February 4, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 4 FEBRUARY 1944

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): Twelve P-51s strafe runways and buildings at Indaw Airfield.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s flying from Tarawa and Makin bomb Wotje, Maloelap and Mille; B-25s from Tarawa and Abemama also hit Wotje and Maloelap; P-40s based on Makin bomb and strafe Mille.

USN: The 27th Division defeat organized Japanese resistance Kwajalein.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-24s and B-25s carry out small raids against Ambon, Namlea and Amboina. 170+ B-24s, A-20s and B-25s bomb But Airfield and Dagua Airfield, Marienberg and the Madang-Alexishafen area; P-39s bomb and strafe Atemble and strafe targets of opportunity in the Alexishafen area. 672d, 674th and 675th Bombardment Squadrons, 417th Bombardment Group transfer from Cape Sudest to Dobodura with A-20s, first mission on March 25, 1944. Lost is A-20G 43-9122 (MIA).

USMC: In the early morning two PB4Y-1 Liberators from VMD-254 piloted by Major James Christensen and Capitan James Yawn that took off during the previous night arrive over Truk at an altitude of 23,000'. Christensen arrived first and flew for 20 minutes but drew anti-aircraft fire from warships. Yawn approached from a different direction and flew for 30 minutes was also targeted by anti-aircraft fire and while departing, three interceptors had climbed to his altitude. The pair photograph Musashi, a carrier, cruisers, destroyers, submarines and many other cargo vessels. Cloud cover prevented complete photographic coverage of the entire Truk Lagoon area. Afterwards, their photographs are studied by the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) at Pearl Harbor for photo interpretation and ship designers review the huge battleship suggest that she must displace at least 60,000 tons and was armed with 18" inch guns. The photographs taken are used in the planning of "Operation Hailstone" scheduled for February 16, 1944 to February 17, 1944.

IJN: The Combined Fleet warships at Truk realize they were spotted by two PB4Y-1 Liberators and prepare to depart by February 10, 1944.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 25 B-25s, escorted by 40+ fighters, pound Tobera Airfield; Eighteen B-24s, covered by 30+ P-38s and USN fighters, hit Vunakanau Airfield. HQ 5th Bombardment Group transfers from Guadalcanal to Munda. 68th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group transfers from Nadi to Torokina with P-38s.

References
South Pacific Air War (2024) pages 530-531 (February 4, 1944)