FRIDAY, 7 APRIL 1944
ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Eight B-24s dispatched to destroy a convoy, believed
southeast of Matsuwa turn back due to engine, navigation
and weather difficulties. A flight of F-7As of the 2d Photographic Charting
Squadron, 1st Photographic Charting Group, 311th Photographic Wing (Mapping
and Charting), arrives in the Aleutians; its mission is mapping of
the Kuriles. The squadron is based at Peterson Field, Colorado Springs,
Colorado and sends detachments to various parts of the world to photo map.
BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 20+ P-51s and B-25s hit gun positions
at Mawlu; throughout the Mogaung Valley 100+ fighter-bombers and two B-25s hit
numerous targets including fuel and ammunition stores near Manywet, supplies
and a railroad station at Myitkyina, supplies and radio station at Sahmaw, the
Kamaing area, bridges at Nsopzup and supply dumps west of Mogaung; 30+ of the fighter-bombers
carry out ground support missions at Shaduzup.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 7 P-40s strafe 3 barges and several junks at
Saint John Island, China, leaving them burning. 2 B-24s on a sweep from Hong
Kong to Formosa claim a large river boat and a small freighter sunk and 2 other
freighters damaged; 1 B-24 is lost. Four P-40s attack a large concentration of
small vessels at Haiphong, sinking at least four.
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (XX Bomber Command): HQ 462d Bombardment Group (Very
Heavy) arrives at Piardoba, from the US.
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s from Tarawa hit Maloelap, rearm at Majuro and bomb Jaluit on the return flight.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 50+
fighter-bombers pound supply areas at Ratawul; nine B-25s hit Talili Bay, 11
bomb Vunakanau Airfield and 13 blast Tobera Airfield; 6 B-25s maintain night
heckling of the Rabaul area. On Bougainville, 4 P-40s bomb pillboxes
near the Reini River while two B-24s bomb Monoitu Mission. HQ 5th Bombardment
Group moves from Munda to Momote Airfield.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-25s, A-20s
and P-39s hit villages, barges, a supply area, and coastal road in areas around Madang, Tadji, Bogia, and Uligan Harbor; and B-24s bomb Langgoer and Wakde.
Other B-25s bomb barracks at Penfoei. Lost is P-40N Warhawk 42-105517 (MIA).
(RAAF) Crashed on take off is Spitfire "Butch III" A58-174 (survived).
