USAAF Combat Operations 1941

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

NOVEMBER 1944


AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
  A-20, Douglas Havoc
  A-26, Douglas Invader
  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-46, Curtiss Commando
  C-47, Douglas Skytrain
  UC-64, Noorduyn Norseman
  F-5, Lockheed Lightning
  F-6, North American Mustang
  F-7, Consolidated Liberator
  L-1, Stinson Vigilant
  L-5, Stinson Sentinel
  P-38, Lockheed Lightning
  P-40, Curtiss
  P-47, Republic Thunderbolt
  P-51, North American Mustang
  P-61, Northrop Black Widow

NOTE: A number in parenthesis after a target name indicates the number of
bombers attacking.

WEDNESDAY, 1 NOVEMBER 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Kurile Islands, a B-24 on an armed
weather mission bombs Otomari Cape.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, about 70 fighters again
support Chinese ground forces in the Lungling area; 13 fighters strafe river,
road, and rail traffic from Kunghsien to Loyang; the detachments of the 11th
Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 341st Bombardment Group (Medium), operating
from Kweilin and Liuchow with B-25s, return to base at Yang Tong; the
detachment of the 26th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Group, operating from
Nanning with P-51s, returns to base at Kunming.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 70+ fighter-bombers knock
out the bridge at Panghkam, slightly damage bridges in the Wingkang and
Kawnghka area, hit railroad targets of opportunity between Indaw and Naba,
attack Japanese positions near Bhamo, Si-in, Hantet, and Shwegu, and bomb the
towns of Loiwing and Lagaw; 9 B-25s damage bridge approaches at Hsenwi,
Namhkai, and Kawnghka. The elements of the 24th Combat Mapping Squadron, 8th
Photographic Reconnaissance Group, operating from Hsinching and Pengshan with
F-7s, return to the detachment base at Changyi (squadron is based at
Guskhara, India).

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
  Mission 696: 324 bombers and 321 fighters are dispatched to attack 2
synthetic oil plants near Gelsenkirchen and a bridge at Rudesheim, Germany;
1 P-51 is lost:
  1. 142 B-17s are dispatched to hit the Norstern oil plant at Gelsenkirchen
(113); 23 hit the secondary, the Hamm marshalling yard; 1 hits a target of
opportunity; 24 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is KIA. Escort is provided by 140
P-47s and P-51s; they claim 1-0-0 aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
  2. 143 of 144 B-24s hit the Buer oil plant at Gelsenkirchen; 25 B-24s are
damaged. Escort is provided by 109 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 1-0-0
aircraft; 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair.
  3. 38 B-17s are dispatched to hit a railroad bridge at Rudesheim (13); 24
hit the secondary, a marshalling yard at Koblenz; 7 B-17s are damaged. Escort
is provided by 37 of 38 P-51s.
  Mission 697: 3 B-17s and 5 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands during
the night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): Weather prevents bomber operations;
fighters fly patrols, sweeps, armed reconnaissance over Belgium, E France,
and large areas of W Germany and attack bridges, railroads, and various other
targets.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Austria, 320+ B-17s and
B-24s, with fighter escorts, bomb diesel and ordnance works, and marshalling
yard at Vienna; also hit are marshalling yards at Graz, a tank factory at
Kapfenberg, targets of opportunity including marshalling yards at Gussing,
Ljubljana and Cakove, Yugoslavia, and scattered communications targets in S
Germany, Hungary, Austria, and Yugoslavia; several fighters strafe road and
rail transport targets and troops in the Gyor, Hungary-Parndorf and
Neusiedler Lake areas.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, operations are again
curtailed by bad weather; however, fighters and fighter-bombers successfully
attack bridges, rail lines, roads, vehicles, and trains in the C Po Valley
and hit scattered targets elsewhere in N Italy; the 525th Fighter Squadron,
86th Fighter Group, moves from Grosseto to Pisa with P-47s.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 8 B-24s from Guam Island, Mariana Islands,
attack shipping NE of Iwo Jima Island, Volcano Islands. 12 B-24s escorting a
US Navy photo aircraft over Iwo Jima Island and Haha Jima and Chichi Jima
Islands in the Bonin Islands, bomb airfields, a warehouse, and shipping.
P-47s from Saipan Island strafe Pagan Island, both in the Mariana Islands.
During the night of 1/2 Nov a B-24 on a snooper mission from Saipan Island
bombs Iwo Jima Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine
Islands, B-24s bomb airfields at Cebu City on Cebu Island and Alicante on
Negros Island and supply dumps at Del Monte on Mindanano Island; fighter-
bombers hit Bacolod, Alicante, and Carolina Airfields on Negros Island; P-47s
attack shipping and shore targets during a sweep over the Sulu Archipelago.
P-38s and B-25s pound Namlea Airfield on Buru Island in the Moluccas Islands. 
A-20s and B-25s hit Babo Airfield in New Guinea. The 394th Bombardment
Squadron (Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Noemfoor Island
off New Guinea to Morotai Island, Moluccas Islands. During Nov 44:
 - HQ V Bomber Command and HQ V Fighter Command move from Owi, Schouten
   Islands to Leyte Island, Philippine Islands.
 - HQ 2d Combat Cargo Group and the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Combat Cargo
   Squadrons arrive on Biak Island off New Guinea from the US with C-46s.

THURSDAY, 2 NOVEMBER 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Kurile Islands, 4 B-24s bomb Suribachi
on Paramushiru Island and Onnekotan Island; 4 B-25s on a photo and offensive
sweep bomb targets at Torishima Island and Hayakegawa setting fire to 15
buildings, including a cannery.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 100+ P-40s, P-51s, and P-38s on armed
reconnaissance over SW and SE China and N French Indochina attack targets of
opportunity in the Lungling and Mangshih, China area, knock out bridge at
Dara, Thailand and hit Nantingshun and Pinglo, China; in China, the fighter-
bombers also damage 4 factories at Kweilin, hit tanks and troop
concentrations N of town, attack targets of opportunity near Pinglo, Tahsu
and E of Yungfu, and the airfield, barracks, town area, and trains at Gia
Lam, French Indochina. In China, the 11th Bombardment Squadron (Medium),
341st Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Yang Tong to Yangkai with B-25s;
the detachment of the 491st Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 341st Bombardment
Group (Medium), operating from Liuchow with B-25s, returns to base at
Yangkai.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 80+ P-47s hit a variety of
targets; the fighter-bombers bomb a bridge at Ho-hko, support ground forces
at Myothit, bomb supply dumps at Namdaungmawn, personnel and supply areas at
Naungletgyi and Mawtaung, knock out a bridge at Meza, hit nearby railroad
cars, attack airfields at Nawnghkio and Sinlanzu and strike boats and boxcars
S of Katha; 8 B-25s knock out 2 bridges at Tangon and Tantabin; a single B-25
bombs Indaw; transports fly 268 sorties to forward areas; HQ Tenth AF moves
from New Delhi, India to Myitkyina. In India, the 6th Fighter Squadron
(Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, based at Asansol, India with P-47s, sends
a detachment to operate from Cox's Bazar; the 317th Troop Carrier Squadron
(Commando), 2d Air Commando Group, arrives at Sylhet from the US with C-47s.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): In France, HQ 440th Troop
Carrier Group moves from Le Mans to Orleans; the 302d Troop Carrier Squadron,
441st Troop Carrier Group, moves from St Marceau to Dreux with C-47s.

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): HQ Eighth AF is ordered to
increase the size of the 406th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), VIII Fighter
Command, the night leaflet squadron, as the liberation of Europe and the
conquest of Germany accelerate.  
  2 missions are flown.
  Mission 698: 1,174 bombers and 968 fighters in 5 forces are dispatched to
hit synthetic oil installations in C Germany and rail targets at Bielefeld,
Germany; an estimated 500 Luftwaffe fighters meet the bombers at Merseburg
and the AAF claims 163-40-52 Luftwaffe aircraft; 40 bombers and 16 fighters
are lost:
  1. 460 B-17s are dispatched to the Leuna oil installation at Merseburg
(383) using PFF; targets of opportunity are Halle (23), Wolfenbuttel (13) and
other (17); they claim 6-2-2 aircraft; 12 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond
repair and 339 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 13 WIA and 101 MIA. The Ninth AF
provides 31 of 34 P-38s and 433 of 483 P-51s as escort; they claim 46-3-10
aircraft in the air and 25-0-0 on the ground; 8 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).
  2. 223 B-17s are dispatched to the Leuna oil installation at Merseburg
(210) using PFF; 5 others hit targets of opportunity; they claim 30-33-25 
aircraft; 26 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 152 damaged; 11
airmen are WIA and 260 MIA. Escort is provided by 209 of 245 P-51s; they
claim 56-2-15 aircraft; 6 P-51s are lost (5 pilots MIA).
  3. 208 B-24s are dispatched to hit Bielefeld; 172 hit the primary, a
bridge, 10 hit the secondary, the marshalling yard, and 9 hit the town; all
attacks are with GH and visual; 17 B-24s are damaged. Escort is provided by
143 of 146 P-47s; 2 P-47s are lost.
  4. 131 of 146 B-24s hit the Rauxel oil installations at Castrop using GH; 1
B-24 is lost and 23 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 2 WIA and 10 MIA. Escort is
provided by 37 of 40 P-47s without loss.
  5. 137 B-17s are dispatched to hit an oil installation at Sterkrade (107);
20 others hit the secondary, the Rheine marshalling yard; 1 B-17s is lost and
52 damaged; 9 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 20 of 20 P-47s without
loss.
  Mission 699: 3 B-17s and 5 B-24s drop leaflets during the night over the
Netherlands and Germany.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 147 bombers of the 9th
Bombardment Division, with fighter escort, attack rail bridges at Mayen,
Euskirchen, Bullay, Konz-Karthaus, and Trier. Fighters attack bridges, fly
armed reconnaissance and night patrol, and provide support for ground forces
in frontline areas.  In France, the 162d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron,
363d Tactical Reconnaissance Group, moves from Dijon to Azelot with F-6s and
P-51s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Bad weather curtails operations.
In Austria,  5 B-17s bomb the Moosbierbaum oil refinery, while 2 others hit
an airfield N of the city and bomb Klagenfurt. 6 P-38s fly weather
reconnaissance missions.  All other operations are cancelled.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, clouds over the Po
Valley prevent medium bomber operations; XXII Tactical Air Command aircraft
are also grounded due to unserviceable fields and bad weather over Italian
battle areas.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 11 Saipan Island, Mariana Islands-based B-24s
bomb Chichi Jima Island; 3 from Guam Island, on armed reconnaissance, hit
Marcus Island in the North Pacific Ocean.

  HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): 17 Mariana Islands-based B-29s bomb the
submarine pens on Dublon Island, Truk Atoll, Caroline Islands.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine
Islands, B-24s over Ormoc Bay on Leyte Island attack a Japanese convoy,
claiming 1 transport sunk and another damaged; P-38s hit smaller shipping in
Ormoc Bay, strafe vehicles from Ormoc to Valencia, Mindanao Island, and bomb
San Enrique; on Mindanao Island, B-25s pound Matina, Libby, Davao and Likanan
Airfields; the 17th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment), 71st Tactical
Reconnaissance Group, arrives at Tacloban, Leyte Island from Biak Island with
B-25s; the 432d Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group, arrives at Dulag,
Leyte Island from Biak Island with P-38s. During the night of 2/3 Nov B-24s
bomb Makassar on Celebes Island, concentrating on the wharf area. The 17th
Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 4th Photographic Group
(Reconnaissance), arrives on Morotai Island from Guadalcanal Island, Solomon
Islands  with B-25s and F-5s (detachments are operating from Bougainville
Island, Solomon Islands and Sansapor, New Guinea). 

FRIDAY, 3 NOVEMBER 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 69 P-40s, P-51s, and P-38s on armed
reconnaissance over E Burma, SW and SE China, and N French Indochina hit
targets of opportunity in the Lungling, China area, damage a railroad bridge
S of Lashio, Burma, hit the town of Mangshih, China and destroy a nearby
warehouse. In China, the fighter-bombers hit the town areas and docks at
Takhing and Tengyun, attack troops in the Mosun area, destroy 2 Japanese
fighters near Amoy, hit trains at Hongay, French Indochina, and bomb areas on
Hainan Island.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 B-25s, supported by 18
P-47s, hit Nawnghkio Airfield; a single B-25 attacks targets of opportunity
between Myitkyina and Lashio; 90+ fighter-bombers attack bridges, enemy
forces, town areas and numerous targets of opportunity at and Hinlong,
China and Kawngmu, Namhai, Tonlon, Ho-hko, Namhsum, Hkusan, Hkawngwa,
Wingkang, Namhkam, and S of Mansi.  Tenth AF transports fly 240+ sorties to
forward areas.

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Twentieth Air Force): 49 B-29s, operating from rear
bases in the Calcutta, India area, bomb the Malagon railroad yards in Burma;
almost as many others hit alternate targets.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): In France, HQ 50th Troop
Carrier Wing moves from Le Mans to Chartres; HQ 441st Troop Carrier Group
and the 100th and 301st Troop Carrier Squadrons move from St Marceau to Dreux
with C-47s.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 140+ B-26s and A-20s hit
a rail overpass at Kaiserslautern, and rail bridges at Neuwied-Irlich, Bad
Munster am Stein, Morscheid and Konz-Karthaus; fighters fly armed
reconnaissance, ground forces cover, attack railroads, bridge, and
observation posts in W Germany, and escort 9th Bombardment Division
aircraft. In France, HQ 64th Fighter Wing moves from Dole to Ludres; HQ
50th Fighter Group and the 10th, 81st and 313th Fighter Squadrons move from
Lyons/Bron to Toul/Ochey with P-47s; the 34th Photographic Reconnaissance
Squadron, XII Tactical Air Command (attached to Provisional Reconnaissance
Group), moves from Dijon to Azelot with F-5s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Austria, 46 B-17s and
B-24s, in an operation adapted to bad weather and flying without escort, bomb
Vienna S ordnance depot, Moosbierbaum oil refinery, Munich W marshalling yard
in Germany, Klagenfurt aircraft factory, the towns of Innsbruck and Graz, and
the rail line SE of Graz; the bombers attack individually, depending on cloud
cover for protection; 30+ other heavy bombers abort due to clearing weather.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): Heavy clouds over most of N Italy
begin to disperse; medium bombers are still grounded but fighter-bombers
manage to fly 8 sorties against gun positions in mountains S of Bologna,
Italy.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 14 B-24s from Guam Island pound shipping at
Chichi Jima and Haha Jima Islands. 34 P-47s from Saipan Island bomb and
strafe Pagan Island.  B-24s from Saipan Island continue armed reconnaissance
and snooper missions over Marcus and Iwo Jima Islands.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine
Islands, B-25s bomb Alicante Airfield on Negros Island and P-40s hit a
highway and oil dump N of Ormoc on Leyte Island; HQ 6th Photographic
Reconnaissance Group moves from Biak Island to Leyte Island; the 110th
Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group, moves
from Biak Island to Dulag, Leyte Island but the air echelon operates from
Tacloban, Leyte Island with P-40s. A-20s and B-25s bomb Babo Airfield on New
Guinea. During the night of 3/4 Nov harassing strikes are flown at airfields
in the C Philippine Islands, on the NE peninsula of Celebes Island, and on
Halmahera Island in the Moluccas Islands.

SATURDAY, 4 NOVEMBER 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 6 B-24s strike the airfield, buildings, and
offshore shipping at Suribachi and Kurabu on Paramushiru Island.

  ZONE OF INTERIOR: The first report is received of a Japanese balloon SW of
San Pedro, California; the US Navy recovers some apparatus, envelope, and
rigging.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 34 P-40s, P-51s, and P-38s
attack road traffic and other targets of opportunity in the Mangshih and
Lungling areas; 4 P-38s bomb the pass near Menghsu, blocking the highway.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 17 P-47s pound Shwebo
Airfield while 6 others bomb stores of guns and ammunition at Mong Yaw.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): In France, HQ 439th Troop
Carrier Group and the 93d Troop Carrier Squadron move from Lonray to
Chateaudun with C-47s; the 95th, 96th and 97th Troop Carrier Squadrons, 440th
Troop Carrier Group, move from Le Mans to Orleans with C-47s; the 99th Troop
Carrier Squadron, 441st Troop Carrier Group, moves from St Marceau to Dreux
with C-47s.

