Air Operations, CBI
BURMA- Nearly 100 10th Air Force fighter-bombers attack troops, supplies, and targets of opportunity at 11 locations.
- More than 30 fighter-bombers support Allied ground forces at 4 locations.
- 8 fighter-bombers attack a bypass bridge at Bawgyo.
- 22 14th Air Force P-40s and P-51s attack shipping and road and rail traffic.
- A 426th Night Fighter Squadron P-61 crew downs a Ki-48 'Lily' bomber near Laohokow during the early evening.
- 22 of 25 58th Very Heavy Bomb Wing B-29s dispatched from Calcutta attack an arsenal and naval base in Saigon with 65 tons of bombs. One B-29 also attacks a bridge in Thailand.
| 
]Air Operations, Europe
RAF BOMBER COMMANDDaylight Ops:
Minor Ops:
- 1 Lightning of No. 100 Group flie on a signals investigations patrol.
Minor Ops:
- 12 Mosquitos are sent to Berlin, 8 of which bomb targets in Berlin and 3 others hit alternate targets.
- There are no losses.
| ]Air Operations, Formosa
During the night, 63rd Heavy Bombardment Squadron SB-24s attack the airfield at Takao.
[ | ]Air Operations, Japan
Bad weather forces 76 73rd Very Heavy Bomb Wing B-29s to divert from their primary targets, 2 aircraft plants in the Tokyo area. 56 of the B-29s employ radar to attack Tokyo city areas, and 6 B-29s attack alternates and targets of opportunity. 5 B-29s are downed by Japanese fighters and 4 others ditch at sea or crash-land in the Marianas.
[ | ]Air Operations, Philippines
- Task Group 77.4 TBMs and FMs support US 6th Army ground forces on Luzon.
- XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack the Cavite naval base.
- V Bomber Command B-24s attack Grande Island and the Canacao seaplane base.
- V Bomber Command B-25s attack the airfield at Calingatan and Cabcaben.
- V Bomber Command B-25s and A-20s, and V Fighter Command fighter-bombers attack numerous targets throughout Luzon.
- 5 SBD squadrons from Marine Air Group 24 and Marine Air Group 32 mount their first combat missions in support of US Army forces on Luzon with attacks on Clark Field complex on Luzon and San Fernando.
| ]Air Operations, Volcano Islands
- 19 VII Bomber Command B-24s attack Iwo Jima.
- During the night, 10 VII Bomber Command B-24s conduct snooper raids against Iwo Jima.
| ]Battle of the Atlantic
5 ships are sunk by U-1232 off Halifax during January.
[ | ]Burma
The Japanese blockade of China is finally broken; the Chinese 38th Div joins up with the Yunnan Force coming out of China, on the Burma Road, now completely liberated. However, the Japanese cut off in the north manage to open a way to the south and join up with the main body of the Japanese 15th Army.
The Ledo Road into China is finally cleared when Chinese troops from Burma and Yunnan province link up near Mongyu. Gen Daniel Sultan, who leads the British, American and Chinese in this area, has in fact announced the road as open on January 22. Sultan's forces are now moving south toward Mandalay and Lashio by several routes.
In the British IV Corps sector, the 7th Indian Div occupies Pauk.
[ | ]China
Chiang Kai-shek forbids the Americans to negotiate with the Communists without his express authority.
2 Japanese cargo ships totaling 3,200 tons are sunk far up the Yangtze River after striking mines laid by US 14th Air Force B-24s operating out of India.
[ | ]Eastern Front
In East Prussia the Germans launch a surprise counterattack with 6 infantry divisions, 1 motorized and 1 armored division, from the west in the direction of Marienburg (Malbork), halting the 48th Army of the 2nd Belorussian Front.
In Poland the Russians complete the encirclement of Poznan and Thorn (Torun) and advance slowly into the German region of Upper Silesia.
In Czechoslovakia, the Rumanian 4th Army captures Dobsina. In Hungary fighting continues in Budapest and in the area of Székesferhérvár.
In Lithuania the port of Memel finally falls to the Soviets.
EAST PRUSSIAThe Soviet 43rd Army captures Memel after a fierce battle. The German 4th Army launches an attack aimed at linking up with the 2nd Army on the west bank of the Vistula at Marienburg. However, Soviet ground and air power are soon inflicting heavy casualties on the German divisions.
POLANDThe German 17th Army falls back out of the Kattowice Pocket, and the Red Army takes possession of Upper Silesia. The 1st Ukrainian Front is now near Breslau. The Red Army liberates Auschwitz, and finds 600 corpses of prisoners whom the Germans had murdered several hours before they fled, plus 7,650 ill prisoners who survived because the Germans fled too hastily to force them to join the forced marches west.
HUNGARYThe German 6th Army recaptures Szekesfehervar but the IV SS Panzer Corps is now on the defensive, being assaulted by the 3rd Ukrainian Front.[MORE]
[ | ]Pacific
- From Hawaii the American expeditionary force for the invasion of Iwo Jima sails for the Marianas arriving on February 5.
- The Japanese minesweeper No. 102 is sunk by the US submarine Bergall (SS-320) in the Java Sea.
| ]Philippines
On Luzon the US 6th Army is reinforced by 2 cavalry regiments. In the I Corps sector there is fierce fighting at San Manuel.
The US 32nd Inf Div lands at Lingayen Gulf to reinforce the American troops there.
[ | ]Western Front
While units of the US 7th Arm Div, 1st Army, advance from the north in the St Vith forest, the 87th Div of the VIII Corps, US 3rd Army, captures the area to the south. On the right flank of the 3rd Army, the XII and XX Corps continue to advance toward the Siegfried Line.
[ | ]Images from January 27, 1945
Bailey Rridge over the River Maas |
 |
Tokyo After American Bombing |
 |
V-2 Damage in Battersea |
 |
30th Infantry Division Jeep in Belgium |
 |
Changing a Tire |
 |
Female Inmates at Auschwitz |
 |
German Fighter Pilot Bailing from his Plane |
 |
Disabled Japanese Type 97 ShinHoTo Chi-Ha Tank |
 |