Air Operations, Bonin Islands

30th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack shipping and port facilities at Chichi Jima and shipping off Haha Jima.

Air Operations, CBI

• 4 10th Air Force B-25s attack a bridge near Lashio.
• 3 B-25s attack bridges at Kawlin and near Man Pwe.
• 18 10th Air Force P-47s attack rail targets between Mawlu and Naba and Japanese Army troops and stores near Natakaung.
• 12 P-47s attack the Nyaunggon and Pintha areas.

• 3 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s and 12 14th Air Force P-40s attack stores at Chefang and a bridge and targets of opportunity in the Mangshih area.
• 40 P-51s and P-40s attack numerous targets in southern China and western Burma.

Air Operations, East Indies

• FEAF B-24s attack the airfields on Celebes.
• B-25s, A-20s, and V Fighter Command P-47s attack the Haroekoe and Laha airfields on Ceram, the Liang airfield on Amboina, the Kairatoe airfield on Ceram, and the Namlea airfield on Boeroe.
• FEAF P-38s attack various targets of opportunity on Halmahera.

Air Operations, Europe

V-weapons are launched against Antwerp. The Belgian city is to be the main target of the missiles after London. The Germans had promised to demolish Antwerp with waves of bombers if the port were opened to the Allies, but the V-weapons begin falling without warning. From now until the terror bombing ended in March a total of 1,214 V-1s and V-2s are used. About 3,000 people die, mostly civilians, and as many as 15,000 people are wounded as a result of the V-weapons.

• 111 Halifaxes and 26 Lancasters of Nos. 6 and 8 Groups attack the oil plant at Wanne-Eickel. A direct hit on a storage tank early in the raid produces dense cloud and smoke which hinder later bombing. A German report says that the refinery itself is not seriously damaged, but that the GAVEG chemical factory is destroyed. It is possible that the bombers are aiming at the wrong target.

Famous image of a Halifax taken during the attack on Wanne-Eickel

Wanne-Eickel

• 86 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitos of Nos. 1 and 8 Groups attack a gun battery near Breskens and destroy 2 of the 4 gun positions.
• There are no losses.

• 1 Hudson is on a Resistance operation and there are 3 RCM sorties.

• 52 Mosquitos are sent to Hamburg, 6 each to Düsseldorg and Wiesbaden, 4 to Koblenz and 2 to Schweinfurt.
• 1 Mosquito is lost on the Hamburg raid.

Air Operations, Formosa

In support of the impending invasion of the central Philippines at Leyte, US carrier aircraft from Task Force 38 mount 1,378 effective sorties to neutralize Japanese air and naval power. Opposition is unexpectedly strong. 48 US carrier aircraft are lost. Task Force 38 F6Fs down 211 Japanese aircraft—nearly all fighters—over Formosa between 0700 at 1442 hours. US Navy fighters and several TBM crews down 8 G4M 'Betty' bombers, 1 Ki-21 'Sally' bomber, 1 B6N 'Jill' torpedo bomber, 1 B5N 'Kate' torpedo bomber, 1 twin-engine airplane, and 1 J1N 'Galaxy' bomber at sea between 1630 and 2150 hours.

Air Operations, Japan

3 28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s attack an airfield and shipping in the Kurile Islands.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command A-20s attack Japanese Army pillboxes around Sarmi.
• V Fighter Command fighter-bombers attack Manokwari and Urarom.

Eastern Front

In Hungary Oradea is taken by 2nd Ukraine Front while a little to the north the battle for Debrecen goes on. Subotica, just west of Szeged, is taken by combined attacks by Tito's Partisans and the Russian forces. Soviet troops cut the Belgrade-Budapest rail line at Subotica.

The 18th Army attempts to stand on the Riga-Tukums line but comes under fierce attack. The 67th Army crosses Lake Kis.

Oradea falls to the 7th Guards Army as the Soviets destroy the German division holding the town. There is continued heavy fighting at Debrecen where a counterattack by elements of the 6th Tank Army frees their isolated corps near the town.