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
  Mission 700: 1,160 bombers and 890 fighters are dispatched in 6 forces to
make PFF attacks on the oil industry in W Germany; 5 bombers and 2 fighters
are lost:
  1. 228 B-17s are dispatched to hit the oil plant at Neunkirchen (151);
secondary targets hit are the marshalling yards at Saarbrucken (35) and
Neunkirchen (13); 5 B-17s are damaged. Escort is provided by 76 of 77 P-47s
and 50 Ninth AF P-51s without loss.
  2. 210 of 222 B-24s hit the Misburg oil plant at Hannover; 3 B-24s are lost
and 93 damaged; 28 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 371 P-47s and P-51s;
they claim 0-0-1 aircraft on the ground; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
  3. 257 B-17s are dispatched to hit the Harburg oil plant at Hamburg (238);
targets of opportunity are the aviation industry at Nordholz (9) and other
(2); 9 B-17s are damaged. Escort is provided by 124 of 139 P-51s; they claim
0-0-1 aircraft on the ground; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA) and 1 damaged beyond
repair.
  4. 186 of 193 B-17s hit the Rhenania oil plant at Hamburg; 2 others hit
targets of opportunity; 2 B-17s are lost and 61 damaged; 1 airman is WIA and
18 MIA. Escort is provided by 110 P-51s without loss.
  5. 91 of 119 B-17s hit the Welhun oil plant at Bottrop; 26 others hit the
secondary, the marshalling yard at Hamm; 24 B-17s are damaged. Escort is
provided by 37 of 40 P-51s; they claim 0-0-1 aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost.
  6. 133 of 141 B-24s hit Gelsenkirchen/Nordstern without loss. Escort is
provided by 50 of 54 P-47s.
  Mission 701: 3 B-17s and 6 B-24s drop leaflets in France, the Netherlands
and Germany during the night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 218 B-26s and A-20s hit
the Trier ordnance depot, Baumholder, and Eschweiler gun positions; fighters
escort the 9th Bombardment Division, attack railroads, bridges, and other
targets, and support the US XIX Corps in the Aachen area. In France, the
556th, 557th, 558th and 559th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium), 387th
Bombardment Group (Medium), move from Chateaudun to Clastres with B-26s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 715 B-17s and B-24s with
fighter escorts pound oil storage at Regensburg and marshalling yards at
Munich and Augsburg, Germany, the main marshalling yard and a benzol plant at
Linz, Austria, a troop concentration at Podgorica, Yugoslavia, as well as
attacking several alternate targets and scattered targets of opportunity
including marshalling yards at Wels and Kufstein, Austria, Erding Airfield,
Germany, railroad targets in and near Rosenheim, Germany, and the towns of
Strass and Muhldorf, Austria.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, 200o+ B-25s and B-26s of
the 42d Bombardment Wing (Medium) hit railway and road bridges in the Brenner
Pass; 130+ B-25s of the 57th Bombardment Wing strike communications in the W
Po Valley, cutting at least 4 bridges; fighters and fighter-bombers of XXII
Tactical Air Command concentrate on communications targets and trains in the
Po Valley and defenses in the battle area S of Bologna; some XXII Tactical
Air Command aircraft hit guns on the N Italian coast, some hit a rocket
launching site and communications N of battle area, and 4 P-47s bomb a Milan
hotel where Adolf Hitler is rumored to be staying.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 18 Saipan Island-based B-24s bomb Iwo Jima
Island airfields; 2 others, on shipping reconnaissance, bomb Naha Jima.  2
B-24s on armed reconnaissance from Guam Island bomb Marcus Island. 16 P-47s
bomb landing strip on Pagan Island. The 316th Troop Carrier Squadron, VI Air
Service Area Command, arrives at Kahuku AAB, Hawaii from the US with C-47s.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine
Islands, B-24s again pound Alicante Airfield on Negros Island; the 8th
Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group,
arrives at Dulag, Leyte Island from Biak Island with F-5s. The detachment of
the 17th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 4th Photographic Group
(Reconnaissance), ceases operating from Sansapor, New Guinea with F-5s and
returns to base on Morotai Island.

SUNDAY, 5 NOVEMBER 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 4 B-25s abort an offensive sweep off Suribachi
on Paramushiru Island due to intense shore fire; 4 more B-25s fly armed
reconnaissance over Shimushu Island and at decklevel bomb Torishima Island
targets; of 4 fighters intercepting the B-25s, 1 is downed; 4 B-24s bomb
Onnekotan and Matsuwa Islands; 3 more B-24s bomb Katalka naval base on
Shimushu Island, starting fires; 7 fighters intercept and the B-24s down 1.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 49 P-40s, P-38s, and P-51s
attack storage facilities and other targets of opportunity around Wanling,
Burma and Mangshih, Chefang, and Kweihsien; the 22d Bombardment Squadron
(Medium), 341st Bombardment Group (Medium), based at Yangkai, sends a
detachment to operate from Yunnani with B-25s; the 426th Night Fighter
Squadron, Fourteenth AF, moves from Madhaiganj, India to Chengtu with P-61s
(detachment begin operating from Kunming during the month).

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, about 70 P-47s attack
Lashio Airfield, hit gun positions on Kyundaw Island, bomb the Kanbalu
marshalling yard, hit targets of opportunity along the Naba-Wuntho railroad
and on the Burma Road and bomb the town of Namhpakka and the Lasai area; 28
other P-47s maintain patrols S of Myitkyina; transports fly 300+ sorties
carrying men, equipment and supplies to various forward areas.

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Twentieth Air Force): 53 Calcutta, India-based B-29s
bomb the Singapore naval base in Malaya putting the King George VI Graving
Dock (one of the world's best drydocks) out of operation for 3 months, and
blast other targets at the base; 7 other B-29s bomb the secondary target and
Pangkalanbrandan refinery on Sumatra while 4 more hit other target.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): In France, HQ 442d Troop
Carrier Group moves from Bonnetable to St-Andre-de-L'Eure; the 91st Troop
Carrier Squadron, 439th Troop Carrier Group, moves from Lonray to
Chateaudun with C-47s; the 98th Troop Carrier Squadron, 440th Troop Carrier
Group, moves from Le Mans to Orleans with C-47s; the 303d Troop Carrier
Squadron, 442d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Peray to St-Andre-de-L'Eure
with C-47s.

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
  Mission 702: 1,272 bombers and 666 fighters in 3 forces attack marshalling
yards in W Germany; H2X radar is used by all forces; 12 bombers and 6
fighters are lost.
  1. 452 B-17s are dispatched to the marshalling yard at Frankfurt (396);
36 hit the marshalling yard at Hanau and 4 hit other targets; 1 B-17s is
lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 126 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 3 WIA and
MIA. Escort is provided by 206 P-47s and P-51s; 2 P-51s are lost (pilots
MIA)
  2. 454 B-17s are dispatched to hit the marshalling yard (219) and
industrial area (177) at Ludwigshafen; targets of opportunity are the
marshalling yard at Kaiserslautern (33) and other (4); 11 B-17s are lost
and 298 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 5 WIA and 103 MIA. Escort is provided by
192 P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
  3. 333 of 366 B-24s hit the secondary target, the Karlsruhe marshalling
yard; 12 others hit Landau; 3 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 28
damaged; 6 airmen are KIA and 8 WIA. Escort is provided by 228 P-47s and
P-51s; 2 P-47s and 1 P-51 are lost (pilots are MIA).
  Mission 703: 3 B-17s and 7 B-24s drop leaflets in France, the Netherlands
and Germany during the night without loss.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 160 B-26s and A-20s strike
ammunition, ordnance, and supply depots at Hamburg, Germany; fighters escort
the bombers, fly armed reconnaissance, attack railroads and bridges, and
cover ground forces of the V and XIX Corps; the IX Tactical Air Command aids
the US 28th Infantry Division in withstanding a counterattack near
Kommerscheidt, Germany. HQ 362d Fighter Group moves from Prosnes to
Rouvres, France. The 33d Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 363d
Tactical Reconnaissance Group, moves from Gosselies to Le Culot, Belgium
with F-5s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 500 B-24s and B-17s bomb the
Floridsdorf oil refinery at Vienna, Austria in the largest operation against
a single target during World War II; 10 other heavy bombers bomb about 20
scattered targets of opportunity and 1 alternate target, the Kapfenberg,
Austria tank works; 139 P-38s and 198 P-51s provide escort; 16 of the
fighters strafe targets of opportunity in the target area; 42 other B-24s,
with fighter escort, bomb troop concentrations at Mitrovica and Podgorica,
Yugoslavia.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers, flying
300+ sorties, bomb bridges in the Brenner Pass and in the NE Po Valley to
interdict the Germans' 2 main supply routes from the N; fighters and fighter-
bombers hit defenses and forces in the battle areas in the N Apennines S of
Bologna and attack communications targets to the N as well as in battle zone.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Guam Island hit shipping in the
Bonin Islands and, during an armed reconnaissance mission, bomb Marcus Island.

  HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): 24 Mariana Islands-based B-29s bomb 2 Iwo
Jima Island airfields, starting tactical operations against the island in
preparation for the US invasion in Feb 45. 

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s and P-40s
attack airfields and barges in the C Philippine Islands. B-24s also hit the
town of Bima and Waingapoe Bay shipping on Soembawa Island in the Lesser
Sunda Islands.  B-25s and fighter-bombers strike airfields, troop
concentrations, and communications targets throughout the Halmahera Island
area and NE peninsula of Celebes Island. Fighter-bombers and A-20s hit Amahai
and targets of opportunity on the S coast of Ceram Island.  Almost 50 A-20s,
supporting ground forces, blast installations in Sarmi, New Guinea area. HQ
71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group arrives on Leyte Island from Biak Island.
The ground echelons of the 35th and 36th Fighter Squadrons, 8th Fighter
Group, move from Morotai Island to Dulag, Leyte Island (air echelon continues
to operate P-38s from Morotai).

MONDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Kurile Islands, 4 B-25s bomb Torishima
Island, score a hit on a large building, sink two nearby barges, and probably
hit other shipping targets; about 20 fighters intercept, downing 1 B-25; the
B-25s claim 3 victories.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 16 P-40s pound the Mangshih
and Lungling areas; 15 others hit buildings and other targets of opportunity
at Wanling, Burma and around Chefang and Kweihsien; the detachment of the
21st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Fourteenth AF, operating from
Liuchow with F-5s, returns to base at Kunming.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): AAF, India-Burma Sector, China-
Burma-India Theater is redesignated AAF, India-Burma Theater. In Burma, 70+
P-47s, sweep airfields at Anisakan, Onbauk, Shwebo, Kin, and Kawlin; destroy
and damage bridges at Hinlong, China and Wingkang; bomb the town of Mawtaung
and marshalling yard at Kanbalu; hit boxcars at Wuntho and Meza, boats along
the Irrawaddy River from Katha to Twinnge, and attack several scattered
targets of opportunity; 28 P-47s fly combat patrols S of Myitkyina; 8 B-25s
bomb the military area at Namun and supply dump at Mansi; large-scale
transport operations continue; the 165th Liaison Squadron (Commando), 1st Air
Commando Group, moves from Tamu to Yazagyo with UC-64s and L-5s.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): In France, the 92d and 94th
Troop Carrier Squadrons, 439th Troop Carrier Group, move from Lonray to
Chateaudun with C-47s; the 306th Troop Carrier Squadron, 442d Troop Carrier
Group, moves from Peray to St-Andre-de-L'Eure with C-47s.

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 704: 1,131 bombers and 802
fighters in 6 forces make PFF attacks on the oil industry in W Germany; 5
bombers and 5 fighters are lost:
  1. 291 B-17s are dispatched to hit the Harburg (142) and Rhenania (138) oil
refineries at Hamburg; 3 others hit the Lubeck oil refinery at Hamburg; 4
B-17s are lost and 103 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 2 WIA and 36 MIA. Escort is
238 of 258 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair.
  2. 262 B-17s are dispatched to hit the aviation industry at Neumunster
(23); 231 hit the secondary, the Neumunster marshalling yard; 3 others hit
targets of opportunity; 10 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is KIA. Escort is 93
of 102 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
  3. 215 B-24s are dispatched to hit the Mittelland Canal at Minden; 2 others
hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost and 31 damaged; 10 airmen are MIA.
43 of 44 P-47s escort without loss.
  4. 101 B-17s are dispatched to hit the Bottrop oil refinery; 12 others hit
the secondary, the marshalling yard at Hamm; 39 B-17s are damaged. 257 of 271
P-51s escort without loss.
  5. 143 B-24s are dispatched to hit the Sterkrade oil refinery (134); 1
other hit Vreden; 27 B-24s are damaged. 40 of 43 P-51s escort claiming 0-0-1
aircraft; 3 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).
  6. 119 B-17s are dispatched to hit the benzol oil plant at Duisburg (65);
43 hit a target of opportunity, the marshalling yard at Rheydt; 18 B-17s are
damaged. 51 of 54 P-47s escort without loss.
  30 P-51s of the Scouting Forces patrol the area without loss.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): Weather grounds the 9th Bombardment
Division; fighters, during armed reconnaissance, attack railroads and
bridges; the IX Tactical Air Command also supports ground forces in the
Schmidt, Germany area. 

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Austria, 580+ fighter-
escorted B-17s and B-24s bomb the Moosbierbaum oil refinery and Vienna S
ordnance depot, alternate targets of Maribor, Yugoslavia marshalling yard,
the Kapfenberg steel works and the Deutsch Wagram and Graz marshalling
yards, and the railroad power sub station at Bolzano, Italy.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers strike
electric transformers and converters, railway bridges and railway fills on
the rail line through the Brenner Pass; fighter-bombers and fighters again
hit troops and gun positions in the battlelines S of Bologna and
communications targets N of the battle area.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): In the Bonin Islands, B-24s from Saipan Island
bomb shipping at Okimura and Higashi-minato and hit Ani Jima Island. During
the night of  6/7 Nov a snooper mission is flown over Iwo Jima Island
airfields; the dispersal areas and runways are bombed. Beginning on this date
and continuing through 24 Dec 44, B-24s on Saipan Island fly 24 missions to
lay 170 mines in several anchorages throughout the Bonin Islands.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s strike Lahug,
Cebu Island and Fabrica, Negros Island Airfields, while fighter-bombers pound
Palompon on Leyte Island, a bridge N of Valencia on Mindanao Island, and
barges in Ormoc Bay, Leyte Island, all in the Philippine Islands. B-24s bomb
Malili on Celebes Island. The 822d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 38th
Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Biak Island to Morotai Island with
B-25s.

TUESDAY, 7 NOVEMBER 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 6 B-25s bomb the railroad
yards at Yuncheng; 2 B-25s and 21 P-51s, P-40s, and P-38s hit targets of
opportunity around Wanling, Burma and Mangshih, Chefang, and Lungling; HQ
68th Composite Wing moves from Liuchow to Luliang; the air echelon of the
118th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Fourteenth AF (attached to 23d
Fighter Group), ceases operating from Liuchow and returns to base at
Chengkung with P-51s.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 80+ P-47s hit gun
positions, supply areas, and troops at Bhamo, Pintin, and in the vicinity of
Myazedi, bomb airfields at Kawlin, Shwebo, and Onbauk, hit a fuel dump near
Panghkam road junction, attack railroad targets of opportunity between Indaw
and Shwebo, and targets of opportunity along the Irrawaddy River between
Bhamo and Katha; 28 other P-47s maintain overlapping patrols over the area S
of Myitkyina; transports fly 260+ sorties to forward areas.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): No bomber operations because of
unfavorable weather; fighters fly patrols and armed reconnaissance, attacking
railroads, gun positions and other targets; the IX Tactical Air Command
supports the US V Corps as fierce counterattacks force the US 28th Infantry
Division to retreat from the village of Kommerscheidt, Germany; the V Corps
decides to withdraw the Kall River bridgehead.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 550+ B-17s and B-24s attack
Maribor and Alipasin Most, Yugoslavia and Brunico, Italy marshalling yards;
the Floridsdorf oil refinery at Vienna, Austria; the Brenner Pass railroad
route; railroad bridges at Pinzano al Tagliamento, Casarsa della Delizia,
Mezzocorona, Ora, and Albes, Italy; and troop concentrations at Novi Pazar,
Sjenica, Prijepolje, and Mitrovica, Yugoslavia; fighters escort all
operations except the attacks on troop concentrations; in Yugoslavia, 124
P-38s strafe troop concentrations at Podgorica and roads and railroads near
Raska, between Visegrad-Prijepolje-Sjenica and from Sjenica to Novi Pazar.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): The Adjutant General officially
orders the de facto action of 19 Oct redesignating HQ XII Fighter Command to
HQ XXII Tactical Air Command. In Italy, medium bombers of the 42d Bombardment
Wing (Medium) aid the Royal Air Force's (RAF's) Desert Air Force (DAF) in
supporting the British Eighth Army's attack on Forli; the 57th Bombardment
Wing continues an interdiction campaign against railway supply lines in NE
Italy; fighter-bombers closely support US Fifth Army forces astride the Idice
River in the mountains S of Bologna and bomb communications N of the
Apennines, scoring many hits on bridges between Piacenza and Bologna. 

