Air Operations, Bonin IslandsDuring 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, CBIBURMA
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Air Operations, EuropeThe 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
Minor Ops:
ITALY:
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Air Operations, Formosa
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Air Operations, Japan
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Air Operations, MalayaDuring 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, PacificUS aircraft from 2 carrier task groups attack Japanese shipping and aircraft in the Kagoshima Bay area, Kyushu, Japan. [![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Air Operations, Philippines
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Air Operations, RyukyusDespite 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. [![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Battle of the AtlanticLiberator 'O' of No 224 Squadron is on a routine anti-submarine patrol when a wake is spotted. After a depth-charge attack U-1106's stern is visible for a moment before sinking.
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() BurmaThe 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 FrontTroops 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. GERMANYKüstrin 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. HUNGARYThe northern flank of the 2nd Panzer Army is encircled by the Soviet 27th and 57th Armies south of Lake Balaton.[MORE] [![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Germany, Home FrontGoebbels 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
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() PhilippinesOn 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 IslandsThe 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 FrontWhile 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
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[March 28th - March 30th] |