Battle of Berlin begins
Eighth Air Force. During morning 486 United States Army Air
Force (USAAF) B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers bomb tank
ditch defensive line at Pointe de Grave on South side of Gironde
estuary in support of ground assault in that area. In the
afternoon 715 heavy bombers bomb marshalling yards at Plattling,
Regensburg, and Landshut, and rail bridges and siding at Regensburg
and Straubing. 15 fighters groups provide uneventful close
and area support and then strafe over 40 landing grounds and
installations in Czechoslovakia and Germany, claiming a record
747 parked fighters destroyed. 34 fighters are downed mostly
by automatic antiaircraft weapons.
Ninth Air Force. Approximately 450 United States Army Air
Force (USAAF) medium bombers and light bombers bomb Zerbst
command centre, Gunzenhausen marshalling yard, Kempten ordnance
depot, and Wittenberg marshalling yard and gun positions.
IX Tactical Air Command's fighters claim 25 air victories
during the day as they escort 9th Bomber Division, fly patrols,
area cover, and armed reconnaissance, attack airfields and
other targets, and support United States 3rd Armoured Division
South West of Dessau, 9th Armoured Division in Rennewitz,
Colditz area along the Mulde River, XX Corps which remains
at Zuickauer Mulde River bridgehead Northeast of Chemnitz,
VIII Corps crossing Weisse Elster River between Gera and Plauen,
2d Armoured Division on the Elbe River near Magdeburg, XIX
Corps East of Barby, and V Corps near Leipzig. The 354th Fighter
Group the pioneer P-51 Mustang fighter-bombers group of the
Ninth Air Force claims its 900th air victory.
Twelfth Air Force. During
15-16
April 1945, United States Army Air Force (USAAF) light bombers
hit Po River crossings, towns of Vignola, Zocca, and Sassuolo,
and several targets in Po V alley. During the day medium bombers
bomb bridges on Reno River near Bologna, blast troop reserve
areas Southeast of Portomaggiore on British Eighth Army front,
and attack troop concentrations South of Portomaggiore. Fighters
and fighter-bombers concentrate most of their effort on close
support targets in United States Fifth Army battle area South
and South West of Bologna.
Fifteenth Air Force. 98 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-24 Liberator heavy bombers bomb positions South West of
Bologna. 102 P-51 Mustang fighter-bombers fly escort. Almost
700 B-24 Liberator heavy bombers and B-17 Flying Fortress
heavy bombers abort due to bad weather. 36 P-51 Mustang fighter-bombers
sweep areas South of Munich, Plzen, and Linz. 4 strafe airfields
East of Munich. Other P-51 Mustang fighter-bombers and P-38
Lightning fighters fly escort and reconnaissance missions.
Tenth Air Force. 22 United States Army Air Force (USAAF) fighter-bombers
pound troop concentrations in Ke-hsi Mansam vicinity. 19 others
attack road bridges behind enemy lines, claiming 1 bridge
destroyed. Air transport operations to forward areas continue
on steady basis.
Fourteenth Air Force. 18 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-24 Liberator heavy bombers pound storage area at Linfen.
3 bomb targets in Bakli Bay and Canton areas. 10 B-25 Mitchell
medium bombers bomb Yungfengshih, Kweilin, and Shanhsien,
knocking out 1 bridge and hitting buildings, river shipping,
and rail traffic. About 120 fighter-bombers over South and
East China hit river, road, and rail traffic, town areas,
troops, and general targets at many scattered locations.
Far East Air Force (FEAF). United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-25 Mitchell medium bombers hit Taien airfield, while B-24
Liberator heavy bombers and P-51 Mustang fighter-bombers bomb
Giran and Matsuyama airfields and nearby areas. Fighter-bombers
hit North Luzon bivouacs and other targets and support strikes
and sweeps are flown over Cebu, Negros, and Mindanao with
B-25 Mitchell medium bombers hitting highways on Mindanao,
B-24 Liberator heavy bombers hit defences at Carabao Island.
P-38 Lightning fighters pound Lingkas Tank Farm and other
targets at Tarakan. During
15-16
April 1945, B-24 Liberator heavy bombers bomb Taihoku.
Seventh Air Force. 18 Guam based United States Army Air Force
(USAAF) B-24 Liberator heavy bombers pound Marcus. 2 P-61
Black Widow, night fighters from Saipan bomb and strafe Pagan.
VII Fighter Command. In first very long range fighters operations
from Iwo Jima, VII Fighter Command P-51 Mustang fighter-bombers
with B-29 Superfortress heavy bomber navigational escort from
Twentieth Air Force, strafe and bomb targets at Kanoya. B-25
Mitchell medium bombers continue to furnish navigational escort
in all subsequent VII Fighter Command strikes through
14
August 1945 on Japan from Iwo Jima.
Eleventh Air Force. United States Army Air Force (USAAF) B-25
Mitchell medium bombers abort mission to bomb Hayakegawa because
of weather front. 6 B-24 Liberator heavy bombers radar bomb
Kataoka naval base. Another B-24 Liberator heavy bombers flies
a radar ferret sortie.
Goya
Troop Ship
Sunk 16 April 1945
R15
R-boat
Sunk 16 April 1945
Go To: 17th
April
Articles:
The Second Great War.
Edited by Sir John Hamilton
The War Illustrated.
Edited by Sir John Hamilton
2194 Days Of War.
ISBN-10: 086136614X
For a complete list of
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