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Guam Island strike Iwo Jima Island
and, during an armed reconnaissance flight, bomb AA positions on Marcus
Island. P-47s strafe the airfield on Pagan Island during the early morning
and follow up with rocket and strafing runs later in the morning.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine
Islands, B-24s and fighter-bombers hit Fabrica, Alicante, and Bacolod
Airfields on Negros Island, and Opon Airfield on Cebu, Island; shipping at
various C Philippine Islands locations, and communications and supply targets
at Tambuco, Ormoc, and Palompon on Leyte Island, Valencia on Mindanao Island,
and other areas; P-38s and B-25s hit Del Monte Airfield on Mindanao Island
and targets of opportunity in Macajalar Bay on Mindanao Island, and Mandai
Airfield on Celebes Island; the 89th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 3d
Bombardment Group (Light), moves from Hollandia, New Guinea to Dulag, Leyte
Island with A-20s. On Celebes Island, B-25s hit Tanamon, Mapanget, and
Langoan. On Halmahera Island, B-25s and fighter-bombers hit Galela, Miti, and
Kaoe Airfields. In sweeps over Boeroe Island, Lesser Sunda Islands, and Ceram
Island, Moluccas Islands, small groups of B-25s and P-38s hit runways and
small shipping. B-24s bomb Raba Estate in the Sunda Islands. In New Guinea,
the 4th Photographic Charting Squadron, 311th Photographic Wing (Mapping and
Charting) (attached to Thirteenth AF), arrives at Hollandia from the US with
F-7s (the squadron will begin mapping of the SW and W Pacific in Dec 44).

WEDNESDAY, 8 NOVEMBER 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): An 8-aircraft shipping sweep is cancelled due
to weather.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In S China and N French Indochina 2
B-25s hit railroad tracks at Lohochai, China and 2 others hit tracks at Duc
Tho, French Indochina. 4 P-51s blast road machinery near Muse, Burma. 15
B-25s, 13 P-40s and P-51s pound storage buildings, villages, and other
targets of opportunity throughout the Mangshih, China area.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 80+ P-47s support ground
forces in the Mawlu area, bomb personnel, supplies, and communications
facilities at Tunhong, Chaungdauk, and Kutkai, gun positions at Hsipaw, the
Man Hpa town area, Kawlin Airfield and targets of opportunity along the
Kawlin-Pinwe railroad; 8 B-25s knock out the Bawgyo railroad bridge. 270+
transports fly sorties to forward areas. In India, a detachment of the 5th
Fighter Squadron (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, begins operating from
Fenny with P-47s; the detachment of the 6th Fighter Squadron (Commando), 1st
Air Commando Group, operating from Cox's Bazar return to base at Asanol.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): The transfer of training functions
from VIII Air Force Composite Command to combat groups is completed; the VIII
AF Composite Command ceases to function as personnel are attached to the Air
Disarmament Command (Provisional) by the US Strategic Air Forces in Europe
(USSTAF). The airfield at Denain/Prouvy, France is assigned to HQ Eighth AF;
this is the first step in establishing an VIII Air Force Services Command
Service Center on the European continent so that Eighth AF can service and
administer its own aircraft and personnel in the area.
  2 missions are flown.
  Mission 705: 690 bombers and 890 fighters are dispatched to make a PFF
attack on Merseburg oil plants and Rheine marshalling yard; bad weather causes
the recall of 350+ bombers; 3 bombers and 11 fighters are lost:
  1. 267 B-17s are dispatched to hit the Leuna oil plant at Merseburg (193);
2 others hit a target of opportunity; 9 of 12 B-17s fly as a screening force;
3 B-17s are lost and 85 damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 27 MIA. Escorting are
752 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 2-0-1 aircraft in the air and 0-0-1 on the
ground; 2 P-47s and 9 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA) and 2 P-51s are damaged
beyond repair.
  2. 145 B-24s are dispatched to hit the Rheine marshalling yard (77);
targets of opportunity are Enschede (8), Nordhorn Canal (8) and other (1); 15
B-24s are damaged. Escorting are 36 of 37 P-47s without loss.
  3. 266 B-17s dispatched to hit the Leuna oil plant at Merseburg are
recalled due to weather. 
  11 of 14 P-51s fly a scouting missions without loss.
  Mission 706: 5 B-17s and 12 B-24s (2 abort) drop leaflets in France, the
Netherlands and Germany during the night without loss.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): Weather cancels operations against
military depots and troop concentrations in Germany, and fortified positions
in France; a mission against rail bridges in Germany is recalled due to
weather; fighters fly escort, attack railroads, bridges, factories, supply
dumps, and command posts; the IX and XIX Tactical Air Commands support the US
28th Infantry Division in the Schmidt, Germany area (V Corps begins
withdrawing the Kall River bridgehead) and Third Army elements start an
assault on enemy fortifications in the Metz, France area.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Yugoslavia, 34 B-24s bomb
troop concentrations at Mitrovica, Prijepolje, and Sjenica.  Heavy cloud over
the targets forces 70+ others to abort.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers strike
the rail line in the Brenner Pass and other lines running into Italy from the
NE and bomb bridges in the C and W Po Valley, damaging several and destroying
the bridge at Mantua; fighters and fighter-bombers hit communications in the
Bologna area, but concentrate most of their operations against bridges and
rail lines in the Parma area in an effort to disrupt battle area supply lines.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Saipan Island hit shipping at Chichi
Jima and Haha Jima Islands. A single B-24 on a snooper mission bombs Iwo Jima
Island during the night of 8/9 Nov. P-47s attempt a fighter sweep over Pagan
Island but must abort because of bad weather.

  HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): 17 XXI Bomber Command B-29s are airborne
against the airfield on Iwo Jima Island; 6 manage to bomb through a hole in
the cloud cover; others fail to bomb the target; enemy aircraft drop
phosphorus bombs on the formations, damaging 1 B-29; 1 B-29 ditches, the
first aircraft lost by the XXI Bomber Command on a combat mission.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s again hit
Alicante Airfield on Negros Island. On Celebes Island, B-25s bomb Langoan
Airfield while P-38s on sweeps over the Kendari area hit parked aircraft,
shipping, the nickel mine, and other targets of opportunity. On Halmahera
Island, B-25s attack Kaoe and Hate Tabako Airfield while others hit targets
of opportunity on Ceram Island. The 12th Fighter Squadron, 18th Fighter
Group, based at Sansapor, New Guinea, begins operating from Morotai Island
with P-38s. The 424th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 307th Bombardment Group
(Heavy), that has been operating from Noemfoor Island with B-24s, returns to
base on Wakde Island.

THURSDAY, 9 NOVEMBER 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force):
     Eleventh AF: An 8-plane armed reconnaissance sweep and a 4-plane bombing
mission are cancelled due to weather.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 8 B-25s bomb Mangshih while
10 P-38s hit targets of opportunity in the Mangshih-Chefang area; 6 B-25s
bomb Kaifeng while 6 others hit sampans, storage areas, and other targets of
opportunity in the Yiyang area; 160 P-40s, P-38s, and P-51s on armed
reconnaissance over wide expanses of S China and N Indochina attack trucks,
gun positions, river and coastal shipping, and other targets of opportunity
at or near Pingnam, Kweihsien, Changsha, Yoyang, Siangtan, Lushan, Kioshan,
Paoching, Hengyang, Liangshan, Liuchow, Suikai, and Weichow Island and Gia
Lam and Kien An, French Indochina.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 70+ aircraft bomb
concentrations and supply areas at Kutkai, Shwebo, Mawtawng, and Kunhailong,
bomb the airfield at Kawlin, knock out a bridge at Ho-hko, and support ground
forces and hit targets of opportunity near Chyauhkawng, Namakyaing, Sepein,
Tonlon, and at other points in the same general area; 6 B-25s bomb rail yards
at Kanbalu; transports continue large-scale operations, flying nearly 300
sorties to forward areas; the 20th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 8th
Photographic Reconnaissance Group, moves from Kisselbari, India to Myitkyina
with P-40s.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): The 304th Troop Carrier
Squadron, 442d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Peray to St-Andre-de-L'Eure,
France with C-47s.

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
  Mission 707: 1,309 bombers and 738 fighters are dispatched to hit front
line strongpoints and tactical targets in the Metz and Thionville, France
areas; 4 bombers and 5 fighters are lost:
  1. 460 B-17s are dispatched to hit transportation targets at Thionville
(47); 276 hit the secondary, the marshalling yard at Saarbrucken; targets of
opportunity are Saarlautern (34) and other (3); 4 B-17s are lost, 4 damaged
beyond repair and 96 damaged; 8 airmen are KIA, 6 WIA and 27 MIA. Escort is
provided by 187 of 192 P-51s without loss.
  2. 437 B-17s are dispatched to hit transportation targets at Metz (345); 41
hit the secondary, the marshalling yard at Saarbrucken; 28 hit Koblenz; 3
B-17s are damaged beyond repair and 13 damaged; 19 airment are KIA. Escort is
provided by 176 of 184 P-51s without loss.
  3. 402 B-24s are dispatched to hit transportation targets at Metz (385); 15
hit the secondary, the marshalling yard at Saarbrucken; 1 B-24 is damaged
beyond repair and 5 damaged. Escort is provided by 113 of 119 P-51s; 3 P-51s
are damaged beyond repair.
  4. 10 of 10 B-17s fly a screening force mission.
  5. 139 P-47s and P-51s fly fighter-bomber missions in the Frankfurt-
Lannheim area of Germany; 1 P-47 and 4 P-51s are lost; 4 pilots are MIA.
  6. 30 of 32 P-51s fly a scouting forces mission.
  Mission 708: 5 B-17s and 12 B-24s drop leaflets in France, the Netherlands
and Germany during the night.
  The 27th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 7th Photographic Group
(Reconnaissance) (attached to VIII Air Force Service Command), moves from
Mount Farm, England to Denain/Prouvy, France with F-5s.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 74 planes of the 9th Bombardment
Division attack road junctions, barracks, ordnance arsenals, artillery camps,
military storage depot, and other targets in the Dieuze and Faulquemont,
France and Landau and Sankt Wendel, Germany areas; the IX Tactical Air
Command flies sweeps over W Germany and attacks marshalling yard at Duren,
Germany, while the XXIX Tactical Air Command escort attacks Rahling, Germany
and an airfield and supports US Third Army elements (2 infantry and 2 armored
divisions) as an allout assault on Metz, France is pushed. In France, HQ 358th
Fighter Group moves from Mourmelon to Toul; the 379th Fighter Squadron, 362d
Fighter Group, moves from Prosnes to Rouvres with P-47s; the 425th Night
Fighter Squadron, XIX Tactical Air Command, moves from Prosnes to Etain with
P-61s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Bad weather limits operations
to 4 weather reconnaissance missions.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, bad weather hampers
medium bombers operations in the Po Valley as 7 of 9 missions abort; in the
2 others, bridges in the Valley are hit; fighters and fighter-bombers fly
less than 100 sorties, but successfully strike road and railroad bridges in
the Bologna-Modena areas.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Guam Island, fly shipping
reconnaissance over the Bonin Islands attacking vessels and AA positions at
Haha Jima Island, shipping and town at Okimura and returning, strafe Iwo Jima
Island. P-47s from Saipan Island Island strafe storage caves on Pagan Island. 
During the night of 9/10 Nov a lone B-24 from Guam Island, on a snooper
mission, bombs Iwo Jima Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine
Islands, fighter-bombers attack a convoy off the W coast of Leyte Island and
hit barges and shipping near Ormoc; B-24s bomb Carolina Airfield on Negros
Island. B-25s attack several airfields and villages in the NE peninsula of
Celebes and Halmahera Islands. A-20s strike Piroe on Ceram Island. HQ 309th
Bombardment Wing (Heavy) moves from Noemfoor Island to Owi, Schouten Islands.
The 70th Fighter Squadron, 18th Fighter Group, based at Sansapor, New Guinea,
begins operating from Morotai Island with P-38s. The 408th Bombardment
Squadron (Heavy), 22d Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Owi, Schouten
Island to Leyte Island with B-24s; the 431st Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter
Group, moves from Biak Island to Dulag, Leyte Island with P-38s.

FRIDAY, 10 NOVEMBER 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 11 B-25s pound storage buildings and
the town area of Wanling, Burma. In China, 130+ P-40s, P-38s, and P-51s on
armed reconnaissance over S China attack river, road and rail traffic,
storage, airfield and villages at or near Tingka, Chefang, Kweilin, Yoyang,
Nanyo, Changsha, Paoching, Kweihsien, Yungfu, Wuchou, Siangtan, Tanchuk,
Mosun, Kweiping, Yuncheng, Chenghsien, Hankow, and Chikhom.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 60+ P-47s again attack a
variety of targets including Japanese concentrations at Bhamo, Indaw, Hkapra,
and Nawngtao, the town of Naba Station, bridges at Meza and in the Kawlin
area, and targets of opportunity along the Irrawaddy River and along the
railroad corridor in N Burma and support ground forces S of Bhamo; transports
fly 250+ sorties to forward areas; the 20th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron,
8th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, that has been operating from Tingkawk
Sakan since Jun 44 with P-40s, returns to base at Myitkyina.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
  Mission 709: 752 bombers and 808 fighters in 3 forces are dispatched to
make PFF attack on airfields in W Germany; 4 bombers are lost.
  1. 302 B-24s are dispatched to hit the Langendiebach Airfield at Hanau
(229); 61 hit the secondary, the marshalling yard at Hanau; 1 B-24 is lost, 1
damaged beyond repair and 46 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 2 WIA and 9 MIA.
Escort is provided by 261 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 4-0-0 aircraft without
loss.
  2. 235 B-17s are dispatched to hit Wiesbaden Airfield (105); 73 hit the
secondary, Wiesbaden/Halle; 4 others hit targets of opportunity; 2 B-17s are
lost, 4 damaged beyond repair and 90 damaged; 7 airmen are WIA and 20 MIA.
Escort is provided by 142 of 154 P-51s without loss.
  3. 203 B-17s are dispatched to hit the Butzweilerhof (96) and Ostheim (97)
Airfields at Cologne; 1 B-17s is lost and 95 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 5 WIA
and 9 MIA. Escort is provided by 182 of 191 P-51s; they claim 2-0-0 aircraft
without loss.
  4. 12 of 12 B-17s fly a screening mission.
  5. 79 of 87 P-47s hit communications targets in N and C Germany; they claim
1-0-0 aircraft on the ground.
  6. 35 P-51s fly a scouting force mission.
  7. 58 of 60 P-51s make strafing runs in Germany.
  Mission 711: 6 B_17s and 9 B-24s (1 abort) drop leaflets on the Netherlands
and Germany during the night without loss.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 150+ bombers dispatched against
an ordnance arsenal and camp area are recalled due to weather; 7 others drop
leaflets; the XXIX Tactical Air Command attacks railroads while the XIX
Tactical Air Command escorts bombers and supports the 80th and 5th Infantry
Divisions in the US Third Army assault in the Metz, France area.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Continued bad weather limits
operations to reconnaissance missions and reconnaissance escorts by P-38s.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): HQ and HQ Squadron, XII Tactical
Air Command; HQ and HQ Squadron, 64th Fighter Wing; 324th Fighter Group;
415th Night Fighter Squadron; 11th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron; and
several signal, fighter control, and service units are relieved from duty
with the Twelfth AF and assigned to the European Theater of Operations, US
Army (ETOUSA) and the First Tactical Air Force (Provisional).
  In Italy, medium bombers continue the interdiction campaign against
railways in NE Italy, principally the Brenner Pass, Brenta River and Po River
bridges, rail ferry at Ostiglia, and several dumps; fighter-bombers hit rail
targets and guns at several points in Po Valley.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 27 Saipan Island-based B-24s pound Iwo Jima
Island. In the Palau Islands, 6 B-24s from Angaur Island bomb Koror Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-25s and A-20s
over Ceram Island bomb Haroekoe Airfield, Piroe, and targets of opportunity
on the S coast. In the Philippine Islands, fighter-bombers again hit Ormoc
Bay, Leyte Island shipping while B-25s join US Navy aircraft in shipping
strikes throughout the same area; at least 3 destroyers are claimed sunk;
B-24s in the area bomb the town of Ormoc; the 19th and 33d Bombardment
Squadrons (Heavy), 22d Bombardment Group (Heavy), move from Owi, Schouten
Islands to Leyte Island with B-24s; the 460th Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter
Group, moves from Noemfoor Island to Tacloban, Leyte Island with P-47s; the
500th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 345th Bombardment Group (Medium), moves
from Biak Island to Dulag, Leyte with B-25s (squadron continues operating
from Biak). The 371st, 372d and 424th Bombardment Squadrons, 307th
Bombardment Group (Heavy), move from Wakde Island to Morotai Island with
B-24s (squadrons are operating from Noemfoor Island).

