June 1, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 1 JUNE 1945

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): A four plane shipping strike is called off due to weather.

ZONE OF INTERIOR (ZI) HQ AAF: During Jun, the detachment of the 4th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 311th Photographic Wing (Mapping and Charting) (attached to 6th Reconnaissance Group), operating from Zamboanga with F-7s, moves to Clark Field (squadron is based at Hollandia, New Guinea and is mapping areas of the SW and W Pacific).

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 6 B-25s bomb the Sinsiang railroad yards while 4 B-25s and 4 P-47s damage a bridge N of Linmingkuan; 18 P-51s hit river shipping, warehouses and other targets in the Yoyang area; 20 other fighter-bombers knock out a bridge near Szeshui, pound river shipping near Yoyang, and attack various targets in the Huluehchen area; during Jun, the 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Fourteenth AF (attached to 23d Fighter Group), moves from Chengkung to Laohwangping with P-40s and P-51s.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): Unit moves in India: HQ 1st Combat Cargo Group from Hathazari to Myitkyina; 1st and 2d Troop Carrier Squadrons, 443d Troop Carrier Group, from Warazup and Shingbwiyang, Burma respectively to Dinjan with C-47s; 2d and 3d Combat Cargo Squadrons, 1st Combat Cargo Group, from Hathazari to Bhamo and Myitkyina respectively with C-47s; 9th, 436th and 492d Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), from Pandaveswar to Tezpur with B-24s; 317th Troop Carrier Squadron (Commando), 2d Air Commando Group, from Kalaikunda to Ledo with C-47s.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 187: 458 B-29s attack Osaka and 16 others hit targets of opportunity in Japan; 148 P-51s of the VII Fighter Command, enroute to the escort rendezvous with the B-29s, encounter a severe weather front; flying behind in excessive turbulence, many of the fighters collide and 27 are lost including P-51D "Madam Wham-Dam" 44-72607 (MIA); Only 27 others manage to find the B-29s and escort them over the target; the B-29s claim 16 Japanese fighters and the P-51s claim 1-0-0; 10 B-29s are lost. In the Ryukyu Islands, twelve P-47s from Ie Shima fly strafing and rocket attacks against Kikaiga, Tokuno and Amami Gunto.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s pound Takao while fighter aircraft sweep the coastline of Formosa. B-25s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers continue to hit targets in the Cagayan Valley, at Pingkian, Kayapa, Gattaran, Cumao, Bone, and in the Ipo area; many of the missions are ground support strikes. In Borneo, B-24s and P-38s hit Tarakan troop concentrations while B-24s, B-25s, and P-38s hit Kota Belud, Victoria, Jesselton, Langkon, and Labuan. The 67th and 69th Troop Carrier Squadrons, 433d Troop Carrier Group, move from Tanauan, Leyte Island to Clark Field, Luzon with C-47s. Unit moves during Jun 45: HQ 54th Troop Carrier Wing and 85th Fighter Wing from Leyte Island to Clark Field and Ft William McKinley.

USN: Two bombers undertake a photographic reconnaissance over Singapore Harbor on Singapore. Over the target, intercepted by Japanese fighters, lost is PB4Y-2 Privateer 59563 (MIA).