hong kong 16 january 1945 - uma-casademacau.com

HONG KONG 16 JANUARY 1945 A Rendezvous with History (Manuel Victor assisted with the captions on the photos.)

by Professor Emeritus Armando da Silva (Pinky).

The writer dedicates this article to those in Hong Kong and Macau who can recall the events of 16 January 1945,

a memorable day for a rendezvous with history.

The hum of aircraft drew louder. Passing over Penha hill four aircraft made for the Outer Harbor of Macau. The

writer had a north-facing window at Hotel Bela Vista Refugee Camp which provided a commanding view of

Monte fort, Guia light-house, Sao Francisco army barracks, and the sea-plane hanger. The rat-tat-tat-tat of

machine gun fire and the boom-boom-boom-boom explosions from rockets filled the air. Dense, black oily smoke

from the hanger billowed as it curled upwards.

Later in the afternoon two aircraft appeared and strafed the assemblage of fire-engines and cars, and the hundreds

of people collecting expended cartridge shells. Residents would have their own accounts to tell that evening.

After the War, the United States Government apologized and indemnified the Portuguese Government about forty

five million American dollars for all losses and damages incurred at Macau that day.

16 January 1945 as with 24 June 1622 now belongs to Macau’s history. The narrative shifts to Hong Kong.

The prosecution of the Pacific Theater of War fell on the shoulders of General Douglas MacArthur, who was

given command of the Southwest Pacific, and Admiral Chester Nimitz responsible for the Central and the North

Pacific. MacArthur promised in May 1942 after he evacuated the Philippines that, quote, “I shall return”.

American military and naval forces landing at Leyte Gulf in October 1944 fulfilled his promise. The general

wanted to liberate Manila to complete his promise.

Opinions for another invasion raised questions. Navy admirals opted for landings in Formosa which was about 2

times smaller than Luzon, Army generals especially MacArthur espoused landings in Luzon (see map in back

cover page). The end decision was Luzon. Critics said that the decision was a political one and was made to

fulfill a promise to the Filipinos.

Plans were drawn. The 6th Army and the 3

rd Fleet would invade Luzon at Lingayen Gulf and push through to

Manila, precisely the route the Japanese did in February 1942. In early January 1945 convoys of Liberty ships,

battleships, cruisers, destroyers, escort carriers, minesweepers and invasion craft assembled off the Philippines for

landings on 9 January 1945.

The Americans faced a doctrine the Japanese employed meant to defeat a superior armada, the Kamikaze Attack,

one plane for one vessel. From airfields in the Philippines Japanese aircraft of all sorts and sizes, anything which

can go aloft, such as older 2-wing biplanes, spotter planes, training planes, light bombers, hurled themselves at the

proceeding invasion vessels. The toll was punishing. By account in the 3 weeks of 1 January through 21 January

1945, 47 significant invasion vessels were sunk not to say serious damage to many others.

The shoot-down of kamikazes was damaging as well. By estimate about 1 in 20 kamikazes made through the hail

of anti-aircraft fire from naval ships and vessels fitted with the standard 5-inch dual purpose naval guns capable of

firing shells with proximity fuses, and from aircraft offering protective cover. Army P-51 Mustangs, P-47

Thunderbolts, and F4U Corsairs fitted with drop-tanks took off from Leyte Gulf airfields for the air over Luzon.

These drop-tanks allowed planes to remain aloft longer. Filipino guerrillas spotted small obscure Japanese

airstrips to target so that American planes could destroy planes on the ground.

On 8 January 1945, Task Force 38 under Admiral Bill Halsey ventured into the South China Sea (see map). The

purpose was to attack targets at Camrahn bay (Vietnam), Hong Kong and Canton, and southern Formosa (Taiwan)

and to interdict Japanese convoys. Task Force 38.5 was assigned the Pearl River estuary with Hong Kong,

Canton and Macau as places to attack. The aircraft carriers Enterprise (CV6) and the light carrier Independence

(CVL22) with supporting naval ships made up the composition of TF 38.5.

HK 16 January 1945

The battle of Hong Kong on 16 January 1945 was exclusively a U.S. Navy versus Japanese Army tussle.

