January 16, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SUNDAY, 16 JANUARY 1944

(CBI) CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 8 P-40's attack the town of Pingkai, China and strafe targets of opportunity in the surrounding valley area.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): 25 A-24s, 16 P-39's, and 8 P-40's from Makin strike Mille Atoll; A-24s bomb and strafe AA positions and storage areas, the P-40's bomb and strafe barracks and AA emplacements and the P-39's strafe runways; 2 P-39's are lost including P-39Q Airacobra 42-19469 (MIA); P-39's sent up on interceptor missions claim three Japanese airplanes destroyed over Mille and Makin. Transfers: 28th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Seventh Air Force from the US to Kipapa Field with F-5's. 431st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 11th Bombardment Group (Heavy) from Funafuti to Tarawa with B-24's.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): Bad weather results in no missions flown against Rabaul.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): Madang, Erima, and Bogadjim areas are hit by B-25's, A-20's, and P-40's; P-39's strafe the area from Sio to Bogadjim; and B-25's bomb the area north from Cape Croisilles. Lost are B-25G 42-64827 (MIA), B-25D "Exotic Express" 41-30179 (MIA), B-24D 42-72804 (MIA) and P-38H 42-66739 (MIA). B-24's and B-25's attack positions near Arawe. B-24's carry out a light raid on the harbor of Amboina.

Over Saidor, P-40N Warhawks from 35th Fighter Squadron (35th FS) intercept a formation of Japanese fighters including Ki-43 Oscars and Ki-61 Tony (incorrectly identified as Hamps, Oscars and Tonys). They claim 19 confirmed kills and 3 probables including three victory claims by 1st Lt. Lynn Elwood Witt, Jr. This combat set the wartime record for 5th Fighter Command for victories claimed by a single squadron during a single engagement.

JAAF: Ki-43 Oscars from 59th Sentai, 63rd Sentai and 248th Sentai plus Ki-61 Tony from 68th Sentai conduct a sweep over Nadzab Airfield. Lost were ten Japanese fighters including Ki-61 pilot Noguchi (POW).

References
South Pacific Air War (2024) by Richard Dunn pages 522 (January 16, 1944)
"Weather on the sixteenth greatly restricted Allied air operations, and no missions were run to Rabaul. January 16 was not only the middle of the month but, as things transpired, was almost exactly the midpoint of the campaign."