November 20, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY, 20 NOVEMBER 1944

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Three B-24s fly an air cover mission for the US Navy.

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): Eight B-25s hit the barracks area at Lashio; 60+ P-38s, P-40s, and P-51s on armed reconnaissance over parts of SE and SW China and French Indochina attack shipping especially severely in the Chiuchiang area and barracks, radio stations, villages, and other targets of opportunity. In China, the flight of the 21st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Fourteenth AF, operating from Kanchow with F-5s, returns to base at Kunming.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 7 B-25s knock out the Hsipaw road bridge; 4 others fail to damage the Bawgyo bridge; 12 P-47s support ground forces in the Pinwe sector; 20+ others hit defenses at Mong Nge, a horse transport unit at Selan, bomb storage areas at Kyungon and Kyakataing, Japanese HQ and troop concentration at Man Mao, and several scattered targets of opportunity. Transports maintain continuous flights to forward bases and frontline areas.

AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Bad weather cancels all bombing missions.

IJN: I-36 and I-47 launched Kaiten against Ulithi Lagoon (Urushi Lagoon).

USN: USS Mississinewa (AO-59) is sunk by a Kaiten manned torpedo likely Kaiten No. 1 piloted by Lt(jg) Sekio inside Urushi Lagoon.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-25s bomb Haroekoe Airfield and Laha Airfield. P-38s hit targets of opportunity over Sidate and in the Makassar areas. Units moving to Leyte: HQ Fifth AF moves from Owi; The 13th Bombardment Squadron, 3d Bombardment Group moves from Hollandia to Dulag with A-20s. The 371st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 307th Bombardment Group (Heavy), ceases operating form Noemfoor with B-24s and moves forward to Morotai.