Heavy Air Strikes Hurled

THU 12 OCT 1944
Pacific
TF 38 (Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher) hurls heavy air strikes against Japanese shipping, aerodromes, and industrial plants on Formosa, regarded as the strongest and best-developed base south of the homeland proper, and on northern Luzon. Strikes draw heavy Japanese aerial counterattacks off Formosa during which destroyer Prichett (DD-561) is damaged by friendly fire, 22°08'N, 123°19'E. TF 38 planes sink transport Asaka Maru, cargo ship Shirotai Maru, army cargo ship Mitsuki Maru, and merchant tankers No.6 Horai Maru, No.23 Nanshin Maru, and No.26 Nanshin Maru off the Pescadores, 23°30'N, 119°34'E; and transports Bujo Maru and Joshu Maru, army cargo ship Yamahagi Maru, merchant cargo ships Gyoun Maru, Hakko Maru, No.11 Tenjin Maru and No.1 Takatomi Maru, and merchant tankers No.5 Nanshin Maru, No.11 Nanshin Maru and No.20 Nanshin Maru, dredge Niitaka Maru, and damage tanker Eiho Maru and army cargo ship Shinto Maru off Takao, 22°37'N, 119°34'E. Also damaged at Takao is German ship Havenstein Japanese cargo vessels Taisho Maru, Taihoku Maru, and, at Keelung, Hakozaki Maru.

TF 38 planes also sink merchant cargo ship Shinan Maru in Putai harbor, 23°22'N, 120°10'E. Destruction of Japanese air power on Formosa paves way for USAAF B-29 bomber strikes on aircraft plant and airfield facilities on the island on 14 and 16 October 1944. Air strikes on the Formosa area sink Japanese transport Josho Maru, and army cargo ship Yamahagi Maru, off Takao; army ship Mitsuki Maru and merchant tanker No.6 Horai Maru, off Mako; Japanese cargo ship Shirotai Maru is sunk by mine off Mako.

Motor torpedo boat PT-368, damaged by grounding, western New Guinea, 01°59'N, 127°57'E, is scuttled by demolition charges.

Submarine Ray (SS-271) sinks Japanese transport Toko Maru near Cape Cavalite, Mindoro, 13°32'N, 120°21'E, and survives counterattack by torpedo boat Hiyodosi and Coast Defense Vessel No.2.

Submarine Trepang (SS-412) damages Japanese destroyer Fuyuzuki off Omaesuki, 33°56'N, 138°09'E.

British submarine HMS Strongbow sinks Japanese cargoship Manryo Maru in Strait of Malacca, 02°50'N, 100°50'E.