The British and the Chinese were out of it. The Japanese were ready and waiting. From North Point on

the east to Belcher’s Point on the west heavy machine guns lined the rooftops of buildings along the

waterfront. Mobile anti-aircraft guns were positioned at Midlevel and Peak roads.

At first light of a sunny day Enterprise and

Independence launched their aircraft off Pratas

reef about 160 miles south-east of Hong Kong.

The F6F Hellcat fighters, the SB2C Helldiver

scout-bombers, the TBF Avenger torpedo

bombers carrying bombs instead of torpedoes

were on their way to make Hong Kong history.

In the afternoon planes from Hornet (CV12)

joined the fray.

Planes flashed over Hong Kong, circling, diving,

peeling, banking, bombing and rocketing ships

in the harbor and vicinity. Kai Tak airfield, the

dockyards at Kowloon and North Point, gas

storages at Yaumati, the refinery at Aberdeen,

and other targets were attacked (see photos).

HK 16 January 1945

Viewers recall seeing many planes shot down. Heavy anti-aircraft guns positioned at Stonecutters Island

fired at planes circling over the Kowloon hills. Shrapnel and casings fell through some huts at

Shamshuipo Military Interment Camp injuring some POWs. At Stanley Civilian Interment Camp a

bomb was dropped on a bungalow killing and injuring some of the internees.

Later, rumors floated about the fates of downed airmen. Some bodies were claimed to be Negroes

(probably remains charred by fire), some were beheaded on the spot by angry soldiers. One flier was

dragged behind a military truck until he died. Some of those captured were interrogated at Peninsula

Hotel the residence of the military governor of Hong Kong and the headquarters of the Japanese Hong

Kong Command.

Confirmed were reports that about 7 or 8 downed airmen were picked up by Chinese fishermen,

promised and paid about 5 to 7 thousand American dollars each in equivalent Macau patacas before they

were secretly delivered at night to the British Consulate in Macau. These airmen were promptly whisked

by secret means through to non-Japanese occupied China. They eventually made their way back to

America. The morning air assault continued. Planes were diverted to Canton to attack Pak Wan (White Cloud)

airfield the prime army air defense operational center for the littoral coast of Kwangtung province.

When these planes returned to the Enterprise and Independence, the aircraft carrier Hornet (CV12) took

over. It was the planes from Hornet which raked Macau that afternoon. Perhaps for pride and for bravado Japanese army pilots were defiant. Planes lofted from smaller

airfields. Perhaps instilled by the Code of Bushido (Way of the Warrior) which code inspires a warrior

to take on a superior- in- numbers enemy the Japanese decided to challenge the Americans. The outer

protective escorts of TF 38.5 were spotted and now could be kamikaze-attacked. To die in a purposeful

fight is an act of valor and most noble.

A digression is needed here. In the late 1930s a friendly inter-service debate went on continuously in

the Japanese war ministry and among top army and navy officers over which service had the best fighter

plane. The Navy offered the famed Mitsubishi AGM Zero-sen “00-0” (Zeke). The Army answer to the

Zero was the Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa “Peregrine Falcon” (Oscar). In 1940 both were considered top-

of-the line fighter planes, the equal of, if not even superior to the British Spitfire and the German

Messerschmitt 109. However, by mid- 1944 both were clearly obsolete and inferior to the faster, armor-

plated yet bettered armed Grumman Hellcat fighter. Many Japanese planes were intercepted by combat

air patrol planes over the Pearl River Estuary before they could become kamikaze ones. The Americans

downed 16 Hayabusas with no loss to themselves.

HK 16 January 1945 As twilight settled reconnaissance Corsairs with specially equipped infra-red cameras and radar pods

returned to assess damage. A later naval report acknowledged that over Hong Kong on 16 January 1945

American planes encountered the most intense land-based anti-aircraft fire of the Pacific War to date. 22

aircraft were shot down, 5 more crashed at sea while returning to their mother ships. In waters around

and in Hong Kong the Americans sank a large oil tanker, a large transport ship, three small oil tankers,

two small freighters, some minor sized naval vessels and destroyed the oil refinery at Aberdeen.

The final tally of Task Force 38 into the South China Sea off Camrahn bay (Vietnam), off Hong Kong,

off southern Formosa (Taiwan) from 8 through 16 January 1945 in total came to 44 Japanese warships

and “marus” sunk. 500-odd Japanese aircraft were destroyed on the ground and in the air. TF38 lost 201

carrier aircraft, 167 pilots and 205 air crewmen. This total applies to TF38 only and not to the tally of

the Luzon invasion.

