1941

1942

1943

1944

1945

USAAF CHRONOLOGY

JUNE - SEPTEMBER 1945

6/1/45 Eighth AF The Operational Analysis Section ceases to function as a unit after a successful career of statistical research which assisted materially in improving the effectiveness of US strategic bombing.

6/1/45 Fourteenth AF 6 B-25's bomb Sinsiang railroad yards while 4 B-25's and 4 P-47's damage bridge N of Linmingkuan.

18 P-51's hit river shipping, warehouses and other tgts in Yoyang area. 20 other FBs knock out bridge near Szeshui, pound river shipping near Yoyang, and attack various tgts in Huluehchen area.

6/1/45 FEAF B-24's pound Takao while ftr aircraft sweep Formosa coastline. B-25's, A-20's, and FBs continue to hit tgts in Cagayan Valley, at Pingkian, Kayapa, Gattaran, Cumao, Bone, and in Ipo area. Many of the missions are ground spt strikes. B-24's and P-38's hit Tarakan I troop concentrations while B-24's, B- 25's, and P-38's hit Kota Belud, Victoria, Jesselton, Langkon, and Labuan I.

6/1/45 Twentieth AF 458 B-29's attack city of Osaka. 148 P-51's of VII FC, en route to escort rendezvous with the VHBs, encounter a severe weather front. Flying behind in excessive turbulence, many of the ftrs collide. 27 are lost. 27 others manage to find the B-29's and escort them over the tgt. 10 B-29's are lost. The B- 29's claim 16 ftrs destroyed.

6/1/45 Seventh AF In the Ryukyus 12 P-47's from Ie Shima fly strafing and rocket attacks against Kikaiga, Tokuno, and Amami Gunto.

6/1/45 Eleventh AF A 4-plane shipping strike is called off due to weather.

6/1/45 ZI AAF Center is established with jurisdiction over AAF School of Applied Tactics (formerly AAF Tac Center), Proving Ground Cmd, and AAF Board.

6/2/45 Fourteenth AF 2 B-25's blast fuel and ammo dumps NE of Nanyang. 20 FBs attack A/F at Tsinan, railroad yards and T/Os at Anyang and warehouse area at Paoching, knock out bridge S of Singtai, and hit trucks, tanks, and armd vehicles in Liuchow area.

6/2/45 FEAF B-25's, A-20's, and FBs continue to hit Cagayan valley in force, spt ground forces in Balete Pass and Ipo sectors, and attack areas E of Manila and N of Baguic. FBs hit areas near Mount Mandalagan on Negros and dug-in positions NW of Bogo. B-24's hit Pontianak A/F and Tarakan and Labuan Is while B-25's and ftrs attack Kudat, Sandakan, and Miri. B-24's bomb Hozan and hit warehouses and dock facilities at Kiirun.

6/2/45 Seventh AF 11 Guam-based B-24's attack A/F area on Moen. P-47's fly heckler strikes against Kyushu during 2/3 Jun.

6/3/45 Fourteenth AF 5 B-25's and 25 P-51's blast warehouse area and river traffic at Liuchow. 2 B-25's bomb Sinyang- Lohochai railroad. A single B-24, escorted by 2 P-51's, damages bridge N of Shihkiachwang. 4 P-51's damage bridge E of Kiehsiu and strafe train and lumber carts N of Linfen. Bad weather curtails other scheduled FB missions.

6/3/45 FEAF HBs and ftrs hit resistance areas on Negros. HBs attack Kota Waringin and Muara l, while HBs bomb Batavia. P-51's hit coastal cargo vessels over SE China coast.

6/3/45 Seventh AF P-47's on heckler patrol strafe T/Os an Amami-O-Shima.

6/3/45 Eleventh AF 1 B-24 flying a radarferret mission to Kataoka is followed by 8 others, radar-bombing and photographing scattered tgts in the naval base area. 7 B-25's take off for Kurils, 4 are turned back by weather.

The others low-level bomb Masugawa R Cannery.

6/4/45 Fourteenth AF 12 B-25's heavily damage railroad yards and warehouses at Sinsiang. 10 B-25's and 4 P-51's in repeat attack on the yards cause numerous fires. 2 B-25's and 3 P-51's hit road and railroad T/Os from Sinyang to Hsuchang. 17 ftrs bomb or strafe bridges, railroad traffic, and other T/Os around Chihsien, Linfen, Shihkiachwang, and Liuchow.

6/4/45 FEAF FBs attack T/Os in Cagayan Valley and A-20's and Fbs supporting ground forces strike defensive positions in Balete Pass, Aritao, Mount Imugan, Carulay, and Bambang. B-24's bomb Taihoku. B-24's bomb Balikpapan and Manggar and spt ground forces on Tarakan I. B-25's hit Manggar, Djembajan, and Kudat.

6/4/45 Seventh AF 8 P-51's from Iwo Jima bomb radio station on Chichi Jima and strafe town of Okimura during return flight. 13 Guam-based B-24's hit A/F and boat basin on Marcus. P-47's fly heckler strikes against Kyushu during 4/5 Jun.

6/4/45 Eleventh AF 8 B-25's abort a shipping strike at Kurabu Cape due to weather. 11 B-24's, however, get through and radar-bomb Kataoka naval base.

6/5/45 Fourteenth AF 32 B-25's and 8 P-51's bomb city of Nanyang, hit railroad yards at Anyang, damage bridge approach at Chuanhsien, and bomb ferries at Ninh Binh and Dap Cau. 40-plus ftrs bomb and strafe rail, river, and road traffic and general T/Os throughout S and E China.

6/5/45 FEAF B-25's, A-20's, and FBs hit Cagayan Valley tgts while other FBs spt ground actions in Cervantes, Balete Pass, and Ipo battle zones and hit forces E of Manila. B-24's bomb Melak, Asa, and Kuching A/Fs and Tarakan and Labuan Is, while B-25's and ftrs concentrate on Tuaran, Mensalung, and Kudat.

HBs pound Taito.

6/5/45 Twentieth AF 473 B-29's pound city of Kobe with incendiaries. 11 VHBs are lost. US gunners claim 86 ftrs downed.

The attack burns off over 4 sq mi and damage over half of the city.

6/5/45 Seventh AF P-47's from Ie Shima patrol over Amami Gunto. Lighthouse is strafed.

6/6/45 Ninth AF HQ Ninth AF moves from Chantilly to Bad Kissingen.

6/6/45 Fourteenth AF 11 B-25's and 9 P-51's bomb railroad yards N of Siaokan and damage bridges, strafe gun positions, and attack general T/Os around Saiping and Hwaynan. 30-plus ftrs bomb or strafe bridges near Chihsien and Fengstun and hit troops, railroad tgts, and T/Os around Linfen, Laohokow, Changsha, Peking, Kweilin, Dap Cau, and Thanh Hoa.

6/6/45 FEAF A-20's and FBs blast bridges in Cagayan Valley. Other Fbs pound Balete Pass area. B-24's, B-25's, and FBs hit Labuan supply areas, spt troops on Tarakan, and bomb Kota Waringin and Pontianak A/Fs, areas along Belait R, around Brunei, and strike Miri, Jesselton, Kudat, and Beaufort. Bad weather cancels all missions against Formosan tgts.

6/6/45 Seventh AF 12 Guam-based B-24's hit oil storage buildings on Eten. 36 Ie Shima-based P-47's, sweeping S part of Kyushu, hit numerous T/Os with rockets and machinegun fire, and claim 9 aircraft downed. In the Ryukyus, Ie Shima-based P-47's patrol over Amami Gunto, strafing lighthouse and buildings.

6/7/45 Twelfth AF Maj Gustav M Minton Jr, takes cmd of XXII TAC, which ceases to function. Maj Minton continues in the cmd until transfer to AAFSCMTO on 12 Aug.

6/7/45 Fourteenth AF 7 B-25's and 4 P-47's damage bridge near Anyang, bomb buildings N of Changsha and airstrip at Paoching, and hit T/Os during road and river sweep from Siangtan to Yoyang. 45 ftrs bomb or strafe numerous tgts including troops, river traffic, town areas, and supplies in S and E China and knock out bridges at Singtai ancl Chihsien.

6/7/45 FEAF A-20's and FBs hit personnel and def positions near Infanta, at Mount Mapatad, in Marikina area, and in other areas in Ipo sector. In the N FBs pound numerous Cagayan Valley tgts and spt ground forces N of Baguio and E of Manila. B-24's pound Brooketon and Muara. MBs and FBs hit Kudat, Ft Brook, Belait., Jesselton, and Keningau.

6/7/45 Twentieth AF 409 B-29's, escorted by VII FC P-51's, drop incendiary and high explosive bombs on Osaka, hitting EC section of the city which contains industrial and transportation tgts and the Osaka Army Arsenal (largest in Japan). Despite being forced to bomb by radar because of heavy undercast, the B-29's burn out over 2 sq mi of the city, destroying over 55,000 buildings. 26 other B-29's mine Shimonoseki Strait and waters around Fukuoka and Karatsu.

6/7/45 Seventh AF 24 B-24's from Angaur bomb boat repair basin on Aurapushekaru I. 20 P-47's from Ie Shima hit T/Os (radio station, warehouses, freighter, and motor launches) on Kyushu, and claim 5 aircraft downed.

6/8/45 Ninth AF XXIX TAC (having been activated as a prov cmd on 14 Sep 44) is activated by Ninth AF.

6/8/45 Fourteenth AF 15 P-51's and P-40's attack bridges near Hankow, N of Sinsiang, and SE of Tayung, knocking out the latter. 17 other ftrs bomb and strafe rivercraft, warehouses, trucks, A/F, town areas, and general T/Os around Hwangkang, Ichang, Hengyang, Laohokow, and Tehsien.

6/8/45 FEAF Bad weather cancels Formosa strikes and limits operations on Luzon to FB strikes against Cagayan Valley tgts. Labuan I A/F is bombed by B-24's, while other B-24's and B-25's and P-38's attack gun positions at Balikpapan.

6/8/45 VII FC Iwo Jima-based ftrs dispatched against Kagamigahara A/F and Meiji abort due to bad weather.

6/9/45 Fourteenth AF 3 B-25's and 60-plus P-47's, P-51's, and P-40's damage 4 bridges, hit river shipping, pound town areas and villages, and attack various T/Os around Hwayuan, Changte, Suchow, Sinyang, Hankow, Laohokow, Nanyang, Tatung, Tashihkiao, Pinyang, Luchai, Kiehsiu, Linfen, Tsinan, and Shihkiachwang.

6/9/45 FEAF Labuan I is bombed by B-24's. Other HBs drop napalm on Brooketon. FBs hit Cagayan Valley tgts and spt ground forces in Cervantes areas as ground forces penetrate last defensive position on Mindanao. Bad weather cancels operations N of the Phil Is.

6/9/45 Twentieth AF 110 B-29's attack aircraft factories at Nagoya, Akashi, and Narao. 26 others mine Shimonoseki Strait during 8/9 Jun.

6/9/45 Seventh AF 20 P-47's from Ie Shima strafe various T/Os on Kyushu.

6/9/45 VII FC 57 ftrs from Iwo Jima pound Kagamigahara A/F and surrounding area. 20-plus parked airplanes are claimed destroyed damaged.

6/9/45 Eleventh AF In coordination with Navy surface and air forces attacking in the Kurils, 6 B-24's and 8 B-25's fly extensive armed weather rcn and anti-shipping sweeps over Kurabu and Otomari Capes, Ichinowatashi, and Asahigawa. The B-24's score no results, half of them jettisoning their bombs. The B-25's then fly a diversionary bombing mission over Araido where they are attacked by 8 ftrs. To evade them, the B-25's fly over Kamchatka where Soviet AA fire shoots down one, killing its crew.

Another damaged B-25 crashlands in Petropavlovsk. This is the first time Soviet AA hits a US aircraft.

6/10/45 Fourteenth AF 14 P-51's damage bridge near Singtai and attack barracks, rivercraft, fuel dumps, trucks and other T/Os around Taohsien, Lingling, Liuchow, and Kaifeng.

6/10/45 FEAF FBs again pound Cagayan Valley area and spt ground forces E of Manila. HBs bomb Labuan I and Brooketon in coordination with landings of Australian 9th Div on shore of Brunei Bay and on islands of Labuan and Muara.

6/10/45 Twentieth AF 280 B-29's, some escorted by P-51's of VII FC, bomb aircraft plants at Tominka. Chiba and Ogikubo, seaplane base at Kasumigaura, Tachikawa Army Air Arsenal, and engineering works at Hitachi. The ftrs claim 26 ftrs downed.

6/10/45 Seventh AF 39 Ie Shima-based P-47's sweeping Kyushu, strafe numerous ground T/Os, and claim 17 aircraft shot down.

6/10/45 Eleventh AF 2 B-24's fly with Navy aircraft on shipping attack and hit a small cargo vessel.

