March 5, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SUNDAY, 5 MARCH 1944

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): B-25s, A-36s, P-51s and P-40s fly more than 60 sorties against targets in Burma, including artillery positions, storage areas, ground troops, roads, and a bridge; the targets are in the Zigon,
Shingban, and Myitkyina areas.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): Eight B-25s bomb and strafe Chiengmai Airfield, destroying nine aircraft, the water tower and nearby railroad station; the barracks area is also damaged.

EASTERN AIR COMMAND (EAC): During the night, British Major General Orde C Wingate's Special Force of long-range penetration troops begin dropping by glider onto Japanese lines of communication in C Burma. US engineer troops drop first, followed by the British 77 and 111 Brigades. USAAF Colonel Philip G Cochran's Air Commando unit flies them in, dropping them on a strip designated Broadway, about 50 miles northeast of Indaw. Another projected drop site, Piccadilly, is unusable as the Japanese have blocked it with fallen trees. Of 67 gliders dispatched, 32 reach Broadway. 539 men, 3 mules and 65,972 pounds of supplies are safely put down, including such items as bulldozers and lighting apparatus.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): P-40s from Makin carry out fighter-bomber mission against runways at Mille Airfield and installations at Mille; B-25s hit Maloelap and Mille; B-24s bomb Ponape and last resort targets at Kusaie and Mille.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 22 B-25s, with USN fighter escort, bomb Simpson Harbor; Nine B-24s follow with a raid against Rabaul town area; 13 B-24, with USN fighters covering, blast the revetment area and airstrip at Tobera; Eleven P-38s hit Borpop Airfield, and P-40s and USN fighters hit barges at Kabanga Bay and off the Warangoi River; Sixteen P-39s attack AA positions at Monoitu bridge, lost is P-39Q 42-19587 piloted by Barrington (MIA). Three P-38s hit Siar. Lost is B-24D 42-73469 pilot Captain Lewis W. Haire (MIA).

RNZAF: Four RNZAF Venturas on patrol hit barges anchored off a supply dock at nearby Raulavat Plantation.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): About 30 B-24s bomb enemy positions on Los Negros. In New Guinea, A-20s bomb and strafe the Yalau area in support of the landing by elements of the 32d Infantry Division. P-39's pound the areas around Madang and Erima; P-47 sweep the Wewak-Dagua area. Lost are P-47D "Fiery Ginger IV" 42-22668 pilot Col. Neel E. Kearby (MIA), B-24D "Ready, Willing & Able" 42-41135 (MIA) and F5B Lightning 42-67360 (MIA). Australian ground forces break out of the Ramu Valley and Japanese retreat toward Madang. 71st Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 38th Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Port Moresby to Nadzab with B-25s.

U.S. Army: Elements of the 32d Infantry Division including the 126th Infantry Regiment (126th IR) less the 2d Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Battalion plus 120th Field Artillery Battalion, B Battery land at Yalau on the north coast of New Guinea.

RAAF: Crashed is Beaufort A9-480 (KIA).

IJA: Second day of the Talili Bay Massacre (Tunnel Hill Massacre) when a group of Allied prisoners are executed by the Japanese Army 6th Kempei Tai (Military Police).