American mission against Los Negros Island
January 22, 1944–March 7, 1944
January 22, 1944
(5th AF) B-25's hit shipping
at Papitalai, Los Negros sinking a small vessel and a barge and severely damaging
a jetty.
March 1, 1944
(5th AF) 30 B-24 and B-25s hit Los Negros. Four B-17 armed transports from the 54th Troop Carrier Wing, 375th Troop Carrier Squadron took off from Finschafen Airfield including B-17E "Spawn of Hell", B-17F "Super Snooper" 41-24420, B-17F "War Horse" 41-24548 and another B-17 made supply runs dropping weapons, ammunition, barbed wire and blood plasma to the troops, and strafing enemy positions
March 2, 1944
(5th AF) 60+ B-25s and A-20s pound enemy forces on Los Negros as Allied ground forces
occupy Momote Airfield. Three B-17 armed transport B-17s from Finschafen Airfield made more air drops and supply runs including B-17E "Yankee Didd'ler" 41-2458, another B-17 and B-17F "Cap'n & The Kids" 41-24353 piloted by Captain A. J. Beck. Over the target, Beck was intercepted by four fighters including a Ki-61 Tony.
March 3, 1944
(5th AF) 14 A-20s
and B-25s hit enemy positions on Los Negros.
March 4, 1944
(5th AF) 20+ A-20s and B-25s support
ground forces on Los Negros. Japanese troops launch a series of suicide charges, and fail to route Americans.
March 5, 1944
(5th AF) About 30 B-24s bomb enemy positions
on Los Negros.
March 6, 1944
(5th AF) B-25s continue to hit Japanese
forces on Los Negros.
March 7, 1944
(5th AF) B-24s and B-25s continue
to hit targets on Los Negros.
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