USAAF Combat Operations 1941

USAAF Worldwide Operations Chronology
		COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES

MAY 1944


AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
  A-20, Douglas Havoc
  A-36, North American Apache
  B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress
  B-24, Consolidated Liberator
  B-25, North American Mitchell
  B-26, Martin Marauder
  B-29, Boeing Superfortress
  Beaufighter, Bristol
  C-47, Douglas Skytrain
  UC-64, Noorduyn Norseman
  CG-4, Waco Haig (Hadrian)
  F-3, Douglas Havoc
  F-5, Lockheed Lightning
  F-6, North American Mustang
  L-1, Stinson Vigilant
  L-5, Stinson Sentinel
  P-38, Lockheed Lightning
  P-39, Bell Airacobra
  P-40, Curtiss
  P-47, Republic Thunderbolt
  P-51, North American Mustang
  P-61, Northrop Black Widow
  P-70, Douglas
  SBD, Douglas Dauntless
  TBF, Grumman Avenger
  Vengeance, Vultee

MONDAY, 1 MAY 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): A single weather sortie is flown.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 18 P-38s and Royal Air Force (RAF)
Vengeances hit troop positions and supply dumps; 7 P-40s over the Mogaung
Valley hit Kamaing and attack positions N of Nanyaseik; 30+ B-24s bomb
Maymyo, Mandalay marshalling yard, and oil facilities at Yenangyaung.
  Moves in India: 20th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Tenth Air Force
attached to 5320th Air Defense Wing (Provisional), based at Kisselbari with
P-40s, sends a detachment to Dinjan; 89th Fighter Squadron, 80th Fighter
Group, based at Nagaghuli with P-40s, sends a detachment to Mokelbaria during
May.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 92 P-40s hit targets over wide areas of S
China, Burma and French Indochina; in Burma, the fighter-bombers knock out a
bridge at Wan Lai-Kam and pound a motor pool at Wan Pa-Hsa; in China, they
strafe the railroad station and airfield at Yuncheng; in French Indochina,
they damage 3 bridges and hit numerous boxcars at Bac Le, Dinh Ca, and Dong
Mo, bomb carbide mines at Loc Binh and strafe railroad yards at Dong Dang and
Na Cham. In China, 7 B-25s and 8 P-40s bomb Tangyang Airfield and nearby
cavalry post; 2 B-25s over Amoy claim a small freighter sunk; and 15 enemy
aircraft bomb airstrips at Ankang and Hengyang.
  During May, 16th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Group, based at
Chengkung, China with P-40s, sends a detachment to Yunnani; the 26th Fighter
Squadron, 51st Fighter Group, based at Kunming, China with P-40s, sends a
detachment to Liangshan.

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Twentieth Air Force): By this date all 4 B-29 fields
in the Chengtu, China area are open to B-29 traffic.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 332: Operation CROSSBOW
(operations against German missile launching sites) targets are hit in 
France in the early morning; 531 bombers and 209 fighters are dispatched
but weather causes many aborts and only 3 of 23 V-weapons sites targetted
are bombed:
  1. Of 161 B-17s dispatched,m 18 hit Poix Airfield, 18 hit Roye/Amy
Airfield and 15 hit Montdidier Airfield; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair
and 20 damaged.
  2. 22 of 187 B-17s and 57 of 183 B-24s hit the Pas de Calais area; 1 B-17
and 1 B-24 are damaged beyond repair; 19 B-17s and 15 B-24s are damaged; 5
B-24 crewmen are KIA.
  Escort is provided by 119 P-47s and 90 P-51s without loss or claims.
  Mission 333: In the afternoon, 386 bombers and 558 fighters are
dispatched to hit marshalling yards in France and Belgium; 3 bombers and 3
fighters are lost:
  1. 110 B-17s are dispatched to Troyes (52 bomb) and Reims (57 bomb),
France; 1 B-17 is lost and 52 damaged; 10 airmen are MIA.
  2. 125 B-17s are dispatched to Saarguemines (64 bomb) and Metz (42 bomb),
France and Brussels, Belgium (13 bomb); 2 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond
repair and 43 damaged; 20 airmen are MIA.
  3. 151 B-24s are dispatched to Brussels (59 bomb) and Liege (40 bomb),
Belgium; 21 B-24s are damaged; no losses or casualties.
  Escort is provided by 120 P-38s, 272 P-47s and 166 P-51s; The P-47s claim
1-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft and the P-51s claim 5-0-2; 2 P-38s and 1 P-51 are
lost; 4 P-47s and 1 P-51 are damaged; 4 pilots are MIA.
  Mission 334: 5 of 5 B-17s drop 1.55 million leaflets on 25 towns in
France and The Netherlands without loss.
  25 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER operations without loss.
  HQ 489th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrives at Halesworth, England from
the US.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): The last of the 11 bombardment
groups (8 medium and 3 light) of the IX Bomber Command becomes operational.
  450 B-26s and A-20s attack numerous marshalling yards and industrial
targets in France and Belgium.
  406th Fighter Squadron, 371st Fighter Group, ceases operating from Ibsley,
England and returns to base at Bisterne with P-47s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers attack
bridges at Albinia Station, NW of Chiusi, in and near Grosseto, near Monte
Molino, Calafuria and at Pontedera; also attacked are a viaduct at Monte
Catellana and marshalling yards at Florence/Campo di Marte and Florence, with
particularly good results at Florence; light bombers hit an ammunition dump
at Fara in Sabina; P-40s and P-47s hit rail tracks in the Rome area, Priverno
Station, guns N of Anzio, dumps at Frascati, stations at Colleferro and
Frosinone, tracks at Orbetello and Orvieto, a bridge and tunnel N of Todi,
a road in Canino, a dump and factory at Stimigliono, vessels E of Piombino,
a factory E of Cecina, bridge approaches at Grosseto and Arezzo, a dump at
Grosseto and a tunnel at Rignano sull Arno; and HQ 79th Fighter Group and
86th and 87th Fighter Squadrons move from Capodichino to Pomigliano with
P-47s.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): Shore-based Air Force Forward
Area (Task Force 59) is activated to control all USAAF, US Navy (USN), and US
Marine Corps (USMC) shorebased aircraft in the C Pacific forward area; the
command is headed by Major General Willis H Hale, former Commanding General
of the Seventh Air Force. 
  B-25s from Makin Island, Gilbert Islands bomb Jaluit Atoll, Marshall
Islands.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Island,
Bismarck Archipelago, 24 B-24s over the Borpop area attack coastal guns;
40+ fighter-bombers and 30 USN dive bombers pound Vunakambi Plantation. 38
P-39s, flying 18 different missions, hit a variety of targets on SW
Bougainville Island, Solomon Islands, including missions at Tinputs,
Koromira and Tsimba, Hongorai River crossing, Numa Numa bridge and huts at
Aravia and Kunagaupau.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, 180+ B-25s,
A-20s, and fighters pound the Wewak and Hansa Bay areas throughout the day.
Numerous coastline targets are hit, including airfields, vehicles,
communications, villages, AA positions, bivouacs, supplies, barges and
offshore islands; HQ 86th Fighter Wing arrives at Finschhafen from the US;
and during May, HQ 310th Bombardment Wing (Medium) moves from Gusap to
Hollandia. B-24s of the Thirteenth Air Task Force hit Woleai and Eauriprik 
Atolls, Caroline Islands.

TUESDAY, 2 MAY 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  CARIBBEAN (Sixth Air Force): 10th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), VI
Bomber Command, begins a movement from France Field, Canal Zone to the US
where it will be disbanded on 17 Jun 44.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 3 B-24s claim 2 freighters sunk in the S end
of Formosa Straits.

  EASTERN AIR COMMAND (EAC): Troop Carrier Command, until this date a major
subordinate component of EAC, is placed under Third Tactical Air Force,
another EAC component.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 335: 50 of 50 B-24s bomb
V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area of France without loss; escort is
provided by 50 P-47s and 52 P-51s.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 250+ B-26s and A-20s bomb
marshalling yards at Busigny, Valenciennes and Blanc-Misseron, France. 400+
P-47s and P-51s dive-bomb airfields and marshalling yards in France and the
Low Countries.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 250+ bombers hit targets in
Italy; B-17s hit the marshalling yard at Bolzano; B-24s, most with fighter
escort, attack Castel Maggiore and a railroad bridge at Faenza; 300+ bombers
are forced to abort because of weather.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, attacks against rail
lines and bridges in N Italy continue; medium bombers bomb an approach to a
bridge in N Oriveto, bridges in S Ficulle and in Marsciano, and marshalling
yards in Florence/Campo di Marte and W and NW Florence; light bombers hit
an ammunition dump NE of Rome; P-40s and P-47s hit rail lines N of Rome,
bridges SW of Rome, guns N of Anzio, a road at Montefiascone, a road bridge
at Cecina, trucks and planes at Malignano landing ground and several other
dumps, roads, and rail lines in N Italy.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s, staging through Eniwetok
Atoll, Marshall Islands from Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, bomb Truk
Atoll, Caroline Islands, during the night. During the day B-25s based on
Makin Island hit Jaluit and Wotje Atolls, Marshall Islands, using Majuro
Atoll, Marshall Islands as a shuttle base to rearm between strikes. B-25s
from Engebi Island, Eniwetok Atoll pound Ponape Island, Caroline Islands.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On Bougainville Island,
22 P-39s bomb a village N of Kieta, airstrip and buildings of Koromira and
Rigu Missions and 8 P-40s also hit the Kieta area. On New Britain Island,
fighter sweeps over the Rabaul area continue; fighter-bombers hit the
Vunakambi Plantation supply area with incendiaries and B-25s pound the Talili
area.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, 140+ A-20s and
fighter-bombers hit bridges, barges, gun positions, roads, personnel,
supplies, huts and tent areas from Wewak to Hansa Bay throughout the day; 2
B-25s bomb airfields at Wewak and Boram; 8 others hit Wakde Island oil
stores, huts, AA positions, trucks, and other targets of opportunity; and
the airfield on Biak Island is bombed by 2 B-24s.

WEDNESDAY, 3 MAY 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 B-25s hit Kohima and Kalewa; 28
fighter-bombers pound ammunition dumps and other supplies at Mohnyin and N of
Nanyaseik; 9 P-38s hit airfields in the Meiktila area; and 7 P-40s attack
Lakatkawng and support ground forces in the area; 88th Fighter Squadron, 80th
Fighter Group, moves from Mokelbari, India to Shingbwiyang with P-40s and
during the month, a detachment begins operating from Myitkyina.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 7 Chinese-American Composite Wing
(CACW) B-25s bomb the Mihsien town area and also hit numerous vehicles and
troops NE of Mihsien, between Yochou and Hsuchang, at Chihsien and N of
Yenling; the B-25s also strafe the town of Hsiangcheng; 4 B-25s and 8 P-40s
pound storage area at Tangyang airfield; 10 CACW P-40s score 11 direct hits
on a bridge over the Yellow River NW of Chenghsien, and destroy 15 trucks and
many troops between Loyang and Luchou. In French Indochina, 10 other P-40s on
armed reconnaissance sink 9 sampans near Cat Ba Island, knock out a bridge at
Bac Le, damage another at Kep, and pound Na Cham railroad yards.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 336: 47 of 51 B-24s bomb
the V-weapon site at Wizernes, France; 33 are damaged; 3 airmen are WIA.
Escort is provided by 48 P-47s and 53 P-51s without loss.
  Mission 337: 5 of 5 B-17s drop 960,000 leaflets on 26 towns in France,
Belgium and The Netherlands; 1 B-17 is damaged.
  9 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER operations.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  AAF, MTO: 16th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy, Special), AAF, MTO, moves
from Foch Field, Tunisia to Foggia, Italy with B-17s; a detachment is
operating from Borgo, Corsica. The 16th serves as a radar detection and
countermeasures unit in the MTO.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, B-25s and B-26s pound
railway bridges at Monte Molino, Orvieto, and Taggia, bridge approaches at
Ficulle and Imperia, and Ventimiglia marshalling yards; A-20s attack
ammunition dumps; P-40s and P-47s attack rail lines, bridge, dump, guns and
buildings in the battle area and score 4 direct hits on an observation post S
of Cassino; vessels and docks at Civitavecchia and Montalto di Castro and
road bridges and rail lines in the area; town of Fondi and rail lines and
bridges nearby; railway bridges at Foligno, Sant'Elpidio a Mare and Grosseto;
viaduct at Terni; and numerous vehicles, dumps, railroads, vessels, and other
targets in the battle areas and in N Italy; and 447th Bombardment Squadron
(Medium), 321st Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Gaudo Airfield to
Solenzara, Corsica with B-25s.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s from Kwajalein Atoll bomb
Wotje Atoll while others, based at Makin Island, strike both Jaluit and Wotje
Atolls, using Majuro Atoll as a rearming base between raids.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On Bougainville Island, 8
P-39s bomb buildings at Monoitu; 17 others, in the course of 6 missions, hit
targets of opportunity, including Japanese-occupied huts and buildings at
Toiemonapu, Tinputs and Sisiruai, and bivouacs at Tarlena, Ratsua and
Mawareka. On New Britain Island, 24 B-25s bomb Kulon Plantation and a
personnel concentration to the NE. Allied fighter sweeps over the N Solomons
and the Bismarck Archipelago continue. P-40s returning from the New Britain
Island area bomb Pororan, Bougainville Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, 72 B-24s,
B-25s and A-20s thoroughly blast Wewak and Boram Airfields in a single raid;
about 120 A-20s, B-25s and fighter-bombers, operating throughout the day, hit
the Wewak and Hansa Bay areas, including targets at Nubia, Uligan, Mushu
Island, Wewak and Boram; airfields at Maffin Bay are bombed by B-25s.
  Moves in New Guinea: 7th and 8th Fighter Squadrons, 49th Fighter Group,
from Finschhafen and Gusap respectively to Hollandia with P-40s; 65th Troop
Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group, based at Nadzab with C-47s,
begins operating from Tadji.

THURSDAY, 4 MAY 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, a single B-24 bombs Akyab; 12
B-25s damage a bridge at Kalemyo and bomb Tiddim; 24 B-24s bomb Mandalay
marshalling yard and barracks and the general area at Maymyo; 2 P-51s knock
out a bypass bridge near Shweli.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 8 P-40s hit gun positions at
Pailochi; 2 B-25s strafe 12 sampans between Hong Kong and the Luichow
Peninsula, killing many soldiers on board.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 338: 591 bombers and 516
fighters are dispatched to Berlin, Brunswick and targets in C Germany; the
mission is recalled due to cloud cover but 40 B-17s bomb Bergen/Alkmaar
Airfield, The Netherlands; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 15 damaged;
2 airmen are KIA and 1 WIA. Escort is provided by 50 P-38s, 179 P-47s and
287 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-51s; the P-47s claim 8-2-5 Luftwaffe
aircraft and the P-51s claim 1-0-1; 2 P-47s and 1 P-51 are lost, 3 P-47s
and 2 P-51s are damaged beyond repair and 1 P-38 and 8 P-47s are damaged; 1
airman is WIA and 3 MIA.
  HQ 95th Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy) moves from Ketteringham to
Halesworth, England.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, 170+ B-26s and 36 A-20s
bomb gun emplacements and other military targets at Etretat/Sainte-Marie-Au-
Bosc, Etaples, Le Treport, Ault, Fecamp and Ouistreham.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, main effort again is
against lines of communications; medium bombers hit bridges, tracks and
marshalling yards; P-40s, A-36s and P-47s hit rail lines in and around
Priverno, guns and radar station N of Anzio, railroad cars, rail lines, and
bridge in the Orte-Attigliano and Orte-Narni areas, motor transport and
stores E of Frascati, marshalling yards at Colleferro and Follonica, and
trucks and personnel on the Fondi-Pico road; vessels at Leghorn and numerous
railroad targets at scattered points are attacked.
  Flight of the 5th Combat Mapping Squadron, 3d Photographic Group
(Reconnaissance), operating from San Severo, Italy returns to base at
Pomigliano, Italy with F-5s.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): 12 B-25s, based at Makin Island,
pound Jaluit and Wotje Atolls, using Majuro Atoll as a shuttle base for
rearming between the strikes. 39 B-24s from Kwajalein and Eniwetok Atolls hit
Ponape Island.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Island, 24
B-25s bomb the Talili Bay area; 43 fighter-bombers hit Vunakanau Airfield;
Allied fighter sweeps over the Bismarck Archipelago continue. 38 P-39s, flying
18 missions, hit several targets on Bougainville Island, including buildings
at Sovele, Tinputs, the Reboine Bay area, Monoitu and in the area N of Taki;
targets of opportunity in the Koromira area are also attacked.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, 26 B-24s of
the Thirteenth Air Task Force bomb Mokmer Airfield; 60+ B-24s, B-25s, A-20s
and P-47s pound airfields, road, bridges, shipping, barges and other targets
in the Wewak area; A-20s attack bridges over the Awar River and targets of
opportunity in the Hansa Bay area while fighter-bombers hit targets of
opportunity in the Ramu River Valley and on the Hansa Bay coast.

