FRIDAY, 9 MARCH 1945
ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Three B-24s fly a negative shipping search.
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 32 B-24s, escorted by 5
P-51s, bomb railroad yards at Sinsiang; 15 B-25s and 2 P-40s knock out
2 bridges at Hwaiyuanchen and E of Jungtse, and hit railroad targets and
other targets of opportunity at Yehhsien, Chowkiakow, Hsuchang, and E of
Junan; 50+ fighter-bombers on armed reconnaissance attack railroad targets,
river and road traffic, bridges, gun positions, and troops at several locations,
particularly around Kweiyi, Hengyang, Nanking, and Sinyang.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 16 P-47s support elements
of the Chinese 50th Division near Mansam; 80+ fighter-bombers operating over
and behind enemy lines attack trucks, horses and carts, troops, and artillery
pieces. 568 air supply sorties are flown to forward areas.
AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Thirteen B-24s from Guam fly a daylight strike on Susaki Airfield while five more on single bomber raids, hit
the airfield during the night of 9/10 Mar. 24 Angaur Airfield based B-24s pound Zamboanga Town.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb Zamboanga.
B-25s, in cooperation with PT boats, attack targets on Basilan. B-24s hit the Ipo area, B-25s and fighter-bombers support ground
forces east of Manila Bay, hit Japanese-occupied areas at Mabiga, Lipa Bay,
and Ternate, and bomb and strafe targets of opportunity on Caballo; B-25s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers hit bridges at Bayombong, the town
of Makati, Cabugao, and Cauayan, San
Fernando and the Solvec Cove areas on the NW coast, the town of Cauayan,
and Aparri Airfield.
B-24s pound the dock area at Takao.
USMC: Lost near Pantay is SBD 54210 (KIA).
RAAF: Beaufort A9-636 (2 KIA, 4 survived) crashed near Goroka Airfield.
RAN: Strafed is
Fairmile Motor Launch ML825.
IJN: A6M2 Zero piloted by Kawato strafes Fairmile Motor Launch ML825 and is damaged by anti-aircraft fire and ditches, pilot swam ashore and later becomes a Prisoner Of War (POW).
