Posted on 01/16/2014 4:26:37 AM PST by Homer_J_Simpson
16 January. Five LSTs beached about 1045, bringing the 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry, and 1,600 tons of bulk stores. The Battalion immediately took up a defensive position to the west of the beaches with outguards along the Mot River. A new defensive sector was assigned to the 2d Battalion, 126th Infantry which was moved to the east flank in reserve. The 3d Battalion, 126th Infantry, occupied a reserve position on the west flank. These three battalions supplied defense of the beach and of approaches into the Saidor area from the mountains. They also furnished a number of inland patrols, and outguards.
The 120th FA Battalion moved farther west to support that flank.
Still heavy rain. Construction work by engineers practically stopped.
Major General H.W. Blakeley, USA, Ret., The 32d Infantry Division in World War II
Winston S. Churchill, Closing the Ring
The News of the Week in Review
Fifteen News Questions – 10
Allied Bases Hem Japan’s Area of Pacific Power (map) – 11
Hawaii’s Role in War Growing in Importance (Horne) – 12
Germans are Preparing for ‘D-Day’ in the West (Baldwin) – 13
Answers to Fifteen News Questions – 14
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1944/jan44/f16jan44.htm
Eisenhower commands AEF
Sunday, January 16, 1944 www.onwar.com
General Eisenhower [photo at link]
In London... American General Eisenhower formally assumes the duties of Commander in Chief of the Allied Expeditionary Forces.
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces break through German defenses north of Velikiye Luki.
In the Bismark Archipelago... On New Britain, Japanese counterattacks toward the American beachhead at Cape Gloucester are defeated.
http://www.etherit.co.uk/month/thismonth/16.htm
January 16th, 1944 (SUNDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: Eisenhower formally assumes duties as Commander in Chief of the Allied Expeditionary Force.
Frigate HMS Meon departed Glasgow to escort Convoy ON-220.
Submarine HMS Tudor commissioned.
Submarine HMS Affray laid down.
BLACK SEA: Steam tanker Vaijan Kutur´e (ex-Nikolaj Janson) sunk by U-20.
HONG KONG: Aircraft carrier USS Enterprise conducts an air raid on the colony.
GILBERT ISLANDS: 431st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) with B-24’s moved from Funafuti to Tarawa and then to Kwajalein on 31 Mar 44.
NEW GUINEA: Australian troops capture Finisterre.
NEW BRITAIN: Japan counter-attacks US forces in the Hill 660 sector.
PACIFIC: Submarine U.S.S. Blackfish (SS-221), sailing through the Caroline Islands during her seventh patrol, attacks a convoy approximately 275 southwest of Truk. In the course of the attack, Blackfish fires from all ten torpedo tubes. The sub claims damage from one hit in a four torpedo salvo (the victim is not identified in postwar analysis).
From the six fish spread, three find the XAP Kaika Maru (2087T) and sink her in position 04°03’N, 148°41’E.
Submarine U.S.S. Redfin (SS-272), on her first outing, patrols the South China Sea. Firing four torpedoes, she attacks and heavily damages DD Amatsukaze (2033T) with all four torpedoes in a twilight surface attack about 250 miles north of the Spratly Islands, 14°40’N, 113°50’E.
Submarine U.S.S. Seahorse (SS-304), patrolling east of the Marianas during her third patrol, attacks and sinks C-AK Nikko Maru (784T) in a night surface radar attack east-southeast of the Marianas in position 12°49’N, 150°19’E. Three of four torpedoes fired find their target.
Submarine U.S.S. Sturgeon (SS-187), cruising in the Honshu area on her ninth patrol, heavily damages DD Suzutsuki (2700T) in Bungo Suido in position 32°11’N, 132°22’E. However, Sturgeon fails to press home an attack against the accompanying merchant vessel Azaki Maru.
Submarine U.S.S. Swordfish (SS-193), patrolling south of Honshu on her tenth patrol, hits with all three torpedoes fired in a night periscope attack. XPG Delhi Maru (2205T) sinks south of Tokyo Bay in position 34°04’N, 139°56’E.
Submarine U.S.S. Whale (SS-239), on her sixth patrol cruising between the Volcano and the Daito Islands, attacks a Japanese convoy in a twilight periscope attack, firing three torpedoes. Two torpedoes hit and sink A-AK Denmark Maru (5869T) about 400 miles east-southeast of Okinawa in position 23°09’N, 135°14’E.
Nearby, U. S. S. Seawolf (SS-197), on her twelfth patrol, conducts a night time gun attack and damages XAP Tarushima Maru (4865T) in approximately 22°45’N, 135°00’E. (Chris Sauder)
U.S.A.:
Destroyers USS Ingraham and Moale launched.
Destroyer escort USS John J Van Buren launched.
Minesweeper USS Inflict launched.
The NBC Blue (later ABC) radio show, “The Life of Riley”, starring William Bendix, starts a run that will last until 29 June, 1951.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: 64 killed when US Liberty ship Sumner I Kimball, in Convoy ON-219, sunk by U-960 at 52.35N, 35.00W - Grid AK 8518.
U-305 lost probably to one of own torpedoes in the approximate position 49N/18W. 51 dead (all hands lost)
Corvette HMCS Orillia departed Londonderry for refit Liverpool, Nova Scotia.
Page 13, is that the first time the “word” D-Day as relates to Normandy has appeared in the paper?
The first I saw. Baldwin wrote some columns that discussed the coming invasion in December, before he went away for a while, but I just scanned them and “D-Day” was not used.
When I saw the “Life of Riley” item I searched for an on line audio link. Some of the shows are available. I didn’t find today’s though.
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