Gonsalves, Renaldo, born May 12, 1959 and passed away August 17, 2013 at age 54. He was the son

of Joe and Fernanda Gonsalves and the youngest brother of Benita & Julita.

Renaldo is survived by his wife Vivian Gonsalves, two sons Robert and Christopher and sisters Benita

Aviles and Julita Sosa and Uncle Jerry Ferguson.

Soares, Melvie, longtime member and supporter of UMA passed away on September 14, 2013. She is

survived by son Billie, Jr, Sylvia and Geri, their spouses and four grandchildren.

She will be sorely missed by all her friends at Rossmoor and elsewhere. Memorial Services will be held

sometime in November.

Taylor, Ave Gosano, age 95, of Norwich, England, passed away peacefully on August 8, 2013,

surrounded by her two daughters - Margaret Watts (husband Arthur) and Linda Young (husband Stuart),

and their families. May she rest in peace. �

2013 Portuguese-Macanese Population Survey Roy Eric Xavier, PhD, Director of Portuguese and Macanese Studies Project, at University of California,

Berkeley informs us that the 2013 Portuguese-Macanese Population Survey is now available. Here is the

link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/R8YSLLY

The survey is being distributed to all Casa de Macau membership organizations around the world. Its

purpose is to estimate the number of "Macanese" (as defined in the survey) based on responses and other

sources.

Macanese Gastronomy Survey My name is Mª João dos Santos Ferreira. I am working on a PHD in tourism and my thesis theme is

"The contribution of gastronomy in the cultural tourism of Macau". In order to present a case study on

Macanese gastronomy, I need to survey your members to determine “to what extent the Macanese

Gastronomy is still present in the lives of the Macanese resident in Macau and abroad

Please drop me a short note about “Macanese Gastronomy” in your lives. My email address is

“[email protected] “

UMA, Inc Officers & Directors

Title Name Home Address Phone (Fax) Email President Maria Gomes 2021 Ptarmigan Dr. #1,

Walnut Creek, Ca 94595

925-482-0711 [email protected]

Vice-

President

Flavia Greubel 1232 Skycrest Drive, #2



Treasurer Francis Carion 1112 Rockledge Ln, #7



Secretary Denise Webster 170 Caldecott Lane #4

Oakland, Ca 94618


Director Marie Guterres 825 Prairie Creek Dr

Pacifica, Ca 94044


Director Luiz Ozorio 3152 Ptarmigan, #1



Director

Joanne Segovia 1417 Oakmont Dr, #1



Director Sandy Souza 1340 Canyonwood Ct #3



Director Ramon Xavier 2061 Pine Knoll Drive #1



EVENTS CALENDAR FOR 2013

MCC OUR LADY OF FATIMA CELEBRATION, October 13, 2013 Sunday

UMA LAWN BOWLING TOURNAMENT, October 26, 2013 Saturday

UMA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING November 9, 2013 Saturday

UMA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHRISTMAS LUNCH, December 8, 2013 Sunday

ALUA FOR CHRISTMAS !!!

The Leitao Brothers will be taking orders again this year for Alua. To place your order, kindly complete the form below.

Please enclose payment with your order. Cost: $10.00 per cake X ____ = $______

Please make check payable to Donald Leitao and mail to: Donald Leitao

1087 East 33rd Street, Oakland, Ca 94610; Tel: (510)599-3327;[email protected] Deadline for placing your order is Monday, November 25, 2013.

Orders will be available on Monday, December 16th, 2013. Please contact Donald Leitao to arrange for pick up.

U.S. Postage Charge within the U.S.: 1-2 Cakes - $8.00; 3-20 Cakes - $15.00; 20 + Cakes - $20.00

International Postage Charge will be higher. Please call or Email Donald for cost.

Battle for Hong Kong 1945 (Task Force 38 Operation Plans)

A Quarterly Publication of the Macanese Diaspora sponsored by Fundação Oriente

Associate Editor for Distribution: Francis Carion, 1112 Rockledge Lane, No.7, Walnut Creek,

Ca 94595

hong kong 16 january 1945 - uma-casademacau.com

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