May 6, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 6 MAY 1944

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 14 B-25s bomb Indainggyi, destroy the Sibong bridge and damage a road at Hpaungzeik; 90+ P-40s, P-51s and B-25s attack a wide variety of targets throughout the Mogaung Valley; 18 fighter-bombers and 6 B-25s support ground forces at Mawlu while 3 B-25s and 4 P-51s hit positions at Nalong.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 61 P-40s and 5 B-25s attack targets throughout S China and French Indochina. In China, numerous vehicles and troops are destroyed in the Hsiangcheng, Loyang and Luchou areas; main buildings at Nanchang mines are destroyed, Sienning bridge is damaged and several railroad cars and vehicles are destroyed near Puchi; and 14 B-25s and 25 fighter-bombers pound Hankow Airfield and surrounding area at Hankow. In French Indochina, 8 boxcars are destroyed and 70 more damaged between Thanh Moi and Bac Le and between Phu Lang Thuong and Lang Son; a barge is sunk at Campha Port and numerous sampans and small craft sunk or damaged at Cat Ba Island. Detachment of 22d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 341st Bombardment Group (Medium), operating from Yunnani with B-25s returns to base at Yangkai.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s from Makin and Kwajalein hit Wotje and Jaluit. B-24s, staging through Eniwetok, escort USN aircraft on a photo reconnaissance of Guam. The B-24s bomb Guam from 20,000' (6,096m) scoring hits on 2 airfields and a town area and proceed to Los Negros to prepare for the return flight; the B-24s claim 4 enemy aircraft shot down.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 24 B-25s and 12 P-39s pound the Talili Bay area. 37 P-39s and Nineteen P-40s attack targets in the Porton area. HQ 4th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance) moves from Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides to Guadalcanal.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-24s bomb Penfoei and Biak. 150+ B-25s, A-20s and fighter-bombers, operating almost continuously throughout the day, blast a variety of targets from Wewak to the shores of Hansa Bay. B-24s of the Thirteenth Air Task Force again bomb Woleai.

U.S. Navy: USS Crevalle (SS-291) attacks Japanese convoy off northern Borneo, sinking fleet tanker Nisshin Maru about 40 miles west of Kalutan Island, 07°19'N,116°52'E.

USS Gurnard (SS-254) encounters Japanese convoy Take No.1 in the northern Celebes Sea, fires two salvos of three torpedo each that hit Army cargo ships Amatsuzan Maru and Tajima Maru and Aden Maru at 02°42'N, 124°07'E.

USS Spearfish (SS-190) attacks Japanese shipping in East China Sea west of Kyushu, and sinks merchant cargo ship Toyoura Maru and damages supply ship Mamiya, 32°16'N, 127°08'E.