American missions against Cape Gloucester and Cape Gloucester Airfield
December 23, 1942–January 29, 1944
December 23, 1942
(5th AF) B-25s bomb Cape Gloucester Airfield. B-24s carry out single-bomber attacks on
Cape Gloucester Airfield.
December 25, 1942
(5th AF) B-24 attacks runways at Cape Gloucester Airfield.
December 26, 1942
(5th AF) Heavy bombers carry out single-bomber attacks against Cape Gloucester
Airfield.
January 15, 1943
(5th AF) B-24s
carry out single-plane attacks on the runway at Cape Gloucester.
January 20, 1943
(5th AF) B-24s, operating singly, attack Cape Gloucester.
January 24, 1943
(5th AF) Single B-24s attack runways at Cape Gloucester.
January 25, 1943
(5th AF) Single B-24s attack runways at Cape Gloucester.
January 26, 1943
(5th AF) B-24s carry out individual attacks on the runways at Cape
Gloucester.
January 29, 1943
(5th AF) Single B-24s bomb runways at Cape Gloucester.
January 31, 1943
(5th AF) Single B-24 bombs the runway at Cape Gloucester.
February 1, 1943
(5th AF) A lone B-24 bombs the runway at Cape Gloucester.
February 3, 1943
(5th AF) B-17s and B-24s attack the airfield at
Cape Gloucester.
February 4, 1943
(5th AF) Heavy bombers hit Cape Gloucester Airfield.
February 12, 1943
(5th AF) B-24s, operating individually, attack the runway at Cape Gloucester.
February 18, 1943
(5th AF) B-24s unsuccessfully attack shipping off Cape Gloucester.
February 19, 1943
(5th AF) B-24s carry out
single-plane
attacks agains shipping off Cape Gloucester.
March 4, 1943
(5th AF) B-17s attack
power launches off Cape Gloucester.
March 5, 1943
(5th AF) Reconnaissance photography over Cape Gloucester.
March 7, 1943
(5th AF) A single
B-24 bombsCape Gloucester.
March 11, 1943
(5th AF) A single B-24 attack Cape Gloucester.
March 12, 1943
(5th AF) Individual B-24s bomb Cape Gloucester.
March 14, 1943
(5th AF) A single
B-17s strafes AA positions at
Cape Gloucester.
March 15, 1943
(5th AF) B-17s on single-plane flights
bomb Cape Gloucester.
March 16, 1943
(5th AF) B-17s bomb Cape Gloucester
area.
March 18, 1943
(5th AF) Single B-17's strafe barges northeast of Cape Gloucester.
March 19, 1943
(5th AF) Single B-17's strike Cape Gloucester.
March 21, 1943
(5th AF) A B-24 claims a direct hit on a cargo vessel ESE of Cape Gloucester.
April 1, 1943
(5th AF) B-17's attack Cape Gloucester Airfield.
April 2, 1943
(5th AF) Single B-24 hit Cape Gloucester Airfield.
April 4, 1943
(5th AF) Single B-17's bomb Cape Gloucester.
April 5, 1943
(5th AF) Single B-17's hit Cape Gloucester.
April 6, 1943
(5th AF) Single B-17's strafes
Cape Gloucester.
April 7, 1943
(5th AF) Single heavy bombers attack Cape Gloucester.
April 19, 1943
(5th AF) Single medium or heavy
bombers bomb Cape Gloucester Airfield.
April 24, 1943
(5th AF) Single B-24's bomb the runway at Cape Gloucester Airfield.
April 27, 1943
(5th AF) Heavy bombers, operating individually, attack vessels off Cape Gloucester.
April 30, 1943
(5th AF) Single B-24's bomb Cape Gloucester
Airfield.
May 5, 1943
(5th AF) A lone B-24 bombs
Cape Gloucester
Airfield.
May 10, 1943
(5th AF) B-25's pound Cape
Gloucester Airfield.
