March 14, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 14 MARCH 1944

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 90+ P-51s, A-36s, and P-40s, along with 3 B-25s, hit Japanese troops, bridges, dumps, and villages in the Mogaung Valley.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): Twenty Japanese bombers hit Hengyang Airfield and Suichwan Airfield; surprise prevents effective interception by US fighters.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s from Engebi bomb Kusaie. B-25s from Tarawa hit Wotje.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 22 P-40s and P-39s hit Vunapope; 23 B-24s, with USN fighter cover, bomb the northern waterfront area of Simpson Harbor; and 22 B-25s, with USN fighter escort, bomb the east section of town of Rabaul. P-39s, P-38s, P-40s, and USN fighters hit barges and other targets of opportunity around the coast of Bougainville and along the northeast coast of New Ireland.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): 80+ B-24s, B-25s, and A-20s, supported by Allied fighters, pound the Wewak area. Lost are P-47D 42-22920 (MIA), P-47D piloted by Murr (survived), P-47D piloted by Schatzman (survived); 17 other B-24s bomb Tadji Airfield; and eight A-20s carry out a sweep over the Madang area while 12 bomb the airstrip at Alexishafen. HQ 8th Fighter Group and 35th Fighter Squadron and 36th Fighter Squadron move from Cape Gloucester to Nadzab with P-40s and P-47s respectively.

RAAF: Lost is Avro Anson AW659 (2 survived, 2 KIA).