April 3, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY, 3 APRIL 1944

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): Four B-25s damage the Tangon bridge while 6 P-51s hit Anisakan Airfield; 20+ fighter-bombers and 6 B-25s hit targets of opportunity S of Mupaw Ga and W of Mogaung, troops near Bhamo, and knock out a bridge near Mogaung; during the night of 3/4 Apr 16 B-24s bomb oil and power facilities at Yenangyaung, Chauk, and Lanywa while 8 P-38s hit Meiktila Airfield.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 4 rocket-firing P-40s, with 8 other as top cover, damage two large river boats between Hengyang and Ichang. In French Indochina, 4 P-40s flying a Red River sweep from Vinh Yen to Dong Cuong sink 4 small boats, damage 3 more, and strafe 50-100 persons at a loading point on the river; and three B-24s lay mines in the Haiphong area.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s staging through Eniwetok during the night of 2/3 Apr, bomb Truk. B-25s from Abemama follow with a daytime attack on Ponape; other B-25s from Abemama and Tarawa hit Maloelap and Jaluit. 98th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 11th Bombardment Group (Heavy) moves from Tarawa to Eniwetok with B-24s.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Island, 23 B-25s pound the NE section of Rabaul; this strike follows larger than usual (6 B-25s) heckling raids during the night of 2/3 Apr; and 50+ fighter-bombers blast fuel stores at Keravia Bay. AAF and US Navy (USN) fighters strafe the Numa Numa Trail area and maintain patrols. 67th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group, based in the Russells ceases operating from Bougainville Island with P-38s.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): 300+ B-24s, B-25s, A-20s, and P-38s blast airfields at Hollandia; most of the remaining Japanese airplanes there are destroyed; of 60 intercepting Japanese fighters, 26 are claimed shot down; air opposition from Hollandia is very light hereafter. Captain Richard I. Bong piloting P-38J "Marge" 42-103993 participates in the mission and claims his 25th aerial victory. Lost is P-38J 42-67584 pilot F/O Joe B. Barton (MIA); 50+ P-40s, P-47s, and P-39s hit villages, communications, AA positions, and other targets in areas around Wewak, Hansa Bay, Bogia and Madang; and B-24s hit Langgoer and B-25s bomb the Babo area and Penfoei. HQ 58th Fighter Group and 69th Fighter Squadron move from Dobodura to Saidor with P-47s.