4 January 1939

INDIA: The British government again arrests Mohandas K. Gandhi and several Indian Nationalist leaders and declare the Indian Nationalist Party illegal. Gandhi continues to influence politics from prison, conducting "fasts until death" and demanding the extension of the franchise to the untouchables in the upcoming constitutional revisions referendum. Although the Indian government receives special powers for six months, the nationalist movement in India maintains its momentum.

MANCHURIA: With the occupation of Shanhaiguan (Shanhaikuan), the Japanese complete their military control over South Manchuria.

MIDDLE EAST: The British open a major oil pipeline between the Mosul oilfields in Iraq and the Mediterranean port of Haifa in Palestine. This route provides the British better control over Iraqi oil by complementing oil shipments through the French port of Tripoli, Lebanon.

FRANCE: French television begins regular daily half-hour broadcasts at 2000-2030 hours from the Eiffel Tower.

LEBANON: The French government restores the Lebanese constitution, after it had been suspended for a number of years. .

AUSTRIA: Chancellor Burt von Schuschnigg in an interview said despite common ties with Germany Austria must preserve its historic mission as bridge between two great cultures. He says, "But we remain ourselves alone . . . to render great service to the German people as a whole."

PALESTINE: The British government appoints a new commission under Sir John Woodhead to study the boundary plans for the proposed new states in Palestine and postponed the Peel Commission partition plan. The goal of the new commission is to determine the economic and financial aspects of partitioning the mandate. The commissioners collect evidence in Palestine from April to August, although the Arabs boycott the deliberations.

UNITED KINGDOM: The first part of the British Broadcasting Company's (BBC's) plan to broadcast in foreign languages is begun today, a musical program and a news bulletin in Arabic are transmitted to the Near and Middle East.

GERMANY: The government insists on a single plan to cover exports and "Jewish Problems." The article....

The German Air Ministry circulates a top secret paper, "Preliminary technical guidelines for high-speed fighters with turbojet propulsion."

JAPAN: Tokyo. Prince KONOYE Fumimaro resigns as Prime Minister. Kiichiro Hiranuma becomes premier.

U.S.A.: President Franklin D. Roosevelt tells Congress: "We stand on our historic offer to take counsel with all other nations of the world to the end that aggression among them be terminated, that the race of armaments cease and that commerce be renewed. But the world has grown so small and weapons of attack so swift that no nation can be safe in its will to peace so long as any other single powerful nation refuses to settle its grievances at the council table." The President added: "At the very least, we can and should avoid any action, or any lack of action, which will encourage, assist, or build up an aggressor. We have learned that when we deliberately try to legislate neutrality, our neutrality laws may operate unevenly and unfairly-may actually give aid to an aggressor and deny it to the victim. The instinct of self-preservation should warn us that we ought not to let that happen any more."

UNITED KINGDOM: The bacon ration to be introduced in 8 January is fixed at 4 ounces per person per week.

RAF Bomber Command: 4 Grp. Leaflets and Reconnaissance - Hamburg - Bremen. 10 Sqn. Two aircraft. Severe opposition over Bremen. One aircraft crashed on return, Flying Officer V. R. Patterson crashed K9020 on landing at Dishforth. The crew escaped serious injury, but much later there was a droll sequel. The WOP/AG Aircraftsman W.R. 'Charlie' Armstrong was recommended for a commission in 1944 and during his medical the examining officer discovered an entry in Charlie's records stating that he received fatal injuries in the crash. "Welcome back," he said. "I know you lot are supposed to be living on borrowed time, but this is ridiculous."

AMC HMS Bulolo commissioned.

GERMANY: Göring takes control of the national war economy and all German war industries.

GIBRALTAR: U.S. freighter SS Exiria is detained at Gibraltar by British authorities.

U.S.A.: Washington: Roosevelt asks Congress for a defence budget of $1.8 million.
Garret Dempsey writes: In the Army
"Green Book" series, U.S. Army in World War II, in the volume for "The Army
and Economic Mobilization" by R. Elberton Smith, there's a chart (Table 2)
on pg. 6 that lists the "U.S. War Program for World War II: By Procuring
Agency, 1 July 1940-31 August 1945". According to those figures, in the
period from 1 July 1940 to 31 December 1940, the total "War Program"
expenditures came to $3.6 BILLION.