6/11/45 Fourteenth AF 4 B-25's, with ftr escort, bomb railroad yards at Kuanshuishih. 29 ftrs attack bridges, rail and road traffic, rivercraft, and T/Os in general around Fenglochen, Liuchow, Samshui, Luchai, Lipu, Leiyang, and Kweilin.

6/11/45 FEAF B-25's, A-20's and FBs hit Cagayan Valley tgts and pound forces E of Manila in Ipo-Infanta areas and various tgts N of Baguio. Ground spt strikes are flown in Marikina R sector. B-24's spt ground forces on Tarakan I and bomb Kota Baru, Laoet I, and Tawau. P-38's hit Beaufort while B-25's spt ground forces in Brunei Bay sector.

6/11/45 Twentieth AF Combat crews of 509th Comp Gp begin to arrive at North Field, Tinian, w ith their B-29's. 26 B-29's mine Shimonoseki Strait and Tsuruga Bay.

6/11/45 VII FC Iwo Jima-based ftts hit Tokorozawa. Pilots attacking the A/F claim 18 parked airplanes destroyed and over 30 damaged.

6/11/45 Eleventh AF 8 B-24's on shipping sweep over the Kurils do not find tgts because of overcast and instead radarbomb installations on Kurabu Cape and in Kataoka areas.

6/12/45 Fourteenth AF 2 B-25's knock out bridge S of Yutze while 4 escorting P-47's hit nearby AA positions and afterwards pound railroad tgts at Linfen. 9 P-51's and 2 P-51's damage bridge N of Hengyang, hit storage area at Yunganshih, and attack railroad tgts, troops, horses, AA positions, and road traffic in Neikiuhsien and Hengyang.

6/12/45 FEAF B-24's inflict heavy destruction on navy yard and dock area at Hong Kong and railroad yards at Saigon. 2 B-32's bomb airstrip on Batan I. Numerous FBs and B-25's hit Cagayan Valley tgts while other FBs spt ground forces N of Baguio and Balete Pass and E of Manila, and yet others concentrate on Tarakan I, Brunei Bay area, and coastal routes in N Borneo.

6/12/45 Seventh AF 12 Guam-based B-24's pound A/F on Marcus.

6/12/45 Eleventh AF 4 B-25's strafe shipping off Paramushiru, near Arahata Cape, damaging 4 freighters and 2 barges.

One of the B-25's is shot down.

6/13/45 Fourteenth AF 11 B-25's and 7 P-51's considerably damage Kaifeng railroad yards and strafe comm center S of Puchou. 8 P-51's damage 2 bridges at Fenglochen and Shihkiachwang and hit railroad T/Os around Fenglochen and Suchow.

6/13/45 FEAF Bad weather hinders B-24's over Formosa. A few hit Toshien, the primary tgt. Others hit alternates including Toko, Koshun, Kontei, Garan-bi Point, Taito, Mako naval base and other Formosan tgts. 2 B- 32's bomb Koshun A/F. A-20's and FBs attack Cervantes area, Marikina area, tgts in Cagayan Valley, and islands N of Luzon. B-24's bomb Balikpapan-Sepinggang area. B-25's and FBs spt ground forces in Brunei Bay area and, sweeping N Borneo from Kudat to Miri, hit numerous T/Os.

6/13/45 Twentieth AF 29 B-29's drop mines in Shimonoseki Strait and in waters at Niigata, during 13/14 Jun.

6/13/45 Seventh AF 13 B-24's from Guam bomb A/F on Moen. Over 40 P-47's from Ie Shima strafe and fire rockets at vessels, buildings, radio station, barracks, and A/Fs at Amakusa Jima, Amami-O-Shima, and Tokuno.

6/14/45 JCS Gens MacArthur and Arnold and Adm Nimitz are directed to prepare for immediate occupation of Japan in the event the enemy suddenly collapses or surrenders.

6/14/45 Fourteenth AF 42 P-51's attack bridges, shipping, AA positions, railroad tgts, trucks, and comm around Hengyang, Hankow, Yoyang, Lingling, Anyang, Szeshui, Hohsien, Shihkiachwang, Neikiuhsien and Puchou.

6/14/45 FEAF B-25's, A-20's, and FBs pound areas around Cagayan Valley, Cervantes and N of Baguio and E of Manila. B-24's bomb warehouses at Parepare and personnel area at Sidate. B-24's bomb Balikpapan AA positions.

6/15/45 Fourteenth AF 3 B-25's and 47 P-51's and P-47's knock out bridge W of Shihkiachwang, damage and attack others, and hit trucks, barracks, rivercraft, storage facilities, gun positions, railroad tgts, and T/Os. Tgts are in Pinghan RR, Kukong, Lingling, Chenhsien, Kuotaichiao, Pakonghow, Kweilin, Anyang, Shihkiachwang, Loyang, Liuchow, and Paoching areas.

6/15/45 FEAF B-24's bomb Taichu A/F. B-25's hit town of Rokko and A/F at Okaseki. On Luzon numerous B-25's, A- 20's, and FBs pound various objectives, concentrating on Cagayan Valley, Cervantes area, and Antipolo-Ipo sector. B-24's blast gun positions at Ralikpapan and B-25's and P-38's hit areas between Bruneind Kudat.

6/15/45 Twentieth AF 44 B-29's fly incendiary mission against OsakaAmagasaki urban area, ending a month of concentrated fire raids against large Japanese cities. 30 other B-29's mine Shimonoseki Strait and waters around Fukuoka, Karatsu, and Fushiki. VII FC escort for Osaka r aid aborts due to bad weather.

6/16/45 Fourteenth AF 2 B-25's hit supply movements on Paoching-Hengyang road. 41 P-51's attack bridges, shipping, road transport, power facilities, and railroad traffic, knocking out bridges near Siangtan, Changsha, and Suchow. Rail, road and river traffic is attacked near Yoyang, Hengyang, Kuanyang, Shou-yang, Peking, and Linfen. Power plant at Uong Bi is heavily damaged. " 6/16/45 FEAF B-25's, A-20's, and FBs hit personnel and supply tgts in Cagayan Valley and E of Manila, and spt ground forces in Cervantes sector. B-24's bomb Balikpapan gun emplacements, Tawau, and Samarinda, while B-25's hit Brunei Bay area and FBs attack Miri, Jesselton, Keningau A/Fs and N Borneo T/Os. 90plus B-24's pound Kiirun harbor and town of Takao. 3 B-32's bomb Taito.

6/16/45 Seventh AF P-61's arrive on Ie Shima and take over night heckler missions against Kyushu from the P-47's. Other P-61's fly night intruder missions over Amami Gunto, bombing various T/Os. 38 P-47's from Ie Shima dive-bomb boats, AA positions, runways, and buildings on Kikai I.

6/16/45 Eleventh AF 4 B-24's bomb and strafe shipping off Suribachi Bay and a radar site on Minami Cape. One of the B- 24's crashes into the water. 4 B-25's on a shipping strike score near misses on a freighter in Asahi Bay and bomb tgts along the Torishima Chain. Mechanical failures force 2 of the B-25's to fly to Petropavlovsk.

6/17/45 AAF Gen Arnold requests of Gen Wedemeyer that Gen Stratemeyer replace Gen Chennault as head of AFs in China. " 6/17/45 Fourteenth AF 2 B-25's bomb road and rail supply movements in Paoching and Hengyang areas. 2 B-25's and 4 P- 47's severely damage bridge at Linmingkuan. 54 P-51's, P-47's, and P-61's hit road transport, railroad, river traffic, gun positions, bridges, and T/Os around Kukong, Hankow, Lingkuantien, Changsha, Yoyang, Loyunghsien, Luchai, Hwangshapu, Kiyang, Kweilin, Kaifeng, and Shihkiachwang. 4 P-47's blast comm center at Puchou.

6/17/45 FEAF B-25's, A-20's, and FBs pound Cagayan Valley tgts and numerous other objectives throughout N Luzon. Many of the strikes spt US Sixth Army forces. B-24's pound Balikpapan area oil tgts and gun positions. B-25's and P-38's hit Limbang town and sweep from Beaufort to Jesselton, hitting Beaufort buildings, several comm tgts at various points, and personnel areas at Labuan I. B-24's bomb industrial and railroad tgts at Kiirun. P-38's pound railroad bridge and trucks at Soton.

6/17/45 Twentieth AF 450-plus B-29's bomb urban areas of Kagoshima, Omuta, Hamamatsu, and Yokkaichi, with incendiaries, while 25 others mine Shimonoseki Strait and waters around Kobe all during 17/18 Jun.

6/17/45 Seventh AF 33 P -47's from Ie Shima bomb and strafe shipping, A/F, villages, bridge and radar and radio facilities on Amami Gunto and Tokuno. During 17/18 Jun 2 P-61's from Ie Shima fly unsuccessful (due to weather) intruder strike over Amami Gunto and Kyushu. This begins a campaign of night and day intruder missions over Kyushu I and the Ryukyu Is by the night ftrs (12 more are flown during Jun).

6/17/45 Eleventh AF 4 B-25's bomb shipping near Kataoka. One ship is observed exploding, another burns after a strafing run. 4 other B-25's fly a shipping sweep from Shimushu to Kurabu Cape. A number of vessels are sighted but cannot be attacked because of land-based AA.

6/18/45 Fourteenth AF 70-plus P-51's, P-61's, and P-47's continue to disrupt Japanese withdrawal from S and E China, attacking bridges, villages and town areas, barracks, troop concentrations, motor transport., shipping and rail traffic, and T/Os throughout wide areas.

6/18/45 FEAF Supporting US Sixth Army forces on Luzon, B-25's, A-20's, and FBs continue to attack tgts in Cagayan Valley, Balete Pass area, Cervantes area, and other locations. B-24's blast troop concentrations in Balikpapan and S of Miri, Manggar A/F and Sepinggang defenses. B-25's spt ground forces on Labuan I. B-24's destroy a block of buildings and several warehouses and small vessels in Kiirun harbor area. P-51's hit Taien and Toyohara A/Fs and T/Os while P-38's start numerous fires in town of Kari.

6/18/45 Eleventh AF 6 B-24's join Navy aircraft in attacking Kataoka and Tomari Cape. Cloud cover prevents observation of effects. 1 B-24 flies radar-ferret mission over the Kurils.

6/19/45 Fourteenth AF 5 B-25's and 4 P-47's knock out bridge on Pinghan railroad while 4 P-51's knock out another NE of Kihsien on Tungpu railroad. 70-plus other P-51's damage several bridges, hit rail, road and river traffic, supplies, troops, and general T/Os throughout S and E China.

6/19/45 FEAF A-20's and FBs continue to pound Luzon, chiefly around Cagayan Valley, SE of Aparri, and around Cervantes. Heavy strikes in C Cagayan area are in spt of guerilla offensive. B-24's bomb fortifications and AA guns at Balikpapan while B-25's hit N Borneo tgts including Keningau A/F and tgts N and NW of Kudat. Other B-24's bomb docks, warehouses, and railroad yards at Kiirun. B-25's pound Shoka railroad yards and P-51's attack AA positions between Rokko and Toyohara. 2 bridges in Shoka area are destroyed or badly damaged.

6/19/45 Twentieth AF About 480 B-29's fly incendiary bombing raids on Toyohashi, Fuknoka, and Shizuoka during 19/20 Jun, while 28 others mine Shimonoseki Strait and waters at Niigata, Miyazu, and Maizuru.

6/19/45 Seventh AF 22 Guam-based B-24's bomb A/F on Marcus. 47 Ie Shima-based P-47's bomb A/F on Tokuno while 16 others patrol uneventfully over Amami-O-Shima.

6/19/45 VII FC Ftrs dispatched from Iwo Jima against Kagamigahara A/F and Meiji abort because of bad weather.

6/19/45 Eleventh AF In a coordinated shipping search, a B-24 flies theater's longest mission, a 2,700-mi roundtrip lasting 15 1. 2 hrs and flying as far as Uruppu I. Turning N the B-24 bombs a small convoy 25 mi SW of Shimushu Bay, sinks vessel, heavily damages another, and sets 2 more afire. Another B-24 bombs and photographs Matsuwa I. 4 B-25's break off a shipping sweep due to presence of ftrs.

6/20/45 Fourteenth AF 8 B-25's and 6 P-51's knock out 2 bridges near Quang Tri and My Chanh and blast surrounding AA positions. 8 FBs sink at least 3 river steamers in canal at Haiphong. 37 P-51's hit rail, road, and river traffic, bridges, and general T/Os around Liuchow, Kweilin, Juchai, Hankow, Siangtan, Changsha.

Hengshan, Sintsiang, Kweiyi, Kueiyangshih, and Ft Bayard. Bridge at Hankow is destroyed and several others damaged.

6/20/45 FEAF A-20's and FBs blast resistance on Luzon and directly spt guerilla offensive in C Cayagan Valley. HBs again pound AA positions in Balikpapan area. B-24's bomb Shinchiku A/F.

