6 January 1945

UNITED KINGDOM: Whilst escorting a cross-Channel convoy, V&W class destroyer HMS WALPOLE strikes a mine off Flushing at 52 33N 03 06E which causes flooding of her machinery spaces and has to be towed back to Sheerness. She is declared a constructive total loss. There are 2 casualties. (Alex Gordon)(108)

The USAAF Eighth Air Force flies Mission 784: six B-17 Flying Fortresses drop leaflets over Belgium and the Netherlands during the night.

FRANCE: The United States Army 2nd Battalion, 274th Infantry Division with attached unit attempted to take the town of Wingen from elements of the German 6th SS Mountain Division and failed. The tank support for the 2/274th had arrived very late and made little contribution to the battle. In addition Field Artillery support was a complete mess. (W Jay Stone)

In the U.S. Seventh Army's XV Corps area, an attack to restore the main line of resistance on the right flank of the 44th Infantry Division halts on the line extending along southern edge of the Bois de Blies Brucken to an area just north of the Gras Rederching. In the VI Corps area, the 45th Infantry Division makes slow progress against the left and centre of the Bitche salient and on the east contains counterattacks on Philippsbourg. The Germans continue a build up west of the Rhine River on the eastern flank of the corps. The 79th Infantry Division clears Stattmatten (where encircled elements of Task Force Linden are relieved), Sessenheim, and Rohrweiler; and reaches the edge of Drusenheim. Further efforts of Task Force Linden to gain Gambsheim are fruitless.

BELGIUM: In the U.S. First Army's VII Corps area, the 2d Armoured and 84th Infantry Divisions make converging attacks toward Consy, taking positions east and west of the town, respectively. The 2d Armoured Division continues toward Dochamps, completes the occupation of Odeigne, and makes contact with the 3d Armoured Division on the Manhay-Houffalize road. The 3d Armoured Division cuts the Laroche-Salmchateau road at its intersection with the Manhay-Houffalize road and captures Fraiture, Lierneux, and La Falise; the 83d Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion clears Bois Houby. In the XVIII Corps (Airborne) area, the 82d Airborne Division consolidates. To protect its left flank, the 30th Infantry Division attacks south toward Spineux and Wanne with the Regimental Combat Team 112 of the 28th Infantry Division.

In the U.S. Third Army's VIII Corps area, the Germans get tanks into Bonnerue, lightly held by the 87th Infantry Division; the division makes a limited attack toward Tillet. In the III Corps area, the 6th Armoured Division holds against repeated counterattacks. The 35th Infantry Division attacks into the woods northeast of Lutrebois and maintains positions in the Villers-la-Bonne-Eau area; the 6th Cavalry Squadron of Task Force Fickett is committed near Villers-la-Bonne-Eau.

LUXEMBOURG: In the U.S. Third Army's XII Corps area, the 80th Infantry Division's 319th Infantry Regiment crosses the Sure River near Heiderscheidergrund and captures Goesdorf and Dahi.

The USAAF Eighth Air Force flies Mission 783: 816 bombers and 622 fighters are dispatched to hit rail and communications targets in western Germany; all but a few attacks are made using Gee-H and H2X; they claim 14-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground; one B-17 and two P-51 Mustangs are lost: 183 B-17s bomb the Kalk Marshalling Yard at Cologne and 14 other targets are hit by less than 100 aircraft each.

Twenty six USAAF Ninth Air Force bombers strike Prum. Bad weather prevents all fighter operations.

During the night of 6/7 January, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 482 aircraft, 314 Halifaxes, 154 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitos, to bomb Hanau; 425 bomb the target with the loss of four Halifaxes and two Lancasters. The attack is aimed at that part of Hanau in which an important junction in the German railway system is situated. The local report says that many bombs did fall in this area but also states that a large proportion of the bombing is scattered in the south, into the centre of Hanau, and to the north, into an area of countryside and villages. A second force of 147 Lancasters hits Neuss with the loss of one Lancaster which crashes in Belgium. As in Hanau, some of the bombing falls into the railway area but most is scattered over surrounding districts; 1,749 houses, 19 industrial premises and 20 public buildings are destroyed or seriously damaged.

