SATURDAY, 16 SEPTEMBER 1944
ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Three B-24s bomb Kataoka Naval Base on Shimushu; Four
B-25s abort a shipping sweep due to weather and mechanical difficulties.
BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): Nineteen B-24s haul fuel to Liuchow Airfield. In spite
of bad weather in Burma, 4 P-47s sweep the Lungling, China-Wanling- Loiwing
road and 5 damage a bridge approach at Manyut. A detachment of the 3d Combat
Cargo Squadron, 1st Combat Cargo Group, based at Sylhet, India, begins operating
from Yunnani with C-47s.
CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): Twenty B-24s bomb Hengyang; 12 B-25s bomb
Kutkai; 28 B-25s hit targets in China, including the Yuangshaho ferry, Pakmushih,
Chuanhsien, and Lengshuitang; 130+ P-40s and P-51s on armed reconnaissance hit
targets of opportunity in the Mangshih and Lungling area and from N of Tangyang
and along the Yangtze River southward including areas around Changsha, Kiyang,
Samshui, Chuanhsien, Lingling, and Kwongning; flights of the 35th Photographic
Reconnaissance Squadron, Fourteenth AF, based at Kunming, begin operating from
Nanning and Yunnani with F-5s.
AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 17 Saipan based B-24s bomb Iwo Jima; three others
on training and armed reconnaissance missions bomb Pagan and Marcus. P-47s pound enemy positions on Pagan. B-24s bomb Emidj. The 548th Night
Fighter Squadron, 7th Fighter Wing, arrives at Hickam Field from the
US with P-61s and begins flying patrols over the Pacific.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s
bomb Kendari Airfield and Ambesia Airfield while B-25s attack a large warehouse
at Gorontalo and B-24s and B-25s hit Kairatoe and Kamarian. B-25s and B-24s
pound Namlea, Liang, Haroekoe, and Laha. Fighter-bombers hit Manokwari Airfield, Sagan Airfield, Moemi Airfield, and
Waren Airfield;
HQ 42d Bombardment Group (Medium) moves from Hollandia to Sansapor; the 64th
Troop Carrier Squadron, 403d
Troop Carrier Group moves from Henderson Field to Biak with C-47s; and the 418th Night Fighter Squadron, 310th Bombardment Wing (Medium),
moves from Hollandia to Owi,
with P-61s.
USMC: Lost is PBJ 35086 (MIA).
USN: While strafing, F6F Hellcat 58043 (MIA) crashes near Galea.
RAF: PBY Catalina VA718 ran aground during a storm at Diego Garcia.