6/20/45 Seventh AF From Ie Shima 14 P-47's bomb and strafe vessels, buildings, lighthouse, and village on Amami Gunto A/F on Tokuno I. 38 others bomb A/F at Omura and hit Tokuno I on return trip.

6/21/45 Eighth AF Gen Larson relieves Gen Kepner as CG, Eighth AF.

6/21/45 Fourteenth AF 16 B-25's bomb enemy fort at Bac Ninh, hit railroad yards and trains at Thanh Hoa, Phu Dien, Yen Li Station, Ha Trung, and Ninh Binh, damage tunnel at La Son, bomb barge concentration at; Ha Dong, and attack a train near Duc Tho bridge. 40-plus P-51's and P-38's hit road, rail, and river transport, coastal shipping, troops, supply lines, and T/Os in Indochina and S and E China.

6/21/45 FEAF FBs attack positions and supply areas in the Cagayan Valley, other locations in N Luzon and in the Marikina and Infanta areas in C Luzon. B-24's pound Balikpapan town area, Manggar A/F, Sepinggang defenses, and Oelin A/F. B-25's bomb town on Keningau while P-38's blast the nearby A/F. The FBs attack Kudat and caves near Jesselton. P-38's hit tgts at Mato and Kagi and T/Os along W coast.

6/21/45 Twentieth AF 25 B-29's mine the sea approaches around Fushiki, Senzaki, Nanao, and Yuya Bay during 21/22 Jun.

6/21/45 Seventh AF 24 B-24's from Guam bomb f uel oil storage and power plant buildings on Eten I.

6/22/45 Fourteenth AF 23 B-25's and 4 P-47's pound trucks, trains, and gun positions in Hanoi area, bomb railroad yards and barracks area at Sinsiang, hit rail and road tgts, buildings, and radar station in Showyang area, knock out bridge S of Saiping, and damage bridge N of Hsuchang. 40-plus ftrs hit rail, road, and river traffic, arty emplacements, line positions, and other tgts in Indochina and S and E China.

6/22/45 FEAF FBs supporting ground action continue to hit concentrations and positions in Cagayan Valley. B-24's pound Balikpapan area gun and def positions while B-25's hit nearby warehouses and numerous other buildings. P-38's dive-bomb and score direct hits on pillboxes. B-24's hit Toshien oil facilities and P-38's attack Mato. 2 B-32's blast gun positions and barracks at Heito. US ground forces complete capture of Okinawa.

6/22/45 Twentieth AF About 130 B-29's bomb aircraft plants at Himeji, Kagamigahara, Akashi, and Tamashima. 162 others pound naval arsenal at Kure.

6/22/45 Seventh AF Over 40 P-47's from le Shima fly combat patrols over Amami Gunto, claiming 11 aircraft downed.

6/22/45 Eleventh AF Gen Brooks becomes CG, Eleventh AF.

6/23/45 Fourteenth AF 4 B-25's knock out E approach to Phu Lang Thuong bridge. 12 P-51's strafe A/Fs in Canton area. 4 P- 38's bomb locomotives and barracks area at Les Pins and Lang Son. 17 other ftrs strafe railroad tgts and river traffic around Wuchou, Siaokan, Peking, Hanoi, and Vinh.

6/23/45 FEAF 150-plus B-24's, B-25's, and FBs continue heavy strikes against Balikpapan area concentrating on gun emplacements and def positions. A-20's and FBs pound troop concentrations and occupied areas in Cagayan Valley. FBs attack pockets of resistance at Infanta and Antipolo areas. B-24's bomb butanol plant at Kobi.

6/23/45 Twentieth AF During 23/24 Jun, 26 B-29's mine harbors of Fukuoka, Karatsu, Sakai, and Niigata.

6/23/45 Seventh AF Gen White becomes CG, Seventh AF. 38 P-47's from Ie Shima bomb A/Fs at Hakata and Itazuke and, during return flight, attack 2 boats off Amami Gunto. 40 other P-47's bomb Saitozaki A/F.

6/23/45 VII FC Ftrs from Iwo Jima fly 99 effective sorties against A/Fs on Kagamigahara and Hyakuri. 19 aircraft are claimed downed and 21 destroyed on the ground. " 6/23/45 Eleventh AF 2 B-24's on shipping sweep between Matsuwa and Paramushiru sink 1 freighter, damage 2 more, and hit a whale boat. 1 ftr is claimed destroyed. 6 more B-24's bomb Kataoka.

6/24/45 Fourteenth AF 13 B-25's and 12 FBs knock out bridges at Lohochai and S of Chenghsien and hit surrounding AA positions, attack animal-drawn transport at Hsiangcheng, attack railroad T/Os in Shihkiachwang area, and hit railroad yards at Siaokan. 40-plus FBs continue harassing enemy withdrawals in S and E China where numerous comm tgts, gun positions, bridges, and rail, road, and river traffic are attacked.

6/24/45 FEAF Fifth AF A-20's and FBs spt US Sixth Army and Filipino troops in Kiangan sector and N and NE of Tuguegarao, blast numerous tgts throughout Cagayan Valley, Cervantes area concentrations, and Infanta-Antipolo resistance pockets. B-24's bomb Balikpapan town and coastal guns. FBs pound coastal guns while B-25's bomb warehouses and nearby Manggar A/F.

6/24/45 Seventh AF At dawn 1 B-24 from Guam bombs buildings on Marcus. During the afternoon 18 more bomb the A/F.

36 P-47's from Ie Shima attack boats and village in Sakishima Archipelago, wharf at Kuro I, Ishigaki I, and buildings, villages, T/Os and several points in the Ryukyus.

6/24/45 Eleventh AF 2 B-24's on shipping sweep instead radar-bomb Kurabu Cape, because of overcast and turbulence.

Another planned shipping strike by 6 B-25's is also cancelled due to weather.

6/25/45 Fourteenth AF 18 B-25's and 14 P-51's and P-47's knock out bridges N of Shihkiachwang and N of Saiping, bomb power plant, barracks, and warehouse at Sinsiang, bomb Nanyo-Hengyang road, and hit railroad yard at Siaokan. 80-plus FBs attack bridges, gun positions, river, road, and rail traffic, and generally harass Japanese movements throughout S and E China, particularly around Hengyang, Yoyang, Liuchow, Changsha, Lipu, and Luchai. " 6/25/45 FEAF Oil facilities, shore defenses and nearby Manggar A/F on Balikpapan area are well covered by HBs, MBs, and FBs. B-24's bomb Mandai A/F. On Luzon MBs and Fbs hit tgts (mostly troop concentrations and resistance pockets) in Cagayan Valley, in Cervantes area, and in Infanta sector. " 6/25/45 Twentieth AF During 25/26 Jun 26 B-29's plant mines in Shimonoseki Strait and at Maizuru and off Obama I.

6/25/45 Eleventh AF At dawn 3 B-24's from Guam attack heavy AA positions on W coast of Marcus.

6/26/45 Fourteenth AF 21 P-51's bomb or strafe road, river, and rail traffic, motor pools, gun positions, and buildings around Yoyang, Hengyang, Chenghsien, Linfen, and Tsinan, and knock out bridge SW of Yutze.

6/26/45 FEAF FBs hit tgts in Infanta area and troop concentrations in Cagayan Valley and Kiangan area. Ground spt strikes are flown in Cervantes area and E of Manila. Strikes against Balikpapan area continue by B- 24's and B-25's hitting oil tgts and nearby A/F at Manggar. B-24's bomb Trombol airstrip. Other B-24's bomb A/F at Limboeng. P-61's during 25/26 Jun set fires at Ensuiko sugar refinery while B-24's hit sugar refinery at Tanshi during the day.

6/26/45 Twentieth AF 450-plus B-29's, escorted by VII FC P-51's, attack aircraf t plants at Kagamigahara, Nagoya, and Akashi, light metals industries and arsenals at Osaka and Nagoya, oil refinery at Yokkaichi (bombed by 315th Bomb Wg on its first raid on Japan from Guam), other factories at Nagoya, and several alternate tgts and T/Os, including city of Tsu. B-29's claim more than 20 ftrs downed. " 6/26/45 Seventh AF 1 Guam-based B-24 attacks heavy AA positions on W side of Marcus at dawn.

6/27/45 FEAF During 26/27 Jun HBs over Soerabaja Strait area bomb Tandjoeng-perak A/F. For the fifteenth consecutive day, B-24's pound Balikpapan destroying oil facilities and shore defenses. B-25's hit warehouses, other buildings, and general waterfront area. Other B-24's bomb Mandai and Limboeng A/Fs. FBs hit Kiangan area, troop concentration NW of Bolog, Pagong area, and Bontoc-Sabangan area, provide ground spt near Montalban, and hit tgts in Infanta sector.

6/27/45 Twentieth AF During 27/28 Jun, 29 B-29's mine harbors of Hagi, Kobe, and Niigata.

6/27/45 Seventh AF In early morning raid from Guam, 3 B-24's bomb underground storage area and fortifications on Marcus. At midday 18 B24's pound A/F on Moen. 20 P-47's from Ie Shima hit shipping and village at Kikai I. AA from vessels downs 2 P-47's. 1 vessel is left aflame. 12 other P-47's hit shipping off Kakeroma I, while 20 more attack vessels and T/Os throughout Sakishima Archipelago. During 27/28 Jun, 5 P-61's fly intruder attacks, hitting vessels off Amami Gunto and Wan A/F.

6/27/45 VII FC Ftr strikes, from Iwo Jima, against Kasumigaura, Imba, and Tsukuba are aborted because of weather.

" 6/28/45 Fourteenth AF 7 B-25's and 4 P-51's bomb town of Changsha, troop concentration and supply area, and blast truck convoys and ammo trains in Yovang area. 28 P-51's hit comm center S of Puchou, knock out bridges near Kiehsiu and Neikiuhsien, bomb gun emplacements and defensive positions SE of Hsihsiakou, and attack railroad traffic and damage a road bridge in Suchow and Yoyang areas.

6/28/45 FEAF B-24's pound installations in Manggar area while B-24's, B-25's, and P-38's hit defenses near Balikpapan. The P-38's also skipbomb oil storage. Other HBs hit runways at Tabanio and Oelin. B-24's bomb A/Fs at Limboeng and Langoan. FBs hit troop concentrations in Kiangan area while supporting ground forces and attack Japanese concentrations and positions between Ipo and Infanta. B-24's strike Keishu butanol plant.

6/28/45 Twentieth AF During 28/29 Jun, 487 B-29's carry out fire-bomb attacks on Okayama, Sasebo, Moji, and Nobeoka.

6/28/45 Seventh AF 3 B-24's from Guam bomb fuel storage on Marcus. 39 P-47's from Ie Shima attack shipping at Koniya with rocket and bombing and hit Tokuno I with rockets and machinegun fire. 26 more hit T/Os in Sakishima Archipelago including vessels, docks, A /F, floatplane, and village.

6/29/45 Fourteenth AF 15 B-25's and 4 P-47's knock out bridge at Chungmow and damage another. 18 P-51's attack troop concentrations, gun em placements, villages, bridges, and T/Os around Hsihsiakou, Yutze, Anyang, Puchou, and Szeshui and knock out bridge at Szeshui.

6/29/45 FEAF Continuing oflfensive against Balikpapan, B-24's, B-25's, and FBs bomb def positions and oil installations.

Other B-24's bomb Ft Brook and Oelin A/Fs. FBs spt ground forces in Kiangan area and in Cervantes sector. Other B-24's bomb oil refinery at Shinchiku.

6/29/45 Twentieth AF During 29/30 Jun, 32 B-29's bomb Nippon Oil Company at Kudamatsu while 25 others mine W Shimonoseki Strait and waters around Maizuru and Sakata.

6/29/45 Seventh AF 34 P-47's from Ie Shima hit A/Fs at Kanoya and Kushira on Kyushu with rockets and machinegun fire, and attack shipping while returning, claiming 7 small vessels sunk.

6/30/45 Twelfth AF Organization charts show a further net loss during Jun. 16 units have been transferred to other HQ within the theater, 1 sent directly to the Pacific, another redeployed to US, 3 disbanded, 9 prov units discontinued, and 5 attached units relieved (plus a Brazilian unit attached for operations being released). Only 2 units are added to the Twelfth.

6/30/45 AAF, China Theater HQ AAF, China Theater is established by a GO from HQ, US Forces, China Theater. Gen Stratemeyer is appointed CG. Subordinate elements are Tenth and Fourteenth AFs, China ASC, and a photo 8p.

6/30/45 Fourteenth AF 2 B-25's attack bridge at Lohochai, causing little damage. 4 FBs pound hill positions and hit arty emplacement SW of Hsihsiakou. 3 others bomb and strafe enemy-held temple and a troop area at Likuanchiao.

6/30/45 FEAF FBs spt ground forces in Cervantes sector, N of Baguio and pound gun positions and other tgts in Kiangan area as Luzon campaign officially ends at midnight. B-24's again pound Balikpapan. B-25's pound tgts in NE Borneo and cause considerable damage at Tawau and Tandjoengredeb.

