Air Operations, CBI

• 21 10th Air Force B-25s attack troops and supplies at Mong Long and Nampeng.
• 74 10th Air Force P-38s and P-47s attack troops and supplies at 4 locations.
• 12 P-47s attack a bypass bridge at Namhkai.
• 8 14th Air Force P-51s attack targets of opportunity in the Muse and Wanling areas.

Air Operations, East Indies

• XIII Fighter Command P-38s attack Manggar and Sepinggang airfields on Borneo.
• A XIII Fighter Command P-38 downs a Ki-45 'Nick' fighter over the Manggar airfield on Borneo at 1130 hours.

Air Operations, Europe

Frankfurt is attacked by 1,000 US bombers.

Air Operations, Philippines

• Task Force 38 carrier aircraft continue to attack Japanese airfields on Luzon.
• Task Group 77.4 TBMs and FMs continue to attack pre-invasion targets in the Lingayen Gulf area.
• FEAF B-24s attack the Likanan airfield on Mindanao and fuel stores at Matina.
• B-24s and V Bomber Command A-20s attack Nichols, Nielson, Calingatan and Lipa airfields on Luzon.
• B-25s and P-47s attack the Fabrica airfield on Negros.
• A-20s attack rail facilities at 3 locations, several motor convoys, and bridges at 3 locations.
• 32 Marine Air Group 12 F4Us attack bridges at Calumpit and Plaridel.
• P-47s attack motor convoys and rail facilities around San Jose, Panay; and many V Fighter Command P-38s and P-51s strafe airfields throughout the Lingayen Gulf area.
• Shortly after dawn a kamikaze evades the US 7th Fleet combat air patrol and strikes the escort carrier USS Kadashan Bay, which is severely damaged and forced to retire to Leyte Gulf and thence to the United States. A US Coast Guard transport is damaged in the same attack. At sunset, the escort carrier USS Kitkun Bay is severely damaged by a kamikaze.
• Thanks to the effectiveness of intense attacks by USAAF land-based aircraft and US carrier aircraft, Japanese Army and Navy air commands on Luzon cease operations. The Japanese Navy air commander is evacuated from Luzon and the commanding general of the Japan’s 4th Air Army abandons his command and literally heads for the hills.
• A 418th Night Fighter Squadron P-61 downs 2 twin-engine bombers between 0530 and 0545 hours.
• US Navy FMs down 10 Japanese fighters and a Ki-21 'Sally' medium bomber over the Luzon area between 0715 and 0800 hours, and 1 Ki-45 'Nick' fighter, 1 Ki-48 'Lily' bomber, and 5 D3A 'Val' dive bombers in the vicinity of the Luzon invasion convoy between 0908 and 1830 hours.

Air Operations, Volcano Islands

• 26 VII Bomber Command B-24s attack Iwo Jima.
• During the night, 10 VII Bomber Command B-24s conduct snooper raids against Iwo Jima.

Eastern Front

Kispest falls to Soviet troops. The III Panzer Corps counterattack bogs down, while to the north the 6th Guards Tank Army of the 2nd Ukrainian Front pushes along the northern bank of the Danube toward Komarom in an effort to destroy the LVII Panzer Corps.

Philippines

Another American naval squadron, commanded by Vice-Adm Oldendorf, and a carrier squadron commanded by Rear-Adm Durgin attack objectives in Luzon, in particular the area chosen for the landing. Two escort carriers, Kitkun Bay (CVE-71) and Kadashan Bay (CVE-76), and other ships are damaged by Japanese high-level bombers and suicide aircraft. The heavy cruiser Australia is hit again.

Western Front

The units of the American VII Corps, 1st Army, continue to advance on Houffalize. Meanwhile Hasso von Manteuffel's forces have been ordered to withdraw west of the town to a line based on a series of hills about 5 miles away as agreed to by Hitler.

In the Strasbourg sector to the south the French 1st Army continues its battle in defense of the city. Manwhile, in the US 7th Army sector, the Germans take Rimling and consolidate their bridgehead at Gambsheim.

Images from January 8, 1945

Tanks of the 4th Armd. Div., ready for action in the front lines. 8 January 1945. Bastogne.

Tanks Ready for Action near Bastogne

Tanks of the 4th Armd. Div., ready for action in the front lines. 8 January 1945. Bastogne.

Lunch in the Trenches

USS Mississippi (BB-41) bombarding Luzon, during the Lingayen operation, 8 January 1945. She is followed by USS West Virginia (BB-48) and HMAS Shropshire

USS Mississippi Bombarding Luzon

British engineers repairing damaged bridge. 8 Jan 45. 5/MM-45-476. Fifth Army, Rifredo Area, Italy. 92nd Engineers repair bridge damaged when British 7.2 howitzer knocked off a section. A good drop lies below and special precautions are taken. (Photo by Levine. 3131 Signal Service Co. Rifredo Area, Italy.) 8 January 1945

Repairing a Bridge

Manhay Crossroads, 8 January 1945

This Panther Ausf. G originally belonged to the 2. SS Panzer Division - Das Reich. Manhay, Belgium - january 1945

2nd SS Panzer Division Panther

Manhay Destroyed

Panzer Division in the area of Haguenau forest during the operation NORDWIND, January 1945

Panzer Division near Haguenau Fores