March 28, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 28 MARCH 1944

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 18th Fighter Squadron, 343d Fighter Group, moves from Amchitka to Attu with P-38s.

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In the Mogaung Valley of Burma, eight B-24s bomb the Kamaing storage area, while 60+ fighter-bombers and nine B-25s furnish ground support in the Sumprabum, Mogaung, and Kamaing areas, and bomb storage at Manywet Town, Mohnyin and Kamaing.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 4 B-25s bomb the barracks area at Vinh Yen, French Indochina, scoring direct hits on 4 buildings.

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (XX Bomber Command): HQ XX Bomber Command arrives at Kharagpur from the US.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s from Abemama and Tarawa pound Jaluit, Mille and Maloelap; a single B-24 from Kwajalein Atoll, en route to Eniwetok Atoll, bombs Rongelap Atoll; and B-24s flying a night mission from Kwajalein bomb targets at Truk.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 24 B-25s bomb Tobera Airfield, causing considerable damage to the runway; fighter-bombers hit the Ratawul supply area and SW part of Rabaul. A few P-40s attack the Numa Numa supply area, a single B-24 scores damaging hits on the Japanese-held mission at Monoitu, and other planes hit scattered targets of opportunity.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-24s hit Hollandia and Penfoei. 26th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group from Finschhafen to Nadzab with F-5s; and 418th Night Fighter Squadron, 308th Bombardment Wing from Dobodura to Finschhafen with P-61s. Lost is B-25D 41-12920 pilot Captain William H. Gaskill, Jr. (survived).

USN: PB4Y-1 32170 piloted by Lt(jg) Hamilton M. Dawes, Jr. from VB-115 was intercepted by three enemy fighters over Satawan. Despite serious damage from 24 hits, the aircraft returned to base. Top turret gunner AMM3c Louis A. Chiles received a slight flesh wound in the arm from enemy fire. One enemy fighter plane was damaged. Reference: USN Bombing Squadron 115 War Diary - March 1944 page 5

Kriegsmarine: U-532 fires a spread of torpedoes with two hitting and sinking MV Tulagi that sinks in twenty seconds in the Indian Ocean. Only seven of the crew survive after 58 days at sea.