SATURDAY, 11 NOVEMBER 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 18 B-25s hit Phuc Yen, French
Indochina, Wan Lai-Kam, Burma, and damage a bridge on the Mekong River in
French Indochina. 10 B-25s bomb Kweilin Airfield in China while 4 hit 
Wanling, Burma. 5 B-25s and 6 P-40s attack Chingmen Airfield, China. 70+
P-40s, P-51s and P-38s over S China and N Indochina on armed reconnaissance
hit targets of opportunity at several locations, concentrating on Lampang,
Thailand, and the Changsha, Lingling, and Hengyang, China areas.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, nearly 90 P-47s hit troop
concentrations at Chaungdauk, Nawngtao, Mankang, and in the Indaw vicinity;
damage and knock out bridges at Meza and S of Kawlin, score near misses on
bridges in the Hsenwi and Namhkai area; blast a radio installation near
Manoi, bomb Kawlin Airfield, hit rail traffic between Shwebo and Padu, and
attack targets of opportunity along the Irrawaddy River from Tigyaing to
Twinnge. Transports fly 237 sorties to forward areas. The 115th Liaison
Squadron, Tenth AF, arrives at Ledo, India from the US with L-1s and L-5s.
A detachment of the 317th Troop Carrier Squadron (Commando), Tenth AF, begins
operating from Tulihal, India with C-47s (squadron is based at Sylhet,
India).

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): The 305th Troop Carrier
Squadron, 442d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Peray to St-Andre-de-L'Eure
with C-47s.

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 712: 482 bombers and 367
fighters make PFF attacks on oil refineries and marshalling yards in W
Germany; 1 bomber and 1 fighter are lost:
  1. 197 B-17s are sent to hit the Oberlahnstein marshalling yard (146); 24
hit the secondary, the Koblenz marshalling yard; 2 hit a target of
opportunity; 1 B-17s is damaged beyond repair and 31 damaged; 1 airman is
KIA. Escorting are 170 P-47s and P-51s without loss.
  2. 129 B-17s are sent to hit the Buer oil refinery at Gelsenkirchen (100);
23 hit the secondary, the Rheine marshalling yard; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond
repair and 1 damaged; 7 airmen are KIA. Escorting are 52 P-51s; 1 is lost.
  3. 143 B-24s are sent to hit the Bottrop oil refinery (124); 1 hit
Recklinghausen, a target of opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost and 39 damaged; 10
airmen are MIA. Escorting are 98 P-47s and P-51s.
  12 of 13 B-17s fly a screening mission.
  31 P-51s fly a scouting mission.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS 

    First Tactical Air Force (Provisional): HQ 320th Bombardment Group and
the 441st, 442d, 443d and 444th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) move from
Corsica to Longvic Airfield at Dijon, France with B-26s.

(Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 190 B-26s and A-20s hit
strongpoints at Putzlohn and rail bridges at Sinzig, Euskirchen, Ahrweiler,
and Mayen; the IX Tactical Air Command hits railroads and other targets,
escorts the bombers, and supports the US 28th Infantry Division in the
Schmidt area. The XXIX Tactical Air Command hits targets in W Germany. The
XIX Tactical Air Command flies armed reconnaissance and supports the US XII
and XX Corps in the Thionville-Metz, France area. In France, the 405th
Fighter Squadron, 371st Fighter Group, based at Tavaux Airfield at Dole
begins operating from Dijon with P-47s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 220+ heavy bombers attack
marshalling yards in Rosenheim, Germany; Salzburg, Villach, Linz, and Lienz,
the railroad at Zell am See and highway bridge at Sillian, and Wurzen Pass,
Austria; railroad bridges at Pinzano al Tagliamento, Latisana, and Casarsa
della Delizia, and Aviano Airfield, Italy. Fighters escort all missions
except the bridge attacks. Bad weather grounds 100+ other heavy bombers, and
another 320+ are recalled before reaching their target areas.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers strike at
railroad bridges in NC and NE Italy, damaging a bridge at Piazzola sul Brenta
and knocking out 2 spans of a bridge at Latisana; fighter-bombers continue
support of ground forces S of Bologna, attack vehicles, trains, and
communications in the Genoa-Alessandria area, bomb Villafranca di Verona
Airfield and set most of the area aflame; during the night of 10/11 Nov A-20s
bomb Ghedi Airfield and targets of opportunity in the Po Valley. The 17th and
18th Troop Carrier Squadrons, 64th Troop Carrier Group, cease operating from
Istres, France and return to base at Ciampino, Italy with C-47s.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Escorted by newly arrived P-38s (some of which
also escort the B-29 raid on Truk Atoll) 29 Guam Island-based B-24s pound Iwo
Jima Island airfields. 16 Saipan Island Island-based P-47s hit Pagan Island
beach defenses and storage caves.

  HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): The last of the 6 preliminary training
missions of the XXI Bomber Command is directed at Truk Atoll where 8 B-29s
bomb Dublon Island submarine pens.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine
Islands, B-24s hit Dumaguete Airfield on Negros Island while fighter-bombers
hit shipping in the Palompon area of Leyte Island and targets of opportunity
at Valencia on Mindanao Island. Over Halmahera Island, fighter-bombers and
B-25s hit shipping and Namlea Airfield on Buru Island. On Celebes Island,
P-38s hit Kendari Airfield and B-24s bomb the Ninring River area.

SUNDAY, 12 NOVEMBER 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 2 B-24s fly armed reconnaissance over Onnekotan
and Matsuwa Islands.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 8 B-25s knock out a railway bridge
and damage 2 others near Thanh Hoa, French Indochina. In Burma, 4 B-25s bomb
the town of Man Pwe while 4 attack Wanling. In China, 38 P-51s and P-40s hit
Hengyang Airfield and attack river, rail, and road traffic, artillery pieces,
pillboxes, and storage around Hengyang, Lingling, and Kweilin; 13 P-40s hit
the Changsha area; 40 P-51s and P-38s hit various targets of opportunity at
several other locations scattered throughout S China and N French Indochina;
the 21st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Fourteenth AF, based at
Kunming, sends a flight to operate from Suichwan with F-5s (other flights are
operating from Kanchow and Hanchung).

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 16 P-47s support ground
forces in the Pinwe area and near Indaw; 24 attack supplies and
communications targets in the Kawlin area while 9 bomb Japanese
concentrations at Indaw and Man Hkong; the town of Pegon is attacked by 11
P-47s and 20+ others and 9 B-25s hit targets of opportunity during the sweeps
of the Irrawaddy River from Singu to Katha and along rail lines at several
points in N Burma. 250+ transport sorties are flown to forward bases and
frontline areas. HQ 2d Air Commando Group arrives at Kalaikunda, India from
the US.

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Twentieth Air Force): 29 Chengtu, China-based B-29s
bomb Omura, Kyushu Island, Japan; 20+ others bomb the last resort target of
Nanking, China (due to bad weather over Omura), and 20+ more hit various
alternate targets and targets of opportunity.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command):

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): The operational tour of duty for
fighter pilots is set at 270 hours.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): Weather prevents operations by the
9th Bombardment Division; fighter operations are limited but IX and XIX
Tactical Air Command's fly patrols and armed reconnaissance in W Germany and
along the French-German border. In France, the 404th Fighter Squadron, 371st
Fighter Group, based at Tavaux Airfield, Dole begins operating from Dijon
with P-47s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Italy, 107 fighter-escorted
B-24s strike at bridges at Ora, Albes, and Mezzocorona, a viaduct at Avisio,
plus the alternate target of Casarsa della Delizia railroad bridges and
targets of opportunity in NE Italy including the Latisana railroad bridge and
an airfield to the N.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, bad weather grounds
medium bombers; fighter-bombers support ground forces in the N Apennines and
hit railway targets in the Po Valley, cut rail lines in 18 places and destroy
or seriously damage 8 bridges; during the night of 11/12 Nov A-20s hit motor
transport, Bergamo Airfield, and the Po River crossing at San Benedetto Po.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 29 Saipan Island-based B-24s with P-38 escort
bomb the airfield on Iwo Jima Island. 11 P-47s strafe the runway and storage
area on Pagan Island. During the night a B-24 on a snooper mission bombs Iwo
Jima Island. B-24s from Angaur Island bomb Koror Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine
Islands, B-24s bomb Alicante Airfield on Negros Island while on Leyte Island,
fighter-bombers hit Linao barges on the W coast and shipping in Ormoc Bay;
B-25s bomb Daliao and Matina Airfields on Mindanao Island. B-24s and fighter-
bombers over NE Celebes and Halmahera Islands attack shipping and Djailolo
Airfield on Halmahera Island. 50+ B-25s blast Mapia and Asia Islands, New
Guinea. Units moving to Leyte Island, Philippine Islands: HQ 91st
Photographic Wing (Reconnaissance) moves from Biak Island; HQ 345th
Bombardment Group (Medium) and the 498th and 499th Bombardment Squadrons
(Medium) from Biak Island with B-25s (squadrons continue to operate from Biak
Island). The 370th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 307th Bombardment Group
(Heavy), ceases operating from Noemfoor Island with B-24s and returns to base
on Wakde Island.

MONDAY, 13 NOVEMBER 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In Burma, 4 B-25s bomb Man Pwe while
4 others blast 3 warehouses at Wanling. 60+ P-40s, P-51s, and P-38s on armed
reconnaissance over S China and as far W and SW as Burma and Thailand hit
numerous targets of opportunity including shipping, troops, and railroad
targets.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 100+ fighter-bombers pound
numerous targets in N Burma; close support strikes are made on the Pinwe
area, bridges at Namhkai, Meza, and Thegyaung, on troop concentrations and on
supplies at Loi-Lum and Namhpakka; the ferry crossing at Shweli is hit by
12-hour delay bombs, the Nawnghkio landing ground is strafed, and numerous
targets of opportunity along the Irrawaddy River and rail lines in N Burma
are hit. Transports fly 300+ sorties to forward areas; the 166th Liaison
Squadron (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, moves from Asansol, India to
Yazagyo with UC-64s and L-5s; the 427th Night Fighter Squadron, AAF,
India-Burma Theater, based at Pandaveswar, India, sends detachment to operate
from Myitkyina with P-61s.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 713: 4 B-17s and 8 B-24s
drop leaflets in the Netherlands, France and Germany during the night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): Weather prevents all operations
except for night patrol and weather reconnaissance by the IX Tactical Air
Command.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): During the night of 12/13 Nov
14 B-17s and B-24s hit the oil refinery at Blechhammer, Germany; 5 others hit
alternate targets and targets of opportunity at scattered locations including
Gleiwitz, Germany, Karvina, Poland and Ruzomberok and Vac, Czechoslovakia.
Day operations are limited to reconnaissance missions.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 12/13
Nov A-20s bomb ammunition dumps, pontoon bridge, and targets of opportunity
in the Po Valley; a thick overcast covering N Italy the following morning
vastly curtails medium bombers which attack only a railway bridge at Padua;
fighter-bombers continue to hit communications N of the battle area and also
the oil pipeline across the Po River at Ostiglia.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 6 B-24s from Guam Island, escorting US Navy
photo aircraft over Iwo Jima Island and the Bonin Islands, attack shipping at
Futamiko in the Bonin Islands; 1 B-24 from Saipan Island, carrying out an
unsuccessful shipping search, bombs Iwo Jima Island. 7 B-24s from Angaur
Island hit oil storage on Malakal Island, Palau Islands and attack a bridge
between Malakal and Koror Islands.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine
Islands, B-24s pound Fabrica Airfield on Negros Island while fighter-bombers
hit shipping and other targets of opportunity; a few fighter-bombers hit
Legaspi Airfield on Luzon Island; B-25s, with P-38 cover, hit San Roque
Airfield and the town of Zamboanga on Mindanao Island; the 433d Fighter
Squadron, 475th Fighter Group, moves from Biak Island to Dulag, Leyte Island
with P-38s; the 501st Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 345th Bombardment Group
(Medium), moves from Biak Island to Dulag, Leyte Island but continues to
operate from Biak. Over Halmahera Island and in the Ceram Island area
fighter-bombers and A-20s bomb airfields and various targets of opportunity.
Pegun Island, New Guinea, is blasted by 2 waves of 70 A-20s.

TUESDAY, 14 NOVEMBER 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In E Burma and in the China-Burma
boundary areas 8 B-25s bomb Wanling and Hsenwi, Burma; 15 P-38s and P-40s on
armed reconnaissance hit targets of opportunity around Wanling, Burma and
Mangshih, China.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 B-25s bomb a supply
area near Lashio; 56 fighter-bombers hit supply areas, enemy concentrations,
town  areas, and general targets of opportunity at Tingka, China and Kutkai,
Sandaya, Palaung, Kawlin, and in the Shwebo-Kyaukmyaung area. 12 support
ground forces in the Pinwe area, 4 bomb Sindaw River bridges and 30+ others
maintain patrols S of Myitkyina. 300+ transport sorties are flown to forward
areas.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): Weather prevents all operations
except a few fighter patrols and reconnaissance flights. In France, the
353d and 356th Fighter Squadrons, 354th Fighter Group, based at Orconte,
begin operating from St Dizier with P-47s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Bad weather limits operations
to reconnaissance missions.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, bad weather restricts
operations to fighter-bomber attacks by 17 P-47s on rail lines and road N of
the battleline.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 22 Saipan Island and Guam Island-based B-24s
bomb Woleai Atoll, Caroline Islands, hitting an airfield and adjacent
installations and firing an oil dump. 4 Saipan Island-based P-47s hit the
airfield on Pagan Island. During the night of 14/15 Nov a B-24 from Saipan
Island on a snooper mission attacks shipping SW of the Bonin Islands.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-25s pound Pegun
Island, New Guinea in preparation for allied amphibious landings early the
following morning. B-24s strike Langoan Airfield on Celebes Island. In the
Philippine Islands, B-24s, with P-38 and P-47 cover, bomb Bacolod Airfield on
Negros Island while fighter-bombers hit trucks and buildings in the Valencia,
Mindanao Island area and near Linao on Leyte Island and hit shipping S of
Ormoc on Leyte Island; on Cebu Island, B-25s and fighter-bombers pound Lahug
and Opon Airfield; the 310th Bombardment Wing (Medium) moves from Morotai
Island to Leyte Island; the ground echelon of the 418th Night Fighter
Squadron, Thirteenth AF, moves from Morotai Island to Dulag, Leyte Island
(the air echelon remains on Morotai with P-61s). The 370th Bombardment
Squadron (Heavy), 307th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves form Wakde Island to
Morotai Island with B-24s.

COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
WEDNESDAY, 15 NOVEMBER 1944
FTP SITES
  1. ftp.rutgers.edu in directory pub/wwii/usaf
  2. byrd.mu.wvnet.edu (129.71.32.152) in pub/history/military/airforce/
     wwii_chronology

AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
  B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress
  B-24, Consolidated Liberator
  B-25, North American Mitchell
  C-47, Douglas Skytrain
  F-7, Consolidated Liberator
  P-38, Lockheed Lightning
  P-40, Curtiss
  P-47, Republic Thunderbolt
  P-51, North American Mustang

NOTE: A number in parenthesis after a target name indicates the number of
bombers attacking.

