Chronology of World War II

October 1944

Wednesday, October 11


Air Operations, CBI

BURMA
  • 8 10th Air Force B-25s attack three bridges.
  • 23 10th Air Force P-47s attack two bridges and Japanese Army troops and stores at Hkawan and Tawbon.
  • 15 P-47s attack Japanese Army positions and artillery batteries near Pinhe.
  • 9 P-47s attack Manwein and nearby targets of opportunity.
  • 8 P-47s attack two occupied towns.
CHINA
  • 2 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack a bridge near Mangshih.
  • 8 14th Air Force P-40s attack targets of opportunity near Mangshih.
  • 3 P-40s attack sampans between Tanchuk and Tengyun.
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Air Operations, East Indies

  • FEAF B-24s attack the Langoan area and Koeandang on Celebes.
  • A-20s and FEAF fighter-bombers attack Haroekoe, Kairatoe, and Laha on Ceram, Liang on Amboina, and Namlea on Boeroe.
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Air Operations, Europe

RAF BOMBER COMMAND
Daylight Ops:
  • 160 Lancasters and 20 Mosquitos of Nos. 1 and 8 Groups attack the Fort Frederik Hendrik battery position at Breskens, on the south bank of the Scheldt, while 115 Lancasters of No. 5 Group attack guns near Flushing on the north bank. Both attacks start well but more than half of the Breskens force has to abandon the raid because their target becomes covered by smoke and dust. Two large explosions are seen at Flushing.
    • 1 Lancaster is lost on the Breskens raid.
  • 61 Lancasters and 2 Mosquitos of No. 5 Group attempt to breach the sea walls at Veere on the northern coast of Walcheren Island but are not successful.
    • There are no losses.
Minor Ops:
  • 2 Hudsons are on Resistance operations and there are 3 RCM sorties and 1 Ranger patrol.
    • There are no losses.
Evening Ops:
Minor Ops:
  • 46 Mosquitos are sent to Berlin, 8 to Wiesbaden and 4 to Heilbronn.
    • 1 Mosquito is lost on the Berlin raid.
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Air Operations, Japan

4 28th Composite Group B-25s attack Paramushiro and Shimushiro.

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Air Operations, New Guinea

  • V Bomber Command A-20s attack Japanese Army troops at Sarmi.
  • V Fighter Command P-47s attack the airfields at Babo and Langgoer.
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Air Operations, Philippines

  • In support of the impending invasion of the central Philippines at Leyte Island, and as Task Force 38 refuels at sea, 61 US carrier aircraft from Task Group 38.1 and and Task Group 38.4 attack the Aparri airfield on Luzon.
    • 1 US carrier bomber is downed and 6 carrier aircraft are lost in operational accidents.
  • Task Force 38 fighters down 3 G4M 'Betty' bombers and 1 G3M 'Nell' bomber over the Philippine Sea between 1015 and 1920 hours.
  • During the night, FEAF B-24s attack Matina, Sasa and the Buayoan airfield on Mindanao.
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China

Chiang Kai-shek asks Roosevelt to recall Gen Stilwell immediately.

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Eastern Front

In Hungary troops from 2nd Ukraine Front, Rodion Malinovsky, cross the Tisza around Szeged which is taken. Further east they besiege Debrecen, another major strongpoint in the German-Hungarian defensive system. In a desperate battle before Cluj, the Rumanians are fighting side by side with the Russians. Cluj falls after a long struggle.

NORTHERN SECTOR

Heavy fighting continues in Riga. Schorner is trying to establish a defensive perimeter from Libau, via Dobele and Tukums, to Riga. The 16th Army holds the line around Riga and to the west while the 18th Army is redeploying from Libau to the junction with the 16th Army.

SOUTHERN SECTOR

Cluj is encircled as the 40th and 27th Armies link up, trapping minor elements of the 2nd Hungarian Army. After a brief struggle the town falls. The German 8th Army is now hurriedly pulling its forces back upon Debrecen. Szeged falls to the 46th Army after a protracted struggle.

