THURSDAY, 1 FEBRUARY 1945
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): Six B-24s attack shipping off the French Indochina coast, claiming one cargo vessel sunk and a patrol boat damaged. In China, 4 P-40s attack a division HQ SW of Yungning; the 16th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Group, based at Chengkung with P-51s, sends a detachment to operate from Poseh (another detachment is operating from Laohowkow). Lost is B-24D "The Goon" 41-24183 (2 MIA rest rescued).
HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 33: 113 B-29s are dispatched to hit the naval base at Singapore; 67 bomb the Admiralty IX Floating Drydock (and a vessel berthed in it) in Singapore Harbor and 21 bomb the West Wall area of the naval base at Singapore; 21 others hit alternate targets at Martaban, Burma and George Town, Malayan States including Penang; they claim 3-4-14 Japanese aircraft; 2 B-29s are lost.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 28 fighter-bombers support ground forces around Hosi and Molo; 12 B-25s knock out the Mong Pawn bridge; 8 P-47s damage the approach to the Pa-mao bridge; 8 others hit Hsumhsai Airfield; 90+ fighter-bombers hit troops, supplies, vehicles, a ferry crossing, and various targets of opportunity at several locations including Nauchye, Hsenwi, Man Pwe, Pongkalau, Nawng Mawn, Na-lang, Kunhkan, and Panghtu-Iin. 550 transport sorties are flown to forward areas. The 2d and 4th Combat Cargo Squadrons, 1st Combat Cargo Group, move from Tsuyung and Chengkung, China respectively to Dohazari, India with C-47s; the 459th Fighter Squadron, 80th Fighter Group, moves from Chittagong to Rumkha, India with P-38s. During Feb 45, the 24th Combat Mapping Squadron, 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, based at Guskhara sends elements to operate from Tulihal and Cox's Bazar, India with F-7s.
AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 21 Saipan , Mariana -based B-24s hit Iwo
Jima in
the afternoon, and 10 more, flying individual snooper raids, hit the
during the night of 1/2 Feb. Twenty B-24s from Angaur Airfield bomb Corregidor. During Feb 45, the 6th Night
Fighter Squadron, VII Fighter Command (attached to 318th Fighter Group) moves
from East Field to Kaman Field with P-61s (a detachment is operating from Kipapa Field);
the detachment of the 17th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 4th Photographic
Group (Reconnaissance), operating from Bougainville with F-5s, returns
to base on Morotai.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s pound
the Canacao Peninsula and Cavite areas; targets include a shipyard, seaplane
base, communications, and supply. B-25s hit Puerto Princesa. On Formosa, B-24s bomb Okayama Airfield during the night of 31 Jan/1 Feb
and hit Okayama Airfield and Heito Airfield and during the day bomb Toko Seaplane Base. The 71st and 823d Bombardment Squadrons (Medium), 38th Bombardment Group
(Medium), move from Morotai to Lingayen Airfield with B-25s. During Feb 45, the 160th Liaison Squadron, 3d Air Commando
Group, based at Calasio, Luzon with UC-64 and L-5s sends a detachment to operate
from Mindoro , Philippines; the 529th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 380th Bombardment
Group (Heavy), moves from Darwin to San
Jose with B-24s. Lost is P-51D 44-15199 (MIA).
