April 17, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY, 17 APRIL 1944

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, six P-51s support ground forces near Meza; Nine P-38s destroy several airplanes at Heho Airfield while 5 B-24s bomb Ywataung; 26 B-25s and 36 P-51s support ground forces at Mawlu and bomb a fuel dump at Kin; 13 other P-51s are diverted to intercept a Japanese force over the Imphal area and claim 3 shot down.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s based on Tarawa, strike Maloelap and Mille, rearming at Majuro between the raids.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): Twenty B-24s bomb Satawan Airfield. Twenty-four B-25s pound runway and revetments at Rapopo Airfield; 40+ fighter-bombers hit Matupi with incendiaries while 10 others pound the runway at Keravat Airfield.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): 20+ B-24s bomb storage areas and troop concentrations in Kai Islands. P-39s attack AA positions at Bogia. Other planes, operating individually or in pairs, attack Hollandia, Uligan Harbor and vicinity and the Madang area. 674th Bombardment Squadron, 417th Bombardment Group moves from Dobodura to Saidor with A-20s.

USN: Avengers from VT-305 bomb Mamagata mission.

USMC: Lost is TBF Avenger 25541 (crew rescued)

RNZAF - Lost on a strke against Lakunai Airfield is SBD "Prune's Progrss" NZ5050 (MIA).