The IV Guards Motorized Corp links up with elements of the XIV Yugoslav Corps which has pushed along the river from Nis.

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Italy

The Allied advance continues along the whole front, but slowed down by determined defense of the Germans, who make a strongpoint of every ravine and every hill. It is the same at Livergnone, at Monte delle Tombe, at the Gesso Ridge, at Monte Battaglia, on the western part of the front, where the divisions of the US 5th Army are engaged. The 91st Div of US II Corps is heavily engaged at Livergnano.

In the eastern sector the 10th Indian Div and the British 46th Div continue to advance toward the Savio River and Cesena, capturing the heights east of the Rubicon River. The Canadian 1st Div of I Corps widens its bridgehead across the river and advances along Highway 9 as far as Rigossa. The New Zealand 2nd Div establishes 2 bridgehead across the Rubicon, north of Savignano, without meeting any opposition, and during the night they capture Gatteo a Mare.

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Pacific

  • The US torpedo boat PT-368 runs aground and is later sunk by US forces in the western New Guinea area.
  • The Japanese transport No. 105 is sunk by the US submarine Trepang (SS-412) off Honshu, Japan.
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Philippines

Two groups of TF 38 led by Adms Cain and Ralph E. Davison carry out a small attack on airfields in the north (?one source says south) of Luzon while the remainder of the force is refueling.

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Western Front

Bardenburg is taken by the 30th Div of XIX Corps, US 1st Army opening the way north in the direction of Würselen.

At Aachen the last ultimatum sent by the American 1st Div of VII Corps to the Germans expires, and the besieging forces resume the violent air and artillery bombardment. 3rd Army takes Parroy, having cleared the Forêt de Parroy nearby.

In the Scheldt estuary the Canadians cut the causeway between the mainland and Beveland and Walcheren.

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Images from October 11, 1944

Ammunition being loaded into a truck at the Mulberry articial harbour off Arromanches, 11 October 1944.

Loading Ammo off Arromanches


Loading Ammo off Arromanches

Barber shop set up by a Marine on Peleliu, Palau Islands, 11 October 1944

Barber Shop on Peleliu


Barber Shop on Peleliu

Canadian armored cars in Putte, during the Anglo-Canadian drive in the Scheldt Estuary, 11 Oct 1944 (Imperial War Musuem)

Canadian Armored Cars in Putte


Canadian armored cars in Putte

Polish units preparing to leave Warsaw after the surrender of the Uprising

Polish Units Leaving Warsaw


Canadian armored cars in Putte

The End of the Rebellion (original Nazi caption): 'This is the end of an uprising, which was instigated by men who allowed themselves guided by false national pride and the deceptive promises of Soviet and British 'friends': a gray misery army of ragged and mutilated prisoners.'

Warsaw – The End of the Rebellion


Warsaw – The End of the Rebellion

Warsaw Uprising: Evacuation of People from Mokotów District


Evacuation of people

The distribution of bread to starving civilians by the Polish Red Cross.

Bread Distribution


Bread Distribution

M8 Greyhound armored car and other vehicles with officers and officials, War Bonds show, Fort Mason (San Francisco Port of Embarkation), CA, 11 October 1944

War Bonds Show


War Bonds show

A Chinese soldier stands sentry atop a destroyed tank at the airport in Kunming during the Allied Burma Campaign. Kunming, Yunnan, Republic of China, 11 October 1944. (Photo

S.L. Greenberg)

Destroyed Tank at Kunming Airport


Destroyed Tank at Kunming Airport

Crash of F4F VF #2 Bu 55643, pilot LTJG R. K. Johnson, 11 October 1944, aboard Guadalcanal on 5th ASW patrol

Crash of F4F


Crash of F4F

Night crash of TBM VT #21 Bu 46374, pilot LTJG W. D. Gordon, 11 October 1944

Night Crash of TBM Avenger


Night crash of TBM

The mail jeep of the 'A' Squadron of the Fort Garry Horse making its first stop for deliveries in France or Belgium, 11 October 1944.

Mail Delivery


Mail Delivery

[October 10th - October 12th]