Ulithi Atoll Undefended

SAT 23 SEP 1944
Pacific
TG 33.19 (Rear Admiral William H.P. Blandy) lands 323d Army Regimental Combat Team (81st Division) on undefended Ulithi Atoll, Carolines. Ulithi will supplant Eniwetok as the Pacific Fleet's foremost advanced base in the Pacific theater.

Battleship West Virginia (BB-48) reaches Pearl Harbor and rejoins the Pacific Fleet, marking the completion of the program of salvage and reconstruction of the ships damaged at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941.

Submarine Apogon (SS-308) sinks Japanese guardboat No.6 Choyo Maru east of Honshu, 34°57'N, 154°44'E.

Submarine Escolar (SS-294) departs Midway for first war patrol.

German submarine U-859 is sunk by British submarine HMS Trenchant off Penang, Malaya, 05°46'N, 100°04'E.

Navy land-based aircraft sink Japanese auxiliary vessel Toshu Maru off Wowoni, Celebes, 04°23'S, 122°43'E.

PBY sinks cargo ship Heiho Maru in Celebes Sea, 03°40'N, 122°25'E.

Japanese gunboat Nankai and transport Hokkai Maru are damaged by mines (laid by submarine Bowfin on 29 January) off Balikpapan, Borneo, 03°37'S, 116°25'E.

Japanese army cargo ship Kurogane Maru is damaged by aircraft, Manila.