29 November 1944

WESTERN EUROPE: During the night of 29/20 November, the USAAF Eighth Air Force flies Mission 730: six B-17 Flying Fortresses and seven B-24 Liberators drop leaflets in the Netherlands and Germany.

FRANCE: In the U.S. Third Army's XX Corps area around Metz, Fort St Privat falls to the 5th Infantry Division. In the XII Corps area, the Germans recovers all of Farebersviller from 317th Infantry Regiment, 80th Infantry Division, although tanks and tank destroyers have moved forward to assist infantrymen. A task force of Combat Command A, 4th Armored Division, takes Durstel.

In the U.S. Seventh Army's XV Corps area, the 114th Infantry Regiment of the 44th Infantry Division takes Tidfenbach. The 45th Infantry Division improves its positions along the north bank of the Moder River in the Rothbach-Mertzwiller region. In a limited objective attack, the 79th Infantry Division's 314th Infantry Regiment clears Niederschaeffolsheim, near Haguenau. In the VI Corps area, Erstein falls to the French 2d Armored Division. The 411th Infantry Regiment, 103d Infantry Division, seizes Barr and Andlau. Combat Command A, 14th Armored Division, pushes south through Barr along the eastern edge of the Vosges Mountains. The 36th Infantry Division mops up near Liepvre and to the finds Le Bonhomme free of the Germans.

GERMANY: Although the front lines, of the US 1st, 3rd and 9th Armies, have many small actions, there is no major change in positions.

On the US 1st Army, VII Corps front: The 104th Division repulsed German counterattacks during the night in the towns of Lamersdorf and Imden, but the Germans recaptured the bridge site over the Inde. In the 1st Division area, a battalion of the 16th Infantry cut the highway east of Langerwehe, while the 26th Infantry advanced into Merode. A squadron of the 4th Cavalry Group screened the gap developing between the 26th and 8th Infantry Regiments. The 4th Division's 8th Infantry advanced 1000 yards along the Schevenhtte-Dren road and the 22d seized Grosshau and cut the Grosshau-Gey road. CCA and elements of the 121st Infantry seize Kleinhau and report Hill 401 captured. East of Hürtgen, the Germans are driven back almost 1000 yards. (Robert Rush)

In the U.S. Ninth Army area, XIII Corps begins a drive toward the Roer River before dawn, omitting artillery preparation. The 84th Infantry Division, on the left flank of the corps, makes the main effort toward Lindern and the high ground northeast of Beeck with the 335th Infantry Regiment: about 100 men of the 3d Battalion reach Lindern at daybreak and hold there until reinforcements, including tanks, arrive much later in the day; German efforts to regain the village are repulsed; the 2d Battalion begins an assault on the heights northeast of Beeck against strong opposition. The 333d Infantry Regiment provides fire support for the 335th; in conjunction with the 113th Cavalry Group (Mechanized) conducts demonstration against Beeck. The 102d Infantry Division makes a secondary effort on the southern flank of the corps, the 405th Infantry Regiment advancing along the Lindern-Linnich highway to the right of the 84th Infantry Division and elements to the right gaining limited their objective in preparation for the next assault.

In the U.S. Third Army's XX Corps area, the 90th and 95th Infantry Divisions launch a co-ordinated attack to reach the Sarre River. The 90th Infantry Division, with little difficulty, gets a patrol to the river. The 95th is strongly opposed on the Saar heights in front of Saarlautern and undergoes ten counterattacks, but gains the general line Kerprich-Hemmersdorf-St Barbara-Merten.

The USAAF Eighth Air Force flies Mission 729: 1,077 bombers and 946 fighters are dispatched to make PFF attacks on railroad viaducts and marshalling yards (M/Ys) and oil refineries; one bomber is lost: 404 hit the oil refinery at Misburg; 281 bomb the M/Y at Hamm; 151 attack the Schildesche railroad viaduct at Bielefeld; 144 bomb the railroad viaduct at Altenbeken; 32 bomb the M/Y at Osnabruck; and seven bomb targets of opportunity.

