Air Operations, Carolines

In the first offensive mission launched from Guam, 2 30th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack the Yap Atoll.

Air Operations, CBI

• 15 10th Air Force P-47s attack three rail bridges in northern Burma.
• 15 P-47s support Allied ground forces around Mohnyin.
• 12 P-47s attack Japanese Army positions around Bhamo and Muse.
• 6 P-47s attack a bridge spanning the Paungni River.
• 4 P-47s attack Mawhun.

• 3 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s and 14th Air Force P-40s and P-51s mount more than 130 effective sorties against bridges, shipping, occupied towns, artillery batteries, road traffic, and other targets across southern China.

Air Operations, East Indies

• FEAF B-24s attack Parepare, Celebes.
• FEAF fighter-bombers attack the town area at Amboina, the Boela airfield on Ceram, and supplies at Kaoe Bay, Halmahera.

Air Operations, Europe

• 75 Lancasters of No. 3 Group carry out an accurate attack on a coastal battery at Flushing.
• 1 Lancaster is lost.

• 2 Wellingtons fly signals patrols.

• 242 Halifaxes of Nos. 4 and 6 Groups and 21 Pathfinder Lancasters are sent to Hannover. The planes are recalled, however, because of deteriorating weather in England. All planes return safely.

• 4 Mosquitos are sent to Pforzheim and 2 each to Cologne and Düsseldorf, and 7 aircraft lay mines in an unrecorded area.
• There are no losses.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Fighter Command fighter-bombers attack the Mongosah and Sagan airfields.

Air Operations, Philippines

• Carrier aircraft from Task Group 38.2 and Task Group 38.3 attack airfields in the Visayan Islands.
• Task Group 77.4 escort-carrier TBMs and fighter-bombers mount 360 effective sorties in direct support of US 6th Army ground forces.
• FEAF B-24s attack targets in the Cagayan River valley on Luzon.
• FEAF B-25s and fighter-bombers attack a town and a truck convoy on Mindanao.
• After a Royal Australian cruiser is damaged in the morning by a kamikaze, Task Unit 77.4.1 aircraft begin sweeping airfields on Cebu, Negros, Panay, and northern Mindanao in the hope of cutting off anti-shipping attacks at the source. 31 Japanese aircraft (possibly including dummies) are destroyed on the ground at the Lahug airfield on Cebu by VF-26 F6Fs. Such sweeps will become routine. US carrier fighters down 3 Ki-46 'Dinah' reconnaissance planes, 2 Ki-21 'Sally' bombers, 2 B5N 'Kate' torpedo bombers, 3 G4M 'Betty' bombers, 1 Ki-49 'Helen' bomber, and 4 fighters over the central Philippines between 0730 and 0955 hours. A VF-18 F6F downs a P1Y 'Galaxy' bomber 25 miles from the carriers at 1115 hours.

Air Operations, Volcano Islands

• 28 30th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s based at Saipan attack Iwo Jima.
• A 318th Fighter Group P-47 downs a Ki-45 'Nick' fighter near Iwo Jima at noon.

Eastern Front

The leading units of Rodion Malinovsky's 2nd Ukraine Front push on west of Szeged, reaching the Danube at Baja east of Pécs in southern Hungary. In Yugoslavia the German Army Groups F under Maximilian von Weichs and E under Alexander Löhr abandon one position after another, menaced all the time by the Bulgarian 1st Army on the eastern flank and elsewhere by Yugoslav and Albanian partisans. The Russians, after their thrust against Belgrade, now concentrate on Hungary. In Finland the Karelia Front under Kiril Meretskov advances from Petsamo with the 14th Army toward the Norwegian border, driving back the German 20th Mountain Army under Lothar Rendulic.

The Soviert XCIX Rifle Corps attempts to reach the Norwegian border between Rova and Salmiiarvi but is held up by strong German resistance. It reaches the border by the evening of the 22nd. Meanwhile, the CXXVI Light Rifle Corps reaches the main road leading north from Akhmalakhti to Kirkenes but is then forced to halt due to ammunition and food shortages.

The Soviet XXXI and CXXVII Rifle Corps are closing in on Nikel. However, an assault by German troops allows 1,000 of their comrades in the Nikel area to withdraw and escape the Soviet trap. In fact, the Germans are pulling back from Nikel, Akhmalakhti and Salmiiarvi.[MORE]

Italy

On the west side of the Allied line, while the South African 6th Arm Div completes the capture of Monte Alcino, there is no change in the positions of the II and XIII Corps. In the British 8th Army sector, the British V and Canadian I Corps continue to push troops over the Savio despite the river being in spate because of recent heavy rain. The British 4th Div completes the occupation of Cesena. The Canadian 1st Div also succeeds, with its 2nd Bde, in establishing a bridgehead over the Savio.

Pacific

The cruisers Honolulu (CL-48) and Australia are seriously damaged in a Japanese air attack.

Palau Islands

The Japanese resistance on Angaur, where an airfield has already been prepared to take US heavy bombers, comes to an end. The Japanese have lost 1,300 dead and 45 prisoners and the American 265 dead and 1,335 wounded.

The larger islands in the group are left with their Japanese garrisons isolated and impotent. Already US heavy bombers are operating from Angaur.

Philippines

After a successful battle with Japanese night attacks, the US forces take Dulag Airfield and Tacloban village but they are still unable to link their bridgeheads. They also cross the Labiranan River, but are forced back over it at once by powerful Japanese resistance. The ships of 7th Fleet and one group of TF 38 give gunfire and air support. Two groups of TF 38 attack targets on Panay, Cebu, Negros and Masbate to the west and northwest of Leyte. Damaged by coastal mortars are LST-269, LST-483, LST-486 and LST-704.

Western Front

At 12:05p.m. Aachen is surrendered to the American forces. Much of the city has been ruined in the battle, and especially for the Germans, there can be no justification for the continued sacrifice of human lives, either from the strategic point of view or from that of military prestige.

In the American 7th Army sector, units of the 45th Div, VI Corps, enter Brouleveurs, the 3rd Div continues to advance toward St Dié and the 36th Div improves their positions east of Bruyères.

Images from October 21, 1944

Occupation And Captivity, Aachen, 21 October 1944

Cesena, 21 october 1944

Germans Surrender at Aachen, 21 october 1944

The British Navy Brings Food to Greece, 20-21 October 1944, Paraeus Harbor

Water supply point set up near a beach on Leyte, Philippines, 21 October 1944, the day after the start of the invasion of Leyte. Note the collapsible water tank, jerry cans, and GMC CCKW 2 1/2-ton 6x6 cargo trucks and vans

Water Supply Point on Leyte

USS Honolulu (CL-48) beached off Leyte on 21 October 1944, after she had been torpedoed. A fleet tug (ATF) is alongside

USS Honolulu (CL-48) Beached Off Leyte

Royal Navy officers aboard HMS Garth with a captured German E-boat ensign at Sheerness, 21 October 1944

Captured German E-boat Ensign

The damage to Australia's bridge and foremast following the aerial attack of 21 October 1944

The First Kamikaze Attack