Air Operations, CBI

• 12 10th Air Force B-25s attack stores at Kungmong, Meza, and Namun.
• More than 50 10th Air Force P-47s attack troops and stores at 8 locations.
• 20 P-47s support Allied ground troops in the Bhamo area.
• 8 P-47s attack a road bridge.
• 8 14th Air Force B-25s attack Kutkai.

• 25 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack Hankow.
• 3 B-24s attack port facilities at Samah Bay, Hainan.
• 118 14th Air Force fighter-bombers attack numerous targets in southern China.
• After 8 months of offensive effort, Japanese Army ground forces succeed in opening a continuous land route from Peking to Hanoi in French Indochina. 14th Air Force bases in eastern China are completely cut off, and bases at Chungking, Kunming, and Kweiyang are threatened.

Air Operations, East Indies

• FEAF B-24s attack oil stores at Lingkas and Pamoesian, Borneo, an oil refinery at Lutong, Borneo, and port facilities at Labuan Island, Borneo.
• B-25s attack the Sidate airfield on Celebes, the Namlea airfield on Boeroe, and airfields on Amboina.

Air Operations, Europe

The Americans bomb rail targets at Coblenz and Bingen.

• 1 Hudson flies a Resistance operation.

• 173 2nd Bomb Division B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Bingen.
• 277 3rd Bomb Division B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Koblenz.
• 1 of 535 VIII Fighter Command escorts is lost.

• Nearly 130 9th Bomb Division B-26s attack two defended towns.
• 9th Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers attack numerous ground targets and support US Army ground forces.

• 12th Air Force B-25s attack rail targets and a barracks, as well as defended positions in support of the British 8th Army.
• XXII TAC P-47s attack communicatins targets in the battle area.
• During the night, XXII TAC A-20s attack rail lines, roads, and pontoon bridges in the Po River valley.

• More than 350 15th Air Force heavy bombers on their way to attack oil-industry targets in Germany are recalled due to bad weather.

Air Operations, Philippines

• V Fighter Command P-38s attack the port area at Misamis.
• Fighter-bombers attack stores and targets of opportunity in the central Philippines.
• A Japanese Army ground attack on Leyte forces 5th Air Force personnel at the Burauen airfield on Leyte to abandon the bases, but the situation is restored by a US Army counterattack, and the airbase is reoccupied.
• Marine Air Group 12 F4U fighter-bombers mount their first ground-support missions of the Philippines Campaign when they attack Japanese Army ground troops and facilities at Ormoc Bay and San Isidro, Leyte.
• 348th Fighter Group P-47s down 1 Ki-46 'Dinah' reconnaissance plane, 4 Ki-21 'Sally' bombers, and 5 Ki-61 'Tony' fighters in several enagements over the central Philippines between 0820 and 1700 hours.
• 2 VMF-115 F4Us down 1 Ki-46 'Dinah' reconnaissance plane near Leyte at 1640 hours.

Battle of the Atlantic

The US freighter Dan Beard is torpedoed and sun by U-1202 off the coast of Wales losing 17 of her 40-man crew and 12 of the 22 Armed Guard sailors in the attack.

CBI

In the NCAC area, the British 36th Division completes its part of Phase I, CAPITAL, ahead of schedule as patrols enter Indaw and Katha. Later in the month, the division crosses the Irrawaddy at Katha and drives toward Kyaukme. Japanese forces working toward Bhamo to assist the withdrawal of the garrison penetrate positions of the Chinese 30th Division south of Bhamo. A vigorous counterattack forces the enemy to go on the defensive. The US 475th Infantry, less the 1st Battalion in the Schwegu area, is concentrated in the Mo-hlaing-Tonk-wa area, where it will conduct a holding action while the Chinese 22nd Division flies to China.

The Japanese prepare to defend along a line about 400 miles north of Rangoon, from Aykab to Mandalay and along the Irrawaddy River to Lashio.

Gen Albert C. Wedemeyer asks Chiang Kai-shek to order the Yunnan Force to capture Wanting, northeast of the Shweli valley, where the new Burma Road coming from Ledo is to link up with the route of the old Burma Road.

The ICHI-GO offensive brings the Japanese victories not experienced elsewhere in the Far East. Throughout November, Japanese forces have occupied southern China up to the borders of French Indochina. When Japanese forces in China link up with their garrisons in Indo-China, Japan reaches the highest point of its expansion into the continent of Asia. It also provides a new supply route for the offensive through the Indochina to China rail link, which stretches across the entire length of China up into Mongolia.

Diplomatic Relations

Following the recent visit of Gen de Gaulle, Georges Bidault, the Foreign Minister and Gen Alphonse Juin to Moscow, a 20-year treaty of alliance is signed by French and Soviet representatives.

Italy

The Canadian I Corps begins at attack across the Lamone late in the day.

Occupied Norway

Norwegian paratroops, flown from Britain, destroy hundreds of rails and the Koppand Bridge, to prevent the withdrawal of German troops from northern Norway. This operation will last until January 5, 1945.

Philippines

In the X Corps area, the 32nd Division continues to press southward as does the 112th Cavalry of the 1st Cavalry Division to the east. The 2nd Squadron, 112th Cavalry, is relieved by the 2nd Squadron, 7th Cavalry, on a ridge southeast of Limon and passes to army control. The 12th Cavalry prepares to attack to reduce the strongpont in the Mt Cabungaan area.

In the XXIV Corps area, the 77th Division, with support from naval gunfire, clears Japanese defenders from Camp Downes and enters Ormoc City. Ormoc has been the main Japanese base on the island of Leyte. A Company of the 776th Amphibious Tank Battalion moves into the city at 0900, before the infantry assault begins, and start shelling buildings there. The 307th and 306th Regiments, the former driving along the highway and the latter to the east, attack northward and clear the city. Over 1,500 Japanese are killed. US casualties are 136 killed, wounded, and missing.

Japanese units attack Burauen airfield, temporarily forcing the garrison from the US 5th Air Force to withdraw. A counterattack restores the position.

In the waters off Leyte kamikazes damage the American destroyer Hughes (DD-410) and sink the motor torpedo-boat PT-323.

The US action on Leyte has followed three broad lines of advance: through the north of Leyte up the Leyte Valley; across the center toward Ormoc then northwest up the Ormoc Valley; and directly southward following the coastlines. Fighting is heavy, but the US soldiers are making steady progress. The plight of Gen Sosaku Suzuki's 35th Army on Leyte is desperate, especially now the fall of Ormoc has cut his troops off from naval supply.

Western Front

The VII Corps, US 1st Army, mounts a co-ordinated offensive to liberate the west bank of the Rur River and the town of Düren, using 3 divisions of infantry, the 9th, 83rd and 104th, and 1 armored division, the 3rd.

A powerful German counteroffensive aims at destroying the Dillingen bridgehead, and is held only with great difficulty.

In the Saarlautern sector units of the 95th Div try to step up their attacks to get through to Fraulautern, but a surprise enemy counterattack frustrates their efforts.

The 2nd Moroccan Div, I Corps, French 1st Army, completes the capture of Thann, and the 9th Colonial Div eliminates the last German bridgehead west of the Rhine between Kembs and the Swiss frontier.

The VII Corps from 1st Army starts a powerful attack west of Aachen in an attempt to take Düren. 3rd Army's battles on the Saar continue.[WE]

Images from December 10, 1944

V-mail Greeting Home

Soldiers of the Maori Battalion

Japanese POW Quarters

Seeking Shelter from the Weather

Lt-Gen Truscott Arriving

Christmas Dinner

German Prisoners

German Prisoners