Three hundred one USAAF Ninth Air Force B-26 Marauders and A-20 Havocs hit defended areas, barracks, and military depots at Wittlich, Mariaweiler, Pier, Eisdorf, Limburg, Rastatt, and Landau; fighters escort the 9th Bombardment Division and Eighth Air Force, fly armed reconnaissance over western Germany, and support the 104th Infantry Division in a holding action against counterattacks at Inden and Lammersdorf, the 8th Infantry Division at Hurtgen, and the 7th Armored Division in the XIII Corps drive toward the Roer River.

During the day, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 294 Lancasters and 17 Mosquitos to bomb Dortmund; 291 bomb the target with the loss of six Lancasters. Bad weather causes the marking and resultant bombing to be scattered but fresh damage is caused in Dortmund. Thirty Mosquitos attempt to bomb a tar and benzol plant in the Meiderich district of Duisburg, using the Oboe-leader method for the first time on a German target, but two of the three formations of Mosquitos failed to link up with their Oboe leaders and 29 bomb on timed runs from the docks south of Duisburg. Most of the bombs are believed to have fallen beyond the target.

During the night of 29/30 November, RAF Bomber Command sends 71 Mosquitos to hit two targets; 66 bomb Hannover and one each bomb Dusseldorf, Hagen and Munster.

SWEDEN: Focke-Wulf Fw 200A-0 Condor, msn 2994, registered D-ARHW and named "Friesland" by the German airline Lufthansa, is shot down by a German patrol boat near Malmö. All six passengers and four crew are killed.

HUNGARY: Budapest: Marshal Tolbukhins Third Ukrainian Front, foiled by bad weather and ferocious German and Hungarian resistance in his attempt to take Budapest by storm, has swung west of the Second Ukrainian troops, forcing a crossing of the Danube in conjunction with Yugoslav partisans and threatening to encircle the Hungarian capital.

The Russians made their crossing north of the Danube's junction with the Dravia and are now swinging up towards Lake Balaton. They have already advanced 25 miles, capturing the provincial capital of Pecs and the Danube port of Mohacs. Berlin admitted last night that the German armies in southern Hungary face "a crisis" with the Red Army crossing the Danube "in considerable strength."

ALBANIA: The Germans evacuate Scutari ahead of the advancing Russian and partisan forces, and start to retreat to the Drina river.

U.S.S.R.: Polar Fleet and White Sea Flotilla: MS "T-109" (ex-MMS.203) - at storm, in Sengeiskii Is. area (Sergey Anisimov)(69)

ITALY: In the U.S. Fifth Army area, the British XIII Corps takes Fontanelice without a fight. The Germans recapture Mt. Castellaro from the 1st Division.

During the day weather grounds the USAAF Twelfth Air Force's medium bombers however, fighters and fighter-bombers can operate, and attack enemy communications on the Brenner line and in the north central Po Valley, cutting rail lines in numerous places and destroying a large number of vehicles and railroad cars.

CHINA: Eight USAAF B-25 Mitchells bomb Lashio while 20 P-40s, P-38 Lightnings, and P-51 Mustangs hit targets of opportunity in the Chefang area. P-38 Lightnings and P-51 Mustangs attack bridges, horses, shipping, and rail traffic around Hochih and Nanning.

BURMA: Over 50 USAAF Tenth Air Force fighter-bombers fly close support strikes in the battle areas around Bhamo and Pinwe; bridges at Tonbo, Pauktaw, Man Loi, Meza, Bon Chaung. Two unnamed points in northern Burma are pounded by 60+ fighter-bombers while eight others bomb supplies, personnel and ammunition stores at Tigyaing.