CHINA: The Chinese halt the Japanese drive in the Changsha area of Hunan Province.

BURMA: A pilot of the 2d Fighter Squadron, American Volunteer Group ("Flying Tigers"), shoots down a Japanese "Claude" (Mitsubishi A5M Navy Type 96 Carrier Fighter) over Rangoon at 1205 hours.

MALAYA: The Indian 11th Division forces on the River Slim are bombarded by Japanese aircraft as it prepares defensive positions. A Japanese force moves south along the west coast to the Selangor River, then east along the river, threatening the communications line at Rawang. To meet this threat, the Indian 6/15 Brigade Group starts toward Batang Berjuntai.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: Japanese Lieutenant General HOMMA Masaharu, Commanding General 14th Army, meets with Manila Mayor Jorge Vargas. After both smile for the camera, HOMMA imposes the Japanese Military Administration under Major General HAYASHI Yoshide.. He in turn imposes a curfew, blackout, martial law, firearms turn-in, a ban on radio transmissions and listening to non-Japanese statements. He also warns that any hostile act against the Japanese will result in ten Filipinos dying for every Japanese killed. All industries, factories, banks, schools, churches, and printing presses must come under Japanese control. The flying of the Filipino or U.S. flags or singing of the "Star-Spangled Banner" is forbidden.

Continuing strong attacks against the flank of the Porac-Guagua line, the Japanese overrun Guagua and continue along Route 7 to Lubao, cutting the planned line of retreat of the 11th Division [Philippine Army (PA)]. The 21st Division (PA) zone (the western part of the line) is relatively quiet. Withdrawal from the line Porac-Guagua begins under cover of darkness on 4/5 January with the 21st Division covering for the 11th Division. Some cut-off elements of the 11th Division make a circuitous withdrawal through San Jose, while others move down Route 7 and form an outpost line between Lubao and Santa Cruz.

USAAF Far East Air Force fighters from Bataan on Luzon, attempt the interception of a bombing raid on Corregidor Island in Manila Bay. The fighters, failing to intercept until the Japanese aircraft are over the target, have little effect on the raid. Several fighters depart for Mindanao following the mission.

During the night of 4/5 January, eight B-17 Flying Fortresses based at Singosari Airdrome, Java, Netherlands East Indies, stage through Samarinda Airdrome, Dutch Borneo, and attack Japanese warships and transports in Malalag Bay, Davao, Mindanao Island, from 25,000 feet (7 620 meters) and damage heavy cruisers HIJMS Myoko and Nachi.

AUSTRALIA: Major General George Brett assumes command of the U.S. Forces in Australia. One of his first orders is to divert two transports en route from Brisbane, Queensland, to the Philippine Islands to put in at Darwin, Northern Territory. This effectively ends the effort to reinforce the troops in the Philippines.

BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: The Japanese begin an air offensive against Rabaul on New Britain Island, the strategic base in the Bismarck Archipelago, garrisoned by 5,400 men (principally the Australian 2/22d Battalion, 8th Division; an RAAF detachment; 100 men of the New Guinea Volunteer Reserve; and a few Royal Australian Navy officers). Located at Rabaul are a fighter strip at Lakunai and a bomber strip at Vunakanu.

U.S.A.: President Franklin D. Roosevelt declares lend-lease aid to the Provisional Government of Czechoslovakia as vital to the defence of the U.S.

Lieutenant General John DeWitt, Commanding General Western Defence Command, meets with the Chief of the War Department's Aliens Division to come up with a definition of strategic areas where all enemy aliens would be excluded.

U-280 launched.

U-1002 laid down.

U-1405, U-1406, U-1407 ordered.

U.S.S.R.: Caucasus: Nalchik Chernyakovsky, the rail centre on the River Chir fall to the Soviet Army.

However, the under strength Soviet frontal offensive at Nalchik was defeated in the course of the month, primarily by the efforts of the Romanian 2nd Mountain Division defending the area. (Mike Yaklich)

Soviet Navy lists submarine M-36 Black Sea Fleet Kobuleti area (lost off Sevastopol).

