31 January 1944

UNITED KINGDOM: London and south-east England have been hit by the Luftwaffe for the first time for months in a series of night raids, codenamed Operation Steinbock [Ibex], which began on 21-22 January. The usefulness of this "Little Blitz" to Germany's propaganda machine - as an antidote to constant RAF assaults on the Reich - is worth the cost; up to eight aircraft lost in a single raid. On the first raid 447 sorties were flown (the planes included the He177 heavy bombers), during which only 32 tons of bombs were dropped for the loss of nine planes.

The total number of bombers involved is thus fewer than the 600 claimed by Germany (an RAF assessment is 200), but the raids seem to confirm intelligence reports that the Germans are still building aircraft at a rate which makes good their losses. If confirmed, such a situation would cast doubt on the belief of Sir Arthur Harris that strategic bombing alone will end the war. This claim is also under fire after the heavy losses which the RAF has suffered (as well as inflicted) in the raids on Berlin.

Escort carrier HMS Trouncer commissioned.

Minesweeping trawler HMS Pine torpedoed and sunk by a German motor torpedo boat in the English Channel.

Frigates HMS Cam and Holmes commissioned.

ITALY: Anzio: Swift German reaction to the Anzio landings is threatening to turn the tables completely on the huge Allied army which landed here nine days ago. The element of surprise has gone. Instead ofthe dash to Rome, activity has been limited to cautious attacks with heavy Allied casualties. Field Marshal Kesselring has now pulled reserves from all over Italy to ring the beach-head.

US Rangers waded four miles in darkness along a half-dry irrigation canal to attack the village of Cisterna, but were detected at the last moment and came under withering tank fire. Only six men survived. The British 24 Guards Brigade met stiff resistance on the night of 29-30 January at the small hamlet of Carroceto, where the 29th Panzergrenadier Regiment was dug in and waiting; and the Sherwood Foresters have suffered huge casualties in an assault on Campoleone.

This was Operation FLINTLOCK. Kwajalein Atoll is invaded by both Army and Marine forces. U.S. Marines seized five islands in the northern section of the atoll while U.S. Army troops seize four islands and islets in the southern part of the atoll.

Prior to the scheduled invasion of Majuro Atoll by Army troops, Marine scouts are put ashore and secure the atoll without a fight.

During the night, we moved up to Engebi island and launched a pre-dawn attack. 8 to 10 "Betty" aircraft were caught on the ground and set on fire. One was caught starting to taxi out for take-off but did not make into the air. The airfield was ruined.

Hit Engebi again There was some cloud cover over the island when Lt. Runyon and his wingman Ens Harris arrived. Lt Runyon ducked down through the first hole in the clouds and then Ens. Harris took the next hole. This put Runyon a little ahead of Harris. Harris straffed a building and it exploded right under Runyon and blowing his aircraft up quite a bit and turning him over.. He did recover and made it back OK.

During the day, 40 or 50 bombs with 6 hour delayed fuses were dropped We figured they should have exploded around 2230 hours. The pilots reported no return firing in the afternoon.

Glen

Glen has given us something that no official history can give us, i.e., the viewpoint of a participant. Now to the book stuff.

Aircraft of Task Group 58.3, USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) with Carrier Air Group Seventeen (CVG-17), USS Cowpens (CVL-25) with Light Carrier Air Group Twenty Two (CVLG-22) and USS Monterey (CVL-26) with CVLG-30, attack targets in Eniwetok Atoll, especially Engebi Airfield on Eniwetok Island. All 15 , Navy Type 1 Attack Bombers, Allied Code Name "Betty," on the airfield are destroyed. The carrier aircraft also fly 400 sorties against Roi, Namur and Kwajalein Islands, which will be invaded tomorrow, and against Wotje Atoll.

An F6F Hellcat pilot of Fighting Squadron Twelve (VF-12) in USS Saratoga (CV-3) shoots down a Mitsubishi A6M, Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighter, Allied Code Name "Zeke," near Taroa Airfield on Maloelap at 1130. During the night of 30/31 January, B-24s of the Seventh Air Force's VII Bomber Command begin continuous small attacks on Kwajalein Atoll. At 2000 hours, the escort carriers of Task Unit 53.1.6 (the Northern Attack Force Carrier Unit) are released from convoy escort duties and prepare for pre-landing and ground support missions tomorrow. The Task Units involved in the invasion are:

Marine Scout- or Dive-Bombing Squadron One Hundred Fifty One (VMSB-151) with 18 SBDs

Attacks by land-based aircraft from Tarawa and Makin, in the Gilbert Islands, had heavily damaged Japanese airfields, and most of the remaining aircraft were destroyed or put out of action by carrier raids earlier this month. Then, for three days before the landings, US battleships blasted the islands on each side of Kwajalein atoll.

Three assault groups struck today, and by 9.30am Majoru was secured without the loss of a single man. Tricky approaches through gaps in the coral reefs made the landings more difficult at Roi and Namur Islands where the 4th Marine Division attacked. The Japanese combined fleet at Truk lacking carrier pilots, could only look on helplessly. On Kwajalein some 3,000 Japanese had survived the preliminary bombardment. They made attempts to push the invaders back into the ocean, but soon found themselves hopelessly outnumbered.

Escort carrier USS Bismark Sea laid down.

Destroyer escorts USS Dufilho and Douglas A Munro laid down.

Destroyer USS Douglas H Fox laid down.

Escort carrier USS Sargent Bay launched.

Destroyer USS Robinson commissioned.

Aircraft carrier USS Franklin commissioned.

Destroyer minelayer USS Thomas E Fraser laid down.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-592 Sunk at 1000hrs on in the North Atlantic south-west of Ireland, in position 50. 20N, 17.29W, by depth charges from the British sloops HMS Starling, Wild Goose and Magpie. 49 dead (all hands lost). (Alex Gordon)