FRIDAY, 5 MAY 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 15 P-38s hit targets along Tiddim
road; 3 B-25s bomb the Thayaung Airfield area; 80+ P-40s, P-51s, A-36s and
B-25s carry out support of ground forces, hit gun positions and supply dumps,
attack troop concentrations and blast numerous targets of opportunity
throughout the Mogaung Valley; 3 B-25s and 6 fighter-bombers hit an
ammunition dump N of Mohnyin; and 12 P-38s bomb a large warehouse E of Monywa.
6 B-24s lay mines in the harbor off Koh Si Chang Island, Thailand.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 11 B-24s bomb docks and shipping at Haiphong,
French Indochina. In Burma, P-40s damage bridges at Hsenwi and Wan Pa-Hsa and
hit barracks and destroy several trucks at Kentung. In China, 8 B-25s and 23
fighter-bombers attack the warehouse area at Chiuchiang, causing large fires;
25 CACW B-25s and P-40s thoroughly pound Sinyang marshalling yard and storage
area; and 10 P-40s sweep the road from Loyang to Juchou, claiming 40-50
vehicles and numerous troops destroyed.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 339: 33 of 46 B-24s hit
the V-weapon site at Sottevast, France; 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 6
damaged; 4 airmen are KIA. Escort is provided by 52 P-51s without loss.
  Duing the night, 21 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER missions; 1 B-24
is lost.
  HQ 95th Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy) moves from Ketteringham to
Halesworth, England.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): Brigadier General Myron R Wood
assumes command of the IX Air Forces Services Command.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 465th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
with B-24s becomes operational, making a total of 20 heavy bomber groups
operational in the Fifteenth Air Force.
  640+ bombers (the largest force to date) attack targets in Rumania and
Yugoslavia; the B-17s hit marshalling yards at Ploesti/Campina and Brasnov,
Rumania; the B-24s hit the marshalling yard at Ploesti and troop
concentrations at Podgoricu, Yugoslavia; fighters fly 240+ sorties in support.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, A-20s bomb a supply dump
W of Albano Laziale; XII Tactical Air Command A-36s, P-47s and P-40s fly 24
missions cutting rail lines N and NE of Rome, and hitting guns N of the Anzio
beachhead and N of Gaeta and a dump near Frascati; bridges at Orvieto and W
of Lake Bolsena are damaged by direct hits, a barge at San Stefano al Mare is
hit, several trucks destroyed or damaged, rail lines are cut in several
places near Sesti Bagni and aircraft are hit at the Canino landing ground.
  A flight of the 5th Combat Mapping Squadron, 3d Photographic Group
(Reconnaissance), operating from San Severo, Italy returns to base at
Pomigliano, Italy with F-5s.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): During the night of 4/5 May
B-24s from Kwajalein Atoll stage through Eniwetok Atoll and bomb Truk Atoll.
During the day B-25s from Eniwetok Atoll strike Ponape Island, and 10 from
Makin Island hit Jaluit and Wotje Atolls, Marshall Islands, using Majuro
Atoll as a rearming base between the attacks.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): In the Solomon Islands, 24
B-25s bomb gun positions at Buka on Buka Island and 34 P-39s hit various
targets on Bougainville and Buka Islands, including buildings at Porton,
Chabai and Kohiso, a pillbox on Pau Island and a road near Tsundawan; supply
area at Chabai is bombed by 12 other P-39s; P-40s bomb buildings at Kieta and
at nearby Rigu Mission. Fighter patrols continue over the N Solomons Islands
and the Bismarck Archipelago.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, B-24s bomb
Mokmer Airfield while B-25s hit supply areas at Wakde Island and along the
coast of Maffin Bay; A-20s and fighter-bombers again pound targets around
Wewak and along the coast of Hansa Bay, hitting supply and personnel areas,
warehouses and occupied villages.

SATURDAY, 6 MAY 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 14 B-25s bomb Indainggyi,
destroy the Sibong bridge and damage a road at Hpaungzeik; 90+ P-40s, P-51s
and B-25s attack a wide variety of targets throughout the Mogaung Valley; 18
fighter-bombers and 6 B-25s support ground forces at Mawlu while 3 B-25s and
4 P-51s hit positions at Nalong.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 61 P-40s and 5 B-25s attack targets
throughout S China and French Indochina. In China, numerous vehicles and
troops are destroyed in the Hsiangcheng, Loyang and Luchou areas; main
buildings at Nanchang mines are destroyed, Sienning bridge is damaged and
several railroad cars and vehicles are destroyed near Puchi; and 14 B-25s
and 25 fighter-bombers pound the airfield and surrounding area at Hankow. In
French Indochina, 8 boxcars are destroyed and 70 more damaged between Thanh
Moi and Bac Le and between Phu Lang Thuong and Lang Son; a barge is sunk at
Campha Port and numerous sampans and small craft sunk or damaged at Cat Ba
Island.
  Detachment of 22d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 341st Bombardment Group
(Medium), operating from Yunnani, China with B-25s returns to base at
Yangkai.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 340: 168 bombers and 185
fighters are dispatched to hit NOBALL (V-weapon) targets in France; 90 B-17s
dispatched to the Pas de Calais area return to base with bombs due to cloud
cover over the target; 70 of 78 B-24s hit Siracourt; 48 B-17s are damaged.
Escort is provided by 57 Ninth Air Force P-38s, 47 P-47s and 81 P-51s without
loss.
  Mission 341: 5 of 5 B-17s drop 3.22 million leaflets on 19 towns in
France and Belgium; 1 B-17 encounters a night fighter and claims 0-1-0; the
B-17 is damaged.
  22 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER operations.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 75 B-26s and A-20s dispatched to
attack coastal defenses abort the mission because of weather.
  422d Night Fighter Squadron, 71st Fighter Wing, moves from Charmy Down to
Scorton, England with P-61s; first mission is 3 Jul.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): About 300 B-17s and B-24s,
escorted by P-51s and P-38s, hit targets in Rumania; the B-17s attack an
aircraft factory at Brasov and marshalling yard at Turnu Severin; the B-24s
bomb Ploesti/Campina marshalling yard and an aircraft factory at Brasov.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, A-20s pound a storage
area at Itri; A-36s hit rail lines in the Viterbo area; P 40s hit guns,
tracks and railroad station in and around Frosinone, and rail lines,
stations, roads and town area in and near Itri, Colleferro and Sezze; P-47s
hit Certaldo marshalling yard and numerous railroad and highway targets,
including several bridges; and HQ 324th Fighter Group and 314th Fighter
Squadron move from Cercola to Pignataro Maggiore with P-40s.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s from Makin Island and
Kwajalein Atoll hit Wotje and Jaluit Atolls. B-24s, staging through Eniwetok
Atoll, escort USN aircraft on a photo reconnaissance of Guam Island, Marianas
Islands. The B-24s bomb Guam from 20,000 ft (6,096 m), scoring hits on 2
airfields and a town area and proceed to Los Negros Island, Admiralty Islands
to prepare for the return flight; the B-24s claim 4 enemy aircraft shot down.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 24 B-25s and 12 P-39s pound
the Talili Bay area on New Britain Island. 37 P-39s and 19 P-40s attack
targets in the Porton area, Bougainville Island.
  HQ 4th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance) moves from Espiritu Santo
Island, New Hebrides Islands to Guadalcanal Island, Solomon Islands.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-24s bomb Penfoei, Timor
Island, Lesser Sunda Islands and Biak Island off New Guinea. In New Guinea,
150+ B-25s, A-20s and fighter-bombers, operating almost continuously
throughout the day, blast a variety of targets from Wewak to the shores of
Hansa Bay. B-24s of the Thirteenth Air Task Force again bomb Woleai Atoll.

SUNDAY, 7 MAY 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 15 P-38s hit the Kangaung area; 4
P-40s hit targets of opportunity along the road from N of Nanyaseik to
Kamaing. 4 B-24s lay mines in the Gulf of Siam off Sattahib, Thailand.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 4 B-25s hit vehicle concentrations
W and NW of Hsiangcheng and bomb the town of Chiahsien and 4 P-40s destroy at
least 25 trucks between the 2 towns; 8 P-40s destroy or damage 40-60 trucks,
tanks and other vehicles during road sweeps from Loyang to Yenshih and from
Yehhsien to Paofeng; 8 P-40s strafe forces and equipment E of Luchou, while 4
hit railroad targets of opportunity at Lang Son, French Indochina.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 342: In the morning, 922
bombers and 764 fighters are dispatched to bomb targets in Germany; 9 bombers
and 4 fighters are lost; 1 Luftwaffe aircraft is claimed shot down:
  1. 600 B-17s are dispatched on a PFF attack on Berlin; 514 bomb the
primary and 39 hit targets of opportunity; 8 B-17s are lost, 2 are damaged
beyond repair and 265 damaged; 8 airmen are KIA, 14 WIA and 83 MIA.
  2. Of 322 B-24s dispatched, 147 bomb Munster and 165 bomb Osnabruck; 1
B-24 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 22 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 2
WIA and 6 MIA.
  Escort is provided by 153 P-38s, 317 P-47s and 284 P-51s; 2 P-38s, 1 P-47
and 1 P-51 are lost, 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair and 5 P-38s, 3 P-47s
and 1 P-51 damaged; 3 pilots are MIA.
  In the afternoon, 29 of 67 B-24s bomb the marshalling yard at Liege,
Belgium without loss; escort is provided by 24 P-47s and 51 P-51s without
loss.
  Mission 343: 3 of 4 B-17s drop 1.6 million leaflets on 16 towns in C
France without loss.
  14 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER missions without loss.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 420+ B-17s and B-24s bomb
targets in Rumania and Yugoslavia; the B-17s and B-24s hit marshalling
yards at Bucharest, Rumania and 38 B-17s also hit a railroad bridge at
Belgrade, Yugoslavia; 62 P-51s escort heavy bombers to the target and 53
provide withdrawal escort; 84 P-38s fly target cover. 

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, weather remains poor and
precludes medium bomber operations; A-20s hit a dump SW of Albano Laziale;
fighter-bombers hit communications, especially roads, with excellent results;
roads, motor transports, trains, gun positions, bridges, tracks, marshalling
yards, harbor areas and other targets are attacked in areas around
Stimigliano, Vetralla, Viterbo, Bracciano, Anzio, Manziana, Acquapendente,
Civitavecchia, Terracina, Rome and Elba Island.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s, staging through Eniwetok
Atoll, bomb Truk Atoll during the night of 6/7 May. B-25s from Engebi Island
hit Ponape Island during the following day. Makin Island-based B-25s bomb
Jaluit and Wotje Atolls.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 15 B-25s, hampered by bad
weather, attack a coastal gun on Cape Friendship, Bougainville Island and
bomb the west coast of Rantan Island, Solomon Islands; 70+ P-39s, P-38s and
P-40s bomb numerous targets throughout Buka and Bougainville Islands
including shipping and supply area at Chabai and Tsirogei, huts at Hiru
Hiru, near Tonu, and at Monoitu and bridges W of Haigi and on the Miwo
River.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, B-24s, B-25s
and P-40s hit Urarom, Biak Island, the Hollandia-Wakde coast, and Sawar-
Maffin Bay area; A-20s, B-25s and fighter-bombers again attack targets of
opportunity from Wewak to the area around Hansa Bay and strafe villages along
the Sepik River; and 90th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 3d Bombardment Group
(Light), moves from Nadzab to Hollandia with A-20s.

MONDAY, 8 MAY 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 9 B-24s and 9 B-25s bomb Moirang
and a village to the N, causing considerable damage including the destruction
of a road bridge; 12 P-38s hit Kangaung Airfield.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO): General Dwight D Eisenhower sets D-Day
for the Normandy invasion as 5 Jun; the date subsequently will be changed to
6 Jun.

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 344: In the morning, 807
bombers and 729 fighters are dispatched to hit targets in Germany in a PFF
mission; the bombers claim 76-16-16 Luftwaffe fighters, the fighters claim
55-4-20; 36 bombers and 13 fighters are lost:
  1. 500 B-17s are dispatched to bomb Berlin; 386 B-17s hit the primary, 42
bomb Brunswick, 17 bomb Brandenburg and 8 bomb Magderburg; 25 B-17s are lost,
1 is damaged beyond repair and 169 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 7 WIA and 261
MIA.
  2. 307 B-24s are dispatched to Brunswick; 288 hit the primary and 1 hits a
target of opportunity; 11 B-24s are lost, 7 are damaged beyond repair and 28
damaged; 7 airmen are KIA, 8 WIA and 112 MIA.
  Escort is provided by 152 P-38s, 295 P-47s and 282 P-51s; the P-38s claim
6-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft, the P-47s claim 9-1-5 and the P-51s claim 40-3-12;
4 P-38s, 4 P-47s and 5 P-51s are lost; 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are damaged beyond
repair; 3 P-47s and 1 P-51 are damaged; 1 pilot is WIA and 13 MIA.
  Mission 345: In the afternoon, 164 bombers and 97 fighters are dispatched
against targets in France and Belgium; 5 bombers are lost:
  1. 92 of 101 B-17s bomb V-weapon sites at Glacerie and Sottevast, France; 5
B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 29 damaged; 28 airmen are MIA.
  2. 57 of 63 B-24s hit Brussels/Schaerbeck marshalling yard, Belgium; 29
B-24s are damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 2 WIA and 19 MIA.
  Escort is provided by 97 P-47s without loss.
  Mission 346: 3 of 4 B-17s drop 1.6 million leaflets on 10 towns in France
without loss.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): About 450 B-26s and A-20s bomb
marshalling yards, coastal defenses, bridges, airfields and V-weapons sites
in France and Belgium.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, fighter-bombers hit
roads and railroads N of Rome, a supply dump N of Anzio beachhead, and the
station at Colleferro; numerous trucks and railroad cars are destroyed and
many troops killed; Attacks against rolling stock on the Rome-Orte rail line
are especially effective; HQ 62d Troop Carrier Group and 4th, 7th and 8th
Troop Carrier Squadrons move from Ponte Olivo, Sicily to Gaudo Airfield (4th
Troop Carrier Squadron is operating from bases in India); and 524th Fighter-
Bomber Squadron, 27th Fighter-Bomber Group, moves from Castel Volturno to 
Santa Maria with P-40s.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s from Engebi Island strike
Ponape Island while Makin Island-based B-25s pound Jaluit and Wotje Atolls,
using Majuro Atoll as a shuttle base between strikes. B-24s that landed at
Los Negros Island after the strike on Guam Island on 6 May return to the
Marshall Islands, bombing Ponape Island en route.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): Fighter-bombers pound
Tobera Airfield, New Britain Island and strafe targets of opportunity in the
area. 2 squadrons of B-24s bomb gun positions at Sohano Island, Solomon
Islands and Hahilia, New Britain Island while on Bougainville Island, 30+
P-39s and P-40s hit areas around Porton, Tsimba, Tarara, Kieta, Numa Numa,
Tsirogei and at several other points and B-25s blast the coast near Banin,
hit Sohano Island, and bomb airfield areas at Bonis and Buka on Buka Island.
  390th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 42d Bombardment Group (Medium), based
in the Russell Islands, Solomon Islands with B-25s, ceases operating from
Stirling Island, Solomon Islands.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, B-24s and
P-40s operating in the Geelvink Bay area attack Mokmer Airfield and nearby
shipping; A-20s and fighter-bombers continue to pound targets of opportunity
along the NE New Guinea coast from Wewak to Hansa Bay and along the Sepik
River.

