SATURDAY, 1 APRIL 1944
BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): Fourteen P-38s hit a freight train and damage
a factory in the vicinity of Mandalay; near Rangoon, 16 B-24s hit a railroad
station and bomb Akyab while 6 B-25s damage a railroad bridge near Nattalin.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): A flight of the 21st Photographic Reconnaissance
Squadron, Fourteenth Air Force, based at Kunming begins operating from
Liangshan, China with F-4s and F-5s. Moves in China during Apr: HQ 69th Composite
Wing from Tsuyung to Kunming; 16th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Group, based
at Chengkung sends the detachment at Tsuyung to Szemao with P-40s.
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s from Abemama strike Ponape; B-24s from Makin and Kwajalein hit Truk;
and B-25s from Tarawa bomb Maloelap and Jaluit. 78th Fighter Squadron, 15th Fighter Group, moves from Stanley Field to Mokuleia Field with P-47s.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 24 B-25s bomb supply areas at Vunapope and Ratawul; 28 P-39s and
P-40s hit the Toboi Wharf area at Simpson Harbor; 3 P-40s follow with a strike on oil and coal storage in same general area; fighters maintain
sweeps over Rabaul and New Ireland throughout
the day and B-25s harass Rabaul during the night of 1/2 Apr. On Bougainville, tweleve P-38s bomb Monoitu Mission and tweleve P-40s
hit Numa Numa supply dumps. The detachment of the 17th Photographic Reconnaissance
Squadron, 4th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance), operating from Munda Airfield,
with F-5s returns to Fighter 2 (Kukum) on Guadalcanal. Lost is SB-24D "Sergeant Stripes... Forever!" Serial Number 42-63805 (MIA / KIA).
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-25s and A-20s hit the Tadji and Hansa Bay area; B-24s bomb Boela; and B-25s attack Penfoei. Moves
in New Guinea during Apr: 33d Troop Carrier Squadron, 374th Troop Carrier Group from Garbutt Field to Port Moresby with C-47s; 63d Bombardment
Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy), from Dobodura to Nadzab with
B-24s. Lost is C-47 "Broadway Limited" 41-18568.
USN: Task Force 58
(TF-58) under Vice Admiral M. A. Mitscher strikes Woleai,
including USS Alabama BB-60. Lost are F6F 40691 (MIA), TBM 25443 (resuced), F6F 25827 (resuced), F6F 40078 (resuced) F6F 40695 (rescued).
