18 December 1944

During the night of 18/19 December, the USAAF Eighth Air Force flies Mission 755: four B-17 Flying Fortresses and nine B-24 Liberators are sent to drop leaflets in France, Germany and the Netherlands.

One hundred sixty USAAF Ninth Air Force A-26 Invaders, A-20 Havocs, and B-26 Marauders hit defended positions at Harperscheid, Hellenthal, Blumenthal, Dreiborn, and Herhahn; fighters fly sweeps and armed reconnaissance over western Germany (claiming over 40 German airplanes downed plus hitting numerous ground targets) and support the U.S. 2d, 4th, 28th, and 106th Infantry Divisions west of Butgenbach and west of Trier; southeast of Clervaux, Luxembourg; and southeast of Saint-Vith, Belgium; and the XII Corps at Niedergailbach. The IX Tactical Air Command hits Panzer units spearheading the Bulge.

FRANCE: Mittelwihr: Technical Sergeant Bernard Bell of the United States Army, Company I, 142d Infantry, 36th Infantry Division, leads a squad of troops to clear a German held schoolhouse then holds it against a heavy enemy counter-strike. MOH.

BELGIUM: Huy: The Americans who turned up to guard the bridge over the Meuse at Huy, south-west of Liege, was unusually well-informed. American reinforcements moving up to the front were regaled with hair-raising stories of massive German Panzer forces wreaking havoc among the Allies.

It was some time before this talkative "American" was identified as an English-speaking German commando in GI uniform, driving a captured Jeep. Hitler had told SS Lt-Col Otto Skorzeny to train men to pose as GIs and infiltrate them behind American lines to spread panic and confusion and sabotage communications. The first wave succeeded, forcing the Americans to introduce time-consuming identity checks and trick questions about comics, the name of Roosevelt"> Roosevelt's dog or baseball scores.

Three major organizations from outside US VIII Corps are on the move to corps headquarters in Bastogne in the Ardennes. Late in the day CCB, 10th Armored Division arrives in Bastogne and is directed by the corps commander, Major General Troy Middleton, to establish road blocks at three locations east of Bastogne. The teams sent to these locations will slow the advance of the Germans but at a high cost. The 82nd Airborne Division and the 101st Airborne Division are on the road toward Bastogne. (Jay Stone)

In U.S. First Army's V Corps area, the Corps' mission, on its smaller front, is to stabilize the line Monschau (Germany)-Butgenbach-Malmedy-Stavelot. Corps holds firmly at Butgenbach and Elsenborn ridge but the Germans continue to move west through the gap south of Butgenbach. Regimental Combat Team 26 reverts to the 1st Infantry Division, which joins in action to keep the Germans from Malmedy, combing the woods near Eupen and organizing the perimeter defense of Waimes. The 99th Infantry Division is attached to 2d Infantry Division. The Germans now hold Honsfeld and Buellingen and push into Stavelot. The 30th Infantry Division recovers most of Stavelot northwest of the AmblÃ¨ve River and organizes defense positions in the Malmdy-Stavelot area; blunts enemy spearheads at Stoumont and Habiemont. In the VIII Corps area, the 106th Infantry Division's encircled 422d and 423d Infantry Regiments try in vain to break out toward Schonberg. The 7th Armored Division is too heavil y engaged at St Vith to assist with eastward push. The Germans occupy Recht and cut the St Vith-Vielsaim road at Poteau but Combat Command A recovers Poteau. The 14th Cavalry Group (Mechanized), which falls back to Petit Thier, is transferred from the 106th Infantry Division to the 7th Armored Division control. The 28th Infantry Division is unable to stop the Germans in its zone and becomes completely disorganized. The Germans get almost to Houffalize and Bastogne; smash through roadblocks of Combat Command R, 9th Armored Division, on the Bastogne-St Vith road.

NETHERLANDS: In the British Second Army area, VIII Corps extends southward to the line Meeuwen-Maeseyck.

LUXEMBOURG: Troops of 4th Infantry Division and 10th Armored Division remaining south of the breakthrough are placed under Third Army command. Combat Command B, 10th Armored, remains with VIII Corps to help defend Bastogne, Belgium; Combat Command A attacks north and east through the 4th Infantry Division to the Berdorf and Echternach areas. The 4th Infantry Division mops up infiltrators beyond Osweiler and Dickweiler and repels thrust from Dickweiler.