TUESDAY, 9 MAY 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 100+ RAF Vengeances, P-51s and
B-25s hit positions and occupied areas at Moirang, Kanglatongbi, Myothit and
SE of Palel, and severely damage a bridge over the Uyu River near
Nawngpu-awng; Mogaung Valley targets, including targets in support of ground
forces near Kamaing, are pounded by 60+ B-25s, A-36s, P-51s and P-40s; 9
P-51s hit troops and gun positions at Mawlu and Namkwin and hit the Nalong
area; 3 B-24s blast the barracks area at Nagorn Sawarn while 3 P-51s hit
Anisakan Airfield, destroying or damaging 20+ trucks, 2 aircraft and a
locomotive; 8 B-24s lay mines in the Moulmein area, 2 others make a
diversionary strike on Martaban, and 5 mine the Mergui waterfront.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): HQ 33d Fighter Group moves from Shwangliu to
Pungchacheng, China.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 347: 823 bombers and 668
fighters are dispatched to hit marshalling yards and airfields in France,
Belgium and Luxembourg; this is the beginning of the pre-invasion bombing of
enemy installations; 6 bombers and 7 fighters are lost:
  1. Of 220 B-17s, 75 hit St Dizier Airfield, 53 hit Thionville Airfield and
37 hit Thionville marshalling yard, France and 53 hit Luxembourg marshalling
yard, Luxembourg; 38 B-17s are damaged.
  2. 242 B-17s are dispatched to bomb airfields in France; 113 hit
Laon/Athies, 71 hit Juvincourt, 43 hit Laon/Couvron, 10 hit Lille/Vendeville
and 1 hits Chievres; 2 B-17s are lost and 44 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 1 WIA
and 20 MIA.
  3. Of 361 B-24s, 101 hit St Trond Airfield, 96 hit Florennes Airfield, 63
hit Liege marshalling yard and 6 hit Hody Airfield, Belgium and 68 hit
Laon/Couvron Airfield and 10 hit Nivelles Airfield, France; 2 B-24s are lost,
and 35 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 1 WIA and 44 MIA.
  Escort is provided by 144 P-38s, 277 P-47s and 247 P-51s; the P-47s claim
2-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-4 on the ground, the P-51s claim
1-0-0 in the air; 1 P-38 and 6 P-51s are lost; 1 P-38 is damaged beyond
repair and 1 P-51 is damaged; 6 pilots are MIA.
  Mission 348: 3 of 3 B-17s drop 1.34 million leaflets on 4 towns in The
Netherlands and 3 in Belgium.
  13 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER missions without loss.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 367th and 406th Fighter Groups
become operational, the 17th and 18th operational groups.
  40+ B-26s attack marshalling yards, railway batteries, coastal defense
batteries, bridges, and NOBALL sites in France.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, B-26s hit Incisa in
Valdarno railroad bridge and viaduct while A-20s attack fuel dumps; fighter-
bombers again blast roads and railroads and other targets at various
locations N of Rome, including Lake Bolsena, Civitavecchia, Colleferro,
Civita Castellana, Orte and San Giovanni Valdarno; HQ 87th Fighter Wing moves
from Bastia to Vescovato, Corsica; 111th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron,
68th Tactical Reconnaissance Group, attached to XII Tactical Air Command,
moves from Pomigliano to Santa Maria with F-6s; and 522d and 523d Fighter-
Bomber Squadrons, 27th Fighter-Bomber Group, moves from Castel Volturno to
Santa Maria with A-36s and P-40s.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): During the night of 8/9 May
B-24s stage through Kwajalein Atoll to bomb Truk Atoll. Makin Island-based
B-25s hit Wotje and Jaluit Atolls, using Majuro Atoll as a rearming point
between attacks.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 33 fighter-bombers pound
the airfield at Lakunai, New Britain Island; fighter sweeps over New Ireland
and New Britain Islands, Bismarck Archipelago, continue. On Bougainville
Island, 30+ P-39s and P-38s hit barges in the Porton-Chabai area, huts at
Kieta and an ammunition dump S of Aitara Mission; 10 other P-38s and 12 B-25s
bomb Bonis Airfield and nearby targets of opportunity in Buka Passage.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, 50+ B-24s and
B-25s bomb Langgoer and Faan airstrips, Bosnik supply area and Mokmer
Airfield; 220+ A-20s and fighter-bombers continue to blast numerous targets
of opportunity along the NE coastline from Wewak to the Hansa Bay area. 12
B-24s of the Thirteenth Air Task Force bomb Woleai Atoll.

WEDNESDAY, 10 MAY 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): The Eleventh directs its components to place
more emphasis on photographing and bombing of specific targets instead of
general reconnaissance.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS: In a drive to free the Burma
Road, Chinese troops cross the Salween River on a 100-mi (160 km) front and
attack Japanese positions in N Burma.
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 70+ B-25s, A-36s, P-51s, P-40s and
10 B-24s blast numerous targets, concentrating on barracks and storage in the
Myitkyina-Mogaung vicinity and also hitting gun positions and bridges at
Kamaing and railroad siding and buildings at Mohnyin; 16 P-38s destroy
several aircraft in strikes on Aungban and Kangaung Airfields.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): P-40s sink 6 large junks and damage several
others in Fan Tou Bay, China and destroy several trucks between Wan Pa-Hsa
and Mong Ho Pung, Burma. 28 P-40s bomb Tengchung, China town area, strafe
a nearby truck convoy, damage bridges at Tingka, China; Bac Le, French
Indochina; and Hsenwi, Burma; hit a power dam at Tasa, French Indochina; bomb
a tank and truck dispersal area at Hsiangcheng, China; and hit 30+ railroad
cars at Lang Giai, Dong Dang and Na Cham, French Indochina.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): A bomber mission to Germany is
abandoned dur to deteriorating weather.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): About 300 B-26s attack marshalling
yards, airfields, and NOBALL targets in France and Belgium. P-47s and P-51s
dive-bomb targets in NW Europe for the sixth straight day. Bad weather causes
a large number of aborts.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 485th Bombardment Group
(Heavy) with B-24s is declared operational, giving the Fifteenth Air Force
its planned operational strength of 21 bomber groups. The 52d Fighter Group
with P-51s  also begins operations with the Fifteenth on this date, making
a total of 6 fighter groups. 
  Around 400 bombers attack targets at Wiener Neustadt Austria; B-17s bomb
aviation industry targets; B-24s bomb the industrial area and an air depot;
200+ fighters provide support; 300+ bombers are forced to abort due to bad
weather which has halted operations for the past few days; opposition is
fierce; 21 bombers and 1 fighter are lost; US aircraft claim 50 aircraft.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, weather permits medium
bomber operations for first time in several days; B-25s hit bridges near San
Giovanni Valdarno, Orvieto and Monte Molino, and the Terni viaduct; B-26s
attack bridges W of Arezzo; fighter-bombers continue attacks on roads and
railroads N of Rome; targets in the areas of Avezzano, Civitavecchia,
Furbara, Terni, Todi, Orvieto, Manciano, Perugia, Monte San Savino and La
Saezia, and near Rome are attacked.
  Units moving from Cercola to Pignataro Maggiore, Italy with P-40s: 99th
Fighter Squadron, 332d Fighter Group, attached to 324th Fighter Group: 315th
and 316th Fighter Squadrons, 324th Fighter Group.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Kwajalein Atoll bomb
Wake Island during the night of 9/10 May. During the day, B-25s from Engebi
Island bomb Ponape Island while Makin Island-based B-25s raid Jaluit and
Wotje Atolls.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Island, 41
fighter-bombers attack Tobera Airfield; 11 B-25s hit Matupi Island, Bismarck
Archipelago; fighters on a sweep, hit trucks W of Keravat. On Bougainville
Island, 4 B-25s bomb Majuai Mission; 61 P-39s (some back from the Tobera
strike) and 12 P-40s attack targets throughout the Buka-Bougainville
Islands area, including a bridge over the Crepers River, a supply area at
Mawareka, a barge at Chabai, a village on Schwarze Point, a pillbox at Gohi
and the general area of Porton Plantations.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, 120+ B-24s,
A-20s and fighter-bombers, along with Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
aircraft, maintain attacks on targets of opportunity along the NE coast from
the Hansa Bay area to Wewak; 2 B-24s hit Mokmer Airfield. 45 B-24s of the
Thirteenth Air Task Force bomb the airfield on Eten Island and warehouse area
at Dublon Island, both in Truk Atoll.

THURSDAY, 11 MAY 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 70+ B-25s, A-36s, P-51s and P-40s,
attack the Myitkyina and Pinbaw areas, Sahmaw, targets NW of Kamaing, gun
positions at Nsopzup and targets of opportunity along the road from
Inkangahtawng to Kamaing; 24 P-51s attack the airfield at Meiktila, Anisakan
and Heho, shooting down 13 aircraft in the area; 14 B-24s pound Maymyo
railroad station; 12 B-25s attack the railroad in the Shwebo-Sagaing area;
and 12 other B-25s knock out bridges at Pyu, Thawatti, Ela and 7 mi (11.2 km)
S of Ela.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 24 P-40s knock out the main bridge
N of Mangshih, bomb the town area of Lungchwanchiang, and in French
Indochina, damage a radio station on Cat Ba Island and destroy several large
junks off shore, and attack a power dam W of Cao Bang, buildings at Dong
Dang, and boxcars and oil drums at Lang Giai. In China, 6 B-25s and 24 P-40s
(some firing rockets) pound railroad yards and depot at Sinyang, blast a
warehouse area 30 mi (48 km) to the N and sink a small freighter, 3 motor
launches and several sampans between Siaokan and Chienli; 2 B-25s and 4 P-40s
hit troops, tanks and trucks in the Yenshih-Tengfeng-Mihsien area and in the
Luchou-Hsiangcheng vicinity; 6 P-40s pound supply dumps at Mienchih and 13
P-40s sink at least 5 supply boats on the Yangtze River in the Hosueh area.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 350: 364 B-24s and 536
fighters are dispatched to bomb marshalling yards in France; 8 B-24s and 5
fighters are lost:
  1. 144 are dispatched to hit Mulhouse; 94 bomb the primary, 19 hit Belfort,
13 bomb Orleans/Bricy Airfield and 2 hit Mezidon/Pithiviers; 1 B-24 is lost,
2 damaged beyond repair and 17 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 7 WIA and 40 MIA.
  2. 74 are dispatched to Belfort; 33 bomb the primary and 24 hit Chaumont;
1 B-24 is lost.
  3. 76 are dispatched to Epinal; 68 hit the primary and 1 bombs Caen
Airfield; 3 B-24s are lost.
  4. 70 are dispatched to Chaumont but none bomb; 3 B-24s are lost, 1
damaged beyond repair and 30 damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 31 MIA.
  Escort is provided by 147 P-38s, 188 P-47s and 201 P-51s; the P-38s claim
2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground, the P-47s claim 3-0-2 in the air
and 2-0-6 on the ground and the P-51s claim 3-0-0 on the ground; 2 P-4s and
3 P-51s are lost, 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair and 2 P-38s, 6 P-47s and
2 P-51s are damaged; 5 pilots are MIA.
  Mission 351: In the afternoon, 609 B-17s and 471 fighters are dispatched
to hit marshalling yards in Belgium, France, Germany and Luxembourg; 8 B-17s
and 4 fighters are lost; primary targets are Brussels/Midi (55 bomb),
Brussels (49 bomb) and Liege, Belgium (119 bomb, 2 lost); Saarbrucken (58
bomb, 5 lost), Kons Karthaus (55 bomb) and Ehrang (60 bomb, 1 lost), Germany;
and Luxembourg (53 bomb); 12 hit the secondary target at Thionville, France;
and 16 hit Volkingen, Germany; 19 hit Bettembourg, Luxembourg and 51 hit
other targets of opportunity; 8 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and
172 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 23 WIA and 83 MIA. Escort is provided by 99
P-38s, 182 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-47s and 190 Eighth and Ninth Air
Force P-51s; the P-51s claim 11-0-4 Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 P-51s are lost,
the pilots are MIA.
  Mission 352: 4 of 5 B-17s drop 2.4 million leaflets over Denmark; 2
airmen are KIA and 3 WIA.
  4 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER missions.
  850th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), VIII Air Force Composite Command
attached to 801st Bombardment Group (Provisional), moves from Eye to
Cheddington, England with B-24s; the squadron is flying CARPETBAGGER
missions.
 
  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 330+ B-26s attack airfields at
Beaumont-le-Roger and Cormeilles-en-Vexin and marshalling yard at Mezieres/
Charleville, France and Aerschot, Belgium. Bad visibility and failure to
rendezvous with fighters cause 100+ aborts. This is start of Ninth Air
Force's participation in AAF pre-invasion offensive against airfields.
  14th Liaison Squadron, XIX Tactical Air Command attached to Third Army,
moves from Alderley Edge to Knutsford, England with L-5s; first mission is
in Jul 44.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers, hampered
by weather, attack Portoferraio, bridges near Orvieto and Ficulle, tracks at
Piombino, viaduct at Poggibonsi and bridges at Certaldo and Signa; fighter-
bombers hit Fondi, rail lines NE of Rome, Littoria Airfield, rail facilities
in the Perugia area, barge, harbor area, and factory in the Portoferraio
area, and tracks near Castiglione d'Orcia; other fighter-bombers attack
numerous positions along the main front as the US Fifth and British Eighth
Armies begin an assault through the Gustav Line and the drive toward Rome.
  414th Night Fighter Squadron, 63d Fighter Wing, based at Elmas, Sardinia,
sends a detachment to Alghero, Sardinia with Beaufighters; other detachments
are at Borgo and Ghisonaccia, Corsica.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s, staging through Eniwetok
Atoll, bomb Truk Atoll during the night of 10/11 May. During the day B-25s
from Engebi Island hit Ponape Island while others, based on Makin Island,
pound Jaluit Atoll.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Island, 8
P-38s bomb a supply-personnel area W of Tobera; 12 B-25s, 12 P-40s and 3
B-24s hit Vunakanau Airfield; fighters on sweeps and bombing missions hit
various targets at Kabanga Plantation, the Gazelle Peninsula area, N of the
Sae River and at Labout. On Bougainville Island, 70+ P-39s, P-40s, and
P-38s (flying a total of 18 missions) attack a variety of targets, including
piers at Chabai, Ratsua and Porton, wooded area near Pipipaia, town of
Siruluna, bridge at Tokinotu, and Buka Airfield on Buka Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, 190+ B-24s and
B-25s bomb gun emplacements and supply areas on Wakde Island and Mokmer
Airfield and targets of opportunity on Biak Island; 220+ fighter-bombers,
A-20s, B-24s and B-25s continue to pound coastal bridges and villages, fuel
dumps, vehicles, gun positions, supply areas, bivouacs and various targets
along the shoreline from Hansa Bay to Wewak.

FRIDAY, 12 MAY 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 1 B-24 reconnoiters and bombs installations
on Matsuwa Island, Kurile Islands, concentrating on the airfield on Tagan
Cape.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 4 B-25s strike the Tiddim road NNW
of Tonzang; 50+ B-25s and fighter-bombers knock out a railroad bridge at
Pinbaw, pound gun positions and supply area at Myitkyina and hit defensive
positions near Kazu-Tiangsup; 4 B-25s damage Myothit bridge while 8 P-38s
bomb Kyaukye; 21 P-51s hit airfields at Meiktila and Heho, claiming 8
Japanese aircraft downed; 4 B-25s knock out a bridge at Daga while 2 others
bomb a camp at Taungbaw.      

