Subject: WWII-L Digest - 20 Jan 1995 to 21 Jan 1995

From: Automatic digest processor <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 22 Jan 1995 00:01:17 -0500

There are 17 messages totalling 923 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

  1. Museum Vacation
  2. INF: 50 Years Ago - 22-JAN-1945
  3. Smithsonian/Legion/Bomb!
  4. INF: 3rd Army Chronology - 21Jan45
  5. INF: 3rd Army Chronology - 22Jan45
  6. Book Reviews Wanted
  7. Moscow: Almost last call!
  8. P-51s to Russia?
  9. Farewell BB's (2)
 10. A-bomb, Should it have be...
 11. INFO
 12. VACATION
 13. A-BOMB, SHOULD IT
 14. [INF] USAAF 21 JAN 45
 15. [INF] USAAF 22 JAN 45
 16. [INF] USAAF 23 JAN 45

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date:    Fri, 20 Jan 1995 19:41:29 -1000
From:    Jim Adams <[email-masked]>
Subject: Museum Vacation

I just returned from a journey around parts of the mainland where I got
to visit some museums.  In Washington, DC. I visited the the Navy Museum
and the Marine Corps Musuem located in the Navy Yard.  Very impressed
with the artifacts and displays.  Reading history is fun, but it is
really impressive to see the real artifact.

I had the fortune to visit with Ben Frank in his office and had a
delightful conversation (Semper Fi Ben).

I can not describe the emotions I felt after seeing an exhibit at the
American History museum on the artifacts that have been left at the
Vietnam Wall, and then going over to the wall.  This was my first visit.

Washington sure is cold.....

In San Francisco I spent a day on the WWII submarine Pampanito.  she is
an outstanding example of how to preserve a historic vessel.  So many of
these museum ships are only able to restore the hull and nothing works
for real.  Not Pampanito.  Even though not much of the public realizes
it, one of her engines works, much of her electrical system, etc.  Future
historians and generations will have not just an empty shell to study,
but they will have much of the functioning systems of the boat to be able
to see how the technology of submarines in WWII worked.  This holistic
approach to be able to preserve much of the entire submarine as a system,
and not just a model is so valuable and a credit to her present "crew."

Pampanito has a neat program where they allow Scout troops to have camp
outs on her.  The scouts learn about submarine life, the history, and the
value of learning history and preserving these artifacts.  It is a very
successful program and a win-win situation for both the Pampanito and the
scouts.  The Pampanito also gets lots of volunteer help from a naval
reserve submarine unit.  It is a different generation of submarines, but
the sailors provide valuable assistance and at the same time get to
appriciate more of their naval heritage.  I am sure other ship museums
have similar programs, but this is the one that I got to see and was
duley impressed.

I did not have the opportunity to visit the Jerimah O'Brian, but saw that
she was back in San Francisco and open to the public.  she has changed
berths and is no longer at Ft. Mason, but now near the Oakland Bay Bridge.

Last, I visited the Hoga, the tug boat from the Pearl Harbor attack that
hopefully we will be able to save and bring to Hawaii for a museum.  At
present wshe is tied up at Treasure Island next to modern day navy tugs;
she is about half their size but when you know her history you recognize
what a strong work horse she was especially on 7 December 1941.  she
looks good though.

Several of you wrote me e-mail while I  was gone, I'll try to get caught
up with you this weekend.

aloha

****************************************************************************
Jim Adams                       [email-masked]
Cultural Resource Manager
USS Arizona Memorial, NPS       (808) 422-2771  extension 130
1 Arizona Memorial Place
Honolulu, Hawaii 96818
****************************************************************************

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 21 Jan 1995 07:46:08 -0800
From:    John Davis <[email-masked]>
Subject: INF: 50 Years Ago - 22-JAN-1945

On 22-JAN-1945, the following occurred -

World War II - The Battlefronts
-------------------------------
Western Front - In the British 2nd Army sector, the XII Corps is still
finding it very difficult to advance, but some progress is reported. The
52nd Division takes Laffeld and Obspringen. The 43rd Division takes
Waldenrath. In the 1st Army sector, the 84th Division with assistance from
the 3rd Armoured Division captures Gouvy and Beho. The 75th Division takes
Commanster. The 30th Division takes Hinderhausen, Sart-lez-St Vith, Ober
Emmels and Nieder Emmels. The 7th Armoured Division clears Hunningen. In
the 3rd Army sector, units of the 11th Armoured Division enter Bois de
Rouvroy and cross the Luxembourg border without encountering the Germans.
The 17th Airborne Division occupies Steinbach and Limerle. Units of the 6th
Armoured DIvision enter Basbellain and take Asselborn and Weiler. Elements
of the 90th Division occupy Donnange, Deiffelt, Stockem and Rumlange. Other
units move to Boxhorn and Sassel. The 26th Division finishes clearing Wiltz
and secures Eschweiler, Knaphoscheid and Kleinhoscheid. The 4th Division
gains ground along the west bank of the Our River and takes Walsdorf but is
still unable to clear Fuhren. The 5th Division continues moving north
taking Gralingen.

