70 Years Ago Today: Friday, June 2, 1944 Washington, D.C. The Combined Chiefs of Staff issue a new directive to the Southeast Asia Command (SEAC), which is a compromise between British and US positions. The British view that the air link to China should be developed in order to support operations in the Pacific is accepted. The ground operations are to be pressed only insofar as they are of assistance to the build-up of Hump tonnage. The Capture of the Myitkyina area, of north Burma, and the construction of pipelines to China are to be integral parts of the main operation. European Theater A special conference for ground liaison officers is held by 21st Army Group officers who present a detailed exposition of the plan for the landings in Normandy. European Theater, Strategic (POINTBLANK) The role of the heavy bombers from June 2 through June 5, in preparation for the invasion of Normandy on June 6, includes the continuation of attacks against transportation and airfield targets in northern France. It also includes Operation COVER, the implementation of a series of blows against coastal defenses, mainly located in the Pas de Calais coastal area, to deceive the enemy as to the sector to be invaded. 8th Air Force Mission 384 – In the morning, 633 B-17s and 293 B-24s hit V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area, with two men listed as killed or missing. 8th Air Force Mission 385 – In the afternoon, 242 B-17s are dispatched to railroad targets in the Paris area, the Conches Airfield, the Beaumont-sur-Oise Airfield and the Caen/Carpiquet Airfield. 77 B-24s are dispatched to the Bretigny Airfield, the Creil Airfield and the Villeneuve Airfield. Two B-17s and five B-24s are lost, with 69 men listed as killed or missing. 8th Air Force Mission 386 – Seven P-38s are sent to attack the Ostend Bridge, in Belgium, and three B-17s fly weather reconnaissance over the Atlantic. During the night, the RAF sends: • 105 Halifaxes, 19 Lancasters, and four Mosquitos to attack the railway yards at Trappes. • 103 Lancasters and four Mosquitos attack a radar-jamming station at Berneval with great accuracy. • 136 Lancasters, 119 Halifaxes, and 16 Mosquitos, hit four coastal gun positions. • 23 Mosquitos are sent to Leverkusen, four go to Laval and three to Lison. • 16 other aircraft fly radio counter measure sorties. • Nine aircraft fly Serrate patrols and six fly Intruder patrols. • 36 aircraft on resistance operations, • 53 aircraft lay mines from Dunkirk to Brest. 15 Halifaxes, two Lancasters, and one Stirling, and their crews, are lost. 8th Air Force Mission 387 – During the night, five B-17s drop leaflets on targets in Belgium, and France, and 18 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER operations. European Theater, Tactical (OVERLORD) In France, a force of about 350 B-26s and A-20s, from the 9th Air Force, bomb NOBALL (V-weapon) targets and coastal defense batteries along the English Channel coast. P-38s and P-47s dive-bomb targets in the area, including V-weapon sites, a fuel dump, railroad junctions and bridges. Mediterranean Theater, Tactical In Italy, 12th Air Force medium bombers attack road and rail bridges from north of the battle area, just below Rome, to areas north of Rome. Fighter-bombers continue to blast motor transport, railways, trains, command posts, roads, and bridges in the battle area, having particularly good success against vehicles. Mediterranean Theater, Strategic Ther 15th Air Force begins shuttle-bombing missions between Italy, and the USSR, termed Operation FRANTIC. Under the command of Lieutenant General Ira Eaker, 130 B-17s, escorted by 70 P-51s, bomb the marshalling yard at Debreczen, Hungary, and land in the Soviet Union. The B-17s land at Poltava and Mirgorod, and the P-51s land at Piryatin. One B-17 is lost over the target. 27 other B-17s, forced off course en route to the marshalling yard at Oradea, Rumania, also hit Debreczen. Nearly 400 other B-24s attack marshalling yards at Szeged, Miskolc and Szolnok, in Hungary, and Simeria, in Rumania. P-51s and P-38s provide escort. Italy Campaign Headquarters, Allied Armies in Italy, temporarily alters the interarmy boundary to permit the US Fifth Army greater freedom of movement. In US Fifth Army’s VI Corps area, the enemy, after a stubborn defense during the day, withdraws its main forces during the night. In other activity: • The 45th Division makes little progress toward Albano. • The 168th Infantry, of the 34th Division, takes Villa Crocetta and crosses Genaro Hill to reach the railroad. During the night, 168th Infantry patrols enter