WEDNESDAY, 18 APRIL 1945
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, three B-25s hit trucks and other
targets of opportunity east of Siangtan; 52 P-51s and P-40s attack river shipping,
town areas, rail and road traffic, tanks, and bridges at several S and E China
locations including Sinhwa, Hengyang, Changsha, Luchai, Paoching, Kweiyang,
Yenkou, Sinning, and Siangtan.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 21 P-38s attack troop concentration,
tanks, artillery positions, and a bivouac area near Man Li and Kongsam; 5 P-61s
hit a supply area W of Laihka; transports land or drop 806 tons of supplies
at forward bases and frontline areas.
AAFPOA (VII Fighter Command): During the night of 18/19 Apr, 3 Iwo Jima based
P-61s flying individual strikes, bomb and strafe Futamiko and the radio station
on Chichi Jima.
HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Missions 76 to 81: 112 B-29s hit Japanese airfields
at Tachiarai, Izumi, Kokubu, Nittagahara, and 2 at Kanoya, the same targets
attacked yesterday; 13 other B-29s hit targets of opportunity; 2 B-29s are lost.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Formosa B-25s
bomb Karenko Airfield, B-24s hit Tainan Airfield, Giran Airfield, Toyohara Airfield, Hobi Airfield, and Soton Airfield. P-38s on sweeps hit rail and road transportation. Fighter bombers and A-20s
hit the Balete
Pass area and support ground forces on Luzon, Negros, and Cebu. B-24s bomb Piso Point on Mindanao. B-25s and P-38s
hit Tarakan and Sandakan. HQ 58th Fighter Group and 310th Fighter Squadron move
from Mangaldan to Porac with P-47s.
USMC: War correspondent Ernie Pyle, one of the most famous journalist covering World War II is fatally shot accompanying the U.S. Marines landing on Ie Shima.
