Air Operations, Carolines

• 30th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack the Yap Atoll.
• 11th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack the Truk Atoll.

Air Operations, CBI

• 38 10th Air Force P-47s attack Japanese Army troops around Myothit and three occupied towns.
• 12 P-47s attack a bridge at Wanling.
• 8 P-47s support Allied ground troops near Mohnyin.
• 4 P-47s attack targets of opportunity near Wanling.

• 71 14th Air Force P-51s and P-40s attack targets in the Kweiping area.
• 67 fighter-bombers attack numerous targets across southern China and into western Burma.

Air Operations, East Indies

• FEAF B-25s attack Menado on Celebes and nearby targets.
• A-20s and fighter-bombers attack oil facilities at Boela and Amahai, the Kairatoe airfield on Ceram, and the Namlea airfield on Boeroe.
• P-38s attack anti-aircraft batteries and Japanese Army troops on Halmahera and northeastern Celebes.
• During the night, FEAF SB-24s mount nuisance raids against the Balikpapan area on Borneo.

Air Operations, Europe

• 2 Wellingtons and 1 Liberator carry out uneventful signals patrols.

• 57 Mosquitos are sent to Cologne and 4 to Stuttgart. A report from Cologne says the bombing is scattered across the city, but only minor damage is reported.
• There are no losses.

• 9th Bomb Division B-26s and A-20s attack bridges servicing German Army forces on various battlefronts in eastern France, the Netherlands, and western Germany.
• 9th Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers provide direct support for the US 1st, 3rd, and 7th Armies along the various battlefronts.

• 8th and 9th Air Force fighter pilots down 17 Luftwaffe fighters over Germany betwen 1015 and 1550 hours.

• The 12th Air Force 51st Troop Carrier Wing is committed to moving supplies and personnel in support of the British Army's occupation of southern Greece (Operation MANNA).

• 12th Air Force medium bombers complete a small number of attacks against several bridges and supply dumps.
• XII Fighter Command fighter-bombers undertake numerous missions against tactical targets, supply dumps, and lines of communication in the Us 5th Army battle area.

• 15th Air Force B-24s attack various marshalling yards in Austria as well as a motor factory and other industrial targets in and around Vienna.
• 15th Air Force B-17s attack oil-industry targets around Vienna.
• Airfields are also attacked.

• 15th Air Force B-24s attack various marshalling yards around the country.

• 15th Air Force B-17s attack oil-industry targets at Blechhammer.

• 15th Air Force B-24s attack various marshalling yards and airfields around the country.

Air Operations, Formosa

• US carrier aircraft from Task Force 38 continue to attack air and naval targets. Opposition is very light as 947 effective sorties sweep the island from dusk until noon.
• At twilight, as she is recovering aircraft, the USS Franklin is damaged when she is struck by 1 of 4 low-flying G4M 'Betty' bombers that deliver an unsuccessful torpedo attack. 1 of the 'Bettys' is downed by a VF-13 F6F, 1 crashes into the Franklin, and the others are downed by ships’ fire. In another attack, the heavy cruiser USS Canberra is damaged by a torpedo.
• 2 VF(N)-41 F6Fs down 3 H8K 'Emily' flying boats over Takao at 0500 hours.
• Carrier-based fighters and a VT-8 TBM crew down 2 E13A 'Jake' reconnaissance planes, 1 E16A 'Paul' reconnaissance plane, 5 Ki-44 'Tojo' fighters, 1 Ki-46 'Dinah' reconnaissance plane, 1 G4M 'Betty' bomber, and 1 Ki-57 'Topsy' transport plane over Formosa during the morning.
• Carrier-based fighters down 12 G4M 'Betty' bombers, 1 Ki-57 'Topsy' transport plane, 2 D4Y 'Judy' dive bombers, 3 P1Y 'Galaxy' bombers, and 2 fighters at sea between 1600 and 1830 hours.

Air Operations, Japan

• 4 28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s photograph and attack Kashiwabara.
• 4 B-25s attack the Kurabu Cape airfield and buildings on Tomari Cape.

CBI

Gen Patrick Hurley, Roosevelt's personal representative with Chiang Kai-shek, recommends to the President that Gen Stilwell should be recalled.

Eastern Front

Troops from the 2nd and 3rd Baltic Fronts break the German defense ring around Riga and reach nearly to the outskirts of the city. German forces in northern Latvia are threatened with encirclement.

The German 163rd Infantry Div launches a counterattack to the north and west of Luostari (which is now in Soviet hands) as the 2nd Mountain Div digs in between Luostari and Petsamo along Arctic Ocean Highway.

