TUESDAY, 10 OCTOBER 1944
AMERICAN ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Four B-24s abort a strike at Kashiwabara due to weather.
(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 28 P-47s support ground forces
near Pinhe, bomb the towns of Tawbon and Man Naung, and hit targets of opportunity
in and near Momauk. Transport operations to various points in the CBI continue
at the rate of 250+ sorties.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 12 B-25s bomb and considerably damage
the Kunlong ferry; 38 P-40s and P-51s on armed reconnaissance attack a bridge
and other targets of opportunity near Mangshih, hit troop areas around Tanchuk
and Wuchou, river traffic near Dosing, and locomotives and barges along the
N French Indochina coast.
USN - - Admiral "Bull" Halsey's carrier aircraft begin sustained
attacks on Japenese bases from the Ryukyus to the northern Phillippines in preparation
for the amphibious assault on Leyte. As many as 1,000 planes are in action at
once. The war also draws closer to Japan as planes from Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher fast carrier task force bomb coastal defenses and ships at Okinawa and other
islands of the Ryukyu group.
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA) AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 14 B-24s from Saipan bomb the airfield on Iwo Jima and shipping off the E shore. 24 P-47s pound buildings
and storage caves on Pagan; later a B-24 bombs the radio station north of Pagan Airfield on Pagan. Twelve B-25s from Makin bomb Nauru Airfield runways and adjacent AA positions.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s strike oil
refineries and an airfield in the Balikpapan area; the B-24s and escorting
P-47s and P-38s claim 30+ Japanese fighters downed. Lost is B-24J 44-40774 (MIA), B-24J 42-100005 (MIA), B-24J 42-100206 (rescued). P-38s
and B-25s bomb Djailolo, Kaoe, and Hate Tabako Airfield and the Wasile town
area. P-47s hit Liang Airfield on Ambon . In New Guinea, A-20s hit the Sarmi area and A-20s and B-25s bomb Urarom Airfield. Lost is A-20G 43-21631 (2 died, 2 rescued).
RNZAF: Lost is PV-1 Ventura NZ4575 (KIA).
USMC: Lost is FG Corsair 13316 (rescued).
Australian Army: Z Force Operation Rimau: October 10-16, 1944 another group of Australian Army "Z Force" (Z Special Unit) commandos under the command of Major Ivan Lyon attempted a similar raid against Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbor one-man motorized submersible canoes code named "Sleeping Beauties" (SB). Detected by a Malaysian Police patrol boat Hei Ho, the mission was compromised. The commandos divided into three groups with one group of seven under the command of Lyon attempted to attack shipping. They claimed to have sunk three ships with limpet mines but the sinking are unconfirmed. Afterwards, all the commandos were either killed or captured. Those captured all died in custody or were executed.
Operation Rimau: A second group of "Z Force" (Z Special Unit) commandos under the command of Major Ivan Lyon attempted a similar raid against Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbor using one-man motorized submersible canoes code named "Sleeping Beauties" (SB). Detected by a Malaysian Police patrol boat Hei Ho, the mission was compromised. The commandos divided into three groups with one group of seven under the command of Lyon attempted to attack shipping. They claimed to have sunk three ships with limpet mines but the sinking are unconfirmed. Afterwards, all the commandos killed or captured. Those captured all died in custody or were executed.
