"accidental explosion of bombs"

MON 15 JAN 1945
Pacific
District patrol craft YP-73 sinks after running aground 1,000 yards east of Spruce Cape signal station, Kodiak, Alaska. Coast Guard tender Bittersweet (WAG-389) rescues survivors.

Escort carrier Hoggatt Bay (CVE-75) is damaged by accidental explosion of bombs as aircraft (VC 88) lands on board as the ship operates off west coast of Luzon, 17°01'N, 119°20'E.

TF 38 (Vice Admiral John S. McCain) attacks Japanese shipping and aircraft off Formosa and the China coast. Carrier planes sink destroyer Hatakaze and fast transport T.14 at 22°37'N, 120°15'E; fleet tanker Mirii Maru and army cargo ship Enoshima Maru off Takao; destroyer Tsuga off Mako, 23°33'N, 119°33'E; and damage auxiliary minelayer Maroshima off Formosa and army cargo ships Beiju Maru and Yoshun Maru off Keelung.

TF 38 planes sink Japanese salvage ship Horei Maru, San Fernando, Luzon.

Japanese auxiliary minesweeper No.1 Kyo Maru is sunk by mine (laid by British submarine HMS Porpoise on 9 January), south of Penang, Malaya, 05°18'N, 100°20'E.

Japanese merchant cargo ship No.5 Kujyo Maru is sunk by aircraft southwest of Paramushiro Island Kurils.

Japanese river gunboat Narumi is damaged by USAAF aircraft near Hankow, China.

Destroyer Swanson (DD-443) bombards Rota Island; she repeats the operation the following day.

Mediterranean
Destroyers Boyle (DD-600) and McLanahan (DD-615) support British and American light craft, including U.S. motor torpedo boats, in a night interdiction operation aimed at enemy coastwise shipping.

RAF Spitfire sights one large and one small enemy destroyer west of Portofino, Italy; PT-313 and British MTB 378 engage a southbound convoy of five flak lighters, sinking one and damaging another. The presence of the destroyers, however, results in the operation being discontinued.