FEBRUARY 1945.
With the end of the Battle of the Bulge, Germany was compressed into their own country, Allies were to meet on war ending strategy. All of the big islands of the Philippines have been invaded, fighting to continue till the end. Forces gathering for Iwo Jima.
Feb 1 . US/UK conference at Malta.
Feb 2 . Marines into Roi and Kwajalein, first invasion of Japanese prewar holdings.
Feb 3 . Eighth AF raids over Europe with over 1,200 B-17's and B-24's with around 900 fighters in support.
Feb 4-11. Yalta Conference begins -- US, UK, USSR -- discuss end of war.
Feb 4 . 100 B-29's from India attack Japanese Home Islands: Kobe and others.
Feb 5 . 60 B-24's deliver heaviest attack yet on Corregidor.
Feb 6 . 27 B-24's hit Iwo Jima.
1,300-plus heavy bombers attack Germany with 15 P-51 groups in support
Feb 7 . Five separate submarine attacks sink enemy shipping; underseas war in full swing.
Feb 8 . TF 92 sorties from Attu, bound for Matsuwa Island.
Feb 10. Suicide swimmers attack a survey ship at Palaus harbor.
Feb 11. Yalta Declaration -- USSR to enter Pacific War 90 days after the end in Europe.
TF 58, including 15 carriers, 8 BB, 15 CA, 77 DD, steams toward Japan. Fletcher had 3 carriers at Midway 3-years earlier.
TF 92 encounters heavy weather and retires to Attu.
Feb 12. B-29's and PB4Ys begin reconn for TF 58 steaming to Japan as Navy preempts for Iwo Jima.
Feb 13. 35 B-24's from Saipan fly strikes against Iwo Jima.
1,300 B-24's and B-17's attack marshalling yards in Germany.
More than 500 more attack Austria.
Feb 14. Minesweeper and 2 support craft sunk, 4 DD damaged near Corregidor.
1,300 heavy bombers fire bomb Dresden area.
Feb 15. Army land at Mariveles Harbor of Bataan Peninsula.
100 Marianas-based B-29's bomb Mitsubishi aircraft engine works at Nagoya.
1,000 Heavy bombers attack Dresden area; 100,000 killed.
Feb 16. Army forces land on Corregidor, Luzon
TF 58 (Mitscher) attacks Tokyo area to destroy aircraft; claim 340 downed to 60 lost.
Sea and air forces begin three-day prelanding bombardment of Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands.
Feb 17. Fire support ships, minesweeper, and underwater demolition teams (UDT) arrive off Iwo Jima
3 ships and 11 craft damaged.
TF 58 repeats attacks in Tokyo area to sweep aircraft, bomb aircraft factories..
Five Japanese ships sunk in separate air attacks.
Feb 18. American forces enter Corregidor.
4 BB and other ships join up from European theater.
Feb 19. Marines invade Iwo Jima -- 2000 casualties on D-day.
A planned ten day conquest extends to 26 ; fighting continues till Mar 16.
150 B-29's bomb Tokyo to draw off defenses from Iwo Jima.
Army troops land on the NW Samar.
Feb 20. Mines begin to take effect on Japanese shipping - 2 ships sunk.
850-plus heavies bomb Nurnberg
Feb 21. Bismarck Sea (CVE-95) sunk by kamikazes;
Saratoga (CV-3) hit by Kamikaze, 123 killed ;
Langley (CVL-27) bombed. Multiple collisions.
Truk bombed.
1,200-plus heavy bombers attack Nurnberg
Feb 22. More collisions at Iwo Jima
Feb 23. Flag raising on Suribachi. Shore batteries damage landing ships off Iwo Jima,.
Sub, air, and mines destroy enemy shipping.
Feb 24. Heavy weather, gunfire, and collisions damage several ships at Iwo Jima.
105 B-29's in an all-incendiary attack, hit Empire Dock area of Singapore, burning out about 40 per cent of the warehouse area. This is the last 100-aircraft strike from Calcutta, India.
Feb 25. Manila freed. 200 B-29's and 1,400 carrier planes attack Tokyo.
Feb 26. Storms and collisions damage 2 cruisers and 6 destroyers off Iwo.
Feb 27. Collisions damage CVL and 8 other ships.
Twentieth AF 10 B-29's of 20th AF mine Johore Strait.
20th AF B-29's begin shipping out of Calcutta for Tinian and Guam
Feb 28. Army troops land unopposed on Puerto Princesa, Palawan Island. Massacre of POWs.
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1945
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AAF Theater Key :
Pacific ;
Europe ;
SW Pac ;
China ;
Burma ;
America.