September 6, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 6 SEPTEMBER 1944

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, six B-25s hit Indaw while three bomb Katha; twenty-four B-24s fly about 34,000 US gallons of fuel to Kunming; and large-scale daily troop carrier and cargo operations to a variety of CBI terminals continue.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 20 B-25s pound Yiyang, Lingkuantien railroad yards, trucks north of Lingling, troops and occupied areas around Kiyang and Paishui and Hengyang Airfield; 45 P-40s and P-51s on armed reconnaissance attack troops, shipping, and communications targets in the Yiyang area, bomb warehouses at Hukow, destroy a fuel barge at Pengtse, hit railroad yards, trucks, troops, and sampans at Kweiyang and Lingkuantien, and attack general targets of opportunity at Yangtien.

AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Saipan strike Iwo Jima while P-47s make strafing and rocket runs on AA positions on Pagan. B-24s on armed reconnaissance bomb Marcus. B-24s from Eniwetok bomb Truk.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): HQ 498th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) arrives at Isley Field from the US.

USN: Lost over Yap due to anti-aircraft fire is F6F 58471 (MIA). Lost in a midair collision over Yap is F6F Hellcat 58713 (MIA) and F6F Hellcat 58675 (MIA).

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Mindanao, B-24s pound Santa Ana port and B-25s bomb Buayan Airfield in the first medium bomber raid in the Philippines since early 1942; several B-24s, turning back from the Santa Ana strike, bomb Rainis in the Talaud Islands; B-25s hit Galela Airfield and the south coast of Morotai, fighter-bombers hit Kaoe Airfield and bomb a Djailolo Airfield runway. Lost is P-47 piloted by McDougal. A-20s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers hit Manokwari Airfield, Moemi Airfield, Ransiki Airfield and Waren Airfield, and stores and personnel area at Nabire; P-40s attack south Soepiori and Napido; P-39s strafe barges and huts at Suain; the 69th Fighter Squadron, 310th Fighter Squadron and 311th Fighter Squadron, 58th Fighter Group move from Saidor to Noemfoor with P-47s; and the 71st Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 38th Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Nadzab to Biak with B-25s.

USMC: CinCPac directed-to take place as soon as practicable Major General Roy Geiger, commanding the III Amphibious Corps, and key staff members report to Guadalcanal to take charge of the Palau landings and that Lieutenant General Holland M. Smith, commander of Force Expeditionary Troops, Marianas, return to Pearl Harbor and continue his duties as Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. All assault troops remaining in the Marianas were to be assigned to the V Amphibious Corps and, when the situation warranted, the Corps commander was to transfer operational control of the troops to the various island commanders. Vice Admiral John H. Hoover, USN, Commander, Forward Area Central Pacific, would assume responsibility for the defense and development of the Marianas.