SUNDAY, 30 JANUARY 1944
(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 6 B-25's attack bridges at
Meza, Zawchaung, and N of Kyungon; Meza bridge is put out of commission, Kyungon
bridge demolished, and Zawchaung bridge damaged; a locomotive and tender are
destroyed at the latter target; and a single B-25 attacks vehicles and other
targets of opportunity between Taihpa Ga and Tsumhpawng Ga.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 20 P-40's fly armed reconnaissance over east Burma, eight of them strafe buildings at Loi wing Airfield, Burma.
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): P-40's and P-39's
maintain patrols over Mille, bombing and strafing Mille Airfield to prevent
its use by the enemy against invading US forces; B-24's maintain all-night strikes
against Kwajalen Atoll in
preparation for the invasion the following morning; the invasion of Majuro begins during the night of 30/31 Jan.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 20 P-39's attack Kunrai,
Bougainville. 26 B-25s escorted by 47 fighters bomb Lakunai
Airfield causing fires and black smoke with six B-25s lightly damaged by anti-aircraft fire and escorts claiming two Zeros and three probables for the loss of one F4U Corsair. The B-25s reported seeing a "possible aircraft carrier" [none were present] off Rabaul.
Meanwhile, eighteen B-24s escorted by fifteen P-38s and five Corsairs bomb Vunakanau Airfield and damage eight parked bombers. Six B-24s were damaged by anti-aircraft fire and one by an aerial bomb dropped from above. A few Japanese fighters were spotted but did not engage.
A third strike was mounted to attack the "possible aircraft carrier" by eighteen TBF Avengers escorted by fifty fighters including F4U Corsairs from VF-17 plus P-38s and F6F Hellcats. The Avengers sink Iwate Maru (3,000 Tons) and cause minor damage to Juzan Maru (3,900 Tons). Over the target, the fighters claim 15 shot down for the loss of two Corsairs and one TBF Avenger.
IJN: Defending Rabaul, roughly 100 Zeros were scrabled against three U.S. air raids. In total, they claim 27 planes shot down for the loss of five Zeros.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): 34 B-25's bomb the Hansa Bay area and Nubia. Lost is B-25D 41-30594 (MIA). A-20's fly a barge sweep along the north coast and P-39s strafe barges and fuel
dumps at Rein Bay. 90th Bombardment Squadron, 3d Bombardment Group
transfers from Dobodura to Nadzab with A-20's.
RAAF: Bostons from 22 Squadron bomb Linderhafen. Over the target, hit by anti-aircraft fire over the target and lost near Cape Dampier is A-20C Boston A28-27 (MIA). Also lost is Avro Anson LT294 (MIA).
References
South Pacific Air War (2024) pages 528-529 (January 30, 1944)
