FRIDAY, 5 JANUARY 1945
ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Four B-24s fly an air coverage mission
for a naval task force on its approach to Suribachi on Paramushiru.
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 4 B-25s pound 13 storage buildings
at Kengtung, China. 5 B-25s knock out a bridge at Dara, Thailand. 3 B-25s
bomb Wan Pa-Hsa and Hawng Luk, Burma while 1 B-24 bombs the Cap-Saint-Jacques,
French Indochina area. 29 P-40s and P-51s hit Hankow Airfield and Wuchang Airfield, claiming 50 aircraft destroyed in the air and on the ground. 23 P-51s
and P-38s hit Samah Airfield and other targets in Samah Bay, claiming 11 aircraft destroyed. 30 P-40s and P-38s attack various
targets of opportunity, Sinsiang, and Kengtung, China, and Wan Pa-Hsa and in
the Wanling area of Burma. 4 P-40s pound fortified hill positions in the Salween,
Burma area.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 16 B-25s flying an airfield
sweep inflict considerable damage on the Laihka, Aungban, Kunlon, and Mong
Long airfields; in the Namhkam sector, 2 P-47s join ground forces in blasting
artillery positions at Kunlong, China and Wingkang; 9 P-47s damage bypass bridges
at Mongmit; 70+ fighter-bombers attack storage areas, tanks and trucks, and
troop concentrations at Mong Yaw, Hsenwi, Hpa-Pen, Man Ton, Tunghka, Man Peng,
and Longhsu. Transports fly 550+ sorties to forward bases and frontline areas.
Operation Grubworm, one of the major transport achievements of the war, is
completed on this date one month from its start. The Chinese 14th and 22d Divisions, Chinese Sixth Army HQ, a heavy mortar Company,
a signal Company, and 2 portable surgical hospitals have been airlifted; the
move required 1,328 transport sorties; Air Transport Command provided 597 sorties; the air commando squadrons, 488; and Tenth AF, 243;
the airlift included 25,000+ Chinese soldiers, 396 US soldiers, 1,596 animals,
42 jeeps, 48 howitzers, 48 heavy mortars, and 48 antitank guns; the troops
and supplies have been landed at Chanyi, Kunming, Luliang, and Yunnani.
Only three aircraft were lost during the operation. HQ 4th Combat Cargo Group moves
from Agartala to Chittagong.
AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 22 B-24s from Saipan in morning and afternoon
raids, pound Iwo Jima; 7 P-38s, with 3 B-24s as navigational escort, fly a
strafing mission against Iwo Jima. Other B-24s act as airborne spotters for
the naval bombardment of Chichi Jima and Haha Jima.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In major strikes
of the day B-25s hit shore installations along Lingayan Gulf and
bomb Menado. B-24s attack Miri Airfield. Numerous smaller strikes
are flown throughout the Philippine and Netherlands East Indies. A-20s and
fighter-bombers attack airfields on Luzon, the C Philippine area and Mindanao,
fighter-bombers and B-24s hit the Pombelaa and Tondano area, and targets of
opportunity on NE Celebes. Other FEAF aircraft fly scattered strikes at various
targets in Borneo, Lesser Sunda and Tanimbar. The 4th Fighter
Squadron (Commando), 3d Air Commando Group, arrives on Leyte from the US with
P-51s. The detachment of the 68th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier
Group, operating from Nadzab, New Guinea with C-47s, returns to base on Biak
. The 69th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group moves from Nadzab,
New Guinea to Biak with C-47s. The 547th Night Fighter Squadron, 86th Fighter
Wing [attached to 310th Bombardment Wing (Medium)], moves from Owi to San Jose,
Mindoro with P-38s and P-61s.
