July 14th, 1945 (SATURDAY)
GERMANY: Koningsee: Eisenhower dissolves the Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF).
ITALY: Rome: Italy declares war on Japan.
JAPAN: Carrier-based aircraft of the USN's Task Force 38 are prevented from attacking airfields in northern Honshu and Hokkaido by bad weather so they strike shipping, rail lines and ground installations in those areas.
The USN's Task Unit 34.8.1 under Rear Admiral John F. Shafroth, composed of three battleships SOUTH DAKOTA, INDIANA, MASSACHUSETTS, two heavy cruisers (QUINCY and CHICAGO) and nine destroyers, bombard the ironworks at Kamaishi on northern Honshu. This is the first naval bombardment of the Japanese home islands. 802 16-inch, 728 8-inch and 825 5-inch rounds were expended. (Keith Allen)
USAAF XXI Bomber Command P-51s from Iwo Jima sent on a strike against Meiji and Kagamigahara in the Nagoya, Japan area abort because of weather.
Japanese aircraft losses are: 1 A/C shot down; 1 damaged in air combat; 24 a/c destroyed on the ground; 62 a/c damaged on the ground.
Japanese shipping losses are: Sunk: 1 Escort Destroyer, 3 Corvettes, 1 Submarine Chaser, 1 Minesweeper, 4 Auxiliary Minesweepers, 5 Guardboats, 1 Gunboat, 1 Transport, 1 Army Vessel, 12 Merchant Cargo Vessels, 7 Train Ferries, and 8 luggers.
Damaged: 1 Destroyer, 2 Corvettes, 1 Frigate, 2 Submarine
Chasers, 1 Auxiliary Submarine Chaser, 2 Auxiliary Minesweepers, 1 Guardboat, 3 Army Vessels, 3 Train Ferries, 15 Merchant Cargo Vessels, 2 Merchant ankers, 1 Dredger, and 2 luggers.
US A/C losses: Combat: VF/VBF - 6; VT = 4; VB=6; Total = 16 Operational: VF/VBF = 6; VT = 2; VB = 3; Total = 11; Aircrew: VF/VBF = 4 Pilots, VT = 2 Pilots 4 Crew; VB = 4 Pilots, 4 Crew. (Jack McKillop and Rich Leonard)
On this date, HQ Seventh Air Force officially joins the Fifth and Thirteenth Air Forces as part of the Far East Air Forces (FEAF).
PACIFIC OCEAN: Japanese submarine I-351 is sunk by USS Bluefish in the South China Sea. (Mike Yared)(144 and 145)
CANADA: Destroyer
HMCS St Francis (ex USS Bancroft) while
under tow to Philadelphia sank off Sagonnet Point, Rhode Island following
collision SS Winding Gulf.
Corvettes HMCS Chilliwack and Fredericton
paid off Sorel, Province of Quebec.
Corvette HMCS Fergus, HMC ML 058, ML 065
and ML 108 paid off Sydney, Nova Scotia.
U.S.A.: Washington: GIs may "fraternize" with civilians in the American zone of Germany within carefully-defined limits under a scheme prepared by General Eisenhower, to be presented as part of an Allied plan for unified control of the country. Fraternization is forbidden in the British Army. However, the rumour among the troops is that if you offer a Fraulein a bar of chocolate you can get anything you like - and six eggs for change.
Escort carrier USS Rabaul launched.
Destroyer USS Glennon launched. (DS)