SOLOMON ISLANDS: Ainsworth splits Task Force 67. Light cruisers USS Nashville, St. Louis and Helena, and destroyers Fletcher and O'Bannon form 67.2. The rest of the force operate as a distant support group under Rear Admiral Tisdale; it includes the heavy cruiser Louisville, light cruisers Honolulu, Columbia and HMNZS Achilles. USN Task Group 67.2, under Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth, bombards a Japanese Airfield on Munda, New Georgia. This action marks the first time that proximity fuses for AAA are used by a bombardment vessel.

Guadalcanal: US troops fighting to take Mount Austen, the strategically-located main ridge overlooking the US air base at Hendeson Field, have been forced to suspend operations after suffering heavy casualties. The two-week-long attack came to a halt as surprised American troops ran into fire from Japanese pillboxes and foxholes cunningly disguised and cleverly sited to survive the constant US air and artillery bombardment of the last week.

The US suspension provides a breathing space for the 12,000 Japanese under Lt-Gen Hyakutake. With supplies running out he was today ordered to withdraw from the island to New Georgia Island; but it will be a gradual, fighting retreat, as the US forces discovered on Mount Austen.

All 3 Btns of the 132nd Infantry are now in place around the Gifu. Starting on December 18, this unit has attempted to capture Mount Austen from the Japanese. Since Christmas they have surrounded and isolated the position.

The exhausted, worn 132nd will hold their positions until later in the month when 2nd Btn, 35th Infantry will inherit the mission to reduce it.

Frigate HMCS New Glasgow laid down Esquimalt, British Columbia.

Corvette HMCS Edmunston commenced refit Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Corvette HMCS Galt arrived Liverpool, Nova Scotia for refit.

U.S.A.: Destroyer escorts USS Fessenden and Fiske laid down.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: In the Bay of Biscay, USN submarine USS Shad (SS-235) sinks German minesweeper M 4242 (ex-French trawler Odet II) about 45 nautical miles (76 kilometers) north-northeast of Bilbao, Spain. in position 43.55N, 02.42W.

UNITED KINGDOM: USAAF Eighth Air Force aircraft begin flying supplies, under code name Operation CARPETBAGGER, from the U.K. to underground patriot forces in Western Europe. Full-scale supply missions will come to an end in September 1944.

The USAAF Ninth Air Force activates the XIX Air Support Command at Middle Wallop, Hampshire, England with Major General Elwood R Quesada in command; the XIX will support Lieutenant General George Patton's Third Army in Europe.

FRANCE: The USAAF Ninth Air Force sends 258 B-26 Marauders to bomb NOBALL targets (V-weapons sites). Weather makes bombing difficult, and results range from unknown to good.

During the night of 4/5 January, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 80 aircraft, 57 Stirlings, 12 Mosquitos and 11 Lancasters, to five V-1 sites; 32 aircraft bomb the site at Aily-Le-Haut-Clocher, 31 bomb Bois des Huit Rues, 11 hit Fieval, three attack Bristillene and two bomb LaGalcerie. No aircraft are lost. In other missions, 32 bombers drop mines off Bay of Biscay ports: ten each lay mines off Gironde and La Pallice, six each lay mines off Bayonne and Brest, and three each lay mines off Lorient and St. Nazaire.

The USAAF Eighth Air Force flies Mission 175: four B-17 Flying Fortresses drop 800,000 leaflets on Orleans, Lorient, Rouen and Tours, France at 2005-2021 hours without loss.

NETHERLANDS: During the night of 4/5 January, one of the RAF Bomber Command Mosquitos dispatched to bomb Germany attacks Texel.

ITALY: Attacks by the Allied 5th Army, specifically the British 46th Div, against the Gustav line, begin on a 10 mile front. In the U.S. Fifth Army's British X Corps area, in preparation for an attack on Cedro Hill, the 138th Brigade, 46th Division establishes a bridgehead across the Peccia River, during the night of 4/5 January, against strong opposition. In the U.S. II Corps area, the 1st Special Service Force gains positions on the ridge southeast of Mt. Majo, overrunning Hill 775 and Mt. Arcalone. Other elements of II Corps move forward to the line of departure for the main offensive, overcoming some opposition en route.

