September 1944 (1)

Bonin and Volcano Islands

31 August → 2 September – US carrier aircraft started an intense 3-day bombing on the Bonin and Volcano Islands.  The Japanese suffered heavy losses of matérial.  A US Navy communiqué lists the enemy damages as : about 50 ground and airborne planes destroyed; around 15 ships sunk and damage to installations, hangers, ammo and fuel dumps.

 

1 September – the American submarine, Narwhal landed men on the eastern coast of Luzon in efforts to become logistics-ready for the Philippine invasion.

USS Narwhal

2 September – Wake Island, the most isolated post for the Japanese Empire, received bombardments from the Task Force of one aircraft carrier, 3 cruisers and 3 destroyers.  The island would not be invaded; it would remain in Japanese hands until the end of the war.  The main Allied advance was planned for the Philippine and Ryuku Island groups.

In China, the enemy-held airfield of Hengyang was bombed along with gun positions, and areas with apparent troops in the Changning areas.  A bridge at Yangtien was also damaged.

3 September – the Japanese ‘hell ship’ Shinyo Maru left Mindinao carrying 750 American prisoners.  She was torpedoed by the USS Paddle four days later, killing 668 of the POWs on board.

 
6 → 11 September – a massive naval force of 16 aircraft carriers, numerous cruisers and destroyers attacked Yap, Ulithi and the Palau Islands in the Carolines.  The 5th Fleet became the 3rd Fleet when the Battleship USS New Jersey arrived flying Adm. Halsey’s flag.  This started the air bombings of the Philippine Islands, Mainly Mindinao and Luzon.

In the CBI, in China, railroad yards, troop occupied areas, and trucks were hit north of Lingling.  While 45 Allied aircraft attacked troops, warehouses shipping and communication targets in the Hukow area Pengtse areas.

8 → 11 September – Adm. Mitscher’s TF-38 hit industrial, naval and aviation positions around Mindinao.  The airfields at DelMonte, Valencia, Cagayan, Buayan and Davao were the targets.  On the first day of the attack, 60 enemy aircraft were destroyed.

12 September – Halsey signaled Admiral Nimitz after the attacks on Mindinao that it appeared enemy strength had been wiped out.  There was “no shipping left to sink” and “the enemy’s non-aggressive attitude was unbelievable and fantastic.”  He recommended that Leyte be the next invasion, but Nimitz refused to call off the pre-planned invasion of Peleliu. (Operation Stalemate).

 

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Military Humor – 

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Farewell Salutes – 

Richard G. Adams – Newbury, ENG; Royal Army Service, WWII, ETO, (beloved author)

Frederick Campbell – Bellingham, WA; USMC, WWII, Korea & Vietnam

John Carver Jr. – Preston, ID; US Army Air Corps, WWII, Undersecretary of the DOI, Lt. 

Earl Cumpiano – Santa Barbara, CA; US Navy, WWII, fireman striker

Allen Farington – Montreal, CAN; RC Navy

Luther Kimbler – Louis City, KY; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 411th Bomber Squadron, SSgt.

Donald McEvoy – N.Platte, NE; USMC, WWII

Edward O’Soro – Wakefield, MA; USMC, WWII, 1st Marine Division

Isadore Pette – Lakewood, WA; US Army Air Corps, WWII, PTO, 675th Medical/11th Airborne Division

Scott Sherman – Fort Wayne, IN; US Navy, USS Eisenhower, A-7 pilot

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