February 25, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 1944

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Three B-24s from Shemya are over Matsuwa shortly after midnight 24/25 Feb on a photographic reconnaissance and bomb run; the mission is not completed due to weather.

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 8 B-25s and 4 P-51s attack bridges at Meza, Sinthe, and Natmauk, causing light damage to the bridges and destroying 3 locomotives and several railroad cars. 91st Fighter Squadron, 81st Fighter Group, arrives at Karachi from Italy; they will be equipped with P-47Ds and enter combat on 16 June.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In French Indochina, sixteen P-40s attack docks, railroad yards and warehouses at Hongay; in the harbor 1 large boat is sunk and another damaged; 2 P-40's hit a cargo vessel at Campha Port, leaving it sinking; 2 others bomb and strafe Weichow Island.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): P-40s out of Makin bomb and strafe targets at Jaluit; B-25's from Tarawa and Abemama hit Mille and Wotje; B-24s from Abemama and Tarawa pound Ponape.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): P-39s on armed reconnaissance bomb an AA position at Monoitu, hit the Aitara area, and attack a barge in the Cape Gazelle area; 20+ B-25s hit Matupi and Rapopo; 21 B-24s and 17 P-38s follow shortly with another strike on Rapopo.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-25's pound Lorengau and the Alexishafen-Madang areas and Momote Airfield and A-20s bomb Alexishafen Airfield. HQ 85th Fighter Wing arrives at Gusap from the US. Lost is P-40N Warhawk 42-105306 pilot 1st Lt. Marion Hawke (pilot KIA) and P-47D Thunderbolt pilot 2nd Lt. Robert E. Thorpe (survived). Lost is P-38J 42-103994 pilot 1st Lt. Robert Q. Cordell (KIA).

JAAF: Ki-21 Sally was shot down over the Bismarck Sea between Kavieng and Rabaul.