FRIDAY, 26 MAY 1944
ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Two B-24s off on an armed photo mission over Shimushu
Island turn back due to mechanical troubles.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 23 P-40s sink several supply boats
on the Yangtze River near Shihshow, strafe troops at Shasi, hit road traffic
near Loyang and strafe pontoon bridges, supply dumps and troops at Shanhsien;
7 P-40s bomb the town of Hsing-tzu; and 2 B-25s damage a small tanker N of Swatow.
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): 45 B-25s, flying out of Makin attack Emidj and Jaluit. During the afternoon, B-25s attack Ponape with cannon and machine gun fire. Lost is B-25G 42-64954 (2 MIA, 4 rescued). Nine B-25s from Engebi fly a successful search mission for the downed B-25 crew who are
later picked up by USS Downes (DD-375).
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 24
P-39s and P-40s hit the Rabaul area while 12 B-25s bomb supply areas at Talili
Bay. 40+ P-39s and P-40s hit barges NW of Ballale, supply
areas and other targets at Porton, and piers at Ratsua and Soraken, all on Bougainville.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-24s bomb Biak while B-25s hit Wakde and nearby coastal areas; other B-25s bomb
a variety of targets on Aroe Island; 100+ A-20s, B-25s and fighter-bombers continue
to blast the coastal region around Wewak; villages and gun positions on Hansa
Bay are also hit; and the 340th Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group moves
from Saidor to Wakde with P-47s.