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 16 P-40s and 11 B-25s hit several targets in
S China and in French Indochina. In China, military installations, artillery
positions and tank concentrations are pounded in the Yoyang area, a bridge
and several trucks are damaged at Sienning, a naval vessel is attacked at
Hong Kong and in French Indochina, a radio station on Cat Ba Island is bombed
and railroad yards, supply dump, and river junks are blasted in the Phu Langi
Thuong area; and HQ 81st Fighter Group moves from Karachi, India to Kwanghan.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 353: 886 bombers and 735
fighters are dispatched to hit oil production facilities in Germany and
Czechoslovakia; there is strong Luftwaffe fighter reaction and 46 bombers and
7 fighters are lost:
  1. 326 B-17s are dispatched to Mersenburg (224 bomb) and Lutzkendorf (87
bomb); 1 hits Hedrongen and 1 bombs Bullstadt; 2 B-17s are lost, 3 damaged
beyond repair and 189 damaged; 4 airmen are KIA, 6 WIA and 20 MIA.
  2. 295 B-17s are dispatched to Brux, Czechoslovakia (140 bomb) and Zwickau
(74 bomb); 11 hit Chemnitz, 14 hit Gera marshalling yard, 15 hit Hof and 4
hit targets of opportunity; 41 B-17s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and
162 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 8 WIA and 377 MIA.
  3. 265 B-24s are dispatched to Zeitz (116 bomb) and Bohlen (99 bomb); 14
hit Mersenburg, 1 hits Ostend Airfield, Belgium and 12 hit targets of
opportunity; 3 B-24s are lost, 5 damaged beyond repair and 61 damaged; 7
airmen are WIA and 33 MIA.
  Escort is provided by 153 P-38s, 201 P-47s and 381 P-51s; P-38s claim 2-0-0
Luftwaffe aircraft, P-47s claim 26-0-8 and P-51s claim 33-0-3 in the air and
5-0-2 on the ground; 4 P-47s and 3 P-51s are lost and 4 P-47s and 9 P-51s are
damaged; 7 pilots are MIA.
  Mission 354: 5 of 5 B-17s drop 1.74 million leaflets on Denmark; 1 aircraft
is damaged; 2 airmen are KIA and 3 WIA.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): IX Troop Carrier Command carries out
Operation EAGLE, a full-scale exercise of the tactics and techniques of
paradrop, glider tow, parapack in resupply, air landing of supplies and
medical evacuation as a dress rehearsal for the airborne invasion of
Normandy.
  450+ B-26s attack coastal defenses, airfields, bridges, railroads and
railroad guns, and V-weapon sites in France and Belgium; thick haze impedes
visibility and causes many aborts.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Italy, around 730 B-17s and
B-24s (largest force to date) attack German HQ at Massa d'Albe and Monte
Soratte; town of Civitavecchia; airfields at Tarquinia and in the surrounding
area; marshalling yards at Chivasso, Piombino, Marina di Carrara, Viareggio
and Ferrara; Orbetello Island; Piombino harbor; docks and communications at
San Stefano al Mare ; harbor, marshalling yard and railroad bridge at
Chiavari; La Spesia marshalling yard and harbor; and several targets of
opportunity; 25 P-38s strafe Piacenza Airfield; other fighters fly 250+
sorties in support of bombing missions.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, A-20s blast command
posts along the main battlefront as Allied ground forces seek to break
through the Gustav Line; medium bombers hit a concentration near Fondi,
attack forces at Vallecorsa and Pastena and bomb numerous positions along the
main front; fighter-bombers pound command posts, guns, bridges, road and rail
traffic and troops along the assault front and in the rear areas,
concentrating especially on the Monte Cassino Benedictine Abbey and
surrounding area.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): 12 Makin Island-based B-25s bomb
Nauru Island. A single B-24 from Kwajalein Atoll bombs Jaluit Atoll.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Island, 12
B-25s and 20+ P-40s and P-38s pound Tobera Airstrip and nearby personnel
areas; some of the B-25s returning from Tobera bomb Sohano Island, Solomon
Islands; 12 P-39s and about 70 USN SBDs and TBFs sink numerous barges
throughout the Rabaul area, especially at Simpson Harbor and Keravia Bay; gun
positions in the Matupi area are also attacked.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-24s bomb Mokmer Airfield,
New Guinea, and attack targets on Ceram Island, Moluccas Islands; Amboina,
Ambon Island, Moluccas Islands; and Timor Island. In New Guinea, A-20s, B-25s
and fighter-bombers blast villages, coastal bridges and roads, vehicles, the
airstrip at Boram and other targets throughout the Wewak-Hansa Bay region; HQ
3d Bombardment Group (Light) moves from Nadzab to Hollandia; 66th Troop
Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group, based at Nadzab begins operating
from Tadji with C-47s; 418th Night Fighter Squadron, 310th Bombardment Wing
(Medium), moves from Finschhafen to Hollandia with B-25Hs, P-38s and P-70s.

SATURDAY, 13 MAY 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 1 B-25 flies a shipping strike and strafes 2
fishing vessels.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, nearly 100 P-40s and
P-51s over the Mogaung Valley hit gun positions, bridges, support ground
forces (near Nanyaseik) and hit numerous targets of opportunity throughout
the whole valley; 12 A-36s hit positions near Maungdaw; 19 B-25s pound
several points along the road and bomb troop concentrations at Bishenpur; 30+
B-24s, B-25s, A-36s, and P-51s hit Indaw, Taungbaw and Mohnyin; and 11 B-25s
bomb Monywa.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 19 B-25s hit storage and warehouse
areas at Mangshik and Lungling, a bridge at Hsenwi, truck and tank
concentrations SW of Loyang, and town area of Lungling; 39 P-40s hit military
installations at Mengta and Tating, a village N of Kaitou bridge at Tingka
and a truck concentration at Yingyangchen.

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Twentieth Air Force): 771st Bombardment Squadron
(Very Heavy), 462d Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy), arrives at Piardoba,
India from the US with B-29s; first mission is 5 Jun.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 355: 749 bombers and 737
fighters hit targets in Germany; 12 bombers and 5 fighters are lost; they
claim 58-5-13 Luftwaffe aircraft:
  1. 289 B-17s are dispatched to hit oil targets in W Poland but clouds
force 215 to bomb Stettin and 57 to hit Stralsund; 10 bombers are lost and
81 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 1 WIA and 88 MIA.
  2. 199 B-17s are dispatched to hit the marshalling yard at Osnabruck; 178
hit the primary and 1 bomb a target of opportunity; 1 B-17 is lost and 61
damaged; 2 airmen are WIA and 10 MIA.
  3. 261 B-24s are dispatched to hit aviation industry targets at Tutow;
228 hit the primary and 12 hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost and 2
damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 10 MIA.
  Escort is provided by 153 P-38s, 238 P-47s and 346 P-51s; the P-47s claim
14-2-9 Luftwaffe aircraft, the P-51s claim 33-1-4; 1 P-38, 2 P-47s and 2
P-51s are lost, 1 P-47 is damaged beyond repair and 5 P-38s and 7 P-51s are
damaged; 1 pilot is WIA and 5 MIA.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 300+ B-26s and A-20s bomb airfields,
coastal defenses, railway battery and V-weapon sites in France and Belgium.
P-47s carry out dive-bombing raids on various targets.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Italy, bombers continue
interdiction in support of the ground forces. 670+ B-17s and B-24s mostly
with fighter escort, attack marshalling yards at Trento, Bronzola, Fidenza,
Piacenza, Faenza, Imola, Cesena, Modena, Parma, San Rufillo, Borgo San
Lorenzo, Castel Maggiore and Bologna and hit railroad bridges at Bolzano and
Avisio; and fighters sweep the Bologna-Modena area.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium, light and
fighter-bombers continue to attack lines of communications but devote the
main effort to support of the Allied ground forces push against the Gustav
Line (French Expeditionary Force with US Fifth Army gains a spectacular
breakthrough by a fierce assault); A-20s hit a command post; B-26s damage
Cortona, Certaldo, Signa and Montepescali bridges; B-25s blast towns in the
rear of the battleline with good results at Pastena, Pico, Vallecorsa and
Itri; and fighter-bombers carry out armed reconnaissance and scheduled
attacks against communications, road and rail traffic and gun positions along
the immediate battleline and in areas around Esperia, Pico, Sant' Oliva,
Pignataro Interamna, Arce, Fondi, Perugia, Todi, Spoleto, Terni, Orvieto,
Chiusi, Rieti and N of Rome.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s. staging through Eniwetok
Atoll from Kwajalein Atoll, bomb Truk Atoll during the early morning hours.
Other B-24s from Kwajalein bomb Maloelap and Jaluit Atolls, Marshall Islands.
B-25s from Engebi Island hit Ponape Island.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On Bougainville Island, 50+
P-39s and P-40s attack piers at Ratsua, Porton, Chabai, and Tarlena; 30+
other fighter-bombers hit various targets, including a supply area SE of
Bonis, the town of Chabai, a village near Ibu, and huts and villages along
the Numa Numa trail; 3 B-25s hit coastal guns at Hahela Mission. On New
Britain Island, 21 B-25s and 40+ P-39s, P-40s, and P-38s pound supply areas
at Talili Bay. Fighter sweeps over N New Britain and New Ireland Islands
continue; many targets of opportunity are strafed.
  370th, 371st, 372d and 424th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 307th
Bombardment Group (Heavy), move from Munda, New Georgia Island, Solomon
Islands and Guadalcanal Island (424th Bomb Squadron) to Los Negros Island
with B-24s.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, B-24s hit
dispersal areas on Jaspen Island, supply areas and AA guns at Bosnik and
airfields at Sorido, Namber and near the Moemi River; B-24s and B-25s hit
airfields in the Wakde-Maffin-Sawar-Arare area; 200+ fighter-bombers, A-20s,
and B-25s thoroughly pound airfields, bridges, fuel dumps, vehicles,
villages, AA guns, and supply areas in the Wewak-Hansa Bay area; and 89th
Bombardment Squadron (Light), 3d Bombardment Group (Light), moves from Nadzab
to Hollandia with A-20s.

SUNDAY, 14 MAY 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 P-38s hit Tiddim road at
Tonzang, causing a roadblock; 11 P-40s hit a bridge and road at Kazu and
railroad shed at Myitkyina; 25 B-25s and P-51s hit troop positions at Hopin;
Meiktila and Heho Airfields are hit by 20+ P-51s and P-38s; the fighters
claim 4 aircraft downed in combat; and 528th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 311th
Fighter-Bomber Group, moves from Dinjan, India to Tingkawk Sakan with P-51s.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 60 P-40s and P-51s hit trucks at
Yoyang, river shipping, boxcars, and trucks at Pailochi and Sienning and
a storage area at Shayang; 20 other P-40s bomb and strafe towns near Mamien
Pass, Pingkai and areas around Mengta and Tating; 6 Japanese bombers hit
Kienow, rendering the airfield temporarily unusable.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 435th Fighter Squadron, 479th
Fighter Group, arrives at Wattisham, England from the US with P-38Js; first
mission is 26 May.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 404th Fighter Squadron, 371st
Fighter Group, stops operating from Ibsley, England with P-47s and returns to
base at Bisterne.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Just over 700 bombers attack
targets in Italy; B-17s hit marshalling yards at Ferrara and Mantua and an
air depot at Piacenza; B-24s hit Vicenza marshalling yard and air depots at
Piacenza and Reggio Emilia; fighters fly 170+ sorties in escort; 48 P-38s
strafe Aviano and Villaorba airfields.
  HQ 52d Fighter Group and 4th and 5th Fighter Squadrons move from Corsica to
Madna Airfield, Italy with P-51s.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, support for the Allied
ground assault into the Gustav Line continues as aircraft hit at lines of
communications N and NW of Rome and blast targets in the immediate battle
area; medium bombers claim hits on bridges, bridge approaches, and viaducts
at Chiani, Marsciano, Monte Molino. Castiglione d'Orcia, San Giovanni
Valdarno, Poggibonsi, Tabianello and Arezzo; A-20s pound command posts in the
battle area; fighter-bombers hit stations, tracks, roads, town areas,
bridges, gun positions and targets of opportunity in the immediate battle
area and in or near Esperia, Terni, Narni, Itri, Terracina, Perugia, Chiusi,
Orvieto, San Giovanni Valdarno, Maranola and other locations N of Rome.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): 53 B-24s from Kwajalein Atoll
and 43 B-25s from Makin Island join USN aircraft in pounding Jaluit Atoll.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Island, 23
B-25s bomb Tobera Airstrip; 44 fighter-bombers pound supply and personnel
areas at Vunakanau; P-39s and P-40s strafe targets in N and E Gazelle
Peninsula, and fighter patrols over Rabaul area attack several targets of
opportunity. In the Buka-Bougainville Island area, 40+ P-39s and P-40s bomb
Hangan, Tsirogei, Tokiparo, a pier at Kessa Plantation, and near Ibu.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, B-24s bomb
Bosnik supply areas and Sorido runway; in the Wakde-Sawar-Maffin Bay area,
villages and AA positions are pounded by B-24s and B-25s; fighter-bombers,
A-20s, B-24s and B-25s maintain strikes against airfields, bridges, trucks,
villages, and other targets in the Wewak-Hansa Bay area.

MONDAY, 15 MAY 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 19 B-25s pound targets of
opportunity along the Tiddim road; 20+ B-25s and fighter-bombers hit gun
positions at Hopin and the airfield at Myitkyina; 17 P-38s attack Heho and
Kangaung Airfield, claiming 15 aircraft destroyed, most of them in the air; 7
B-24s bomb Myitkyina, Kalewa and Mandalay.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): B-25s strike Kengluang bridge, Siam and hit
installations near Wan Pa-Hsa, Burma. P-40s strafe troops near Pingkai,
Burma, and along Mamien Pass and in the Mengta area of China.  92d Fighter
Squadron, 81st Fighter Group, moves from Karachi, India to Kwanghan, China
with P-47s; first mission is 1 Jun.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 356: 166 bombers and 104
fighters hit V-weapon sites in France with 1 fighter lost; 38 of 58 B-17s
bomb Marquise/Mimoyecques with 5 B-17s damaged; 90 of 108 B-24s bomb
Siracourt with 8 B-24s damaged; escort is provided by 104 P-51s with 1 lost
(pilot is MIA).
  Mission 357: 3 of 3 B-17s drop 1.1 million leaflets on 10 towns in
Belgium and France; 1 B-17 crash lands on returning to base, 1 airman is
KIA, 3 WIA.
  5 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER operations.
  HQ 479th Fighter Group and 434th and 436th Fighter Squadrons arrive at
Wattisham, England from the US with P-38Js; first mission is 26 May.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, 45 A-20s and B-26s bomb
airfields at Creil and Evreux/Fauville and Somain marshalling yard; 300+
others are forced to abandon missions because of thick clouds.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Weather cancels all operations
except fighter a sweep over the Toulon-Marseille, France area. 

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium and light bombers
again hit communications lines N and NW of the front while fighter-bombers in
close support of the Allied ground assault through the Gustav Line blast gun
positions, motor transport, ammunition supplies, bridges, rolling stock and
other military targets in the battle area; medium and light bombers also hit
harbors and vessels along coasts at Piombino, Talamone, Portoferraio and
Ancona.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): Operations are limited to photo
reconnaissance of Jaluit Atoll from Kwajalein Atoll.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On Bougainville Island, 24
B-25s and 40+ P-40s, P-38s, and P-39s, along with TBFs and SBDs, pound the
area N of Muguai and hit the Maika area between Muguai and Ebery's Lease;
40+ fighters on sweeps over Bougainville and Shortland Islands, Solomon
Islands, attack AA positions, trucks and huts at several locations including
the Kieta, Cape Friendship and Chabai areas. On New Britain Island, Allied
fighter sweeps continue over the Rabaul area; several targets of opportunity,
including a concentration of barges in Keravia Bay, are hit.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, the Wewak-
Hansa Bay area is again hit by A-20s, B-24s and fighter-bombers; B-24s and
B-25s attack numerous targets in the Wakde-Sawar-Sarmi-Maffin Bay areas and
on Biak Island; and HQ 475th Fighter Group and 431st, 432d and 433d Fighter
Squadrons move from Nadzab to Hollandia with P-38s. Thirteenth Air Task Force
B-24s from Los Negros Island bomb supply and bivouac areas on Mariaon and
Tagaulap Islands and AA guns on Woleai and Paliau Islands, all in Woleai
Atoll.

TUESDAY, 16 MAY 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, about 70 B-25s and fighter-bombers
hit the Myitkyina and Hogin areas; 11 B-24s hit Ywataung and Sagaing
marshalling yards and the town of Akyab.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 8 B-24s blast the motor pool and warehouse
areas at Mangshih.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 2d Fighter Squadron, 52d
Fighter Group, moves from Corsica to Madna Airfield, Italy with P-51s.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers attack
railroad bridges and a tunnel in C Italy; light bombers blast guns in
Roccasecca while fighter-bombers and fighters just behind enemy lines seek
out motor transport targets, crater roads and hit bridges, harassing the
already strained communications network, while US Fifth Army troops push
rapidly W and NW and British Eighth Army forces push through the last
defenses of the Gustav Line in an effort to isolate Cassino, a joint effort
by British 13 Corps and Polish 2 Corps.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): Kwajalein Atoll-based B-24s
pound Wake Island. B-25s from Makin Island hit Nauru and Ponape Islands.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Island, 40+
fighter-bombers hit the Vunakanau area; fighters on sweeps hit barges at
Jacquinot Bay and Mioko Harbour, vehicles at Kurakakaul, Mandres Bay and
Vunarima, and N of Vunakanau, a small vessel in Mandres Bay and a sawmill at
Keravat. On Bougainville Island, fighter-bombers hit occupied areas at
Tunuru, near Kieta and Manetai Mission, and at Tinputs.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, aircraft
continue to pound a variety of targets including airfields and supply areas
on Noemfoor and Biak Islands, AA guns, supplies and occupied villages in the
Wakde Island-Maffin-Sawar coastal area, and bridges, villages, troop
concentrations and AA positions; 8th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 3d
Bombardment Group (Light), moves from Nadzab to Hollandia with A-20s; and 9th
Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group, moves from Gusap to Hollandia with
P-47s.