Eight USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-25s bomb Lashio and three attack Hsenwi. P-38 Lightnings and P-51 Mustangs attack bridges, horses, shipping, and rail traffic around Hsenwi, Kawnghka, and Namhkai.

FRENCH INDOCHINA: Six USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells bomb Ninh Binh while P-38 Lightnings and P-51 Mustangs attack bridges, horses, shipping, and rail traffic around Quang Yen.

JAPAN: The USS Archerfish (submarine) torpedos the carrier IJN Shimano off Honshu in Empire waters. Shimano was originally designed as a battleship, a sister ship to Yamato and Musashi.

USN submarine USS Archerfish (SS-311) torpedoes and sinks the 68,059 ton Japanese aircraft carrier HIJMS Shinano about 190 nautical miles (352 kilometers) south of Nagoya, Japan, in position 32.00N, 137.00E. This was the carrier’s maiden voyage and there were 2515 sailors, 300 shipyard workers and 40 civilian employees aboard. She had sailed from Yokosuka yesterday with three destroyers en route to Kure for fitting out. Unfortunately for those aboard, her watertight compartmentation not yet being installed Archerfish fired six torpedoes and four hit on the starboard side and Shinano becomes the largest warship ever lost in combat when she sank at 1055 hours. The ship had been at see for a total of 17 hours. Of the 2,515 men aboard, 1,435 are lost and 1,080 are rescued.

USN submarine USS Scabbardfish (SS-397) sinks the Japanese submarine HIJMS I-365 with one torpedo about 84 nautical miles (156 kilometers) southeast of Tokyo, Japan, in position 34.44N, 141.01E. Scabbardfish rescues one survivor.

Three USAAF Eleventh Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb Kashiwabara on Paramushiru Island, Kurile Islands. B-25 Mitchells call off a shipping sweep due to weather.

During the night of 29/30 November, the USAAF Twentieth Air Force's XXI Bomber Command flies Mission 9: 29 B-29 Superfortresses based in the Mariana Islands are dispatched to bomb the Tokyo dock and industrial areas; 23 hit the target and two bomb the last resort targets of Yokohama and Numazu. One B-29 is lost.

VOLCANO ISLANDS: Eighteen USAAF Seventh Air Force B-24 Liberators from Guam bomb Iwo Jima. During the night of 29/30 November, two B-24 Liberators from Guam and Saipan, bomb the Iwo Jima airfield during snooper missions.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: The fighting in Leyte is marked by continued Japanese attacks on US positions on Kilay Ridge. US counterattacks force the Japanese back. Offshore the battleship USS Maryland and two US destroyers sustain serious damage in Kamikaze attacks. American admirals and sailors alike are greatly concerned about the Kamikaze Corps. One in four kamikaze missions is finding a target and one in 33 is sinking a ship.

In the U.S. Sixth Army’s X Corps area on Leyte, the Japanese continue attacks on Kilay Ridge, but the 1st Battalion of the 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, succeeds in relieving Company C. An urgent request for reinforcements, 2d Battalion of 528th Infantry Regiment, 32d Infantry Division, moves forward, Company G, the first to arrive, immediately reinforcing Company C. In the XXIV Corps area, elements of the 184th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, recover some ground at the bamboo thicket but are unable to clear the Japanese from the thicket and they repel three heavy Japanese counterattacks.

In Leyte Gulf, Japanese kamikazes crash the battleship USS Maryland (BB-46) between turrets Nos. 1 and 2 killing 31 sailors but the ships remained on station. Also hit are the destroyers USS Saufley (DD-465) killing one sailor and Aulick killing 31 (DD-569).

USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24 Liberators bomb Matina Aerodrome on Mindanao Island while A-20 Havocs and P-47 Thunderbolts hit the airfield at Pangsagan. B-24s, with fighter cover, bomb Puerto Princesa Airfield on Palawan Island. B-25 Mitchells and P-47 Thunderbolts attack Japanese shipping near Ormoc Bay sinking a submarine chaser. P-40s and P-47s sink an army cargo ship off Camotes Island, and a cargo ship Shinsho Maru off Ormoc. B-25 Mitchells, and fighter-bombers fly several light raids against targets of opportunity in the Philippine Islands.

