Eighth Air Force. Over 850 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
heavy bombers, supported by 11 fighters groups, bomb 9 marshalling
yards, 8 command centres, 3 rail targets, 5 city areas, and
15 targets in battle areas and Central Germany. 1 fighters
group flies uneventful sweep while another bombs and strafes
Siegen marshalling yard.
Ninth Air Force. United States Army Air Force (USAAF) 9th
Bomber Division attacks rail bridges at Ahrweiler, Simmern,
and Bullay and command centres at Gouvy, Houffalize, Massen,
and near Durler. Fighters escort 9th Bomber Division and VIII
Bomber Command, fly armed reconnaissance, attack airfields,
command centre, traffic concentration, and other targets,
and support United States III and VIII Corps West and East
of Bastogne and 2d and 3d Armoured Divisions near Manhay.
Twelfth Air Force. During
4-5
January 1945, United States Army Air Force (USAAF) A-20 Havoc
light bombers on South Po Valley intruder mission bomb Modena
area. Bad weather cancels all other operations.
Fifteenth Air Force. 1 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-24 Liberator heavy bombers bombs Zagreb railroad sidings.
69 others abort due to total cloud cover over target. 38 P-51
Mustang fighter-bombers fly cover over target area. 33 P-38
Lightning fighters bomb North railroad bridge at Doboj. Other
operations are limited to reconnaissance, supply drops, and
escort.
Tenth Air Force. 16 United States Army Air Force (USAAF) B-25
Mitchell medium bombers flying airfield sweep inflict considerable
damage on Laihka, Aungban, Kunlon, and Mong Long airfields.
In Namhkam sector, 2 P-47 Thunderbolt fighters join ground
forces in blasting artillery positions at Wingkang and Kunlong.
9 P-47 Thunderbolt fighters damage bypass bridges at Mongmit.
70 fighter-bombers attack storage areas, tanks and trucks,
and troop concentrations at Mong Yaw, Hsenwi, Hpa-Pen, Man
Ton, Tunghka, Man Peng, and Longhsu. Transports fly 550 sorties
to forward bases and front-line areas. Operation GRUB-WORM,
one of the major transport achievements of the war, is completed
on this date 1 month from its start. Chinese 14th and 22d
Divisions, Chinese Sixth Army Headquarters, a heavy mortar
company, a signal company, and 2 portable surgical hospitals
have been airlifted. The move required 1,328 transport sorties.
Air Transport Command provided 597 sorties; the air commando
squadrons, 488; and Tenth Air Force, 243. The lift included
more than 25,000 Chinese soldiers, 396 United States soldiers,
1,596 animals, 42 jeeps, 48 howitzers, 48 heavy mortars, and
48 antitank guns. The troops and supplies have been landed
at Chanyi, Kunming, Luliang, and Yunnani. Only 3 planes were
lost during the operation.
Fourteenth Air Force. 4 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-25 Mitchell medium bombers pound 13 storage buildings at
Kengtung. 5 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers knock out bridge
at Dara. 3 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers bomb Wan Pa-Hsa and
Hawng Luk while 1 B-24 Liberator heavy bombers bombs Cap Saint-Jacques
area. 29 P-40 fighters and P-51 Mustang fighter-bombers hit
airfields at Hankow and Wuchang, claiming 50 aeroplanes destroyed
in the air and on the ground. 23 P-51 Mustang fighter-bombers
and P-38 Lightning fighters hit airfields and other targets
in Samah Bay area, claiming 11 aeroplanes destroyed. 30 P-40
fighters and P-38 Lightning fighters attack various targets,
Sinsiang, Kengtung, and Wan Pa-Hsa, and in Wanling area. 4
P-40 fighters pound fortified hill positions in Salween area.
Far East Air Force (FEAF). In major strikes of the day United
States Army Air Force (USAAF) B-25 Mitchell medium bombers
hit shore installations along Lingayan Gulf, and bomb Menado.
B-24 Liberator heavy bombers attack Miri airfield. Numerous
smaller strikes are flown throughout Philippine Islands and
Netherlands East Indies (NEI). A-20 Havoc light bombers and
fighter-bombers attack airfields in Luzon, Central Phil area
and Mindanao, fighter-bombers and B-24 Liberator heavy bombers
hit Pombelaa, Tondano area, and targets in Northeast Celebes.
Other Far East Air Force (FEAF) aircraft fly scattered strikes
at various targets in Borneo, Lesser Sunda, and Tanimbar Islands.
Seventh Air Force. 22 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-24 Liberator heavy bombers from Saipan, in morning and afternoon
raids, pound Iwo Jima. 7 P-38 Lightning fighters, with 3 B-24
Liberator heavy bombers as navigational escort, fly strafing
mission against Iwo Jima. Other B-24 Liberator heavy bombers
act as airborne spotters for naval bombardment of Chichi Jima
and Haha Jima.
Eleventh Air Force. 4 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-24 Liberator heavy bombers fly an air coverage mission for
a naval Task Force on its approach to Suribachi.
V-2 rocket
launched against England, hit Beckenham.
V-2 rocket
launched against England, hit Navestock Side.
V-2 rocket
launched against England, hit Wanstead.
V-2 rocket
launched against England, hit Raydon Area.
V-2 rocket
launched against England, hit near Billericay.
V-2 rocket
launched against England, hit Tolleshunt D'Arcy.
V-2 rocket
launched against England, hit Addington.
Go To: 6th
January
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
sources