May 13, 1943
(5th AF) A-20's hit Cape Gloucester Airfield and area.
May 15, 1943
(5th AF) Single B-24's bomb Cape Gloucester.
May 17, 1943
(5th AF) Single B-24's bomb Cape Gloucester.
May 18, 1943
(5th AF) Heavy bombers, operating individually, hit Cape Gloucester.
May 25, 1943
(5th AF) Heavy bombers, operating individually, hit Cape Gloucester.
May 29, 1943
(5th AF) Heavy bombers, operating individually, hit Cape Gloucester.
June 13, 1943
(5th AF)
Reconnaissance photography over Cape Gloucester.
June 17, 1943
(5th AF) A single B-24 bombs Cape Gloucester Airfield d
and, during the night of 17/18 Jun, a B-25 attacks power launches nearby,
sinking 1 and badly damaging 2 more.
June 18, 1943
(5th AF) B-25's bomb and strafe power launches off Cape Gloucester.
June 30, 1943
(5th AF) One heavy bomber scores a hit on a cargo
vessel off Cape Gloucester.
July 3, 1943
(5th AF) A lone B-17 bombs Cape Gloucester Airfield.
July 28, 1943
(5th AF) B-25's hit Cape Gloucester Airfield and 2 destroyers offshore. Lost is B-25C "Johnny Pom Pom / Eager Eagle" 41-12906. Sunk is Mikazuki.
July 29, 1943
(5th AF) B-25's, B-26's, and a B-24 attack Army HQ, barges, and villages in the Natamo vicinity, shipping off Cape Gloucester, Borgen Bay, along the coast from Ring Ring Plantation to Roebuck Point.
July 30, 1943
(5th AF) Single B-24's bomb Cape Gloucester.
July 31, 1943
(5th AF) A-20's blast several barges in the Cape Gloucester area.
Augst 4, 1943
(5th AF) Single B-24's bombs Gloucester Airfield
August 12, 1943
(5th AF) A B-24 hits Cape Gloucester Airfield.
August 20, 1943
(5th AF) B-25's strafe barges
near Cape Gloucester.
August 30, 1943
(5th AF) B-26's bomb Cape Gloucester Airfield.
September 1, 1943
(5th AF) B-26's bomb Cape Gloucester area.
September 3, 1943
(5th AF) Heavy bombers hit
Cape Gloucester.
September 4, 1943
(5th AF) B-25's hit
Cape Gloucester Airfield.
September 12, 1943
(5th AF) B-25's hit barges near Cape
Gloucester.
September 19, 1943
(5th AF) B-17's and B-24's
bomb Cape Gloucester Airfield and the surrounding area.
September 21, 1943
(5th AF) B-24's
hit Cape Gloucester.
October 2, 1943
(5th AF) B-24 bombs Cape Gloucester Airfield.
October 8, 1943
(5th AF) A single B-24 on armed reconnaissance bombs Cape Gloucester Airfield.
October 13, 1943
(5th AF) B-24's hit Cape Gloucester.
October 14, 1943
(5th AF) medium bombers pound Cape Gloucester.
October 18, 1943
(5th AF) B-24s bomb Cape Gloucester.
October 26, 1943
(5th AF)
Reconnaissance photography over Cape Gloucester spots dummy gun positions.
October 29, 1943
(5th AF) P-47's
strafe the Cape Gloucester
area.
November 3, 1943
(5th AF) B-24's fly light strikes against shipping (sinking
1 vessel) between Talasea and Cape
Gloucester.
November 22, 1943
(5th AF) B-25's and B-24's bomb
Cape
Gloucester.
November 29, 1943
(5th AF) 35 B-25's and B-26's
bomb Cape Gloucester.
November 30, 1943
(5th AF) B-24's bomb
Cape Gloucester Airfield.
December 1, 1943
(5th AF) 16 A-20's hit the
Cape Gloucester area.
