November 8, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology
WEDNESDAY, 8 NOVEMBER 1944
ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): A shipping sweep by eight aircraft is cancelled due
to weather.
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In S China and N French Indochina 2
B-25s hit railroad tracks at Lohochai, China and 2 others hit tracks at Duc
Tho, French Indochina. 4 P-51s blast road machinery near Muse, Burma. 15
B-25s, 13 P-40s and P-51s pound storage buildings, villages, and other targets
of opportunity throughout the Mangshih, China area.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 80+ P-47s support ground
forces in the Mawlu area, bomb personnel, supplies, and communications facilities
at Tunhong, Chaungdauk, and Kutkai, gun positions at Hsipaw, the Man Hpa
town area, Kawlin Airfield and targets of opportunity along the Kawlin-Pinwe
railroad; 8 B-25s knock out the Bawgyo railroad bridge. 270+ transports fly
sorties to forward areas. In India, a detachment of the 5th Fighter Squadron
(Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, begins operating from Fenny with P-47s;
the detachment of the 6th Fighter Squadron (Commando), 1stAir Commando Group,
operating from Cox's Bazar return to base at Asanol.
AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): B-24s from Saipan hit shipping at Chichi
Jima and Haha Jima. A single B-24 on a snooper mission bombs Iwo
Jima during the night of 8/9. P-47s attempt a fighter sweep over Pagan but must abort because of bad weather.
HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): 17 B-29s are airborne against
the airfield on Iwo Jima; 6 manage to bomb through a hole in the cloud
cover; others fail to bomb the target; enemy aircraft drop phosphorus bombs on the formations, damaging 1 B-29; 1 B-29 ditches, the
first aircraft lost by the XXI Bomber Command on a combat mission.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s again hit Saravia Airfield (Alicante). Lost is B-24L 44-41421 pilot 1st Lt. Walter A. Scalese (MIA) and B-24J 44-41264 pilot 1st Lt. Kenneth C. Sanderson (crew rescued). B-25s bomb Langoan
Airfield while P-38s on sweeps over the Kendari area hit parked aircraft at Kendari Airfield,
shipping, the nickel mine, and other targets of opportunity. On Halmahera, B-25s attack Kaoe and Hate Tabako Airfield while others hit targets
of opportunity on Ceram. The 12th Fighter Squadron, 18th Fighter Group,
based at Sansapor begins operating from Morotai with P-38s. The 424th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 307th Bombardment Group
(Heavy), that has been operating from Noemfoor with B-24s, returns
to base on Wakde. A-20 Havocs from the Far East Air Force - Combat Replacement and Training Center (FEAF-CRTC) strike Boram Airfield, lost due to anti-aircraft fire is A-20G Havoc 43-21638 (KIA).
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