Air Operations, Bonin Islands

During the night VII Fighter Command P-61s open an almost-nightly harrassment effort against Japanese airfields on Haha Jima and Chichi Jima. The effort will continue through the night of April 20.

Air Operations, CBI

• Despite bad weather over the battle areas in central Burma, 14 10th Air Force B-25s are able to attack Japanese Army troops and 2 bridges immediately behind the Japanese battle lines.

• 11 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack shipping in the South China Sea at Bakli Bay and Samah Bay, and at Haiphong, French Indochina.
• 18 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s, escorted by 12 14th Air Force P-40s, attack rail facilities at Yoyang.
• 4 B-25s attack shipping around Liuchow.
• 1 B-25 and more than 90 fighter-bombers attack airfields around Amoy, the Kaitak airfield on Hong Kong, and troops, transportation targets, and supplies across southern and eastern China and northern French Indochina.
• During the night 1 of 3 63rd Heavy Bomb Squadron SB-24s dispatched against Yangtze River shipping claims one merchant ship sunk.

• 2 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack rail targets and the town area at Dong Giao.
• 475th Fighter Group P-38s down 7 A6M Zeros over Cap Batangan between 1135 and 1155 hours.
• The large convoy attacked off the coast a day earlier by one B-24 is attacked with the aid of tracking aircraft by 31 345th Medium Bomb Group B-25s, which claim the sinking of 4 Japanese destroyers or frigates, 3 large cargo ships, 1 small cargo ship, and 1 patrol craft. 11 B-25s are damaged by ships’ fire.

Air Operations, Europe

The 2,419th, and last, V-1 reaches Greater London. The casualty counts: from V-1s, 6,184 dead, 17,918 badly injured; from V-2s, 2,754 dead, 6,523 badly injured.(see above for numbers?)

RAF BOMBER COMMAND
Daylight Ops:

• 130 Lancasters of No. 3 Group carry out a G-H raid on the Hermann Goering benzol plant at Salzgitter. No results are seen through the cloud.
• There are no losses.

'The Vulture Strikes', a Lancaster of No 550 squadron based at North Killingholme reaches 100 operational missions. This aircraft, PA955, is a close relative of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's Lancaster, PA474.

Lancaster Veterans of No 550 Squadron

• 48 Mosquitos are sent to Berlin, 7 to Harburg and 3 each to Bremen and Hannover.
• There are no losses.

Air Operations, Formosa

• V Bomber Command B-24s attack Toshien.
• 18 B-24s attack port facilities at Kiirun.
• 16 38th Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack a power plant and oil refinery at Byoritsu.
• 18 A-20s attack a sugar refinery at Eiko.

Air Operations, Japan

• Failing to locate any elements of a Japanese battle fleet reportedly sallying from its bases, air groups from 3 Task Force 58 task groups attack air bases in southern Kyushu and several Japanese gunboats located along the return routes to their ships.
• 6 28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s attack the Kataoka naval base.
• VF-46 F6Fs down 4 Ki-84 'Frank' fighters over Kagoshima Bay at 0730 hours.
• A VF-47 F6F downs a D4Y 'Judy' dive bomber 40 miles from Task Force 58 at 0730 hours.
• A VMF-221 carrier-based F4U downs an A6M Zero at sea at 0811 hours.
• A VF-46 F6F downs a Ki-44 'Tojo' fighter at sea at 0900 hours.
• VF-6 F6Fs down 6 A6M Zeros and a utility airplane at sea between 1140 and 1225 hours.
• 2 VF-47 F6Fs down a D4Y 'Judy' dive bomber near Task Force 58 at 1400 hours.
• A VF-23 F6F downs a D4Y 'Judy' dive bomber over Task Group 58.4 at 1405 hours.
• A VBF-83 F4U downs an A6M Zero 25 miles from Task Force 58 at 1442 hours.
• VF-10 F6Fs down 6 A6M Zeros and 1 J2M 'Jack' fighter at sea at 1500 hours.

Air Operations, Malaya

During the night, in the last mission undertaken by B-29s based on mainland Asia, 24 40th Very Heavy Bomb Group attack oil stores at Singapore and 2 B-29s attack alternate targets.

Air Operations, Pacific

US aircraft from 2 carrier task groups attack Japanese shipping and aircraft in the Kagoshima Bay area, Kyushu, Japan.

Air Operations, Philippines

• FEAF B-24s attack Camalaniugan.
• XIII Bomber Command B-24s and V Fighter Command P-51s attack pre-invasion targets at Legaspi and in the Legaspi area.
• B-25s support US 8th Army ground forces on Cebu.
• V Bomber Command A-20s attack various targets on Luzon and support US 8th Army ground forces on Negros.

