February 24, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 1944

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Three B-24s from Shemya search for enemy shipping; 1 B-24 crashes during takeoff, the others find nothing.

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 6 B-25s hit bridges and trains between Pintha and Kinu; 1 bridge is damaged and several boxcars are destroyed; Thirteen B-24s bomb the marshalling yard at Mandalay and targets of opportunity at Akyab, Monywa, and Pakokku; P-51s, A-36s and P-40s attack bridges, radio stations, supply dumps, bivouacs, troop concentrations, railroad by-passes, AA positions, and other targets at Seton, Sinkan, Ye-u, Kawlin, Loilaw, Namkwin, Shaduzup, and the Mogaung-Kamaing area.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): Six P-40s on armed reconnaissance strafe Myitkyina Airfield.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): P-40s from Makin strafe and bomb the runway at Mille Airfield and radio installation on Mille; B-25s from Tarawa pound Wotje Airfield.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Isladn, 22 B-25s, with fighter escort, pound Rabaul; 9 minutes later 12 P-38s glide-bomb Rabaul; 2 minutes afterward 11 B-24s pound the same target; 6 other B-24s bomb Rapopo; P-40s and USN fighters escort USN dive bombers in a strike on Vunapope; P-39s attack Monoitu Mission. 394th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy), based on Guadalcanal with B-24s, begines operating from Munda.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): 23 B-24s and 39 A-20s thoroughly pound the Hansa Bay area. Nearly 20 other B-24s bomb Nubia Airfield and Awar Airfield. In preparation for the Allied landing, 50+ B-25s and B-24s pound Momote, Lorengau and other targets in the Admiralty Islands. The 80th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group moves from Dobodura to Cape Gloucester with P-38s.

USN: PT-193 and PT-146 attack gun positions at Astrolabe Bay and search for targets off Madang.

RAAF: Twelve Vengeances from 23 Squadron escorted by twelve P-40 Kittyhawks attack anti-aircraft gun positions around Hansa Bay. Lost are Vengeance A27-275 (MIA) and Vengeance A27-276 (KIA, POW, executed, MIA). In Australia, lost was P-40E Kittyhawk A29-94 (pilot survived).

USMC: Lost is FG Corsair 13212 pilot 1st Lt. Jesse M. Leach, Jr. (MIA) off the Duke of York Islands.