Air Operations, Bonin Islands

As Task Force 58 passes the Bonin Islands on its way from the Honshu area to Iwo Jima, Task Force 58.4 carrier aircraft attack airfields and shipping at Chichi Jima and Haha Jima.

Air Operations, CBI

• 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s destroy a rail bridge near Moulmein with Azon bombs.
• 10 10th Air Force B-25s attack troops and supplies at Hai-hseng.
• More than 140 10th Air Force fighter-bombers attack troops, tanks, pack animals, supply-distribution points, arms and ammunition dumps, and numerous other targets throughout northern Burma.
• 14 P-47s support Allied ground forces around Mongmit and Myitson.

• 30 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack Linfen and Yuncheng.
• 1 B-25 attacks rail targets of opportunity near Hengyang.
• 37 14th Air Force fighter-bombers attack road, rail, and river traffic across southern China.
• 27 P-40s and P-51s attack barracks, rail targets, pack animals, and the town area at Puchi.
• 16 P-47s attack the Hankow and Wuchang areas.

Air Operations, Carolines

9 73rd Very Heavy Bomb Wing B-29s attack the Truk Atoll, as do three VII Bomber Command B-24s assigned to escort photo-reconnaissance aircraft.

Air Operations, East Indies

XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack the Miri airfield on Borneo.

Air Operations, Europe

The Italian battleship Conte di Cavour, already damaged, and the unfinished Impero are sunk in Trieste harbor by the RAF.

• 298 aircraft including 247 Halifaxes, 27 Lancasters and 24 Mosquitos of Nos. 4, 6 and 8 Groups are sent to bomb Wesel. The target area is covered in cloud and the Master Bomber orders the raid to be stopped after only 8 Halifaxes have bombed.
• There are no losses, but 3 Halifaxes crash in England.

• 6 Oboe Mosquitos attack the Deschimag shipyard in Bremen, but no results are seen because of ground fog.
• There are no losses.

Air Operations, Formosa

Due to bad weather over the airfield at Heito, 22nd and 90th Heavy Bomb group B-24s and V Fighter Command fighter-bombers attack the Takao airfield and rail facilities and an aluminum plant at Takao.

Air Operations, Japan

• Due to extremely bad weather, Task Force 58 carrier aircraft are able to mount only one of many planned morning strikes against Honshu airfields, shipping in Tokyo Bay, and Tokyo-area aircraft plants. At length, weather conditions over the fleet and target areas deteriorate to the point where the attacks must be canceled altogether, and so Task Force 58 retires toward Iwo Jima during the afternoon.
• Despite the bad weather and cancellation of ground-attack missions, US Navy carrier-based F6Fs and F4Us down 75 Japanese aircraft over the Tokyo area between 0730 and 1355 hours, and USMC carrier-based F4Us down a D4Y 'Judy' dive bomber and 8 Japanese fighters during several strike missions between 0845 and 1015 hours.

Air Operations, Philippines

• V Bomber Command B-25s and A-20s, and V Fighter Command fighter-bombers attack San Fernando and Tuguegarao.
• A-20s support US 6th Army ground forces near Mariveles and Fort Stotsenburg.
• In two separate missions, a total of 76 317th Troop Carrier Group C-47s drop 982 supply bundles to US Army paratroopers on Corregidor.

Air Operations, Volcano Islands

As the weather clears, Task Group 52.2 TBMs and FMs mount 226 effective combat sorties against Iwo Jima’s airfield defenses on a day in which the island is also subjected to intense naval bombardment. Also, 42 VII Bomber Command B-24s attack the island from 5,000 feet at 1330 hours.

Burma

In the northern sector the Japanese launch violent counterattacks against the bridgehead established by the British 36th Div across the Shweli River especially near Myitson. The British units are cut off and have to be supplied by air.

The British operations in the Arakan continue with successful landings at Ru-Ya, 40 miles southeast of Myebon.

China

Gen Albert C. Wedemeyer warns Chiang Kai-shek against the danger of an imminent attack by the Japanese to capture the airfields at Hsian, Laohokow and Chihchiang. Changting is now the only base left to the American strategic air force in eastern China.

