Air Operations, CBI

• Most of the 10th Air Force is grounded by bad weather, but 12 B-25s are able to attack road targets between Lashio, Takaw, and Hopong and 7 P-47s attack the airfield at Laihka.

• 14th Air Force fighter-bombers attack the airfield at Kaifeng, a fuel dump at Hsiangcheng, and numerous rail lines.
• In their unit’s last mission from the Sian airfield, 8 530th Fighter Squadron P-51s destroy 4 aircraft on the ground at the Shihkiachwang airfield and 7 locomotives between Puchou and Sinsiang.
• An effort by 90th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s and 345th Medium Bomb Group B-25s to attack a Japanese Navy force of 2 IJN battleships, 1 cruiser, and 3 destroyers fleeing from Singapore to Japan is aborted in the face of bad weather, and the flotilla escapes beyond the range of all Allied aircraft.

Air Operations, Europe

The 8th Air Force completes the Allied 'triple blow' against Dresden. Also bombed are Chemnitz, Magdeburg, Prague in error, and the Wesel Bridge over the Rhine. The total number of bombers and escorts in the raids is 1,440. 13 planes are lost. The RAF follow up with a severe night raid on Chemnitz.

• 36 Lancasters and 1 photographic Mosquito of Nos. 9 and 617 Squadrons are sent to attack Bielefeld and Altenbeken viaducts, but abandon the raids because of cloud.
• 1 Lancaster of No. 9 Squadron is lost.

OPERATION THUNDERCLAP

• 499 Lancasters and 218 Halifaxes of Nos. 1, 3,4,6 and 8 Groups continue Operation THUNDERCLAP by attacking Chemnitz. This raid takes place in two phases, 3 hours apart. A very elaborate diversion plan succeeds in keeping bomber casualties down but Chemnitz, now called Karl-Marx-Stadt, is also spared from the worst effects of its first major RAF raid. Both parts of the bomber force find the target area covered by cloud and only skymarking can be employed. Post-raid reconnaissance shows that many parts of the city are hit, but that most of the bombing is in open country.
• 8 Lancasters and 5 Halifaxes are lost.
• 224 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitos of No. 5 Group attack the oil refinery in Rositz near Leipzig. Damage was caused to the southern part of the oil plant.
• 4 Lancasters are lost.

• Diversionary and 95 aircraft of No. 3 Group and of Heavy Conversion Units make a sweep into the Heligoland Bight, 46 Mosquitos are sent to Berlin, 19 to Mainz, 14 to Dessau, 12 to Duisburg, 11 to Nuremberg and 8 to Frankfurt, 30 Lancasters and 24 Halifaxes lay mines in the Kadet Channel, and there are 87 Mosquito patrols and 21 RCM sorties.
• 5 mine-laying Halifaxes and 1 mine-laying Lancaster are lost.

• 311 1st Air Division B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Dresden.
• 340 2nd Air Division B-24s attack a marshalling yard at Magdeburg (secondary).
• 294 3rd Air Division B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Chemnitz.
• 37 3rd Air Division B-17s attack a highway bridge at Wesel (primary).
• 35 3rd Air Division B-17s attack a oil depot at Dulmen (secondary).
• 277 heavy bombers attack various targets of opportunity, including the Czech cities of Brux, Pilsen, and Prague.
• 7 heavy bombers and 7 of 837 VIII Fighter Command escorts are lost.
• VIII Fighter Command pilots down 18 Luftwaffe fighters over eastern Germany between noon and 1235 hours.

• Throughout the day 9th Air Division bombers mount 622 effective sorties against communications centers, marshalling yards, rail bridges, an ammo dump, a vehicle depot, and targets of opportunity.
• 14 bombers are lost.

• 12th Air Force B-25s attack bridges and bridge approaches at three locations and several gun emplacements in the battle area.
• XXII TAC P-47s attack communications targets in the Po River valley.

• 15th Air Force heavy bombers attack oil refineries at four locations in and around Vienna and marshalling yards at four locations.

• 15h Air Force heavy bombers attack marshalling yards at Celje, Maribor, and Zagreb.

Air Operations, Formosa

Several 38th Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the airfield at Kagi and nearby targets of opportunity.

Air Operations, Japan

3 28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s attack the Suribachi airfield.

Air Operations, Philippines

• FEAF B-24s attack Corregidor and Mariveles.
• V Bomber Command B-25s attack the Tuguegarao airfield on Luzon.
• B-25s and V Fighter Command fighter-bombers support US 6th Army ground forces near Clark Field, Marikina, and Montalban on Luzon.
• B-25s attack barges at Zamboanga, Mindanao.
• A-20s attack the southern Bataan Peninsula.
• 348th Fighter Group P-47s strafe barges carrying Japanese Army ground troops from Manila to Bataan and Corregidor.
• P-38s attack the Matina airfiled on Mindanao.
• Fighter-bombers strafe airfields on Cebu and Negros.

Air Operations, Volcano Islands

• 17 VII Bomber Command B-24s attack Iwo Jima.
• During the night, 9 VII Bomber Command B-24s conduct snooper raids against Iwo Jima and the Bonin Islands.

Arctic

The US freighter Horace Gray is torpedoed by U-711 at the entrance to Kola Inlet. Beached the following day, the ship will be declared a total loss. There are no casualties among either crew or the 28-man Armed Guard.

