Status - John Skinner - USS Daly:
USS Daly (DD-519) -New Guinea
April 9th: In company of several other destroyers, Daly is enroute to Hansa Bay, New Guinea to bombard islands and shore areas. This is part of a distraction that is being created to draw attention from the intended target at Hollandia and the planned invasion of the 22nd. Destroyers fire all day on several numbered target areas. Army bombers also attack the area. Temperatures 80s, light winds.
April 10th: The bombardment operation being finished, the destroyers return to Milne Bay, New Guinea. Temperatures 80s, light winds.
April 11th: In port all day, changed location in late morning. Received ammunition in the evening. Temperatures 80s, light winds.
April 12th: Anchored in port all day. Temperatures 70s-80s, light winds.
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In the Central Pacific, the main focus is aerial photography of the islands of Guam, Saipan, and Tinian in the Marianas. As with most of the Pacific islands, maps were outdated and locations of reef and other obstacles had to be defined before invading.
In New Guinea, preparations are almost complete for the invasion on April 22nd at Hollandia (now Jayapura). Navy fleet carriers will be present for a few days to cover the landings.
Fighting continues in Italy at Anzio and at Monte Cassino. Soviet forces continue advancing in Ukraine, capturing Odessa and cities in the Crimea. The German army begins to leave Crimea. General DeGaulle becomes Commander of Free French forces.
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More Information:
- Official Navy Chronology, pp. 468-470.
- New Guinea and the Marianas, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 58-63, 157-169.
- War at the End of the World, James P. Duffy, pp, 281-293.
- Events of April, 1944
- Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, April 1944
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