6/30/45 Twentieth AF 509th Comp Gp, scheduled to deliver first atomic bomb attack on Japan, begins combat flight training from Tinian. For most crews, this involves 5 or 6 practice missions such as a navigation trg flight to Iwo Jima, bombing Rota during the return flight; 2 or more short bombing missions against Rota or Guguan I; and 1 long bombing mission against Truk; and 1 against Marcus all run in flights of from 2 to 9 VHBs.

6/30/45 Seventh AF 2 Guam-based B-24's attack boat basin on Marcus.

7/1/45 Fourteenth AF A few B-25's bomb bridge and ferry terminal at Chungmow and near Kaifeng. 4 escorting P-47's strafe Kaifeng A/F and locomotives in the area. 4 other P-47's bomb railroad yards at Yuhsiang. 4 P-51's knock out bridge E of Kiehsiu. On this date Chinese forces capture Liuchow. " 7/1/45 FEAF B-24's pound defenses at Balikpapan as Australian forces make amphibious landings. B-24's, B-25's, and P-38's hit A/Fs at Oelin, Tabanio, and Trombol, and bomb Tawau area. B-24's hit Limboeng and Mandai airstrips. FBs hit troops and gun positions in Kayan-Tadian area.

7/1/45 Twentieth AF 530-plus B-29's carry out incendiary attacks on Ube, Kure, Shimonoseki, and Kumamoto. During 12 Jul, 24 other B-29's mine Shimonoseki Strait and waters at Nanao and Fushiki.

7/1/45 Seventh AF 2 B-24's from Guam bomb building concentration on Marcus. 33 B-25's, operating in two flights from Okinawa, bomb Chiran A/F on Kyushu. 2 others hit Yaku I.

7/1/45 VII FC 84 Iwo Jima-based ftrs hit tgts at Kasumigaura, Itami. Hamamatsu, and Nagano.

7/1/45 ZI HQ, Weather Wg is redesignated HQ, AAF Weather Serv.

7/2/45 Fourteenth AF 28 P-51's hit rail, river, and road traffic, bridge, and buildings around Hengyang, Hankow, and Yoyang, attack bivouac area and HQ E of Changsha, bomb troop concentration and buildings at Yangan. The FBs pound HQ, buildings, fortified compound, barracks, general T/Os around Tartin, and troop concentration near Sichuan.

7/2/45 FEAF B-24's bomb defenses in Halikpapan area and P-38's spt Australian forces as they complete capture of Balikpapan and its oil installations. B-25's hit Bintula personnel area. FBs hit resistance pockets near Kiangan and supply areas in the Cervantes sector. B-24's pound Toyohara A/F.

7/2/45 Twentieth AF During 2 3 Jul, 39 B-29's bomb oil refinery at Minoshima.

7/2/45 Seventh AF 3 B-24's from Guam attack radar installation on Marcus.

7/3/45 Fourteenth AF 3 B-25's knock out bridge near Suicheng while 2 P-47 escorts hit nearby AA positions. 70-plus P-51's and P-47's continue to disrupt Japanese withdrawal, attacking transport, supply, and comm tgts, troops, bridges and Japanese-held points. The tgts are near Hengyang, Paoching, Kueiyangshih, Changsha, Kweilin, Lingling, Kukong, Hankow, Siangtan, Isuho, Chiuchiang, Fahsien, Tanchuk, Lohochai, and Luichow Peninsula. The Fbs also hit shipping, cement plant, A/F, and barracks area near Haiphong.

7/3/45 FEAF Fifth AF ftrs fly their first mission over Japan, P-51's destroying floatplanes in Fukuoka harbor area.

FBs hit resistance areas in Mankayan and Kiangan sectors. B-24's bomb runways at Mandai and Limboeng A/Fs. B-24's pound Batu Kawa airstrip SE of Kuching and def positions near Balikpapan in spt of Australian drive inland.

7/3/45 Twentieth AF Air echelon of XX BC, including Gen Joseph Smith, CG, sails for Okinawa. The rest of the cmd sails in 2 lots, on 12 Jul and 4 Aug, leaving only a few small dets in India-Burma. (58th Bomb Wg earlier sailed to the Marianas. See 27 Feb). 560-plus B-29's drop incendiaries on Kochi, Himeji, Takamatsu, and Tokushima, during 3/4 Jul. 26 others mine Shimonoseki St;rait and waters at Funakawa and Maizuru during the predawn hrs of the 4th.

7/3/45 Seventh AF 2 B-24's from Guam attack water storage buildings on Marcus. 36 B-25's from Okinawa, attacking in two flights, hit Chiran A/F.

7/4/45 AAF, China Theater A group of officers arrives at Chungking to organize HQ, AAF China Theater. " 7/4/45 Fourteenth AF 30 P-51's and P-38's over Indochina and S and E China attack docks and shipping at Haiphong, Red R shipping between Hanoi and Hung Yen, small craft betueen Mon Cay and Pakhoi, between Elongay and Pai-lung Wei Cape, and between Pai-lung Wei Cape and Umpo. The FBs also hit road traffic on Luichow Peninsula and sampans E of Tanchuk.

7/4/45 FEAF P-51's fly massive sweep along W coast of Kyushu. FBs spt ground forces in Cagayan Valley. Others attack Batan I. B-24's again pound defenses near Balikpapan. B-26's bomb Sibuti. Other B-24's pound Donggala seaplane base and runways at Boeloedowang and Limboeng A/Fs.

7/4/45 Seventh AF 3 B-24's from Guam attack AA installations on SW corner of Marcus.

7/4/45 VII FC Iwo Jima-based ftrs fly 161 effective strike sorties against Yokosuka naval base, Imba, Tsukuba, and Kasumigaura.

7/4/45 Eleventh AF 8 B-24's radar-bomb ltataoka naval base.

7/5/45 Ninth AF Col Roger J Rrowne takes cmd of XIX TAC.

7/5/45 Fourteenth AF 8 B-25's sink several sampans and junks at Haiphong and damage several larger vessels. 2 B-25's and 2 P-47's knock out bridge S of Chumatien. 37 P-51's over Indochina and S and E China blast shipping in Hongay and Haiphong area, pound docks and small vessels at Chikhom, knock out bridge at Chumatien, blast barracks area at Anyang, and hit river and rail traffic around Tanchuk and Chenghsien.

7/5/45 FEAF B-24's bomb Toshien, Takao, Toyohara and nearby Kamioka supply area, and Taihoku A/F. FBs fly nearly 100 sorties in spt of ground forces in Kiangan area. B-24's bomb Manggar and Riko. Australian troops cross Balikpapan Bay and land on W shore. P-51's sweeping Kyushu strafe T/Os and down several aircraft.

7/5/45 Seventh AF 46 B-24's and 24 B-25's all from Okinawa bomb Omura A/F and 2 towns in the Omura-Nagasaki area.

7/5/45 VII FC 100-plus ftrs, based on Iwo Jima, strike Ibaraki, Yatabe, Yawatasaki Cape, and Maruta.

7/6/45 AAF, China Theater Gen Stratemeyer officially assumes cmd as CG AAF China Theater. He arrives in Chinia several days later.

7/6/45 Fourteenth AF 98 P-51's and P-38's over Indochina and S and E China continue to disrupt Japanese retreat and hit transport and supply tgts. Rail, road, and river traffic, coastal shipping, bridges, troops, Japanese-held areas, and general T/Os are blasted at many locations chiefly around Kweilin, Kukong, Yangso, Haiphong, and Hanoi. On this date Gen Chennault, CG Fourteenth AF, requests permission to retire, which is soon granted.

7/6/45 FEAF FBs continue to spt ground forces N of Kiangan and bomb town of Mankayan. B-24's bomb Heito, F,yutan, and Taien A/Fs and A-26's pound Taito railroad yards. B-24's over Borneo bomb Bandjermasin warehouses, Tandjoengredeb buildings, Samarinda shipyards, and Balikpapan and Manggar areas. P-51's hit transportation tgts in Kagoshima Bay area.

7/6/45 Twentieth AF Taking off during late evening hours of 6 Jul, 517 B-29's drop incendiaries on Chiba, Akashi, Shimizu, and Kofu between 0700-0800 on 7 Jul. 59 others bomb Maruzen Oil Refinery at Osaka during the same hr.

7/6/45 VII FC Ftrs f rom Iwo Jima hit tgts (mainly A/Fs) in Japan, including Kumagaya, Yamagata, and Chiba.

7/7/45 Fourteenth AF 80-plus P-51's and P-38's over Indochina and S and E China continue to disrupt Japanese withdrawal, pounding numerous comm and transport tgts and general T/Os particularly in the Yangso, Kweilin, `and Fenstun areas.

7/7/45 FEAF B-25's and FBs strike at remnants of Japanese army in the Laguna de Bay and Marikina areas. FBs also hit areas of resistance near Kiangan, Penahlanca, and Mankayan. B-24's, B-25's, and P-38's spt Australian ground forces in area near Balikpapan. B-24's bomb Matsuyama and Taihoku A/Fs in force.

7/7/45 VII FC 100-plus ftrs dispatched from Iwo Jima to hit tgts in Japan abort because of bad weather.

7/8/45 Fourteenth AF 6 B-25's and 4 P-47's severely damage bridge N of Sinsiang and hit nearby trains. 60-plus P-38's, P- 47's, and P-51's pound river shipping, rail traffic, supplies, and troops at Haiphong, Do Son, Tourane and at numerous locations in S and E China.

7/8/45 FEAF P-38's and P-51's supporting ground operations hit supply and personnel areas near Kiangan and Penablanca. B-24's bomb Shinchiku A/F, B-25's start fires at Getsubi alcohol plant and on Koto I, and P-38's attack oil production area at Gyuni Kuki. B-24's and B-25's, supporting Australian forces, hit Balikpapan area def positions, Samarinda shipyards, various tgts along Samarinda road, and ware - houses at Tandjung. B-24's (including some of RAAF) bomb Donggala warehouses.

7/8/45 VII FC 100-plus ftrs from Iwo Jima pound A/Fs and other tgts at Hyakuri, Chofu, Tokorozawa, and Yachimata.

5 aircraf t are claimed downed and at least 26 destroyed on the ground. 8 US ftrs are lost.

7/9/45 Fourteenth AF 5 B-25's knock out 2 bridges in Sinantien area. 14 P-51's and P-38's knock out bridges near Hengyang and Sinshih, damage bridge near Chihsien, and attack shipping and railroad T/Os around Hankow, Lukou, Sinshih, and Dong Hoi.

7/9/45 FEAF P-38's and P-51's fly ground spt in Iguig area of Cagayan R Valley and hit Sabangan. Nearly 50 P- 51's are weathered out of Kyushu sweep. B-24's bomb Okaseki, Toyohara, and Takao A/Fs. A-26's attack Karenko. B-24's and P-38's supporting Australian forces, hit Japanese forces in areas near Balikpapan, Manggar, and Sepinggang. (Australian and Dutch forces complete encirclement of Balikpapan Bay). Other HBs hit Samarinda shipyards. B-25's in spt of operations in Brunei Bay area bomb Japanese-occupied area E of Beaufort.

7/9/45 Twentieth AF During 9/10 Jul, 475 B-29's attack Sendai, Sakai, Gifu, and Wakayama with incendiaries. 61 bomb oil refinery at Yokkaichi, and 31 mine Shimonoseki Strait and waters at Niigata and Nanao.

7/9/45 Seventh AF 43 B-24's from Okinawa bomb Omura A/F (1 other bombs A/F on Kikai I. 50-plus Okinawa-based B- 25's hit Tokuno A/F on Tokuno I.

7/9/45 VII FC 100-plus Iwo Jima-based ftrs hit tac tgts at Itami, Hamamatsu, Aichi, and Washinomiya, claiming 12 air victories and 5 parked airplanes destroyed.

7/10/45 Fourteenth AF 14 B-25's bomb town of Dong Anh, railroad shops at Phu Lang Thuong, and truck convoys moving through Siang Chiang Valley. 22 P-51's and P-38's bomb warehouses at Wuchang, hit railroad T/Os near Yoyang, strafe 3 railroad stations N of Chuanhsien, bomb buildings N of Kanchou, knock out bridge approach S of Chuting, damage bridge near Hengyang, and hit T/Os at Weichow I, Laohokow, and Tourane.

7/10/45 FEAF P-38's and P-51's spt ground action in N Cagayan Valley and hit enemy pockets E of Manila. B-24's bomb Tainan A/F, destroying several planes, and bomb warehouses at Takao. Bad weather again prevents ftr sweep over Kyushu. B-24's hit town of Muarakaman and A/F at Tabanio while P-38's strafe numerous T/Os in SE Borneo. B-24's bomb Donggala warehouse area.

7/10/45 Seventh AF During 10/11 Jul 1 B-24 from Okinawa bombs Karasehara A/F. 43 other Okinawa-based B-24's bomb Wan and Sateku A/Fs on Kikaiga I. 50-plus B-25's bomb Wan A/F on Kikaiga I and Saha-Saki on Naka-No I, both in the Ryukyus, and Kurume.

