Chronology of World War II

January 1945

Wednesday, January 10


Air Operations, CBI

BURMA
  • 75 10th Air Force fighter-bombers attack troops, tanks, artillery, supplies, and buildings at 10 locations.
  • 17 P-47s attack 2 bridges at Bawgyo and 2 at Ho-kho.
  • 8 P-47s attack a ferry crossing and supplies at Tamawngtawn.
  • 8 P-47s support Allied ground forces in the Si-U area.
  • More than 50 14th Air Force fighter-bombers attack targets of opportunity on the Wanling area.
  • 6 P-40s attack targets of opportunity around Muse.
FRENCH INDOCHINA
  • 2 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack the Cap St. Jacques area.
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Air Operations, East Indies

  • FEAF B-25s and P-38s attack the Kendari airfield on Celebes.
  • Nearly 60 P-40s attack the Galela area on Halmahera.
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Air Operations, Europe

RAF BOMBER COMMAND
Evening Ops:
Minor Ops:
  • 50 Mosquitos are sent to Hannover and 3 each to Cologne, Koblenz, Mannheim and Wiesbaden.
    • There are no losses.
US 9th AIR FORCE
GERMANY:
  • 912 8th Air Force heavy bombers attack airfields, marshalling yards, and bridges in western Germany.
    • 10 heavy bombers are lost to dense flak concentrations.
US 9th AIR FORCE
ETO:
  • 9th Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers are active against bridges and tactical targets in eastern Belgium and western Germany.
US 12th AIR FORCE
ITALY:
  • XXII TAC P-47s attack numerous communications targets and dumps and sink a warship at Venice.
  • During the night, XXII TAC A-20s attack targets of opportunity in the Po River valley.
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Air Operations, Japan

3 28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s attack Kurabu Cape airfield in the Kurile Islands.

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Air Operations, Philippines

  • Despite rough seas, Task Group 77.4 TBMs and FMs are able to provide adequate support for US 6th Army ground forces in the Lingayen Gulf area.
  • FEAF B-24s attack Grace Park Field and warehouses on Luzon.
  • V Bomber Command B-25s and A-20s, and V Fighter Command fighter-bombers attack airfields, communications targets, and shipping throughout the Philippines.
  • A-20s and fighter-bombers attack Laoag and Vigan airfields on Luzon and all manner of lines-of-communication targets on Luzon.
  • 6 VOC-1 FMs share in the downing of a Ki-43 'Oscar' fighter over Luzon at 0850 hours.
  • An 82nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron P-51 downs a D3A 'Val' dive bomber near the Tuguerarao airfield on Luzon at 0915 hours.
  • VC-94 FMs also accidentally down a V Fighter Command P-47.
  • 1 of only 3 kamikazes sent against the Lingayan invasion fleet seriously damage a US destroyer escort. At 1915 hours, a kamikaze severely damages a departing US transport, killing 32 and wounding 157.
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Air Operations, Volcano Islands

A total of 30 VII Bomber Command B-24s attack Iwo Jima in two separate formations.

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Air Operations, Western Pacific

VF(N)-41 F6Fs down 2 Ki-21 'Sally' medium bombers and a Ki-45 'Nick' fighter at sea near Formosa between 0610 and 0709 hours. A VF-4 F6F downs a D3A 'Val' dive bomber at sea at 0932 hours. It is thought that the Ki-21s are evacuating members of the defunct Philippines air operations staff from Luzon.

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Baltic Sea

U-679 is sunk by the Russian submarine chaser MO-124 by depth charge in the Baltic sea.

U-679

ClassType VIIC/41
CO Oberleutnant zur See Eduard Aust
Location Baltic Sea
Cause Depth charge
Casualties 51
Survivors None
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Burma

In the British XXXIII Corps sector, the British 2nd Div and the 19th Indian Div take Swhwebo and the 20th Indian Div captures Budalin after prolonged fighting. In the British IV Corps sector, Allied aircraft attack in force Japanese concentrations in the area of Gangaw.

Troops of the 28th East African Bde, part of the British IV Corps, advance toward Pakkoku, taking Gangaw in the Kabaw Valley.

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Eastern Front

SOUTHERN SECTOR

The 4th SS Panzer Corps counterattack makes good progress through the Pilis Hills toward Budapest.

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Germany, Home Front

Hitler decrees that anyone diverting clothing and equipment intended for use by the military will be executed.

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Pacific

The US submarine Puffer (SS-268) sinks the Japanese Coast Defense Vessel No.42 and damages Coast Defense Vessel No. 30 in the East China Sea.

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Philippines

On Luzon the Americans continue to land in the Gulf of Lingayen. The beachhead, a mile and a quarter wide and three and a half miles deep the previous day, is now considerably expanded. The main body of the American forces move south, toward Manila, occupying several villages; part of the I Corps advances north and northeast, taking San Jacinto.

The 43rd Infantry Division of I Corps supported by the 18th RCT fights to open the Damortis-Rosario road. The 6th Infantry Division on the right flank of the I Corps is slowed near the Cabaruan Hills.

Japanese assault demolition boats make a surprise attack in Lingayen Gulf, sinking infantry landing craft that are providing indirect fire support to the landing force, and damaging two destroyers, a transport, and an LST.

The Japanese air attacks continue, and so do the forays of explosive boats; two American destroyers, Wickes (DD-578) and Leray Wilson (DE-414) and 5 other ships, high-speed transport Clemson (APD-31), attack transport Dupage (APA-41), attack transport Latimer (APA-152), and landing craft LST-567 and LST-610, are damaged.

The US forces stream ashore on Luzon. Their beachhead is now several miles wide and deep.

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Western Front

The 51st Div, British XXX Corps, 2nd Army, takes Laroche, about 10 miles northwest of Houffalize.

The units of the US 1st Army, VII and XVIII Corps, prepare to step up the attack on the whole front, toward a line from Houffalize to Bovigny and toward St Vith.

In the US 3rd Army sector, the 87th Div, VIII Corps, takes Tillet, while the III Corps continues to advance on the south flank. Although Althorn on the left flank of the Bitche salient, US 7th Army sector, is taken by the 45th Div, the Germans are still able to maintain their positions.

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Images from January 10, 1945

Preparing for Patrol


Preparing for Patrol

Patrol Adding Snowshoes


Patrol Adding Snowshoes

On Patrol in Winter Camouflage


On Patrol in Winter Camouflage

Wrecked Half-Track Stringing Communication Wires


Wrecked Half-Track Stringing Communication Wires

Feeding German POWs


Feeding German POWs

On the Road to Bastogne


On the Road to Bastogne

B-17G Taxis For Take-off


B-17G Taxis For Take-off

Curtiss SB2C Helldiver


Curtiss SB2C Helldiver

[January 9th - January 11th]