Eastern Front

Army Group North order the Samland and Konigsberg groups to counterattack and regain contact. Gen Lasch, commanding the Konigsberg garrision, is to push west with the 5th Panzer 1st Infantry and 561st Volksgrenadier Divisions.

With its 2nd Army holding an overextended front in Pomerania, Army Group Vistula request permission to pull the army back west to link up with the 11th SS Panzer Army. Hitler refuses. The 11th SS Panzer Army continues its attack at Stargard. Progress slows as casualties mount. During one of his trips from Berlin to report direct to Hitler, Wenck is wounded. Gen Krebs has to take over co-ordination of the attack.

Renewed attacks along the Bobr by the Grossdeutschland and XXIV Panzer Corps embroil the 4th Tank Army in bitter fighting. The 3rd Guards Tank and 52nd Armies move to support the left and right flanks of the 4th. Against this strengthened force the Germans throw 6 worn-out armored divisions.

The 6th SS Panzer Army begins to deploy with Army Group South. The 1st SS Panzer Corps deploys against the Hron bridgehead and immediately attacks the 7th Guards Army, taking the Soviet force by surprise and pushing them back toward the river. A Soviet counterattack fails to halt the German thrust, the 1st SS striving to destroy the bridgehead and restore the strong front along the Hron.

Iwo Jima

Air and naval bombardment continues in preparation for the landing. Japanese coast defense guns and a small number of aircraft manage to damage, more or less severely, the battleship Tennessee (BB-43), the heavy cruiser Pensacola (CA-24) and 3 destroyers, Leutze (DD-481), Dortch (DD-481) and Waldron (DD-699). In a disastrous attempt to clear beach defenses, 170 US Navy frogmen are killed.

Japan

American bombing of the Tokyo area by naval planes continues.

Pacific

• The US tug Hidatsa (ATF-102) is damaged by a mine in the Luzon area of the Philippine Islands.
• US Army aircraft sink the Japanese transport No. 114 off Formosa.
• The Japanese coast defense vessel No. 56 is sunk by the US submarine Bowfin (SS-287) off Honshu, Japan.

Western Front

The British XXX Corps, Canadian 1st Army, approaches Goch in the course of Operation VERITABLE. In the US 3rd Army sector, the XII and XX Corps extend and strengthen their bridgeheads, the one at the confluence of the Saar and the Our, the other at Saarlautern.

The XV Corps of the US 7th Army continues its limited offensive to eliminate the German salients at Gros Rederchin and Wilferding; the 70th Div is now sent in the left flank of the corps, attacking hills to the southwest of Saarbrücken.

World Affairs

The World Trades Union Conference is held in London.

Images from February 17, 1945

A universal carrier and Humber scout car with infantry of 43rd (Wessex) Division during the advance on Goch, 17 February 1945.

Advancing On Goch

Bedridden patient carried from damaged hospital at Manila in the Philippines on 17 February 1945

Moving Bedridden Patient from Damaged Hospital

Sherman tanks of 10th Canadian Armoured Regiment (Fort Garry Horse) with infantry of the Royal Regiment of Canada massing in preparation for the assault on Goch, 17 February 1945

Before the Assault on Goch

Shermans of 4/7th Dragoon Guards, 8th Armoured Brigade move up to support the attack on Goch, 17 February 1945

Moving to Support the Attack

A Sherman tank passes infantry of 43rd (Wessex) Division during the advance on Goch, 17 February 1945

Advancing On Goch

A wire team of the 56th Signal Battalion lay telephone wire over a muddy field, Monschau, Germany, 17 February 1945

Laying Telephone Wire

Iwo Jima during the pre-invasion bombardment, 17 February 1945, looking north with Mount Suribachi in the foreground. Photographed from an airplane based on USS Makin Island (CVE-93)

Pre-invasion Bombardment

White phosphorus rounds burst ashore as destroyers prepare for an Underwater Demolition Team operation off Iwo Jima's West Beach at 4:00 PM, 17 February 1945, during the pre-invasion bombardment of the island. Note the Fletcher class destroyer firing at right. She appears to be painted in Camouflage Measure 32, Design 6D. Photographed from USS Texas (BB-35)

Pre-invasion Bombardment