WEDNESDAY, 16 AUGUST 1944
BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, as the last Japanese resistance in
India ceases, sixteen B-25s bomb Indaw; 20 P-51s hit Lashio Airfield, and airfields at Nawnghkio,
Shwebo, Anisakan, and Onbauk; 37 P-40s and P-51s hit strong points, pillboxes,
and machinegun positions in the Pinbaw area; 19 P-47s and P-51s attack targets
of opportunity at Katha, a bridge S of Bhamo, the town of Tagwin, railroad
targets of opportunity between Naba and Hopin, an enemy-held monastery, and
an ammunition dump at Pegu; and the 9th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron,
8th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, based at Barrackpore sends a
detachment to operated from Tingkawk Sakan with F-5s.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 18 B-25s bomb the Wanling area and
warehouses while 12 hit the Chaling area and warehouses at Siangtan; 90 P-40s
and P-51s hit bridges, fortified positions, troops, trucks, rivercraft, supplies,
gun positions, and other targets of opportunity in the Hsenwi and Lungling
areas and in the widespread area around Tunating Lake and the Central Yangtze River.
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Saipan hit Chichi
Jima and Pagan. B-24s from the Marshalls bomb Truk.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s and B-25s bomb Miti Airfield and Lolobata
Airfield on Halmahera, warehouses
and shipping facilities on Ternate. Also
shipping in Wasile and Veda Bays, and Japanese positions on Tanimbar and
off Alor Island, Sunda Islands, B-25s sink small vessel. In New Guinea, bombers
hit installations at Ajoe; A-20s support ground forces in the Maffin Bay area
while P-39s hit troops and positions from Manokwari to Windissi and bomb Ransiki Airfield, Moemi Airfield and Waren Airfield. The 13th Troop Carrier Squadron, 403d
Troop Carrier Group based at Espiritu Santo begins
operating from Los Negros with C-47s. Lost is P-39N 42-19016 pilot 1st Lt Joseph Rodney Swetting Jr. (MIA) on a local test hop.
U.S. Navy: Submarine USS Croaker (SS-246) sinks Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Taito Maru west of Korea, 36°16'N, 125°49'E.
During the night, USS Burrfish (SS-312) surfaced off Yap and five frogmen "swimmers" Lt M. R. Massey, QM3c Warren Christensen, Leonard Barnhill, William Moore, and John MacMahon deployed a rubber boat and paddle towards the coast of Yap. The frogmen swam onto the reef and back and determined that discolored patches visible in aerial photography were only sea grass and would not imped landing craft if the location was used as a landing site.