The 67th Army penetrates the German defenses around Riga. Schorner has managed to thrwo up a defense line at Tukums and halts a drive by the 67th, 1st Shock and 22nd Armies into his left flank. After days of bitter fighting the line will be stabilized and a perimeter from which the 16th and 18th Armies will fight the rest of the war erected.

Greece

British commandos (9th Commandos) and Squadron B of the Greek Sacred Regiment land at Piraeus and secure the Kalamata airfield in preparation for the main landing on the 15th. The rest of the 4th Parachute Battalion and a Royal Engineer force are dropped at Megara. After securing the airfield, these forces move overland to Athens and Kalamata without opposition. The US 51st Troop Carrier Wing participates in the British occupation of southern Greece (Operation MANNA) during the period 13-18 October, taking in personnel and equipment.

Italy

The 12th Motorized Brigade of the South African 6th Armored Division renews its attack on Monte Stanco early in the morning after an artillary preparation and, assisted by a diversionary push to the east of Grizzana, captures its objective. CCB, on the left flank, takes Bombiana, on Highfway 64.

In the II Corps area, the 34th Division partially outflanks the enemy on the Monterumici hill mass from the east. The 168th Infantry is shifting eastward to Monte delle Formiche. The German hold on the Livergnano area is beginning to weaken under blows by the 91st Division and artillery and aerial bombarement. The 361st Infantry of the 91st Division gains Hill 603, above Livergnano, and the village of Casalino, northwest of Livergnano. The 363rd Infantry clears the eastern part of the plateau. The 337th Infantry, 85th Division, at last takes Hill 578 and reduces the opposition on the Monterenzio hill mass. During the night, the 337th is relieved by the 339th Infantry. The 2nd Battalion of the 350th Infantry, 88th Division, crosses the Sillaro River west of Hill 339 during the night, and drives northward through a weak spot in the enemy defenses. The 351st pushes toward Monte Spadura from Gesso ridge until stopped by a counterattack.

In the British XIII Corps area, the 78th Division begins at attack on Monte la Pieve.

In the V Corps area, the Indian 10th Division takes Sorrivoli but is held up near Monte delle Vacche. The 46th Division seizes Carpineta during the night. Units of the 6th Armored Division advance in the Grizzana sector, about 20 miles southwest of Bologna, and after several unsuccessful attacks succeed in capturing Monte Stanco and Bombiana.

In the Canadian I Corps area, some elements of the New Zealand 2nd Division are held up by a strongpoint at San Angelo, but others patrol to the Rigossa.

Pacific

• US Task Force 38 continues its attacks on targets on the island of Formosa. The Australian cruiser Canberra (CA-70) is seriously damaged by a torpedo from a Japanese aircraft, and the US carrier Franklin (CV-13) is also damaged, though not so seriously, by a Japanese suicide aircraft.
• The US submarine Bergall (SS-320) sinks the Japanese merchant tanker Shinshu Maru (4182t) off Nha Trang, French Indochina.
• The British submarine Sturdy sinks the Japanese merchant coasters Kosei Maru (99t) and Hansei Maru (350t) in the Gulf of Boni, south of Celebes.

Palau Islands

The 321st RCT is alerted to relieve the marines at the Umurbrogol Pocket, where some progress is being made against the west side.

The 322nd Infantry begins its final puch to eliminate the enemy pocket on northern Angaur.

Southwest Pacific

The VII Amphibious Force, with elements of the Leyte invasion force embarked, sails from Hollandia for its target. GHQ issues instructions for the capture of an air base in the San Jose area of Mindoro, from which further operations against the Philippines will be supported and small shore-to-shore operations will be conducted to deceive the enemy on Luzon. For this task, 6th Army forms the Western Visayan Task Force under Brig-Gen William C. Dunckel during early November. The force will eventually consist primarily of the 19th RCT of the 24th Division and the 503 Parachute RCT, a separate unit. The 21st Infantry of the 24th Division, less the 3rd Battalion, is allocated as the reserve force. The 3rd Battalion is to conduct deceptive operations.

Western Front

In southeast Holland, where the formations of the British 2nd Army are operating, the 3rd Div of British VIII Corps begin an attack from Overloon, about 20 miles south of Nijmegen toward Venlo(Venray?), but runs into strong resistance.

Troops from the US 1st Div, VII Corps, enter Aachen from the east. While the 2nd Battalion fights in the streets, from house to house, the 3rd Battalion storms Observatory Hill, one of 3 heights that dominate the city from the north.[WE]

Images from October 13, 1944

King George VI with Montgomery

F6F Hellcats on the Franklin

Japanese-American Troops On Patrol

Advancing Through the Siegfried Line

91st Infantry Division Leaving La Guaroa

Wounded British Soldier Being Transferred

Near Terneuzen, Netherlands