June 8, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 8 JUNE 1944

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): B-24s mine the Bangkok and Mergui, Burma areas. B-25s maintain the ammunition supply to Imphal. In Burma, 9 B-25s pound the Imphal-Tiddim road and a few A-36s and P-51s hit the enemy in the Mogaung area.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 19 P-40s bomb docks, warehouses and military installations at Ichang and Shasi and strafe 2 cavalry units at Nanying; 4 P-51s attack railroad traffic in the Singtai-Chengting area.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): During the night of 7/8 Jun, B-24s from Eniwetok bomb Truk and Ponape. B-25s from Makin follow up during the day with a strike against Nauru. In Hawaii, 72d Fighter Squadron, 318th Fighter Group, moves from Haleiwa Field to Mokuleia Field with P-38s; 78th Fighter Squadron, 15th Fighter Group, moves from Mokuleia Field to Bellows Field with P-47s.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 24 B-25s bomb a supply area at Ratawul. 32 P-39s bomb Tsirogei and a supply area north of Buka and six P-38s hit Monoitu Mission.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-25s, P-38s, B-24s and A-20s battle enemy fighters over Manokwari and Efman-Schouten area, bomb a small freighter off Manokwari and hit gun emplacements and occupied areas at Kamiri, at Namber, and near Sorido; P-40s hit supply areas and villages in the vicinity of Sarmi; and A-20s hit Wewak area. Thirteenth Air Task Force B-24s hit Truk. During the Battle of Cape Waios ten B-25s from the 17th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (17th TRS) attack a Japanese force of two cruisers and six destroyers. Lost is B-25D pilot Tennille (MIA), B-25D pilot Wood (MIA) and B-25D pilot Lind (MIA).

IJN: A force of destroyers after departing Sorong is attacked by ten B-25s from the 17th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (17th TRS) that engage them with anti-aircraft fire shooting down three in what became known as the Battle of Cape Waios. During the attack, the destroyers shoot down three attacking B-25s. Harusame was hit twice and sank.