FRIDAY, 31 DECEMBER 1943
CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Seventh Air Force): The air echelon
of the 26th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 11th Bombardment Group (Heavy) operating from Canton since 12 Nov, returns to base on Nukufetau with B-24's.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 25 B-24's pound the Lampang railroad
yards, causing several big fires and many secondary explosions. 6 B-25's
hit Yangtze River shipping in the Anking and Lu-Kuan areas, claiming 3 cargo
vessels and a troop carrier sunk; and two B-25s on a sea sweep damage a passenger
vessel in the Hainan Straits.
SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force): The 371st Bombardment
Squadron (Heavy), 307th Bombardment Group (Heavy), ceases operating from Guadalcanal in
the Solomon with B-24's and returns to base on Espiritu
Santo.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force): A-20's hit troop concentrations in the Cape
Gloucester area; nearly 50 P-40's and P-47's intercept a small force
of airplanes attacking the Arawe beachhead
area and twelve aircraft are claimed shot down. Almost 150 B-24's
and medium bombers pound the Madang, Alexishafen, and Bogadjim areas.
RAAF: Crashed in the Shaggy Ridge area is Boomerang A46-134 (KIA). Over New Britain, lost is Spitfire A58-145 (MIA).
USMC: Lost is SBD Dauntless 35949.
