March 15, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology
WEDNESDAY, 15 MARCH 1944
BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): 31 B-24s and 20+ Royal Air Force (RAF)
Wellingtons and Beaufighters pound supply dumps and targets of opportunity
in the Rangoon area while eight other B-24s hit barracks near Bangkok; numerous
US and RAF medium and fighter-bombers attack villages, Japanese positions,
ammunition dumps, tanks, and many other targets of opportunity in the Chin
Hills, at Chindwin, in the Mogaung Valley, and in areas around Mandalay. Lost is B-24J 42-41178 (MIA).
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Kwajalein fly the first Seventh Air Force mission against Truk before dawn hitting Dublon and Eten; alternate targets
of Oroluk Anchorage and Ponape Town (Colonia) are also hit. B-25s from Tarawa hit Maloelap. A-24s, P-39s, and P-40s used against Mille and Jaluit during Operation Flintlock (operations against Kwajalein and Majuro) and Operation Catchpole returned to Oahu for rest and re-equipment. 27th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 30th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Nanumea to Kwajalein with B-24s; they have been operating from Abemama since 26 Feb.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): Major General Hubert R Harmon,
Commanding General Thirteenth Air Force, becomes Commander Air Solomons (COMAIRSOLS).
50+ B-25s, P-40s, P-39s and P-38s and USN fighters pound Vunapope supply areas; 24 B-25s, with USN fighter escort, bomb Lakunai Airfield; 22
unescorted B-24s, finding Tobera clouded over, bomb the airfield at Rapopo as a secondary target.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): 200+ B-24s,
B-25s, A-20s, P-38s, P-47s and P-40s pound Wewak Town,
blasting docks, warehouses, gun positions, and numerous other targets; fighters
claim 11 enemy aircraft shot down. Lost is and P-38H 42-66528 pilot Captain Warren R. Danson (MIA).
36 B-25s bomb Tingo village and Lugos Mission
area on Manus, where elements of the 1st Cavalry Division make an amphibious
landing, take the mission and head east toward Lorengau.
USMC: PBJ Mitchells from Marine
Bombing Squadron 413 (VMB-413) fly their first combat mission over Rabaul.
JAAF:
Five Ki-48 Lilys from 208th Sentai took off on a bombing mission against Nadzab flying in three waves but experienced bad weather. The first wave reached Hansa Bay, skirted the coast and could not penetrate the rain clouds, ended up over Long Island and returned. Third wave got to a position between Manam Island and Karkar Island, then turned back due to bad weather. The second wave of Lt Saito and S/Mjr Tsukagoe diverted to Dumpu, dropping 8 Ka-4 bombs with unobserved results. One Ki-48 Lily was shot down by anti-aircraft fire and crashed near Dumpu.
References
JAAF 208th Sentai mission report March 15, 1944 via Richard Dunn
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