USAAF CHRONOLOGY 1944
10/1/44 Ninth AF XXIX TAC (Prov) locates adv HQ at Arlon. Weather prevents bmr operations. A few ftrs fly armed rcn over E France and wide areas of W Germany and patrol battle areas. Night patrols are flown over E France and Luxembourg.
10/1/44 Twelfth AF B-25's and B-26's attack bridges, fuel dumps, factory, and barracks in C and W Po Valley, including 3 attacks on Piacenza while XII FC's LBs hit fuel dump and bivouacs and FBs blast guns and comm in mountainous battle areas between Florence and Bologna.
10/1/44 Fifteenth AF 5th Photo Gp, Rcn, with component units, is assigned to Fifteenth AF, completing the full establishment of 21 HB gps, 7 ftr gps, and 1 rcn gp, as authorized in WD directive of 23 Oct 43. Weather permits only photo and weather rcn missions.
10/1/44 Tenth AF 34 P-47's bomb Thetkegyin while 20 others hit railroad tgts throughout N Burma railroad corridor and troop concentrations at Ponlon. 4 P-47's bomb Shwegugale while 6 others hit Lungling and sweep Burma Road in the area.
10/1/44 Fourteenth AF 18 B-25's bomb Tien Ho and White Cloud A/Fs, town of Wuchou, and T/Os in Samshui and Canton areas. 100-plus P-40's and P-51's on armed rcn throughout China areas S of the Yangtze hit variety of T/Os, concentrating on comm tgts and troops in Mangshih and Hsinganhsien areas.
10/1/44 FEAF B-24's bomb Langoan while B-25's hit Lembeh I, Menado, and Bolaang-oeki port. B-24's bomb Taka while P-38's hit Amahai, Kairatoe, and shipping off Amboina. B-25's and P-38's on shipping sweeps off Halmahera I destroy several barges and luggers. A-20's and P-38's attack Urarom A/F and Fak Fak supply dumps, while P-40's hit Doom I and T/Os in Windissi, Idorra, and MacCluer Gulf. P-47's and A- 20's hit Doeroa, Langgoer, and Faan A/Fs.
10/1/44 Seventh AF B-24's from Saipan strike A/F on Iwo Jima. B-25's from Makin bomb Nauru while B-24's, staging through Eniwetok, hit Truk.
10/2/44 Eighth AF Over 1,100 HBs, escorted by 17 gps of ftrs, attack 4 assigned tgts at Bettenhausen ordnance depot, Henschel plant and other Kassel areas, Cologne motor works, Hamm M/Y, and several T/Os in these areas. 15 HBs and 11 ftrs fail to return.
10/2/44 Ninth AF IX TAC moved advanced HQ to Verviers, maintaining close association with US First Army. HQ XXIX TAC (Prov) goes into operation along with US Ninth Army. This new TAC is formed from elements of IX and XIX TAC. 9th Bomb Div strikes industrial area of Ubach and defended positions at Herbach.
Ftrs fly armed rcn (and later night patrol) over Belgium, E France, and W Germany and spt US First, Third, and Seventh Armies in E France and W Germany.
10/2/44 Twelfth AF Weather grounds MBs and restricts ftrs to rcn and patrols. During 1/2 Oct LBs bomb T/Os in Po Valley.
10/2/44 Fifteenth AF Unfavorable weather again cancels bombing missions and limits operations to weather rcn.
10/2/44 Tenth AF 49 P-47's pound several towns and bridges in Bhamo area and destroy buildings in Shwekyina, Kaungsin, Maingka, Kyungyi, Singan, and Kabani. 20-plus P-47's hit N Burma railroad tgts and troops at Man He and Manla. 7 P-47's bomb Kutkai while 8 sweep LunglingLoiwing area, destroying a warehouse at Selan. 8 B-25's slightly damage road bridges N of Lashio. 4 others bomb and damage Namhkai road bridges and their vicinity. TC airplanes fly 260-plus sorties, delivering men and supplies to various points in CBI.
10/2/44 Fourteenth AF 11 B-25's attack town of Pingnam while 16 bomb Tien Ho and White Cloud A/Fs and town of Samshui.
70-plus P-40's and P-51's on armed rcn over S China attack various T/Os, chiefly river traffic and troop areas around Chuanhsien, Taochuan, Takhing, Wuchou, Dosing, and Wenchow peninsula, and attack shipping in Campha PortHongay area.
10/2/44 FEAF B-25's pound Laha A/F while B-24's hit Haroekoe. P-38's cover Laha raid, attack shipping in Seri and Amboina Bays and hit Amahai and Kairatoe A/Fs. Off Halmahera I B-25's fly barge sweep, bomb Laboehan, and attack coastal villages on Weda and Boeli Bays. P-40's attack vessels off Tamoelol village and Misool I and bomb Otawiri and Ransiki A/Fs.