GERMANY: Rastenburg: Hitler refuses von Manstein's plea to pull troops out of the Dnieper Bend in order to free soldiers for the northern front.

The USAAF Eighth Air Force flies Mission 174: 514 B-17 Flying Fortresses and 130 B-24 Liberators are dispatched to bomb two targets; 13 B-17s and six B-24s are lost. The targets are (numbers in parenthesis indicate number of aircraft bombing and number lost, e.g., 97-1):

During the night of 4/5 January, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 18 Mosquitos to bomb three targets: eight bomb Berlin, two attack Cologne and one hits Krefeld.

U.S.S.R.: Belaya Tserkov, another German strong point southwest of Kiev, falls to the Red Army. The advance continues toward Uman. Black Sea Fleet: (Sergey Anisimov)(69)Submarine loss. "M-36" - mined while on trials, at Poti area.

BULGARIA: Over 100 USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses are dispatched to bomb the marshalling yard at Dupnica; 27 bomb the target area, but heavy cloud cover causes 77 B-17 Flying Fortresses to return bombs to base; P-38 Lightnings escort the B-17 Flying Fortresses the total distance to and from targets; P-47 Thunderbolts provide escort part way.

YUGOSLAVIA: USAAF Twelfth Air Force B-25 Mitchells bomb the Brodac town area and marshalling yard, and the town of Travnik.

EUROPE: Allied aircraft start Operation Carpetbagger, regular supply missions to partisans in the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Italy.

NEW GUINEA: In Northeast New Guinea, Japanese Lieutenant General ADACHI Hatazo, commanding the Eighteenth Army, order his 20th and 51st Divisions to withdraw to Madang without any more attempts at a delaying action. Extensive patrolling of the Saidor area by the Allies is uneventful. The Australians reach Cape King William, 16 miles (26 kilometres) southeast of Sio.

In Northeast New Guinea, over 100 USAAF Fifth Air Force heavy and medium bombers bomb the Alexishafen, Madang, and Bogadjim areas and hit troops and supplies between Finschhafen and Saidor.

Gilbert Islands: 45th Fighter Squadron with P-40N's moved from Nanumea to Abemama but operated from Makin until 24 Mar 44.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: USAAF Thirteenth Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb Sohano Island, concentrating on the seaplane base and supply area. B-25 Mitchells hit gun positions at Tonolai and bomb Chabai on Bougainville Island. P-39 Airacobras, New Zealand (PV-1) Ventura's, and night fighters, operating individually or in small flights, hit targets on Bougainville, including barges at Mutupina Point and along the Jaba River, and areas around Buka, Buka Island, Bonis, Poporang Island, Papas, and Banin.

Rabaul: Major Gregory Boyington, USMCR was captured by the Japanese, after scoring 28 confirmed aircraft shotdown.

BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: On New Britain Island, the ADC Group (7th Marine Regiment, reinforced by the 3d Battalion of the 5th Marine Regiment, and supporting units) continues their attack after artillery preparation,. Tanks cross an improvised ramp over Suicide Creek and support marines by destroying enemy positions at point-blank range. The assault force, now expanded to four battalions, pushes southward without opposition to the next phase line, north of Hill 150 and Aogiri Ridge.

Aircraft of USN Task Group 37.2 bomb Japanese shipping at Kavieng, New Ireland Island, damaging destroyers HIJMS Fumizuki and Satsuki in Stephen Strait. Task Group 37.2 is comprised of the aircraft carrier USS Bunker Hill (CV-17), with Carrier Air Group 17 (CVG-17), the small aircraft carrier USS Monterey (CVL-26) with Light Carrier Air Group 30 (CVLG-30), the battleship USS Washington (BB-56) and six destroyers.

USAAF Fifth Air Force B-25 Mitchells attack artillery positions in the Cape Gloucester area on New Britain Island while over 40 land-based Allied fighters from the Solomon Islands attack the Rabaul area and claim at least ten Japanese airplanes shot down.

