March 29, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 29 MARCH 1944

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 20+ P-51s and B-25s over the Katha area hit the railroad and warehouse at Indaw in support of the ground forces nearby; 12 P-38s join numerous RAF aircraft in strikes on airfields, railroads, riverboats, and a variety of targets in the Mandalay area; Twelve B-24s pound the Victoria Lake region near Rangoon; 80+ fighter-bombers and a few B-25s blast targets throughout the Mogaung Valley, including the Waingmaw area, Mogaung, Nanyaseik, guns NE of Kamaing, and numerous scattered fortifications, supply areas, troop concentrations and pillboxes; 80+ other fighters maintain patrol of the Sumprabum area. HQ 1st Air Commando Group is activated at Hailakandi Airfield; the group consists of a HQ plus the following sections: bomber with B-25s, fighter with P-51s, light-plane with L-1 and L-5s, transport with C-47s, glider with CG-4As and TG-5s and light-cargo with UC-64s.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 12 P-40s and 3 P-51s attack the railroad station area at Nanchang, causing much damage to buildings and yards; the fighter-bombers also strafe Nanchang Airfield and attack a nearby bridge.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s from Kwajalein hit Jaluit and Rongelap Atolls; B-25s from Eniwetok strike Ponape while others from Tarawa bomb Maloelap and Jaluit.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): In the Rabaul area, nineteen fighter-bombers hit targets of opportunity along the Miwo River and at Mawareka and Kimaku; 8 others abort because of bad weather; fighters sweeping the vicinity of Rabaul strafe shipping in Keravia Bay and knock out a gun position at Cape Tawui; 24 B-25s and 11 P-40s get through the bad weather and pound supply areas at Vunapope and Ratawul, respectively. On Bougainville, a few P-38s hit Numa Numa while other fighter-bombers again support ground forces at the mouth of the Tekessi River. B-24s of the 307th Bombardment Group carry out the first daylight raid on Truk, bombing Eten Airfield; the mission is staged from Munda, through Torokina for arming and Nissan for refueling before the strike; the unescorted B-24s claim 31 interceptors destroyed, along with almost 50 aircraft on the ground; two B-24s are lost including B-24J 42-73466 (MIA) and B-24 ????? (MIA).

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): Brigadier General Paul H Prentiss is announced as Commanding General V Air Force Services Command and Brigadier General Warren R. Carter as Commanding General 64th Troop Carrier Wing. B-24s bomb Hollandia; B-25s and A-20s pound the Wewak area, hitting targets at Cape Wom and Dagua and attacking shipping throughout the day; Lost is B-25D 41-30040. More A-20s pound the Bogia-Bunabun area and P-39s hit an AA position at Erima; and P-47s and P-40s on a fighter sweep and armed reconnaissance strafe coastal targets of opportunity in NE New Guinea and New Britain. Moves in New Guinea: Headquarters, 348th Fighter Group from Finschhafen to Saidor; 433d Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group, from Dobodura to Nadzab with P-38s.

USN: Twelve Helldivers took off on a strike against Palau. Lost is SB2C Helldiver 18456 (rescued) and SB2C Helldiver 18454 (MIA). Lost on a sweep over Rabaul is F6F Hellcat 40437 pilot Driscoll (MIA).