WEDNESDAY, 17 MAY 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 18 B-25s bomb Chauk oil
installations while 20 P-38s hit Kangaung Airfield; B-25s and fighter-bombers
fly 90 sorties against Mogaung Valley targets, hitting targets of opportunity
at Kazu and Namti and a bridge at Kamaing and supporting ground forces in the
Myitkyina area.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, P-40s support ground forces at
Mamien Pass, hit Japanese positions at Tatangtzu, damage a bridge and several
trucks at Shweli, Burma, strafe troops at Luchiangpa and bomb and strafe
a horse pack train near Tengchung; 7 B-25s and 13 P-40s pound the Shayang
barracks area and hit troops and vehicles NE of Shasi.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 30th Photographic Reconnaissance
Squadron, 10th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance), moves from Chalgrove to
Middle Wallop, England with F-5s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 450+ bombers hit targets in
Italy and Yugoslavia; the B-17s bomb the marshalling yard at Ancona, Italy
and troop concentrations at Bihac, Yugoslavia; the B-24s bomb the port areas
at San Stefano al Mare, Piombino, Portoferraio and Orbetello, Italy; P-38s
strafe airfields at Ghedi, Villafranca di Verona, Modena, Forli and Reggio
Emilia, Italy while other fighters fly 130+ sorties of escort duty.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, operations continue in
support of the Allied ground assault; B-26s bomb road bridges in the
immediate battle area with generally fair results; roads are blocked in
Frosinone; B-25s bomb the landing ground at Viterbo while A-20s bomb a
command post near Valmontone and drop supplies to French troops on Monte
Revole; fighter-bombers hit railroads, bridges, trucks, and gun positions
behind and along the battle front with good results, destroying or severely
damaging 6 bridges, creating road blocks in the towns of Vallecorsa and Pico,
blasting gun emplacements at Cassino and hitting numerous targets of
opportunity.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Kwajalein Atoll bomb
Wake Island while Engebi Island-based B-25s hit Ponape Island.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Island, 25
B-25s bomb the airfield at Tobera while 43 P-39s, P-40s and P-38s, in
conjunction with 40+ USN dive bombers, blast the Vunakanau area; fighters on
sweeps hit a Nubai River bridge and strafe targets on Gazelle Peninsula. 39
fighter-bombers hit numerous targets in Bougainville Island area, including
the Muguai area, a bridge N of Numa Numa, barges at Banin Harbor and the area
around Ratsua.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, Allied forces
land without opposition near Arare after a naval bombardment; B-24s and B-25s
hit targets in the general vicinity at Sawar, Sarmi and the mouth of the Orai
River; 100+ B-24s, with P-38 escort, pound AA positions at Bosnik, Sorido and
Mokmer, and supply areas and airfield on Noemfoor Island; 120+ fighter-
bombers, A-20s, B-25s and B-24s continue to hit the Wewak-Hansa Bay area; and
HQ 49th Fighter Group moves from Finschhafen to Hollandia.

THURSDAY, 18 MAY 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Over the Kurile Islands, a B-24 on weather
reconnaissance attacks a Japanese aircraft and 2 B-25s sink an auxiliary
vessel; another is sunk shortly before 2400 hours by 2 other B-25s.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 140+ fighter-bombers and 6 B-25s
pound numerous targets throughout the Mogaung Valley, concentrating on
bridges (at least 4 are knocked out) and support of ground forces in areas
around Myitkyina, Nanyaseik, Kamaing, Namkwin, Kazu, Lonkin and Katkyo; 8
B-25s knock out a Mu River bridge and damage Chaungu bridge approaches; 12
P-38s destroy several aircraft at Shwebo.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 6 B-25s and 12 P-40s pound barracks
and warehouse areas at Chienyangi, causing many fires; 30 P-40s support
ground forces in the Salween area, hitting troops and positions at Tengchung,
Tatangtzu, Mamien Pass and Luchiangpa; 12 B-24s bomb the towns of Lungling
and Tengchung; 25 CACW and Chinese Air Force (CAF) P-40s attack trucks, armor
and troops at Chueh-shan and Loning, causing widespread destruction.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Almost 450 bombers, mostly with
fighter escort, hit targets in Rumania and Yugoslavia; both B-17s and B-24s
bomb the industrial area at Ploesti, Rumania and the marshalling yard at
Belgrade, Yugoslavia; the B-17s also hit the marshalling yard at Nis,
Yugoslavia; 300+ other bombers abandon the missions because of bad weather;
fighters strafe airfields at Nis and Scutari, Yugoslavia.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers continue
to hit rail bridges, bombing farther into the N of Italy and thus putting
more pressure on the strained German communications system; light bombers hit
storage areas; fighter-bombers continue close support to Allied ground
forces, hitting town areas, roads, enemy positions, railroads and numerous
other targets in the battle area, including points in or around Pico,
Pontecorvo. Fondi, Terracina, Ceccano, Pastena, San Giovanni Valdarno,
Perugia, Terni, Spoleto, Sant' Elpidio a Mare, Pedaso and N of Rome, as the
British Eighth Army completes the reduction of the Gustav Line in the Liri
River Valley with the capture of Cassino, while the US Fifth Army takes
Formia.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s based on Makin Island
bomb Taroa Island, Maloelap Atoll, rearm at Majuro Atoll and attack the same
target during the return flight to base.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On Bougainville Island, 10
P-39s hit barges off Porton; 40+ P-38s and P-39s pound a supply area N of
Mupuai.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, 100+ fighter-
bombers, A-20s, B-25s and B-24s pound targets of opportunity in the Wewak-
Hansa Bay area throughout the day; and 68th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d
Troop Carrier Group, based at Nadzab sends a detachment to operate from Tadji
with C-47s.  B-24s hit targets of opportunity on Halmahera Island, Moluccas
Islands and bomb Bosnik. B-25s hit Larot, Celebes Islands and Saumlakki,
Tanimbar Island, Moluccas Islands.

FRIDAY, 19 MAY 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): A B-24 flies armed reconnaissance over
Shimushu and Ketoi Islands, Kurile Islands.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, A-36s, P-40s, P-51s and a few
B-25s fly 140+ attack sorties against various targets in the Mogaung Valley,
concentrating on gun positions in the Myitkyina area; 8 B-25s damage railroad
tracks in the Myingatha-Saye area and 16 P-38s hit the airfield at Nawnghkio.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 31 fighters support ground forces
in the Salween area at Chiangtso, Watien, and Mamien Pass; 4 P-40s knock out
a bridge at Shweli, Burma, 13 P-40s bomb and strafe the Puchi area and 16
P-40s and P-38s damage a bridge at Tayeh and hit military installations and
other buildings at Yangsin; 11 P-51s bomb a village near Anking, causing
large explosions and fires; 2 B-24s on a sea sweep seriously damage 2
freighters S of Hong Kong; 16 CACW P-40s pound trucks, tanks and troops in
the Ichang-Tangyang-Loyang area and attack river traffic at Itu on the
Yangtze River.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 358: 888 bombers and 700
fighters are dispatched to hit targets in Germany; very heavy cloud cover
forces the bombers to use H2X PFF methods; Luftwaffe resistance is heavy and
28 bombers and 19 fighters are lost; the fighters claim 77-0-33 Luftwaffe
aircraft:
  1. 588 B-17s are dispatched to Berlin; 495 hit the primary, 49 hit the port
area at Kiel and 1 hits a target of opportunity; 16 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged
beyond repair and 289 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 16 WIA and 137 MIA.
  2. 300 B-24s are dispatched to the industrial area at Brunswick; 272 hit
the primary and 1 bombs a target of opportunity; 12 B-24s are lost and 64
damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 8 WIA and 119 MIA.
  Escort is provided by 155 P-38s, 182 P-47s and 363 P-51s of the Eighth Air
Force and 264 Ninth Air Force aircraft; the P-38s claim 0-0-2 Luftwaffe
aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground, the P-47s claim 29-0-16 in the
air and 2-0-0 on the ground and the P-51s claim 41-0-5 in the air and 4-0-10
on the ground; 4 P-38s, 4 P-47s and 11 P-51s are lost; 2 P-38s are damaged
beyond repair; 5 P-38s, 4 P-47s and 7 P-51s are damaged; 17 pilots are MIA.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, about 290 B-26s and A-20s
bomb coastal defenses, port area, railway battery, and NOBALL (V-weapon)
targets; 125+ others fail to bomb because of extremely thick haze; about 300
P-47s dive-bomb targets.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 500+ bombers hit communications
targets, ports, and oil storage in NE, C, and, W Italy; B-17s hit oil storage
facilities at Porto Marghera and railroad bridges at Casarea, Latisana and
Rimini; B-24s hit port areas at La Spezia and Leghorn; fighters fly 250+
sorties in support. These operations are notable for the absence of enemy
fighter opposition.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers hit
railroad bridges in NC Italy while light bombers bomb an ammunition dump;
fighter-bombers continue support to Allied forces advancing rapidly N and W,
blasting the road network in the battle area and hitting motor transport,
bridges, town areas, and targets of opportunity, in areas around San Giovanni
Valdarno, Pastena, Vallecorsa, Terracina, Fondi, Pistoia and elsewhere.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s based on Engebi Island hit
Ponape Island and B-25s from Makin Island hit Nanru Island.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 40+ P-39s, P-38s and P-40s
hit Makada Island, Bismarck Archipelago. 16 B-25s bomb gun positions and
supply area at Talili Bay, New Britain Island. On Bougainville Island, 20 AAF
fighters and a few USN aircraft bomb huts and bridges at Monoitu, Porton,
Toborei, Moisuru and Tsimba.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, B-24s, A-20s
and P-38s hit airfields and shipping in the Manokwari-Noemfoor Island area;
other B-24s pound beach defenses at Bosnik on Biak Island and hit the area
between Bosnik and Mokmer; 270+ A-20s, P-47s, P-38s and B-25s continue to
blast Wewak, knocking out radar and radio stations and attack targets of
opportunity from Wewak to the Hansa Bay area.

SATURDAY, 20 MAY 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 100+ A-36s, P-40s and P-51s pound
gun positions, attack bridges, bomb troops and hit numerous targets of
opportunity in areas around Myitkyina, Kamaing, Nanyaseik, and Nsopzup; 16
RAF Vengeances and 2 P-38s hit targets in the Arakan area, including a signal
center SE of Buthidaung, gun positions SE of Maungdaw and a jetty at Akyab;
about 40 B-24s and P-51s hit oil installations at Yenangyaung and Chauk,
airfield at Pakokku, and town of Akyab. In India, HQ 1st Air Commando Group
moves from Hailakandi to Asansol; the group consists of the following
sections:  bomber (B-25s), fighter (P-51s), light-plane (L-1 & L-5),
transport (C-47), glider (CG-4) and light-cargo (UC-64); the bomber section
is eliminated and after converting from P-51s to P-47s, the group begins a
training program; a detachment of 9th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron,
8th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, operating from Dinjan since Sep 43
returns to base at Barrackpore with F-5s.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 19 B-24s attack a convoy S of Hong
Kong claiming 2 motor launches sunk and damaging several larger vessels; 3
B-24s are lost at sea; 37 P-40s hit trucks, armored vehicles, river traffic
and troops in or near Shasi, Ichang, Tangyang, Chingmen, Loyang and Loning;
on the Salween front 43 fighters and 8 B-25s support ground forces and damage
a bridge N of Tengchung over the Shweli River.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 359: 638 bombers and 657
fighters are dispatched to hit targets in France and Belgium; 2 bombers and 4
fighters are lost; AAF claims 2-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-1
on the ground:
  1. 190 B-17s are dispatched to bomb Orly Airfield (90 bomb) and
Villacoublay Air Depot (73 bomb) in France; 4 B-17s are damaged beyond repair
and 48 damaged; 20 airmen are KIA and 6 WIA.
  2. 125 of 177 B-24s bomb Reims Airfield and marshalling yard in France; 5
B-24s are damaged.
  3. 271 B-17s and B-24s are dispatched to marshalling yards at Liege and
Brussels, Belgium but the mission is abandoned due to heavy cloud cover; 2
bombers are lost, 4 damaged beyond repair and 41 damaged; 17 airmen are KIA,
16 WIA and 17 MIA.
  Escort is provided by 146 P-38s, 177 P-47s and 334 P-51s; P-38s claim 2-0-1
Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-1 on the ground; 1 P-38, 1 P-47 and 2
P-51s are lost; 5 P-38s are damaged; 4 pilots are MIA.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): Around 450 B-26s attack airfields,
coastal defenses, and V-weapon site in France; about 250 aborts are caused
mainly by bad cloud conditions and failure to rendezvous with fighters. P-47s
dive-bomb targets in NW Europe.
  423d Night Fighter Squadron, 10th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance),
moves from Chormy Down to Chalgrove, England with F-3s and A-20s; the 423d
will be redesignated 155th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron on 22 Jun.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force):

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, weather prevents
operations by medium and light bombers; fighter-bombers continue to hit
communications and gun positions in the battle area; areas in and around
Vallecorsa and Terracina are hit especially hard; fighters maintain patrols
and reconnaissance, destroying or damaging numerous vehicles between Pisa and
Pistoia.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s from Engebi Island bomb
Ponape Island.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On Bougainville Island, 22
B-25s, 44 P-39s, P-40s, and P-38s and 30+ USN and US Marine Corps (USMC)
aircraft pound AA positions, bivouacs and supply areas from the Muguai-
Ebery's Lease area to the Maika area; 24 other P-39s hit barges in Matchin
Bay, AA guns on Sohano Island, and bridges at Kieta. On New Britain Island,
3 B-24s bomb the Tobera runway.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, B-24s, A-20s
and B-25s hit airstrips, revetments, supply area, AA positions and shipping
at Manokwari, Noemfoor and Biak Islands, and Mawi Bay; A-20s, B-25s and
fighter-bombers continue to pound airfields, coastal villages, bridges,
supply dumps, trucks and various other targets at Wewak and from Wewak to the
shore of Hansa Bay.

SUNDAY, 21 MAY 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma,  120+ P-40s, P-51s, A-36s and
B-25s hit Mogaung, Myitkyina, the Talawgyi-Hokat area, and Kamaing; gun
positions  around Myitkyina and Mogaung are also hit; a single B-24 bombs NW
part of Mandalay; 20th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 8th Photographic
Reconnaissance Group, based at Kisselbari, India with P-40s, sends a
detachment to Tingkawk Sakan.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 27th Troop Carrier Squadron, 443d Troop
Carrier Group, moves from Sylhet, India to Yunnani, China; during the next
nine months, detachments will operate from Chanyi, Chengtu and Kunming at
various times.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 360: 150 bombers and 48
fighters hit V-weapon sites in France without loss; 25 of 40 B-17s hit
Marquise/Mimoyecques and 13 B-17s are damaged; 99 of 110 B-24s hit Siracourt
and 1 B-24 is damaged. Escort is provided by 48 P-47s without loss.
  617 fighters are dispatched on strafing missions to attack rail stock in
Germany; 27 fighters are lost; 91 of 225 locomotives attacked are destroyed;
P-47s also dive bomb rail bridges in W Germany; and 1 P-51 pilot claims 25
cows killed; participating are:
  1. 145 P-38s claim 2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 6-0-3 on the
ground; 8 P-38s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 12 damaged; 1 airman is
KIA and 8 MIA.
  2. 139 P-47s claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air; 4 P-47s are lost
and 21 damaged; 3 pilots are MIA.
  3. 333 P-51s claim 17-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 77-0-64 on the
ground; 15 P-51s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 20 damaged; 15 pilots
are MIA.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France 50 B-26s bomb airfields at
Abbeville/Drucat; and 600+ P-47s and P-51s attack railroad rolling stock.
  404th Fighter Squadron, 371st Fighter Group, based at Bisterne, England,
begins operating from Ibsley with P-47s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In NC Italy, medium bombers are
restricted by bad weather but bomb a few bridges and roads, while light
bombers hit a bivouac area; fighter-bombers continue support of ground
forces, hitting troops, vehicles, roads and railroads in or near the battle
areas, particularly around Sezze, Ceccano, San Giovanni Valdarno and
Pontecorvo.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): 53 B-24s from Kwajalein Atoll
bomb various targets in Wotje Atoll; 41 B-25s, based on Makin Island, follow
up with bombing, cannonading and strafing attack on the atoll. 8 B-24s stage
through Eniwetok Atoll, strike Rota Island, Marianas Islands, and rearm at
Los Negros Island.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Island, 3
B-24s, 30+ P-39s and P-40s, and 40+ USN dive bombers hit Vunakanau Airfield
and nearby plantation; 8 P-38s, followed shortly by USN aircraft, bomb
Lakunai Airfield. 40+ P-39s, P-38s, and P-40s fly sweeps over Bougainville
Island; bridges at Rigu Mission and Shishigatero are reported demolished.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, B-24s, A-20s
and P-38s attack airfields, town areas, barges, personnel and supply areas,
and fuel dumps at Manokwari, Urarom, along the Moemi River and on Noemfoor
and Biak Islands; fighter-bombers. A-20s and B-25s continue almost constant
pounding of supply dumps, camps, AA positions and a variety of targets along
the coast from Wewak to Hansa Bay; and 13th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 3d
Bombardment Group (Light), moves from Nadzab to Hollandia with A-20s.
Thirteenth Air Task Force B-24s bomb Truk Atoll.