In the 7th army sector, because of German concentrations, the 103rd
Division is withdrawn from Offwiller and outposts of the 79th Division
pull back to the Moder River line. In the French 1st Army sector, the II
Corps begins driving south on Colmar with the goal of enveloping and
destroying the Colmar pocket.

Eastern Front - In East Prussia, the 3rd White Russian front takes
Insterberg. The 2nd White Russian Front seizes Allenstein and
Deutsch-Eylau. In Poland, the 1st White Russian Front capture Inowroclaw,
threatening Brombert and Gniezo. The 1st Ukraine Front, fighting astride
the Polish-Silesian border, seizes the Silesian towns of Konstadt and Gross
Strehlitz.

Philippines - Allied planes begin the preinvasion bombing of Corregidor.
The airstrip at Mangaldan becomes operational. In the XIV Corps area,
forward elements of the 40th Division reach Capas, north of Bamban. The
37th Divison extends its right flank to San Miguel to maintain contact with
the 40th Division and with left flank elements takes La Paz. Scattered
contacts have been made with the Japanese in the Moncada and La Paz area.
In the I Corps area, the 25th Division continues toward Asingan against
little opposition. On Mindoro, units of the 21st Infantry move by sea to
the north coast at Estrella.

Ryukyu Islands - Planes of TF 38 photograph and attack Ryukyu targets
including Okinawa and neighboring islands.

Formosa - Philippine-based heavy bombers of the 5th Air Force begin
daylight strikes on Formosa, attacking the Heito air base.

Burma - The 3rd Commando Brigade lands at Kangaw on the Arakan front. In
the British XXX Corps area, the Indian 20th Division takes Monywa (the
last Japanese port on the Chindwin). In IV Corps area, the Indian 7th
Division takes Tilin.

=============================================================================

Sources: "United States Army in World War II, Chronology 1941-1945" compiled
by Mary H. Williams, Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of
the Army, "2194 Days of War" by Cesare Salmaggi and Alfredo Pallavisimi,
"Facts On File Yearbook 1945, Person's Index Of World Events" edited by R.L.
Lapica.

Copyright 1995 by John B Davis, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Previous articles are archived at ftp.webcom.com in directory /pub/jbd/www
and can be accessed via the WWW by URL: http://www.webcom.com/~jbd/ww2.html.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Davis                Cary, North Carolina                 [email-masked]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 21 Jan 1995 11:50:12 EST
From:    Alan Wild <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Smithsonian/Legion/Bomb!

Dan <[email-masked]> writes:
>My wife, who likes to think of herself as the Lady from Philadelphia,
>poses this question:
>
>If the Manhattan Project cost $2 billion and yielded 3 bombs, that was a
>cost of roughly $700 million per bomb.

By far the greater part of the $2 Billion was for the technology and
research that went into producing the first bomb.

>In current dollars, then, which cost more: the Hiroshima bomb or the NASM
>exhibit about it?

... But I get the point. Tell your wife that it's a sign of he times when
the President's inaugural ceremony is straight out of Holyweird, and
a question such as the one she poses has us guessing. -Al

Alan Wild, Sr. Prog/Analyst
ACC - Lippitt - URI
Kingston, RI  02881

I am the NRA.

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 21 Jan 1995 12:03:43 EST
From:    Alan Wild <[email-masked]>
Subject: INF: 3rd Army Chronology - 21Jan45

January 21, 1945
D-Day +229

-Conclusions submitted to HQ by G-2 indicated that:
  1. The Germans had no effective Panzer divisions in reserve in the West.
  2. The Germans had no Infantry reserves to spare.
  3. The offensive South of the Moselle River was for the purpose
     of containing the Western Front while attempting to prevent
     destruction by the Russians in the East.

-XIX TAC was grounded due to poor weather.

-III Corps captured the towns of: Wiltz, Noertrange, Niederwitz, Bruhl,
 and Brachtenbach.

-XII Corps: 87th Inf Div patrolled
            4th Armored captured Fouhren
            5th Div, 2nd & 10th Inf Regiments captured Lipperschied
            80th Div, 317th & 318th Inf Regiments captured Bourschied

***

Alan Wild, Sr. Prog/Analyst
ACC - Lippitt - URI
Kingston, RI  02881

I am the NRA.

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 21 Jan 1995 12:14:39 EST
From:    Alan Wild <[email-masked]>
Subject: INF: 3rd Army Chronology - 22Jan45

January 27, 1945
D-Day +230

-XIX TAC flew 627 sorties, claiming 1,177 vehicles destroyed, 536 damaged.