December 3, 1943
(5th AF) 60+ B-24's and B-25's bomb
Cape Gloucester Airfield.
December 4, 1943
(5th AF) 50 bombers hit
Cape Gloucester Airfield.
December 5, 1943
(5th AF) 40 B-24's bomb Cape Gloucester. A-20's destroy small craft off New Britain.
December 6, 1943
(5th AF)
Nearly B-24's and B-25's hit Cape Gloucester.
December 7, 1943
(5th AF) B-24's and B-25's attack the Cape Gloucester.
December 10, 1943
(5th AF) 27 B-24's bomb targets
at Cape Gloucester.
Decembeer 15, 1943
(5th AF) B-24's bomb
Cape Gloucester.
December 16, 1943
(5th AF)
B-24's hit Cape
Gloucester Airfield. Six Ki-49 Helens of the 9th Sentai take off to attack Arawe, but are intercepted over Cape Gloucester. Five are shot down, the sixth Ki-49 Helen 3297 force lands at Cape Gloucester Airfield.
December 17, 1943
(5th AF) Cape
Gloucester and
nearby shipping are attacked by B-24's and B-25's.
December 18, 1943
(5th AF) 70+ B-24's, B-25's, and B-26's bomb Cape Gloucester.
December 19, 1943
(5th AF) Cape
Gloucester is bombed by more than 140 B-24's, B-25's, and B-26's as pre-invasion
operations increase.
December 21, 1943
(5th AF) Pre-invasion air strikes continue against Cape
Gloucester as 100+
B-24's, B-25's, and A-20's pound the area.
December 22, 1943
(5th AF) 30+ B-24's, B-25's, and A-20's continue bombardment
of Cape Gloucester.
December 23, 1943
(5th AF) 61 B-24's bomb Cape
Gloucester during the day; B-24's follow during the night of 23/24 Dec
with harassing attacks with small bombs, hand grenades, and beer bottles.
December 24, 1943
(5th AF) The pre-invasion bombing effort against Cape
Gloucester reaches its
peak as nearly 190 B-24's, B-25's, and A-20's pound the area in a day-long
bombardment.
December 25, 1943
(5th AF) Cape
Gloucester is subjected to almost around the clock air attacks by l80+ B-24's,
B-25's, B-26's, and A-20's.
December 26, 1943
(5th AF) The US 1st Marine Division lands at Cape Gloucester
at 0746 hours; 270+ B-25's. B-24's, and A-20's plaster the area between the
Cape and Borgen Bay from 0714 to l614 hours; enemy aircraft attacking the
landing force sink a destroyer and cause considerable damage to other ships,
P-38's, P-40's, and P-47's claim 60+ airplanes shot down over the invasion
area. Lost is A6M2 Zero 8224.
December 27, 1943
(5th AF) A-20's attack positions in the Cape Gloucester
battle zone.
December 29, 1943
(5th AF) 120+ B-24's, B-25's, and B-26's pound positions
at Cape Gloucester.
(USMC) Marines take the major objective Cape Gloucester Airfield.
December 30, 1943
(5th AF) A-20's hit positions in the Cape Gloucester area
as US Marines completely secure Cape Gloucester Airfield.
December 31, 1943
(USMC) Marines raise the American flag at Cape
Gloucester Airfield No. 2. A-20's hit troop concentrations in the Cape
Gloucester area.
January 1, 1944
(5th AF) A-20's continue to hit troop concentrations in the Cape
Gloucester area.
January 4, 1944
(5th AF) B-25's attack
artillery positions in the Cape Gloucester area.
January 7, 1944
(5th AF) B-24's
bomb the Cape Gloucester area.
January 8, 1944
(5th AF) Fighters strafe the Sag
Sag sawmill in the Cape Gloucester area.
January 28, 1944
(5th AF) A-20's attack in
the Cape Gloucester area.
January 29, 1944
(5th AF) 45 A-20's hit positions in the Cape Gloucester area.
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