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 8 B-25s weather-abort an armed photo
reconnaissance over Paramushiru Island.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 19 B-25s and 16 P-51s and P-40s over
SW China, W Burma, and N Indochina hit railroad targets, villages, town
areas, and general targets of opportunity at or near man Pwe and Wanling,
Burma; Mangshih and Tingka, China; Quang Yen, Nam Dinh, and Thanh Hoa, French
Indochina.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 B-25s attack the
airfield at Kawlin; 42 P-47s hit supplies, troop and vehicle concentrations,
and targets of opportunity at Mansak, Gyogon, Banmauk, Namtao, and Wuntho; 20 
support ground forces in the Pinwe area while 16 attack bypass bridges at
Kawnghka and Namhkai, knocking out the latter; 8 P-47s bomb Kyaikthin rail
sidings and junction, 8 strafe Anisakan Airfield, and 12 hit targets of
opportunity during N Burma road sweeps. 280 transport sorties are flown.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 714: 6 B-17s and 6 B-24s
drop leaflets in the Netherlands, France and Germany during the night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): HQ XII Tactical Air Command, along
with the 71st Fighter Wing, 50th, 358th, and 371st Fighter Groups, 86th Air
Depot Group, and 83d and 312th Service Groups, is assigned to the First
Tactical Air Force (Provisional); when hostilities cease the First Tactical
Air Force will be disbanded and all of its units will revert to the Ninth AF.
  Weather prevents bomber operations and limits fighters; the XIX Tactical
Air Command flies armed reconnaissance in Merzig-Trier-Saarbrucken, Germany
area and supports the XX Corps in same area.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Austria, 80 B-17s and B-24s
attack a benzol plant at Linz, marshalling yard at Innsbruck, and troop
concentration at Novi Pazar, Yugoslavia (all primary targets), and make
single bomber attacks on Wolfsburg, Salzburg, Hieflau, the Kapfenberg steel
works, Schwaz, Ybbs, and airfields near Linz, and Passau, and Traunstein,
Germany; fighters escort the Novi Pazar, Yugoslavia raid.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): Twelfth AF loses HQ 63d Fighter
Wing; HQ 42d Bombardment Wing (Medium); HQ 17th and 320th Bombardment Groups
(Medium), and 310th Service Group to European Theater of Operations, USA Army
(ETOUSA).
  Bad weather cancels all operations except for reconnaissance by 4 P-47s and
attack by 2 on railroad bridge and rolling stock in the Po Valley.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Guam Island-based B-24s on a shipping strike to
the Bonin Islands, attack vessels at Haha Jima Island and near Chichi Jima
Island. 1 Saipan Island-based B-24, during the night of 15/16 Nov snooper
mission, bombs Iwo Jima Island after failing to find shipping targets in the
Bonin Islands.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-25s and fighter-
bombers support allied amphibious landings in Mapia Islands off the NW coast
of New Guinea. In NE Celebes B-24s bomb Tanamon, Celebes Island while other
B-24s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers hit scattered targets of opportunity on
Celebes and Halmahera Islands. In the Philippine Islands, B-24s, with P-38
support, bomb La Carlota Airfield on Negros Island while B-25s hit Lahug on
Cebu Island; B-25s and fighter-bombers attack targets of opportunity on Cebu
Island and shipping off the W coast of Leyte Island; on Mindanao Island B-24s
hit 3 airfields while P-38s hit shipping and other targets of opportunity; HQ
22d and 43d Bombardment Groups (Heavy) move from Owi, Schouten Islands to
Leyte Island; the 8th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 3d Bombardment Group
(Light), moves from Hollandia, New Guinea to Dulag, Leyte Island; the 20th
Combat Mapping Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, moves from
Biak Island to Dulag, Letye Island (air echelon continues operating from Biak
Island with F-7s; the 80th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, moves from
Morotai Island to Dulag, Leyte Island but continues to operate from Morotai
with P-38s. In New Guinea, the 68th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop
Carrier Group, moves from Nadzab to Biak Island (detachment remains at Biak)
with C-47s.

THURSDAY, 16 NOVEMBER 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 23 B-24s bomb Changsha; 8
B-25s hit Lohochai and bomb the Wanling, Burma area. In French Indochina, 16
B-25s hit Nghia Trang, Duc Tho, Nha Trang, and Do Len. 70+ P-40s and P-51s
over SE and SW China on armed reconnaissance attack road, river, and rail
traffic, town areas, and other targets of opportunity at several scattered
locations.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 30 P-47s hit troop
concentrations and supply areas at Naungmo, Nawngmoloi, and Lashio; 11
support ground forces in the Pinwe area, 4 attack bridges at Meza and over
the Sindaw River; 4 bomb the Meza railroad station, 16 sweep the railroad
from Sagaing to Kanbalu, and 16 strafe Nawnghkioand Hsumhsai Airfields.
Transports fly 270+ sorties to forward bases and frontline areas.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 715: 1,243 bombers and 282
fighters, along with Ninth AF and Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft, are
dispatched to attack tactical targets E of Aachen, Germany in support of the
US First and Ninth Armies' offensive; 1 fighter is lost:
  1. 486 of 495 B-17s hit transportation targets in the Duren area; 1 B-17 is
damaged beyond repair and 8 damaged; 1 airman is WIA. Escort is 151 of 159
P-51s; 1 is damaged beyond repair.
  2. 490 of 501 B-17s and 228 of 243 B-24s hit transportation targets in the
Eschweiler area; 2 B-17s are damaged beyond repair and 8 damaged; 2 airmen
are KIA, 2 WIA and 6 MIA. Escort is 98 of 107 P-51s; 1 is lost (pilot MIA)
and 3 damaged beyond repair.
  4 of 4 B-17s fly a screening force mission.
  16 of 16 P-51s fly a scouting force mission.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 80 9th Bombardment
Division bombers hit defended areas and strongpoints at Echtz, Luchem, and
Eschweiler; IX Tactical Air Command fighter-bombers dive-bomb gun positions
and other targets in the Stolberg and Hurtgen areas and XIX Tactical Air
Command supports the US XX Corps in the Merzig, Trier, and Saarbrucken area;
the XXIX Tactical Air Command attacks targets in 12 W German towns; the US
First and Ninth Armies begin an eastward thrust (Operation QUEEN) into hit by
the IX and XXIX Tactical Air Commands.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 550+ B-17s and B-24s attack
Munich, Germany W marshalling yard and troop concentrations at Visegrad,
Yugoslavia as well as an alternate target of Innsbruck, Austria marshalling
yard and scattered targets of opportunity; 250+ P-51s and P-38s support the
attack on Munich; 26 other P-38s strafe transport targets on roads between
Sarajevo and Novi Pazar, Yugoslavia.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers fly 250+
sorties against rail lines in the Brenner Pass and other parts of NE Italy
destroying the railroad bridge at Sacile; fighter-bombers in support of the
British Eighth Army advance to the NW of Forli, hit guns, ammunition
supplies, and other military targets, attack pipeline crossings of the Po
River at Ostiglia and Ferrara, and pontoon stores near Ficarola, as well as
hitting communications targets N of the battle area; the 346th Fighter
Squadron, 350th Fighter Group, moves from Tarquinia to Pisa with P-47s.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 12 Saipan Island-based B-24s bomb shipping at
Chichi Jima Island while 2 others attack barges at Haha Jima. 12 P-47s and 3
P-38s hit the airfield on Pagan Island in the first combat strike by P-38s in
the Mariana Islands.  During the night of 16/17 Nov a snooper mission in the
Bonin Islands, a B-24 attacks shipping.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Colonel Willard R
Wolfinbarger becomes Commanding Officer of the XIII Fighter Command.
  In the C Philippine Islands and in the Mindanao Island area B-25s, B-24s,
and fighter-bombers hit airfields, harbors, shipping, and targets of
opportunity.  In the Kendari area and on the NE peninsula of Celebes Island,
and on Halmahera Island, B-24s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers pound airfields,
villages and shipping. B-25s also support ground forces in the Mapia Island
and bomb Namlea Airfield on Buru Island. Units moving to Leyte Island,
Philippine Islands: HQ 3d Bombardment Group (Light) and 90th Bombardment
Squadron (Light) from Hollandia, New Guinea with A-20s; HQ 348th Fighter
Group from Noemfoor Island.

FRIDAY, 17 NOVEMBER 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 4 B-24s bomb Suribachi Airfield on Paramushiru
Island; 2 fighters intercept and damage 1 B-24 which force-lands on
Kamchatka, USSR.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 3 B-24s bomb Kowloon Docks,
Hong Kong; 15 B-25s, in flights of 2 or 3 each, attack gun positions, storage
areas, and village and town areas N of Chuchou, W of Nanyo, and at Chefang
and Nanyo and S of Hpalen, Burma; also a bridge at Tingka is knocked out;
100+ P-40s and P-51s hit targets of opportunity throughout SE and SW China,
concentrating on the Mangshih and Changsha areas.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 33 P-47s hit troop and
vehicle concentrations and supply areas at Manlu, Loi-Lum, Nawngmoloi, and
Kyaukme; 10 P-47s support ground forces in the N Burma railroad corridor near
Meza; 16 others sweep the rail line from Hsipaw to Sedaw hitting rolling
stock, gun positions and other targets of opportunity while 3 bomb the Meza
railroad station; 16 others strafe airfields at Nawnghkio, Anisakan, and
Onbauk; 9 B-25s bomb bridges at Lashio, knocking out a bypass bridge and
damaging others; several machinegun positions are silenced in the bridge
area; transports continue to operate on large scale, flying 266 sorties to
forward areas. 

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 30 bombers of the 9th Bombardment
Division hit Haguenau, France; weather prevents 100+ bombers from attacking
targets; fighters escort bombers, fly patrol and armed reconnaissance over
a wide area of W Germany, and support the US 104th and 4th Infantry Divisions
and 2d Armored Division, E of Aachen and near Hurtgen, Germany.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 630+ B-17s and B-24s attack
Blechhammer S oil refinery, Germany; Floridsdorf oil refinery in Vienna,
Austria; the industrial area in and near Vienna; marshalling yards at
Maribor, Yugoslavia; Gyor, Hungary; Graz, Salzburg, Villach, and the town of
Sankt Johann in Tirol, Austria; plus several scattered targets of
opportunity.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): For the first time in several
months the Twelfth's medium bombers attack targets in Yugoslavia, hitting
bridges along the Brod-Zagreb-Maribor railroad; in Italy, medium bombers also
hit rail bridges and viaducts in the NE, concentrating on the Brenner Pass
where ground haze and smoke screen at the Avisio viaduct hamper the attacks;
fighter-bombers of the XXII Tactical Air Command cut rail lines, hit larger
concentrations of railroad cars, and blast several ammunition and fuel dumps
N of the battleline below Bologna; fighter-bombers closely supporting ground
forces also hit guns and other military targets in battle area.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): In the Bonin Islands, 15 B-24s, flying a
shipping strike out of Saipan Island, attack vessels SW of Muko Jima Island
and the attack harbor and town of Okimura.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine
Islands, B-24s bomb Legaspi Airfield on Luzon Island; on Mindanao Island,
B-24s bomb Sasa and Likanan Airfields; other B-24s and B-25s fly heckling
missions over the C Philippine Islands, Mindanao Island, and NE Celebes
Island  B-25s continue to support ground forces on Mapia Island. HQ 317th
Troop Carrier Group moves from Hollandia, New Guinea to Leyte Island.

SATURDAY, 18 NOVEMBER 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): On Paramushiru Island, 4 B-24s strike
Suribachi shore batteries, including one on Takikawa Cape. A shipping sweep
by 6 B-25s is cancelled due to weather.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 10 B-25s blast stores at
Hengshan and hit populated areas from Ishan to Liuchow; 130+ P-51s, P-40s,
and P-38s pound targets of opportunity scattered over vast areas of S China;
troops, shipping, supplies, trucks, and railroad targets are hit particularly
hard N of Lingling, from Liuchow to Ishan, from Hengshan to Hengyang, from
Kweilin to Liuchou, from Siangtan to Paoching, and at Chuanhsien,
Hwaiyuanchen, Chingmen, Chuchiang, and Shihkiachwang.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma,  27 fighter-bombers
support ground forces S of Pinwe and in the Bhamo area; 16 attack troops and
supply area at Panglong and Nga-pwegyi while 7 hit the ferry area at Meza; 20
hit targets of opportunity along the Kanbalu-Wuntho railroad and at Maymyo
and Wetwin; 9 B-25s pound Man Pwe rail yards, destroying warehouses and other
buildings and causing much general damage. Transports continue large-scale
operations to forward areas. In India, the detachment of the 317th Troop
Carrier Squadron (Commando), 2d Air Commando Group, operating from Tulihal
with C-47s returns to base at Sylhet.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
  Mission 716: 402 fighters (47 P-47s and 355 P-51s) are dispatched to strafe
oil storage depots in the Hanau and Ulm areas, airfields at Leipheim and
Lechfeld, and miscellaneous ground targets in Germany; 374 actually attack;
about 70 Luftwaffe fighters are encountered and the AAF claims 26-2-6 in the
air and 69-0-41 on the ground; 2 P-47s and 5 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA) and
2 P-51s are damaged beyond repair.
  Mission 717: 4 B-24s and 6 B-17s drop leaflets in Belgium, the Netherlands
and France during the night.
  HQ 92d Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy) moves from Sudbury to Bury St
Edmunds, England.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 340+ bombers of the 9th Bombardment
Division strike barracks areas, rail bridges, rail facilities, strongpoints,
and defended positions at 13 locations in Germany; fighters escort the
bombers, fly sweeps and armed reconnaissance over W Germany, and support
ground forces E of Aachen, Germany and in the Sarreguemines, France area. In
France, the 355th Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, based at Orconte
with P-47s, begins operating from St Dizier.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 680+ B-17s and B-24s bomb the
Floridsdorf oil refinery at Vienna, Austria and the Korneuburg, Austria oil
refinery; airfields at Aviano, Villafranca di Verona, Udine, and Vicenza,
Italy; and troop concentrations at Visegrad, Yugoslavia; 126 P-38s escort the
Austrian missions while 12 others bomb the troop concentrations at Visegrad,
Yugoslavia; 186 P-51s provide cover for raids on the Italian airfields and
sweep target areas; 50+ other fighters fly reconnaissance and reconnaissance
escort. The 37th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 5th Photographic
Reconnaissance Group, arrives at Naples, Italy from the US with F-5s (first
mission is 3 Feb 45).

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): Medium bombers bomb bridges at
Pizzighettone, Romano di Lombardia, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Migazzone,
Casarsa della Delizia, and Casale Monferrato, Italy; and at Zidani Most,
Yugoslavia and also pound the Brod-Ljubljana, Yugoslavia railway, the
principal German escape route in the Balkans; fighter-bombers continue
successful attacks on rail lines, dumps, guns, and pipelines in the N
Apennines and the Po Valley, XXII Tactical Air Command claiming 100+ train
cars, 8 locomotives, and nearly 75 vehicles destroyed.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Saipan Island and Guam Island hit
shipping at Chichi Jima and Haha Jima Islands. P-38s and B-24s from Saipan
Island escort photo planes over Iwo Jima Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Mindanao-NE
Celebes Islands areas B-24s, B-25s and A-20s again hit airfields and
targets of opportunity. Fighter-bombers, A-20s, and B-25s over several
locations in the Philippine Islands pound shipping, supply and personnel
areas, harbors, barges, airstrips, and communications targets. In Borneo,
B-24s, with P-38s and P-47s supporting, launch a major strike against oil
installations at Tarakan; other B-24s and B-25s hit shipping off Tarakan and
in Brunei Bay. On Celebes Island in the Makassar and Kendari area B-24s bomb
Polewali shipyards; B-24s pound airfields in the Ceram Island-Ambon Island
area while P-38s strafe shipping. B-25s continue to support ground forces on
Mapia Island off the NW coast of New Guinea. In the Philippine Islands, HQ
58th Fighter Group and the 310th and 311th Fighter Squadrons move from
Noemfoor Island to San Roque, Leyte Island with P-47s. In New Guinea, the
66th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Nadzab to
Biak Island with C-47s.

