FRIDAY, 1 DECEMBER 1944
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): Six B-24s attack targets of opportunity
in the South China Sea. Eight B-25s destroy three storage buildings and damage six others
at Wanling, Burma; 9 fighter-bombers pound troop positions in the area and destroy
or damage several trucks. Several other fighter-bombers hit trucks, locomotives,
and villages in the Chefang, China area; between Lashio and Hsenwi, Burma; and
from Linfen to Taiyuan, and at Kunlong, China.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 30+ P-47s continue support
of ground forces in the Bhamo area; town areas, troops, warehouses, and supply
dumps at Myitson, Mingon, Alezeik, Lenaung, and Old Lashio are are pounded by
30+ P-47s; 17 more hit bridges in N Burma and 8 strafe the Hsenwi landing ground.
290 transport sorties are flown to forward areas. In India, a detachment of
the 6th Fighter Squadron (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, begins operating
from Fenny with P-47s (squadron is based at Asansol); the 14th and 15th Combat
Cargo Squadrons, 4th Combat Cargo Group, arrive at Sylhet from the US with
C-46s; during Dec 44, the detachment of the 1st Combat Cargo Squadron, 1st
Combat Cargo Group, operating from Hathazari with C-47s, returns to base at
Tulihal, the 427th Night Fighter Squadron, AAF, India-Burma Theater, moves
from Pandaveswar to Myitkyina with P-61s, and the 436th Bombardment
Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), based at Madhaiganj with B-24s sends a detachment to Luliang, China to ferry gasoline to Suichwan, China.
AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 26 B-24s from Guam pound
the airfield on Iwo Jima. During the night of 1/2,
a B-24 bombs Iwo Jima during a snooper mission.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Major FEAF strikes
in the Philippine Islands include B-24 raids on Bacolod Airfield and Fabrica Airfield, and B-25s with P-47 support, on Lahug Airfield; and B-25s attack Cagayan Airfield.
B-25s and fighter-bombers also hit several airfields and numerous targets of
opportunity on Halmahera during a series of raids.
Lost on a training flight is F-6D Mustang 44-14621 (MIA). Other FEAF aircraft maintain armed reconnaissance and sweeps over a wide area
of the Netherland East Indies and Philippines. HQ 3d Air Commando Group,
the 3d Fighter Squadron (Commando) and the 157th, 159th and 160th Liaison Squadrons
(Commando), arrive on Leyte Island from the US with P-51s and UC-64s and L-5s
(first mission is 8 Jan and 7 Feb 45); a detachment of the 4th Photographic
Charting Squadron, 311th Photographic Wing (attached to Thirteenth AF), begins
operating from Morotai,
with F-7s (squadron is based at Hollandia, New Guinea); the 342d Fighter Squadron,
348th Fighter Group moves from Noemfoor to Tacloban Airfield with P-47s; the 408th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 22d Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Leyte to Angaur Airfield with B-24s.