10/2/44 Seventh AF Saipan-based B-24's hit Marcus and shipping W of Chichi Jima.
10/2/44 Eleventh AF Photo rcn missions, by 4 B-25's to Paramushiru and by 2 B-24's to Onnekotan, abort due to weather.
10/3/44 Eighth AF Almost 1,000 HBs attack 3 A/Fs W of Nurnberg, city of Nurnberg, synthetic oil works at Wesseling, and a motor works and A/F in Karlsruhe area (all assigned tgts), and hit several other tgts in Nurnberg-Cologne-Karlsruhe areas. 16 ftr gps give escort.
10/3/44 Ninth AF 220-plus MBs and LBs sent to bomb tgts at Duren, Aldenhoven, and Arnhem are recalled because of weather. Ftrs fly armed rcn over W Germany, hit railroads W of Rhine, and spt US Third Army in Metz area. IX ADC continues night patrols.
10/3/44 Twelfth AF MBs continue to pound road and rail bridges and fuel dumps in Po Valley. LBs, FBs, and ftrs of XII FC hit fuel dumps, rail lines, and transportation in the Valley and spt US Fifth Army forces in battle areas in the N Apennines S and SW of Bologna and N of the Arno R Valley.
10/3/44 Fifteenth AF For the eighth consecutive day bad weather prevents bombing operations.
10/3/44 Tenth AF TCs fly 240-plus sorties, delivering men and supplies to various points in CBI.
10/3/44 Fourteenth AF 23 B-25's attack Pingnam, trucks and rivercraft in Wuchou, Samshui, and Canton areas, and bomb Tien Ho and White Cloud A/Fs. 100 P-51's and P-40's continue armed rcn over wide expanses of China S of the Yangtze, attacking rivercraft, road traffic, troops, town areas, and other T/Os.
Hsinganhsien, Pingnam, and Chuanhsien areas are covered exceptionally well.
10/3/44 FEAF For second time B-24's bomb oil refineries in Balikpapan area, MBs hit shipping and bomb Sanana.
MBs smash Kaoe runway and bomb Galela. MBs and HBs over Ceram-Amboina hit barge and coastal T/Os and pound Taka A/F, while FBs attack Halong seaplane base and Namlea and Haroekoe A/Fs. On Vogelkop Peninsula FBs again hit Fak Fak and Otawiri.
10/3/44 Seventh AF AF B-24's from Saipan hit shipping in the Bonins while P-47's pound gun positions, buildings, and wharf on Pagan. B-24's on special rcn missions bomb A/F at Iwo Jima.
10/3/44 Eleventh AF 2 B-24's flying offshore rcn over Onnekotan, Harumukotan, and Shasukotan also strafe several small vessels.
10/4/44 Ninth AF Bmrs drop leaflets in Metz, Saint-Die, and Saarburg areas. Ftrs spt US First and Third Armies in W Germany and E France, escort MBs, and fly armed rcn in forward areas, attacking rail and military tgts.
10/4/44 Twelfth AF Weather restricts MBs to attacks on 2 bridges at Bistagno and Villafranca d'Asti. FBs closely spt ground forces fighting in Loiano-Quinzanod'Oglio-Sassoleone areas, and hit comm N of battle areas.
10/4/44 Fifteenth AF 327 B-17's and B-24's, with ftr escort, bomb Munich W M/Y. Around 400 other HBs attack rail line in Trento-Mezzaselva area (covering over 50 mi of the Brenner route), Aviano A/F, Avisio viaduct, and railroad and road bridges at Pinzano al Tagliamento, Pordenone, Latisana, Casarsa della Delizia, Mezzocorona, Ora, and San Dona di Piave. 39 P-51's strafe Tatoi, Kalamaki, and Eleusis A/Fs. Other P-51's escort MATAF C-47's and fly rcn.
10/4/44 Tenth AF 8 P-47's damage approaches to bridge between Myitkyina and Bhamo. 16 P-47's hit town of Palwesho. 4 others hit small towns S of Bhamo, including Man The and Hantet.
10/4/44 Fourteenth AF 5 B-25's hit Hsinantien and areas N of Chefang. 80-plus P-40's and P-51's continue to attack T/Os during armed rcn over areas of China S of the Yangtze. More than 20 FBs hit buildings, troops, and river shipping in Paoching area.
10/4/44 FEAF B-25's bomb Sidate and and Bolaang-oeki. P-40's and B-25's attack Galela and Kaoe A/Fs. B-25's and A-20's on shipping sweep bomb town and port area of Amboina, hit wharf at Halong, and attack shipping and shore T/Os at various points.
