Pacific War - December 1944
DECEMBER 1944 - starting the 4th year of America in WW2.
- The invasion of Saipan and Guam in June had brought the largest carrier fight : Battle of Philippine Sea (Marianas Turkey Shoot). AAF heavy bombers moved into Marianna's airfields.
- Japan had invaded India in March and withdrawn in Aug. The battle moved to Burma.
- Invasion of Leyte, P.I., and the following Battle of Leyte Gulf had destroyed the IJN strike fleets Oct 23-26.
- Western Europe has been liberated, the Army has broken into the German border and
paused to re-equip as winter settles in.
Dec 1 . 26 Guam-based B-24's hit Iwo Jima air field.
Dec 2 . Destroyer engagement in Ormoc Bay - each side loses one ship : Cooper (DD-695) and Kuwa (DE).
Dec 3 . Almost 70 B-29's based in the Marianas bomb Musashino aircraft plant in Tokyo; 6 are lost.
Hospital ship Hope (AH-7), fully illuminated, is attacked by Japanese torpedo planes but not damaged.
Japanese retreat to Irrawaddy River in Burma.
Dec 4 . B-24's from Guam and Saipan daily bomb Iwo Jima, plus random harassment attacks.
Dec 5 .Japanese planes attack 36-ship Leyte bound convoy - U.S. freighter SS Antoine Saugraine sunk after 3rd torpedo hit two days later.
Dec 6 . U.S. and IJN submarines attack convoys, damage ships, none sunk today.
Dec 7 . Third anniversary of Pearl Harbor.
Army lands at Ormoc Bay, Leyte. Kamikazes sink Mahan (DD-364), Ward (APD-16), LST-737, LSM-318 and damage other destroyers.
Sub pack attacks continue on Japanese convoy, sink five ships and one next day.
Fighter-bombers attack Japanese shipping in San Isidro Bay - five ships sunk.
Dec 8 . 89 B-24's from Guam and Saipan join B-29's and Naval Task Group in bombarding Iwo Jima air fields.
Dec 10. Suicide planes continue to damage to ships off Leyte. Hughes (DD-410), SS William S.Ladd<./i>
Dec 11. F4Us, PB4Ys, B-25's, A-20's, P-38's, and P-40's attack sea and land targets in P.I.
Kamikaze sinks Reid (DD-369). 28 B-24's from Guam hit Iwo Jima.
Dec 12. Japanese attempts to reinforce Leyte intercepted by aircraft and PTs , DDs Yuzuki and Uzuki and other ships sunk.
Mindoro invasion force departs.
24 Saipan-based B-24's pound Iwo Jima
Dec 13. Nashville (CL-43) and Haraden (DD-585) damaged by Kamikazes.
Dec 14. 24 Saipan-based B-24's pound Iwo Jima. Murder of POWs on Palawan.
Dec 15. Leahy, King, and Nimitz are promoted to new rank of Fleet Admiral.
Halsey will be promoted to Fleet Admiral after the conclusion of hostilities.
Army forces land on SW Mindoro, P.I, under cover of carrier-based aircraft.
Dec 16. U.S. planes sink Oryoku Maru which is carrying over 1,600 Allied POWs . pic&story
Germans attack in Ardennes, Battle of the Bulge begins.
Dec 17. 53 B-24's from Saipan and Guam pound Iwo Jima, Woleai Atoll and Eauriprik.
509th Compose Group established -- B-29s for a-bomb.
Dec 18. Typhoon sinks three US DDs: Hull (DD-350), Monaghan (DD-354), and Spence (DD-512) and damages 4-CVL, 4-CVE, 1-CL, 7-DD, 3-DE.
63 B-29's flying out of the Marianas hit Mitsubishi aircraft plant at Nagoya.
160 medium bombers hits Panzer units spearheading Bulge.
84 B-29's, flying out of Chengtu area, China, drop incendiaries.
200 aircraft of 14th AF hit targets of opportunity in China.
Dec 19. Carrier Unryu (CVL) sunk by Redfish (SS-395) in East China Sea.
Samar, P.I. liberated.
55 B-24's strike Iwo Jima and Marcus. 14 P-38's from Saipan, with 3 B-29's for navigation, strafe Iwo Jima.
4 B-25's from Guam and Saipan carry out snooper strikes against Iwo Jima.
Four fighters search for Japanese balloon reported over Santa Monica, California.
