Air Operations, Bonin and Volcano Islands

9 VII Bomber Command B-24s attack Iwo Jima as 7 other B-24s attack Chichi Jima.

Air Operations, CBI

• 9 10th Air Force B-25s attack troops and stores at Na-mon and near Hsenwi.
• More than 80 10th Air Force fighter-bombers attack troops, artillery, and supplies at numerous locations throughout northern Burma.
• 28 fighter-bombers support Allied ground forces advancing along the Irrawaddy River and around Namhkam and Si-U.
• 4 P-47s attack a causeway at Mogok.
• 4 14th Air Force B-25s attack Mongyu.

• 5 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Ishan.
• Nearly 115 14th Air Force fighter-bombers attack numerous targets of opportunity throughout southern China and northern French Indochina.

• 8 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack rail targets and shipping at Song Cau while 4 other B-25s attack a bridge, rail targets, and shipping at Do Len.

Air Operations, Europe

The Soviet Air Force flies 30,000 sorties against communications and airfields.

• Due to unprecedented bad weather through the first weeks of the new year, 15th Air Force P-38 and P-51 pilots have been unable to find Luftwaffe fighters over central and southern Europe. On this day, however, 325th Fighter Group P-51 pilots down 2 Ju-52 transports and 3 Luftwaffe fighers over Austria and Yugoslavia.

• More than 400 15th Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack a rail bridge, a highway bridge, and two marshalling yards at Brod, but 111 heavy bombers must abort due to bad weather on their way to Zagreb.
• 46 15th Air Force P-38s attack a rail bridge>
• 59 P-51s sweep the area between Zagreb and Gyor, Hungary.

Air Operations, Formosa

During the night, 63rd Heavy Bomb Squadron SB-24s attack the airfield at Okayama.

Air Operations, Japan

62 of 80 73rd Very Heavy Bomb Wing B-29s dispatched attack an aircraft plant at Akashi with 153 tons of bombs. 9 of the B-29s attack alternates and targets of opportunity. 2 28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s attack two targets in the Kurile Islands.

Air Operations, Pacific

B-29s destroy the Kawasaki aircraft factory near Kobe.

Air Operations, Philippines

• Most planned FEAF and 5th Air Force heavy- and medium-bomber missions against targets on Luzon are canceled in the face of bad weather, but FEAF B-24s and V Bomber Command B-25s attack the Bacolod and La Carlota airfields on Negros.
• A-20s attack shipping.
• B-25s, A-20s, and V Fighter Command fighter-bombers attack airfields, highway traffic, stores, and other targets throughout Luzon.
• Task Group 77.4 TBMs and FMs support US 6th Army ground forces on Luzon.
• A 49th Fighter Group P-38 downs a P1Y 'Galaxy' bomber over Luzon at 1310 hours.
• 2 VF-20 F6Fs down a Ki-57 'Topsy' transport plane off northern Luzon at 1600 hours.

CBI

The Indian 25th Division, British XV Corps, takes Kantha, in the Myebon peninsula. In the northern sector the 114th Regiment, Chinese 38th Division, cuts the road between Namhkam and Namhpakka, while the US 5332 Brigade proceeds with the occupation of the hills dominating the Burma Road.

The Mars Task Force attacks the Japanese at Nawhkam near the Burma Road, effectively cutting the main line of supply for the Japanese 56th Division.

Eastern Front

Confirming the German announcement of a new offensive in East Prussia, the Soviet Supreme Command announces that the 3rd Belorussian Front has captures Schlossberg (Pillkallen).

In Poland Operation VISTULA-ODER continues swiftly. The 1st Belorussian Front captures Lodz, while the 1st Ukraine Front takes Tarnow and its 3rd and 52nd Armies capture Krakow. The 60th Army of the same Front presses forward south and north of Katowice. The 4th Ukraine Front under Ivan Petrov, operating further south, take Gorlice south of Tarnow.

The Soviet momentum is gathering pace as the 5th Guards Tank Army takes Mlawa, the 8th Guards Army takes Lodz; the 59th Tarnow and Krakow is abandoned by the 17th Army.

The IV SS Panzer Corps reaches the Danube at Dunapentele and then advances north toward Budapest. The Soviet 27th Army is ordered from north of Budapest to block its march.[MORE]

Pacific

The US submarine Spot (SS-413) sinks the Japanese merchant cargo ship Usa Maru northeast of East Dalian Island.

Philippines

The XIV Corps, US 6th Army, begins advancing south, with Clark Airfield as its objective. On the right, the 160th Infantry of the 40th Division drives down Route 13 to Nambalan. One column of the 129th Infantry, 37th Division, drives to Carmen and patrols as far as San Manuel without incident. Another advances to Moncada, where the Japanese are driven off. A third reaches Paniqui. The 148th Infantry moves into positions along the Camling-Paniqui road--Route 55.

In the I Corps area, the 169th Infantry of the 43rd Division moves reinforcements to the 2nd Battalion at the road junction near Sison, but the Japanese regain the position. The 103rd Infantry begins a 2-battalion assault on Hill 600, east of the Pozorrubio road.

MINDORO

The occupation of the island goes ahead. There is a brief flurry of activity as the Japanese try to slow the advance toward Calapan of the US 21st Infantry, but the US troops overcome Japanese resistance at the Gusay stream. Filipino guerrillas are active throughout the island in support of the US forces.

Secret War

Ultra reads Dönitz's orders for a 5% manpower cut to release men for the Army.

Western Front

Fighting continues in the Roermond sector between the Meuse and the Rur, between units of the British XII Corps, British 2nd Army, and the divisions of the German 1st Parachute Army.

With the capture of Rettigny, Brisy and Renglez the US 3rd Arm Div, VII Corps, 1st Army, has reached its final objectives. The units of the other 2 corps of the 1st Army, XVIII Airborne and the V, continue to advance toward the Our.

In the US 3rd Army sector the 4th and 5th Divs, XII Corps, take Bettendorf. A series of German counterattacks from the Bitche salient are halted by units of the 45th Div, VI Corps, US 7th Army. South of Haltern, northwest of Haguenau, and not far from the Rhine and the Franco-German frontier, units of the German 1st Army increase their pressure.[WE]

Images from January 19, 1945

Troops Crossing the Irrawaddy River

Indian Troops Coax Mules

B-24 Liberators over Budapest Tokol Airfield

Standing over the Corpse of a Defender

British Troops in Stein, Holland

Vehicles near a Ruined Windmill

German Volkssturm Troops at Königsberg

German Prisoners Trudge Past a Sherman Tank