10/4/44 Seventh AF B-24's from Saipan attack shipping W of Iwo Jima and bomb A/Fs, radio station, buildings, and area tgts on Marcus, Pagan, and Iwo Jima. P-47's hit gun positions, beach defenses, buildings, and wharf area on Pagan. B-24's from the Marshalls bomb A/F at Moen.
10/4/44 Eleventh AF A B-24 weather aborts a photo run off Matsuwa. 4 B-25's's bomb a freighter and a barge off Shimushu. 15-17 ftrs intercept and the B-25's score one victory.
10/5/44 International Sec of the Treassury Morgenthau and Lord Keynes begin series of talks on the course of Lend-Lease between V-E and V-J Days.
10/5/44 Eighth AF GO 507 implements decision of 15 Sep to assign staff officers of HQ VIII FC to HQ Eighth AF to represent units in administrative functions, thus eliminating administrative and operational control from HQ VIII FC and placing it under Eighth AF HQ. This is necessitated by the transfer of ftr gps to bomb divs. Over 900 HBs, escorted by 15 ftr gps, strike 4 primary tgts (a M/Y and 4 A/Fs) in NW Germany and several secondary tgts and T/Os (M/Y, A/F, city areas) in the same area, especially around Dusseldorf and Cologne.
10/5/44 Ninth AF 330-plus MBs and LBs dispatched against tgts in Arnhem, Aldenhoven, and Duren are recalled. Ftrs hit pillboxes along Westwall, spt ground forces of XV Corps in France, fly armed rcn in Prum, Bonn, Koblenz, Trier and Landau areas, hit tgts along Rhine-Marne Canal, and during 5/B Oct fly patrol in Belgium, E France, and W Germany.
10/5/44 Twelfth AF During 4/5 Oct A-20's bomb T/Os in battle area in mountains S of Bologna and N of Arno R Valley.
During the day weather grounds MB wgs and XII FC.
10/5/44 Fifteenth AF Bad weather causes recall of HBs.
10/5/44 Tenth AF 11 P-47's hit Mawlu and attack locomotives and T/Os in Naba area. 8 B-25's attack bridges at Namhkai, damaging the main bridge. TCs fly over 250 sorties to various locations in CBI.
10/5/44 Fourteenth AF 12 B-25's and 22 FBs attack Samshui, Koyiu and Takhing. 8 hit T/Os in Canton-Wuchou area, and 3 bomb storage area at Mangshih. 50-plus P-40's and P-51's over wide areas of S China attack rivercraft, road trafflc, bridges, town areas, and troops.
10/5/44 FEAF B-24's bomb A/Fs in Kendari area. B-25's and P-38's hit Kairatoe A/F, town of Amboina and numerous coastal and shipping T/Os in Amboina-Ceram area. A-20's, B-25's's, and FBs attack Urarom, Simora Pt area, Doom I, Babo, Efman and Samate A/Fs and disposal areas. A-20's blast Japanese bivouacs and supply areas near Sarmi.
10/5/44 Seventh AF Saipan-based P-47's hit Pagan with rockets and bombs. A B-24 bombs gun positions on the islands.
B-25's from the Gilberts bomb runways and gun positions on Nauru while B-24's from the Marshalls bomb an A/F at Moen and during 5 /6 Oct strike Wake.
10/5/44 Eleventh AF At dawn 2 B-24's bomb Kashiwabara and Kurabu Cape.
10/6/44 Eighth AF Nearly 1,200 HBs attack 11 primaries, including oil plants, aircraft factories, ordnance facilities, and AF trg school, in N Germany, and 19 T/Os including A/Fs at Stralsund and Stade. 16 ftr gps in escort claim 19 air victories.
10/6/44 Ninth AF 300-plus MBs and LBs hit M/Ys, barracks, and ammo dump at Hengelo and Duren and bridges at Arnhem and Aldenhoven. Ftrs fly armed rcn in Dusseldorf, Aachen, Trier, Dieuze, and Koblenz areas, sweeps and patrols in forward areas, attack railroads in Dorsel area, and spt US First, Third, and Seventh Armies' forces in E France and W Germany.
10/6/44 Twelfth AF Weather cancels all operations of MB wgs and XII FC.
10/6/44 Fifteenth AF Weather cancels bombing operations. 35 P-38's strafe A/Fs at Sedhes, Megalo Mikra, Megara, Eleusis, and Tatoi A/Fs, and 55 P-51's strafe Kalamaki A/F.
10/6/44 Tenth AF 20-plus P-47's bomb troop concentrations in Mawlu and Bilumyo and damage approach to bridge at Seywa. 8 B-25's attack bridges at Hsenwi, damaging main bridge but causing little harm to bypass bridges. Transport operations continue on large scale in CBI.