MONDAY, 22 MAY 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 2 Attu Island, Aleutian Island-based B-25s on
a shipping strike near Paramushiru bomb and strafe a picket boat, which is
left sinking.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 2 B-25s attack a large
concentration of sampans in Honghai Bay; 2 others heavily damage a 150-ft
(45.7 m) cargo vessel near Hong Kong; 22 P-51s pound the town of Anking and
military area NE of Nanchang; 24 P-40s hit the Sienning area, bombing a
factory W of town, damaging a bridge near town, and strafing numerous trucks
in the vicinity; 23 P-40s hit road and river traffic in areas around Loyang,
Loning, and Itu; and 5 P-40s bomb Yangsin.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Occupancy of all planned Eighth
Air Force stations in Britain is completed with the transfer of the airfield
at N Pickenham from the RAF to the Eighth; total stations number 77,
including 66 airfields, occupied by 82 operational or HQ units. 
  Mission 361: 438 bombers and 568 fighters are dispatched on PFF attacks to
targets in Germany and France; 5 bombers and 7 fighters are lost:
  1. 342 are dispatched to the port area at Kiel, Germany; 289 hit the primary
and 5 bomb targets of opportunity; 5 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair
and 209 damaged; 4 airmen are KIA, 3 WIA and 78 MIA.
  2. 94 of 96 B-24s hit V-weapon sites at Siracourt, France; 1 B-24 is
damaged.
  Escort is provided by 145 P-38s, 95 P-47s and 328 P-51s; P-38s claim 8-1-5
Luftwaffe aircraft, P-47s claim 12-1-2 and P-51s claim 2-2-1; 3 P-38s, 3
P-47s and a P-51 are lost; 1 P-38 and 2 P-47s are damaged beyond repair; 1
P-38, 2 P-47s and a P-51 are damaged; 6 pilots are MIA.
  130 P-47s are dispatched on a fighter-bomber attack railroad bridges at
Hasselt and Liege, Belgium; 1 P-47 is lost and 1 damaged.
  Mission 363: 4 of 4 B-17s drop 320,000 leaflets on The Hague, Haarlem,
Rotterdam and Utrecht, The Netherlands without loss.
  12 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER missions without loss.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): Around 330 B-26s and A-20s bomb
airfields and other targets in the Cherbourg, Calais, and Paris areas of
France while a like number of P-47s and P-51s dive-bomb marshalling yards,
airfields and other targets in the same general areas.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): As weather again clears, 550+
bombers attack communications and military targets in C and NW Italy; B-17s
bomb the marshalling yard at Avezzano; B-24s hit port areas at Fano, Porto
Civitanova and La Spezia; fighters fly 200+ sorties in escort to bombers;
there is no fighter opposition.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): 332d Fighter Group with P-47s is
transferred to the Fifteenth Air Force; this move, following a series of
reassignments of fighter groups to the Fifteenth Air Force and to India,
leaves the XII Fighter Command with only 1 fighter group.
  In Italy, medium bombers are inactive or abortive except for a raid on
Cave; fighter-bombers maintain close support of the ground advance, hitting
at motor transport, roads, and bridges in the battle areas and nearby points
in C Italy, including Terracina, Ceccano, Sezze, Bastia, points between Rome
and Bracciano Lake and near Balsorano.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): 8 B-25s based on Engebi Island
bomb Ponape Island. Weather cancels other strikes.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 40+ P-39s, P-38s and P-40s
hit targets of opportunity in the coastal area near Talili Bay on New Britain
Island. 24 B-25s pound Mioko I, Bismarck Archipelago. On Bougainville Island,
40+ P-39s bomb the Bonis supply area and blast 4 small bridges near Kieta.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, B-24s and
B-25s bomb Manokwari, shipping E of Cape Manggoear and storage areas and
Sorido village on Biak Island; P-40s hit supply and fuel dumps, trucks and
other targets of opportunity in the area of Wakde Island; B-24s, B-25s and
fighter-bombers continue to bomb and strafe various targets in the Wewak-
Hansa Bay area; and HQ 348th Fighter Group and 341st and 342d Fighter
Squadrons move from Saidor to Wakde Island with P-47s.

TUESDAY, 23 MAY 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 P-38s bomb Tiddim road; 12
B-24s bomb the Indaw marshalling yard and Homalin; 16 P-38s attack Kangaung
Airfield; and 23 P-40s and 4 A-36s bomb gun positions, troops and supply
dumps in the Myitkyina area.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 364: 1,045 bombers and 562
fighters are dispatched to hit airfields and rail targets in France; 3
bombers are lost:
  1. 580 B-17s are dispatched to the marshalling yard at Metz (34 bomb),
Epinal (36 bomb) and Chaumont (54 bomb); airfields at Orleans/Bricy (17 bomb)
and Chateaudun (18 bomb); secondary targets hit are marshalling yards at
Saarbrucken, Germany (139 bomb), Bayon (12 bomb), the town of Neunkirchen,
Germany (37 bomb), Caen/Carpiquet Airfield (18 bomb) and 12 hit targets of
opportunity; 2 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 50 damaged; 12
airmen are KIA and 4 WIA.
  2. 465 B-24s are dispatched to hit airfields at Orleans/Bricy (167 bomb),
Bourges (84 bomb), Avord (88 bomb) and Etampes/Mondesir (97 bomb); 1 aircraft
hits a target of opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 33
damaged; 10 airmen are KIA and 10 MIA.
  Escort is provided by 96 P-38s, 142 P-47s and 324 P-51s; none are lost and
no Luftwaffe aircraft are claimed; 1 P47 is damaged beyond repair and 1 P-47
and 1 P-51 are damaged; 644 Ninth Air Force fighters also participate with
the loss of 2 P-38s and 2 P-47s.
  Mission 365: 103 P-51s are dispatched to bomb a railroad bridge at Hasselt,
Belgium; 75 bomb escorted by 14 acting as top cover; 1 P-51 is lost, the
pilot is MIA.
  Mission 366: 4 of 5 B-17s drop 928,000 leaflets on Belgium and The
Netherlands without loss.
  7 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER operations.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, 15 B-26s bomb the
airfield at Beaumont-le-Roger in a predawn attack; during the afternoon 58
B-26s bomb coastal batteries at Etretat/Sainte-Marie-Au-Bosc, Maisy and Mont
Fleury; and 120+ P-38s strafe and bomb rolling stock in C France.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Italy, 300+ B-17s and B-24s
concentrate attacks on troop concentrations and communications in the rear of
the battle area, at Avezzano, Subiaco, Valmontone, Marino, Nemi and
Grottaferrata; P-38s and P-51s provide escort; other P-38s, covered by P-47s,
strafe the airfield at Ferrara.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers abort
missions because of weather; light bombers hit communications between
Cisterna di Roma and Campoleone; fighter-bombers actively support the general
offensive of Allied ground forces in the Liri Valley and at Anzio where US
and British forces break out of the beachhead; fighters on armed
reconnaissance join in the attacks and numerous enemy vehicles, gun
positions, transport routes and personnel are hit hard in areas in and around
Terracina, Littoria, Norma, Marcigliana, Fara in Sabina, Borghetto, Arezzo
and Civita Castellena; and a marshalling yard on the Empoli-Siena line is
also hit.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): Makin Island-based B-25s strike
Jaluit Atoll. B-24s returning from Los Negros Island, where they landed after
the raid on Rota on 21 May, bomb Ponape Island.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Island, 2
B-24s bomb Tobera, while 32 B-25s and 40+ P-39s, P-38s and P-40s attack gun
positions near Rabaul, near Lakunai and in the vicinity of Tunnel Hill Road.
On Bougainville Island, 51 P-39s and 8 P-40s attack huts, barges, bridges and
other targets of opportunity at several locations.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, B-24s hit
Manokwari while B-24s, A-20s and P-38s hit targets on Biak Island, including
trucks at Borokoe, AA positions and control tower at Mokmer Airfield, the
village of Sorido and offshore targets at Bransfari; P-40s hit troops on
Wakde Island and on the Biri River; P-38s support ground forces in the Aitape
area; A-20s, P-39s. B-24s and B-25s maintain bombing and strafing of the
Wewak-Hansa Bay area.

WEDNESDAY, 24 MAY 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 2 bombers fly weather and photo reconnaissance
over Shimushu Island and bomb the Matsuwa Island area.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 20+ P-40s in the Myitkyina
vicinity destroy 8 barracks buildings and knock out a railway bridge and a
machinegun post; a single B-24 bombs Gwa in the Arakan area.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 367: 1,106 bombers and 602
fighters are dispatched on visual attacks on airfields in the Paris area and
PFF and visual bombing of Berlin; 33 bombers and 10 fighters are lost; the
fighters claim 33-7-6 Luftwaffe aircraft:
  1. 616 B-17s are dispatched to Berlin; 464 hit the primary, 34 bomb Nauen,
13 bomb Rechlin and 6 bomb targets of opportunity; 33 B-17s are lost, 1 is
damaged beyond repair and 256 damaged; 4 airmen are KIA, 24 WIA and 482 MIA.
  2. 490 B-24s are dispatched to bomb airfields at Melun (168 bomb) and Orly
(151 bomb); 58 bomb Pix Airfield and 23 comb Creil Airfield; 33 B-24s are
damaged.
  Escort is provided by 144 P-38s, 178 P-47s and 280 P-51s; P-38s claim 6-0-2
Luftwaffe aircraft and P-51s claim 27-7-4; 1 P-38, 1 P-47 and 8 P-51s are
lost; 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair; 1 P-38, 1 P-47 and 4 P-51s are
damaged; 1 pilot is WIA and 10 MIA.
  Mission 368: 222 fighter are dispatched to attack rail bridges in France;
  1. 74 P-47s are dispatched to hit bridges at Creil (44 bomb) and Verberie
(28 bomb); 1 P-47 is damaged.
  2. 124 P-51s, escorted by 24 P-51s, are dispatched to bomb bridges at
Beaumont-sur-Oise (59 bomb) and Soissons (34 bomb); 29 also hit St.
Leger/Albert Airfield; they claim 3-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and
2-0-1 on the ground; 3 P-51s are lost and 6 damaged; 1 pilot is WIA and 3
MIA.
  Mission 369: 4 of 4 B-17s drop 2.54 million leaflets on France and Belgium
without loss.
  3 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER operations without loss.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, 450+ B-26s attack
airfields, coastal defenses and V-weapon sites; and P-38s and P-47s dive-bomb
4 landing fields.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 620+ bombers attack targets in
targets in Austria and Italy; B-17s bomb the Avisio, Italy railroad viaduct
and Atzgersdorf, Austria aircraft components factory; B-24s bomb airfields at
Wollersdorf, Bad Voslau, Graz and Munchendorf, Austria; escorting fighters
fly 250+ sorties; enemy fighter opposition is especially heavy against the
B-24s attacking Bad Voslau, downing 6 heavy bombers.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium, light and
fighter-bombers fly numerous sorties in support of the rapidly advancing
ground forces and in attacks against rail lines, bridges and roads in NC
Italy; medium bombers hit at least 5 bridges, create several road blocks and
cause havoc in communications to the N of the battle area; light bombers
blast a bivouac area; fighter-bombers have great success in attacks on motor
transports, mainly in the battle area, and in conjunction with RAF aircraft
destroy 300+ and damage as many more.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s from Makin Island pound
Wotje and Jaluit Atolls, using Majuro Atoll as a shuttle base for rearming
between the strikes. B-25s based at Engebi Island hit Ponape Island.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): In the Rabaul area of New
Britain Island, 19 P-38s, P-40s and 22 B-25s attack Hospital Point gun
positions; 2 other B-25s hit the town of Rabaul; fighter patrols hit various
targets of opportunity in the Rabaul area and S New Ireland Island. In the
Solomon Islands, 51 P-39s, P-40s, and P-38s, and a single B-24, attack
various targets on Buka-Bougainville Islands including Buka Airfield, E
Bougainville coastal bridges, and Cape Lalahan radar station.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, A-20s hit
airfields at Namber and Kamiri; 200+ A-20s, P-38s, P-47s, P-39s and B-25s
continue to blast targets of opportunity in the Wewak-Hansa Bay area
throughout the day.

THURSDAY, 25 MAY 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 1 Shemya Island, Aleutian Islands-based B-24
flies reconnaissance and bombing mission in the C Kurile Islands; another
B-24 aborts due to equipment failure.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 28 P-38s sweep over the Mandalay
area; 12 of them hit about 10 railroad cars near Shwebo, leaving them
burning; B-24s hit targets in the Katha area, 6 of them bombing Indaw and 4
bombing the Naba rail junction area.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 370: 406 bombers and 604
fighters make visual attacks on rail installations and airfields in Belgium
and France; 4 bombers and 12 fighters are lost; the fighters claim 13-2-3
Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 3-0-5 on the ground; unless otherwise
indicated, all targets are in France:
  1. 307 B-24s are dispatched to marshalling yards at Belfort (74 bomb) and
Mulhouse (134 bomb); 12 hit Tonnere marshalling yard and 37 bomb Bretigny and
1 bombs Dijon Airfields; 2 B-24s are lost and 57 damaged; 20 airmen are MIA.
  2. 320 B-17s are dispatched to Nancy/Essey Airfield (75 bomb) and
marshalling yards at Metz (69 bomb), Saarguemines (36 bomb) and Blainville
(36 bomb); 56 B-17s hit Thionville marshalling yard and 3 bomb Liege
Airfield, Belgium; 14 B-17s are damaged.
  3. 103 B-24s bomb Montignies sur Sambre marshalling yard and 9 bomb Alos
marshalling yard; 3 B-24s are damaged.
  4. In Belgium 247 B-17s are dispatched against marshalling yards at
Brussels/Schaerbeck (52 bomb), Brussels/Midi (29 bomb) and Leige/Guillemines
(50 bomb); other marshalling yards hit are Brussels/Melsbroek (18 bomb) and
Liege/Renory (50 bomb); 2 B-18s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 71
damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 6 WIA and 28 MIA.
  5. 18 of 38 B-17s and 18 of 18 B-24s hit Fecamp gun battery without loss.
  6. 15 B-17s hit St Valery gun battery without loss.
Escort is provided by 136 P-38s, 181 P-47s and 287 P-51s; P-38s claim 3-1-0
Luftwaffe aircraft, 9 P-38s (pilots are MIA) are lost and 8 damaged; P-47s
claim 4-1-2 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 3-0-5 on the ground, 6 P-47s
are damaged; P-51s claim 6-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft, 3 P-51s are lost (pilots
are MIA) and 1 damaged.
  MISSION 371: 4 of 4 B-17s drop leaflets in France without loss.
  
