January 13, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 13 JANUARY 1945

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): Six B-25s blast 6 storage buildings at Kengtung, China. 3 others damage a bridge at Hawng Luk, Burma. In China, 31 P-51s, P-38s, and P-40s hit targets of opportunity in the Wanting area; 16
P-51s hit targets of opportunity around Shanhsien, Chiatsochen, and Chaling.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 10 fighter-bombers hit Aungban Airfield while 4 others support ground forces along the Irrawaddy River at Molo; 20+ fighter-bombers hit horses and vehicles at Hsa-ihkao, buildings at Man Ping, and troops at Mankang and Man Sang. Transports fly 556 sorties to forward areas. The detachment of the 317th Troop Carrier Squadron (Commando), 2d Air Commando Group, operating from Dinjan C-47s, returns to base at Kalaikunda.

AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Fourteen Saipan based B-24s hit an airfield on Iwo Jima. Two B-24s from Guam and Saipan again raid the airfields on the night of 13/14 Jan.

MALAYA - Three B-29 bombers crashed in Negeri Sembilan. One at Rembau, one at Port Dickson and another ditching into the South China off Kepas.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s hit the Tarlac barracks and storage area, Batangas Airfield, and troop concentrations at San Juan, Del Monte, Muzon, and San Vicente, P-47s fly a sweep from Laguna de Bay to Tarlac, destroying parked aircraft and vehicles and A-20s hit the town of Batangas and nearby railroads and highways, and bomb Lucena Airfield and Calingatan Airfield. Also the N Luzon area is hit throughout the day by small raids. HQ 18th Fighter Group and the 12th Fighter Squadron move from Sansapor to Lingayen Airfield with P-38s (the 12th has been operating from Morotai since Nov 44).

RAAF: Force landed is Spitfire A58-419 (POW).