March 24, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 24 MARCH 1944

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Three B-24s fly a photographic mission over Onnekotan.

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In the Mandalay area, 12 B-24s and 10 P-38s bomb Pyingaing dump, 9 B-25s hit Shwebo railroad yards and a nearby factory, and 8 P-51s attack Gokteik Viaduct; 4 P-40s bomb Japanese positions near Shaduzup. British General Orde Wingate is killed in a plane crash, he had been in chage of organizing guerrilla units throughout Bruma and China.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s from Tarawa bomb Jaluit while others, flying out of Eniwetok, hit Ponape and Ant Island.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 20+ B-25s hit the airstrip at Tobera; a few which lost contact with the formation bomb Vunakanau instead; and 30+ P-38s, P-39s, and P-40s hit Vunapope with incendiary clusters, causing numerous fires.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): P-39s and P-40s hit Alexishafen with a dive bombing and strafing attack at midday; a single B-24 bombs nearby Sek; other B-24s on armed reconnaissance score a hit on a minesweeper. Organized Japanese resistance ends on Los Negros and Bougainville, although considerable time will be required for mopping-up operations. 475th Fighter Group, Headquarters (HQ) moves from Dobodura to Nadzab. Lost is B-17E "Tojo's Nightmare" 41-2497 pilot Captain William Compton (2 wounded, died rest survived) on a ferry flight to Horn Island. Lost is P-38J "Marge" 42-103993 pilot 2nd Lt. Tom Malone (survived).