FRANCE: In the U.S. Seventh Army's VI Corps area, elements of 45th Infantry Division attack across the Lauter River into Budenthal but are isolated there.

GERMANY: US aircraft attack German tactical and communications targets, including Cologne, Koblenz, Kaiserslautern, Bonn and Mainz.

At 1320 a 451st/727 Sq. B-24G #42-78436 commanded 2lt. Walter D. Holland goes MIA (missing in acyion) about twenty kilometres from where the 485th encountered SAMs yesterday. Also this afternoon a B-17 of the 2nd Bomb Group reports that they are under attack by Rheintochter SAMs over Wiener Neustadt. (John D. Bybee)

The USAAF Eighth Air Force flies Mission 754: 985 bombers and 773 fighters are dispatched to hit rail and tactical targets in Germany using PFF; 4 fighters are lost. One hundred seventy B-17 Flying Fortresses bomb the marshalling yard (M/Y) at Mainz; 102 hit the Lutzel M/Y at Koblenz; 74 attack the M/Y at Kaiserslautern; and 32 bomb the Kalk M/Y at Cologne. Twenty four other B-17s hits targets of opportunity. Escort is provided by 260 P-51 Mustangs.

USAAF Fifteenth Air Force bomber attack three synthetic oil refineries: 169 bomb the Deschowitz refinery at Odertal with the loss of two bombers; 87 bomb the I.G. Garben North refinery at Blechhammer and 61 bomb the I.G. Garben South refinery at Blechhammer with the loss of two aircraft.

During the night of 18/19 December, Mosquitos of RAF Bomber Command attack two cities: 39 bomb Nurnburg and 14 hit Munster. Meanwhile, ten Lancasters lay mines in Danzig Bay.

14th Armored Division, VI US Corps, 7th Army began assault on Siegfried line by blasting out Dragon Teeth with TNT, bypassing Maginot line emplacements. Germans responded with heavy firing.

Allied commanders met the day before to plan action for stopping Ardennes counter Attacks. Patton promised he could move his 3rd Army by December 22nd.

7th US Army was ordered to spread out to cover Patton's 3rd Army pivot and his move North, orders included statement that if unsuspected attack was delivered by unaccounted for German Divisions at Ardennes to pull back to Vosges Mountains for defence.

In U.S. First Army's VII Corps area, the 83d and 9th Infantry Divisions finish clearing their respective zones. The Corps extends southward because of Ardennes breakthrough to take over part of the V Corps zone, new boundary running from the Eupen area to the Roer River near Dedenborn. With boundary change, the 8th and 78th Infantry Divisions and attachments pass to corps control in current positions. The Corps releases Combat Command A of the 3d Armored Division and the 9th Infantry Division, less Regimental Combat Teams 47 and 60, to V Corps, 104th Infantry Division takes responsibility for the 9th Infantry Division zone as well as its own and is reinforced by Regimental Combat Team 6o. The 78th Infantry Division, reinforced by the 2d Ranger Battalion and 102d Cavalry Group (Mechanized), is to hold the road center north of the Konzen and Paustenbach knoll.

In U.S. Third Army's XX Corps area, the 90th Infantry Division, attacking cautiously with two battalions, clears most of Dillingen against surprisingly light resistance. The 5th Infantry Division takes charge of the Saarlautern bridgehead, and attacks at once, gaining ground. The 95th Infantry Division, less 378th Infantry Regiment, which continues to be responsible for the Ensdorf area, is withdrawn from combat. In the XII Corps area, the 2d Battalion, 320th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division, takes Nieder Gailbach in hard fighting. The 87th Infantry Division breaks off attack upon order.

In the U.S. Ninth Army's XIII Corps area, 84th Infantry Division attacks for its last objective, Wurm and Muellendorf, and takes both with ease.

A Memory of a Seventh Army Veteran: the 14th Armored Division, U.S. VI Corps, Seventh Army began an assault on the Siegfried line by blasting out Dragon Teeth with TNT while bypassing Maginot line emplacements. The Germans respond with heavy firing. Many individual fox holes were 100 yards (91 meters) apart. (Joe Brott)

Forty nine USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb the I.G. Farben oil refinery at Oswiecim with the loss of two aircraft.

