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December 4th, 1944 (MONDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: The prototype Bristol Brigand torpedo-bomber makes its maiden flight. (22)

The first de Havilland Mosquito PR 34, very long range, reconnaissance model makes its maiden flight. With a range of 3,500 miles it is intended for use in the S E Asia theatre. (22)

Minesweeping trawler HMS Biggal launched.

During the night of 4/5 December, the USAAF Eighth Air Force flies Mission 737: ten B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators drop leaflets in the Netherlands, France and Germany during the night.

 FRANCE: In the U.S. Third Army's XII Corps begins final the drive toward the Sarre and West Wall. The 80th Infantry Division, with the 318th Infantry Regiment in assault, attacks after an intense, effective artillery preparation and takes Farebersviller and the hills to the northeast. Combat Command A, 6th Armored Division, attacks toward Mont de Cadenbronn. The 35th Infantry Division attacks across the Maderbach before dawn, taking the Germans by surprise: the 134th Infantry Regiment seizes Puttelange; the 320th Infantry Regiment, to the right, is soon checked by German fire. The 104th Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division, eliminates German remnants in the Sarre-Union during a methodical mop-up. The 4th Armored Division, learning of the German retreat, begins a pursuit across Eichel Creek, Combat Command B crossing in the advance force at Voellerdingen; Combat Command A comes under accurate fire at Domfessel.

In the U.S. Seventh Army's VI Corps area, the 103d and 36th Infantry Divisions finish clearing Sélestat.

NETHERLANDS: The last German pocket west of the river Maas is cleared by the British 2nd Army.

GERMANY: The US 3rd Army ends the recent offensive toward the Ruhr. Units of the US XX Corps quickly advance towards an intact bridge at Saarlautern, in the 3rd Army sector.

In the U.S. Ninth Army area, the XIII Corps has cleared its sector west of the Roer River except for Wurm and Muellendorf and suspends offensive until 18 December.

     In the U.S. First Army's VII Corps area, the 104th Infantry Division improves the bridgehead across Inde River. Upon completion of bridges, supporting weapons cross. In the V Corps area, the 8th Infantry Division withholds an armoured attack on Bergstein while awaiting reinforcements, but infantrymen continue to clear the flanks of the Brandenberg-Bergstein ridge. Task Force Boyer of the 5th Armored Division eliminates the Vossenack strongpoint.

     In the U.S. Third Army's XX Corps area, the 95th Infantry Division regroups hastily to exploit the capture of the Saarlautern bridge; 3d Battalion, 379th Infantry Regiment, crosses the bridge and begins prolonged struggle for the suburb of Fraulautern, which is within the West Wall; the 1st and 3d Battalions repel a tank-infantry counterattack; the 378th Infantry Regiment takes Lisdorf, on the Sarre River just south of Saarlautern. The 10th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division, withstands a counterattack on the south flank of the corps; 3d Battalion, 11th Infantry Regiment, takes up positions to the right of the 10th and begins an attack to clear the region between the Roselle and Sarre Rivers.

The USAAF Eighth Air Force flies Mission 736: 1,191 bombers and 977 fighters are dispatched to make pathfinder force attacks on marshalling yards (M/Ys) in Germany; three bombers and three fighters are lost: 221 bomb the M/Y at Kassel, 218 hit the M/Y at Mainz, 198 hit the Bebra M/Y, 188 attack the Soest M/Y, 118 bomb the Friedburg M/Y, 77 hit the Lutzel M/Y at Koblenz, 62 attack the Giessen M/Y, 24 bomb the industrial area at Fulda, 20 hit the M/Y at Wetzler and 24 bomb targets of opportunity.

     USAAF Ninth Air Force fighters fly armed reconnaissance and support the U.S. 1st, 8th, and 104th Infantry Divisions at Luchem, Bergstein, and east of the Inde River; and the XII and XX Corps in drive toward the Saar River and around Saarlautern.

     During the day, 156 Lancasters carry out a G-H raid on Oberhausen but no results could be seen because of cloud. Two Lancasters are lost. In a second raid, 28 Lancasters and Mosquitos carry out the first of several raids on the large reservoir dam at Urft in the Eifel. The destruction of which is required so that the Germans could not release water to flood the areas through which American troops wished to advance. The series of raids did blast 13 feet (4 meters) off the top of the dam but no large breach is ever made and the Germans are able to release large quantities of water whenever they wish to interfere with American advances being attempted further downstream.

     During the night of 4/5 December, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 535 aircraft, 369 Lancasters, 154 Halifaxes and 12 Mosquitos, to bomb Karlsruhe; 514 bomb the target with the loss of one Lancaster and a Mosquito. The marking and bombing are accurate and severe damage is caused, particularly in the southern and western districts of the city. Among individual buildings destroyed are the important Durlacher machine-tool factory, the main Protestant church and the concert hall. In a second raid, 282 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitos are sent to bomb Heilbronn; 255 bomb the city and railroad facilities and 29 hit the marshalling yard with the loss of 12 Lancasters. This is a crushing blow on Heilbronn which stands on a main north-south railway line but is otherwise of little importance. It is the first and only major raid by Bomber Command on this target. A total of 1,254 tons (1 138 metric tonnes) of bombs fell in a few minutes and the post-war British Bombing Survey Unit estimated that 351 acres (142 hectares), 82 percent of the town's built-up area, are destroyed, mainly by fire. Much investigation by various people resulted in the reliable estimate that just over 7,000 people died. Most of these victims would have died in fires so intense that there was probably a genuine firestorm. Mosquitos are also active with 51 bombing Hagen, 11 hitting Bielefeld, five attacking Hamm and one bombing Gelsenkirchen.

