tocaff
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January 9, 1945 Near Cagayan
Intel
14512 men are based at Toyohara.
17th Construction Battalion is located at Mutanchiang.
4th AF Construction Battalion is located at Medan.
19019 men are based at Shikka.
6648 men are based at Saigon.
12th Base Force is located at Saigon.
105th IJA Base Force is located at Mukden.
15473 men are based at Hakodate.
7th Mixed Brigade is located at Mutanchiang.
56th Brigade is located at Bangkok.
Southwest Fleet is located at Singapore.
19th Engineer Regiment is located at Ichang.
Recon
F-5C Lightning takes recon photos of Kendari 6 aux, 6 LCUs 13240/57/0
PB2Y Coronado takes recon photos of Amboina 5 LCUs 6240/20/0
OS2U-3 Kingfisher takes recon photos of Cagayan 25 LCUs
PBM Mariner takes recon photos of Butuan vacant
PBM Mariner takes recon photos of Kwajalein 8 LCUs 35260/9/0
F-5C Lightning takes recon photos of Tavoy 9 LCUs 96720/1011/23
Mosquito PR.IX takes recon photos of Khota Bharu vacant
PBM Mariner takes recon photos of Manila 1 X SS, 1 X AK, 17 LCUs 33360/335/3
Combat
The SS Peto was found by 6 DDs about 147 miles E of Batavia and she underwent a rough time.
The mine field at Pescadores was swept by 6 IJN MSWs.
Ichang was prepared for another fighter sweep with 12 X George, 14 X Jack, 1 X Oscar, 9 X Tojo, 2 X Tony and 38 X Frank aloft. The Allies surprised them with 61 X P-38J and the fight was on. 6 Lightnings were lost and 4 others were damaged while the Japanese suffered 6 Georges, 10 Jacks, the Oscar, 7 Tojos, both Tonys and 29 Franks lost. This was a far cry from the Chinese efforts with their Warhawks.
Bangkok was swept by 63 X P-38J who found 12 X Zeke, 4 X George, 24 X Jack, 19 X Oscar, 10 X Frank and 14 X Tony up. In a fast and furious battle 10 Zekes, all of the Georges,, 20 Jacks, 7 Oscars, all of the Franks and 12 Tonys were downed at the cost of 5 Lightnings lost and 7 damaged. In the afternoon 2 Zekes and 4 Jacks were jumped by 66 X P-47D. All of the Japanese planes were shot down and 2 Jugs were destroyed and another was damaged.
Krung Thep was under a CAP of 44 X Frank who dealt with a raid made up of 31 X B-25J (6 damaged), 38 X P-38J, 39 X Thunderbolt II (2 lost) and and 19 X Spitfire VIII (1 damaged). The airstrip was very lightly damaged, there was a single secondary explosion and 42 Franks were destroyed. Another strike came on and this one was comprised of 45 X B-29 (1 damaged), 132 X Liberator VI (3 damaged), 48 X B-24J (1 damaged), 64 X B-25J (2 damaged), 45 X Mosquito FB.VI (1 damaged), 37 X Thunderbolt II and 19 X P-51D. The only opposition was AA fire as the airfield was extremely heavily damaged, a huge number of secondary explosions were reported, 3 Franks were charred wrecks and casualties were heavy.
Lautem was bombed by 42 X B-24D for moderate port damage and a few secondary explosions.
Cagayan was swept by 10 Hellcats who met with no opposition. The IJA 18th Division was attacked by 10 X SB2C (1 downed, 2 damaged), 12 X TBM-3d (6 damaged) and 12 X F4U-1D resulting in light casualties for the Japanese. Then the IJA 100th Division was targeted by 28 X B-25J (2 downed, 6 damaged), 17 X P-47D, 17 X P-38J and 15 X F4U-1. The Japanese sustained negligible losses. Allied artillery contributed heavy Japanese casualties today. More Topsys were intercepted by Allied fighters today.
Truk was bombed by 316 X B-29 who dished out very heavy damage to the airfield, extremely heavy port damage, a large number of secondary explosions were seen and personnel losses were heavy.
The 145th IJN Base Force, at Buin, was hit by 36 X B-25J for light casualties.
An ASW attack was conducted 29 miles S of Tori Shima, but no hits were claimed though the Japanese sub was prevented from making an attack.
Gil couldn't believe his eyes as he sat in Ham's seat after the bomb run for a few minutes. The view was unbelievable as the explosions seemed to blanket the entire island. He wonders if the joke about sinking an island might not be such a joke after what he just saw. The island of Truk has been reduced to a shattered wreck that probably is of no use at all anymore to the Japanese.
Bill attended a meeting of ship captains as they were told about the next operation that is scheduled to commence once the island of Mindanao is declared secured. He's sitting next to a Commander who mutters something about hitting China. This thought throws Bill as he figured that Manila would be the next goal. The more he thinks of China, the more it would make sense. If planes could fly out of the PIs and China Japan would be cut off from her raw materials. The meeting ends and now Bill has plenty of questions rolling around in his head. Maybe the brass should look at China instead of Concentrating on the Philippines. He mention this to the skippers that he's grouped with and one of them says, “You would deny Doug his self serving plans?” That drew a laugh.
Sam watched the departing Mustangs and later in the day heard them returning. Once he was told that sometimes they go hunting over Japan and he wonders if today was one of those times.
Palawan continues loading as supplies come to the ship by lighter so the process is very slow. Cookie busily keeps the guys fed and Red stops by the galley for some coffee. He sees Cookie napping while his helper is sweating bullets cooking the next meal. Red smiles and nods to the man as he gets his mug of coffee and then departs.
Slim can feel it in his bones that the next assault will be very soon. He figures in the next 2 to 3 days they'll hit the Japanese with everything they have, including the kitchen sink. He hopes that the Japanese get boxed in so that chasing them in the jungles won't be needed. That would be a dirty business, at best.
The US 3rd Army attacked the south side of the Ardennes salient towards Houffalize.
Hitler ordered all divisional sized attacks or retreats must have his approval.
The British entered Thebes.
Victory Points Allied 49997 Japanese 38505
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