Minecraft, Pacific Fleet Est'd.

SUN 15 OCT 1944
Pacific
Command designated Minecraft, Pacific Fleet (Rear Admiral Alexander Sharp) is established; Rear Admiral Sharp breaks his flag in minelayer Terror (CM-5).

TG 30.3 (Rear Admiral Laurance T. DuBose) is formed to cover the retirement of the crippled heavy cruiser Canberra (CA-70) and light cruiser Houston (CL-81); an augmented TG 38.1 (Vice Admiral John S. McCain) provides cover while TG 38.2 (Rear Admiral Gerald F. Bogan) and TG 38.3 (Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman) take up position to waylay Japanese fleet units that might try to attack the damaged ships. TG 38.4 (Rear Admiral Ralph E. Davison), meanwhile, attacks Japanese installations near Manila, drawing an enemy aerial response that damages carrier Franklin (CV-13), 16°29'N, 123°57'E.

Sweep Unit (Captain Robley W. Clark) arrives off Ngulu Atoll, Western Carolines. Light minelayer Montgomery (DM-17) destroys Japanese radio and weather station, and, accompanied by five motor minesweepers (YMS), enters the lagoon to begin minesweeping operations which will continue daily until 23 October.

Special Air Task Force (STAG 1) operations continue in Southwest Pacific as four TDRs are launched against Matupi Bridge, as part of coördinated attack by other Green Island-based PBJs (VMB 423), F4Us (VMF 218 and VMF 222) and SBDs (VMSB 244 and VMSB 341) against Simpson Harbor Rabaul. Poor picture reception and pilot error results in none of the TDRs hitting their targets.

USAAF P-38 sinks Japanese auxiliary sailing vessel No.5 Yamato Maru off Bochi archipelago, 01°10'N, 128°21'E.

Dutch submarine Zwaardvisch sinks Japanese oceanographic research vessel No.2 Kaiyo Maru off Surabaya, Java, 06°30'S, 111°35'E.

Mediterranean
Minesweeping test is conducted in Bay de Ciotat, France, using blimp; the blimp proved very satisfactory, using loud hailer, VHF radio, and smoke flares to direct attention to mines.