Air Operations, CBI

• 10th Air Force P-47s attack troops, dumps, bridges, and targers of opportunity across northern Burma.

• 12 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Hochih, Lipo, and Tuhshan.
• 65 14th Air Force P-40s and P-51s attack rail, river, and road traffic, and targets of opportunity in the Chuchou, Hengyang, Kweilin, Lingling, Liuchow, and Tuhshan areas.
• 19 P-40s and P-51s attack rail, river, and road traffic, and targets of opportunity between Kweiyi and Siangtan.
• 50 fighter-bombers attack various targets of opportunity across southern China.

Air Operations, East Indies

• FEAF B-24s attack a bridge spanning the Dondang River (Borneo), oil stores at Lingkas (Borneo), oil facilities at Sanga Sanga Island ((Tawi Tawi Islands), and 3 airfields in the Molucca Islands.
• B-25s attack the Wasile Bay (Molucca Islands) area.
• P-38s attack an airfield in the Molucca Islands.
• A 418th Night Fighter Squadron P-61 downs a twin-float seaplane near the Wama airfield on Morotai at 0315 hours.

Air Operations, Europe

Stuttgart is raided by the 8th Air Force.

• 60 Mosquitos are sent to Berlin, 8 to Koblenz and 4 to the Meiderich oil plant at Duisburg, and there are 28 Mosquito patrols and 36 RCM sorties.

• 381 1st Bomb Division B-17s, escorted by 247 VIII Fighter Command escorts, attack three marshalling yards at Stuttgart.
• 1 B-17 is lost.
• VIII Fighter Command escort fighters strafe communications targets of opportunity.

• 254 9th Bomb Division bombers attack a barracks, several defended towns, depots, and several marshalling yards.
• 9th Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers support US Army ground forces.

• 12th Air Force medium bombers are grounded by bad weathers, but XII TAC P-47s are able to attack lines of communication in the Po River valley.

• 15th Air Force B-24s attack an industrial area at Linz, a marshalling yard at Villach, and oil-industry targets near Vienna.

• 15th Air Force B-24s attack an armaments plant at Pilsen.

• 15th Air Force B-17s attack marshalling yards and oil-industry targets at Regensburg.

Arctic

In an effort to protect Convoy RA-62, escort ships are sent ahead to clear the waters around the Kola Inlet. The British frigate Bainborough Castle obtains a U-boat contact and destroys it with a depth-charge attack. The victim is later determined to be U-387.

U-387

Britain, Home Front

The black-out regulations are relaxed. There is as yet no question of restoring street lights but the rules for houses and other premises are not now so strict.
[ | ]

CBI

In the NCAC area, Japanese forces from Tonk-wa reach Mo-hlaing, where the Chinese 22nd Division Command Post is located. The US 475th Infantry, which is arriving in this area, joins the Chinese in a counterattack that restores the positions. The 113th Regiment, Chinese 38th Division, has been unable to penetrate into Bhamo. The 114th adopts the American suggestion of taking full advantage of supporting artillery and aircraft and is working forward methodically in the northern defenses. Chinese attacks continue on Bhamo, which the Japanese defend with courage and tenacity. South of Bhamo, elements of the Chinese 90th Regiment, 30th Division, become isolated during the Japanese counterattack.

The Chinese 5th and 53rd Armies, which should have concentrated in defense of Kunming, have not yet carried out the necessary movements. Gen Albert C. Wedemeyer protests to | ]

Eastern Front

Moscow announces that the 2nd Ukraine Front has reached the bend of the Danube north of Budapest, at Vac, and has made contact south of the city with the 3rd Ukraine Front on Lake Velencei, between the Danube and Lake Balaton. On the right of these attacks Balassabyarmat on the Slovak border is taken. Budapest is thus two-thirds surrounded. The Bulgarian government announces that the Bulgarian and Yugoslav armies, with the support of the Russian air force, have completed the occupation of Serbia and Macedonia, expelling the last units of German Army Group E.

Following a fierce battle Ercsi falls to the 46th Army. Leading elements of the 46th link up with the 4th Guards near Lake Velencze. Along the Slovak-Hungarian border Balassagyarmat falls to the 7th Guards Army, while elements of the 6th Guards Tank Army rech the Danube at Vac. German counterattacks by the Feldherrnhalle and 13th Panzer Divisions at Vac are repulsed after heavy fighting.

Italy

In the British XIII Corps area, the 78th Division extends eastward to the Monte dell'Acqua Saluta-Monte del Verro area as the 6th Armored Division prepares to continue the offensive.

The V Corps contains determined counterattacks but in so doing is too weakened to exploit this success and suspends its offensive.

Pacific

The US attack transport Cavalier (APA-37) is damaged by a submarine torpedo in the Luzon area of the Philippine Islands.

Philippines

In the X Corps area, the 112th Cavalry continues its efforts to dislodge the enemy from a ridge southeast of Limon and to cut the enemy's supply line.

In the XXIV Corps area, a convoy arrives with supplies and the rest of the 306th Infantry, 77th Division. The 307th Infantry, passing the 1st Battalion of the 306th Infantry through the 2nd Battalion of that regiment, contines toward Camp Downes and takes it. The 3rd Battalion, 306th Infantry, is committed to protect the east and center of the beachhead. The 305th Infantry secures the region northeast of Camp Downes and protects the northeastern flank of the division. The 2nd Battalion of the 511th Parachute Infantry, 11th Airborne Division, joins the 3rd Battalion at Mahonag, from which patrols are being sent out. The 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry, drives across the Buri airstrip but is forced back to the southern edge by enemy fire. The 1st Battalion, 382nd, probes to locate the enemy and contains a night counterattack against its perimeter.

Western Front

In the US 3rd Army sector fighting continues around the bridgeheads at Dillingen where the 90th Div is operating and Saarlautern by the 95th Div. The US 7th Army continues its offensive, attempting to reach the Maginot Line and the Siegfried Line; on the left of its front units of the XV Corps take Singling, by the 12th Arm Div, Enchenberg by the 44th Div and Lemberg by the 100th Div. On the right, the 45th Div reaches Niederbronn.

The II Corps of the French 1st Army overcomes strong German resistance to capture Mittelwihr.[WE]

Images from December 9, 1944

In the Village of Neer

Sharing with Children

Attacking Enemy Shipping off Norway

Attacking Enemy Shipping off Norway

Self-propelled Howitzer M7 Priest

P-51 Mustang

F4U Corsair 50 Strikes the Barricade

Convoy of Allied Trucks