U.S. Navy Department (July 6, 1944)
CINCPAC Communiqué No. 73
Reports from a fast carrier task group which attacked Chichijima in the Bonin Islands on July 3 (West Longitude Date) and participated in the attack on Hahajima the same day indicate the following additional damage to the enemy.
A group of several enemy ships located 80 miles northwest of Chichijima was attacked, resulting in the sinking of two destroyer escort type vessels and damage to a medium cargo ship. At Chichijima, the following results were obtained:
One small oiler, one medium ammunition ship and one medium cargo ship, sunk. One minelayer, one trawler and four luggers probably sunk. One large cargo ship, three medium cargo ships, one small cargo ship, two small oilers, one minelayer and one destroyer damaged. Several were beached.
At Hahajima, two small cargo ships and nine luggers were damaged. Buildings and defense installations were bombed at both objectives. Nine enemy aircraft were shot down, and three were damaged on the ground. In these strikes, we lost five pilots and four aircrewmen from seven of our aircraft which failed to return.
Pagan Island in the Marianas was attacked by carrier aircraft on July 4 (West Longitude Date). The runway at the airfield and adjacent buildings were bombed and strafed.
Barracks and supply facilities at Guam Island were bombed by carrier aircraft on July 4, starting large fires. We lost one plane from intense anti-aircraft fire.
Search planes of Fleet Air Wing Two, Group One, bombed gun positions at Marpi Point on Saipan Island on July 4, strafed the airfields at Tinian Island and bombed defense installations.
Forty tons of bombs were dropped on Truk Atoll by 7th Army Air Force Liberators on July 4, hitting anti-aircraft positions and objectives near the airfield. Five enemy aircraft were in the air but did not attempt to intercept our force. Corsair fighters and Dauntless dive bombers on the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing continued to neutralize enemy positions in the Marshalls on July 4.