February 27, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology
SUNDAY, 27 FEBRUARY 1944
BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 30+ P-51s and A-36s and 2 B-25s hit
ammunition dumps near the Kamaing-Walawbum road, warehouses, railroad and power
facilities, bridges, and targets of opportunity in the Ye-u and Tindeinyan
areas.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In French Indochina, 4 B-25s fly a sea sweep
from Vinh to Nam Dinh, bombing the Nam Dinh distillery and railroad yards;
no ships are sighted. 8 P-40s hit the railroad bridge at Puchi, China, rendering
it unusable.
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): A-24s and P-40s from Makin strike Jaluit and Mille, while B-25s from Abemama hit Wotje and
Mille; B-24s from Makin and Tarawa bomb Ponape.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 16 P-39s strafe barges and
other targets of opportunity along the southwest coast of Bougainville throughout
the day. Vunapope is attacked by 21 B-24s and 24 B-25s
(both forces supported by fighter escorts) and by 14 P-38s; P-40s and USN fighters
cover a USN dive bomber strike AA positions at Lakunai Airfield. Lost inbound to the target is P-38J 42-67154 pilot 1st Lt. George I. Gombert, Jr. (MIA). Three P-38s strafe
a radar station at Cape Saint George.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): Colonel Jarred V. Crabb becomes
Commanding General V Bomber Command. 30+ B-24s, with P-40 support,
hit Boram Airfield, Wewak Airfield and Tadji Airfield,
27 B-25s hit the Hansa Bay area, and over 30 A-20s attack Alexishafen and Marakum
village 30+ other B-25s attack Momote, Lorengau and other targets. P-39s maintain armed reconnaissance
over New Britain.
USN: SS President Grant runs aground on Uluma Reef (Suckling Reef). The grounding begins a 112 day effort is undertaken to free the ship but it is abandoned and sinks. Sunk is USS Grayback SS-208 bombed by B5N Kate on the surface south of Okinawa,
RAAF: Vultee Vengance dive bombers No. 23 Squadron and No. 24 Squadron escorted by P-40N Kittyhawks from No. 78 Squadron strike Alexishafen Airfield. Returning, force landed is Vengeance A27-83 pilot F/O Kenneth Hillman Pike (crew rescued).
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