WEDNESDAY, 26 JANUARY 1944
(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 15 B-24's bomb Maungdaw; 7 B-25's
and 3 fighters hit a camp at Razabil and attack targets of opportunity between
Maungdaw and Buthidaung.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): Eighteen P-40's from Kunming bomb and strafe
the airfield and barracks at Kengtung.
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): 9 B-25's from Makin hit several targets in Maloelap; about 20 fighters attack
the formation; 12 P-40's, meeting the returning B-25's over Aur Atoll, join
the battle against the fighters, claiming 10+ destroyed; the B-25's claim 5
shot down; several more are destroyed on the ground or while taking off during
the bombing raid. Nine B-25's from Tarawa hit Aineman in Jaluit and nearby shipping.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 80+ Allied fighters cover
a strike by 50+ USN/USMC dive bombers on the Lakunai area AA positions and revetments; 3 Allied fighters are lost; 20+ Japanese airplanes are claimed
shot down.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): 42 B-24's bomb Momote and Lorengau. 140+ B-24's, A-20's, P-39's, and
P-40's hit the Alexishafen-Madang area. 18 B-25's bomb Bogia. A-20's hit the Cape Raoult area and P-40's strafe barges along the
north coast of New Britain. 26th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance
Group, transfers from Brisbane to Dobodura with F-5's;
first mission is 10 February.
USN: Carrier planes from Task Force 58 (TF-58) bomb targets in the Marshall Islands. Lost on a mission against Rabaul are F4U 55822 (MIA), F4U 17659 Hogan (MIA) and F4U 19061 Hill (rescued).
USMC: Lost is FG 13213 (rescued) and SBD 36231 (MIA).