In northern Yugoslavia the 46th Army and Yugoslav partisans take Subotica. Farther south the 57th Army and IV Guards Motorized Corps move toward Belgrade from the south, launching a fierce attack upon the city. Elements of the I and XIV Yugoslav Corps support the attack. Army Group F still has considerable forces in the city area, 22,000 troops being inside the city, 20,000 to the south and 15,000 facing the advancing 57th Army to the southeast.

Italy

Units of the American IV Corps make yet another effort to capture the summit of Monte Cavallara, but once more are repulsed, and attacks in this sector are suspended. Also repulsed is an attack by the American 91st Div of II Corps at Livergnano, about 13 miles south of Bologna. The US 88th Div reaches the Gesso Ridge.

In the eastern sector the divisions of the V Corps press on from the Rubicon toward the Savio River and Cesena. The 10th Indian Div advances on the V Corps's left flank toward Monte dell'Erta, east of the Savio, and its units cross the Rubicon. Attacking north of the Rubicon, on the right flank of the V Corps front, the 46th Div captures Casale.

Occupied Greece

Allied paratroopers and engineers land at Athens airfield. Athens, already practically abandoned, is declared an 'open city' to avoid useless destruction. The Germans evacuate the Piraeus. There are other British landings on Corfu.

Pacific

On October 12 and 13 all 4 groups of TF 38 send attacks against targets on Formosa. Altogether 2,350 missions are flown by the carrier planes and in return the Japanese can only organize 190. Most of the Japanese attacks are intercepted and many more of their planes are destroyed over the island and on the ground. The Americans lose 48 aircraft. The carrier Franklin (CV-13) is slightly damaged and the Australian cruiser Canberra (CA-70) seriously hit. Accidentally damaged by friendly naval gunfire is the US destroyer Prichett (DD-561). On October 14 one group continues the attack on Formosa, losing 23 planes from 246. The cruiser Houston (CL-81) is crippled in a torpedo attack. Superfortress bombers from Chinese bases join the assault.

Palau Islands

On Peleliu the fighting here goes on, with 1st Marines heavily engaged with the Japanese defenses on Mount Umurgbrogol.

Western Front

In the Aachen sector the Germans mount an air and artillery counterattack on the Bardenberg-Euchen line. The bombing and shelling of the city by the Allies continue.

The 3rd battalion of the 357th Regt of the 30th Div of XX Corps advances on Metz to support the 2nd battalion. During the night the last elements of the 5th Div are withdrawn from Fort Driant.

Images from October 12, 1944

On 12 October 1944, as the last German soldiers took the swastika down from the Acropolis and began to drive through the city towards the road north they passed through crowds of Athenians in a state of joy, waving the blue and white Greek flags, embracing, while bells were ringing all over the city.

Germans Leave Athens

Crewmen on USS Hancock (CV-19) move rockets to planes, while preparing for strikes on Formosa, 12 October 1944

Preparing the Strike on Formosa

Overhead view of an ammo ship replenishing USS Hornet (CV-12), October 1944.

Replenishing the USS Hornet

An Achilles tank destroyer of 75th Anti-Tank Regiment, 11th Armoured Division, Royal Artillery, Holland, 12 October 1944

Achilles Tank Destroyer

The B24s took off from Stornara (FG) on the morning of 12 October 1944 and reached Bologna at about 12:45PM

B24s From Stornara

The First Explosions on Ducati

A Handley Page Halifax of No 6 Group flies over the smoke-obscured target during a daylight raid on the oil refinery at Wanne-Eickel in the Ruhr. 111 Halifaxes of 6 Group and 26 Avro Lancasters of No. 8 Group took part in the raid which destroyed a chemical factory but only inflicted minor damage on the refinery itself.

Handley Page Halifax

German troops surrender to American soldiers of the US 104th Infantry Division following the Allied push into Germany. Near Inden, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, 12 October 1944

German Troops Surrender to American Soldiers