November 11th, 1944 (SATURDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: Corvette HMS Alnwick Castle commissioned.
Minesweeper HMS Mystic launched.
Frigate HMS Veryan Bay.
NORTH SEA: Fourteen RAF Bomber Command aircraft lay mines in the Kattegat, the 88 mile (142 kilometer) broad arm of the North Sea between Sweden and Denmark.
FRANCE: Paris: Churchill attends the Armistice Day celebrations in Paris, and gets a wildly enthusiastic reception.
In the U.S. Third Army's XX Corps area, the 90th Infantry Division nearly doubles the size of its bridgehead: the 359th Infantry Regiment, after repelling local counterattacks, pushes to the ridges ahead, blocks the crossroads southeast of Rettel, and outposts Kerling, but the Germans retain Oudrenne on its southern flank; the 357th Infantry, leaving elements behind to complete the reduction of the Metrich works, drives quickly to high ground northwest of Breistroff-la-Petit, well ahead of the flanking regiments; on the southern flank, where Fort Koenigsmacker surrenders, the main body of 358th Infantry Regiment works along Bois d'Elzange ridge, taking Hill 254. Moselle River flood waters reach their crest and begin to subside. A battalion of the 378th Infantry Regiment, 95th Infantry Division, supported by combat engineers, establishes a bridgehead across the Moselle at Thionville and begins an assault on Fort Yutz; the 377th Infantry maintains a small bridgehead in the Bertrange area. Continuing quickly northeast on the southern flank of the corps, the 2d Infantry Regiment of 5th Infantry Division reaches Aube and Dain-en-Saulnois, near the Nied Francaise River. In the XII Corps area, the 6th Armored Division, assisted by the 80th Infantry Division, drives to the Nied Francaise River and establishes bridgeheads. One Combat Command B task force of the 6th Armored Division takes a bridge near Sanry-sur-Nied and crosses while another reaches the western bank of the river at Remilly; a Combat Command A column and the 317th Infantry Regiment of the 80oth Infantry Division seize a bridge at Han-sur-Nied and establish a bridgehead; another Combat Command A force and the 318th Infantry Regiment reach the river at Baudrecourt 2 miles (3,2 kilometers) south of Han-sur-Nied, and construct a treadway bridge. Combat Command B, 4th Armored Division, and elements of the 137th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division, are still held up at Fonteny but push into the village. The 320th and 134th Regiments, 35th Infantry Division, continue through Foret de Ch. reau-Salins, from which the Germans begin withdrawing their main forces. Combat Command A, 4th Armored Division, and the 104th Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division, push forward on the southern flank of the corps, Combat Command A to positions between Conthil and Rodalbe and the 104th Infantry Regiment taking Rodalbe. The 101st Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division, completes the capture of Hill 310 and secures firm positions on the Koecking ridge.
In the French First Army area, the I Corps commander requests and receives permission to postpone Operation INDEPENDENCE (the French offensive toward Belfort) from the 13th to the 14th in order to complete preparations.
The USAAF Ninth Air Force's XIX Tactical Air Command flies armed reconnaissance and supports the U.S. XII and XX Corps in the Thionville-Metz area.
GERMANY:
The British Second Army continues to regroup in order to help the U.S. Ninth Army in an offensive in Roer Valley northeast of Aachen. XXX Corps takes up positions on the southern flank of the army, including region formerly held by the U.S. XIII Corps from Macseyck to Teveren, 2 miles (3,2 kilometers) southwest of Geilenkirchen.
The USAAF Eighth Air Force flies Mission 712: 482 bombers and 367 fighters make Pathfinder Force attacks on oil refineries and marshalling yards in western Germany; one bomber and one fighter are lost: 143 bombers attack the marshalling yard at Oberlahnstein; 134 hit the Welheim synthetic oil refinery at Bottrop; 100 bomb the Buer synthetic oil refinery at Gelsenkirchen; 24 bomb the Mosel marshalling yard at Koblenz; and 23 hit the marshalling yard at Rheine. Sixteen aircraft drop chaff over Germany to disrupt German radar.
One hundred ninety USAAF Ninth Air Force B-26 Marauders and A-20 Havocs hit strongpoints at Putzlohn and rail bridges at Sinzig, Euskirchen, Ahrweiler, and Mayen; the IX Tactical Air Command hits railroads and other targets, escorts the bombers, and supports the U.S. 28th Infantry Division in the Schmidt area. The XXIX Tactical Air Command hits targets in western Germany.
