July 5, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 5 JULY 1944

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma 20+ P-40s and A-36s continue support in the Myitkyina sector while 12 other aircraft fly armed reconnaissance in the same area; 20+ other P-40s, P-51s, and A-36s hit targets of opportunity in the areas around Hopin, Namma, and Naungtalaw; the town area of Naungtalaw also is pounded by 11 B-25s.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): 136 fighter-bombers and 64 B-25s attack targets throughout the Tungting Lake area; targets include river shipping, warehouses, troops, artillery, trucks, and other targets of opportunity at Liling, Lukou, Pingkiang, Yungfengshih, Siangyin, and Chuting; Hengyang Airfield is bombed, and supplies are dropped to Chinese forces in the vicinity; in the Salween area 40 transports drop supplies to Chinese forces on the battleline, and 4 fighter-bombers pound the town and vicinity of Tengchung; 22 B-24s bomb a supply and ammunition depot at Canton; 6 B-25s attack airfields in the area; and five B-24s lay mines in Shanghai Harbor.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): P-47s fly fighter-bomber operations over Saipan, Rota, and Tinian.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In the area around Wewak, A-20s and fighter-bombers hit dumps at Dagua and attack barges during the night of 4/5 July; light strikes are flown in support of troops on Noemfoor and against barges, airfields, and troop concentrations on Efman and Biak and at Moemi, Manokwari, and in the Wakde area. B-24s bomb airstrips and AA guns on Yap and Woleai; Sorol and Peleliu are also hit. Lost are B-24J "Miss Jones" 44-40611 (MIA) and B-24D "Big Chief Cockeye" 41-40351 (POW / KIA). Damaged while landing is P-61A Black Widow 42-5494 pilot 1st Lt. Thomas E. Malone (survived).

RNZAF: Lost is F4U NZ5327 pilot pilot FSgt F. Bennett off Kukum.