7/10/45 VII FC Ftrs, based on Iwo Jima, fly over 100 effective strike sorties against Hashin, Nishinomiya, Sano, and Tokushima, mostly hitting A/Fs.

7/10/45 Eleventh AF 4 B-24's fly a search down the W coasts of Paramushiru and Shimushu and then radar-bomb Minami Cape. 1 B-24 flies a radar ferret mission over N Kurils.

7/11/45 Fourteenth AF 25 P-51's and P-40's attack bridges, troops, gun positions, rail traffic, rivercraft, coastal shipping, and various scattered tgts at or near Nanchang, Kweiyi, Puchi, Tanchuk, and Luichow Peninsula.

7/11/45 FEAF P-51's sweep Kyushu. B-24's bomb Shinchiku A/F. B-25's and FBs pound troop concentrations and defenses in Cagayan Valley. B-24's pound troop concentrations on Negros I. B-25's and P-38's pound highway tgts in Balikpapan area.

7/11/45 Twentieth AF During 11/12 Jul, 25 B-29's mine Shimonoseki Strait and waters at Miyazu, Maizuru, Obama I and, in the first B-29 operation to Korea, at Pusan and Najin.

7/11/45 Seventh AF During 11/'12 Jul, 2 B-24's from Okinawa attack Byu and Miyazaki A/Fs.

7/11/45 Eleventh AF 5 B-24's radar-bomb Kataoka. 4 B-25's fly shipping sweep and bomb Otomae Bay fishery, scoring hits among the buildings.

7/12/45 Twelfth AF XII AFSC is disbanded at Siena.

7/12/45 Fourteenth AF 3 B-25's blast supply convoys moving through Siang Chiang Valley. 43 P-51's and P-38's attack bridges, rivercraft, barracks road traffic, and coastal shipping around Changsha, Hsinching, Hamrong, Tonkin area, Cao Bang, Luichow Peninsula, and Nanchang. 2 bridges are knocked out and others damaged, A/Fs are strafed at Vinh and Kiungshan.

7/12/45 FEAF P-51's sweep Kyushu. B-24's bomb Canton. Other B-24's bomb Toshien while A-26's hit numerous tgts at Tamazato. P-51's hit tgts along W Formosan coast. FBs hit pillboxes E of Iguig, attack concentrations in Bontoc-Kiangan area, and spt ground forces E of Manila. (Town of Kiangan falls to 6th Inf Div, but resistance in area continues). B-24's over Negros I in spt of ground forces bomb concentration NE of Mount Mandalagan. B-24's destroy Tandjung barrack area. B-24's hit Donggala warehouses.

" 7/12/45 Twentieth AF During 12/13 Jul 453 B-29's drop incendiaries on Utsonomiya, Ichinomiya, Tsuruga, and Uwajima. 53 others bomb petroleum center at Kawasaki.

7/12/45 Seventh AF HQ Seventh AF on Okinawa is declared open by GO on this date. 47 B-24's from Okinawa, failing to bomb primary (Tsuiki) because of clouds attack A/F on Kikaiga I at Amami Gunto. 2 Okinawabased B- 24's bomb Byu and Miyazaki A/Fs during the night. 50-plus B-25's bomb Kanoya A/F and town of Aburatsu on Kyushu and Tokuno A/F on Tokuno I. Chiran A/F is pounded by 70 B-25's and A-26's.

(This is first strike against Japan by Seventh AF A-26's.) 2 more A-26's hit Ibusuki seaplane station. " 7/12/45 Eleventh AF 4 B-25's on shipping sweep bomb and strafe a freighter. 1 B-25 is lost. " 7/13/45 Fourteenth AF 14 B-25's and 12 P-51's attack bridges, railroad yards, AA guns, and T/Os at Anyang, Puchi, and Do Cam. 33 P-51's and P-38's attack river shipping, buildings, road traffic, rail tgts, and general T/Os around Trung Khanh Phu, Tonkin Delta area, Cao Bang, Wangypan, Luichow Peninsula, Thanh Hoa, Pinglo, Changsha, and Wuchou.

7/13/45 FEAF B-24's bomb storage areas of Canton. B-24's bomb boatyards and buildings at Suo while A-26's hit Karenko railroad yards. B-24's bomb concentrations NE of Mount Mandalagan. MBs and FBs hit Kiangan area, attack Japanese pockets E of Iguig and N of Tuguegarao, pound pillboxes, ammo dumps, and vehicles in Cervantes sector, and blast hostile areas near Siniloan, NE of Laguna de Bay.

P-38's attack gun entrenchments in Miri area. P-38's on sweep over SW Celebes hit vehicles and comm tgts.

7/13/45 Twentieth AF During 13/14 Jul, 30 B-29's mine Shimonoseki Strait and waters at Fukuoka, ports at Seishin, Masan, and Reisui.

7/14/45 Fourteenth AF 25 P-51's and P-38's bomb or strafe ammo and supply dumps, river, road, and rail traffic, and coastal shipping around Laohokow, Hung Yen, Bac Ninh, Tinpak, Hongay, Mon Cay, Vinh, Koyiu, and Yutze.

7/14/45 FEAF On this date Seventh AF officially joins Fifth and Thirteenth AFs as part of FEAF. A-26's hit Taiharo refinery and warehouse area. P-51's over W coast blast railroad tgts. P-47's sweep N China coast and attack coastal cargo vessels NW of Tinghai. FBs spt ground forces in Mankayan and Kiangan areas and hit enemy positions in Ipo-Infanta sector. B-24's spt ground forces on Negros I, bombing area NE of Mount Mandalagan. Other B-24's bomb airstrips at Boeloedowang, Limboeng, Mapanget, and Tanamon and Japanese HQ at Sindjai.

7/14/45 Seventh AF The Seventh is assigned from AAFPOA and overall operational control by the Navy to FEAF. Seventh AF units in the Ryukyus, operating under Tac AF, Ryukyus (Tenth Army Tac AF) since Apr when first element of the HQ Seventh AF arrived, are now under operational control of HQ Seventh AF which opens in Okinawa on this clate. Move from Saipan takes place between 18 Jun and 28 Jul.

7/14/45 VII FC Ftrs from Iwo Jima sent on strike against Meiji and Kagamigahara abort because of weather.

7/15/45 Fourteenth AF 3 B-25's blast truck convoys moving through Siang Chiang Valley. 39 P-51's and P-47's attack rivercraft, troops, coastal shipping, bridges, railroad yards, gun positions, trains, and other tgts around Luichow Peninsula, Anyang, Yutze, Sinsiang, Fentingtukou, Paoching, Tanchuk, Kweiyi, Pac Muong, and Haiphong.

7/15/45 FEAF B-24's bomb arms plant at Canton. On Formosa P-51's sweep W coast, blasting a warehouse and other buildings S of Takao and T/Os on Hoko I. P-38's and P-51's spt ground forces in N Cayagan Valley, in Kiangan sector, and in Cervantes area. B-25's and P-51's bomb def positions in Infanta sector.

58 B-24's hit A/Fs at Tomitaka and Usa. 25 pound Kikai I, Miranoura on Yaku I, and A/F at Tamega I.

7/15/45 Twentieth AF During 15/16 Jul, 26 B-29's mine waters at Naoetsu, Niigata, Najin, Pusan, and Wonsan. 59 other B- 29's bomb Nippon Oil Company at Kudamatsu.

7/15/45 VII FC Iwo Jima-based ftrs fly over 100 effective sorties against A/Fs and other tac tgts at Meiji, Kagamigahara, Kowa, Akenogahara, Nagoya, and Suzuko.

7/16/45 International Conference opens at Potsdam to draw up terms for Japanese surrender and to discuss military and political problems connected with the ending of hostilities.

7/16/45 US The first atomic bomb is successfully exploded at Los Alamos.

7/16/45 Eighth AF HQ Eighth AF issues its last movement order in ETO. After much reorganization and r edeployment of units, HQ relieves VIII FC from assignment to Eighth AF and directs HQ and HQ Sq to move from Charleroi back to UK (the unit moves to High Wycombe the following day, 17 Jul) where VIII FC is to assume control over all Eighth AF units remaining in UK. HQ Eighth AF is transferred without personnel, equipment, or combat elements to Okinawa, where Eighth and Twentieth AFs are to comprise USASTAF under cmd of Gen Spuatz. By this date over 90,000 persons (more than 50 per cent of the Eighth's strength on 30 Apr 45) have been redeployed to US, N Africa, and various parts of ETO.

7/16/45 AAF, India-Burma Theater Gen Hanley assumes cmd of AAF, IndiaBurma Theater.

7/16/45 Fourteenth AF 5 B-25's pound enemy truck convoys moving supplies through Siang-Chiang Valley and S of Kweilin.

60-plus P-51's, P-38's, and P-47's continue to hit river, road, and rail traffic, bridges, troops, supplies, and other tgts at many points in Indochina and S and E China.

7/16/45 FEAF B-24's bomb warehouses at Watampone. P-51's and B-25's spt ground forces in Kiangan-Baguio sector and area E of Manila. P-51's on sweep of Formosa attack comm tgts, hitting railroad station and locomotive shed at Byoritsu and scoring direct hit on bridge SW of Koryu. B-24's, A-26's, B-25's, P- 51's and P-47's from Okinawa and Ie Shima pound Kyushu. P-51's hit several E coast tgts, concentrating in Kagoshima Bay area. 27 A-26's, 1 B-24, and 39 P-47's hit A/F and bridge at Miyazaki; 33 B- 24's bomb bridges at Nobeoka; 36 B-25's, a B-24 and an A-26 pound Sadohara bridge; 6 B-24's bomb harbor and town of Aburatsu; and 5 P-47's hit Yanagawa.

7/16/45 Twentieth AF HQ is officially moved to Harmon Field, Guam. XX BC is inactivated, effective 18 Jul, and HQ and HQ Sq, XXI BC is redesignated HQ Sq, Twentieth AF. Thus the BCs are brought to an end as actual establishments. Their was pass to direct control of HQ, Twentieth AF of which Gen LeMay takes cmd on this date. During 16/17 Jul, 466 B-29's drop incendiary bombs on Numazu, Oita, Kuwana, and Hiratsuka. " 7/16/45 VII FC Ftrs based on Iwo Jima fly over 100 effective sorties against tgts (mainly A/Fs) at Kameyama, Kiyosu, Komaki, Okazaki, Suzuko, and Akenogahara. 22 air victories are claimed. " 7/16/45 Eleventh AF 2 B-24's fly a negative shipping search mission to Shimushiru I. 4 B-25's on enemy shipping sweep deck-level bomb and strafe enemy freighter. 3 of the bmrs then bomb and strafe Torishima Is (secondary).

7/17/45 Fourteenth AF A single B-25 attacks 3 truck convoys in SiangChiang Valley and bombs area along river at Hengyang. 70-plus P-51's and P-47's continue to disrupt enemy movement in Indochina and S and E China, attacking bridges, railroad yards, rail, road, and river traffic, A/Fs, gun positions, and many other tgts at various locations, especially around Suichwan, Linfen, and Sinsiang.

7/17/45 FEAF Nearly 150 B-24's, B-25's, and A-26's pound Chiang Wan A/F. P-47's attack shipping and warehouses in Taishan I area while others hit Tinghai A/F. P-51's over Kyushu and N Ryukyu Is attack shipping, severely damaging a 10,000-ton cargo vessel in harbor on Amami-O-Shima. P-47's dive-bomb railroad tunnels NW and SW of Kagoshima. B-24's bomb I,imboeng barracks and strafe schooner off SW Celebes. B-25's attack Jesselton A/F and Itu Aba I.

7/17/45 Twentieth AF During 17/18 Jul, 27 B-29's mine Shimonoseki Strait and waters in Nanao-Fushiki area, at Henashi Cape, Iwase and at Seishin. Also, units of British Pacific Fleet join US Third Fleet units in bombardment of Japan.

7/17/45 Eleventh AF Unsuccessful shipping sweeps are flown by 2 B-24's over Shimushiru and by 4 B-25's between Kurabu and Paramushiru.

7/18/45 Fourteenth AF 4 B-25's blast Dong Anh railroad yards. 36 P-51's and P-38's hit river traffic, rail tgts, coastal shipping, enemy positions, trucks, and other tgts around Viet Tri and other areas of Indochina and near Yoyang, Suichwan, Lingling, Chikhom, Kukong, and Dosing.

7/18/45 FEAF About 150 B-24's, B-25's, and A-26's, covered by 64 P-47's, hit Shanghai area, A/Fs at Chiang Wan, Wusung, and Lunghua, Shanghai docks, shipping on Whangpoo R, and airstrips on Chusan I. Other P-47's attack various T/Os on Kyushu and P-51's attack comm lines, bridges, shipping, towns, and other tgts throughout Kyushu and the Ryukyus. P-38's hit comm and transportation tgts throughout N part of Formosa while B-24's pound A/F at Matsuvama. B-24's bomb Boetoeng and Watampone, B- 25's hit Jesselton, and P-38's attack Langkon. P-38's hit Japanese concentration along Kibawe trail.

