Air Operations, Bonin and Volcano Islands

• 10 VII Bomber Command B-24s attack Chichi Jima in the morning.
• 17 B-24s, escorted by P-38s, attack Iwo Jima during the afternoon.
• 318th Fighter Group P-38s down 4 G4M 'Betty' bombers and an A6M Zero near Iwo Jima at noon, and 2 A6M Zeros near Iwo Jima at 1430 hours.
• During the night, 9 VII Bomber Command B-24s conduct snooper raids against Iwo Jima.

Air Operations, CBI

• 9 10th Air Force B-25s attack bridges at 2 locations.
• 76 10th Air Force fighter-bombers attack troops and supplies at 10 locations.
• 15 P-47s support Allied ground forces in the Mongmit area, especially around Myitson.
• 17 P-47s attack bridges at 2 locations.

• The 14th Air Force’s 308th Heavy Bomb Group headquarters and 3 B-24 squadrons move from the airfield at Kunming to the Hsinching airfield, near Chengtu, in order to mount attacks against Japanese transportation targets and supply depots in the region. The group’s 373rd Heavy Bomb Squadron remains at Kunming, from which it will continue to attack shipping targets.

Air Operations, Europe

• 1 Halifax flies an RCM sortie.

• 82 Mosquitos are sent to Hannover and 11 to Essen, and there are 22 Mosquito patrols and 24 RCM sorties.
• There are no losses.

Air Operations, Formosa

• During a sweep of the island, a 3rd Air Commando Group P-51 downs a Ki-46 'Dinah' reconnaissance plane near Formosa at 1110 hours.
• 35th Fighter Group P-47s down a Ki-46 'Dinah' reconnaissance plane, an A6M Zero, and 7 unidentified biplanes over the Kobi and Taichu airfields between 1500 and 1540 hours.
• During the night, 63rd Heavy Bomb Squadron SB-24s attack several airfields.

Air Operations, Japan

84 of 118 73rd and 313th Very Heavy Bomb wing B-29s dispatched attack an aircraft plant at Ota and 14 of the B-29s attack other targets. 11 of the 12 B-29s lost on the mission succumb to operational accidents and mechanical failures.

Air Operations, Pacific

• The Nakajima aircraft factory near Tokyo is destroyed in a huge raid by 84 US B-29 bombers.
• Iwo Jima and Okimura are bombed by US B-24 bombers.

Air Operations, Philippines

• FEAF B-24s, V Bomber Command B-25s, and V Fighter Command P-38s and P-51s attack troops, artillery positions, motor vehicles, and occupied villages in support of US 6th Army ground forces on Luzon.
• 24 B-24s, 72 A-20s, and 16 fighter-bombers attack troops and defenses in the southern Bataan Peninsula during the morning.
• 24 B-24s, 73 A-20s, and 27 fighter-bombers mount similar strikes through the afternoon.
• A 3rd Air Commando Group P-51 downs a Ki-46 'Dinah' reconnaissance plane at 1340 hours.
• In the largest single mission of its kind during the Luzon Campaign, 81 SBDs from VMSB-142, VMSB-241, VMSB-243, VMSB-244, and VMSB-341 attack numerous Japanese Army dumps, anti-aircraft positions, and defended towns in support of the US 1st Cavalry Division. As a result of this day’s work, senior US Army ground commanders who have been reticent until now to request USMC precision air support strenuously vie to employ the up to this point under-utilized and now suddenly overworked SBD squadrons in behalf of their divisions and regiments.

Baltic Sea

The Soviet submarine S-13 sinks the German transport General von Steuben in the Baltic. Of the 3,000(6,000?) injured soldiers and civilian evacuees from East Prussia aborad, 300 survive. Soviet claims that among those lost were elite officers, SS men and Nazi Party officials cannot alter the fact that many refugees go down with the ship.

Burma

Units of the British 36th Div take Myitson on the Shweli River. In the British IV Corps sector, the 18th East African Bde takes Seikpyu.