-80th Inf Div occupies Masseler at the junction of the Wiltz and Sure rivers.

-87th Inf Div coordinates with units of XII Corps for an attack to the
 North and East.

-III Corps units attack up the Clerf River and take Weischerdange.
 90th Div units take Donnage, Stocken, Romlange, Boxhorn, and Asselborn.
 6th Armored takes Esselborn and Eischweiler.

-The 1st Army supply point in the town of Bras was retaken. Some stores of
 ammunition had not yet be destroyed by the Germans. An ammunition clearing
 company and 3 bomb disposal units were called in to investigate suspected
 booby trapping and inventory the stock.

***

Alan Wild, Sr. Prog/Analyst
ACC - Lippitt - URI
Kingston, RI  02881

I am the NRA.

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 21 Jan 1995 17:41:48 EST
From:    Charles Mattocks <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Book Reviews Wanted

On 19 Jan 1995, Sidney Allison wrote,

>         There are some other "problems" in Craig Cameron's book about
> the USMC -- AMERICAN SAMURAI.
>
> Have you read what he says about the Corps?  Your comments?

Unfortunately, I haven't had the privalege of reading or even seen a copy of
AMERICAN SAMURAI, but please enlighten me as to the comments on The Corps.

I do take some offense of being refered to as a samurai, but I recon' I've been
called worse ;-)!

Semper Fi!

Chip
[email-masked]

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 21 Jan 1995 15:29:15 -0800
From:    Eric Fenster <[email-masked]>
Subject: Moscow: Almost last call!

For anybody who missed it before...or is newly on the list:

This note concerns the Moscow travel course(s) for 1995 to study Russia's
political and economic conditions or the language. (The principal one is 27
May-27 June.)

1) The invitation remains open to all interested adults and I can send
details upon request.

3)For participants who are students and who wish academic credit, Eastern
Michigan University will offer four semester units. The additional cost for
tuition will be $200. This is low in 1995 because of budget savings unlikely
in 1996. (For students at many private American universities, this would
often mean that the travel course and the transferrable credits would cost
about the same as the credits alone at their home institution.)

4) A few people would like a beginning or intermediate Russian language
course. If there are enough others, I could try to organize one for 27 May-04
July, but I need decisions.

5) The question of a shorter course, 29 April-23 May including events and
contacts surrounding the 50th anniversary of the end of WW2, remains open,
but, again, decisions are required.

Thank you,
Eric

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 21 Jan 1995 16:21:19 -0800
From:    Steve New <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: P-51s to Russia?

You wrote:

>
>Hi all,
>
>Was the P-51 Mustang in any of its versions ever delivered to Russia
>under Lend-Lease either directly from the US or via Britain as
>Mustang Mk I's or II's?
>
>Thanks,
>  Eric ([email-masked])
>
>

To my knowledge, P-51s weren't provided to Russia.  In the early years,
when the production of Mustangs was fairly limited, they were considered
too valuable for our forces to be given away.  Later, by 1944 when our
production capacity had ramped up, the Russians were producing as many
high performance aircraft as they could provide pilots for, and there
was no need to send them Mustangs.

--

Steve L. New
[email-masked]
Just an armadillo on the shoulder of the information superhighway.

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 21 Jan 1995 16:42:09 -0800
From:    Steve New <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Farewell BB's

You wrote:

>
>  > The Navy struck its last four Iowa-class  battleships from the
Naval
>  > Vessel Register Jan. 12, saying the cost  of operating the ships
>  > outweighed their value to the fleet.
>
>In the Gulf War the Navy lauded the BB as a great platform for the
Tomahawk
>missile.  What happened?  Is the decision purely budgetary?  Or a
belated
>admission that the dinosaur is extinct?
>
>Ed Miller   [email-masked]
>
>
Battleships are just too manpower intensive to fit into the modern Navy.
I'm sure that the members of this list are aware of the economic
constraints currently plagueing all the services.  Keeping skilled
manpower and properly deploying forces is one of the Navy's current
problems.  They can keep 2 or 3 vessels at see with the crew of one BB.

Tomahawks can be successfully fired from destroyers, guided missile
cruisers, and even submarines.  The only advantage that BBs had in that
mission was a huge store of missiles, and if the mission includes
hitting lots of targets without waiting to reload, then we can use the
aircraft from the carriers.

The truth is that the major mission of the BB, to attack and destroy
enemy fleets, just doesn't fit into modern Navy doctrine, and the
expense of carrying these ships on duty can't be justified.

--

Steve L. New
[email-masked]
Just an armadillo on the shoulder of the information superhighway.

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 21 Jan 1995 19:57:49 -0500
From:    John Sloan <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: A-bomb, Should it have be...

