SATURDAY, 29 APRIL 1944
ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 2 B-24s abort an armed photographic mission due
to weather.
BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, Twenty-one P-38s hit Heho
Airfield area and claim 8 aircraft downed in combat; 25 P-51s and B-25s bomb several
buildings at Meza; 19 B-24s over Prome blast supply dumps in the area. 19th
Liaison Squadron, US Army Forces, CBI, moves from Kanchrapara to Ondal, India
with L-1s and L-5s.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): B-25s bomb a warehouse and barracks
at Shayang and attack three motor launches at Chiuchiang, leaving them burning.
22d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 341st Bombardment Group (Medium), based at
Yankai, China with B-25s, sends a detachment to operate from Yunnani.
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24 staging through Eniwetok via Kwajalein bomb Truk and Jaluit. B-25s from Makin also hit Jaluit and carry out two strikes against Ponape.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 40+ P-39s bomb and strafe
targets throughout Bougainville and Buka, including Sipaai Mission,
the Kieta area, Lontis, Numa Numa, Ibu, Toborei, Totavi, Aitara and Baitsi; Twenty-four B-25s bomb Kara Airfield and Buka Airfield. Allied fighter sweeps continue over
the N Solomons and New Ireland Island, where huts, barges, and other targets
of opportunity are attacked. HQ 307th Bombardment Group moves from Munda to Los Negros.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, 90+ B-24s and
B-25s bomb villages, AA positions and personnel areas in the Wakde
Island, Maffin
Bay area, and along the coast of New Guinea from Takar to Verkam Point; 40+
A-20s hit stores at Cape Wom, and targets of opportunity between But and Dagua;
130+ A-20s, P-47s, and P-39s hit hideouts and movements along the Sepik River and from the Sepik River mouth to Cape Croisilles. Lost on a local flight is P-47D 42-22687 (MIA).
USN: Second Carrier Strike against Truk by Task Force 58 (TF-58) under the command of Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher returned to Majuro after the Hollandia operation then launched a two day attack on enemy installations and supply dumps at Truk. In addition to damage ashore, three small ships were sunk and 145 enemy aircraft destroyed.
Off New Britain, PT-347 "Zombie" and PT-346 are caught three miles behind the enemy demarcation line off Cape Lambert and attacked by friendly aircraft including Corsairs from VMF 215, Hellcats from VF 34 and SBDs and TBFs, two were shot down: F4U 13307 and F6F 09012. PBYs from VP 91 rescues survivors from the two PT-boats.
USMC - Lost is SBD 10648 (KIA).