PACIFIC: From Glen Boren's diary aboard the USS BUNKER HILL: Launched a predawn patrol and a search at Kavieng Harbour. Located several ships about so we launched an attack at 800. Aircraft returned about noon.

Several hits were made on cruisers and destroyers, but none were thought to have sunk. They were out of the harbour in open water.

Ensign Beedle got shot down by a hap after driving him off a bomber. He caught fire and crashed in the water. NOTE: Ensign Beedle was the brother of movie star, William Holden. I didn't know that at the time, just found that out recently.

Our skipper got the hydraulics shot away and after three tries, made a very hot landing, and a purple heart. Shrapnel penetrated the cockpit and got him in the leg. Another pilot landed and dropped a wheel in the catwalk. Heavy damage to the aircraft.

General Quarters sounded at 1400. Boggies at 50 miles out. 5 zekes and a nell. Monterey fighters shot them down. Later a jake and a betty were shot down, 28 and 15 miles out.

Just before dark, the ship's captain came on the squawkbox and told the gunners that a sub would be coming up in the middle of the task force and not to shoot it as it would be ours. At 1845, the Guardfish surfaced on our port side. Quite a sight. She stayed with us all night and submerged at dawn.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: USN light cruiser USS Omaha (CL-4) and destroyer USS Jouett (DD-396) intercept German blockade runner SS Rio Grande carrying a load of crude rubber in the South Atlantic. Gunfire and scuttling charges sink Rio Grande about 559 nautical miles (1 036 kilometres) east of Recife, Brazil, in position 06.41S, 25.36W, in a depth of 18,904 feet (5 762 meters).

UNITED KINGDOM: During the night of 4/5 January, the USAAF Eighth Air Force flies Mission 779: one B-17 Flying Fortress and two B-24 Liberators drop leaflets in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany; one B-24 is lost.

BELGIUM: In the British Second Army area, XXX Corps opens an offensive west of the Ourthe River, protecting the U.S. First Army right. From the Marche-Hotton road, the 53d Division drives south abreast the U.S. VII Corps. The British 6th Airborne Division meets determined opposition south of Rochefort.

In the U.S. First Army's VII Corps area, the 2d Armoured Division captures Beffe, contains counterattacks near Devantave, seizes Lamormnil, and reaches the edge of Odeigne. The 3d Armoured Division takes Baneux, Jevigne, and Lansival and gains a bridgehead at Groumont Creek. In the XVIII Corps (Airborne) area, the 82d Airborne Division advances its line to include Heirlot, Odrimont, the wooded heights north and northeast of Abrefontaine, St Jacques, Bergeval, and Mont de Fosse; on the extreme left patrols push to the Saim River.

In the U.S. Third Army's VIII Corps area, the 87th Infantry Division attack is halted by resistance near Pironpr. An attack of the 17th Airborne Division evokes strong reaction in the Pinsamont-Rechrival-Hubermont area. German attacks in the 101st Airborne Division sector are ineffective. In the III Corps area, the 6th Armoured Division is repeatedly attacked in the Mageret-Wardin area east of Bastogne, and withdraws to shorten the line. The 35th Infantry Division clears Lutrebois but is still unable to take Harlange, Luxembourg. The 26th Infantry Division gains a few hundred yards.

Flamierge: Staff Sergeant Isadore S. Jachman, U.S. Army, Company B, 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Awarded the MoH for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty at Flamierge, Belgium, on 4 January 1945, when his company was pinned down by enemy artillery, mortar, and small arms fire, 2 hostile tanks attacked the unit, inflicting heavy. casualties. S/Sgt.