SUNDAY, 19 NOVEMBER 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 3 B-24s bomb Samah Bay docks on
Hainan Island. In China, 10 B-25s damage 2 buildings N of Chefang and score
hits on bridges at Tingka and Wan Lai-Kam, Burma; 8 P-40s and P-38s hit
targets of opportunity S of Tingka and Chefang; 19 P-40s blast troops and
river, rail, and road traffic in the Hankow area; 27 P-40s, P-51s, and P-38s
hit numerous targets of opportunity in the Mangshih area. The 35th
Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Fourteenth AF, based at Chanyi, sends a
flight to operate from Suichwan with F-5s.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 15 P-47s support ground
forces attacking Bhamo and fighting in the Pinwe area; 36 P-47s pound enemy
concentrations at Man Mao, Sekang, and Manlu. Transports fly 290 sorties to
forward areas.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 450+ A-20s, A-26s, and B-26s bomb
storage depots, bridge, junction, ordnance depots, and defended positions in
or near 10 German towns and cities; fighters escort the bombers, carry out
patrols, and fly armed reconnaissance hitting rail facilities and other
targets over W German areas including Euskirchen, Trier, Saarbrucken, Julich,
and Cologne; the IX, XIX, and XXIX Tactical Air Commands support the US VII,
XII, XIX, and XX Corps areas E of Aachen and near Hurtgen, Germany, between
Metz, France and Saarlautern, Germany and near Sarreguemines, France. In
Belgium, HQ 366th Fighter Group moves from Couvron Airfield at Laon, France
to Assche.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 500+ B-24s and B-17s bomb the
Schwechat and Vosendorf oil refineries, Winterhafen oil depot and Lobau oil
plant in Vienna, Wiener-Neudorf aircraft factory, Linz benzol plant, and
Horsching Airfield, Austria; Gyor, Hungary and Maribor, Yugoslavia
marshalling yards, plus several scattered targets of opportunity; 19 P-38s
dive-bomb troop concentrations at Prijepolje and Novi Pazar, Yugoslavia,
while 126 P-51s strafe roads and railroads between Esztergom and Veszprem,
Hungary and Vienna, Austria, and also attack Veszprem and Tapolcza Airfields
in Hungary; other fighters cover heavy bomber and reconnaissance missions.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, fog and low clouds force
cancellation of missions against W Po Valley targets and limit fighter-
bombers to a midday attack on rail lines, guns, troop concentrations, motor
transport, and other military targets in and near the battle area S of
Bologna. During the night of 18/19 Nov A-20s on armed reconnaissance bomb
Ghedi Airfield and targets in the Bologna, Ferrara, Mantua, Cremona, and
Parma areas.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 5 B-24s from Guam Island, on armed
reconnaissance over Iwo Jima Island and the Bonin Islands, bomb airfields on
Iwo Jima while 15 hit shipping at Chichi Jima and Haha Jima Islands. 1 B-24
from Angaur Island in the Palau Islands bombs Legaspi Airfield on Luzon
Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine
Islands, B-24s bomb Alicante on Negros Island and Palompon on Leyte Island
while P-47s hit the Valencia, Mindanao Island and Ormoc, Leyte Island areas.
On Mindanao Island B-24s hit Libby Airfield; others bomb airfields at Sasa on
Mindanao Island, and Sidate, Mapanget, and Borebore on Celebes Island. B-25s
and A-20s hit airfields and shipping in the Ceram Island-Ambon Island-Boeroe
Island area. B-25s and A-20s hit targets on Asia Island, New Guinea. Units
moving to Leyte Island: HQ 312th Bombardment Group (Light) and the 386th,
387th, 388th and 389th Bombardment Squadrons (Light) from Hollandia, New
Guinea with A-20s; 2d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 22d Bombardment Group
(Heavy), from Owi, Schouten Islands with B-24s; 39th Troop Carrier Squadron,
317th Troop Carrier Group, from Hollandia; 403d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy),
43d Bombardment Group (Heavy) from Owi, Schouten Islands with B-24s.

MONDAY, 20 NOVEMBER 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 3 B-24s fly an air cover mission for the US
Navy.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 8 B-25s hit the barracks area at
Lashio, Burma; 60+ P-38s, P-40s, and P-51s on armed reconnaissance over parts
of SE and SW China and French Indochina attack shipping--especially severely
in the Chiuchiang, China area--and barracks, radio stations, villages, and
other targets of opportunity. In China, the flight of the 21st Photographic
Reconnaissance Squadron, Fourteenth AF, operating from Kanchow with F-5s,
returns to base at Kunming.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 7 B-25s knock out the
Hsipaw road bridge; 4 others fail to damage the Bawgyo bridge; 12 P-47s
support ground forces in the Pinwe sector; 20+ others hit defenses at Mong
Nge, a horse transport unit at Selan, bomb storage areas at Kyungon and
Kyakataing, Japanese HQ and troop concentration at Man Mao, and several
scattered targets of opportunity. Transports maintain continuous flights to
forward bases and frontline areas.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
  Mission 718: 172 B-17s are sent to hit the Schowen oil plant at
Gelsenkirchen (61); 93 hit the secondary, the marshalling yard at Munster; 25
B-17s are damaged. Escort is 214 P-47s and P-51s; no losses.
  Other flights:
    12 of 12 B-17s fly a screening mission.
    310 P-47s and P-51s make fighter-bomber strikes agains miscellaneous
targets in W Germany; 1 P-47 and 7 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA) and 1 P-51 is
damaged beyond repair.
   12 of 12 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
  Mission 719: 6 B-17s and 7 B-24s drop leaflets on the Netherlands, France
and Germany during the night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS 

    [First Tactical Air Force (Provisional)]: HQ 17th Bombardment Group
(Medium) and the 34th and 37th Bombardment Squadrons Medium) move from
Corsica to Dijon, France with B-26s.

    (Ninth Air Force): Bad weather prevents bomber operations; fighters fly
sweeps and night patrols over broad areas of W Germany and strafe and bomb
numerous railroads, trains, buildings and various military targets. In
France, the 365th, 366th and 367th Fighter Squadrons, 358th Fighter Group,
move from Mourmelon to Toul with P-47s. In Belgium, the 389th Fighter
Squadron, 366th Fighter Group, moves from Couvron, France to Asch with P-47s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 192 B-24s and B-17s bomb the
Blechhammer S oil refinery in Germany and the town of Prerov, Czechoslovakia,
a target of opportunity; 284 others encounter bad weather and attack several
alternate targets and targets of opportunity in Czechoslovakia including the
town of Zlin and marshalling yards at Brno, Hodonin, and Breclav and other
targets of opportunity in C and SE Europe. In Yugoslavia, 92 B-24s attack
the Sarajevo marshalling yard, and railroad bridges at Doboj, Zenica, and
Fojnica and 11 P-38s divebomb a marshalling yard at Brod, while 43 others
strafe communications between Esztergom and Veszprem, Hungary, and Vienna,
Austria; other fighters fly bomber escort, reconnaissance, and reconnaissance
escort.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 19/20
Nov 44 A-20s attack Po River crossings, airfields and lights in the Po
Valley. During the day bad weather prevents medium bombers from successfully
attacking targets; fighter-bombers able to operate during the late morning
destroy 2 factories E of Modena, and supply dumps near Parma, and cause large
explosions in a dump near San Felice del Benaeo.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Bad weather cancels all bombing missions.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-25s bomb Haroekoe
Airfield on Haroekoe Island and Laha Airfield on Amon Island. On Celebes
Island, P-38s hit targets of opportunity over Sidate and in the Makassar
areas. Units moving to Leyte Island: HQ Fifth AF moves from Owi, Schouten
Islands; 13th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 3d Bombardment Group (Light),
from Hollandia, New Guinea to Dulag with A-20s. The 371st Bombardment
Squadron (Heavy), 307th Bombardment Group (Heavy), ceases operating form
Noemfoor Island with B-24s and moves forward to Morotai Island.

TUESDAY, 21 NOVEMBER 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Advance HQ Eleventh AF is established on
Shemya Island, Aleutian Islands with Brigadier General Harry A Johnson as
Deputy Commander. 5 B-24s fly air coverage for naval units; another fleet
coverage mission by 10 B-25s is cancelled due to weather; before clearance
can be obtained from the Soviets through diplomatic channels, a B-24 air-
drops provisions to a marooned crew of a B-24 which forcelanded on Kamchatka
Island on 17 Nov 44.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 42 P-51s and P-38s on armed
reconnaissance attack fuel supplies and the town area at Ishan and road and
rail traffic and other targets of opportunity N of Wanling, Burma and in the
Chiuchiang area, S of Foochow, and at Hsuchang, Sincheng, and Sheklung.

  HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): 61 B-29s from Chengtu, China bomb an aircraft
plant at Omura, Kyushu Island, Japan; 13 B-29s bomb Shanghai, China, and
several others hit alternates and targets of opportunity; the B-29s claim 27
fighters downed, the highest Twentieth AF claim to date.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 28 P-47s support ground
forces in the Pinwe and Bhamo areas; 37 others hit supply areas, troop
concentrations and strongholds at Langwa, Pinmalut, Hlebwe, Mutawng, and 
Nawnghkem; 15 P-47s hit targets of opportunity while sweeping the Kyaukme-
Namyao road; 10 B-25s knock out bridges at Hsipaw and Bawgyo. Transports fly
280+ sorties to forward areas.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
  Mission 720: 1,291 bombers and 954 fighters are dispatched to make PFF
attacks using H2X on oil targets in Germany; they claim 73-7-25 Luftwaffe
aircraft; 25 bombers and 15 fighters are lost:
  1. 421 B-17s are sent to hit the Leuna synthetic oil plant at Merseburg
(200); targets of opportunity are Meppen (24), Friedburg (21), Hersfeld (12)
and Hunfeld (12) marshalling yards, flak gun batteries at Merseburg (12),
Leeuwarden Airfield (11), Apolda (10) the Autobahn at Hersfeld (10),
Quakenbruck (10), and other (69); the AAF claims 1-0-1 aircraft; 14 B-17s are
lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 205 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 16 WIA and
129 MIA. Escort is 268 of 310 P-51s; they claim 63-7-20 aircraft in the air
and 3-0-2 on the ground; 9 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).
  2. 402 B-17s are sent to Sterkrade, Lendorf and Hamburg but hit the
secondary, the Osnarbruck marshalling yard (166) and last resort targets,
i.e., Giessen marshalling yard (77), Wetzlar (62), Lingen (24), Koblenz
marshalling yard (23), Bielefeld marshalling yard (9), and targets of
opportunity (35); 7 B-17s are lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 142 damaged;
2 airmen are KIA, 6 WIA and 65 MIA. Escort is 382 of 420 P-51s; 4 P-51s are
lost (pilots MIA).
  3. 366 B-24s are sent to hit the Dpag (178) and Rhenania (171) oil plants
at Hamburg; 4 B-24s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 220 damaged; 19
airmen are KIA, 8 WIA and 89 MIA. Escort is 177 P-47s and P-51s; they claim
5-0-2 aircraft in the air and 2-0-1 on the ground; 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost
(pilots MIA).
  4. 12 of 12 B-17s fly a screening mission.
  5. 31 of 33 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
  Mission 721: 7 B-17s and 5 B-24s drop leaflets in France, the Netherlands
and Germany during the night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS 

    First Tactical Air Force (Provisional): The 95th Bombardment Squadron
(Medium), 17th Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Poretta, Corsica to
Dijon, France with B-26s.

    Ninth Air Force: In Germany, the 9th Bombardment Division hits rail
bridges and defended areas at several points including Bergstein, Echtz,
Sinzig, Neuwied, and Derichsweiler; fighters escort the B-26s and also Eighth
AF B-17s (to Merseburg), fly area cover, sweeps, and dive-bombing missions in
W Germany, and support the US 1st, 8th, and 104th Infantry Divisions in
the Hurtgen area and the XII and XX Corps between Merzig and Sarreguemines,
France. The 378th Fighter Squadron, 362d Fighter Group, moves from Prosnes to
Rouvres, France with P-47s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 25 B-24s bomb troop
concentrations, railroad, and highways at Novi Pazar and Cacak, Yugoslavia.
155 P-38s dive-bomb communications lines in S Yugoslavia, destroying several
vehicles, blasting roads at Vucitrn, Rogatica, Tvrdosevo, and Duga Poljana,
hitting bridges at Vrbasici, and Kukavica and causing a landslide at Pavlica;
87 P-51s strafe communications over wide areas of S Yugoslavia; other
fighters fly reconnaissance missions.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, B-25s blast defenses and
troop concentrations in the Faenza area as the British Eighth Army's 5 Corps
opens a general offensive N towards that town; fighter-bombers hit targets in
the US Fifth Army battle area S of Bolonga, in the Po Valley, and in NE
Italy; particularly good results are achieved against supply dumps and a rail
line in the Brenner Pass is cut in 3 places.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Seventh AF service groups are reassigned from
the VII Air Service Area Command to the VII Bomber Command and VII Fighter
Command, with one service group to support each tactical group in the field.
  B-24s from Guam Island bomb shipping and naval shore installations at
Chichi Jima and Haha Jima Islands. During the night of 21/22 Nov a lone B-24
on a snooper mission bombs Iwo Jima Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine
Islands, B-24s bomb Matina and Lumbia Airfields on Mindanao Island; on Leyte
Island, fighter-bombers hit troop barges and supply dumps in Ormoc Bay and
numerous targets of opportunity throughout the C Philippine Islands. On
Celebes Island, B-25s hit Langoan and Mapanget Airfields while B-24s in the
Kendari area bomb Ambesia Airfield.

WEDNESDAY, 22 NOVEMBER 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 4 B-25s abort an air coverage mission due to
weather.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 22 B-24s bomb Hankow; 11
B-25s pound the Ishan and Liuchenghsien areas while 8 hit storage facilities
at Wanling and Kutkai, Burma; 95 P-51s, P-40s, and P-38s on armed
reconnaissance over wide expanses of S China attack town areas, supplies, and
road and rail traffic, hitting the Chefang area especially hard.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 15 P-47s support ground
forces at Bhamo while 37 others fly close support in the Pinwe area; supply
and personnel areas at Nawngchio, Kutkai, Ingon, Selong, Man Mao, and in the
vicinity of Kanbalu are pounded by more than 40 P-47s; 12 others attack the 
airfield at Kawlin  Transports fly 188 sorties to forward areas. In India,
the 2d Combat Cargo Squadron, 1st Combat Cargo Group, moves from Sylhet to
Imphal with C-47s.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): The 2d and 4th Combat Bombardment
Wings (Heavy) of the 3d Bombardment Division are combined to form the
Administrative Bombardment Wing (Provisional); this type of unit is expected
to be highly suitable for conditions in the Pacific theater where bomb
division HQ might be located far from its wing HQ; under this new plan, the
administrative wing can absorb many functions of the division HQ; this
experiment will be judged acceptable during Feb 45.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS 

    First Tactical Air Force (Provisional): HQ 63d Fighter Wing moves from
San Pietro Italy to Vittel, France; the 432d Bombardment Squadron (Medium),
17th Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Poretta, Corsica to Dijon,
France with B-26s.

    Ninth Air Force: Bomber operations are cancelled due to bad weather;
fighter operations are limited. 16 aircraft from the IX and XIX Tactical Air 
Commands patrol over the V and VII Corps area (SE of Aachen), the Bonn-
Cologne area, and fly reconnaissance around Saarbrucken, Homburg/Saar, 
Neukirchen and Kaiserslautern, Germany, and Sarrebourg, France. In France, 
the 377th Fighter Squadron, 362d Fighter Group, moves from Prosnes to 
Rouvres, France with P-47s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 205 B-17s and B-24s hit E and W
marshalling yards at Munich, Germany; 214 others fail to reach primaries
because of impenetrable weather and attack alternates and targets of
opportunity including marshalling yards at Regensburg, Germany, Salzburg,
Lienz, and Villach, Austria and several targets of opportunity at scattered
points; fighters provide escort to Munich, Germany. In Italy, 88 B-24s attack
a bridge at Ferrara and rail line at Carbola, while 39 P-38s bomb the Osoppo
motor transport depot.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, B-25s again pound
defenses in the Faenza area as British Eighth Army forces push into that area
from the SE; fighter-bombers and fighters fly nearly 350 sorties against rail
lines in the Po Valley and very successfully hit guns, vehicles, troops and
other targets in the US Fifth Army battle area S of Bologna, and supply dumps
and pipelines N of the battle area.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 22 B-24s from Saipan Island escorted by 22
P-38s (the first long-range P-38 escort of Seventh AF bombers), bomb
airfields on Moen and Param Islands in the Caroline Islands. P-47s from
Saipan Island pound the airfield on Pagan Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine
Islands, B-24s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers pound Bacolod Airfield and Ipil on
Negros Island, and Ormoc, Leyte Island area bridges, barges, and targets of
opportunity; B-24s bomb Sasa Airfield on Mindanao Island. On Celebes Island,
fighter-bombers hit targets of opportunity in the Makassar area, B-24s bomb
the nickel mine and targets of opportunity in the Kendari area and hit
airfields in NE Celebes.  Other B-24s hit small shipping during sweep over
Brunei Bay, Borneo.