USAAF Fifteenth Air Force bomber attack two targets: 120 bomb the Main marshalling yard at Salzburg with the loss of five aircraft and 16 hit the marshalling yard at Rosenheim with the loss of one aircraft.
During the day, RAF Bomber Command sends 122 Lancasters to carry out a G-H attack on the Klocknerwerke synthetic-oil refinery at Castrop-Rauxel. The bombing is believed to be accurate and no aircraft are lost.
During the night of 11/12 November, RAF Bomber Command sends 237 Lancasters and eight Mosquitos to bomb Harburg: 233 bomb the target with the loss of seven Lancasters. The aiming point for this raid was the Rhenania-Ossag oil refinery, which had been attacked several times by USAAF day bombers. Another 209 Lancasters and 19 Mosquitos are dispatched to Dortmund: 206 aircraft bomb the target without loss. The aiming point is the Hoesch Benzin synthetic-oil plant in the Wambel district. A local report confirms that the plant is severely damaged. Other bombs hit nearby housing and the local airfield. RAF Bomber Command also dispatches 41 Mosquitos to hit various targets: 17 bomb Kamen; 13 hit Osnabruck, seven attack Wiesbaden, six bomb Gotha and 2 attack Erfurt. A mining missions is flown over the Elbe River with five aircraft laying mines in the river.
U-3035 laid down.
U-2348, U-3517, U-3518 launched.
AUSTRIA: USAAF Fifteenth Air Force bombers hit six targets: 19 bomb a highway bridge at Sillian; 17 attack the Main marshalling yard at Linz with the loss of eight aircraft; 13 hit the marshalling yard at Villach; six bomb targets of opportunity at St. Viet; and one each hit the marshalling yard at Lienz and a target of opportunity at Spittal.
NORWAY: U-1163 set up a weather station in northern Norway.
Twenty one RAF Bomber Command aircraft lay mines off Oslo without loss.
U.S.S.R.: The Soviets improve positions west of Kiev, seizing a foothold across the Teterev River, but are under pressure in the Fastov area, southwest of Kiev, where the Germans are taking the initiative. The Soviet Center Front forces an attack northward toward Rechitsa, west of Gomel.
In Lithuania, for a second day, the German armored ship (pocket battleship) "Lutzow" heavy cruiser "Prinz Eugen," destroyers Z25 , Z35 and Z36 and torpedo boats T13 , T16 and T20 support the German army at Memel and Sworbe.
ITALY: Rfn. Thaman Gurung (b.1924), 5th Gurkha Rifles, a patrol scout, obtained valuable information and, through his bravery, saved many lives - except his own. (Victoria Cross)
In U.S. Fifth Army's British XIII Corps area, a limited attack by the Indian 8th Division from Mt. St. Bartolo fails.
In the British Eighth Army's Corps area, the 4th Division breaks through just beyond Foril and advances toward the Montone River.
USAAF Twelfth Air Force medium bombers strike at railroad bridges in north central and northeastern Italy, damaging a bridge at Piazzola sul Brenta and knocking out two spans of a bridge at Latisana; fighter-bombers continue support of ground forces south of Bologna, attack vehicles, trains, and communications in the Genoa-Alessandria area, bomb Villafranca di Verona Airfield and set most of the area aflame. During the night of 11/12 November, A-20 Havocs hit motor transport, Bergamo Airfield, and the Po River crossing at San Benedetto.
USAAF Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers hit seven targets: 19 bomb a railroad bridge at Casarsa; 14 hit Aviano Airfield; 13 attack the South railroad bridge at Pinzano; six bomb the railroad at Wurzen Pass; five bomb the railroad bridge at Latisana; and one each bomb the marshalling yard at San Michele and a target of opportunity.
During the day, seven RAF bombers of No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group drop supplies to partisans in northern Italy.
CHINA: Ten USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells bomb Kweilin Airfield while five B-25 Mitchells and six P-40s attack Chingmen Airfield,. Over 70 P-40s, P-51 Mustangs and P-38s over southern China on armed reconnaissance hit targets of opportunity at several locations, concentrating on the Changsha, Lingling, and Hengyang, China areas. The attack on Hengyang is so successful that the Japanese are forced to confine future operations from this field to army co-operation flights.
THAILAND: USAAF Fourteenth Air Force fighter bombers on armed reconnaissance hit targets of opportunity at Lampang.
BURMA: In the Northern Combat Area Command (NCAC) area, the British 36th Division halts after futile efforts to outflank the Japanese in the Pinwe area.
