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The basic chronology and general information on these pages is a composite of entries excerpted from “Air War Pacific Chronology: America’s Air War Against Japan in East Asia and the Pacific 1941-1945” by Eric Hammel (Pacifica, CA: Pacifica Press, 1988 ISBN 0-933353-26-6)
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Note:
Shaded boxes show updates and comments from members of our B-29 mailing list, many of whom were there. |
16 July 1945 (pg 684)
JAPAN:
During the night of 16-17 Jul, 4 incendiary missions are flown without a loss:
(Mission 271) One hundred nineteen 58th BW B-29’s attack the Namazu urban area destroying 1.4 square miles or 89.5 square miles of the city.
(Mission 272) One hundred twenty-four 73rd BW B-29’s hit the Oita urban area destroying .56 square miles or 25.2% of the city.
(Mission 273) Ninety-four B-29’s dispatched from the 313th BW attack the Kuwana urban area destroying .63 square miles or 77% of the city; two B-29’s attack alternate targets.
(Mission 274) One hundred twenty-nine B-29’s dispatched from the 314th BW hit the Hiratsuka urban area destroying 1.04 square miles or 44.2% of the city; one B-29 hits an alternate target.
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Mission #36: Maj. Cruce(?), Oita urban area |
MARIANAS:
HQ Twentieth AF is officially moved from Washington D.C. to Harmon Field, Guam; HQ XX BC is inactivated, effective 18 July, and HQ and HQ Squadron XXI BC is redesignated HQ Squadron XX AF. The Bomber Commands are brought to an end as actual establishments and their wings pass to direct control of HQ Twentieth AF under the command of MGen Curtis E. LeMay.
ZONE OF THE INTERIOR:
The first atomic bomb is successfully detonated at Los Alamos, New Mexico.
17 July 1945 (pg 685)
JAPAN:
(Mission 275) During the night of 17-18 July, twenty-seven B-29’s mine Shimonoseki Strait and waters in the Nanao-Fushiki area, at Henashi Cape, Iwase and at Sheishin; one B-29 mines an alternate target.
18 July 1945 (pg 685)
MARIANAS:
The US Army Strategic Air Forces in the Pacific (USASTAF) HQ USASTAF is established at Guam under General Carl Spaatz.
19 July 1945 (pg 685)
JAPAN:
During the night of 19-20 July, 1 mining, 4 incendiary and 1 HE bombing missions are flown by B-29’s against Japan and Korea. Three B-29’s are lost.
(Mission 276) Twenty-seven 6th BG B-29’s lay mines in the Oyama, Niigata, Miyazu, Maizuru, Tsuruga, Nezugaseki, Obama Island and the Kobe-Osaka areas of Japan and Wonsan Korea; one B-29 mines an alternate target.
(Mission 277) One hundred twenty-seven B-29’s dispatched from the 58th BW attack the Fukui urban area destroying 1.6 square miles or 84.8% of the city; one B-29 hits an alternate target.
(Mission 278) One hundred twenty-six B-29’s dispatched from the 73rd BW hit the Hitachi urban area destroying .88 square miles or 64.5% of the city; one B-29 hits an alternate target. Two B-29’s are lost.
(Mission 279) Ninety-one B-29’s dispatched from the 313th BW attack the Choshi urban area destroying .38 square miles or 33.8% of the city.
(Mission 280) One hundred twenty-six B-29’s dispatched from the 314th BW hit the Okazaki urban area destroying .65 square miles or 68% of the city; one B-29 hits an alternate target.
(Mission 281) Eighty-three B-29’s dispatched from the 315th BW bomb the Nippon Oil complex at Amagasaki; one B-29 hits an alternate target.
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Mission 33:
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Mission #37: Capt. Robert C. Moore, Hitachi urban area night raid. |
20 July 1945 (pg 686)
JAPAN:
The 393rd BS of the 509th CG begins a series of 12 precision attacks over Japan. (The purpose of these missions it to familiarize the aircrews with the target area and tactics contemplated for the scheduled atomic bomb missions; the strikes (on 20, 24, 26, and 29 July) 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 the sight of small formations of B-29’s flying at high altitudes.)
21 July 1945 (pg 687) No actions reported.
22 July 1945 (pg 687) No actions reported.
23 July 1945 (pg 687)
JAPAN:
During the night of 23-24 Jul, a mining mission and HE bombing mission are flown:
(Mission 282) Twenty-three B-29's dispatched from the 6th BG, staging through Iwo Jima, mine Shimonoseki Strait and the Korean coast at Najin, Pusan and Masan (this was the longest combat mission of the war.)
(Mission 283) Seventy-two 315th BW B-29's bomb the coal liquefaction plant at the Imperial Fuel Industry Company at Ube.
24 July 1945 (pg 687)
JAPAN:
Seven missions (625 B-29's) are flown against targets in the Nagoya and Osaka areas. One B-29 is lost:
(Mission 284) Eighty-two 58th BW B-29's attack the Sumitomo Light Metals Industries propeller factory at Osaka; most of the machine tools had been removed but the facility is completely wrecked; 4 B-29's hit alternate targets. One B-29 is lost.
(Mission 285) Eighty-one 58th BW B-29's hit the Kawanishi Aircraft Plant at Takarazuka destroying 77% of the plant; 3 B-29's hit alternate targets.
(Mission 286) One hundred fifty-three 73rd BW B-29's hit the Osaka Arsenal and Kuwana; the arsenal sustains additional damage amounting to 10% of the original roof area; 9 B-29's hit alternate targets.
(Mission 287) Sixty-six 313th BW B-29's attack the Aichi aircraft plant at Eitoku; the plant sustains its heaviest damage of the war; 5 B-29's hit alternate targets.