  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 225+ B-26s attack bridges near
Liege, Belgium and airfields at Lille/Nord and Monchy-Breton, France. About
250 P-47s dive-bomb various targets in W Europe.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 340+ bombers attack targets in
France and Italy; B-17s attack the marshalling yard at Lyon, France; B-24s
attack marshalling yards at Amberieux, Toulon and Givors, France, and in
Italy, the port area at Monfalcone, airfield at Piancenza and industrial area
at Porto Marghera; P-38s and P-51s fly 200+ sorties in support.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): Twelfth Air Force has it's most
active day to date against enemy forces in Italy; some medium bombers
continue to pound bridges in NC Italy, damaging several bridges and viaducts,
while others join light and fighter-bombers in close support of ground troops
in the battle area and behind enemy lines; motor transport N and S of Rome
and N of Anzio is hit hard by the air attacks; US Fifth Army achieves a solid
front with junction of VI Corps (Anzio force) and II Corps (advancing along W
coast) during the morning near Borgo Grappa.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s flying out of Engebi
Island bomb Ponape Island.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Island, 3
B-24s bomb Rabaul, Lakunai, and Rapopo; 8 P-38s hit Vulcan Crater barge
hideout; 12 B-25s, clouded out of Vunakanau, hit the Talili Bay supply area.
On Bougainville Island, 15 B-25s, 32 P-39s and P-40s, and 25 USN dive bombers
hit supply areas at Porton; 4 other P-40s hit trucks at Monoitu Mission; 16
P-39s attack several targets of opportunity, including the Cape Lalahan radar
station.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-24s attack shipping at
Halmahera Island and in New Guinea, hit Mokmer and targets in the Wakde area;
90+ fighter-bombers, A-20s, B-25s, and B-24s pound numerous targets in the
Wewak area. Units of the 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group moving in New
Guinea: air echelon of 17th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment), from
Finschhafen to Wakde Island with B-25s; 110th Tactical Reconnaissance
Squadron, based at Gusap begins operating from Tadji with P-40s.

FRIDAY, 26 MAY 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 2 B-24s off on an armed photo mission over
Shimushu Island turn back due to mechanical troubles.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 23 P-40s sink several supply boats
on the Yangtze River near Shihshow, strafe troops at Shasi, hit road traffic
near Loyang and strafe pontoon bridges, supply dumps and troops at Shanhsien;
7 P-40s bomb the town of Hsing-tzu; and 2 B-25s damage a small tanker N of
Swatow.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 372: 4 of 4 B-17s drop
leaflets in The Netherlands without loss.
  P-38s participate in 2 sweep over The Netherlands for familiarization
purposes without loss; 1 sweep consists of 30 aircraft, the second consists
of 28 aircraft.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, nearly 400 B-26s and
A-20s attack airfields at Beaumont-sur-Oise and Chartres and bridges at
Vernon and Poissy; 108 P-47 and P-51 fighter-bombers hit a bridge at Oissel
and airfields at Creil, Cormeilles-en-Vesin and Evreux/Fauville; P-47s and
P-38s dive-bomb targets in NW Europe.
  425th Night Fighter Squadron, Ninth Air Force, arrives at Chormy Down,
England from the US with P-61s; first mission is in Jul 44.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Almost 700 bombers hit targets
in France and Yugoslavia; B-17s bomb the marshalling yard at St Etienne,
France; B-24s hit a bridge over the Var River, marshalling yards at Lyon/
Vaise, Lyon/Mouche, Chambery, Grenoble and Nice, France and troop
concentrations at Bihac, Yugoslavia; fighters escort the bombers and strafe
and dive-bomb the airfield at Donji Zemunik, Yugoslavia.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers hit
railway targets in the Florence area and bomb roads in the battle area with
good results; light bombers hit Frascati; other medium bombers join fighter-
bombers in an assault against motor transport achieving wide-spread enemy
vehicle destruction, especially on the Rome-Bracciano road over which the
enemy is pouring reinforcements S toward the battle area.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): 45 B-25s, flying out of Makin
Island, attack Emidj Island, Jaluit Atoll, Marshall Islands. 9 B-25s from
Engebi Island fly a successful search mission for a downed B-25 crew in the
vicinity of Ponape and Pakin Islands, Caroline Islands; after locating the
survivors, later picked up by USN destroyer, the B-25s attack Pakin and
Ponape Islands with cannon and machinegun fire.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Island, 24
P-39s and P-40s hit the Rabaul area while 12 B-25s bomb supply areas at
Talili Bay. 40+ P-39s and P-40s hit barges NW of Ballale Island, Solomon
Islands, supply areas and other targets at Porton, and piers at Ratsua and
Soraken, all on Bougainville Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, B-24s bomb
Biak Island while B-25s hit Wakde Island and nearby coastal areas; other
B-25s bomb a variety of targets on Aroe Island; 100+ A-20s, B-25s and
fighter-bombers continue to blast the coastal region around Wewak; villages
and gun positions on Hansa Bay are also hit; and the 340th Fighter Squadron,
348th Fighter Group, moves from Saidor to Wakde Island with P-47s.

SATURDAY, 27 MAY 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 2 bombers fly weather and armed photo
reconnaissance and bomb Ushishiru Island, Kurile Islands.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): 15 B-24s bomb Pakokku and Nyaung-u, Burma.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 24 rocket-firing P-40s hit the
barracks area W of Sinyang, military installations and trucks at Nanchang, and
troops, trucks, barracks, and warehouse area in the Puchi vicinity.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 373: 1,126 bombers and 710
fighters are dispatched against rail targets in France and Germany and gun
batteries in France; 24 bombers and 7 fighters are lost; the fighters claim
35.5-1-5 aircraft in the air and 9-0-2 on the ground:
  1. 344 B-17s are dispatched to marshalling yards at Ludwigshafen (150 bomb)
and Mannheim (125 bomb); 18 hit Lachen/Apeyerdorf, 19 hit the Mannheim area
and 6 hit targets of opportunity; 12 B-17s are lost and 98 damaged; 2 airmen
are KIA, 5 WIA and 114 MIA.
  2. 269 B-17s are dispatched to marshalling yards at Karlsruhe (98 bomb) and
Strasbourg, France (49 bomb) and aviation factory at Strasbourg/Meinau,
France (53 bomb); 7 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 89 damaged; 1
airman is KIA, 3 WIA and 70 MIA.
  3. 69 of 86 B-24s bomb aviation factory at Woippy, France; 3 others hit
targets of opportunity; 1 airman is WIA.
  4. 369 B-24s are dispatched to marshalling yards at Saarbrucken (145 bomb),
Neunkirchen (66 bomb) and Kons/Karthus (72 bomb); 3 others hit targets of
opportunity; 5 B-24s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 18 damaged; 3
airmen are KIA, 4 WIA and 50 MIA.
  5. 36 of 40 B-17s bomb Fecamp gun battery, France without loss.
  6. 18 of 18 B-24s bomb St Valery, France without loss.
Escort is provided by 170 P-38s, 238 P-47s and 302 P-51s; 1 P-38 is lost
(pilot is MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair; P-47s claim 1-0-1 Luftwaffe
aircraft in the air and 2-0-0 on the ground without loss; P-51s claim
34.5-1-4 aircraft in the air and 7-0-2 on the ground with the loss of 6
P-51s (pilots are MIA), another is damaged beyond repair and 8 damaged. 425
Ninth Air Force aircraft also support the mission; they claim 4-0-0 with the
lost of 1.
  Mission 374: 24 of 24 P-47s hit a barge convoy between Willenstadt and
Meerije, The Netherlands; 1 P-47 is damaged and 2 barges destroyed.
  Mission 375: 3 of 4 B-17s drop leaflets in Belgium and France without loss.
  788th and 850th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), VIII Air Force Composite
Command attached to 801st Bombardment Group (Provisional), move from
Rackheath and Cheddington respectively to Harrington, England with B-24s; the
788th flies CARPETBAGGER missions over Europe and the 850th will commence
these missions on 31 May.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): About 590 B-26s attack railroad,
bridges, and marshalling yards in France. P-47s bomb targets in NW Europe.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Almost 700 bombers hit France;
B-17s bomb the marshalling yard at Avignon; B-24s bomb airfields at
Montpellier and Salon and marshalling yards at Nimes, Marseille/St Charles
and Marseille/La Blancharde; escort is provided by P-38s and P-51s.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers
concentrate their efforts against lines of communications in the Orvieto
area; A-20s bomb a storage area; fighter-bombers pound a much reduced flow of
motor transport behind enemy lines and hit railroads, gun positions, bridges,
and targets of opportunity and behind the battle area, hitting targets at
Subiaco, Sora, Tivoli, Frosinone, Capena, and Orvieto, W of Bracciano Lake,
between Sulmona and San Benedetto de Marsi and at several other points.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): 24 B-24s from Kwajalein Atoll
and 52 B-25s from Engebi Island pound Ponape Island.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Island,
about 200 AAF, USMC and USN aircraft (fighters, dive-bombers, and B-25s) are
sent against gun positions on Hospital Point; 160+ aircraft bomb the targets
with more than 90 tons (99.2 tonnes) of explosives, destroying or damaging
several of the guns; other fighters hit targets of opportunity in the Rabaul
area and a barge off SW New Ireland Island; and 4 B-24s bomb Tobera. On
Bougainville Island, AAF fighters attack beached barges in the Chabai area
and in Buka Passage, Aku and Nova Plantation and a bridge over the Oamai
River; detachment of 419th Night Fighter Squadron, 18th Fighter Group,
operating from Bougainville since Jan with P-61s, returns to base on
Guadalcanal Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, Babo Airfield
and Biak Island are pounded by 170+ B-24s and B-25s; after the aerial and
naval bombardment, Allied amphibious forces land on Biak in the Bosnik area,
secure the beachhead, and gain control of a trail over ridges to the inland
plateau to the N. About 170 A-20s, P-38s, P-40s and B-25s blast the Wewak
area.

SUNDAY, 28 MAY 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 2 B-24s fly reconnaissance and drop bombs on
Shimushu and Matsuwa Islands. 1 B-25 and P-38s fly a guardship coverage
mission, 2 other B-25s fly a negative anti-shipping sweep.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 10 B-24s pound Kalemyo while 8
B-25s hit Tiddim road; 50+ fighter-bombers and a few B-25s hit various
targets at or near Mogaung, Myitkyina, Hopin and Sahmaw; 76 fighter-bombers
and 24 B-25s bomb marshalling yards at Namma and Katha, hit several targets
in the Mohnyin-Hopin area, and bomb a railroad between Naba and Namma. 530th
Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 311th Fighter-Bomber Group, based at Dinjan, India
with P-51s sends a detachment to operated from Kurmitola, India.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 14 P-40s in support of ground
forces in the Salween area strafe oil storage at Hsiangta, bomb and strafe
the Watien area, and destroy a bridge and damage another on the Shweli River
N of Tengchung; and 2 B-25s sink a patrol boat and damage another near Saint
John Island.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 376: 1,341 bombers and 697
fighters are dispatched to hit oil targets in Germany; 32 bombers and 9
fighters are lost; they claim 64-30-31 Luftwaffe aircraft:
  1. 610 B-17s are dispatched against an oil targets at Ruhland/Schwarz-Heide
(38 bomb) and aircraft factory at Dessau (12 bomb); secondary targets are
aviation factories at Zwickau (15 bomb) and Leipzig (28 bomb); 14 bomber hit
Bohlen, 15 hit Meissen, 19 hit Brandis/Polenz Wusten-Sachsen Airfield, 12 hit
Frankfurt marshalling yard, 32 hit Ubigau, 20 hit Dessau, 4 hit Frankfurt, 5
hit Camburg and 22 hit targets of opportunity; they claim 20-21-18 Luftwaffe
aircraft; 17 B-17s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 107 damaged; 3
airmen are KIA, 15 WIA and 155 MIA.
  2. 255 B-17s are dispatched to an oil dump at Konigsburg/Magdeburg (105
bomb) and oil industry at Magdeburg/Rothensee (55 bomb); 17 hit Dessau and 6
bomb the marshalling yard at Gera; they claim 16-8-6 Luftwaffe aircraft; 9
B-17s are lost and 64 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 2 WIA and 90 MIA.
  3. 106 B-24s are dispatched to Lutzkendorf/Halle (66 bomb); 10 hit Wetzlar
and 6 hit a target of opportunity; 3 B-24s are lost and 16 damaged; 1 airman
is WIA and 3 MIA.
  4. 311 B-24s are dispatched to oil targets at Merseburg/Leuna (63 bomb) and
Zeitz-Troglitz (187 bomb); 10 hit Limburg, 8 hit Memmingen, 9 hit Saalfeld
and 10 hit targets of opportunity; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 3
B-24s are lost and 23 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 1 WIA and 26 MIA.
  5. 58 of 59 B-17s hit Cologne/Eifeltor marshalling yard without loss; glide
bombs are used but the weapon proves unsuccessful.
Escort is provided by 182 P-38s, 208 P-47s and 307 P-51s; no P-38s are lost;
P-47s claim 2-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 0-0-1 on the ground with
the loss of 4 P-47s (pilots are MIA), 2 damaged beyond repair and 3 damaged;
P-51s claim 25-1-5 Luftwaffe aircraft with the loss of 5 (pilots are MIA), 1
damaged beyond repair and 8 damaged. 527 Ninth Air Force fighters also fly
escort and claim 33-0-10 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 5-0-7 on the
ground for the loss of 5 fighters.
  Mission 377: 5 of 5 B-17s drop leaflets in Belgium and Norway.
  22 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER missions; 1 is lost.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 600+ B-26s and A-20s bomb
marshalling and naval yards, railway bridges and V-weapon sites in France
and Belgium; 8 aircraft are lost. P-47s dive-bomb several targets in the same
general area.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Italy, 100+ B-24s bomb Genoa
harbor and Vercelli marshalling yard and troop concentrations at Niksic,
Yugoslavia. In Yugoslavia, P-38s fly fighter sweeps against airfields in the
Kurilovec area and vehicles, communications lines and targets of opportunity
in the Knin-Bihac-Banjaluka area. HQ 332d Fighter Group and 301st and 302d
Fighter Squadrons move from Capodichino to Ramitelli Airfield, Italy with
P-47s.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers hit
bridges, viaducts, and railroad lines at several locations in C Italy,
including Narni, Cortana, Terni, Ladispoli, Torrita di Siena, Magnano, Recco,
Arezzo, Rapallo, Vado, Bucine, and Castiglion Fiorentino; light bombers hit
an ammunition dump while fighter-bombers continue close support to advancing
ground forces, encountering considerably less enemy motor transport behind
lines because of the heavy attrition of recent days; many roads, railroads
and bridges are hit as well as numerous other targets along the battlefront
which now stretches from the W coast SW of Carroceto to the NE almost to
Valmontone, then SW to just above Sezze, and from there ambles E to NE to the
E coast below Pescara.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): 29 B-25s stage from Eniwetok
Atoll, bomb Jaluit Atoll, and land at Makin Island. B-24s from Eniwetok Atoll
bomb Saipan and Guam Islands, Marianas Islands; those bombing Guam turn S to
Los Negros Island to rearm while the others return to Eniwetok. B-25s flying
from Engebi Island bomb Mille Atoll, Marshall Islands. B-24s escort USN photo
planes over the Marianas Islands.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Island, 3
B-24s, followed by 23 B-25s and 12 P-38s, blast the airfield at Lakunai; 33
P-39s and P-40s join 40+ USN dive bombers in a strike on Tobera airstrip. 5
B-25s hit Namatanai supply and personnel area on New Ireland Island. On
Bougainville Island, fighter-bombers hit the Tsundan supply area, huts and
buildings at Gohi, Nova and Monoitu, suspected barge hideout near Tonolai,
and AA guns on Ballale Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, B-24s and
B-25s in support of ground forces on Biak Island hit villages, supply areas,
troop concentrations and gun positions on Biak, Noemfoor, and Japen Islands;
A-20s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers blast troop concentrations, AA positions
and supply dumps in the Wewak area; A-20s supporting ground forces in heavy
fighting in the Sarmi area, hit positions with minimum-level strikes. B-24s
bomb Boela, Ceram Island; and 421st Night Fighter Squadron, V Fighter
Command, based at Nadzab with P-70s, sends a detachment to operate from Wakde
Island. Thirteenth Air Task Force B-24s bomb the airfield on Woleai Atoll.