Battle of the Atlantic

In the afternoon the British frigate Bayntun has a firm asdic contact and all ships in Escort Group 10 make a number of attacks using Squid and Hedgehog. The final blow is delivered by Loch Dunvegan which carry out three Squid attacks when wreckage starts appearing on the surface.

U-989

CBI

The Indian 7th Division from IV Corps begins to cross the Irrawaddy near Myaunga. There is only slight Japanese opposition because most of the Japanese forces have been withdrawn to defend Mandalay. North of Mandalay Indian 19th Division takes Singu despite the efforts of the defenders.

Lt-Gen Albert C. Wedemeyer submits to Chiang Kai-shek his plan for a Chinese offensive based on Plan Alpha. The plan is intended to recapture Liuchow and nanning, followed by an offensive to capture Hong Kong and Canton. Chiang approves the outlined concept.

Diplomatic Relations

Chile declares war on Germany and Japan.

Eastern Front

In Hungary, the Germans counterattack between Lake Venencei and Lake Balaton. North of Budapest, the German 8th Army holds attacks by the 3rd Ukraine Front.

In the central sector, the 1st Ukraine Front succeeds in joining up the 2 bridgeheads established over the Oder west of Breslau and fighting rages on the outskirts of the city. To the southwest, west and northwest of it, troops of the 1st Ukraine Front and 1st Belorussian Front take Striegau (Strzegom), Jauer (Jawor), Goldberg (Zlotoryia) and Sprottau (Szprotowa).

North of Poznan, the 2nd Belorussian Front takes Schneidemühl (Pila). On the front held by Himmler's Vistula Army Group there is fighting south of Frankfurt-am-Oder. The Russians advance northwest and southwest of Liegnitz (Legnica).

In Konev's drive to the Neisse, Sorau and Grünberg are both captured.

The Soviet 5th Guards and 3rd Guards Armies link up near Breslau, trapping 80,000 civilians and 35,000 German troops inside the city.[MORE]

Italy

The Canadian I Corps replaces the British 6th Armored Division on the right flank of the corps with the Cremona Group, an Italian formation, as the British 6th Armored Division prepares for a transfer to the ETO.

Pacific

• The US submarine Hawkbill (SS-366) sinks two Japanese submarine chasers, Nos. 4 and 114, in the Java Sea.
• The Japanese coast defense vessel No. 9 is sunk by the US submarine Gato (SS-212) in the Yellow Sea.
• Japanese shore batteries sink the US motor minesweeper YMS-48 north of Corregidor. Japanese shore batteries also sink support landing craft LCS-26 and LCS-49 off Luzon.
• The Japanese army cargo ship No.1 Yamanami Maru (882t) is sunk by mine west of Kyushu.

Philippines

The XIV Corps continues to battle strongpoints in Manila. The 40th Infantry Division has cleared Kembu Group out of its defenses in the hills beyond Clark Field and Fort Stotsenburg and thus secures the XIV Corps line of supply. Over 4,400 Japanese soldiers have been killed.

In the I Corps area, the 33rd Division relieves the 43rd Division and patrols actively. The 25th Division, less the 161st Infantry, is redeploying for a drive on Balete Pass. The 6th Division, less the 1st Infantry, assembles in preparation for movement south of the Pampanga River.

In the XI Corps area, the 152nd Infantry Regiment of the 38th Infantry Division battles Japanese defenders in concrete emplacements and caves at Zigzag Pass on Highway 7. Supported by napalm strikes, and a simultaneous attack from the rear of the Japanese defenses by the 149th Infantry Regiment, the infantrymen clear the pass and open the way to Manila Bay. More than 2,400 Japanese are killed and 25 taken prisoner. American losses are over 1,400 killed. Firm contact is made between the 149th and 152nd Regiments as the corps begins operations to clear the Bataan Peninsula, the first of a series of operations to reopen Manila Bay. East Force (1st RCT of the 6th Divison, reinforced) begins a drive southward along the east coast of the peninsula from Orani, reaching Pilar. South Force (151st RCT, 38th Divisoin), after loading at Subic and Olongapo, sails from Subic Bay for Mariveles. American PT boats enter Manila Bay for night reconnaissance, the first US naval units to operate in those waters since May 1942.

During this day's action one US ship, the minesweeper YMS-48, is sunk by coastal defense gunfire. Damaged by coastal gunfire are the destroyers Fletcher (DD-445) and Hopewell (DD-681). Two US destroyers, Radford (DD-446) and LaVallette (DD-448) are damaged by mines.

Western Front

On the northern flank of the Allied line, the Canadian 3rd Div, British XXX Corps, Canadian 1st Army, captures a village on the Rhine opposite Emmerich, while the British 15th Div continues its advance toward Calcar with considerable difficulty, and the 51st Div takes Kassel during the night, advancing without difficulty.

The XII Corps, US 3rd Army, retains firm control of the bridgehead beyond the Siegfried Line and even reinforces it, getting ready to advance on Prüm.[WE]

Images from February 14, 1945

Valentine's Day Kiss

Sniper from The Black Watch

Mistaken US bombing of Prague

Mistaken US bombing of Prague

Landing Mishap

Effects of Intense Heat

Bodies Awaiting Public Cremation

Britiish Navy Rescues Norwegian Islanders