(Mission 288 and 289) One hundred thirteen 314th BW B-29's hit the urban area of the city of Tsu; 2 B-29’s hit alternate targets.
(Mission 290) Seventy-seven 314th BW B-29's attack the Nakajima plant at Handa destroying the principal assembly buildings; one B-29 hits an alternate target.
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Assigned with another Lt. to escort about 15O enlisted men to Oahu. First remark from the Navy officer greeting us was "do you play bridge?" They had needed a fourth since the landing on D-Day- Europe. |
Mission 34:
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25 July 1945 (pg 688)
JAPAN:
During the night of 25-26 July, one HE bombing mission and one mining mission are flown:
(Mission 291) Seventy-five 315th BW B-29's attack the Mitsubishi Oil Company and Hayama Petroleum Company at Kawasaki destroying 33% of the storage tanks and other facilities; one B-29 attacks an alternate target. One B-29 suffers a direct flak hit of the target and goes down.
(Mission 292) Twenty-nine 504th BG B-29's mine the waters at Nanao, Fushiki, Obama Island Tsuruga, Japan and Seishin and Pusan Korea; one B-29 mines an alternate target.
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26 July 1945 (pg 689)
JAPAN:
During the night of 26-27 July, three incendiary missions are flown against secondary cities. One B-29 is lost:
(Mission 293) One hundred twenty-seven B-29's dispatched from the 73rd BW attack the Matsuyama urban area destroying 1.22 square miles or 73% of the city.
(Mission 294) Ninety-seven B-29's dispatched from the 313th BW hit the Tokuyama urban area destroying .47 square miles or 37% of the city; one B-29 hits an alternate target.
(Mission 295) One hundred twenty-four B-29's dispatched from the 314th BW attack the Omuta urban area destroying 2.1 square miles or38% of the city; one B-29 hits an alternate target. One B-29 is lost.
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Departed Tanapag harbour at0730. Three ships in convoy. |
(During the war there were several stories about people being shot down on their last mission. Some may have been true, but I think some of them were just "stories" Since our last mission was a relatively easy one, I didn't give it much thought. But not completely out of my mind. We had not yet reached the IP when our tail gunner reported a large flash or explosion several miles behind us. Out of that explosion a small light started to climb at a 45 degree angle and seemed to be headed in our direction. It leveled off at our altitude and started to close on us. I ran the props up and cranked the turbos up to #10 in an attempt to outrun whatever was behind us. Doug couldn't estimate how close the light got, but it suddenly went out. About a minute later he reported a large explosion on the ground about a mile or two behind us. The explosion was bright enough to light up the cockpit for a moment. As I recall it was a dark night so any light would be easily seen. Doug came forward after we were safely out at sea and recounted this story. Ray) Mission 35:
Alive with thirty five 35 completed missions to the Japanese mainland out of 38 tries. (3 aborts) 527 combat hours. ( not including Pagan, Rota and many other training missions.) | |
GERMANY:
Allied leaders issue the Potsdam Declaration. Japan is warned that failure to surrender unconditionally will lead to “prompt and utter destruction”.
27 July 1945 (pg 689)
JAPAN:
(Mission 296) During the night of 27-28 July, twenty-four 504th BG B-29's drop mines in Shimonoseki Strait, at Fukuoka, Niigata, Maizuru, Sensaki, and in Fukawa Bay; one B-29 mines an alternate target. Three B-29's are lost to heavy flak. (two ditch with 13 men rescued and 1 crash landing on Iwo Jima and is subsequently scrapped)
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Finished 2 books. Played 3 rubbers of bridge. Good weather. |
28 July 1945 (pg 690)
JAPAN:
During the night of 28-29 July, six incendiary raids on secondary cities and one HE bombing mission are flown without loss:
(Mission 297) Seventy-six 58th BW B-29's attack the Tsu urban area destroying .84 square miles or 57% of the city area.
(Mission 298) Sixty-one 58th BW B-29's hit the Aomori urban area destroying 1.1 square miles or 64% of the city area; 3 B-29's hit alternate targets.
(Mission 299) One hundred twenty-two 73rd BW B-29's attack the Ichinomiya urban area destroying .99 square miles or 75% of the city area; two B-29's attack alternate targets.
(Mission 300) Ninety-three 313th BW B-29's hit the Uji-Yamada urban area destroying .36 square miles or 39% of the city; one B-29 hits an alternate target.
(Mission 301) Ninety 314th BW B-29's attack the Ogaki urban area destroying .48 square miles or 40% of the city.
(Mission 302) Twenty-nine 314th BW B-29's hit the Uwajima urban area destroying .53 square miles or 52% of the city.
(Mission 303) Seventy-six 315th BW B-29's bomb the Shimotsu Oil Refinery; 75% of the tank capacity, 90% of the gasometer capacity and 69% of the roof area are destroyed or damaged; one B-29 hits an alternate target.
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At sea |
29 July 1945 (pg 691)
JAPAN:
(Mission 304) During the night of 29-30 July, twenty-four 504th BG B-29's drop mines in Shimonoseki Strait, and the waters around Fukuoka and Karatsu Japan and Najin Korea; 2 B-29's mine alternate targets.
30 July 1945 (pg 691)
JAPAN:
The Japanese government reject the Potsdam Declaration. Nevertheless General of the Army George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff, US Army, directs General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Commanding General US Army Forces in the Pacific, LGen Albert C. Wedemeyer, Commanding General, US Forces in the China Theater, and Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief Pacific to proceed with plans for a surrender.
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31 July 1945 (pg 692) No actions reported.
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