American missions against Wakde Island and Wakde Airfield
April 7, 1944–June 8, 1944
April 7, 1944
(5th AF) B-24s bomb Langgoer and Wakde
April 13, 1944
(5th AF) B-25 fly light strikes against Wakde and other targets
April 16, 1944
B-24s fly a light strike against Wakde Island
April 21, 1944
(USN) Carrier planes hit Wakde in conjunction with upcoming landing at Hollanida.
April 28, 1944
(5th AF) B-24s and B-25s bomb Wakde.
April 29, 1944
(5th AF) B-24s and B-25s bomb villages, AA positions and personnel
areas in the Wakde.
May 2, 1944
(5th AF) 8 B-25s hit Wakde oil stores, huts, AA positions,
trucks, and other targets of opportunity.
May 5, 1944
(5th AF) B-25s hit supply areas at Wakde.
May 7, 1944
(5th AF) B-24s, B-25s and P-40s hit Wakde coast and other targets.
May 11, 1944
(5th AF) B-24s and B-25s bomb gun emplacements and supply areas on Wakde.
May 14, 1944
(5th AF) Wakde-Sawar-Maffin Bay area, villages and AA positions are pounded
by B-24s and B-25s.
May 15, 1944
(5th AF) B-24s and B-25s attack numerous targets in the Wakde-Sawar-Sarmi-Maffin
Bay areas. US Army troops land on Wakde.
May 16, 1944
(5th AF) Aircraft continue to pound AA guns, supplies and occupied
villages in the Wakde Island-Maffin-Sawar coastal area, and bridges, villages,
troop concentrations and AA positions
May 22, 1944
(5th AF) P-40s hit supply and fuel dumps, trucks and other targets of opportunity
in the area of Wakde Island
May 23, 1944
(5th AF) P-40s hit troops near Wakde.
May 25, 1944
(5th AF) B-24s attack targets near Wakde.
May 26, 1944
(5th AF) B-25s hit targets near Wakde.
June 1, 1944
(5th AF) A-20s, B-25s and P-39s hit villages, bivouac, and other targets
of opportunity in the coastal area from Wakde to Hollandia.
June 15, 1944
(FEAF) B-24s, B-25s, A-20s and fighters attack barges in the Manokwari
area and a village near Wakde.
July 4/5, 1944
(FEAF) Light strikes are flown in support of troops on Noemfoor
and against barges, airfields, and troop concentrations on Efman and Biak Islands
and at Moemi, Manokwari, and in the Wakde area.
July 10, 1944
(FEAF) Small-scale strikes in the Wakde area.
Japanese missions against Wakde Island and Wakde Airfield
June 1-10, 1944
The 71st TRG, 17th TRS was bombed several times on Wakde. Two B-25s were damaged so badly they were turned into a Service Squadron and other planes received repairable damage. No personnel were killed or injured.
June 6, 1944
IJN: During the night of June 5, 1944 three G4M1 Bettys from 732 Kokutai led by Ens. Isao Sunayama took off Wasile Airfield on a night bombing mission against Wakde Airfield. During the flight, the trio encountering bad weather and became separated with one Betty bombing the Biak area. On June 6, 1944 in the early morning hours, the other two Bettys led by Ens Sunayama
reached Wakde Island, found a break in the clouds and flew low over Wakde Airfield and released their bombs over parked planes on each side of the runway causing extensive damage on the ground. The Japanese estimated they had destroyed dozens of American planes.
The June 6, 1944 attack was a singularly successful Japanese effort at this stage of the Pacific War. Later reconnaissance photographs seemed to show 76 aircraft burned or damaged along the runway. In fact, the bombs dropped by these two Betty bombers resulted in the destruction of six aircraft and damaged eighty others. Destroyed was B-24J "Turtle Money" 42-109968, P-38J 43-28839, P-38J 43-28486, P-38J 43-28838, P-47D Thunderbolt, L-4B Cub. Also damaged or lost were PB4Y-1 "Baby Shirley" 32150 from VPB-115, PB4Y-1 32177 from VPB-115, PB4Y-1 32255 from VPB-115, PB4Y-1 38789 from VPB-104 and PB4Y-1 32275 from VPB-104.
June 8, 1944
IJN: Three G4M Bettys again bomb Wakde Airfield.
References
Japanese operations at Wakde Airfield on Wakde Island by Richard L. Dunn