Dec 20. Organized Japanese resistance ends on Leyte.
454 HBs hit Regensburg oil refinery and other sites. 340 P-38's and P-51's provide escort and recon.
Dec 21. 27 Guam-based B-24's hit Iwo Jima.
Dec 22. Flasher (SS-249) sinks three tankers. 48 B-29's hit Mitsubishi aircraft industrial complex
Dec 23. Skys clear over Belgium -- 2,000 planes attack ; we lose 150 planes, Nazi 300.
Dec 24. USAAF bombers raid Iwo Jima, Navy shells.
High point of German advance at Meuse. 1,900 planes attack Bulge area.
Dec 25. Bastogne reinforced.
Dec 26. Japanese Force of Ashigara (CA), Oyodo (CL), three destroyers and three escort destroyers, approaches Mindoro to bombard the beachhead.
USAAF B-25's, P-38's, P-40's, and P-47's and Navy PB4Y's and PBM's successively attack that force. Kiyoshimo(DD) sunk.
Dec 27. USAAF plus cruiser and destroyer bombard Japanese installations on Iwo Jima and shipping offshore.
52 B-29's from the Marianas bomb Tokyo's Nakajima and Musashino aircraft plants.
Dec 28. Japanese air attacks commence against Mindoro-bound task group - 3 ships destroyed.
480-plus B-17 and B-24's attack Regensburg oil storage.
Dec 30. Japanese air attacks continue on Mindoro-bound convoy; - 2 more ships lost.
5th Air Force attack Japanese shipping in approaches to Lingayen Gulf - 4 ships sunk.
Submarine Razorback (SS-394) attacks Japanese Manila convoy off Formosa, sinking destroyer Kuretake.
Dec 31. 19 B-24's hit Iwo Jima.
Leyte, P.I.secure.
Over 1,200 heavy bombers hit targets in W Germany.
Theater Color Key :
Pacific ;
Europe ;
SW Pac ;
China ;
Burma ;
America.
Warship Losses of 1944 in the Pacific War.
| U.S. | | Japanese |
|---|
| Battleships | - | | 4 |
| Fleet Carriers | - | | 9 |
| Light Carriers | 2 | | 3 |
| Heavy Cruisers | - | | 8 |
| Light Cruisers | - | | 16 |
| Destroyers | 9+3 DE | | 59 ? |
| Submarines | 19 | | 55 |
USN : CVE : Gambier Bay (CVE-73) , Saint Lo (CVE-63) , DD : Shelton , Huel , Abner Read , Cooper , Mahan , Hull , Roberts , Eversole , Johnson , Monaghan , Spence . All warship loses were in the last quarter, Leyte (the last 4 by typhoon) ; SS : Scorpio, Grayback, Trout, Tullibee, Gudgeon, Herring, Golet, Shark II, Tang, Escolar, Albacore, Scamp, Swordfish ; Robalo, Flier, Harder, Seawolf, Darter, Growler.
IJN : BB : Musashi , Fuso , Yamashiro, Kongo ; CV : Shokaku , Taiho , Jiyo, Zuikaku , Chiyoda , Zuiho , Chitose , Shinano , Unryu ; CVE : Taiyo , Unyo , Shinyoon ;
CA : Atago , Maya , Chokai , Suzuya , Chikuma , Mogami , Nachi , Kumano ; CL : Kuma , Agano , Naka , Katori , Tatsua , Yubari , Oi , Nagara , Natori , Iohima , Tama , Kinu , Noshiro , Abukuma , Kiso , Yasojima ; DD : Nire, Kiku, Komdgi , Minekaze, Kikaza, Tachikaza, Hokaza , Wakatake, Kuretake, Yugao, Fuyo, Karukaya , Asakaze, Matsukaza, Oite, Asanagi, Yunagi , Mutsuki, Uzuki, Satsuki, Minazuki, Fumizuki, Yuzuki , Usugumo, Shinonomi, Uranami, Shikinami, Amagiri, Akebono, Sazanami, Ikazuchi, Inazuma , Hatsuharu, Wakaba , Michishio, Yamagumo, Asagumo , Shiranui, Urakaza, Tanikaza, Nowaki, Maikaze, Akigumo , Yugumo-class( 11) , Akizuki, Hatsuzuki, Wakatsuki, Shimotsuki , Fuyutsuki ; SS : 34 long range I-Boats , 21 shorter range RO-boats.
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