MONDAY, 10 JANUARY 1944
(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force):
In Burma, 12 A-36's and P-51's hit a bivouac area at Nanyaseik; and 15 P-40's
attack a bridge at Namti, damaging railroad tracks and the S approach to the
bridge. During the night of 9/10 Jan, Seven B-24's lay mines in the Menam River
estuary near Bangkok and in the Rangoon River estuary. B-24's during
the day bomb marshalling yard and airfield in the Bangkok area and hit the main
jetty at Akyab. 9 B-25's mine the Mokpalin, Burma ferry crossing over
the Sittang River. 315th Troop Carrier Squadron, Tenth Air Force, transfers
from Dinjan to Sylhet with C-47's.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 8 P-51's bomb the approach to the Kienchang
bridge and attack a troop train N of Teian damaging the train and killing an
estimated 100 soldiers; Three B-25's and eight P-40's sweep the area from Anking to Chiuchiang, sinking a large motor launch, two 100' barges, and a tug
on the Yangtze River, and attacking a bridge at Teian and tracks south of Chiuchiang;
2 B-25's and 4 P-40's attack shipping on the Yangtze River near Wusueh, sinking
a launch and leaving 3 tankers burning. 491st Bombardment Squadron (Medium),
341st Bombardment Group (Medium), transfers from Chakulia to Yangkai with B-25's.
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): Four P-39's
from Makin strafe Mille Atoll; 1 of the P-39's drops
two 500-lb bombs on the fuel storage area; during the night of 10/11
Jan, sixteen B-24's, staging through Tarawa from Ellice bomb Maloelap; Four B-24s staging from Canton via Baker hit Mille. 392nd Bombardment Squadron (Heavy),
30th Bombardment Group (Heavy), transfers from Canton to Abemama with B-24's.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): Major General Hubert R Harmon,
Commanding General, begins a heavy bomber campaign of night strikes. 5th Bombardment
Group night raids sending 20 B-24's on a strike against Lakunai
Airfield, after a morning raid by 10 B-24's against nearby Vunakanau Airfield. Five B-24's hit the Kahili supply area,
while four hit the Chinatown area of Buka. AAF and USN fighters cover a
USN dive bomber strike against Cape Saint George.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): 100+ heavy,
medium, and light bombers, and fighters attack Madang, Alexishafen, and Bogadjim areas and the coastline from Madang to Sio. P-39's strafe scattered
villages and barges on New Britain. B-25's bomb Koepang. Transfers
to Nadzab: 33d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 22d Bombardment Group
(Medium), from Dobodura with B-25's; squadron will be redesignated 33d Bombardment
Squadron on 3 Feb and transition to B-24's. 69th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group from Port Moresby with C-47's.
USMC: SBD Dauntless 06738 (crew rescued) ditched off Gizo.
RAAF: Lost is Boomerang A46-53 (survived).