During the night of 18/19 December, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 236 Lancasters to attack the Gdynia on the Baltic coast: 187 bomb the port area with the loss of three aircraft and 40 bomb the heavy cruiser Lutzow with the loss of one aircraft. The cruiser is not damaged but the dockyard and a floating dock are wrecked.

Off Gdynia, RAF bombers hit the German liner Schleswig-Holstein, which burns out, and sink eight other ships.

HUNGARY: Soviet Army forces reach the Hungarian-Czechoslovak border on the 70-mile (113 kilometer) front north of Miskoic and are crossing it.

Thirty three USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-24 Liberators aircraft bomb the marshalling yard at Sopron while two others hit targets of opportunity.

U.S.S.R.: Black Sea Fleet: (Sergey Anisimov)(69)Submarine loss. "L-25" (uncompleted hull) - sunk under tow, supposedly on mine, West to cape Pitsunda.

ITALY: A freight train carrying hundreds of civilians, who had jumped on board because no other transport is available, stalls in a tunnel near Salerno. Toxic fumes from the engine fill the tunnel and a total of 426 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Benito Mussolini, head of the Italian Socialist Republic (RSI), has moved his office to Milan. German Ambassador to the RSI Rudolph Rahn, had suggested he move to Merano on the Brenner Pass, but Mussolini chose Milano due in part to his wish to distance himself from German authority.

Weather again curtails operations. The USAAF Twelfth Air Force's XXII Tactical Air Command sends fighters and fighter-bombers to hit communications in the eastern Po River Valley, scoring particular success against lines in the northern part of the Valley in the Padua region, and support U.S. Fifth Army operations in the battle area south of Bologna.

YUGOSLAVIA: Sixty six RAF Bombers of No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group bomb tactical targets at Matesevo.

CHINA: Thirty three USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb barracks and administrative buildings at Hankow. Twenty three B-25 Mitchells hit Wuchang, seven bomb barracks and damage a bridge at Siaokan Airfield while six others attack storage buildings at Kunlong;. One hundred forty nine P-40s and P-51 Mustangs support the Hankow, Siaokan, and Wuchang raids and claim 42 Japanese aircraft downed and destroyed on the ground. Twenty P-51s and P-38 Lightnings follow the B-25 strike on Kunlong with napalm attacks, causing considerable damage while 28 other P-40s and P-51s attack various targets of opportunity around Hochih, Nanning and Mengmao.

The USAAF Twentieth Air Force's XX Bomber Command flies Mission 21: 94 B-29 Superfortresses, flying out of the Chengtu area, are dispatched to drop incendiaries on the docks at Hankow in the first mass firebomb attack by B-29s; the strike is made in conjunction with 200 aircraft of the Fourteenth Air Force; 84 bomb the primary target and five others hit alternate targets; they claim 1-3-10 Japanese aircraft.

BURMA: Seventeen USAAF Tenth Air Force P-47 Thunderbolts destroy bypass bridges at Wingkang. Twelve B-25 Mitchells knock out two railroad bridges at Wetlet and damage another at Saye and 11 P-47s hit the airfield at Nawnghkio while 12 others sweep airfields at Anisakan, Hsumhsai, and Nawnghkio. Nine fighter-bombers provide close support to ground forces in Namhkam and 17 P-47s attack personnel and supply areas at Man Ton and Hseing-hkai. Two hundred ninety two transports fly men and supplies to forward bases and battle areas.

JAPAN: The USAAF Twentieth Air Force's XXI Bomber Command flies Mission 13: 89 B-29 Superfortresses flying out of the Mariana Islands are sent to hit the Mitsubishi aircraft plant at Nagoya; 63 hit the primary target and ten bomb last resort targets and targets of opportunity. They claim 5-11-12 Japanese aircraft; four B-29s are lost.

VOLCANO ISLANDS: During the night of 18/19 December, four USAAF Seventh Air Force B-24 Liberators from Guam and Saipan fly snooper strikes over Iwo Jima.

EAST INDIES: In the Netherlands East Indies, USAAF Far East Air Forces fighter-bombers attack targets of opportunity in the Tarakan Island, Borneo, area, strafe seaplane facilities at Sanga Sanga, Borneo, and bomb Haroekoe Airfield on Haroekoe Island off Ambon Island.