U-2348, U-3012 commissioned.

HUNGARY: Fighting continues northeast and southwest of Budapest.

ITALY: Canadian troops capture Ravenna.

In the U.S. Fifth Army's British XIII Corps area, the 6th Armoured Division, jumping off during the night 4/5 December, clears most of M. Penzola.

     In the British Eighth Army area, the Polish II Corps takes Montecchio. In the Corps area, the British 46th Division is attacking toward the Pideura ridge against strong resistance. The Canadian I Corps takes Ravenna and reaches the Lamone River, cutting Highway 16 where it crosses the river; the Canadian 1st Division begins an attack across the Lamone River during the night of 4/5 December.

USAAF Twelfth Air Force B-25 Mitchells hit defences in the Bagnaeavallo and Faenza areas and an ammunition dump at Tortona; XXII Tactical Air Command aircraft hit targets in the US Fifth Army battle area south of Bologna in the Apennines Mountains and communications to the north of the battle zone.

     Four USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators drop supplies in northern Italy and P-38 Lightnings and P-51 Mustangs fly reconnaissance and escort missions. Bad weather prevents heavy bomber operations.

YUGOSLAVIA: Soviet and Yugoslav troops clearing region between the Danube and Sava Rivers overrun Mitrovica.

     Twenty six USAAF Fifteenth Air Force P-38 Lightnings bomb a railroad bridge at Zenica.

     Fifty one RAF aircraft of No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group drop supplies to partisans during the day.

 GREECE: Martial Law is declared in Athens after the events of yesterday. Communist backed political demonstrations have degenerated into open fighting in the streets.

CHINA: In the course of reorganizing the government to make it more progressive and efficient, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek names T. V. Soong premier as well as foreign minister.

     U.S. Major General Albert Wedemeyer, Commander in Chief US China Theater of Operations and Chief of Staff to Chiang Kai-shek, asks that USAAF XX Bomber Command's B-29 Superfortresses, which are a strain on Hump tonnage, be moved from China. He suggests redeploying the aircraft to the Mariana Islands.

     USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells, supported by P-40s, hit bridges, buildings, and river, road, and rail traffic at Saiping, Hsiangcheng, Lingling, the Kweilin area, between Minkiang, and Sinantien, and between Sinyang and Saiping; 90+ fighter-bombers on armed reconnaissance pound numerous targets of opportunity from Hsenwi, Burma to Nanning. Fighter-bombers on armed reconnaissance pound numerous targets of opportunity across southern China from the Burma border to Amoy.

INDIA: The RAF 3rd Tactical Air Force, which is tasked with supporting the British Fourteenth Army in Burma, is dissolved and replaced by Headquarters RAF Bengal and Burma. Two groups, No. 221 Group RAF supporting the Indian IV Corps and No. 224 Group RAF supporting the Indian XV Corps, are assigned.

BURMA: Twenty eight USAAF Tenth Air Force P-47 Thunderbolts attack and damage bridges at Kawnghka, Namyao, Nampawng, Namhkai, and Hsenwi and demolish the main bridge at Ho-kho; Eight P-47s support ground forces in the Bhamo area; 60+ fighter-bombers hit Japanese-held positions, troop concentrations, supply areas, warehouses, and general targets of opportunity at Man Mau, Nwegyo, Mogok, Hkayanzatkon, Pangpong, Namahokgyi, Kyu-sa, Man Maw, Mongnaw, and Man Htam.

     USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells, supported by P-40s, hit bridges, buildings, and river, road, and rail traffic at several points at Lashio, Kutkai and Namhkai. Fighter-bombers on armed reconnaissance pound numerous targets of opportunity at Namhkai,.

FRENCH INDOCHINA: USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells, supported by P-40s, hit bridges, buildings, and river, road, and rail traffic at several points. Fighter-bombers on armed reconnaissance pound numerous targets of opportunity at Lang Son.

VOLCANO ISLANDS: During the night of 4/5 December, snooper missions continue as two Mariana Islands-based USAAF Seventh Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb Iwo Jima.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: The US 457th FA, A Battery, parachutes into Leyte in Manarawat to establish a gun position. (Mike Yared)

USAAF Seventh Air Force bombers begin harassing night attacks on Luzon airfields.

     On Leyte, Lieutenant General Walter Krueger, Commanding General Sixth Army, orders an attack tomorrow to destroy the Japanese in the Ormoc area, with the X Corps moving southward astride Highway 2 to support the XXIV Corps. In the X Corps area, the 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, begins a withdrawal from the Kilay Ridge toward Pinamopoan. The 112th Cavalry Regiment (Special) continues futile efforts to clear the ridge southeast of Limon. The XXIV Corps prepares for an assault on Ormoc with the 7th Infantry Division by land and the 77th Infantry Division by sea. The 184th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, gets patrols as far north as Balogo. The 776th Amphibious Tank Battalion after dark moves to waters 1,000 yards (914 meters) west of Balogo.

 SOUTH CHINA SEA: USS Flasher sinks Japanese destroyer Kishinami and damages a merchant ship. Flasher is only US submarine to sink over 100,000 tons of enemy shipping in World War II.

MARCUS ISLAND: Three USAAF Seventh Air Force B-24 Liberators from Guam bomb the island. Marcus Island is located in the North Pacific about 768 nautical miles (1 422 kilometers) west-northwest of Wake Island and is used as a refuelling point for Japanese aircraft en route to the Central Pacific.

MARIANA ISLANDS: Headquarters of the USAAF Twentieth Air Force's XXI Bomber Command arrives at Harmon Field, Guam, from the US.

CANADA:

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