THURSDAY, 23 NOVEMBER 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 B-25s bomb a storage
area near Lashio and 8 hit Kutkai and Wanling. 2 B-24s bomb Kowloon Docks in
Hong Kong. 120+ P-40s, P-51s and P-38s hit targets of opportunity throughout
SW and SE China; 32 of the fighter-bombers support ground forces in the
Chefang, China area.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 50+ P-47s support ground
forces in the Pinwe and Bhamo areas; 16 sweep and strafe airfields and many
targets of opportunity from Anisakan to Nawnghkio; 3 hit an ammunition dump
at Man Naung; 21 P-47s sweep roads in the Ye-U area and strafe rail
installations at Kanbalu; 10 B-25s knock out the Tantabin main bridge and
Tangon and Thegyaung bypass bridges, and blast approaches to the Tangon main
bridge and Tantabin bypass bridge. 282 transport sorties are flown to forward
bases and frontline areas.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 722: In Germany, 134 of
155 B-17s and 73 of 78 P-51s make a GH attack on the Norstern benzol
manufacturing plant near Gelsenkirchen and the marshalling yard at Duisburg
with the loss of 1 P-51 (pilot MIA) and 1 P-51 damaged beyond repair; 13 of
13 B-17s fly a screening mission and 10 of 12 P-51s fly a scouting mission.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS

    First Tactical Air Force (Provisional): HQ 42d Bombardment Wing (Medium)
moves from Borgo, Corsica to Dijon, France.

    Ninth Air Force: Unfavorable weather cancels all flights.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Yugoslavia, 81 B-24s attack
road and railroad bridges at or near Zenica, Brod, and Doboj; 30 P-38s bomb
the Doboj marshalling yard, 13 hit Doboj road and rail bridge, and 4 attack,
but miss, a bridge at Maglaj; 13 B-24s and B-17s drop supplies at points in
Yugoslavia.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, bad weather restricts
operations; medium bombers over the Faenza area abort due to overcast, P-47s
hampered by low clouds over the Apennines Mountains, fly only 16 sorties,
against rail lines S of Bologna, but succeed in cutting the lines in 6
places.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 17 B-24s from Guam Island hit shipping at
Chichi Jima and Haha Jima Islands and bomb the town of Okimura in the Bonin
Islands.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine
Islands, B-24s bomb Matina Airfield on Mindanao Island; the 63d and 64th
Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy), move from Owi,
Schouten Islands to Tacloban, Leyte Island with B-24s.

FRIDAY, 24 NOVEMBER 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 21 B-24s bomb the warehouse area and
docks at Hankow, China. 3 others hit the Haiphong, French Indochina area. 22
B-25s bomb a storage area near Lashio, Burma, targets of opportunity in the
Hankow, China area, and the towns of Wanling and Wan Lai-Kam, Burma, and
Siangtan, and Wuchang, China. 120+ P-40s, P-38s and P-51s on armed
reconnaissance attack many targets of opportunity in E Burma and SW and SE
China, concentrating on river and rail traffic and supplies at Chefang,
Hengshan, and the Sinshih-Changsha, China area.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 32 P-47s fly close support
strikes in the Pinwe and Bhamo sectors; 50 P-47s attack troops and supply
areas at Panma, Hpa-Hpen, Nawng-Sang, Kawlin, Wahkyet, Kawngai, and in the
Pintha area, 8 damage bridges at Meza, Namhkai, and Hsenwi while 10 others
hit Lashio Airfield; 6 B-25s pound the storage and ferry area at Meza and 4
damage approaches to the Namhkai and Hsenwi road bridges. 323 transport
sorties are flown to forward areas. 

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): Weather cancels all operations
except for 3 XIX Tactical Air Command (Provisional) fighters which fly a
night intruder mission in Saarbrucken, Zweibrucken, and Homburg/Saar areas of
Germany.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): P-38s and P-51s fly photo and
weather reconnaissance missions.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, B-25s, in support of the
British Eighth Army, bomb defenses in the Faenza area; bad weather restricts
fighter-bombers to 2 missions which damage a road bridge and cut rail line S
of Modena.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 2 B-24s from Saipan Island on a shipping
reconnaissance attack vessels at Haha Jima and Chichi Jima Islands. 3 B-24s
from Guam Island on armed reconnaissance bomb Marcus Island. 14 Saipan
Island-based P-47s strafe landing ground on Pagan Island.

  HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): The XXI Bomber Command flies its first
mission against Japan; the objective is Tokyo; the 111 B-29s are led by 73d
Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) Commanding General, Brigadier General Emmett
O'Donnell Jr piloting DAUNTLESS DOTTY, copiloted by Major Robert K Morgan,
erstwhile pilot of the famed B-17, MEMPHIS BELLE; 35 B-29s bomb the primary
target, the Musashino aircraft plant; 50 bomb the secondary target, the urban
area and docks; 17 abort enroute; the remainder are unable to bomb due to
mechanical difficulties; 1 B-29 crashes off Honshu Island when a fighter rams
the bomber, shearing off the elevator and right horizontal stabilizer,
becoming the first XXI Bomber Command B-29 lost to Japanese action; 1 other
ditches after running out of fuel; B-29 gunners claim 7 aircraft downed.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine
Islands, B-24s bomb AA positions and targets of opportunity at Camp Downes
and Panalisan Point and US fighters attack and destroy several aircraft over
Carigara Bay and the Leyte Island area; B-24s hit AA positions and other
targets at Matina Airfield on Mindanao Island; units arriving on Leyte
Island: 25th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Photographic
Reconnaissance Group, at Dulag from Biak Island with F-5s; 65th Bombardment
Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy), at Tacloban from Owi,
Schouten Islands with B-24s.

SATURDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): A B-24 aborts an armed photo mission over
Matsuwa Island due to weather and instead radarbombs Kurabu Airfield on
Paramushiru Island; B-25s cancel a shipping sweep due to weather.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 12 B-25s hit warehouses, village and
town areas at Lashio and Wanling, Burma. 6 attack rail targets, trucks, and
buildings at Phu Lang Thuong, French Indochina. 75 P-40s, P-51s, and P-38s on
armed reconnaissance attack river, road, and rail traffic, troops, buildings,
and other targets of opportunity at several Thailand, Burma, S China, and N
French Indochina locations, including areas around Bhre and Lampang,
Thailand; Paoching, Ankang, Ishan, and Hochih, China; Namsang, and Mongyu,
Burma; and Phu Lang Thuong, French Indochina.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 24 fighter-bombers support
ground forces in the Bhamo area; 24 bomb an airfield at Kawlin while 8 more
strafe Tabingaung Airfield and town area; 12 attack the Meza railroad station
and boxcars in nearby bridge area, storage and personnel areas in the Lashio
area and at Nawngyang, Ashang, and Man Mao; 8 P-47s strafe targets of
opportunity along the Wuntho-Shwebo rail line. Transports fly 325 sorties to
forward bases and frontline areas.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
  Mission 723: 1,043 bombers and 965 fighters are dispatched to hit the
synthetic oil plant at Merseburg, Germany using H2X and a marshalling yard; 8
bombers and 6 fighters are lost:
  1. 671 of 766 hit the Leuna oil plant at Merseburg and 9 hit targets of
opportunity; 8 B-17s are lost, 4 damaged beyond repair and 197 damaged; 7
airmen are KIA, 5 WIA and 64 MIA. Escort is 716 of 800 P-51s; they claim
9-0-8 aircraft on the ground; 6 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA) and 1 damaged
beyond repair.
  2. 254 of 271 B-24s hit the Bingen marshalling yard; 43 B-24s are damaged;
1 airman is WIA. Escort is 129 of 130 P-47s.
  Mission 724: 7 B-17s and 6 B-24s drop leaflets in France, the Netherlands
and Germany during the night.
  The 36th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), VIII Fighter Command starts daily
operations as a screening force for the bombardment divisions; it is assigned
the task of protecting the Eighth's primary VHF and fighter-to-bomber
communications from interception during assembly; the increase of flak
batteries around German military and industrial installations soon compels
the 36th to increase radar countermeasures on each mission; the 36th remains
on this assignment until the end of war in Europe

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, the 9th Bombardment
Division hits an ordnance arsenal at Landau, road junctions, and an
ammunition dump at Neustadt and Kaiserslautern; fighters escort the 9th
Bombardment Division and Eighth AF, fly armed reconnaissance and support
ground forces E of Aachen and between Merzig and Sarreguemines, France. The
356th Fighter Squadron 354th Fighter Group, moves from Orconte to
Rosieres-en-Haye, France with P-47s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): During the night of 24/25 Nov,
40+ B-17s and B-24s bomb the Linz benzol plant, Klagenfurt, and Innsbruck,
Austria, and Munich W W marshalling yards in Germany, and 2 unidentified
targets of opportunity; during the day P-38s fly photo and weather
reconnaissance missions.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, bad weather again
hampers operations; 3 fighter groups fly only 53 sorties against railway
targets and targets of opportunity N of the US Fifth Army battle area,
cutting lines at 14 places and destroying several vehicles. The 414th Night
Fighter Squadron, 62d Fighter Wing, moves from Pisa to Pontedera, Italy with
Beaufighters.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 7 Guam Island-based B-24s, escorting a photo
aircraft over the Bonin and Kazan Islands, bomb Chichi Jima, Muko Jima, and
Haha Jima Islands.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine
Islands, fighter-bombers range over wide areas of Masbate, Cebu, and Leyte
Islands, and surrounding waters, attacking shipping, airfields, bivouacs, and
a variety of targets. B-25s and fighter-bombers hit airfields on Ceram and
Boeroe Islands and B-24s on armed reconnaissance over N Borneo hit shipping
and other targets of opportunity. During the night of 25/26 Nov, B-25s hit
airfields in NE Celebes and Halmahera Islands.

SUNDAY, 26 NOVEMBER 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): A shipping sweep by 4 B-25s is called off due
to weather.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 19 B-25s and 20 P-51s blast railway
cars, station, and track, hit several trucks, and hit town areas at Hochih,
China and Phu Lang Thuong, French Indochina. 6 B-25s damage a bridge at
Kengluang, Thailand. 90+ P-40s, P-51s, and P-38s hit river, rail, and road
traffic and other targets of opportunity over wide S China areas, 40 of them
concentrating on targets between Kweiyi and Changsha and around Liuchow,
China. A flight of the 21st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Fourteenth
AF, begins operating from Luliang, China with F-5s (squadron is based at
Kunming).

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 16 P-47s continue close
support strikes; about 60 fighter-bombers hit concentrations, supply and
ammunition dumps, and rail targets at Panghkai, Kunmong, Mabein, Lashio,
Panku, and around Meza; 7 others on a railroad sweep hit targets of
opportunity between Maymyo and Man Pyen. Transports fly 300+ sorties to
forward areas.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
  Mission 725: 1,137 bombers and 732 fighters are dispatched to make attacks
on rail viaducts, marshalling yards and oil installations in W Germany; all
but 1 attack is with radar; about 550 Luftwaffe fighters intercept and 34
bombers and 9 fighters are lost; the AAF claims 133-14-42 aircraft:
  1. 406 B-17s are sent to hit an oil refinery at Misburg (243) and a rail
viaduct at Altenbekin (118); 19 hit the secondary, the marshalling yard at
Osnabruck; 3 others hit a target of opportunity; they claim 4-6-7 aircraft;
10 B-17s are lost, 4 damaged beyond repair and 160 damaged; 4 airmen are KIA,
6 WIA and 93 MIA. Escorting are 292 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 67-2-11
aircraft; 3 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA) and 2 damaged beyond repair.
  2. 350 B-24s are sent to hit the Schidesche rail viaduct at Bielefeld (240)
and the Misburg oil refinery (57); targets of opportunity are Hannover
marshalling yard (26) and other (1); they claim 12-5-4 aircraft; 21 B-24s are
lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 53 damaged; 15 airmen are KIA, 6 WIA and
196 MIA. Escorting are 208 P-47s and P-1s; they claim 42-0-18 aircraft; 2
P-47s and 3 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).
  3. 381 B-17s are sent to hit the marshalling yard at Hamm (266); other
marshalling yards hit are at Gutersloh (37), Bielefeld (36), Herford (24)
plus 3 hit other targets; 3 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 86
damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 27 MIA. Escorting are 132 of 138 P-51s; they
claim 3-0-1 aircraft on the ground; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
  4. 36 of 36 P-51s fly a scouting mission; they claim 5-1-2 aircraft without
loss.
  Mission 726: 8 B-17s and 6 B-24s drop leaflets on France, the Netherlands
and Germany during the night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 173 B-26s and A-20s bomb
supply, storage, stores, and ordnance depots at Gaulsheim, Bergzabern,
Giessen, Reichenbach, and Homburg/Saar; fighters fly sweeps and armed
reconnaissance over W Germany, search for a lost A-20, escort 9th Bombardment
Division, and support the US 29th Infantry Division at Bourheim and the XX
and XII Corps in the area of the Maginot Line and German-French border. The
390th and 391st Fighter Squadrons, 366th Fighter Group, move from Couvron
Airfield at Laon, France to Asch, Belgium with P-47s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 39 P-38s fly an offensive sweep
over Seregelyes Airfield, Hungary and strafe nearby road and rail traffic;
other fighters fly reconnaissance and escort.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, a slight improvement in
the weather permits fighter-bombers to increase operations;  P-47s closely
support ground forces in the US Fifth Army battle area in the Apennines S of
Bologna and cut rail lines in over 30 places N of the immediate battle zone.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): P-47s from Saipan Island strafe the airfield on
Pagan Island. During the night a B-24 on a snooper mission from Guam Island
bombs Iwo Jima Island. B-24s from Angaur Island bomb Arakabesan Island in the
Palau Islands.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine
Islands, 40+ B-24s, some with fighter support, bomb La Carlota and Talisay
Airfields on Negros and Cebu Islands respectively; fighter-bombers hit an
airfield and various targets of opportunity throughout the area. B-25s pound
airfields in the Ambon-Ceram Islands area and B-24s bomb an airfield near
Davao, Mindanano Island. Other bombers and fighters fly light strikes and
armed reconnaissance missions against a variety of targets on N Celebes, N
Borneo, S Luzon, Mindanao, and Halmahera Islands. HQ 22d Bombardment Group
(Heavy) and the 33d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) move from Leyte Island,
Philippine Islands to Angaur Island, Palau Islands with B-24s.

MONDAY, 27 NOVEMBER 1944

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 17 B-24s bomb Gia Lam, French
Indochina. 17 B-25s blast the Hochih, China area, 6 bomb Phu Lang Thuong,
French Indochina, and 8 pound warehouses at Lashio, Burma. 56 P-40s, P-51s,
and P-38s on armed reconnaissance over E Burma, N French Indochina, and vast
areas of S China attack town areas, railroad targets, bridges and other
targets of opportunity around Lampang, Thailand; Phu Binh, French Indochina;
Pachai, Ishan, and Chefang, China; and Wanling, Hsenwi, and Kawnghka, Burma.
A detachment of the 426th Night Fighter Squadron, Fourteenth AF, begins
operating from Hsian, China with P-61s (squadron is based at Chengtu with a
detachment at Kunming).

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 P-47s fly close support
strikes in the Pinwe area; 21 fighter-bombers destroy bridges at Inailong and
Thegyaung and damage bridges at Ho-hko and Kawnghka; 60+ fighter-bombers
attack personnel and supply areas at Kutkai, Kyungon, Kodaungbo, Mongmit,
Datwin, Man Namsawk, Old Lashio, and Ugingyi. Transports fly 280+ sorties,
carrying men and supplies to forward bases and frontline areas. A detachment
of the 9th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 8th Photographic
Reconnaissance Group, begins operating from Myitkyina, Burma with F-5s
(squadron is based at Barrackpore, India); the 165th Liaison Squadron
(Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, moves from Yazagyo, Burma to Asansol,
India with UC-64s and L-5s; the 434th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 12th
Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Comilla to Fenny, India with B-25s.

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Twentieth Air Force): Operating from the Calcutta,
India area, 55 B-29s bomb the Bangsue railroad yards at Bangkok, Thailand; 3
others hit individual targets. 