Jachman, seeing the desperate plight of his comrades, left his place of cover and with total disregard for his own safety dashed across open ground through a hail of fire and seizing a bazooka from a fallen comrade advanced on the tanks, which concentrated their fire on him. Firing the weapon alone, he damaged one and forced both to retire. S/Sgt. Jachman's heroic action, in which he suffered fatal wounds, disrupted the entire enemy attack, reflecting the highest credit upon himself and the parachute infantry. (Patrick Holscher)

FRANCE: In U.S. Seventh Army's XV Corps area, the 44th Infantry Division tries vainly to clear Frauenberg and Gros Rederching. In a limited attack, the 36th Infantry Division takes a hill between Lemberg and Goetzenbruck. In the VI Corps area, the 45th Infantry Division, continuing the fight to reduce the Bitche salient, drives to the outskirts of Wingen; attacks northeast across the Wingen-Wimmenau road to ease pressure on Reipertsweiler; fights to open the Reipertsweiler-Wildenguth road, taking Saegmuhl and making contact with elements cut off in Wildenguth; and clears about half of Philippsbourg. Task Force Linden's line along the Rhine River is extended to include the zone held by Task Force Herren.

The USAAF Eighth Air Force flies Mission 780: ten of 12 B-24 Liberators dispatched to hit the Coubre Point Coastal battery near Bordeaux hit the target using H2X radar.

During the night of 4/5 January, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 347 Lancasters and seven Mosquitos to bomb Royan; 350 bomb the town with the loss of four Lancasters and two more which collide behind Allied lines in France and crash. This is a tragic raid with a strange, and disputed, background. Royan was a town situated at the mouth of the River Gironde in which a stubborn German garrison was still holding out, preventing the Allies from using the port of Bordeaux. The task of besieging the town had been given to 12,000 men of the French Resistance commanded by Free French officers appointed by Brigadier General Charles-Andre de Gaulle, Prime Minister of the Provisional French Government. The commander of the German garrison recognized the Resistance units as regular forces and the normal rules of warfare are observed. The French, lacking artillery, made little progress with their siege. The German commander gave the inhabitants of the town the opportunity to leave but m any preferred to stay in order to look after their homes. It is believed that there were 2,000 civilians at the time of the raid. On 10 December 1944, a meeting took place at the town of Cognac between French officers and an American officer from one of the tactical air force units in France. After a meal, at which much alcohol is supposed to have been consumed, the American officer suggested that the German garrison at Royan should be "softened up" by bombing. He was assured by the French that the only civilians remaining in the town were collaborators, which was not correct. The suggestion that the town be bombed was passed to SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force), which decided that the task should be given to Bomber Command: "To destroy town strongly defended by enemy and occupied by German troops only." It is said that SHAEF ordered a last-minute cancellation because of doubts about the presence of French civilians but the order, if issued, was not received by Bomber Command in time. The attack is carried out by two waves of bombers, in good visibility conditions, in the early hours of 5 January. 1,576 tons (1 430 metric tons) of high-explosive bombs, including 285 4,000- pound (1 814 kilogram) "blockbuster" bombs, are dropped. Local reports show that between 85 and 90 per cent of the small town is destroyed. The number of French civilians killed is given as â€œ500 to 700"and as â€œ800" by different sources. Many of the casualties are suffered in the second part of the raid, which took place an hour after the first and caught many people out in the open trying to rescue the victims of the first wave of the bombing trapped in their houses. The number of Germans killed is given as 35 to 50. A local truce is arranged and, for the next ten days, there is no fighting while the search for survivors in wrecked houses continues. There are many recriminations. Bomber Command is immediately exonerated. The American air-force office r who passed on the original suggestion to SHAEF is removed from his command. The bitterest disputes takes place among the Free French officers and accusations and counter-accusations continued for many years after the war. A French general committed suicide. De Gaulle, in his Memoires, blamed the Americans: "American bombers, on their own initiative, came during the night and dropped a mass of bombs." The German garrison did not surrender until 18 April.

Lieutenant Colonel Clifford Heflin flew the first USAAF mission in Operation CARPETBAGGER from Tempsford, Bedfordshire, England, to France to drop supplies at night to resistance forces.

GERMANY: During the night of 4/5 January, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 66 Mosquitos to two targets: 59 bomb Berlin and six hit Neuss without loss. Some of the Light Night Striking Force Mosquitos which attacked Berlin on this night flew two sorties each. These Mosquitos took off in the early evening, bombed Berlin returned and changed crews, and then flew to Berlin again. This method of augmenting the Mosquito campaign against Berlin was used several times during the long nights of midwinter.