HI all,
As promised, on the 17th I asked Dr Robert Joy, who teaches the history of
military medicine at the National Military Medical univ and knows more about
this topic than anyone I can think of, about the medical annexes for the
plans for invasion of Japan.. For those who want to do research, the medical
annexes for both operation plans are in the archives and Bob Joy has studied
them. He told me the military planning was for an estimated 35% casulaties of
the invasion force within 30 days.  In addition he noted that some 4000
kamakazi pilots were believed to be prepared in Japan. Also, an interesting
item I had not realized, the losses for naval personel on ship were greater
at Iwo Jima than the losses of army and marines ashore. I find this hard to
believe, but that is what I was told. There is an interesting article on Iwo
Jima in the last issue of "Military History" magazine.  Thus there was great
concern that an invasion of Japan would generate considerable loss of entire
ships as well as among troops ashore. It seems to me that the actual content
of such military planning documents is a more reliable source for what the
professional thinking at the time was in comparison to the various conversatio
ns of high level dignitaries that are cited in much of the current newspaper
articles.

best wishes

john sloan
[email-masked]

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 21 Jan 1995 19:57:59 -0500
From:    John Sloan <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: INFO

HI all,
Lee Windsor is asking for information on the early days of Operations
Research during WWII. I have seen articles on this from time to time in
PHALANX - the professional journal of MORS the Military Operations Research
Society. And there have been reviews of several books on the subject. Rather
than try to plow through back issues, and I only have them going back a few
years anyway, let me suggest you write or call Richard Wiles, the Executive
Director of MORS - 703 751 7290 FAX 703 751 8171 at 101 S. Whiting St. #202,
Alexandria VA 22304. I am sure Dick would be happy to put you on the right
track toward obtaining information. Tell him I sent you.

best wishes

john sloan
[email-masked]

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 21 Jan 1995 17:03:32 -0800
From:    Ellen Shepard <[email-masked]>
Subject: VACATION

I WILL BE ON VACATION IN NORTH CAROLINA UNTIL FEB. 6TH.  I'M SURE I'LL
GO THROUGH WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT CHECKING IN ON WWII-L.  I WILL BE
UNSUBSCRIBING TO THE LIST UNTIL MY RETURN -- COULD NOT TAKE RETURNING
TO HUNDREDS OF MESSAGES.  UNTIL LATER.  ELLEN

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 21 Jan 1995 19:55:13 EST
From:    Cassady Craft <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Farewell BB's

Steve, (gotta make this a history topic...hmmm) in 1993, the Navy came out
with ...From the Sea, which redefines the role of the Navy from deep water
LOC control to "littoral" warfare--power projection.  Seems to me, with
the decline in deck space devoted to Marine a/c, and the absense of Harrier
follow ons, the sea services would want an artillery platform that could
fire from, oh, say 800km out (Tomahawks), 40miles out (Harpoons) or 18 miles
out (16 inch guns).  Now, we all know that back in history, there are cases
of destroyers, subs, etc. firing all but one of these things.  Problem:
in recent history (whew!), the nations on the littoral that you might have
to deal with became relatively more sophisticated as far as military tech-
nology goes (Stark comes to mind in a historical sense).

Now everyone knows the historical drawbacks to military drawback, it draws-
back what you can do with what and how well you can do it.  One of the things
that the Marines will not have when fulfilling their role from the sea is
adequate fire support.  Even with their noted, historical superiority in
coordinating air and land, and ability to maneuver from the sea.  Why would
the powers that be reject the history books and roll the dice on the subject
of firepower needs for forcible entry?  And maybe as important, (although I
cannot think of a historical example) a survivable one?  After all, who would
not want to be on the Iowa rather than, say the Arleigh Burke or Stark, when
one of those sneaky littoral states gets one through the defense?

All may reply to the query, how does the Navy plan to fulfill its role with-
out fire support capability (and I know that we don't have minesweepers, but
let's fudge)... off the list if you think that it is not history.

Thanks in advance!

Cassady Craft
e-mail [email-masked]
or
[email-masked]

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 21 Jan 1995 20:53:22 -0500
From:    Ben Frank <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: A-BOMB, SHOULD IT

John, I find it difficult to believe that Navy casualties at Iwo were greater
than Marine, Navy corpsmen, and army losses on the island. That is, however,
true of Navy losses at Okinawa. As a matter of fact, Nimitz told Buckner that
if he couldn't get the offensive moving to capture the island as quickly as
possible, he would find someone who would. The loss of ships and personnel in
the picket line around the island as a result of Kamikaze attacks was fearful.
I remember that from the island we could see what was going on vis a vis air
action over the fleet. Spectacular. Ben

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 21 Jan 1995 22:37:00 EST
From:    mc killop <[email-masked]>
Subject: [INF] USAAF 21 JAN 45

COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
SUNDAY, 21 JANUARY 1945
FTP SITES
  1. ftp.rutgers.edu in directory pub/wwii/usaf
  2. byrd.mu.wvnet.edu (129.71.32.152) in pub/history/military/airforce/
     wwii_chronology

AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
  A-20, Douglas Havoc
  A-26, Douglas Invader
  B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress
  B-24, Consolidated Liberator
  B-25, North American Mitchell
  B-26, Martin Marauder
  B-29, Boeing Superfortress
  F-5, Lockheed Lightning
  L-1, Stinson Vigilant
  L-5, Stinson Sentinel
  P-38, Lockheed Lightning
  P-40, Curtiss
  P-47, Republic Thunderbolt
  P-51, North American Mustang

NOTE: A number in parenthesis after a target name indicates the number of
bombers attacking.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 30 B-24s pound the Hong
Kong area; 12 P-51s hit Nanking Airfield (claiming 11 enemy aircraft
destroyed) and targets of opportunity along the Yangtze River to Hankow; 30
P-51s and P-40s on armed reconnaissance hit targets of opportunity at several
locations; 12 of the fighter-bombers concentrate on the Wanting area.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 10 B-25s bomb Heho
Airfield; 12 P-38s bomb the bridge area at Nampawng; 26 P-47s support ground
forces near Twinnge, Mahlainggon, and Konkha along the Irrawaddy River, and
in the Si-U sector; 50+ P-38s and P-47s hit troop concentrations, supplies,
and targets of opportunity at Me-han, Mogok, Hsenwi, Na-makhkaw, Kutkai,
Kunhkan, and Man On. Nearly 500 transports sorties are flown to forward
areas. Units moving to Myitkyina, Burma: 90th Fighter Squadron, 80th Fighter
Group, from Tingkawk, Burma with P-47s; 115th Liaison Squadron, Tenth AF
[attached to 1st Liaison Group (Provisional)], from Ledo, India with L-1s and
L-5s.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
  Mission 803: 912 bombers and 523 fighters are dispatched to hit industrial
and rail targets in C Germany using PFF methods with some visual bombing;
they claim 8-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 8 bombers are lost:
  1. 379 B-17s are sent to hit the marshalling yard (257) and oil plant (66)
at Aschaffenburg; targets of opportunity are the Pforzheim marshalling yard
(24) and military vehicle plant at Mannheim (3); Gee-H and H2X are used; 2
B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 4 damaged; 18 airmen are KIA and
2 MIA. Escorting are 112 of 139 P-51s.
  2. 382 B-17s are dispatched to hit the marshalling yard (254), Lanz
military vehicle factory (21) and highway and rail bridges (16) at Mannheim;
targets of opportunity are the Pforzheim marshalling yard (16), Speyer (4) and
other (3); bombing is by Micro H and H2X; 6 B-17s are lost, 3 damaged beyond
repair and 53 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 12 WIA and 55 MIA. The escort is 138
of 150 P-51s; they claim 2-0-0 aircraft on the ground.
  3. 152 B-24s are sent to hit the marshalling yard at Heilbronn (68) using
H2X; targets of opportunity bombed visually are the marshalling yard at
Pforzheim (11), the communications centers at Arnbach (14) and Mannheim (1)
and Reutlingen (1); 4 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 2 damaged; 3 airmen
are WIA. Escort is provided by 120 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 6-0-1 aircraft
on the ground.
  4. 26 of 26 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
  5. 6 of 7 P-51s fly an armed photographic mission over Politz.
  6. 22 of 23 P-51s escort 4 F-5s on a photo reconnaissance mission over
Germany.
  Mission 804: 2 B-17s and 9 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands, France
and Germany during the night without loss.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 166 A-26s, A-20s, and
B-26s hit a rail junction and bridge at Euskirchen and marshalling yard and
defended positions at Mayen; fighters fly armed reconnaissance, escort
bombers, bomb bridges, and support the US 7th Armored Division.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 170 B-17s bomb the Lobau and
Schweehat oil refineries at Vienna, Austria; 131 P-51s and P-38s provide
support. 43 P-38s bomb an oil refinery at Fiume, Italy. Other fighters escort
reconnaissance missions and accompany supply-dropping operations to
Yugoslavia.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, weather restricts
operations during the night of 21/22 Jan to armed reconnaissance by 5 A-20s;
the A-20s bomb communications targets in the Po Valley. During the day B-25s
hit bridges at Rovereto and Lavis, destroy a bridge at Pontetidone, and blast
a railroad fill at San Michele all' Adige, and supply dump at Cremona;
fighters and fighter-bombers concentrate on communications in the same area
as the medium bombers, destroying 1 bridge, inflicting 36 rail cuts, hitting
fuel and ammunition dumps, and destroying and damaging many vehicles and much
railroad rolling stock, mostly in Milan area.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 12 Guam Island-based B-24s bomb airfields on
Iwo Jima Island; during the night of 21/22 Jan, 8 more, flying separate
snooper strikes from Saipan Island, pound the airfields.

  HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 21: 30 of 33 B-29s, flying out of the
Mariana Islands, bomb Moen Airfield in Truk Atoll.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb Marikina
Airfield and hit barracks and coastal defense guns at Calabasan. B-25s,
A-20s, and fighter-bombers fly sweeps, small strikes, and armed
reconnaissance attacks on airfields, road networks, bridges, gun positions,
numerous vehicles, and other targets of opportunity throughout C and S Luzon.
HQ 22d Bombardment Group (Heavy) and the 33d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy)
move from Angaur Island to Samar Island with B-24s.

SOURCES:
AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force History,
  Headquarters USAF, 1961, ISBN 0-912799-02-1
COMBAT SQUADRONS OF THE AIR FORCE, WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force
  History, Headquarters USAF 1982
THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by the
  Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF, 1973
THE MIGHTY EIGHTH WAR DIARY by Roger A. Freeman, ISBN 1-85409-071-2

Jack McKillop
USAF (Airways and Air Communications Service)
1955-59

-------------------------------------------------------------------
|  Jack McKillop         |  Those who have long enjoyed such      |
|  Bellcore              |  privileges as we enjoy forget in      |
|  Piscataway, NJ USA    |  time that men have died to win them.  |
|  [email-masked]  |                       FDR              |
-------------------------------------------------------------------

22/0335Z JAN

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 21 Jan 1995 22:46:00 EST
From:    mc killop <[email-masked]>
Subject: [INF] USAAF 22 JAN 45

COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
MONDAY, 22 JANUARY 1945
FTP SITES
  1. ftp.rutgers.edu in directory pub/wwii/usaf
  2. byrd.mu.wvnet.edu (129.71.32.152) in pub/history/military/airforce/
     wwii_chronology

AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
  A-20, Douglas Havoc
  A-26, Douglas Invader
  B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress
  B-24, Consolidated Liberator
  B-25, North American Mitchell
  B-26, Martin Marauder
  C-47, Douglas Skytrain
  UC-64, Noorduyn Norseman
  F-4, Lockheed Lightning
  F-5, Lockheed Lightning
  F-7, Consolidated Liberator
  L-1, Stinson Vigilant
  L-5, Stinson Sentinel
  P-40, Curtiss
  P-47, Republic Thunderbolt
  P-51, North American Mustang