7/18/45 USASTAF USASTAF is established at Guam under Gen Spaatz.

7/18/45 Eleventh AF 2 routine search and Nveather sorties are flown.

7/19/45 Fourteenth AF 20 B-25's, 16 P-51's, and 4 P-47's blast railroad yards at Shihkiachwang. 7 other B-25's and 2 P-51's hit bridges S of Yoyang and bomb truck convoys in SiangChiang Valley, particularly around Siangtan area. 37 FBs disrupt enemy movement over wide areas of Indochina and S and E China, attacking numerous T/Os.

7/19/45 FEAF P-38's hit suicide hoat hideout at Sandakan while B-25's bomb Jesselton A/F. P-38's spt ground forces, hitting positions along Kibawe trail. B-25's hit Itu Aba. 90plus P-51's pound numerous tgts on sweeps over Nagoya area and hit A/Fs, factories, power facilities, and gun positions at locations including Kagamigahara, Nishinomiya, and Osaka.

7/19/45 Twentieth AF On 19/20 Jul, 27 B-29's lay mines in Oyama, Niigata, Miyazu, Maizuru, Tsuruga, Nezugaseki, Obama I, and Kobe-Osaka areas and at Wonsan. 470 VHBs (also operating during the night) drop incendiaries on Fukui, Hitachi, Chosi, and Okazaki while 83 others bomb oil facilities at Amagasaki.

7/19/45 VII FC Iwo Jima-based ftrs strike A/Fs, factories, railroads, power lines and other tac tgts at Kagamigahara, Nagoya, Meiji, Izumi, Nishinorniya, and Tambaichi.

7/20/45 Fourteenth AF 10 B-25's and 6 P-51's hit truck convoys around Hengyang and Wuchang, storage on island near Changsha, locomotive shops at Phu Thuong, and power plant and railroad tgts in Vinh area. 50-plus P-51's, P-38's, and P-61's disrupt enemy movement and general withdrawal in lndochina and S and E China, attacking river, road, and rail traffic, coastal shipping, supplies, and other tgts.

7/20/45 FEAF P-38's attack town of Langkon while B-24's pound Togian I. P-38's hit T/Os in SW Celebes. B-25's hit Itu Aba and W of Palawan for second consecutive day. A-20's and FBs spt ground action in Kiangan area and in lower Cagayan Valley. B-25's and FBs hit Japanese positions in Marikina and Infanta areas. B-24's bomb area S of Fabrica.

7/20/45 Twentieth AF The 509th Comp Gp begins series of 12 precision attacks over Japan for purpose of familiarizing crews with tgt area and tactics contemplated for scheduled atomic bomb missions. The strikes (on 20, 24, 26, and 29 Jul) are mostly against (or near) cities previously bombed, in the general area of cities chosen for possible atomic attack, and involve from 2 to 6 aircraft in order to accustom the Japanese to sight of small formations of B-29's flying at high altitudes.

7/20/45 VII FC Ftrs based on Iwo Jima fly nearly 100 effective sorties against tgts, mainly A/Fs, at Kamezaki, Meiji, Okazaki, Nagoya, Kagamigahara, Hamamatsu, and Komaki.

7/20/45 Eleventh AF 8 B-24's fly the heaviest and most successful mission of the month, bombing hangars and revetments at Matsuwa A/F.

7/21/45 Fourteenth AF 11 B-25's and 2 P-51's attack truck convoys in Siang-Chiang Valley, bomb HQ near Wuchang and hit bridge, trains, warehouses, and AA positions in Sienning area. 40-plus P-51's, P-38's, and P-61's again attack numerous tgts and disrupt enemy movement in Indochina and S and E China, hitting comm tgts, supplies, transport, and other T Os.

7/21/45 FEAF B-25's and A-26's bomb shipping at Naze-Ko. P-38's hit Kiangan area. Bad weather restricts activity in NEI, Phil Is, Japan, and other tgt areas mainly to light raids and snooper missions.

7/22/45 Fourteenth AF 16 B-25's and 8 FBs blast truck convoys moving supplies through Siang-Chiang Valley, bomb railroad yards at Siaokan, and knock out 2 bridges S of Sincheng and Lohochai. 50-plus P-51's, P-47's, and P-38's continue campaign to disrupt enemy movement and withdrawal in Indochina and S and E China, pounding numerous rail, road, and river tgts, supply dumps, and coastal shipping.

7/22/45 FEAF 22 B-24's from Okinawa hit Chiang Wan and 1 hits Tinghai A/F. 37 B-25's bomb oil plant at Shanghai and destroyer in Whangpoo R. P-47's from Ie Shima join the MB attack on Shanghai area, hitting destroyer, gunboat, and freighter in the Whangpoo R, and factories and railroad shops. 34 P-51's from Okinawa also hit Whangpoo shipping. 37 A-26's hit A/F at Tachang. B-24's on night shipping search and weather mission bomb A/Fs at. Tinghai on Chusan I, Pusan, and Yonago. B-25's, P-51's, and P- 38's, hampered by bad weather, fly 30-plus ground spt sorties in Gubano, Cervantes, and Mankayan areas.

7/22/45 Twentieth AF During 22/23 July, 23 B-29's, staging through Iwo Jima, mine Shimonoseki Strait and Korea coast at Najin which is the longest B-29 combat mission of the war and in Pusan-Masan area. 72 others bomb coal liquefaction company at Ube. (See 10 Aug 44 and 14 Aug 45 for longest single-stage missions).

7/22/45 VII FC 100-plus Iwo Jima-based ftrs hit A/Fs, rail installations, and other tac tgts at Itami, Hanshin, Sano, Tokushima, Takamatsu, and Minato.

7/23/45 Fourteenth AF 8 B-25's and 4 P-61's bomb railroad yards at Sinyang and hit warehouse at Ichang. 100-plus P-51's, P-38's, and P-40's attack numerous tgts, including rail, road, and river traffic, A/Fs, coastal shipping, bridges, storage facilities, and railroad yards, at many locations over S and E China, especially in the Paoching area and, to a smaller degree, over Indochina.

7/23/45 FEAF B-25's pound Jesselton while B-24's over other areas of NEI bomb Amboina and Tolonoeoe Is. Ftr aircraft spt ground forces in Kiangan area. B-25's bomb Itu Aba I. B-24's hit Miho and Saeki. Single HBs on armed rcn hit several tgts including Tinghai A/F, Kure harbor, and Tanega I.

7/23/45 Eleventh AF 2 B-24's radar-bomb Kurabu Cape A/F.

7/24/45 Fourteenth AF 8 B-25's and 6 P-51's pound truck convoys in Hengyang area, hit river shipping near Pakonghow, and damage bridge and storage area and knock out AA positions at Puchi. 80-plus P-51's, P-38's, and P- 47's over Indochina and S and E China continue to disrupt Japanese withdrawal, pounding dozens of T/Os at numerous locations. 15 P-51's blast Changsha area, destroying an estimated 28 warehouses and 8 fuel storage buildings.

7/24/45 FEAF 100-plus Fifth AF B-24's Hy their first strike from Okinawa, bombing Chiang Wan A/F N of Shanghai.

Seventh AF B-25's from Okinawa hit Wusung and Lunghua A/Fs in the Shanghai area while A-26's and B-25's attack Tachang and Tinghai A/Fs. FBs hit shipping and T/Os throughout the general area attacked by the bmrs. Thirteenth AF B-25's pound Jesselton A/F. B-24's hit Oelin and Tabanio A/Fs.

Other B-25's hit Itu Aba I. Fifth AF FE3s spt ground forces in the Infanta and Leyban areas.

7/24/45 Twentieth AF 570 plus B-29's bomb aircraft plants at Handa, Nagoya, and Takarazuka, arsenal and metals industry at Osaka, and urban areas of Tsu and Kawana, plus several T/Os.

7/24/45 VII FC 91 P-51's, operating out of Iwo Jima, hit A/Fs and other tac tgts at Hamamatsu, Suruga Bay, and other points in Nagoya area.

7/25/45 Fourteenth AF 10 B-25's and 3 P-38's knock out bridges at Tho Linh and Quang Tri and damage a barge and a river steamer in Wuchou area. 30 P-51's and P-38's attack river, road, and rail traffic, railroad yards, and other tgts in the areas of Duc Tho, Bac Ninh, Vinh, Hanoi, Kukong, Samshui, Wuchou, and West R.

7/25/45 FEAF B-24's bomb Pontianak and Kuching A/Fs while MBs and ftrs attack dispersal area in Jesselton A/F area. B-24's pound enemy troops on Negros I. B-25's bomb Itu Aba 1. B-24's bomb Kikai I and town of Tsuiki.

7/25/45 Twentieth AF During 25, 26 Jul, 75 B-29's bomb oil refinery and petroleum center at Kawasaki while 29 others mine waters at Nanao, Fushiki, Obama I, Tsuruga, Seishin, and Pusan.

7/26/45 International Potsdam ultimatum is issued. Japan is told to surrender unconditionally or face 'utter destruction.'" 7/26/45 Fourteenth AF 8 B-25's and 4 P-51's bomb railroad yards at Lohochai and hit storage area and animal transport in Pinking area. 100-plus P-51's, P-38's, and P-61's pound enemy movement and withdrawal in Indochina and S and E China, hitting supplies, troops, river, road, and rail traffic, coastal shipping, railroad yards, bridges, town areas and other tgts at numerous locations.

7/26/45 FEAF B-24's hit Tabanio, Trombol, Sengkawang, and Oelin A/ Fs. FBs and B-25's over Luzon (where Thirteenth AF now provides ground spt) aid ground forces in Mankayan area and near Tuguegarao. B- 24's plaster Japanese positions on ground spt strikes over Negros. B-25's bomb Itu Aba I. Other B- 25's on shipping search attack convoy at Tsutsu Bay sinking 3 small cargo vessels, a freighter, and a few small craft. B-4's on snooper strikes attack several tgts, including various tgts in the Ryukyus, A/Fs at Tinghai and at Nakazu, and docks at Pusan.

7/26/45 Twentieth AF During 26, 27 Jul, 350 B-29's drop incendiary bombs on Matsuyama, Tokuyama, and Omuta.

7/26/45 Eleventh AF 7 B-24's successf ully hit Kataoka naval base with incendiaries, leaving smoke columns 5,000 ft high in their wake. No airborne opposition. AA fire is moderate and inaccurate. Another B-24 flies a radarferret mission over the N Kurils.

7/27/45 Fourteenth AF 13 B-25's, some with P-51 spt, hit supply movement in Siang-Chiang Valley, bomb railroad yards at Siaokan and Sinyang, and hit coastal shipping in Do Son area. 50-plus P-51's and P-38's concentrate on attacking river shipping at numerous points of Indochina and S and E China also hitting road and rail traffic, coastal vessels, storage areas, and bridges.

7/27/45 FEAF 60-plus Fifth and Seventh AF B-24's pound M/Y at Kagoshima. 50 escorting P-51's attack numerous nearby T/Os. 150-plus P-47's over Kyushu hit comm and industrial tgts, including tunnel S of Kurino, bridges at Okasa, Hitosuse-gawa, and Matsubase, and factories and power plant at Yatsushiro. B-24's of Thirteenth AF hit airstrip N of Pontianak.

7/27/45 Twentieth AF During 27/28 Jul, 24 B-29's drop mines in Shimonoseki Strait, at Fukuoka, Niigata, Maizuru, Senzaki, and in Fukawa Bay.

7/28/45 Fourteenth AF 7 B-25's and 4 P-51's attack supply movement through Siang-Chiang Valley, hit a freighter and 2 smaller vessels off Shuitang, and pound troops near Kian. About 90 P-51's, P-47's, and P-61's disrupt Japanese movement throughout S and E China and in Indochina. The FBs concentrate on river transport.

7/28/45 FEAF 137 Ie Shima-based P-47's rocket and strafe A/Fs, oil stores, railroad yards, warehouses, industry, gun positions, and other tgts on Kyushu at or near Kanoya, Metgtsubara, Tachiarai, Kurume, Saga, and Junicho. 21 more P-47's attack shipping at Yatsushiro. A-26's and B-25's pound A/Fs at Kanoya.

P-51's and B-25's, sweepig over Inland Sea, destroy 2 small cargo vessels and a patrol boat. 70-plus B-24's bomb shipping at Kure, claiming direct hits on a battleship and aircraft carrier. B-25's and P- 38's in spt of ground forces hit enemy positions in Mankayan-Kiangan area and in Marikina area.

Other P-38's hit troop concentrations on Jolo I. B-24's spt ground forces on Negros I.

7/28/45 Twentieth AF During 28/29 Jul, 471 B-29's drop incendiary bombs on Tsu, Aomori, Ichinomiya, Ujiyamada, Ogaki, and Uwajima, while 76 others bomb oil refinery at Shimotsu.

