Chronology of World War II

October 1944

Sunday, October 1


Air Operations, Carolines

11th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s pass through Eniwetok to attack the Truk Atoll.

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Air Operations, CBI

BURMA
  • 36 10th Air Force P-47s attack Thetkegyin.
  • 20 P-47s attack troops at Pinlon and rail lines throughout northern Burma.
  • 4 P-47s attack Shwegugale.
CHINA
  • 14th Air Force fighter-bombers mount more than 100 effective sorties against Japanese Army troops around Mangshih and Hsinganhsien, and numerous other targets across broad areas south of the Yangtze River.
  • 6 10th Air Force P-47s attack Lungling and sweep the Burma Road in southwestern China.
  • During the night, 18 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the Tienho and White Cloud airfields at Canton and Wuchou.
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Air Operations, East Indies

  • FEAF B-24s attack Langoan on Celebes, Taka in the Molucca Islands, and the port at Bolaang-oeki on Celebes.
  • B-25s attack Lembeh and Menado on Celebes.
  • B-25s and FEAF P-38s attack barges and luggers off Halmahera.
  • P-38s attack Amahai and Kairatoe on Ceram and shipping off Amboina.
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Air Operations, Europe

RAF BOMBER COMMAND
Daylight Ops:
Minor Ops:
  • 6 Hudsons are on Resistance operations, 73 Halifaxes are on fuel-carrying flights, and 2 Liberators and 1 Wellington are on signals investigation Patrols.
    • There are no losses.
Evening Ops:
  • 48 Mosquitos are sent to Brunswick, 8 each to Heilbronn and Krefeld, and 6 each to Dortmund and Koblenz, and there are 2 RCM sorties.
    • There are no losses.
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Air Operations, New Guinea

  • V Bomber Command A-20s and V Fighter Command P-47s attack the airfields at Doeroa, Langgoer, and Faan.
  • A-20s and P-38s attack Fak Fak and the airfield at Urarom.
  • P-40s attack Doom Island, Idorra, MacCluer Gulf, and Windissi.
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Air Operations, Philippines

1 VB-101 PB4Y makes repeated strafing runs against Wolfe Field at Zamboanga, where it destroys 3 Japanese Navy floatplanes (and damages 4 others) and sets fire to at least 3 G4M 'Betty' bombers.

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Air Operations, Volcano Islands

30th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s based at Saipan attack Iwo Jima.

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Diplomatic Relations

Hungarian officials secretly arrive in Moscow to conclude an armistice agreement.

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Eastern Front

The Finns begin operations against German forces in northern Finland.

FINLAND

The Finnish Army makes an assault landing against the German garrison at Tornio in the Gulf of Bothnia.

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Greece

British commando units coming from Kithira land at Poros. Greek troops land at Mitilini, Lemnos and Levita.

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Italy

Gen Sir Richard McCreery takes over command of 8th Army from Gen Sir Oliver Leese who is being sent to command Allied Land Forces, Southeast Asia. In the western sector the US II Corps, 5th Army, begins a new drive north in the direction of Bologna. They meet with extremely strong resistance from the Germans. Brazilian troops go on the offensive in Italy, aiming toward Bologna.

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Pacific

  • The US motor minesweeper YMS-385 is sunk by a mine in the western Caroline Islands area.
  • The Japanese coastal minelayer Ajiro is sunk by the US submarine Snapper (SS-185) northwest of the Bonin Islands.
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Vichy France

Marshal Pétain and Pierre Laval are taken from Belfort to Sigmaringen in Germany.

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Western Front

The Canadian 3rd Div of II Corps completes the occupation of Calais capturing 5,000 Germans.

In the Antwerp sector the Canadian 2nd Div of I Corps begins to cross the Antwerp-Turnhout canal and makes for the Beveland peninsula, passing through the northern suburbs of the city of Antwerp. The US 1st Army begins operations for the surrounding of Aachen.

The Germans counterattack unsuccessfully south of Arnhem.

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Images from October 1, 1944

Canadian armored cars in Putte, during the Anglo-Canadian drive in the Scheldt Estuary 1 October 1944

Canadians in Putte


Canadians in Putte

4.2-inch mortar of the 2nd Kensington Regiment, 49th (West Riding) Division in action at Turnhout, Belgium, 1 October 1944

British Mortar Squad


British Mortar Squad

Sherman Tanks in Italy, 1 October 1944


Sherman Tanks in Italy

Personnel of the 357th Fighter Group examine the wreck of a P-51 Mustang (G4-X, serial number 44-13738) flown by John England, 1 October 1944

Looking at the Wreck of a P-51


Looking at the Wreck of a P-51

US servicemen eat from mess kits in front of bomb damaged building in Pietramala area, Italy, 1 October 1944.

Having a Meal


Having a Meal

The first Ram Kangaroos were delivered to the Squadron at Pierreville, near Rouen, France, on 1 October 1944 and were used until the wars end and beyond

Ram Kangaroos Arrive at Pierreville


Ram Kangaroos Arrive at Pierreville

Sherman tanks of the 5th Canadian Armored Division in town square, 1 Oct 1944, Bergen-op-Zoom, Netherlands

Sherman Tanks in the Netherlands


Sherman Tanks in the Netherlands

3rd Bn. 5th Marine Regiment are crammed into a 'duck' as they head to Peleliu's front lines. October 1, 1944

Marines on Peleliu


Marines on Peleliu

[September 30th - October 2nd]