ITALY: USAAF Twelfth Air Force medium bombers hit bridges at Lavis and Calliano; fighters and fighter-bombers interdict Po Valley communications and hit an ammunition dump at San Felice del Benaco;

The USAAF Fifteenth Air Force hits a number of transportation targets. The targets are (numbers in parenthesis indicate number of aircraft bombing and number lost, e.g., 97-1):

- Marshalling yards: Bolzano (44-1), Bronzolo/North (38-0), Bronzolo/South (43-0), Padua (17-0), Trento/North (53-3), Verona/Porto Nouvo (132-1), Verona/Porto Vescova (67-0) and Vicenza (13-0).

During the night of 4/5 January, USAAF Twelfth Air Force A-20 Havocs on a south Po Valley intruder mission bomb the Modena area. Bad weather cancels all other operations. Meanwhile, 43 heavy bombers of the RAF's No. 205 (Heavy Bomber Group bomb the railroad bridge at Latisana.

YUGOSLAVIA: Nine USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-24 Liberators drop supplies to Yugoslav partisans.

During the night of 4/5 January, 16 heavy bombers of the RAF's No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group drop supplies to partisans.

CHINA: Four USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb the Ft Bayard area and the Samah Bay area on Hainan Island. Twenty fighters hit targets of opportunity around Lohochai, Sinyang and Hankow.

BURMA: In the Allied Land Forces South East Asia (ALFSEA) area, the Indian XV Corps completes occupation of Akyab, key port and air base on the Arakan front.

In the Northern Combat Area Command (NCAC) area, the U.S. 475th Infantry Regiment (Long Range Penetration, Special) finishes crossing the Shweli River. The U.S. 124th Cavalry Regiment (Special) reconnoitres for a crossing site over the Shweli River while awaiting an airdrop.

Thirteen USAAF Tenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells, escorted by 12 P-47 Thunderbolts, bomb Namsang Airfield; 12 P-47s hit bypass road bridges at Inailong and Bawgyo, damaging approaches to the latter; troops and supply areas are hit at Man Kat, Hsenwi, Yi-ku, Se-hai, and near Nawnghkio by 36 P-47s and P-38 Lightnings; six P-47s bomb cable and pontoons along the north riverbank at Na-lang; six hit enemy activity near Twinnge and five attack a truck dispersal area and warehouses at Mogok. Transports fly 597 sorties to front areas and forward bases.

Six USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells damage a bridge and a warehouse, and destroy two other buildings at Kentung and 21 P-40s on armed reconnaissance pound targets of opportunity in the Wanling area.

THAILAND: Eight USAAF Fourteenth Air Force P-51 Mustangs knock out a bridge at Huizan and damage another.

FORMOSA: USN Task Force 38 continues operations against Japanese airfields and shipping in the Formosa area. Navy planes sink three auxiliary submarine chasers and damage an escort vessel and an auxiliary submarine chaser in the Formosa Strait; sink an auxiliary netlayer northeast of Taiwan; and damage a minesweeper near Takao,

EAST INDIES: USAAF Far East Air Forces (FEAF) B-25 Mitchells and P-38 Lightnings hit Tanamon and Sidate on Celebes Island; seven RAAF Beauforts attack Sidate and (P-40) Kittyhawks hit shipyards on Bangka Island. FEAF B-24 Liberators and B-25s, flying small scale strikes, hit airfields on northeast Celebes Island bomb shipyards in northern Borneo.

NEW GUINEA: In Papua New Guinea, Australian Lieutenant General Sir Vernon Sturdee, General Officer Commanding First Australian Army, writes to General Thomas Blamey, Commander in Chief Australian Military Force and Commander in Chief Allied Land Forces South-West Pacific: "I have been anxiously awaiting some Press announcement that the Australian Army still exists in New Guinea, and it seems that the Australian public must be wondering whether we are still in the war."