NOTE: A number in parenthesis after a target name indicates the number of
bombers attacking.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 16 P-40s and P-51s on armed
reconnaissance attack various targets in the Wanting area and in SW China; 10
P-51s bomb buildings at the Kunlong ferry; 14 P-51s and P-40s hit the
Sintsiang railroad yards and destroy several locomotives and trucks E of
Tsinan and Suchow; the flights of the 21st and 35th Photographic
Reconnaissance Squadrons and 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron,
Fourteenth AF, operating from Suichwan with F-4s, F-5s, P-40s and P-51s,
return to base at Kunming and Chengkung.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 46 P-47s support ground
forces near Si-U, Namhkam, and along the Irrawaddy River near Twinnge, Bahe,
the Nam Mit River, Myitson, and Banwe; 12 others hit targets of opportunity
along roads near Kutkai, Hsenwi, Lashio, and Namtu; troop concentrations,
fuel and ammunition dumps, vehicles, and general supplies are pounded at Kin,
Padan, Man Lom, Namtu, Hkamtung, Kabaing, Nammaw-hpek, Panglaw, and Na-hsang.
Transports fly 449 sorties to advanced bases and frontline areas. In Burma,
the 5th Liaison Squadron, Tenth AF [attached to 1st Liaison Group
(Provisional)], moves from Mytikyina to Bhamo with L-1s and L-5s; the 165th
Liaison Squadron (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, moves from Ye-U to
Shwebo with UC-64s and L-5s. The 317th Troop Carrier Squadron (Commando), 2d
Air Commando Group, based at Kalaikunda, India with C-47s, sends a detachment
to operate from Bikram, India.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
  Mission 805: 206 B-17s and 258 fighters are dispatched to make visual
attacks on the Holten synthetic oil plant at Sterkrade (167); 1 hits the
secondary target, the marshalling yard at Rheine; targets of opportunity are
Dinslaken (12), Osnabruck (5), Heiden (8) and other (4); 5 B-17s are lost, 3
damaged beyond repair and 144 damaged; 13 airmen are WIA and 45 MIA. Escort
is provided by 85 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 3-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft on the
ground. Other fighter missions are:
  1. 128 of 136 P-51s fly a sweep in the St Vith, Belgium-Karlsruhe-
Darmstadt and Kobenz, Germany areas, some as escort for Ninth AF bombers; 1
P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
  2. 10 of 11 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
  Mission 806: 1 B-17 and 8 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands and
France.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 304 B-26s, A-26s, and A-20s bomb a
marshalling yard, railhead, and road and rail bridges in Germany with the aim
of obstructing troop movement; fighters escort the 9th Bombardment Division,
fly armed reconnaissance and sweeps and airfield cover, and support the US
7th Armored Division near Montfort, the Netherlands; the III, VIII, and XII
Corps from S of Saint-Vith, Belgium along the battlefront to NW of
Echternach, Luxembourg; and the 4th, 5th, 94th, and 95th Infantry Divisions
from Echternach, Luxembourg S to just W of Saarlautern, Germany. In Belgium,
HQ 70th Fighter Wing moves from Liege to Verviers. In France, the 514th
Fighter Squadron, 406th Fighter Group, based at Mourmelon with P-47s, begins
operating from Prosnes.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Bad weather limits operations
to 1 P-38 weather reconnaissance flight.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, B-25s score damaging
hits at Rovereto, San Michele all' Adige and on the Dogna bridge, and attack
the Chiari and Crema bridges with fair results; fighter-bombers range over
practically all of N Italy destroying and damaging a large number of vehicles
and railway cars and several locomotives, also hitting fuel and ammunition
dumps around Mantua. The air echelon of the 417th Night Fighter Squadron,
Twelfth AF (attached to 422d Night Fighter Squadron) operating from
Florennes, Belgium with Beaufighters, returns to base at La Vallon, France.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 20 B-24s from Guam Island blast airfields on
Iwo Jima Island, while 8 more B-24s flying individual strikes from Guam pound
the airfields again during the night of 22/23 Jan.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s, escorted by
P-38s, bomb Heito Airfield in the first major Fifth AF strike on Formosa. On
Luzon Island, other B-24s bomb barracks in the Cabaruan Hills and gun
positions across Manila Bay and hit Fabrica Airfield. In smaller
miscellaneous strikes, FEAF fighters and bombers over C and S Luzon hit enemy
positions, small shipping, and highways at several points, and damage a
bridge over the Magata River. HQ Fifth AF, HQ V Bomber Command and HQ V
Fighter Command move from Leyte Island to Mindoro Island. The 20th Combat
Mapping Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, based at Dulag,
Leyte, begins operating from Biak Island with F-7s. The 39th Fighter
Squadron,  35th Fighter Group, moves from Morotai Island to Mangaldan, Luzon
with P-47s. The air echelon of the 110th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron,
71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group, ceases operating from San Jose, Mindoro
and moves to Lingayen, Luzon with P-40s.

SOURCES:
AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force History,
  Headquarters USAF, 1961, ISBN 0-912799-02-1
COMBAT SQUADRONS OF THE AIR FORCE, WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force
  History, Headquarters USAF 1982
THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by the
  Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF, 1973
THE MIGHTY EIGHTH WAR DIARY by Roger A. Freeman, ISBN 1-85409-071-2

Jack McKillop
USAF (Airways and Air Communications Service)
1955-59

-------------------------------------------------------------------
|  Jack McKillop         |  Those who have long enjoyed such      |
|  Bellcore              |  privileges as we enjoy forget in      |
|  Piscataway, NJ USA    |  time that men have died to win them.  |
|  [email-masked]  |                       FDR              |
-------------------------------------------------------------------

22/0345Z JAN

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 21 Jan 1995 22:53:00 EST
From:    mc killop <[email-masked]>
Subject: [INF] USAAF 23 JAN 45

COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
TUESDAY, 23 JANUARY 1945
FTP SITES
  1. ftp.rutgers.edu in directory pub/wwii/usaf
  2. byrd.mu.wvnet.edu (129.71.32.152) in pub/history/military/airforce/
     wwii_chronology

AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
  A-20, Douglas Havoc
  B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress
  B-24, Consolidated Liberator
  B-25, North American Mitchell
  B-26, Martin Marauder
  B-29, Boeing Superfortress
  UC-64, Noorduyn Norseman
  L-5, Stinson Sentinel
  P-38, Lockheed Lightning
  P-40, Curtiss
  P-47, Republic Thunderbolt
  P-51, North American Mustang

NOTE: A number in parenthesis after a target name indicates the number of
bombers attacking.

