February 17, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 17 FEBRUARY 1945

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Four B-25s provide air coverage for a naval task force en route to Paramushiru.

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 30 B-25s bomb Linfen and Yuncheng; a single B-25 hits railroad targets of opportunity from Hengyang to Lingling; 27 P-40s and P-51s attack animal transport, barracks, railroad targets, and the town area at Puchi; Sixteen P-47s hit the Hankow-Wuchang area; 37 other fighter-bombers attack railroad yards and targets of opportunity and road and river traffic near Tsinan, Changsha, and Kweiyi, and at Sinyang, Linfen, and Lung Hai.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): 14 P-47s support ground forces in the Mongmit-Myitson area; 140+ fighter-bombers strike at troop concentrations, supply points, transport, animal concentrations, tanks, and arms and ammunition stores are pounded in N Burma including at Hko-lawng, Hai-pu, Na-kyeh, Man Sang, Samlan, Hkummanmao, Mong Lang, Na-leng, Honwo, and Loi-pyek; and 10 B-25s bomb troops and supplies at Hai-hseng. 603 transport sorties are flown. The detachment of the 24th Combat Mapping Squadron, 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, operating from Chanyi with F-7s returns to base at Guskhara.

AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 42 B-24s from Saipan blast defense installations and a bivouac area on Iwo Jima; Three B-24 on an armed reconnaissance flight bomb Marcus; Three B-24s from Guam escorting a photo plane over Truk bomb Param, Uman, and Eten. During the night of 17/18 February, five B-24s from Saipan fly individual snooper strikes against Chichi Jima. The air echelon of the 548th Night Fighter Squadron, VII Fighter Command, begins operating from Saipan with P-61s (ground echelon is enroute from Hawaii to Iwo Jima).

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 35: Eight of nine B-29s from Saipan bomb the submarine pens on Dublon without loss.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s, with fighter support attack the airfield, railroad yard, and aluminum plant at Takao. On Luzon, A-20s support ground forces in the Mariveles area and hit caves and dugouts in hills west of Ft Stotsenburg; A-20s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers attack Tuguegarao and the coastal town of San Fernando. B-24s pound Miri Airfield in Borneo. HQ 375th Troop Carrier Group moves from Biak to San Jose.

USMC: Ditched is F4U Corsair 57834 (survived).

U. S. Army: Artillery from XIV Corps begins their bombardment of the outer stone wall of Intramutros in Manila.