MONDAY, 29 MAY 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): At dawn 2 B-25s photograph and bomb Shimushu
and Matsuwa Islands (secondary). During the early afternoon 2 B-25s escorted
by 4 P-38s strafe, bomb and sink a patrol boat in the Kurile Islands. Later 4
other B-25s unsuccessfully attack 2 vessels off Shimushu.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 27 B-25s and 40+ fighter-bombers
pound troops and positions at Bhamo and Mohnyin, the railroad at Mogaung and
warehouses at Sahmaw.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 7 B-24s pound areas along the Burma Road, 3
bomb the town of Wanling, Burma, and 2 attack a convoy of Hainan Island,
China, claiming a 250-ft (76 m) freighter sunk. In China, 26 P-40s and P-38s
attack troops at Lushan, pound barracks and demolish 7 trucks at Yuanchu,
bomb and strafe the general area at Nanchang and destroy several buildings
along the Hsiang River N of Changsha; and 19th Liaison Squadron, Fourteenth
Air Force, attached to Y Force, moves from Ondal, India to Kunming with L-1s
and L-5s.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 379: 993 bombers and 673
fighters are dispatched to attack aircraft plants and oil installations in
Germany and Poland; they claim 117-38-49 Luftwaffe aircraft; 34 bombers and
10 fighters are lost:
  1. 443 B-24s are dispatched to hit an oil terminal at Politz (224 bomb)
and airfield and aircraft assembly plant at Tutow (167 bomb); 14 hit Rensburg
Airfield, 9 hit Misdroy and 1 hits Schwerin; they claim 29-15-10 Luftwaffe
aircraft; 17 B-24s are lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 150 damaged; 2
airmen are KIA, 10 WIA and 161 MIA.
  2. 251 B-17s are dispatched to hit aviation industry targets at Leipzig/
Mockau (149 bomb) and Leipzig/Heiterblick (50 bomb); 4 others hit targets of
opportunity; they claim 11-4-5 Luftwaffe aircraft; 9 B-17s are lost and 80
damaged; 3 airmen are WIA and 90 MIA.
  3. 299 B-17s are dispatched to hit aviation industry targets at Krzesinki
(91 bomb) and Posen (58 bomb), Poland and Sorau (52 bomb) and Cottbus (48
bomb), Germany; 19 others hit Schneidemuhl Airfield and 2 hit targets of
opportunity; they claim 22-18-14 Luftwaffe aircraft; 8 B-17s are lost and 97
damaged; 5 airmen are WIA and 67 MIA.
  Escort is provided by 184 P-38s, 187 P-47s and 302 P-51s; the P-38s claim
none and none are lost; the P-47s claim 1-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft with the
loss of 4 P-47s (3 pilots are MIA) and 3 damaged; the P-52s claim 38-1-4
Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 16-0-15 on the ground with the loss of 6
P-51s (5 pilots are MIA) and 6 damaged. 592 Ninth Air Force fighters also
support the mission; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft and lose 2 fighters.
  23 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER missions; 1 is lost.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 450+ B-26s and A-20s bomb airfields,
marshalling yards, railroad bridges, coastal battery and NOBALL (V-weapon)
targets in France and Belgium. 200+ P-47s bomb targets in the same area.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 829 bombers (largest number of
bombers completing attacks in a single day up to this time) bomb targets in
Austria and Yugoslavia; B-17s and B-24s attack an aircraft factory at
Wollesdorf, Austria; B-24s also attack industrial areas at Wiener Neustadt
and Atzgersdorf, Austria and troop concentrations at Poderica, Yugoslavia.
P-38s and P-51s escort the Austrian missions while P-38s accompany B-24s to
Yugoslav targets and afterwards strafe numerous targets of opportunity;
fighter opposition over Yugoslavia is negligible but around 150 fighters
attempt interception over Austria, principally in the Wiener-Neustadt area;
23 AAF aircraft are lost; the bombers and fighters claim 60+ fighters shot
down.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, B-25s bomb rail bridges
near Bucine and at Poggibonsi and Lisciano; B-26s hit viaducts at Terni and
near Stifone, railroad junction and marshalling yard at Terentola, Castiglion
Fiorentino bridge, the Voltri shipyards and a bridge nearby; A-20s hit troops
in bivouac and bomb a supply dump; fighter-bombers continue to blast motor
transport between the battlelines and Rome; and C-47s evacuate 400+ wounded
from the Anzio area.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): Operations are restricted to
photo missions over Wotje, Mille, and Jaluit Atolls.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): Major General James T
Moore, USMC, takes over as Commander Air Solomons (COMAIRSOLS).
  On New Britain Island, almost 100 B-25s, P-38s, P-39s and a variety of USN
aircraft pound the Rabaul area, with AAF aircraft concentrating on the Nordup
supply area and the others concentrating on Hospital Point AA positions. On
Bougainville Island, 24 P-39s and 16 P-40s blast occupied areas W of Tinputs
Harbor and at Arigua Plantation.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, B-24s pound
gun positions, defense areas and troops, as the first tank battle of the SWPA
is fought W of Parai on Biak Island; other B-24s pound airfields on nearby
mainland at Timoeka and Babo; A-20s, B-25s and P-47s, along with RAAF
aircraft and a few B-24s from the Biak strike, saturate the Wewak area with
continuous air strikes; in the Wakde Island-Sarmi battle zone, B-25s and
P-40s hit forces in the Mount Saskin area; B-24s of the Thirteenth Air Task
Force bomb Woleai Atoll and other nearby islands in the Caroline Islands.

TUESDAY, 30 MAY 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 1 B-25 and 2 P-38s fly guardship cover.

  ZONE OF INTERIOR (HQ USAAF): All Fighter-Bomber Groups/Squadrons are
redesignated Fighter Groups/Squadrons.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 9 B-25s attack the railroad
between Namma and Hopin; B-25s and fighter-bombers fly 100 sorties against
railroad targets, hitting tracks, rolling stock, stations, and bridges in the
vicinities of Mogaung, Myitkyina, Hopin and Loilaw; the Imphal-Tiddim road is
bombed by 3 B-24s.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 48 fighters support ground forces
in the Mamien Pass-Watien-Chiangtso area; 31 supply aircraft drop food and
ammunition to friendly forces in the Mamien Pass area; 13 B-25s damage the
Wan Pa-Hsa, Burma bridge and bomb Lungling, destroying 6 warehouses and
starting several big fires; 8 P-51s hit railroad targets of opportunity on
sweeps from Peking, Chengting, Pingting, Linfen and Puchou; 16 P-38s and
P-51s dive-bomb installations at the W end of the Nanchang bridge, causing
much damage; 5 B-25s and 12 P-40s strafe troops, supplies, and occupied
strongpoints at Loyang and at several locations along the Yangtze and Yellow
Rivers; Japanese air strikes on Hengyang and Liangshan Airfields destroy 4
AAF aircraft, damage several others, and blow up a fuel dump.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO): Loading of assault forces for Operation
OVERLORD (invasion of Normandy) begins.

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 380: 928 bombers and 672
fighters in 6 forces are dispatched to hit aircraft industry targets in
Germany and marshalling yards in France and Belgium; they claim 65-8-6
Luftwaffe aircraft; 12 bombers and 9 fighters are lost:
  1. 268 B-17s are dispatched to attack aviation industry targets at Dessau
(83 bomb), Halberstadt (107 bomb) and Oschersleben (51 bomb); 5 other hit
targets of opportunity; they claim 8-5-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 9 B-17s are lost
and 81 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA and 86 MIA.
  2. 369 B-24s are dispatched to hit aviation depots at Oldenburg (135 bomb),
Rotenburg (147 bomb) and Zwischenahn (71 bomb); 1 other hits a target of
opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 36 damaged; 1 airman
is KIA, 2 WIA and 9 MIA.
  3. 46 of 91 B-24s hit Munster/Handorf Airfield and 36 others hit Diepholz
Airfield; 2 B-24s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 36 damaged; 1
airman is KIA, 6 WIA and 9 MIA.
  4. 122 of 126 B-17s hit French marshalling yards; 62 hit Reims and 60 hit
Troyes; 24 B-17s are damaged.
  5. 39 of 40 B-17s hit Brussels/Schaerbeck marshalling yard, Belgium; 12
B-17s are damaged.
  6. 76 of 84 B-17s hit V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais, France; 12 B-17s
are damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 2 WIA and 10 MIA.
  Escort is provided by 186 P-38s, 184 P-47s and 302 P-51s; 3 P-38s are
damaged; P-47s claim 2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft with 1 loss (pilot is MIA);
P-51s claim 48-3-2 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 7-0-3 on the ground with
the loss of 8 P-51s (pilots are MIA), 2 damaged beyond repair and 4 damaged;
637 Ninth Air Force fighters support the mission; they claim 8-0-2 aircraft
in the air and 0-0-4 on the ground for the loss of 3.
  100 P-47s are dispatched to bomb 4 rail bridges in NW France; 37 hit
Longueil bridge, 26 hit Beaumont-sur-Oise bridge, 23 hit Canly-le-Jouque
bridge and 12 hit the Creil bridge; 1 P-47 is lost (pilot is MIA).

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In France, 320+ B-26s attack
airfields at Denain/Prouvy and Mantes/Limay, and highway bridges at Meulan
and Rouen. Nearly 400 P-47s dive-bomb targets in NW Europe.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Nearly 500 bombers attack
targets in Austria and Yugoslavia; B-17s attack the marshalling yard at
Zagreb, Yugoslavia; B-24s attack aircraft factories at Wels, Ebreichadorf,
Pottendorf, Neudorfl and Neunkirchen, Austria; P-38s and P-51s provide
escort and many of the fighters strafe targets of opportunity in areas around
Zut, Brod, Susak, Bihac, Medak, and along the Karlovac-Livno road, Yugoslavia.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, B-26s and B-25s destroy
or damage 10 bridges, bridge approaches and viaducts which affect supply
routes to the battlefronts across C Italy; light and fighter-bombers blast
motor transports and gun positions in the battle area and hit targets in and
around towns in the area, including Guidonia, Ariccia, Alatri and Veroli; and
C-47s evacuate wounded from Nettuno.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s from Engebi Island bomb
Ponape Island, which is also hit by B-24s returning from the shuttle base on
Los Negros Island. 2 forces of B-24s from Kwajalein Atoll strike Truk Atoll
and Wake Island.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Island, 23
B-25s bomb personnel areas NE of Tobera; 40+ P-38s, P-40s and P-39s bomb a
supply dump near Ratawul. On Bougainville island, 33 P-39s and 8 P-40s
demolish bridges at Kirinani and over the Siaibai River; a log ramp over the
Miwo River is damaged and a road between the Purlata River and Kiaraba is
hit; the fighter-bombers also attack Buka runway on Buka Island, Chabai barge
anchorage and Soraken supply area.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): On New Guinea, B-25s hit
enemy positions as fighting on Biak Island slacks temporarily; other B-25s
bomb the airfield and nearby AA guns and fuel at Timoeka; B-24s and A-20s hit
Japen Island; in the Wakde Island-Sarmi battle area, B-25s bomb and strafe
the shoreline from the NW of Sawar to Sarmi Point; the Wewak area is again
blasted by 70+ A-20s, B-24s and B-25s, along with RAAF aircraft. Thirteenth
Air Task Force B-24s hit Truk Atoll and Woleai Atolls and Puluwat Atoll,
Caroline Islands.

WEDNESDAY, 31 MAY 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): During the morning 2 B-25s and 4 P-38s fly
guardship cover. A bomber flies a weather mission while another reconnoiters
and hits Buroton Bay, Kurile Islands.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS
  
  BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 B-25s hit the Tiddim road; 130+
B-25s, A-36s, P-51s, and P-40s hit troops, defensive positions, artillery
emplacements, boats, railroad facilities, and villages in the Myitkyina-
Mogaung area, buildings at Tahona, river boats at Lonkin and Kamaing, docks
at Bhamo, railroad cars at Namti, and positions NW of Mohnyin; 21 other B-25s
and fighter-bombers pound the Bhamo town area and airfield; and 10 B-24s bomb
Ye-u, demolishing several buildings.

  CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 51 P-51s and P-40s pound shipping along the
Yangtze River, claiming direct hits on 5 small ships; 16 P-51s and P-40s bomb
Kweiyi and Yoyang and installations on the river to the S; 10 P-38s bomb the
bridge and warehouse area at Nanchang; 12 P-40s bomb Pingkiang; 4 B-25s bomb
Hankow airfield, Pailochi, and motor convoy at Yoyang; 6 other B-25s knock
out the bridge at Kengluang; 13 B-24s pound the town of Lungling, causing big
fires, while 14 B-24s, supported by P-40s blast the warehouse area at Lashio,
Burma; 4 P-40s destroy several aircraft during strafing runs on Linfen and
Hohsien Airfields.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 382: 1,029 bombers and 682
fighters attack marshalling yards and aircraft industry targets in Germany
and rail targets in France and Belgium; the fighters claim 4-0-1 Luftwaffe
aircraft on the ground; 1 bomber and 3 fighters are lost:
  1. Of 246 B-17s, 36 hit Luxeuil marshalling yard, France; 30 hit Florennes/
Juzaine Airfield and 4 hit Namur marshalling yard, Belgium; 23 hit Gilze-
Rijen Airfield and 12 hit Roosendaal marshalling yard, The Netherlands; 
and 3 hit targets of opportunity; 45 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 4
WIA.
  2. 287 B-17s are dispatched to hit marshalling yards in Germany; 88 hit
Osnabruck, 54 hit Schwerte, 52 hit Oeske and 50 hit Hamm; 1 B-17 is lost and
58 damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 10 MIA.
  3. 491 B-24s are dispatched to hit rail targets in France and Belgium but
are recalled due to clouds; 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 7 damaged.
  4. 4 of 5 B-24s hit rail bridges at Beaumont-sur-Oise and bridges at Melun
without loss; Azon radio-controlled bombs are unsuccessfully used against the
bridges.
  Escort is provided by 193 P-38s, 180 P-47s and 309 P-51s; P-38s claim 1-0-0
Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground with 1 P-38 being damaged; 1 P-47 is lost
(pilot is MIA) and 3 are damaged; P-51s claim 3-0-1 aircraft on the ground
with 2 P-51s lost (pilots are MIA). 674 Ninth Air Force fighters provide
support; no claims or losses.
  Fighter-bomber missions against German airfields with 500 lb (227 kg) and
100 lb (45 kg) GP bombs:
  1. 78 of 81 P-47s hit Gutersloh Airfield; they claim 5-1-3 Luftwaffe
aircraft; 1 P-47 is damaged.
  2. 35 P-38s attack Rehein/Hopsten Airfield using DROOPSNOOT methods; they
claim 5-0-0 aircraft on the ground.
  22 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER missions over France without loss.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): About 200 B-26s bomb lock and
highway bridges at Bennecourt, Courcelles-sur-Seine and Rouen, France.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 480+ B-17s and B-24s bomb oil
refineries and communications targets in the Ploesti, Rumania area; fighters
fly 200+ sorties in support; 15 bombers are lost to flak and fighters; 40+
enemy aircraft are shot down.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers of the
42d and 57th Bombardment Wings give close support to ground forces in fierce
fighting S of Rome, hitting numerous troop concentrations, roads and town
areas, including points in or near Albano Laziale, Genzano di Roma, Ariccia,
Frascati, Civitella Roveta, Subiaco, Cave, Nettuno and Grottaferrata; XII
Tactical Air Command A-20s and fighter-bombers blast targets in the same
general area, hitting troops, bridges, supplies, guns and vehicles at or near
Rocca di Papa, Ariccia, Marino, Frascati, Grottaferrata, Lanuvio, Montalto di
Castro and Manciano; and C-47s evacuate casualties from Anzio.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Island, 12
P-38s bomb Vulcan Crater barge hideout; 22 P-39s and 12 P-40s blast supply
dumps near Ratawul; 33 B-25s pound Rabaul truck concentrations, wharf area,
and NE section of town. 5 B-25s bomb targets of opportunity along the NW
coast of New Ireland Island. On Bougainville Island, P-39s bomb several
targets, including Soraken, Arigua, and several barges and vehicles.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, B-25s and
A-20s hit the Babo area, bomb the airfield near the Ransiki River, cover the
beachhead on Biak Island and attack fishing boats on the shore of Japen
Island; P-47s and B-25s pound villages, barges, and gun positions in the
Wakde Island-Sarmi battle area; B-24s, P-39s and RAAF aircraft continue to
hit the Wewak and Hansa Bay areas.

SOURCES: 
AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force History,
  Headquarters USAF, 1961, ISBN 0-912799-02-1
COMBAT SQUADRONS OF THE AIR FORCE, WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force
  History, Headquarters USAF 1982
THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by the
  Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF, 1973
THE MIGHTY EIGHTH WAR DIARY by Roger A. Freeman, ISBN 1-85409-071-2

Jack McKillop
USAF (Airways and Air Communications Service)
1955-59

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|  Jack McKillop              |  Those who have long enjoyed such |
|  Bellcore                   |  privileges as we enjoy forget in |
|  Piscataway, NJ USA         |  time that men have died to win   |
|  [email protected]  |  them.                     FDR    |
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• With grateful thanks for the scholarship of Kit Carter, Robert Mueller and Jack McKillop •
• Thanks also to Charles McGrew •
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Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them. Franklin Delano Roosevelt
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