February 15, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology
TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 1944
BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): P-40s, P-51s, and A-36s hit targets in Burma,
including rice mill and radio station at Waingmaw, targets of opportunity along
the Hukawng-Walawbum road, motor pool and dumps in the Kamaing area, troops
and supplies at Padi Ga and a canal bridge at Ye-u; P-40s also drop land mines
on Nampaung. HQ 443d Troop Carrier Group is moved from the US to Sylhet, India
without personnel and equipment. The 1st, 2d and 27th Troop Carrier Squadrons,
already in the theater, will be assigned on March 6.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): Four B-25s on a sweep over northern Indochina score
a direct hit on a steamer at Haiphong and nearby railroad station, damage bridges
near Viet Tri and a patrol launch at Hanoi, and hit engine sheds at Thanh Hoa.
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Tarawa and Makin bomb Mille and Ponape; Ten P-40s from Makin bomb
and strafe the runway at Mille Airfield and a disabled vessel at Mille.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): Seventeen B-24s prevented by weather from reaching Panapai bomb Talasea. 70+
B-24s bomb Kavieng. Meanwhile, A-20s from 3rd BG plus B-25 from the 38th BG and 345th BG conduct a low level strike againt Kavieng, shipping in Kavieng Harbor and Panapai Airfield. Lost are B-25D "Gremlins Holiday" 41-30041 (rescued), B-25C "Pissonit" 41-30370 (2 MIA, rescued), B-25D 41-30531 (rescued), B-25C "Stubborn Hellion" 42-32314 (1 MIA, 5 rescued 2/17/44), B-25G 42-64873 pilot 1st Lt John H. Di Filippo (MIA), B-25D "Jack Rabbit Express" 41-29992 pilot 1st Lt. Thane C. Hecox, Jr. (MIA), A-20G 42-86728 pilot 2nd Lt. Sam L. Norris (MIA) and A-20G 42-86616 pilot 1st Lt. William T. Pearson (MIA). Three of the B-25 crews are rescued by PBY "Arkansas Traveller" 08139 piloted by Lt(jg) Nathan G. Gordon who later earned the Medal of Honor for this action.
New Zealand Army: US and New Zealand troops land at Nissan (Green). On the ground, opposition is weak and organized resistance ends on February 23, 1944. The location will be quickly developed into a forward airfield for Allied operations against Rabaul.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 23 B-25s with fighter escort bomb Vunakanau Airfield runway and dispersal area.
20 B-24s hit Borpop Airfield causing heavy damage in
the runway and revetment areas. P-38s claimed six Zekes, and Corsairs clained two Zeros. Returning, one P-38 ditched.
US and New Zealand troops
land on Nissan, opposition is weak and organized resistance ends on February 23, 1944. 424th
Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 307th Bombardment Group (Heavy), ceases operating
from Munda with B-24s and returns to base on Guadalcanal.
IJN: At Rabaul, a strike by 17 planes including 9 Vas take off on a strike against the Allied landing at Green
Island. Six Vals ineffectively bomb the beach while evading interception by Corsairs and Airacobras that claimed six shot down. One land attack bomber failed to return and one Val force landed returning. Meanwhile, forty Zeros scramble at Rabaul to intercept the Allied air raid.
References
South Pacific Air War (2024) pages 533 (February 15, 1944)
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