7/28/45 VII FC 140-plus P-51's, based on INVO Jima, hit 9 objectives (A/Fs and military tgts) in wide area around Tokyo and attack a destroyer escort along Chiba Peninsula, leaving it burning.

7/29/45 Fourteenth AF 4 B-25's and 2 P-51's hit shipping off Luichow Peninsula near Cape Kami, barracks at Chingmen, and cannon-strafe trucks at Kuanshuishih and oil storage at Yingtak. About 100 P-51's, P-38's, and P-61's attack a variety of tgts over a vast area from Haiphong to Peking, continuing the steady campaign against enemy movement and withdrawal.

7/29/45 FEAF P-47's from Ie Shima and B-24's, B-25's, and A-26's from Okinawa pound tgts in the Japanese Home Islands. 70-plus B-24's pound shipping at Kure. 41 B-24's hit factory and storage area NW of Aburatsu, shipping and engine works in Nagasaki and vicinity, and towns of Nobeoka and Oita. B-25's hit Kagoshima, Kibana, bridge, barracks and other buildings at Miyazaki, warehouses, lighthouse, and navigation light at Tozaki-hana, and bomb Tokuno I. A-26's pound naval base and engine works at Nagasaki. Numerous P-47's hit harbor at Kure, shipping and seaplane station at Ibusuki, railroad station, docks, and town area of Makurazaki, Chiran and Izumi A/Fs, and shipping at Kagoshima Bay. P- 51's hit numerous T/Os on S coast of Korea and on S part of Kyushu, where shipping, railroads, and Omura and Sashiki factories are also attacked. B-24's hit Sidate A/F and warehouses at Watampone.

Other B-24's over Negros bomb resistance pocket S of Fabrica. B-25's and P-38's hit Japanese positions near San Mariano and W of Kiangan, troop concentrations in Marikina watershed, and ridge emplacements in Bantayan area. Several buildings are destroyed at Pasco Point.

7/29/45 Twentieth AF During 29/30 Jul, 24 B-29's mine Shimonoseki Strait and waters at Fukuoka, Karatsu, and Najin.

7/30/45 Japan Japanese reject Potsdam ultimatum. Nevertheless Gen Marshall directs Gens MacArthur and Wedemeyer and Adm Nimitz to proceed with plans for a surrender.

7/30/45 Fourteenth AF 2 B-25's bomb supply convoys moving through Siang-Chiang Valley. 40-plus P-51's, P-38's, and P- 61's hit various tgts in S and E China, and in Indochina, chiefly river transport, but also troop concentrations, railroad traffic, and many T/Os. Tgt areas include Nanyang, Suchow, Hankou, Sinyang, Anking, Anyang, Lohochai, Kukong, Takhing, Koyiu, Samshui, Pingsiang, Kian, Yungcheng, Yingtak, and Wuchou.

7/30/45 FEAF 60-plus B-25's and A-26's bomb Omura A/F. 4 of the planes hit A/F at Izumi. P-47's spt the strike and also hit numerous nearby T/Os. B-25's, failing to find tgts on shipping sweep over Korean waters, bomb shipping, a railroad, and a warehouse in Sendai area. Covering P-51's also hit nearby T/Os. 80- plus P-47's bomb Sendai, leaving much of the town in flames. P-51's on photo rcn of S Kyushu destroy trains and small craft. Nearly 80 P-47's attack Miyazaki, Karasehara, and Tomitaka areas, firing warehouses and damaging barracks, hangars, towers, and other buildings, and blast buildings and construction on and near Shibushi A/F. B-24's bomb Kota Waringin A/F. B-25's and P-38's spt ground forces E of Ilagan, near Kiangan, and E of Manila in Infanta sector.

7/30/45 VII FC INVO Jima-based ftrs attack A/Fs, railroads, and other tac tgts throughout the Kobe-Osaka area.

7/30/45 Eleventh AF 8 B-24's on way to the Kurils are soon recalled because of weather disturbances.

7/31/45 Twelfth AF Organizational charts show great decrease in Jul in size of Twelfth AF due to redeployment, transfer, disbandment, and discontinuance of 50 units. Only 5 new units are added to the Twelfth. This leaves 77 assigned and 3 attached units compared to 122 assigned and 2 attached the previous month. The Twelfth practically ceases to be a flying AF as only 2 MB gps, a night ftr sq, and a rcn gp remain as flying units. The planes from these units are shortly transferred to AAFSC, MTO.

7/31/45 Fourteenth AF 3 B-25's continue to bomb supply convoys moving through Siang-Chiang Valley. 52 P-51's and P-61's over S and E China attack rivercraft, trucks, railroad traffic, coastal shipping, ammo dumps, and other tgts at several locations including areas around Yanglowtung, Changsha, Siangyin, Hengyang, Hankow, Paoching, Nanyang, Nanking, Kulo, Hoihow, and Yoyang.

7/31/45 FEAF 80-plus B-24's pound Kagoshima railroad yards and several other tgts in the general area including Sasebo naval base, Yaki-shima, and Nagasaki. A-26's and B-25's bomb Kanoya and Miyazaki A/Fs and nearby tgts, Sasebo naval base, Marushima, warehouses at Nagasaki, and a factory and power plant on Koyagi I. P-51's attack flak positions at Moji, blast shipping at Iki I and off NW and W coast of Kyushu, hit island WSW of Sasebo, bomb railroad tgts and warehouses in Izumi area, and in general attack railroad and road net and other comm tgts throughout Kyushu. P-61's continue harassing missions during the night. P-51's over the Ryukyus bomb airstrips in Miyako I, and bomb town in Koniya area. B-25's and P-38's spt ground action on Luzon, hitting forces in Cagayan Valley and in Cervantes and Infanta sectors. B-24's pound area S of Fabrica.

8/1/45 Tenth AF Gen Hegenberger becomes CG Tenth AF. Tenth AF moves from Piardoba to Kunming. (HQ at Kunming was officially opened on 23 Jul). The scheduled role of the Tenth AF in China is almost identical with its completed Burma mission to act as the tac AF giving direct spt and providing air supply to Chinese ground forces operating S of 27th parallel N.

8/1/45 Fourteenth AF Bad weather severely curtails operations. P-61's effectively sweep rivers in Wuchou, Canton, and Tsingyun areas, sinking several large junks and sampans.

8/1/45 FEAF B-24's bomb shipyards at Pontianak. Other HBs hit barracks and AA guns along Makassar Strait. P- 38's strafe locomotives in Soerabaja area. Other P-38's spt ground forces ENE and SE of Mankayan and, along with USMC aircraft, pound enemy positions and concentrations in Upian area. B-24's bomb Tourane M/Y while escorting P-51's strafe boxcars at Quang Nam. Other B-24's strike Takao military stores. About 50 B-24's bomb tgts in Nagasaki dock and harbor area. B-25's and FBs in Nagasaki area hit docks, railroad yards, and shipping. Other B-24's bomb Koniya A/F and hit Kakeroma I. 80- plus P-47's hit railroad bridges and other railroad tgts at Sendai. Also P-47's fly their first combat mission from Iwo Jima, joining VII FC P-51's in sweep over S Honshu. Rolling stock and A/Fs are attacked in Okazaki, Itami, and Nagoya areas.

8/1/45 Twentieth AF 627 B-29's, on night of 1/2 Aug, carry out fire-bomb raids on Japanese cities of Hachioji, Toyama, Nagaoka, and Mito; 120 others bomb Kawasaki petroleum facilities; and 37 drop mines in Shimonoseki Strait, in Nakaumi Lagoon, at Hamada, Sakai, Yonago, Najin, and Seishin. The total of 784 B-29's (of 836 dispatched) bombing tgts is the largest Twentieth AF single-day effort of World War II.

8/1/45 VII FC 30-plus Iwo Jima-based P-51's hit A/Fs and other tgts in Osaka-Nagoya area. Bad weather prevents numerous other ftrs from reaching tgts.

8/2/45 Fourteenth AF 10 B-25's, escorted by 2 P-47's, knock out bridge at Sinyang and severely damage bridge at Lohochai. 7 B-25's bomb town of Sinning, and hit several truck convoys between Siangtan and Changsha and in Siang-Chiang Valley. 31 P-51's also bomb town of Sinning. 40-plus P-47's and P- 51's knock out at least 3 bridges and damage others and attack shipping, fuel dumps, gun positions, trucks, railroad yards and general T/Os around Sichuang, Shangkao, Yoyang, Hankow, Mingkiang, Sincheng, Yutze, Houmachen, Yuncheng, Anyang, and Kaoyi.

8/2/45 FEAF Bad weather cancels all FEAF missions from Okinawa. Thirteenth AF P-38's spt ground forces on N Luzon, hitting pockets of resistance W of Kiangan and blasting enemy occupied caves on ridge NW of Bontoc.

8/2/45 Twentieth AF Gen Twining be comes CG Twentieth AF. Gen LeMay is assigned to USASTAF as CoS.

8/2/45 Eleventh AF 6 B-24's radar-bomb Kokutan Cape and visually bomb Kataoka.

8/3/45 Fifteenth AF Gen Lee takes cmd of Fifteenth AF.

8/3/45 Fourteenth AF 16 B-25's pound various railroad tgts in E China. 50-plus FBs attack bridges, railroad yards, storage areas, enemy troops, river and rail traffic, and various other tgts as the campaign to disrupt Japanese retreat from S and E China continues in spite of considerable bad weather.

8/3/45 FEAF P-38's and B-25's spt ground forces on N Luzon, hitting buildings in Apunan area and Japanese positions at various locations including ridges SW of Kiangan and W of Banaue. B-24's bomb airstrips at Tanamon and Sidate and bomb seaplane base at Kangean I.

8/3/45 VII FC Ftrs from Iwo Jima fly nearly 100 effective sorties throughout Tokyo area, hitting A/Fs, rail installations, and trains.

8/4/45 Ninth AF Gen Kepner takes cmd of Ninth AF.

8/4/05 Fourteenth AF Bad weather hampers operations. However, 4 B-25's damage Sincheng railroad bridge, 4 B-25's and 2 P-51's bomb Pailochi A/F and hit trucks in the area, and 7 P-51's damage 12 locomotives between Taiyuan and Tsinan, destroy or damage several trucks near Shihkiachwang, and bomb bridge near Chihsien.

8/4/05 FEAF B-25's over Kyushu hit industrial area near Takanabe, bombing warehouses, factories, railroad bridge, and M/Y. B-25's and P-38's spt ground forces on Luzon, hitting Japanese forces near Santa Ines, in Butitio area, and near Mount Obudan. B-24's spt ground action S of Fabrica. B-24's bomb Miti A/F. P- 38's on sweep over Singapore claim 2 Japanese planes downed.

8/5/05 Fourteenth AF 20 P-51's knock out bridge NW of Anyang and damage another NE of Kiehsiu, attack railroad tgts during sweeps from Taiynan to Suchow and Tehsien to Pengpu, and strafe rivercraft between Ichang and Lokehang.

8/5/05 FEAF 330-plus B-24's, B-25's, A-26's, P-47's, and P-51's pound Tarumizu town, industrial area on Kyushu and many T/Os on Kyushu and in the Ryukyus. P-38's spt ground forces on Luzon, hitting Japanese concentrations ENE of Naguilian, near Mount Data, and at other points. B-24's pound Japanese positions S of Fabrica. Other B-24's bomb supply and personnel areas and AA positions in Makassar area.

B-24's also bomb Miti.

8/5/05 Twentieth AF During 5/6 Aug, 470-plus B-29's fly incendiary raids against cities of Saga, Mae Bashi, Imabari, and Nishinomiya-Mikage, 106 bomb coal liquefaction company at Ube, and 27 mine waters of Sakai, Yonago, Nakaumi Lagoon, Miyazu, Maizuru, Tsuruga, Obama, Najin and Geijitsu area.

8/5/05 VII FC VII FC is officially assigned to Twentieth AF. 100-plus P-51's strike A/Fs and military installations in large area around Tokyo, scoring especially effective hits at Katori A/F.

8/6/45 Fourteenth AF 10 P-51's and P-47's damage 10 locomotives between Tehsien and Suchow and 5 around Anyang, Kaifeng, and Loyang, and lightly damage bridges N of Chihsien and S of Houmachen. " 8/6/45 FEAF Okinawa-based aircraft pound tgt.s on Kyushu. 150-plus P-47's and A-26's fight bad weather to hit the primary, Miyakonojo. 170-plus B-24's, B-25's, and P-47's hit Kagoshima as secondary tat. 60-plus B- 25's and P-51's attack shipping and ground T/Os in Tsushima Strait area and in N Ryukyus. P-51's operating in area between Kyushu and Korea bomb A/F and strafe numerous T/Os on Saishu I. P-47's bomb Anjo on Tanega I. Other aircraft, operating individually or in pairs, hit various T/Os on S Korea coast, in Inland Sea, S Honshu, W Shikoku I, throughout the N Ryukyus, and in Shanghai area. B- 24's pound resistance pockets on Negros I.

