March 21, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 21 MARCH 1944

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 25 B-25s and P-51s destroy 1 bridge and damage another near Meza, pound buildings and targets of opportunity in the Mawlu area and hit a locomotive and several trucks in the Banmauk-Indaw area; 6 P-38s bomb Monywa oil dumps, causing several large fires; and 80+ fighter-bombers and two B-25s hit Manywet Town, storage area at Myitkyina, buildings at Kamaing and Myitkyina, and warehouses, bypass, and bridge at Hopin. HQ 12th Bombardment Group (Medium) arrives at Tezgaon and 83d and 434th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) arrive at Kurmitola from Italy with B-25s; first mission is 27 Apr.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Tarawa hit Mille and Maloelap and Ponape. Tarawa based B-25s also pound Maloelap.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 30+ fighter-bombers and 24 B-25s pound the Lakunai Airfield area; 22 B-24s bomb Vunakanau Airfield; and fighters carry out barge sweeps in the Rabaul area. Fourteen P-39s hit Numa Numa; small strikes are flown against Monoitu and a bridge at Meive, and fighter-bombers support ground forces and bomb a bivouac along Empress Augusta Bay. Lost is P-39 piloted by Collins (MIA).

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): 140+ B-24s, B-25s, A-20s, P-38s and P-40s attack numerous targets at Kairiru Island, Wewak-Tadji-Hansa Bay-Schouten areas; and P-39s and RAAF fighter-bombers blast Japanese positions in the Madang area. P-40s and A-20s on armed reconnaissance attack targets on New Britain and Garove Island. Lost is P-38 piloted by Perkins (survived).

USMC: Lost in a mid air collision is PV-1 29870 (MIA) and PV-1 33079 (MIA).