Air Operations, Ryukyus

Despite bad weather that hampers flight operations, Task Force 58 and Task Group 52.1 carrier aircrft attack numerous pre-invasion targets on Okinawa, and Task Group 52.1 aircraft attack targets in the Sakishima Islands. 2 VC-87 FMs down a Ki-43 'Oscar' fighter over the Yontan airfield on Okinawa at 0650 hours.

Burma

The 7th Indian Div, supporting the operations of the 5th Indian Div in the Taungtha-Meiktila area, is placed under command of the British XXXIII Corps.

With Mandalay taken, and Britain's XXXIII Corps now able to support the Indian 17th Div around Meiktila, the Japanese Burma Area Army is ordered to withdraw southward. Gen Kimura uses the Mandalay-Thazi rail route to escape with a large number of troops. British forces follow closely, the ultimate objective now being the vital port of Rangoon.

Eastern Front

Troops of the 3rd Ukraine Front enters Austria. South of Lake Balaton, the Russian 57th Army and Bulgarian 1st Army concentrate their attacks on the German 2nd Panzer Army. The Russians capture Szombathely, Köszeg and Kapuvar. In East Prussia, the 3rd Belorussian Front is engaged in the liquidation of the trapped German forces southwest of Königsberg. Bitter fighting continues in the eastern part of Danzig.

Küstrin falls to the Soviet 5th Shock and 8th Guards Armies. The commander of the K¨strin garrison, SS Lt-Gen Rheinefarth, leads a breakout at the head of 1,600 troops just before midnight. He and his men reach German lines, only for him to be arrested on the orders of Hitler.

The northern flank of the 2nd Panzer Army is encircled by the Soviet 27th and 57th Armies south of Lake Balaton.[MORE]

Germany, Home Front

Goebbels says: 'The Germans must stay on their feet no matter how, just stay on their feet, and then the moral and historical superiority of the German people can manifest itself.'

Pacific

• US Army aircraft sink the Japanese submarine chaser No. 192 off Formosa and coast defense vessels Nos. 18 and 130 in the South China Sea.
• The Japanese coast defense vessel No. 84 is sunk by the US submarine Hammerhead (SS-364) in the South China Sea.

Philippines

On Luzon in the US XIV Corps sector, the 1st Cav Div takes Lipa and its airfield.

Units of the US 8th Army land at Patik in Negros Island. There is hard fighting on Cebu Island, where the Japanese mine a mountain spur and blow it up, the Americans suffering heavy losses. On Mindanao Japanese resistance in the Zamboanga sector crumbles, but mopping-up operations take some time. Filipino guerillas with American assistance land on Masbate and take the town of that name.

Ryukyu Islands

The US 77th Div completes the capture of Kerama Retto. In the several islands that they have occupied, the Americans prepare flying-boat bases. The waters around Okinawa have already been cleared of mines, so that US naval ships can come in near to the coast and carry out massive bombardments.

Western Front

While the Canadian II Corps, British 2nd Army, continues to meet strong resistance in its advance toward Emmerich, the British VIII Corps advances rapidly toward Osnabrück.

In the US 1st Army sector, the III Corps begins its offensive northward to cross the Eder. East of Giessen the XX Corps, US 3rd Army, reaches some objectives northeast of Steinbach. Frankfurt is taken finally by the US 5th Div. The 44th Div, XV Corps, US 7th Army enters Mannheim. French forces cross the Rhine near Germersheim.

Images from March 29, 1945

Churchill tanks of 6th Guards Tank Brigade carrying paratroopers of the 17th US Airborne Division, Germany, 29 March 1945

Churchill Tanks Carrying Paratroopers

The British commander and Indian crew of a Sherman tank of the 9th Royal Deccan Horse, 255th Indian Tank Brigade, encounter a newly liberated elephant on the road to Meiktila, 29 March 1945

Encountering a Newly Liberated Elephant

Clearing the road of burning German vehicles, 29 March 1945

Clearing the road of burning German vehicles

Churchill tanks of 6th Guards Tank Brigade carrying paratroopers from the American 17th Airborne Division pass through Dorsten in Germany, while an Achilles tank destroyer waits, 29 March 1945.

Churchill Tanks Pass Through Dorsten

Soldiers of 44th Division, US 7th Army fighting in Mannheim, Germany, 29 Mar 1945; note bazooka and M1 Garand rifles

Fighting in Mannheim, Germany

Men of the 9th Durham Light Infantry advance through the ruins of Weseke, March 29, 1945

British Soldiers Move Through Weseke

Soviet M-17 vehicles in the streets of Danzig, Germany, late March 1945

Soviet Vehicles in Danzig

Columns of vehicles from 15th Tank Bn., 6th Armored Division use the autobahn to roll deeper into Germany, passing German POWs walking to the rear, near Giessen, Germany, 29 March 1945. Tank on the right is M4A3E8 Sherman

US Troops Using the Autobahn