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.

• 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.

• 267 2nd Bomb Division B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Osnabruck (secondary).
• 238 3rd Bomb Division B-17s attack an aircraft-industry target at Bremen.
• 3 heavy bombers and 5 of 483 VIII Fighter Command escorts are lost

• 9th Bomb Division bombers attack the German Army military bases at Camp-de-Bitche.

• 9th Bomb Division bombers attack two defended towns and two rail bridges.
• 368th Fighter Group P-47s repeatedly attack German Army armored vehicles and troops concentrating for an attack against a US Army infantry division near Aachen. Later in the day, the 368th Fighter Group closely supports an attack by the same US infantry division.
• 8th and 9th Air Force fighter pilots down 28 Luftwaffe fighters over Germany between 1125 and 1520 hours.

• 9th Bomb Division bombers attack Venraij.

• 12th Air Force medium bombers, fighters, and fighter-bombers provide direct support for the US 5th Army and attack supply dumps, bivouacs, barracks, lines of communication, gun emplacements, and troop concentrations throughout the battle area.

• While conducting a series of afternoon fighter sweeps over Hungary, P-51 pilots of the 52nd, 325th, and 332nd Fighter Groups down 18 Axis aircraft, the highest one-day total in the theater for the month.

• As part of Operation PANCAKE, 826 15th Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack troop concentrations, depots, and bivouacs in and around Bologna.

• 160 15th Air Force P-51s strafe traffic on the Danube River in Austria and Hungary and attack the Seregelyes Airdrome in Hungary.

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

In the IV Corps area, TF 92 pushes to the crest of Monte Cauala, but is again forced to retire. Efforts to take Monte Cauala are suspended for the next few days.

In the II Corps area, the 135th Infantry of the 34th Division extends eastward as it continues, in conjunction with CCA of the 1st Armored Division, to attack the Monterumici hill mass. The 91st Division gets additional elements up the Livergnano escarpment but is unable to clear it. The 3rd Battalion of the 338th Infantry, 85th Division, attacks northward through the 2nd Battalion on the crest of Monte delle Formiche. The Germans defend Hill 578 against attacks of the 337th Infantry. The 88th Division continues to attack Monte delle Tombe and clears the Gesso ridge.

In the British XIII Corps area, the Indian 8th Division is assigned positions southwest of Monte Ceco to ease the strain on the 1st Division.

The army is ordered to release the Indian 4th Division and the Greek 3rd Mountain Brigade for service outside Italy.

In the V Corps area, the corps presses from the Rubicon toward the Savio and Cesena. The Indian 10th Division advances its left flank to Monte dell'Erta, east of the Savio. Elements crossing the Rubicon to the north are held up in Sorrivoli. Attacking across the Rubicon on the right flank of the corps, the 46th Division takes 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.
• The US submarine Ray (SS-271) sinks the Japanese transport Toko Maru (4180t) near Cape Cavalite, Mindoro and survives a counterattack by her escort vessels.
• The British submarine Strongbow sinks the Japanese cargo ship Manryo Maru (1185t) in the Strait of Malacca.

Palau Islands

Gen Geiger opens the III Amphib Corps CP ashore and declares the assault and occupation phase at an end. The 1st Marine Division is now responsible only for the Umurbrogol Pocket. the 321st Infantry takes responsibility for the eastern arm of the island and begins relieving Marine units. The Island Garrision Force takes over the region south of the Umurbrogol Pocket.

Southwest Pacific

Gen MacArthur issues orders for the invasion of Luzon, to be undertaken by the US 6th Army's I Corps (6th and 43rd Divisions, reinforce) and the XIV Corps (37th and 40th Divisions, reinforced). The 25th Infantry and 11th Airborne Divisions, the 158th RCT, the 6th Ranger Battalion, and the 13th Armored Group constitute the reserve and follow-up forces. Various service units are assigned as army and corps troops.

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.[WE]

Images from October 12, 1944

The Attack on Wanne-Eickel

Germans Leave Athens

Preparing the Strike on Formosa

Replenishing the USS Hornet

Achilles Tank Destroyer

B24s From Stornara

The First Explosions on Ducati

Handley Page Halifax

German Troops Surrender to American Soldiers