FRENCH INDOCHINA: USAAF Fourteenth Air Force fighter-bombers attack Sang Song and Phu Lang Thuong.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: A typhoon capsizes three destroyers and damages three carriers, 11 destroyers and four escort carriers of US naval TF 38, drowning 757 out of 831 sailors and sweeping 150 aircraft off the decks of carriers. TF 38 has completed attacks on Luzon, and is returning to Ulithi to refuel.

Destroyer USS Hull capsized in a typhoon, east of the Philippines. 7 officers and 55 men survived the sinking, 8 crewmembers were lost. She received 10 battle stars for her WWII service.

Destroyer USS Monaghan lost in the infamous typhoon east of the Philippines. Only six of her crew was ever found by the destroyer USS Brown. All six were put onboard the hospital ship USS Solace at Christmas Eve. They had been in the water for 4 days. All were in fair shape considering the experience. Before her loss, USS Monaghan received 12 Battle Stars for her services.

By early morning, escort carrier USS Altamaha had been hit by a raging typhoon while performing transfer operations in the Philippine Sea. By 0900, the escort carrier was labouring heavily and rolling as much as 25 to 30 degrees to either side. An hour later, visibility dropped to zero, and the vessel abandoned all effort to keep station. Almost one-half of the aircraft on board Altamaha broke loose and plunged overboard. The ship also experienced problems with flooding in the forward elevator pit. Many ships, including the Altamaha were heavily damaged, and some even sunk. No personnel were lost aboard the Altamaha.

In the U.S. Sixth Army's X Corps area on Leyte Island, the 126th Infantry Regiment, 32d Infantry Division, works slowly forward south of Limon and closes the gap between it and 127th Infantry Regiment. The 12th Cavalry Regiment (Infantry), 1st Cavalry Division, patrols and prepares to drive on Lonoy and Kananga. In the XXIV Corps area, the 307th Infantry Regiment, 77th Infantry Division, takes Valencia and its airstrip without opposition. The 306th Infantry Regiment overtakes the 307th at Valencia and makes patrol contact with the 305th Infantry Regiment. The 305th blocks off the road to Dolores. The southern part of the Ormoc Valley from Ormoc to Valencia is now clear of Japanese.

On Leyte Island, USAAF Far East Air Forces fighter-bombers destroy a bridge on the Palompon-Cananga road and attack Calatagan Airfield on Cebu Island; B-25 Mitchells hit San Roque Airfield on Mindanao Island; and fighter-bombers attack Tanao harbor on Panay Island.

CAROLINE ISLANDS: Six USAAF Seventh Air Force Guam- based B-24 Liberators fly armed photo reconnaissance over Moen, Param, and Eten Islands and bomb Dublon Island, all in Truk Atoll. After photographing the airfields on the three islands, the B-24 Liberators return by way of Woleai and Puluwat Atolls, and Namonuito Island and photograph all three.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: On Bougainville, "Arty Hill" as it was known, is captured by the Queensland 9th Battalion, 7th Brigade, and is a major Japanese position on the Numa Numa Trail leading across Bougainville.

U.S.A.: Washington: Douglas MacArthur is promoted to the rank of General of the Army.

The U.S. Supreme Court rules that the U.S. Army’s removal of Japanese-Americans from the West Coast early in 1942 was constitutional at the time it was carried out, but that citizens must be permitted to return to their homes when their loyalty to U.S. is established. The tribunal acted in two cases. It upheld the constitutionality of the removal program by a 6 to 3 decision, and was unanimous in holding that loyal citizens should be released. The ruling came one day after the War Department announced that loyal citizens of Japanese ancestry would be permitted to return to their former homes after 33 months of enforced absence in relocation centres.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Frigates HMCS Ribble and Montreal rescued 44 of 53 crewmembers of U.1209 OLtzS Ewald Hülsenbeck CO scuttled in the Channel off Scilly Isles, 49-57N, 005-47W, subsequent to hitting Wolf Rock. Both frigates contended their attacks were cause, but this was denied by RN Admiralty findings. Montreal and Ribble were members of Escort Group 26. They had attacked several asdic contacts but these produced no results and the contacts were classified as wrecks, of which there were many in the area. When the survivors were found and recovered a short time later the two ships were quick to claim that their attacks were the cause of a sinking. Actually, U-1209 had been scuttled after hitting Wolf Rock subsequent to her successful efforts to evade her pursuers. OLtzS Hülsenbeck was among those lost.