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 727: 530 bombers and 770
fighters are dispatched to make PFF attacks on marshalling yards in Germany
and fighter-bomber strikes on 4 oil centers in N and C Germany; they claim
102-4-12 aircraft; 15 fighters are lost:
  1. 148 of 190 B-17s hit the Bingen marshalling yard; 2 others hit targets
of opportunity; 46 bombers are damaged; 2 airmen are WIA. Escorting are 91 of
95 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
  2. 181 of 186 B-17s hit the Offenburg marshalling yard; 1 hits Freiburg; 14
B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is WIA. Escorting are 105 of 107 P-51s; 2 P-51s
are lost (pilot MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair.
  3. 144 of 154 B-24s hit the Offenburg marshalling yard; 7 others hit
targets of opportunity; 9 B-24s are damaged. Escorting are 45 of 48 P-51s
without loss.
  4. 460 P-47s and P-51s fly fighter-bomber missions against oil targets in N
and C Germany; about 750 Luftwaffe fighters, the largest sighting to date,
attack in the Magdeburg-Munster-Hannover areas when the Germans mistake the
fighters for a heavy bomber formation; the AAF claims 98-4-11 aircraft in the
air and 4-0-1 on the ground; 2 P-47s and 10 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): Weather forbids bomber missions;
fighters patrol over W Germany, dive-bomb a bridge at Rurdorf, and support
the US 104th, 8th, and 1st Infantry Divisions near Hurtgen and in the
Weisweiler-Franz area, and the XIX Corps (mainly the 2d Armored Division) at
Merzenhausen.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): P-51s and P-38s fly
reconnaissance and reconnaissance escort missions; bad weather cancels other
operations.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, weather grounds all
missions except 5 weather reconnaissance sorties.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 24 B-24s from Saipan Island, escorted by 12
P-38s, hit Iwo Jima Island; 29 more B-24s, from Guam Island, fly a second
strike against the island. 25 B-24s from Angaur Island bomb Del Monte
Airfield on Mindanano Island.

  HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): 81 Mariana Islands-based B-29s fly against
Tokyo; none of the B-29s bomb the primary targets, the Musashino and Nakajima
plants, but 59 hit the secondary, the urban area and docks; 7 bomb Hamamatsu,
a target of opportunity; while the mission is in progress 11 enemy airplanes
attack Isley Field on Saipan Island, destroying or damaging several B-29s; AA
and intercepting fighters down 10 aircraft.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine
Islands, B-24s bomb Malogo and Bacolod Airfields on Negros Island and Daliao
Airfield on Mindanao Island. B-25s blast Namlea Airfield on Buru Island;
Liang and Laha Airfields on Ambon Island. A variety of FEAF aircraft attack
airfields, shipping, and targets of opportunity on Celebes Island, N Borneo,
and in the Halmahera and the Ceram Islands areas. The detachment of the 419th
Night Fighter Squadron, XIII Fighter Command, operating from Noemfoor Island
moves to Morotai Island with P-61s (squadron is based on Middleburg Island).

TUESDAY, 28 NOVEMBER 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 1 B-24 photographs and bombs the Matsuwa
Island shore area in the Kurile Islands.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In French Indochina, 17 B-24s,
escorted by 12 P-51s, bomb Gia Lam and 6 B-25s hit a railroad bridge at Phu
Lang Thuong. In Burma, 3 B-25s blast 6 warehouses at Hsenwi, 3 bomb Wan Lai-
Kam, 1 hits Kutkai, and 4 attack buildings in the Wanling and Chefang, China
areas. 60+ P-40s, P-51s, and P-38s on armed reconnaissance over wide areas of
E Burma and S China hit troops, bridges, horses, and other targets of
opportunity at many locations,

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 39 P-47s support ground
forces in the Pinwe and Bhamo areas; supply and personnel concentrations and
targets of opportunity at Nwegyo, Kutkai, the Meza area, Mankang, Manai,
Nawnglok, Nawnglong, Loimawk, Man Myeng, Mong Wi and Kungmong are attacked by
about 80 fighter-bombers; 16 hit targets of opportunity along the Maymyo-
Bawgyo rail line. Transports fly 317 sorties to forward areas. HQ 4th Combat
Cargo Group and the 13th Combat Cargo Squadron arrive at Sylhet, India from
the US with C-46s.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 728: 6 B-17s and 6 B-24s
drop leaflets on the Netherlands and Germany during the night. The 845th
Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 489th Bombardment Group (Heavy), departs
Halesworth, England for the US; the squadron will transition to B-29s in
1945.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, the 9th Bombardment
Division hits the defended villages of Birgel and Merken, a rail bridge at
Sinzig, and a Billiger Forest ammunition dump; fighters fly escort, night
intruder missions, and armed reconnaissance in the Kall-Trier area, and
support the US 1st, 8th, and 104th Infantry Divisions as they take
Langerwehe, Jungersdorf, Hurtgen, and the bridge at Inden.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Bad weather limits operations
to reconnaissance flights.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, B-25s hit railroad
bridges at Magenta, Torre Beretti, and Casale Monferrato, and an abandoned
ship in La Spezia harbor; fighters and fighter-bombers support ground forces
in the battle area in the Apennines S of Bologna, hit communications targets
N of the battle zone, and cut railroad lines in 40+ places in the Brenner
Pass and NC Po areas.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 21 Saipan Island-based B-24s bomb the airfield
on Iwo Jima Island; 3 others, flying an armed reconnaissance mission, bomb
Marcus Island. During the night of 28/29 Nov 1, a B-24 on a snooper mission
hits Iwo Jima Island. 3 B-24s from Angaur Island bomb the radio station on
Arakabesan Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Mindanao Island,
B-24s bomb Daliao and Matina Airfields. Small attacks by B-24s, B-25s, and
fighter-bombers are launched against airfields, shipping, and targets of
opportunity over wide areas of the SWPA, including C Philippine Islands and
the Halmahera and Timor Islands area. The 2d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy),
22d Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Leyte Island to Angaur Island with
B-24s; the 35th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, that has been operating
from Morotai Island, joins the ground echelon at Dulag, Leyte Island with
P-38s.

COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
WEDNESDAY, 29 NOVEMBER 1944
FTP SITES
  1. ftp.rutgers.edu in directory pub/wwii/usaf
  2. byrd.mu.wvnet.edu (129.71.32.152) in pub/history/military/airforce/
     wwii_chronology

AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
  A-20, Douglas Havoc
  B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress
  B-24, Consolidated Liberator
  B-25, North American Mitchell
  B-26, Martin Marauder
  B-29, Boeing Superfortress
  C-47, Douglas Skytrain
  P-38, Lockheed Lightning
  P-40, Curtiss
  P-47, Republic Thunderbolt
  P-51, North American Mustang

NOTE: A number in parenthesis after a target name indicates the number of
bombers attacking.

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 3 B-24s bomb Kashiwabara on Paramushiru
Island. B-25s call off a shipping sweep due to weather. 

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 6 B-25s bomb Ninh Binh, French
Indochina and 8 hit Lashio and 3 attack Hsenwi, Burma. 20 P-40s, P-38s,
and P-51s hit targets of opportunity in the Chefang, China area. 23 P-38s and
P-51s attack bridges, horses, shipping, and rail traffic around Hochih and
Nanning, China; Quang Yen, French Indochina; and Hsenwi, Kawnghka, and
Namhkai, Burma.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 50+ fighter-bombers fly
close support strikes in the battle areas around Bhamo and Pinwe; bridges at
Tonbo, Pauktaw, Man Loi, Meza, Bon Chaung, and at 2 unnamed points in N Burma
are pounded by 60+ fighter-bombers; 8 others bomb supplies, personnel and
ammunition stores at Tigyaing. 323 transport sorties are flown to forward
areas. The 1st Combat Cargo Squadron, 1st Combat Cargo Group, moves from
Sylhet to Tulihal, India with C-47s; the 490th Bombardment Squadron (Medium),
341st Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Moran, India to Warazup, Burma
with B-25s.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
  Mission 729: 1,077 bombers and 946 fighters are dispatched to make PFF
attacks on viaduct rail targets and oil refineries in Germany; 1 bomber is
lost:
  1. 445 B-17s are sent to hit the oil refinery at Misburg (391); targets of
opportunity are Osnabrcuk (36) and others (5); 6 B-17s are damaged. Escorting
are 419 P-47s and P-51s without loss.
  2. 307 B-24s are sent to hit the Schildesche rail viaduct at Bielefeld
(152) and the Altenbeken rail viaduct (144); 2 others hit targets of
opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost and 9 damaged; 10 airmen are MIA. Escorting are
261 P-47s and P-51s without loss.
  3. 312 B-17s are sent to hit the Hamm marshalling yard (294); 4 others hit
targets of opportunity; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 87 damaged; 3
airmen are WIA. Escorting are 112 of 120 P-51s without loss.
  4. 12 of 13 B-17s fly a screen mission and hit a target of opportunity.
Escorting are 26 of 32 P-47s without loss.
  5. 31 of 34 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
  Mission 730: 6 B-17s and 7 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands and
Germany during the night.
  HQ 489th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and the 844th, 846th and 847th
Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) depart Halesworth, England for the US; this
B-24 group will become a B-29s outfit that is destined for the Pacific.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 301 B-26s and A-20s hit
defended areas, barracks, and military depots at Wittlich, Mariaweiler, Pier,
Eisdorf, Limburg, Rastatt, and Landau; fighters escort the 9th Bombardment
Division and Eighth AF, fly armed reconnaissance over W Germany, and support
the 104th Infantry Division in a holding action against counterattacks at
Inden and Lammersdorf, the 8th Infantry Division at Hurtgen, and the 7th
Armored Division in the XIII Corps drive toward the Roer. HQ 10th
Photographic Group (Reconnaissance) and teh 31st Photographic Reconnaissance
Squadron with F-5s moves from Robinson Airfield, St-Dizier to Doncourt
Airfield, Conflans and Jarny, France respectfully.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Weather limits operations to
photo and weather reconnaissance missions.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 28/29
Nov A-20s fly armed reconnaissance over the Po Valley, dropping incendiaries
at several points including bridges at Piacenza and Castel Maggiore and the
airfields at Ghedi and Villafranca di Verona; during the day weather grounds
the medium bombers however, fighters and fighter-bombers can operate, and
blast enemy communications on the Brenner line and in the NC Po Valley,
cutting rail lines in numerous places and destroying a large number of
vehicles and railroad cars.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 18 B-24s from Guam Island bomb Iwo Jima Island.
4 P-47s from Saipan Island strafe Pagan Island.

  HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): 24 Mariana Islands-based B-29s strike the
Tokyo dock and industrial area during the night of 29/30 Nov; 2 B-29s bomb
the last resort targets of Yokohama and Numazu.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the Philippine
Islands, B-24s bomb Matina Airfield on Mindanao Island while A-20s and P-47s
hit the airfield at Pangsagan; B-24s, with fighter cover, pound Puerto
Princesa Airfield on Palawan Island and Kendari Airfield on Celebes Island.
B-24s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers fly several light raids against Halmahera
Island airfields and against shipping and other targets of opportunity in the
Philippine Islands, the Ceram Island area, N Celebes Island, and N Borneo.

THURSDAY, 30 NOVEMBER 1944

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS 

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): A weather sortie is the only mission.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 12 B-25s and 8 P-51s damage 2
railroad bridges and several buildings at Phu Lang Thuong and Phu Ly, French
Indochina. 11 bomb 5 warehouses and several other buildings at Lashio and
Wanling, Burma. 9 fighter-bombers hit shipping, rail targets, and troops at
various points in Thailand. In China, 23 fighter-bombers attack targets of
opportunity in the Chefang area; the 25th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter
Group, based at Yunnani with P-40s and P-51s, sends a detachment to operate
from Poashan.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 9 B-25s knock out and
damage bridges at Bawgyo, Namhkai, and Hsenwi; 16 P-47s support ground forces
at Bhamo; the town of Pinwe is found to be free of enemy forces; about 70
fighter-bombers attack troops and supply areas at several locations including
Molo, Naungmo, Namun, Hkumpen, Myadaung, Kutkai, Kanbalu, Kyauk, and Natpe;
13 others attack bridges at Meza and in the Bawdwin area; 8 strafe targets of
opportunity along the Kyaukme-Panglong road. 321 transport sorties are flown
to forward areas. In India, HQ 1st Combat Cargo Group and the 4th Combat
Cargo Squadron move from Sylhet to Tulihal with C-47s; the detachment of the
5th Fighter Squadron (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, operating from Fenny
with P-47s, returns to base at Asansol; the detachment of the 9th
Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Group,
operating from Tingkawk Sakan, Burma with F-5s, returns to base at
Barrackpore (other detachments are at Myitkyina, Burma and Chittagong); the
317th Troop Carrier Squadron (Commando), 2d Air Commando Group, moves from
Sylhet to Bikram with C-47s.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
  Mission 731: 1,281 bombers and 972 fighters are dispatched to hit synthetic
oil plants in SE Germany and rail targets; intense accurate flak downs 29
bombers and 3 fighters are lost:
  1. 451 B-17s are sent to hit the Zeitz (132) and Bohlen (68) oil plants;
116 hit the secondary, the Leuna oil plant at Merseburg; targets of
opportunity are Gotha (22), Gera (17), Rudolstadt (17), Fulda (12), Saalfeld
(12), Ohrdruf (10), Meerane (6) and other (9); 11 B-17s are lost, 4 damaged
beyond repair and 287 damaged; 8 airmen are KIA, 16 WIA and 100 MIA.
Escorting are 357 of 384 P-51s; they claim 4-0-0 aircraft in the air; 2 P-51s
are lost (pilots MIA).
  2. 539 B-17s are sent to hit the Leuna oil plant at Merseburg (301) and the
Lutzkendorf (169) oil plant; targets of opportunity are Zeitz oil plant (19),
Weissenfels (9) and other (12); 17 B-17s are lost, 6 damaged beyond repair
and 325 damaged; 17 airmen are KIA, 42 WIA and 295 MIA. Escorting are 452
P-47s and P-51s; 2 P-51s are damaged beyond repair.
  3. 291 B-24s are sent to hit marshalling yards at Neunkirchen (180) and
Homburg (104). Escorting are 56 of 60 P-47s; 1 P-47 is lost (pilot MIA).
  4. 30 of 33 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
  Mission 732: 7 B-17s and 6 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands and
Germany during the night.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS 

    First Tactical Air Force (Provisional): The 415th Night Fighter Squadron,
64th Fighter Wing, moves from Longvic to Ochey, France with Beaufighters.

    Ninth Air Force: In Germany, 288 B-26s and A-20s attack the defended
villages of Vettweiss, Stockheim, Erp, and Pirmasens, an armored vehicle
repair center at Gemund, a rail tunnel, a military camp at Malsbenden, and a
marshalling yard at Zweibrucken; fighters escort the 9th Bombardment
Division, give area support to Eighth AF heavy bombers at Leipzig, fly
sweeps, dive bombing missions, and reconnaissance over W Germany, and support
elements of the US VII Corps in the Hurtgen area (especially the 104th
Infantry Division at Lammersdorf and Inden). The 12th Tactical Reconnaissance
Squadron, 10th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance), moves from St Dizier to
Giraumont, France with F-6s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Austria during the night of
29/30 Nov, 18 B-17s bomb a benzol plant at Linz; 3 others hit marshalling
yards at Villach, Klagenfurt, and Gmunden. B-24s hit marshalling yards at
Munich, Germany and Innsbruck, Austria. During the day P-38s and P-51s fly
reconnaissance over Yugoslavia, Italy, and Germany.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, B-25s bomb bridges at
Romano di Lombardia and Crema; fighters and fighter-bombers attack
communications in the Po Valley, cutting rail lines and destroying a large
number of railroad cars and motor transport; targets also include bridges,
guns, and buildings.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 23 B-24s from Saipan Island bomb the airfield
on Iwo Jima Island. 8 Guam Island-based B-24s, escorting photo aircraft over
the Kazan and Bonin Islands, bomb Haha Jima Island. 37 from Angaur Island hit
Legaspi Airfield on Luzon Island. During the night of 29/30 Nov, 2 B-24s from
Guam and Saipan Islands, bomb the Iwo Jima airfield during snooper missions.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s in major
strikes of the day hit Malimpoeng and Parepare Airfields on Celebes Island,
Legaspi Airfield on Luzon Island, Matina Airfield on Mindanao Island, and 4
airfields on Halmahera Island. B-25s strike Dumaguete Airfield on Negros
Island. Fighter-bombers, B-24s, and B-25s fly armed reconnaissance, harassing
strikes, and light raids over various areas of the Netherlands East Indies
and Philippine Islands. The air echelons of the 36th and 80th Fighter
Squadrons, 8th Fighter Group, operating from Morotai Island with P-38s,
return to base at Dulag, Leyte Island; the 340th Fighter Squadron, 348th
Fighter Group, moves from Noemfoor Island to Tacloban, Leyte Island with
P-47s; the ground echelon of the 418th Night Fighter Squadron begins a
movement from Dulag, Leyte Island to San Jose, Mindoro Island (air echelon is
on Morotai Island with P-61s).

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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• With grateful thanks for the scholarship of Kit Carter, Robert Mueller and Jack McKillop •
• Thanks also to Charles McGrew •
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