THURSDAY, 8 MARCH 1945
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 34 B-24s, supported by
21 P-51s, pound Shihkiachwang; 3 B-24s claim a transport sunk in the South China Sea; 16 B-25s and 6 P-40s attack railroad tracks, boxcars, gun positions,
sampans, and locomotives, knock out 2 bridges and damage another, and destroy
and damage several locomotives at or near Hengshan, Yehhsien, Lohochai, and
Chungmow; 140+ fighter-bombers fly armed reconnaissance over wide areas of
S and E China, attacking numerous targets of opportunity, mainly river, road,
and railroad targets, storage areas, gun positions, and troops, concentrating
around Changsha, Changanyi, and a bridge at Puchi.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 20 P-47s support the British
36 Division; 40 fighter-bombers hit troop concentrations and supply areas
along the battlefront and behind the enemy lines; 39 others sweep roads S
of the bomb line, attacking gun positions and other targets of opportunity.
Transports fly 554 sorties to advanced bases and over frontline areas.
AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Fourteen B-24s from Guam bomb Susaki Airfield through heavy cloud layers; 5 more B-24s hit the airfield again in 5
individual harassment strikes during the night of 8/9 Mar.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA: B-24s pound the Zamboanga area.
B-24s hit road targets at Balete
Pass while A-20s support guerrilla forces
in the San
Fernando area; fighter-bombers hit fuel dumps, gun positions, and other
targets near Angat and Ipo dam and numerous targets of opportunity in the Antipolo area, personnel
and storage areas near Baguio,
and several targets in the Cagayan Valley (including the town of Caggay,
the Dummun River area, and barges at Naguilian). The 6th Combat Cargo Squadron,
2d Combat Cargo Group, based on Biak with C-46s, begins operating from Guiuan Airfield; and the 550th Night Fighter Squadron, XIII Fighter Command, based
on Morotai with
P-38s, P-61s and P-70s, sends a detachment to operate from Tacloban. Destroyed during a take off accident is P-51K 44-12032 (survived).
RAAF: Force landed is Beaufort A9-637 (crew unhurt).