U-2538, U-2539, U-3031 launched

U-3519 commissioned.

FINLAND: The national dance-ban is lifted. It has been illegal to dance during the wartime. Dancing was considered a highly inappropriate pastime during war and therefore banned. This applied only to public dancing, in private people were free to dance as much as they wanted. Of course, this ban was often ignored, especially during the tedium of the positional warfare period of the Continuation War. (Jack McKillop and Mikko Härmeinen)

U.S.S.R.: Baltic Fleet: Submarine loss. "S-4" rammed by German torpedo boat T-33 close to cape Busterort in Gulf of Danzig. (Sergey Anisimov and Dave Shirlaw)(69)

ITALY: USAAF Twelfth Air Force fighters and fighter- bombers hit rail lines and bridges in the Genoa-La Spezia coastline area, and bomb vessels in the harbours at Genoa and Imperia.

JAPAN: The USAAF Twentieth Air Force's XX Bomber Command flies Mission 25: 49 Chengtu, China-based B-29 Superfortresses are dispatched to bomb an aircraft factory at Omura, Kyushu Island; 28 hit the primary target, 13 bomb a secondary target at Nanking, China while six attack targets of opportunity; they claim 4-6-10 Japanese aircraft; one B-29 is lost. The is the XX Bomber Command's last mission against targets in Japan.

On Paramushiru Island in the Kurile Islands, two USAAF Eleventh Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb Suribachi Bay Airfield, also hitting buildings and pier areas. Ten B-25 Mitchells fly single air coverage sorties for the naval task force that bombarded Paramushiro yesterday.

VOLCANO ISLANDS: Fifteen USAAF Seventh Air Force B-24 Liberators, based on Guam, bomb Iwo Jima airfields. During the night of 6/7 January, nine B-24s on individual snooper strikes continue to attack the airfields on the island.

CHINA: Forty USAAF Fourteenth Air Force P-40s, P-51 Mustangs, and P-47 Thunderbolts attack the Hankow-Wuchang area; nine aircraft are claimed destroyed.

BURMA: In the Northern Combat Area Command area, heavy rains begin as the U.S. 475th Infantry Regiment (Long Range Penetration, Special) goes into bivouac in the Mong Wi area and the U.S. 124th Cavalry Regiment (Special) makes its way toward Mong Wi. The Chinese 38th Division gains the distinction of being the first Chinese Army in India unit to return to Chinese soil: the 112th Regiment reaches Loiwing, from which it patrols across the Shweli River to Namhkam.

FRENCH INDOCHINA: Four USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-24 Liberators bomb the Cap-Saint-Jacques area.

Task Groups 77.2 [battleships USS California (BB-44), Colorado (BB-45), Mississippi (BB-41), New Mexico (BB-40), Pennsylvania (BB-40), West Virginia (BB-48) and supporting cruisers and destroyers] and 77.6 (Minesweeping and Hydrographic Group) reach Lingayen Gulf area and begin naval bombardment and mine sweeping. Damaging enemy air attacks persist in spite of strong effort against Luzon by planes of Task Force 38, escort aircraft carriers covering TG 77.2, and USAAF Far East Air Forces. Japanese force of some 150 aircraft on Luzon at the beginning of the year has been reduced to about 35 planes, and air action drops off sharply after this.

On Mindoro, Pinamalayan, which the Japanese have recently abandoned, is reoccupied by fresh Japanese troops from Luzon. Company I, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, and guerrillas join in attack there, forcing the Japanese back toward Calapan.