Nearly 90 USAAF Tenth Air Force P-47 Thunderbolts hit troop concentrations at Chaungdauk, Nawngtao, Mankang, and in the Indaw vicinity; damage and knock out bridges at Meza and south of Kawlin, score near misses on bridges in the Hsenwi and Namhkai area; blast a radio installation near Manoi, bomb Kawlin Airfield, hit rail traffic between Shwebo and Padu, and attack targets of opportunity along the Irrawaddy River from Tigyaing to Twinnge.
USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells hit Wan Lai-Kam and four B-25s bomb Wanling.
FRENCH INDOCHINA: USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells hit Phuc Yen and damage a bridge on the Mekong River.
JAPAN: Tokyo: The aircraft carrier SHINANO, with a steel and concrete construction supposedly capable of withstanding any bomb attack, joins the Japanese fleet.
Submarine USS Scamp sunk by depth charges from a Japanese coast defense vessel south of Tokyo Bay. All hands lost.
VOLCANO ISLANDS: Escorted by newly arrived USAAF Seventh Air Force P-38 Lightnings, 29 Guam-based B-24 Liberators pound Iwo Jima Island airfields.
USN Task Group 30.2 (Rear Admiral Allan E. Smith) consisting of three heavy cruisers and five destroyers, bombards airfields and other Japanese shore installations on Iwo Jima; the shelling commences shortly before midnight and continues into 12 November. PB4Y Liberators screen the group's approach, spot gunfire, and cover the retirement.
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: An air strike from US naval TF 38 hits a Japanese convoy off Ormoc, sinking 4 destroyers, a minesweeper and 5 transports with almost 10,000 troops.
In the U.S. Sixth Army's X Corps area on Leyte, the 21st Infantry Regiment of the 24th Infantry Division continues the assault on Breakneck Ridge after a preparatory bombardment, the 1stt Battalion gaining the ridge that is its immediate objective but halting short of crest. The 1st Battalion of the 34th Infantry Regiment, which is out of rations, moves to Agahang, about 3,800 yards (3 475 meters) northwest of Limon, and obtains food from the Filipinos.
USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24 Liberators hit Dumaguete Airfield on Negros Island while fighter-bombers hit shipping in the Palompon area of Leyte Island and targets of opportunity at Valencia on Mindanao Island.
Major Richard I. Bong shoots down two "Zeke" fighters (Mitsubishi A6M, Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighters) bringing his total victories to 36.
Aircraft from Task Group 38.1 (Rear Admiral Alfred E. Montgomery), TG 38.3 (Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman) and TG 38.4 (Rear Admiral Ralph E. Davison) set upon a Japanese convoy (fourth phase of TA Operation) as it enters Ormoc Bay, Leyte Island, sinking destroyers HIJMS Hamanami, Naganami, Shimakaze, and Wakatsuki; minesweeper W.30; three army cargo ships; and a merchant cargo ship.
EAST INDIES: In the Netherlands East Indies, USAAF Far East Air Forces fighter-bombers and B-25 Mitchells hit shipping and Namlea Airfield on Boeroe (Buroe) Island. On Celebes Island, P-38s hit Kendari Airfield and B-24 Liberators bomb the Ninring River area.
CAROLINE ISLANDS: The last of the six preliminary training missions of the USAAF Twentieth Air Force's XXI Bomber Command is directed at Truk Atoll where eight B-29 Superfortresses, escorted by USAAF Seventh Air Force P-38 Lightnings, bomb the Dublon Island submarine pens.
BONIN ISLANDS: Tonight a US naval TF of cruisers and destroyers will shell Iwo Jima located 600 miles from Tokyo.
CANADA: Frigate HMCS Victoriaville commissioned.
NEWFOUNDLAND: Corvette HMCS Parry Sound arrived St. John's from work ups Bermuda.
U.S.A.: Destroyer escort USS Williams commissioned.
ATLANTIC OCEAN:
U-771 sunk in the Arctic in the Andfjord near Harstad, Norway, in position 69.17N, 16.28E, by torpedoes from submarine HMS/M Venturer (P 68). 51 dead (all hands lost).
U-1200 sunk south of Ireland, in position 50.24N, 09.10W, by depth charges from the British corvettes HMS Pevensey Castle (K 449), HMS Lancaster Castle (K 691), HMS Porchester Castle (K 362) and HMS Kenilworth Castle (K 420). 53 dead (all hands lost).