WEDNESDAY, 31 MAY 1944
ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): During the morning 2 B-25s and 4 P-38s fly guardship
cover. A bomber flies a weather mission while another reconnoiters and hits
Buroton Bay.
BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 B-25s hit the Tiddim road; 130+
B-25s, A-36s, P-51s, and P-40s hit troops, defensive positions, artillery emplacements,
boats, railroad facilities, and villages in the Myitkyina-Mogaung area, buildings
at Tahona, river boats at Lonkin and Kamaing, docks at Bhamo, railroad cars
at Namti, and positions NW of Mohnyin; 21 other B-25s and fighter-bombers pound
the Bhamo town area and airfield; and 10 B-24s bomb Ye-u, demolishing several
buildings.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 51 P-51s and P-40s pound shipping along the
Yangtze River, claiming direct hits on 5 small ships; 16 P-51s and P-40s bomb
Kweiyi and Yoyang and installations on the river to the south; Ten P-38s bomb the
bridge and warehouse area at Nanchang; 12 P-40s bomb Pingkiang; Four B-25s bomb Hankow
Airfield, Pailochi, and motor convoy at Yoyang; 6 other B-25s knock out the
bridge at Kengluang; 13 B-24s pound the town of Lungling, causing big fires,
while 14 B-24s, supported by P-40s blast the warehouse area at Lashio; 4 P-40s destroy several aircraft during strafing runs on Linfen Airfield and Hohsien
Airfield.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): On New Britain Island, 12
P-38s bomb Vulcan Crater barge hideout; 22 P-39s and 12 P-40s blast supply dumps
near Ratawul; 33 B-25s pound Rabaul truck concentrations, wharf area, and NE
section of town. 5 B-25s bomb targets of opportunity along the NW coast of New
Ireland. On Bougainville, P-39s bomb several targets, including
Soraken, Arigua, and several barges and vehicles.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-25s and A-20s
hit the Babo area, bomb Ransiki Airfield near the Ransiki River, cover the beachhead
on Biak and attack fishing boats on the shore of Japen; P-47s
and B-25s pound villages, barges, and gun positions in the Wakde-Sarmi battle area; B-24s, P-39s and RAAF aircraft continue to hit the Wewak and Hansa
Bay areas.
RNZAF: Avengers bomb Rabaul. Lost is TBF Avenger NZ2521 (MIA).