USAAF Far East Air Forces (FEAF) B-24 Liberators bomb Clark Field while B-25 Mitchells, A-20 Havocs, and fighter-bombers hit bridges and targets of opportunity at Calumpit and Plaridel and in nearby southern Luzon Island areas. B-24 s bomb Nichols Field and Nielson Airfield on Luzon. A-20s, with P-38 Lightning cover, bomb Carolina Airfield on Negros Island. FEAF flies numerous smaller strikes against various points throughout the Philippine Islands.

While supporting the Landings at Lingayen Gulf, Philippine Islands on the USS Allen M. SUMNER (DD-692) took charge of the minesweeper support unit in place of USS BARTON (CDS60). Enemy suicide planes approached out of the sun on the port bow strafed and crashed into the rigging, the after stack, and after torpedo mount, killing 14 men, wounding 29 others, and causing extensive damage.

Because of damage. Allen M. SUMNER was ordered to return to screen of TG 77.2 and BARTON (CDS60) took over as minesweeper support unit. Thirteen men will be buried at sea on tomorrow. (Ron Babuka)

Minesweeping destroyers USS Long and Hovey sunk by Japanese aircraft at Lingayen Gulf.

EAST INDIES: USAAF Far East Air Forces (FEAF) B-25 Mitchells and fighter-bombers hit Mapanget Airfield on Celebes Island, Netherlands East Indies (NEI). FEAF flies numerous smaller strikes against various points throughout the NEI.

NEW GUINEA: Australian General Sir Thomas Blamey, Commander in Chief Australian Military Force and Commander in Chief Allied Land Forces South West Pacific Area, sends a message to U.S. General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, Commander in Chief South West Pacific Area, suggesting that he should include in his next communique a reference to the fact that the Australians had taken over in New Guinea, thus making it possible to release the Australian correspondents' stories that have been censored for month.

SOUTH CHINA SEA: The submarine U.S.S. Sea Robin (SS-407), on her first patrol, sinks the XAO Tarakan Maru (5135T) east of Hainan Island in a night surface attack using her radar. Two of three torpedoes hit and sink the ship.

Later that same evening, The submarine U.S.S. Besugo (SS-321), on her third patrol, at the mouth of the Gulf of Thailand, attacks the XAO Nichiei Maru (10,020T) in night surface radar attack in position 6-57N 102-57E. Firing six torpedoes, three strike home and sink the tanker. (Chris Sauder)

PACIFIC OCEAN: In Lingayen Gulf, Japanese suicide plane attacks intensify against Lingayen Gulf invasion force; kamikazes damage battleships USS New Mexico (BB-40) (killing members of an observing British military mission) and California (BB-44), heavy cruiser USS Louisville (CA-28), light cruiser USS Columbia (CL-56) and destroyers USS Allen M. Sumner (DD-692), Newcomb (DD-586) (she is also hit by friendly fire), O'Brien (DD-725), and Richard P. Leary (DD-664). Kamikazes attack the minesweeping group, sinking high speed minesweeper USS Long (DMS-12), and damaging high speed minesweeper USS Southard (DMS-10) and high speed transport USS Brooks (APD-10). Destroyer USS Walke (DD-723), on detached duty covering the minesweeping operations is attacked by four enemy aircraft; one crashes the ship's bridge, drenching it with burning gasoline and mortally wounding Walke's commanding officer, Commander George F. Davis. Davis nevertheless remains at his post, conning his ship amidst t he wreckage and rallying his crew. Carried below only when assured that his ship would survive, he dies of his wounds within hours. He is subsequently awarded the Medal of Honor, posthumously.

As a consequence of the kamikaze attacks, Task Force 38 (Vice Admiral John S. McCain) shifts its focus from Formosa to begin operations against Japanese airfields and shipping in the Luzon area. In South China Sea off northern Luzon, Navy carrier-based planes sink an army cargo ship and six merchant tankers.

Ens George Herbert Walker Bush USNR married Barbara Pierce in Rye, New York state.