February 23, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 23 FEBRUARY 1944

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 14 B-24s bomb airfields and other targets at Akyab and Dabaing; 3 B-25s and 12 P-51s hit a radio station at Man Pang; 4 other P-51s hit warehouses at Chantha.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): Four B-25s attack two ships in the Gulf of Tonkin and hit railroad cars and engine shed at Van Trai Station, French Indochina. 4 P-40s strafe Lashio Airfield.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): P-40s from Makin bomb Mille; two small boats are destroyed by strafing; B-25s from Abemama hit Taroa. B-24s from Makin and Tarawa bomb Kusaie and Ponape and Jaluit.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 4 B-24s on armed reconnaissance strafe the Cape Saint George area and bomb buildings and pier at Labur Bay and 4 B-24s attack bivouacs in the upper Saua River area. 9 B-25s, with USN fighter support, bomb Vunakanau Airfield; 10 other B-25s hit Keravat Airfield; 16 P-38s dive-bomb the Vunapope supply area and some attack the town of Rabaul; this is the first P-38 bombing raid on the Rabaul area; (P-38s, now free from constant responsibility of guarding bombers against interceptors, will continue to dive-bomb the Rabaul area through Apr 44; during the latter part of this campaign against the famed Japanese garrison, which is to be bypassed by Allied ground forces, P-39s will add their strength due to completion of a runway at Nissan Island (Green Island); by 20 Aprll only 120 of 1,400 buildings in Rabaul will still be standing).

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): Almost 50 A-20s and B-24s blast Wewak Airfield, buildings, and AA positions in the Wewak area. Units moving from Dobodura to Nadzab including Headquarters (HQ) 90th Bombardment Group and 320th Bombardment Squadron, 321st Bombardment Squadron and 400th Bombardment Squadron with B-24s; 500th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) and 501st Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 345th Bombardment Group (Medium), with B-25s.

USN: Two carrier groups of Task Force 58 (TF-58) under the command of Rear Admiral M. A. Mitscher successfully fending off a series of determined enemy air attacks during the night. During the day, carrier aircraft attack Saipan, Tinian, Rota and Guam for the dual purpose of reducing enemy air strength in the Marianas and to gather photo intelligence for the impending invasion. The combined efforts of pilots and antiaircraft gunners accounted for 67 enemy aircraft shot down and 101 destroyed on the ground.

Launched is Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer USS USS Samuel N. Moore (DD-747) named in honor of Captain Samuel N. Moore at Bethlehem Mariners Harbor in Staten Island, New York sponsored by his wife.