Pacific Wrecks
Pacific Wrecks    
  Missing In Action (MIA) Prisoners Of War (POW) Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)  
Chronology Locations Aircraft Ships Submit Info How You Can Help Donate
June 6, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 6 JUNE 1944

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 24 B-25s attack the Waingmaw, Wuntho-Hopin area, and Imphal-Tiddim road; others maintain ammunition lift into Imphal; 24 A-36s, 11 P-51s, and 45 P-40s pound Myitkyina; about 40 A-36s and P-40s hit the Mogaung, Mohnyin, Lachigahtawng, Pakhren-Sakan and Kadu areas. In India, HQ 443d Troop Carrier Group moves from Sylhet to Sookerating; and 11th and 12th Combat Cargo Squadron, 3d Combat Cargo Group, move from Sylhet to Dinjan and Fenny respectively with C-47s. Lost is P-38J 42-104355.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 50 P-40s attack shipping, horses, and troops in the Fulinpu Kweiyi vicinity, 10 P-51s and 6 B-25s pound Tayang Chiang, and 5 B-25s bomb Pailochi Airfield; 9 P-40s hit road and rail targets of opportunity in the Yellow River area; 2 others sink a junk and damage others at Kwangchow Wan.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s returning to Eniwetok from Los Negros (where they rearmed after bombing Guam the previous day) hit Ponape.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): P-38s bomb a supply dump near Nordup. On Bougainville, P-39s and US Navy (USN) aircraft hit vehicles near Hari; other P-39s pound a pier and buildings in southeast Kahili.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): In New Guinea, B-24s and B-25s bomb shipping near Efman Island and Waigeo Island; A-20s hit Babo Airfield, and A-20s and B-25s hit Namber Airfield and tanks near Mokmer; and P-39s, A-20s and RAAF aircraft continue to pound the Wewak-Hansa Bay area, hitting supply dumps and hideouts. Thirteenth Air Task Force B-24s hit Truk.

IJN: During the night of June 5, 1944 three G4M1 Bettys from 732 Kokutai led by Ens. Isao Sunayama took off Wasile Airfield on a night bombing mission against Wakde Airfield. During the flight, the trio encountering bad weather and became separated with one Betty bombing the Biak area. Sunayama and the other reached Wakde Island, found a break in the clouds and swooped low over Wakde Airfield. Each bomber targeted parked aircraft along each side of the runway and released their bombs in a string. After releasing their bombs, the Betty crews estimated they had destroyed dozens of American planes. Later reconnaissance photographs seemed to show 76 aircraft burned or damaged along the runway. The Japanese also claimed a success in an attack two days later but the June 6, 1944 attack stands out as a singularly successful Japanese effort at this stage of the Pacific War. In fact, the bombs dropped by these two Betty bombers resulted in the destruction of six aircraft and damaged eighty others. Destroyed was B-24J "Turtle Money" 42-109968, P-38J 43-28839, P-38J 43-28486, P-38J 43-28838, P-47D Thunderbolt, L-4B Cub. Also damaged or lost were PB4Y-1 "Baby Shirley" 32150 from VPB-115, PB4Y-1 32177 from VPB-115,  PB4Y-1 32255 from VPB-115, PB4Y-1 38789 from VPB-104 and PB4Y-1 32275 from VPB-104.

References
Japanese operations at Wakde Airfield on Wakde Island by Richard L. Dunn



  Discussion Forum Daily Updates Reviews Museums Interviews & Oral Histories  
 
Pacific Wrecks Inc. All rights reserved.
Donate Now Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram