THURSDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 1945
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, Fifteen fighter-bombers attack railroad targets at Saiping, in the Hankow area, N of Sinantien, between Hsuchang and Loyang, and along the Yangtze River from Wuhu to Hankow; the 27th Troop Carrier Squadron, 443d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Yunnani to Chengkung with C-47s; the 528th Fighter Squadron, 311th Fighter Group, based at Shwangliu with P-51s, sends a detachment to operate from Hsian.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, twelve B-25s hit buildings, troops, and other targets of opportunity during a sweep from Lashio to Loilem and along the road E and W from Loilem; 20 P-47s fly close support strikes in the Mongmit-Myitson area; a bridge at Hay-ti is knocked out by
6 P-47s; 56 P-47s attack troops, town areas, and supplies at Paukmyaing, Nam-hpuktok, Namtoi, and Namhu-tau and 8 P-47s hit the Li-lu ferry area. Large-scale transport operations continue; 511 sorties are flown to forward areas.
VI Air Service Area Command: The 311th Troop Carrier Squadron, VI Air Service Area Command, moves from Kahuku to Bellows Field with
C-47s.
Seventh Air Force: Twenty-four B-24s from Saipan in two separate strikes, bomb Iwo Jima airfields
and AA defenses while twelve others hit Susaki Airfield; Four B-24s from Guam escorting photo aircraft bomb Param Airfield and Moen Airfield; Five B-24s fly night harassment raids against Iwo Jima and Chichi Jima.
USN - The first carrier plane strikes take place on Tokyo. The pre-invasion
offensive begins on Iwo Jima. Lost on a training flight is SBD-5 36338 (MIA). Destroyers from U. S. Navy Task Group 78.3 (TG 78.3) destroyers enter Mariveles Harbor and conduct the amphibious landing of the U. S. Army
"South Force" at Mariveles.
HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 34: 117 B-29s from the Marianas hit the Mitsubishi aircraft engine works at Nagoya; 33 hit the primary; 68 hit targets of last resort and targets of opportunity, 54 of them bombing Hamamatsu; they claim 7-8-23 Japanese aircraft; 1 B-29 is lost.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-25s attack bridges in the southern part of Formosa. B-24s again blast Corregidor with A-20s and fighter-bombers bombing and strafing its few remaining gun positions; fighter-bombers hit Caballo and fighter-bombers, B-25s, and A-20s hit Bataan Peninsula all day; also hit are troops and gun positions in the Fort William McKinley area and airfields at Tuguegarao and Echague. The 68th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Biak to Tanauan, Leyte with C-46s.
U. S. Army:
38th Infantry Division, 151st Regimental Combat Team (151st RCT) "South Force" made an amphibious landing at Mariveles.
