War Continues

TUE 14 NOV 1944
Pacific
TF 38 (Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman) air strikes against Japanese shipping in Philippines continue. At Manila, Navy carrier-based planes sink transport Tatsura Maru, merchant tanker No.5 Horai Maru, merchant cargo ships Hatsu Maru and Aoki Maru, and damage transport Tottori Maru and army cargo ship Myogi Maru; cargo ship Yukihisa Maru is sunk just outside Manila Bay, 13°58'N, 120°36'E. Off Mindoro, F6Fs from carrier Yorktown (CV-10) attack Japanese convoy SIMA-04, sinking merchant tanker Ayagiri Maru, 12°40'N, 120°41'E; and damaging army cargo ship Yutaka Maru (see 15 November 1944) as well as escorting submarine chasers Ch 1, Ch 19, Ch 26, and Ch 36.

Submarine Halibut (SS-232) is damaged by depth charges and aerial bombs, Luzon Strait, 20°56'N, 121°33'E, but returns from patrol with no difficulty.

Submarine Jack (SS-259) attacks Japanese convoy, sinking merchant cargo ship Hinaga Maru and damaging merchant tanker No.2 Yuzan Maru, 11°02'N, 109°02'E (see 15 November 1944).

Submarines Batfish (SS-310), Raton (SS-270) and Ray (SS-271) attack Japanese convoy off the northwest coast of Luzon; Raton damages supply ship Kurasaki north-northwest of Cape Bolinao, 17°41'N, 118°00'E (see 15 November 1944), and sinks merchant tanker No.5 Unkai Maru, 17°48'N, 117°58'; Ray sinks Coast Defense Vessel No.7 65 miles northwest of Cape Bolinao, 17°45'N, 117°45'E.

Submarine Skipjack (SS-184) damages Japanese motor sailship No.6 Tatsu Maru off Shimushiru, Kurils,46°40'E, 151°40'E. Strong currents then drive the damaged vessel upon a reef; she is declared a total loss.

Submarine Spadefish (SS-411) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Gyokuyo Maru, previously damaged by Barb (SS-220) on 12 November 1944 while in convoy MOMA-07, 31°04'N, 123°56'E.

PROJECT MIKE continues as USAAF B-24s (42d Bomb Squadron) lay 6 mines in effective locations off Ani Jima and Haha Jima.

During Japanese air raid on U.S. shipping off Leyte, freighter Floyd B. Olson is damaged by bomb; there are, however, no casualties among the 43-man merchant complement, the 28-man Armed Guard, and the 409 stevedores embarked to work cargo.

USAAF B-24 sinks Japanese lugger Kiho Maru off Sandakan harbor.

Japanese ship Heiyo is sunk by mine, Adang Bay, 01°43'S, 116° 26'E.