Air Operations, Carolines

FEAF B-24s attack the Woleai Atoll.

Air Operations, CBI

• More than 30 10 Air Force fighter-bombers attack a bridge at Sihet, the Kamaing and Mogaung areas, and Myitkyina.
• Japanese Army ground forces are ordered to withdraw from around Myitkyina.

• 11 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack Wuchang.
• More than 70 14th Air Force fighter-bombers attack line-of-communication targets over a wide area.

• More than 20 14th Air Force P-38s and P-40s attack road traffic and shipping at Hanoi, Campha Port, and three other locations.

Air Operations, East Indies

• V Bomber Command B-24s and V Fighter Command P-38s attack the Boela airfield on Ceram and nearby oil facilities.
• B-24s attack targets on Morotai.
• B-25s attack the Penfoei and Koepang airfields on Timor and shipping near Amboina, Ceram, and Talaga.
• 345th Medium Bomb Group B-25s mount two anti-shipping sweeps around Halmahera.
• During the night, 63rd Heavy Bomb Squadron SB-24s attack targets on Ceram and Halmahera.

Air Operations, Europe

• 692 aircraft are sent to bomb 6 German positions in front of a mainly American ground attack in the Villers Bocage Caumont area. The presence of cloud creates difficulties and only 377 aircraft are able to bomb on Oboe markers. Only 2 of the 6 targets are effectively hit.
• 4 Lancasters are lost.
• 2 Mosquitos carry out uneventful Ranger patrols.

• 20 Halifaxes are on Resistance operations and there are 6 OTU sorties.
• There are no losses.

• 237 VIII Fighter Command fighters conduct sweeps.
• 1 P-51 and its pilot are lost
• USAAF fighter pilots down 18 Luftwaffe fighters over France between 1430 and 1940 hours.

• More than 450 IX Bomber Command B-26s and A-20s attack defensive positions around Chaumont.
• 9th Air Force fighter-bombers attack numerous tactical and lines-of-communication targets, including German Army armored columns, while conducting aggressive armed-recon missions.

• 12th Air Force B-25s and B-26s continue their relentless attacks on bridges and other communications targets in the Po River valley.
• XII TAC fighter-bombers attack shipping between Savona and Ventimiglia, and rail and road bridges throughout northern Italy. The P-47s account for 8 German Army flak guns guarding a bridge at Ferrara.

• 15th Air Force B-24s attack oil-industry targets at Lispe.
• 15th Air Force B-17s attack the Budapest/Duna Airdrome.
• Escort pilots down 4 Axis fighters.

• 15th Air Force B-17s attack marshalling yards at Brod.

Air Operations, Marianas

41st Medium Bomb Group B-25 gunships and 318th Fighter Group P-47s support US Marine ground forces on Tinian.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• In a surprise move made virtually without a preliminary bombardment, US Army ground forces invade the Vogelkop Peninsula near Mar without opposition. 5 345th Medium Bomb Group B-25s deliver the only ground-support attack of the day when they execute a planned minimum-level strafing attack against beach targets moments before the first troops land.
• V Fighter Command P-39s support Allied ground troops on Biak Island and attack barges and troops around Geelvink Bay.
• 5th Air Force aircraft attack numerous targets between Aitape and Wewak.

Atlantic

The US motor minesweeper YMS-304 sinks when it hits a mine in the Normandy area.

Baltic Sea

After sinking the Soviet patrol boat MO-105, a full-scale hunt is launched for U-250. Two depth-charge attacks resulted in a hull breach causing the U-boat to come to the surface. The intelligence gain by capturing this damaged U-boat was immense, not only in weaponry, but also recovering the boat's Enigma cipher machine.

U-250

Burma

The commander of the Japanese forces in the Myitkyina area orders his troops to withdraw, then takes his own life.

Eastern Front

There is heavy fightin at Tukums as the 51st Army attempts to reach the Gulf of Riga. The 2nd Guards Army also attacks at Siauliai to pin down the 3rd Panzer Army and prevent it from transferring forces to the north.

The 5th Army fights its way into Kaunas. The German counterattack north of Wolomin continues as the XXXIX Panzer Corps strikes the 2nd Tank Army.

To the south, elements of the 1st Guards Tank and 13th Armies cross the Vistula at Baranow, southwest of Sandomierz. The Germans immediately lauch counterattacks but fail to dislodge the Soviet troops.

Marianas

The Americans have now largely cleared the southern half of the island. Gen Geiger issues orders for pursuit of the enemy northward on the 31st.

Despite stiff Japanese resistance the 2nd and 4th Marines Divisions push on southward, taking the town of Tinian and squeezing the Japanese into a little strip at the extreme south of the island.

New Guinea

Without the usual preliminary bombardment, and without air support, TF TYPHOON carries out a surprise landing by 2 infantry divisions and and amphibious force of cavalry and infantry in the Vogelkop peninsula, near Sansapor on the northwest point of New Guinea, and on some coastal islets. The 1st Infantry of the Gen Franklin C. Sibert's 6th Division, with the 2nd Battalion on the left, the 1st in the center, and the 3rd on the right, lands unopposed at 0701. The left flank advances 800 yards inland to low hills and the right flank 2,600 yards westward along the coast to the mouth of the Wewe River. An amphibious force (the 6th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop with a mortar section and riflemen of the 1st Battalion, 63rd Infantry) lands on Middleburg Island, at 0730 and them moves to Amsterdam Island. Neither of these small islands is defended. TF TYPHOON has no battle casualties. Gen Sibert takes command ashore at 1020. Air assistance is not required.

In the Aitape area, the 2nd Battalion of the 124th Infantry joins its regiment in the sector of the North Force. The South Force patrols actively. Company G, 127th Infantry, is surrounded by the enemy on high ground west of Afua. Adm Russell S. Berkey's TF 78 is in support.

Pacific

The US submarine Bonefish (SS-233) sinks the Japanese fleet tanker Kokuyo Maru (10,026t) about 75 miles northeast of Borneo.

Secret War

The Soviets capture an Enigma M4 enciphering machine from U-250, which they sink in the Gulf of Finland and then recover.

Western Front

Units of the US VIII Corps advance rapidly toward Avranches and Granville. Units of the 4th Arm Div press on into the outskirts of Avranches and capture the bridges over the Sée River. The other corps of the US 1st Army also continue their march south, but while units of the VII Corps quickly approache Villedieu-les-Poêtes, on the road between Granville and Vire, the XIX Corps has to face violent German counterattacks near Percy from the II Parachute Corps.[WF]

Farther east there are successful British attacks near Caumont. Allied aircraft drop 2,227 tons of bombs in advance of a new offensive by the British 2nd Army.

Images from July 30, 1944

A Cromwell Tank of 7th Armored Division

Cromwell Tanks of 7th Armored Division

An Abandoned German Halftrack

2nd Glasgow Highlanders during Operation BLUECOAT

Crew of a Loyd Carrier

Bringing Casualties Back to an Aid Post

Using a No 18 Wireless Set

Unfinished Sub Pen

32nd Division in the Pacific

Universal Carriers and Infantry of the 15th Infantry Division

V-1 bomb Damage in North Watford

A Wrecked Japanese Plane on Tinian Island