Rock, Damaged, Remains On Patrol

SAT 18 MAR 1944
Pacific
TG 50.10 (Rear Admiral Willis A. Lee), formed around carrier Lexington (CV-16) and battleships Iowa (BB-61) and New Jersey (BB-62), screened by seven destroyers, pounds Japanese installations on Mille Island in the Marshalls; Iowa is damaged by shore battery off Mille.

TG 74.5 (Captain Kenmore M. McManes) commences bombardment of Japanese installations in Wewak area, New Guinea (see 19 March).

Submarine Lapon (SS-260) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking transport Hokoroku Maru about 250 miles southwest of Hong Kong, 19°24'N, 116°50'E.

Submarine Rock (SS-274) is damaged by depth charges off North Borneo, 07°25'N, 115°20'E, but remains on patrol.

Submarine Picuda (SS-382) conducts unsuccessful attack against Japanese cargo ship Kasuga Maru, 12°33'N, 141°08'E.

Large infantry landing craft LCI(L)-330 is accidentally rammed by freighter Richard Mosczowski off Koli Point, Guadalcanal. The latter suffers damage in the encounter.

USAAF B-25s bomb Japanese installations on Ponape, sinking small cargo vessel No.2 Kasuga Maru.

Japanese cargo ship Shinten Maru is damaged by mine off Kaimana, 03°40'S, 133°47'E.

Japanese motor torpedo boats Gyoraitei No.402 and Gyoraitei No.453 are sunk by British aircraft off Boronga, Burma.

Mediterranean
U.S. freighter Maiden Creek, torpedoed the previous day by German submarine U-371 about 30 miles north- northeast of Bougie, Algeria, is towed into Bougie where she is beached to facilitate salvage. Subsequently, however, she is swept off the beach by a storm and breaks up in the heavy weather, a total loss.

Atlantic
U.S. tanker Seakay,in Avonmouth, England-bound convoy CU 17, is torpedoed by German submarine U-311 at 51°10'N, 20°20'W, and abandoned. One Armed Guard sailor perishes in the abandonment; destroyer escort Reeves (DE-156) rescues survivors. Escort ships scuttle the irreparably damaged tanker with shells and depth charges.