January 9th, 1944 (SUNDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: American and British bombers seconded from their attacks on German cities, today begin the first full week of Operation Carpetbagger, and extensive campaign to arm the resistance movements of Europe in preparation for the forthcoming invasion. The bombers, their bomb-bays filled with canisters containing Sten guns, ammunition, explosives, mortars and wireless sets, have been parachuting their loads into dropping zones in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy. It is estimated that enough weapons have been dropped to arm 20,000 fighters. Special orders are sometimes supplied by fast Mosquito bombers a few hours after the request has been placed by radio.
FRANCE: Lyons: The shooting of two German soldiers is swiftly avenged by the execution of 22 Frenchmen.
ITALY: US troops launch a final assault on the German winter line, striking at Cervaro and Monte Trocchio.
In the U.S. Fifth Army area, the U.S. II Corps orders an attack tomorrow, the 34th Infantry Division making the main effort, to secure Cervaro and Mt. Trocchio, the final Winter Line objectives. Last elements of U.S. 45th Infantry Division are relieved by the 3d Algerian Division, French Expeditionary Corps.
USAAF Twelfth Air Force B-25 Mitchells attack the marshalling yard and docks at Ancona; P-40s hit tanks and trucks at Palena and south of Sulmona, and positions and vehicles near Cervaro while A-36 Apaches hit positions in the same area.
German submarine U-81 is sunk at 1130 hours at the U-boat base at Pola, when 107 USAAF Fifteenth Air Force bombers bomb the town of Pola. The sub is raised on 22 April 1944 and scrapped. Two crewmen are lost.
YUGOSLAVIA: U-81 sunk at 1130 at Pola in position 44.52N, 13.51E (will recheck this position as it places the sub on dry land!) by US bombs. Raised on 22 April 1944 and broken up. 2 dead, unknown number of survivors. U-boat pens there were hit and 4 men from U-407 killed and 1 wounded. The boat sailed for the next time on 29 Jan. [Oberleutnant (Ing) Heinz Weser, Leutnant zur See Eberhard Baumgart, Maschinenobergfreiter Rudolf Güttge, and Maschinenobergefreiter Heinz Bönisch].
USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses hit the docks and shipping at Pola.
MOROCCO: Prime Minister Churchill and General de Gaulle met at Marrakesh, for discussions on the cooperation of a French expeditionary force in the invasion of Europe, and the degree of authority of the French committee in the control of civil affairs inside France after the invasion.
CHINA: Nine USAAF Fourteenth Air Force fighters strafe six steamboats and many smaller craft on the Yangtze River at Puchi; two B-25 Mitchells on a sea sweep bomb a 200 foot (61 meter) vessel south of Swatow, reporting the ship destroyed.
THAILAND: During the night of 9/10 January, seven B-24 Liberators lay mines in the Menam River estuary near Bangkok, Thailand and in the Rangoon River estuary.
BURMA: In the Hukawng Valley of northern Burma, the 112th and 113th Regiments of the Chinese 38th Division are converging on Taihpa Ga, and the 114th Regiment is active in the jungle south of the Tanai River. The 3d Battalion, 114th Regiment, begins a lively action with Japanese infiltrators who have surrounded its supporting battery.
Twenty one USAAF Tenth Air Force P-51 Mustangs and A-36 Apaches attack the Loilaw area, severely damaging a bridge, hitting an ammunition storage building, and scoring direct hits on large barracks.
NEW GUINEA: In Northeast New Guinea, USAAF Fifth Air Force fighters and bombers attack Alexishafen, Madang, Bogadjim, Uligan Harbor, and the area east of Saidor; and Cape Beechey is strafed by P-40s.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: A second airfield is completed on Bougainville at Piva.
On Bougainville, the Americal Division continues their relief of the 3d Marine Division: the 132d Infantry Regiment enters the line.
USAAF Thirteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells hit Buka seaplane base on Buka Island and the Kahili supply area on Bougainville; fighters strafe the Cape Dunganon area and along the Ramusian River west of Teop.
A second airfield, Piva North (Piva Yoke), is completed on Bougainville. The strip is plagued with problems for heavy bomber operations, as the soil is too soft from the constant rain. Although Marston matting is laid, it was not an ideal forward base.
Bougainville Island was invaded by the US Marines on 1 November 1943 and the U.S. Naval Advance Base (NAB) Torokina was established. This base also consisted of two airfields, Torokina and Piva. The first airfield completed was Torokina and this fighter base was completed on 10 December 1943. The second airfield, Piva Field, was intended for use by bombers and was ready for use by 30 December 1943. As the war progressed, these two bases become superfluous and NAB Torokina was formally disestablished in March 1945 although some Seabee maintenance personnel remained there until June 1945.
BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: On New Britain Island, the ADC Group (7th Marine Regiment reinforced by a battalion of the 5th Marine Regiment and supporting units) secures a foothold on Aogiri Ridge, west of Hill 150, which the Japanese have been told to hold at all costs since it covers a good supply route that they have constructed.
On New Britain Island, RAAF, USMC and USN aircraft attack Tobera Airfield at Rabaul; 16 TBF Avengers and 23 SBD Dauntlesses bomb the airfield which is closed due to the damage. About 40 Japanese fighters are engaged by Marine F4U Corsairs and Navy F6F Hellcats over Rabaul; 18 "Zeke" fighters (Mitsubishi A6M, Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighters) and “Tony†fighters (Kawasaki Ki-61, Army Type 3 Fighter Hien) are shot down over Tobera Airfield between 1200 and 1345 hours. A USN F6F Hellcat and two RAAF (P-40) Kittyhawks are lost. USAAF Thirteenth Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb Vunakanau Airfield. On New Ireland Island, six USAAF B-25 Mitchells bomb Taharai Airfield and afterwards some hit targets of opportunity on the island.
NEW BRITAIN: Australian troops secure the Aogiri Ridge in the face of a stubborn Japanese defence.
CANADA:
Frigate HMCS Port Colborne arrived Halifax from builder Esquimalt, British Columbia.
U.S.A.: Destroyer escorts USS Rinehart and Roche launched.
Submarine USS Hawkbill launched.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Corvette HMS Abelia lost her rudder after being hit by a U-boat torpedo. It is not known which U-boat fired the torpedo. The convoy, OS-64, had been shadowed by U-757 that was lost on 8 January and by U-731, which was attacked by an escort vessel on 10 January and was lucky to escape.