EAST INDIES: In the Netherlands East Indies, USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24 Liberators bomb Kendari Airfield on Celebes Island. B-24 Liberators, B-25 Mitchells, and fighter-bombers fly several light raids against Halmahera Island airfields and against shipping and other targets of opportunity in the Ceram Island area, northern Celebes Island, and northern Borneo.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: On Bougainville, Australian troops of the 9th Battalion, 7th Brigade, 3rd Division, attack Japanese positions on Little George Hill about 9 miles (14 kilometers) north-northeast of the Torokina perimeter and takes the hill in less than 30 minutes. The Japanese counter-attack in the evening but are driven off.

HAWAII: Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief Pacific Ocean Area, recommends that invasion of Mindoro and Luzon in the Philippines Islands be postponed until air strength on Leyte can be built up.

U.S.A.: The German submarine U-1230, lands two German Abwehr agents, William C. Colepaugh and Erich Gimpel, at Hancock Point, Frenchman's Bay, Maine. The men walk cross country through snow to a nearby road where they are seen by a high school student who alerts his father, the local deputy sheriff. The FBI, who had been alerted by Enigma decrypts that U-1230 was on a "special mission," is notified and they begin a manhunt.

The two spies evade the authorities and make it to New York City with US$60,000 in cash (US$588,000 in year 2000 dollars) and small diamonds. Colepaugh, who was born and raised in New England, begins to have second thoughts and reveals his mission to a childhood friend. Finally, he turns himself into the FBI on 26 December and aids the authorities in tracking down Gimpel who is also in New York City; Gimpel is finally apprehended on 30 December. Both men are tried and sentenced to death but their sentences are commuted by President Harry S. Truman after the war.

The Office of War Information (OWI) reveals that the Germans had sunk over 22 million tons of Allied and neutral merchant shipping between September 1939 and 1 January 1944. Despite this staggering loss, the U.S. has replaced this tonnage, launching 4,308 ships with a deadweight tonnage of over 44 million during the same period. By 1944, the Allies had achieved naval superiority in the Battle of the Atlantic, destroying over 500 U-boats.

The changing character of the war was reflected in a revision of the aircraft complement of USN Essex Class Carrier Air Groups to 73 fighter, 15 scout bombers and 15 torpedo aircraft. The fighter complement is to be filled by two squadrons of 36 planes each plus one for the Carrier Air Group Commander and to include four night fighters, two photographic fighters. The change to the new figures was gradual, beginning with the assignment of Marine fighter squadrons in December and continued with the establishment of bombing fighting squadrons (VBF) squadrons in January.

Top songs on the pop music charts are: "The Trolley Song" by The Pied Pipers; "Dance with the Dolly" by The Russ Morgan Orchestra with vocal by Al Jennings; "I'll Walk Alone" by Dinah Shore; and "Smoke on the Water" by Red Foley.

Destroyer escort USS Albert T Harris commissioned.

Minesweeper USS Facility commissioned.

Coast Guard-manned Army FS-549 was commissioned at Los Angeles, CA with LTJG A. B. Freedy, USCGR, as first commanding officer. He was succeeded by LT Thomas D. Miller, USCGR, who in turn was succeeded by LT Israel Trestman, USCGR, on 16 November 1945. She was assigned to and operated in the Southwest Pacific and Western Pacific areas. On 2 July 1945, the FS-549 fouled a line in her propeller in Taloma Bay, Mindanao while assisting the FS-550 that had grounded and was unable to pull herself clear. She was pulled off by the LT-636, Coast Guard-manned. No serious damage resulted. On 24 November 1945, Master Manuel de Sequera assumed command as her Coast Guard crew was removed.