Lanuvio. • The 142nd and 143rd Regiments, of the 36th Division, advance abreast on the right flank of VI Corps, seizing the hills just east of Monte Cavo, and the hills east of Tano Hill. • The 141st Infantry reaches Highway 7 before dawn and drives west along it until relieved by 157th Infantry, of the 45th Division, which has moved from left flank of VI Corps to the Velletri area, to reinforce the 36th Division. The 157th Infantry continues west along the highway to positions 2½ miles west of Velletri. Regimental Combet Team 361, of the 91st Division, closes at Velletri and is attached to the 36th Division, but is not committed to action before the fall of Rome. At this point, II Corps gains its initial objective and the enemy begins to withdraw. • The 85th Division, having regrouped, attacks with the 339th Infantry on the left, the 337th Infantry in the center, and 338th Infantry on the right. The 339th, which is to finish clearing Maschio d’Ariano, takes Monte Fiore. The 337th seizes Monte Ceraso and pushes almost to Highway 6. The 1st Battalion, of the 338th, reaches Highway 6 at San Cesareo. • The 88th Division’s 351st Infantry overruns San Cesareo and cuts Highway 6, while the 349th Infantry captures Gardella Hill. On the left flank, of the 3rd Division, Task Force Howze and the 7th Infantry drive to Labico. The 7th Infantry continues toward the Palestrina area. • The 30th Infantry pushes through Valmontone, which the enemy has abandoned, to positions near Cave. • The 15th Infantry takes over the 1st Special Service Force task of guarding the right flank, while the 1st Special Service Force, under II Corps control, drives down Highway 6 and gains contact with the French Expeditionary Force (FEC) east of Colle Ferro at 1530 hours. In the French Expeditionary Force (FEC) area, the Lepini Mountains have been cleared of stragglers by the 3rd Algerian and 2nd Moroccan Divisions. In the British Eighth Army area, XIII Corps seizes Alatri. China – Burma – India Theater (China) The 14th Air Force sends a group of more than 80 P-40s and P-51s to attack troops and vehicles at Tungcheng and Chungyang, China, and strafe a concentration of about 75 sampans on Tungting Lake. China – Burma – India Theater (Burma) 10th Air Force B-25s continue to fly ammunition into the Imphal area, in India. 12 B-24s en route to Yenangyaung, Burma, fail to hit the primary target, but unload against alternate targets in the area. In Burma, a formal siege of Myitkyina begins, with the Chinese tunneling toward the enemy. On the Salween front, the Chinese 36th Division takes Kaitou village and surrounds Chiaotou in Shweli Valley. In China, the Japanese offensive in Honan draws to a close, with the enemy having secured his objectives at a light cost. Southwest Pacific Area In New Guinea, 5th Air Force B-25s bomb the Kaukenau-Timoeka area, while B-24s bomb positions north of the Mokmer Airfield. Meanwhile, B-24s and B-25s hit bivouacs northeast of the Sawar Aairfield and near the Wiske River and bomb roads along the west bank of the Orai River. Elsewhere, B-24s, P-39s, and RAAF airplanes hit the Wewak area. Thirteenth Air Task Force B-24s bomb Dublon Island, in the Truk Atoll. On Biak, the 186th Infantry attacks west along the inland plateau, toward the airfields. Against sporadic, but persistent opposition, the reach positions almost abreast those of 162nd Infantry, in the Ibdi area. The 2nd Battalion, of the 162nd Infantry, joins the 186th Infantry and is attached to it. In the coastal sector, the 162nd Infantry recovers the water hole, reduces the roadblock, and blocks the trail leading inland. Company A, of the 163rd Infantry, occupies Owi and Mios Woendi Islands. In the Aitape area, of Hollandia, Task Force PERSECUTION’s 1st Battalion, of the 126th Infantry, is formed into two forces: Herrick Force is to hold Yakamul, and Bailey Force is to patrol southward from Yakamul, along the Harech. South Pacific Area On New Britain Island, Air Command Solomons sends 24 B-24s to attack the Nordup area and a group of 48 P-38s, P-39s, and P-40s to attack the Vunakanau area. Meanwhile, over 30 P-39s attack the airfield at Buka, on Buka Island, and supplies in the Kara-Kahili area, of Bougainville Island. Central Pacific Area In the Gilbert Islands, 7th Air Force B-25s, based on Makin Island, strike Nauru Island. North Pacific Area In the Kurile Islands, two B-24s, from the 11th Air Force, finding Shimushiru Island overcast, bomb and photograph Matsuwa Island at dawn.
Posted on: Mon, 02 Jun 2014 11:28:16 +0000
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