Eastern Front

In East Prussia, the 3rd Belorussian Front captures the important road junction of Preussich-Eylau (Ilawa). The 2nd Belorussian Front takes the fortified port of Elbing. On the German Army Group Center's front, the 21st Panzer Div has to withdraw form Kürstrin (Kostrzyn). Arnswalde is surrounded, but rejects Russian surrender terms.

On the front of the Army Group South the 2nd Ukraine Front makes a big breakthrough in the Budapest sector. Fighting continues to rage in the city.

In Yugoslavia there is fighting west of Mostar.

The 3rd Belorussian Front attacks the German 4th Army near Heilsberg.

The 2nd Belorussian Front opens the East Pomeranian Offensive toward Neustettin.[MORE]

Japan, Home Front

A severe earthquake rocks Tokyo, followed almost immediately by a devastating raid by 90 B-29 bombers.

Philippines

US General Headquarters, Southwest Pacific Area, determines the operational areas for the US 6th and 8th Armies. The 6th Army is to have full responsibility for operations in Luzon, the 8th Army for all islands south of Luzon.

While mopping-up operations continue on Leyte and Samar, on Luzon there is very severe fighting around Manila. The US 37th Div suffers such heavy casualties that is is decided to hold up the operation until aircraft and artillery can soften up the enemy a bit more. Units of the US I Corps reach the east coast of the island, so that the Japanese forces are cut in two; the more numerous, and more aggressive, half is in the northern part of the island.

War Crimes

The US Navy announces increased cooperation with the US Army in the gathering of evidence for the prosecution of war criminals. The US War Crimes office was established in the autumn of 1944 under the supervision of Maj-Gen Myron C. Cramer, the Judge Advocate General of the Army.

Western Front

In the Cleve-Materborn sector a German counteroffensive holds up 3 divisions of the British XXX Corps, the 3rd, 43rd and 15th. During the night the 51st Div comes near to Hekkens, sending patrols across the Niers River (in spate?), north of the town of Gennep.

The divisions of the VIII Corps, US 3rd Army, advance in the Prüm sector, while those of the XII Corps continue to extend and strengthen the bridgeheads in the Wallendorf-Dillingen sector, the 80th Div, and the Weiterbach-Echternach sector in the Siegfried Line fortifications.

The Germans open the flood gates of the Schwammenauel Dam on the Roer(Rur?) River in an attempt to halt the advancing US forces.

Images from February 10, 1945

Universal carriers of the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders in the Reichswald forest, 10 February 1945.

Universal Carriers in the Reichswald

Men of the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders and Churchill tanks in the Reichswald forest, 10 February 1945

Moving in the Reichswald

An American soldier in Manila rescuing an injured Filipino girl (February 1945). Defying orders from General Yamashita, Japanese Marines in Manila went on a barbaric killing spree. MacArthur refused to bomb the city. The Japanese who refused to surrender had to be rooted out building by building. Civilians were not just caught in the crossfire. The Japanese actually sought out civilians to kill. An estimated 100,000 civilians perished, most were killed by the Japanese on purpose

Injured Filipino Girl

Citizens of Manila run for safety from suburbs burned by Japanese soldiers, 10 February 1945

Citizens of Manila Run for Safety

Task Group 58.3, under Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman, departs Ulithi, 10 February 1945. Seen from USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) are USS Cowpens (CVL-25), left, and USS Essex (CV-9), center.

Task Group 58.3 Departs Ulithi

F4U-1D Corsair of VMF-112 USS Bennington (CV-20), 10 February 1945

F4U-1D Corsair

Even tracked vehicles find it hard going and have to be dug out. 154 Brigade between Brunhard and German border. 10 February 1945

Tracked Vehicles Find It Hard Going

Two T-34/76 passing a tribune on a parade in Muensingen, Germany, 10 February 1945

Two T-34/76 Tanks