8/6/45 Twentieth AF The world's first atomic attack takes place. At 0245 Col Paul W Tibbets pilots the B-29 Enola Gay off the runway at North Field, Tinian. At 2-min intervals, 2 observation B-29's follow Maj Charles W Sweeney's Great Artiste and Capt George W Marquardt's No 91. At 0915 (0816 Japan time) the atomic bomb is released over Hiroshima from 31,600 ft. It explodes 50 secs later. More than 80 per cent of the city's buildings are destroyed and over 71,000 people (Japanese figures; US figures say from 70,000 to 80,000) are killed. The Enola Gay lands on Tinian at 1458, followed within the hr by the 2 observation planes.

8/6/45 VII FC Almost 100 ftrs from Iwo Jima attack A/Fs and military installations at 6 locations throughout general area around Tokyo.

8/7/45 Fourteenth AF Fourteenth AF moves from Kunluing to Paishiyi.

8/7/45 FEAF P-47's cover Twentieth AF B-29 strike against Kyushu tgts. B-24's and A-26's over Kyushu pound Tsuiki A F. Other B-24's start fires at Omura. B-25's hit bridges and other tgts at Matsubase and Kawaj iri and bomb convoy off Pusan. Other B-25's hit Chiran and Izumi A/Fs. FBs attack and considerably damage comm and transportation facilities throughout Kyushu. B-24's bomb Takno A/F. B-25's and P- 38's spt ground forces near Ambuclao, Kiangan, Batangan, Aparri, Malikayan, Bontoc, and Tabayoc and Palugloko Mountains. In NEI B-24's bomb area E of Bandjermasin, and P-51's hit harbor at Soerabaja.

8/7/45 Twentieth AF 124 B-29's, escorted by VII FC ftrs, bomb naval arsenal at Toyokawa. During 7/8 Aug, 29 others drop mines in Shimonoseki Strait, at Miyazu, Maizuru, Tsuruga, Obama and at Najin. FEAF P-47's provide cover.

8/7/45 VII FC After escorting B-29's on bombing mission, P-51's attack railroad tgts and shipping in and near Magarimatsu, Chofu, Atsugi, and Sagami.

8/7/45 Eleventh AF 5 B-24's bomb Kataoka A F. AA fire damages 2 B-24's.

8/8/45 International USSR declares war on Japan.

8/8/45 Fourteenth AF 10 P-51's hit buildings, trucks, rivercraft, and other T/Os in Poaching, Hengyang, and Chuanhsien areas.

8/8/45 FEAF Okinawa-based B-24's, B-25's, A-26's, P-51's and P-47's carry out numerous strikes against tgts on Kyusha. Tgts include Usa and TsuiKki A/Fs, comm and transport tgts all over Kyushu, shipping between Kyusha and Korea, and T/Os in the Ryukyus, on China coast, and on Formosa. P-47's escorting B-29's claim 10 Japanese planes downed. B-24's bomb Shinchiku A/F. B-24's on shipping search hit Lolobata A/F. B-24's spt ground forces in Lenatin R Valley and SSE of Mankayan, in Kiangan area, and NW of Bagabag.

8/8/45 Twentieth AF Shortly before noon, 221 B-29's drop incendiaries on Yawata. Late in the afternoon about 60 VHBs bomb aircraft plant and arsenal complex at Tokyo, while during 8/9 Aug 91 others hit Fukuyama with incendiaries.

8/8/45 VII FC 100-plus ftrs from Iwo Jima hit A/F, factory building, barracks, and rail installation in Osaka area.

8/9/45 International Soviet troops pour into Manchuria.

8/9/45 Tenth AF Tenth AF moves from Kunming to Liuchow. When the war ends, the deployment of Tenth AF units to China is still in progress. So, for the Tenth, war ends amidst a major reorganization.

8/9/45 Fourteenth AF 5 B-25's, with P-51 escort, damage Puchi railroad bridge, and hit rail traffic N or Sinsiang. The P-51's strafe AA positions and T/Os near the bridge. 4 other B-25s operating individually, attack truck convoys and T/Os S of Changsha, S and N of Yoyang, and in Siang-Chiang Valley, and hits S end of town of Siangtan.

8/9/45 FEAF B-25's over Kyshu bomb A/Fs at Kanoya, town of Noma, shipping in Beppu Bay, bridges, factories, and oil storage at Tsuruaski, and shipping, coastal villages, and comm tgts in Tsushima Strait area. A- 26's and A-20's hit Kanoya A/F and industrial areas of Kushikino, Minato, and Shimahira. B-24s over W Honshu bomb A/F at Iwankuni. Over 200 P-47's and P-51's hit numerous tgts on Shikoku, Kyushu, and in the Ryukyus including A/F's, barracks, harbor installations, bridges, shipping, vehicles, and various factories and storage facilities. B-24's bomb military stores at Matsuyama. B-25's and P-38's spt ground forces in areas in N of Baguio, SSE of Mankayan, S of Kabayan, SE of Cervantes, near Kiangan, and NW of Infanta. B-24s over Amboina-Ceram bomb Laha barracks.

8/9/45 Twentieth AF Second and last atomic bomb of World War II is dropped on Japan. Maj Charles W Sweeney pilots a B-29, Bock's Car, off runway at North Field, Tinian, at 0230. He is followed by 2 observation B-29'sthe Great Artiste piloted by Capt Frederick C Bock (who has exchanged planes with Sweeney for the mission) and another VHB piloted by Maj James I Hopkins (who loses contact with the other 2 B-29's).

The primary tgt, Kokura, is obscured by bad weather. The attack is made against the secondary tgt, Nagasaki. The bomb, dropped from 28,900 ft at 1158 (1058 Nagasaki time), explodes about a min after release. Japanese reports claim nearly 24,000 killed. US figures estimate about 35,000. The attacking B-29's refuel on Okinawa, and return to Tinian by 2339. During 9/10 Aug, 95 B-29's bomb Nippon Oil Refinery at Amagasaki.

8/10/45 Fourteenth AF Gen Stone assumes cmd of Fourteenth AF, replacing Gen Chennault. 5 B-25's and 4 P-51's bomb bivouac S of Siangyin, hit convoys S of Siangtan and in Siang-Chiang Valley, pound storage area and AA positions at Nanchang, and hit truck concentration N of Hengshan. More than 50 P-47's and P- 51's attack rivercraft, railroad tgts, troops, trucks, and bridges at several points in S and E China.

8/10/45 FEAF 80 B-24's, 118 MBs, and 220-plus P-47's and P-38's pound Kumamoto area. 20-plus B-24's bomb Oita area. 39 P-51's provide cover over both tgts. Nearly 40 B-25's attack destroyers, cargo ships, and small vessels during shipping sweep between Kyushu and Korea. P-47's bomb Sasebo Harbor. P-51's hit various T/Os on Honshu and Kyushu and B-25's bomb T/Os in the N Ryukyus. B-24's bomb Shinchiku. P-38's hit troop concentrations near Mount Pulog and ENE of Dupax.

8/10/45 Twentieth AF 70 B-29's bomb arsenal complex at Tokyo. VII FC provides escort. During 10/11 Aug, 31 VHBs mine Shimonoseki Strait, Nakaumi Lagoon, and waters at Sakai, Yonago and Wonsan.

8/11/45 Fourteenth AF 9 P-51's attack troops, trains, and rivercraft around Chenhsien, Tehsien, and Hengyang.

8/11/45 FEAF Okinawa-based B-24's, B-25's, A-26's, A-20's, and ftrs flying about 530 sorties cause extensive destruction of shipping and shore installations in the Inland Sea, in Tsushima area, and of comm, transportation, and other tgts throughout Kyushu. Phil Is-based B-24's bomb Heito A/ F and Laha barracks.

P-38's hit buildings near Dibuluan and fieldguns near Kiangan.

8/12/45 International Soviet troops move into Korea.

8/12/45 Ninth AF Col Reginald F Vance becomes cmdr of 9th Air Div.

8/12/45 FEAF B-24's from Okinawa bomb Matsuyama A/F. B-25's and A-26's hit Chiran and Kanoya A/Fs while other A-26's and A-20's and P-47's hit towns of Kushikino, Akune, and Miyazaki. More B-25's and FBs hit shipping and comm tgts in Kyushu, N Ryukyus, and between Japan and Korea. The aircraft claim several small merchant ships sunk ancl damaged, and numerous bridges, railroads, factories, and other T/Os hit. B-24's from the Phil Is pound Kagi A/F and Takao M/Y. P-38's spt ground forces in or near Kabayan, Kiangan, and Uldugan.

8/12/45 Eleventh AF 4 B-24's make a combined visual and radar bomb run over Kataoka. 3 more bomb Suribachi A/F, hitting runways and buildings. 1 B-24 flies a radar-ferret mission.

8/13/45 FEAF B-24's and B-25's from Okinawa pound shipping in waters off Korea and Kyushu and in Inland Sea claiming several vessels sunk and damaged. P-47's over Keijo encounter 20 aircraft and claim at least 16 shot down. B-25's attack Japanese forces near Palaciaan. P-38's hit shipping in Singapore area.

8/13/45 Eleventh AF Eleventh AF dispatches its last combat mission when 6 B-24's radar-bomb Kashiwabara staging area, leaving huge columns of smoke.

8/14/45 FEAF B-25's, P-47's and P-51's attack shipping in Korea and Kyushu waters, claiming several vessels destroyed and damaged. P-47's over Osaka-Nagoya area claim several Japanese aircraft shot down.

8/14/45 Twentieth AF 302 B-29's bomb naval arsenal at Hikari and Osaka Army Arsenal while 108 bomb railroad yards at Marifu. VII FC planes escort VHBs over Osaka area. During 14/15 Aug, 160-plus B-29's attack Kumagaya and Isezaki with incendiaries while 132 (in the longest nonstop unstaged B-29 bombing mission from the Marianas-3,650 mi) bomb Nippon Oil Company at Tsuchizakiminato. 39 others mine waters at Nanao, Shimonoseki, Miyazu, and Hamada. These are the final B-29 combat missions against Japan. Before the last B-29's return, President Truman announces the unconditional surrender of Japan. Immediately thereafter, 11th Airborne Div leaves Phil Is by air for Okinawa, where it goes on standby as the initial occupation force for Japan.

8/14/45 VII FC After escorting B-29 strike over Osaka area, 160-plus ftrs (from VII FC on Iwo Jima) fly last fighter strike against Japan Home Islands, hitting A/Fs and other military installations in Nagoya general area.

8/15/45 International Gen MacArthur is notified that he is Supreme Cmdr for Allied powers. All offensive action against Japan ends.

8/15/45 Twelfth AF All units are transferred or redeployed with exception of 6719th WAC HQ Pltn (an assigned unit) and Det, 1054th MP Co, Avn.

8/21/45 Eleventh AF 2 B-24's are prevented by cloud cover from taking photos of Soviet occupation of Kurils. 4 others abort a photo mission to Paramushiru and Shimushu due to weather.

8/23/45 Eleventh AF 4 B-24's fly photo mission over Paramushiru and Shimushu.

8/24/45 Eleventh AF B-24's try to photo Soviet occupation of Kurils but are impeded by clouds.

8/27/45 Thirteenth AF XIII BC moves from Morotai to Clark Field.

8/27/45 Twentieth AF B-29's begin supplying prisoners-of-war and internee camps in Japan, China, and Korea with medical supplies, food, and clothing. The first supply drop (to Weihsien Camp near Peking) is followed by a concentrated effort of 900 sorties in a period of less than a month. 4,470 tons of supplies are dropped to about 63,500 prisoners in 154 camps.

8/28/45 Twelfth AF With discontinuance of 6719th WAC HQ Pltn, the Det, 1054th MP Co, Avn, remains the only unit still attached to Twelfth AF.

8/28/45 Japan Occupation of Japan officially begins as adv party arrives in Home Islands. The 11th Airborne Division landed at Atsugi airfield while Marines land at Yokosuka naval base.

8/30/45 Japan Occupation in force begins when 11th Airborne Div is flown to Atsugi A/F and Marines land at Yokosuka naval base.

8/31/45 Twelfth AF Twelfth AF is inactivated in Italy.

8/31/45 Fifteenth AF Col Elmer J Rogers Jr assumes cmd of Fifteenth AF until its inactivation on 15 Sep 45.

9/2/45 International Hostilities with Japan end officially with the signing of the instrument of surrender aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.

9/3/45 Eleventh AF A C-54 on its way from Atsugi to Washington DC refuels at Adak. The aircraft carries motion pictures of the Japanese surrender aboard the Missouri.

9/4/45 Eleventh AF 2 B-24's fly highaltitude photo rcn of Paramushiru and Shimushu, encountering Soviet ftrs.

9/6/45 Eleventh AF A radiogram from COMNORPAC officially cancels all further missions.

9/15/45 Fifteenth AF Fifteenth AF is inactivated in Italy.