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: Japanese planes attack Task Groups 77.6 and 77.2 as they continue toward Lingayen Gulf, Luzon. At the request of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Commander-in-Chief South-West Pacific Area, Admiral William Halsey, Commander of the Third Fleet, orders Task Force 38 to extend its coverage of Luzon southward on 6 January. The main body of the Luzon Attack Force sorties from Leyte Gulf after nightfall. U.S. X Corps, Eighth Army, terminates offensive operations on Leyte.

USAAF Far East Air Forces (FEAF) B-24 Liberators bomb Puerto Princesa on Palawan Island while B-25 Mitchells hit a railroad and highways in the San Pedro area on Luzon Island. Other B-24s and B-25s, flying small scale strikes, hit airfields on southern Luzon and Mindanao Islands and in the central Philippine Islands.

VOLCANO ISLANDS: Thirteen USAAF Seventh Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb Iwo Jima. During the night of 4/5 January, ten more B-24s hit the island with individual harassment strikes.

PACIFIC: The US 3rd Fleet carrier planes attack targets on FORMOSA and the southern Ryukyu Islands as well as the Pescadores.

Fleet Air Arm aircraft from the aircraft carriers Indomitable, Indefatigable and Victorious launched a major air strike against the Japanese oil refineries at Pangkalan Brandan in Sumatra.

Escort carrier USS Ommaney Bay sunk by a Japanese kamikaze attack south of Mindoro, Philippine Islands.

PACIFIC OCEAN: In the Sulu Sea northwest of Panay Island, Philippine Islands, the USN escort aircraft carrier USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) is crashed on the starboard side by a Japanese twin-engine Kamikaze. Composite Squadron Seventy Five (VC-75) with FM Wildcats and TBM Avengers is aboard. Two bombs are released; one of them penetrates the flight deck and detonates below, setting off a series of explosions among the fully-fuelled aircraft on the forward third of the hanger deck. The second bomb passes through the hanger deck, ruptures the fire main on the second deck, and explodes near the starboard side. Fires, fuelled by fuel and ammunition, prevent other ships for coming close and by 1750 hours the entire topside area had become untenable, and the stored torpedo warheads threatened to explode at any time. The order to abandon ship is given and at 1945 hours, the ship is sunk about 53 nautical miles (98 kilometres) northwest of San Jose, Panay, by a torpedo from the destroyer U SS Burns (DD-588). A total of 95 crewmen are lost, including two killed on an assisting destroyer when torpedo warheads on the carrier€™s hangar deck finally explode. The USN now has 66 escort aircraft carriers in commission.

Off San Jose, Mindoro Island, Philippine Islands, a Japanese kamikaze crashes U.S. freighter SS Lewis L. Dyche (carrying bombs and fuses), which disintegrates, killing all hands, including the 28-man Armed Guard; debris from the exploding freighter damages a nearby oiler and a minelayer.

A Japanese Fu Go balloon bomb crashes in the Gulf of Alaska about 391 nautical miles (724 kilometres) east of Unalaska, Territory of Alaska, but it is not recovered.

CAROLINE ISLANDS: U.S. 81st Infantry Division troops on Fais complete search of the island and are withdrawn. Fais Island is located about 52 nautical miles (97 kilometres) east of Ulithi Atoll.

- The first which includes the envelope, fragments, rigging and apparatus, lands near Sebastopol, California, at 1815 hours local. Sebastopol is located in northern California about 6.5 miles (10,4 kilometres) west of Santa Rosa.

- Fragments of what is identified as an incendiary type bomb explode in a field 1 mile (1,6 kilometres) south of Medford, Oregon, at 1740 hours local. A whistling sound as if a bomb was falling is heard prior to the explosion. Medford is located about 210 miles (338 kilometres) south of Portland.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: About 1700 hrs, U-1232 attacked the convoy SH-194 four miles off Halifax and reported two ships sunk. SS Polarland was sunk and SS Nipiwan Park damaged. Polarland in station #31 was hit by one torpedo and sank within 15 seconds. Two men rescued themselves on a raft, which floated free and were later joined by three others that came to the surface after the ship sank. The four crewmen and one gunner were picked up about one hour later by HMCS Kentville. The master, one gunner and 15 crewmembers were lost, including all officers.

U.S.A: The Truman administration resumed full diplomatic relations with Thailand.