regimental Combat Team reinforced. Prior to the landing nearby Japanese airfields were effectively neutralized by the 5th Air Force.  Enemy opposition was feeble, resistance not reaching the fanatical heights experienced on other islands.

On Iwo Jima, US carrier aircraft shot down 16 Japanese planes and destroyed 29 more on the ground.

4 July – in a combined US strike in the Bonin Islands and Iwo Jima, aircraft, destroyers and carriers worked together and sank 4 enemy destroyers and several transport vessels.

6 July – in China, the 14th Air Force was in continuous bombing missions to hit river shipping, bridges, troops concentrations, road traffic and any other general target of opportunity around Tungting Lake and the Yangtze River.  B-25’s closer to the Burma border caused damage at Tengehung and dropped supplies to Chinese ground troops.

7-9 July – the final banzai* charge on Saipan appeared to some like a stampede.  As the enemy confronted US machine-gun fire, some brandished swords, others with knives, sticks and stones.  Even the wounded hobbled forward on crutches.  Their leaders: Gen. Yoshitsugo Saito, Adm. Chichi Nagumo and Gen. Igeta, performed the ritual seppuku**.  Being as the Americans would probably arrive before they bled to death, 3 men [2 were chosen, one volunteered] shot them in the head once the ritual was completed.

Saipan suicides

Bulldozers had to be brought in the next morning to bury the 4,000 Japanese troops.  On the 9th, it was announced that Saipan was in American hands.  Civilians began mass suicides in front of the appalled US soldiers.  The island, only 10 miles long cost the US approximately 3,126 KIA and about 13,000 WIA.  The enemy suffered over 27,000 KIA (8,000 suicides), with the civilian deaths, this made it the most costly operation of the Pacific estimated between 40-50,000.

9 July – The 10th Air Force in Burma supported the ground forces at Myitkyina.  Elsewhere enemy buildings, railroad boxcars, trucks, factories and supply areas were being bombed by the aircraft.  A detachment of the 20th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron/8th Photographic Recon Group started operating at Myitkyina.

* the word banzai was never actually used by the Japanese.  The official battle cry was Wah! Wah!

** Senjinkun (Battle Ethics): “I will never suffer the disgrace of being taken alive.  I will offer up the courage of my soul and calmly rejoice by the eternal principal.”

Click on images to enlarge.

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Military Humor – 

 

Helmsman with an attitude.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Farewell Salutes – 

Albino Boroevich – Burnaby, BC, CAN; RC Army, WWII

Guido Cavallo – Washington, DC; US Army Air Corps, WWII

Randolph Christensen – New Rochelle, NY; US Army, WWII, ETO, 86th Black Hawk Div.

Ellis Hoskins –  Shawanee, TN; US Army, 11th Airborne Division, MSgt.

Robert Leckrone – Joliet, IL; US Navy, WWII, ATO (Alaska)

Eric Morgan – Waikanae, NZ; RNZ Air Force # 76210, WWII, Squadron Leader

Wilbur Nelson – Perth Amboy, NJ; US Navy, WWII, ETO, Corpsman

Boyd Parish – Elba, ID; US Army, WWII

Stratis Paul – brn: Andros, GRE/Bronx, NY; US Army, WWII, Bronze Star

James Smith – St. Cloud, MN; US Army Air Corps, WWII, CBI

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