March 24, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 24 MARCH 1945

(Third Air Force): Lost on a training flight due to an aerial collision are P-40N 43-124362 (died) and P-40N 44-7305 (wounded).

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 34 B-24s, with an escort of 9 fighters, pound the Chenghsien locomotive park and Yellow River bridge; 30+ B-25s and 100+ fighter-bombers, operating in forces of 1 to 8 aircraft, attack tanks, trucks, locomotives, troop concentrations, storage areas, airstrips, bridges, gun positions, and general targets of opportunity throughout S and E China.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): 31 fighter-bombers and 9 B-25s operating over the battlefront and behind enemy lines in C Burma pound troop concentrations, supply areas, a truck park, and general targets of opportunity; 9 other fighter-bombers attack targets of opportunity along roads S of the bomb line; 504 air supply sorties are flown, landing men and supplies at advanced bases and dropping supplies to frontline forces. Lost is B-24L 44-49607 (3 MIA, 1 KIA, 6 rescued).

AAFPOA Seventh Air Force: Nine B-24s from Guam bomb the torpedo storage area on Marcus. 24 Angaur Airfield based B-24s bomb defensive positions and the town of Naga on Luzon. During the night of 24/25 Mar, five Guam based B-24s hit the airfield and town of Okimura on Haha Jima. VII Fighter Command: 16 Iwo Jima based P-51s hit air, naval, and radar installations and targets of opportunity on Chichi Jima.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 45: 223 of 248 B-29s attack the Mitsubishi aircraft engine plant at Nagoya, during the night of 24/25 Mar; 3 other B-29s hit alternate targets; 5 B-29s are lost including B-29 "The Life of Riley" 42-65241 (MIA).

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s and A-20s pound Cebu City and defenses and installations on Cebu. On Luzon, B-24s, B-25s, A-20s, and P-38s attack Balete Pass, Legaspi, the Batangas area, and scattered targets throughout Luzon. On Formosa, B-24s hit Takao Harbor and power plant and alcohol factory east of Okayama. HQ 91st Photographic Wing (Reconnaissance) moves from Mindoro to Clark Field.

Japanese Army: General Sosaku Suzuki took command of all forces on Cebu Island and appointed General Manjome in command of Cebu City who planned a defense in depth north and northwest of the city with a forward line over the high ground behind the city anchored on two fortified hills