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Kurile Islands, 1 B-24 flies a
reconnaissance sortie along Onnekotan Island-Matsuwa Island E coasts; 4 B-24s
strike the Kakumabetsu cannery and targets on Paramushiru Island; 8 to 10
fighters intercept and the B-24s claim 2 victories; 1 B-24 is lost.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 40 P-51s and P-40s on armed
reconnaissance attack targets of opportunity (mainly river, road, and rail
traffic) at several locations in both S China and in the N China plain,
including the Wanting, Suchow and Yuankiang areas, the lower Tungting Lake
region, points between Kiaotow and Kweiyi, and points as far N as Peking.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 B-25s bomb airfields at
Aungban and Hsumhsai; 34 P-47s support ground forces near Namhkam and along
the Irrawaddy River in the the Twinnge and Bahe areas; 55 P-47s and P-38s hit
troop concentrations, storage areas and vehicles at Kawngwang, Sati, Kyaukme,
Wengnan, Hko-lawng, Lothke, and Panglaw. Transports fly 542 sorties, carrying
men and supplies to advanced bases and drop supplies to troops in frontline
areas. In Burma, the 88th Fighter Squadron, 80th Fighter Group, moves from
Shingbwiyang to Myitkyina with P-47s. The detachment of the 166th Liaison
Squadron (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, operating from Arakan, Burma
with UC-64s and L-5s, returns to base at Asansol, India.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
  Mission 807: 209 B-17s are dispatched to hit the marshalling yard at Neuss,
Germany (169); 12 others hit the Neuss Bridge; the attacks are made using
Gee-H and Micro H; 1 B-17 is lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 95 damaged; 5
airmen are KIA, 6 WIA and 10 MIA. Escort is provided by 74 of 79 P-51s; 1 is
damaged beyond repair. Other operations are:
  1. 68 of 75 P-51s fly a sweep over the Neuss area; they claim 1-0-0
Luftwaffe aircraft without loss.
  2. 16 of 17 P-51s fly a scouting mission without loss.
  Mission 808: 5 B-24s drop leaflet in the Netherlands during the night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, a small B-26 force hits
troop concentrations, a road bridge, and military transport targets at
Blankenheim, Dasburg, and Arzfeld. Fighters fly armed reconnaissance, alert
flights, and patrols, and support the US III, VIII, and XII Corps and 4th,
94th, and 95th Infantry Divisions from S of Saint-Vith, Belgium, S and E
along the battleline to just W of Saarlautern, Germany.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Continued bad weather cancels
all operations.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 22/23
Jan, A-20s bomb lights, roads, and river crossings at over 50 locations in
the Po Valley, hit several targets of opportunity, and attack Borgoforte and
San Benedetto Po and airfields at Villafranca di Verona and Ghedi; weather
cancels medium bomber operations during the day; fighter-bombers operate
mainly against communications, principally railroad targets, in the Po Valley
but also hit ammunition dumps, shipping, guns, vehicles, and other targets in
N Italy scattered from Genoa to NE Italy.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 12 B-24s from Saipan Island bomb Iwo Jima
Island airfields. 3 from Guam Island fly armed reconnaissance over Woleai
Atoll, 2 of them bombing the main runway on the island. During the night of
23/24 Jan, 10 B-24s from Saipan strike Iwo Jima singly at about 45-minute
intervals.

  HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 22: 73 B-29s of the XXI Bomber
Command are dispatched to bomb the Mitsubishi engine plant at Nagoya; 28 hit
the primary and 27 hit the secondary target, the urban area of the city; 9
bomb other alternates and targets of opportunity; an estimated 600+ fighters
offer heavy and aggressive opposition; the AAF claims 33-22-40 Japanese
aircraft; 2 B-29s are lost.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: During the night of
22/23 Jan, B-24s again hit Formosa in force, bombing an aluminum factory at
Takao. In the day's principal missions against Luzon Island, B-24s bomb
Baguio and, along with A-20s, hit Corregidor Island in Manila Bay; other
A-20s attack Aparri Airfield while fighter-bombers hit a bridge at Digdig,
luggers S of Alcala, guns on Grande Island at the mouth of Subic Bay, a
bridge over the Magata River, and the base at Camp John Hay. B-24s hit Silay
Airfield on Negros Island.

SOURCES:
AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force History,
  Headquarters USAF, 1961, ISBN 0-912799-02-1
COMBAT SQUADRONS OF THE AIR FORCE, WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force
  History, Headquarters USAF 1982
THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by the
  Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF, 1973
THE MIGHTY EIGHTH WAR DIARY by Roger A. Freeman, ISBN 1-85409-071-2

Jack McKillop
USAF (Airways and Air Communications Service)
1955-59

-------------------------------------------------------------------
|  Jack McKillop         |  Those who have long enjoyed such      |
|  Bellcore              |  privileges as we enjoy forget in      |
|  Piscataway, NJ USA    |  time that men have died to win them.  |
|  [email-masked]  |                       FDR              |
-------------------------------------------------------------------

22/0351Z JAN

------------------------------

End of WWII-L Digest - 20 Jan 1995 to 21 Jan 1995
*************************************************