10/6/44 Fourteenth AF 12 B-25's bomb Wuchou and attack boats and other T/Os in Canton area. 50-plus P-40's and P-51's on armed rcn over areas of China S of the Yangtze R attack rivercraft, bridges, town areas, troop concentrations and T/Os along N Indochina coast.
10/6/44 FEAF P-38's hit Kaoe A/F and shipping near Djailolo. P-47's bomb Kaimana. In Ceram-Amboina-Boeroe area B-25's and P-38's attack Namlea, Waai, Amahai, and several small craft.
10/6/44 Twentieth AF The first P-61 night ftrs arrive in Chengtu on even of third air raid. (In 10 attacks from 6 Sep to 19 Dec, only 43 aircraft participate).
10/6/44 Seventh AF B-24's from Saipan hit Iwo Jima in harassment attacks during 6/7 Oct. A B-24 from Kwajalein bombs heavy gun battery on Emidj. During 6/7 Oct, 3 B-24's bomb Wake.
10/7/44 Eighth AF Over 1,300 HBs, in 4 forces, bomb 5 synthetic oil plants, an armament, a tank, and an aero engine works in C and NE Germany, plus 16 identified and 19 other unidentified tgts in the area. 19 escorting ftr gps claim 22 air victories including 4 jets. Air opposition and ground fire is heavy. 52 HBs and 15 ftrs are lost.
10/7/44 Ninth AF HQ cancels previous instructions against bombing bridges and opens to attack all bridges on US front, except those over the Rhine R. 300-plus MBs and LBs strike bridges at Arnhem, Bullay, and Dillingen, supply depot at Euskirchen, and M/Y and warehouse at Hengelo and Trier. Ftrs fly bmr escort, sweeps and armed rcn in forward areas, hitting railroads, barges, and troop concentrations, and spt ground forces in E France and W Germany.
10/7/44 Twelfth AF Weather again grounds MBs. FBs hit guns and troop concentrations in battle area, which extends over wide front S of Bologna in region of Monte Stanco, Monte Cauala, Monte Castellaro, and Monte Ceci, and comm to the N.
10/7/44 Fifteenth AF 350-plus B-17's and B-24's bomb Lobau and Schwechat oil refineries and Winterhafen oil depot in Vienna area. Nearly 30 others hit T/Os in Hungary including M/Ys at Szombathely and Zalaegerszeg.
330-plus HBs, escorted by P-38's and P-51's, attack M/Ys at Nove Zamky and Komarom and A/F at Gyor. 6 B-17's escorted by 54 P-51's, evacuate US airmen from Czechoslovakia to Italy.
10/7/44 Tenth AF 5 P-47's bomb supplies and troops at Man Hpa. Large-scale transport operations continue to deliver men and supplies to various points in CBI.
10/7/44 Fourteenth AF 53 P-51's and P-40's on armed rcn attack troop concentrations, bridges, river and rail trafflc, town areas, and supply dumps around Tunghsiangchiao, Pingnam, Hsinganhsien, Chuanhsien, Lingling, Wuchou, Houmachen, Chiuchiang, and Paoching.
10/7/44 FEAF B-24's over Mindanao bomb Zamboanga while a P-38 cover force hits seaplanes, shipping, and other T/Os in the area. B-25's bomb Langoan, Tompaso, and Tondegesang. P-38's attack Kaoe I, and hit Boela oil tanks. B-25's bomb storage area on W Amboina. P-38's and B-25's strike Doom I and Babo A/F.
10/7/44 Seventh AF B-24's from Saipan, on armed rcn, attack Marcus and nearby shipping.
10/8/44 Ninth AF Revision and elaboration (from 28 Sep-8 Oct) of Ninth AF interdiction program against railroads connected with Rhine R results in issue of a new interdiction program. It includes rail lines further to the E and requires attacks by all 4 TACs of the Ninth AF, plus aid from British Second Tac AF. More than 300 MBs and LBs hit strongpoints and bridges over wide areas of E France and W Germany. Ftrs spt ground forces of US VII, XV, XIX, and XX Corps in E France and W Germany, escort 9th Bomb Div, and attack A/Fs, railroads, and numerous military tgts in forward areas.
10/8/44 Twelfth AF Bad weather forces MBs to cancel missions. XII FC ftrs are airborne to spt ground forces over battle area and abort all missions.
10/8/44 Fifteenth AF Bad weather limits operations to rcn and sea-search missions.
10/8/44 Tenth AF 20-plus P-47's hit T/Os in Mawhun and Manyut areas, knock out bridge at Seywa, and bomb railroad tracks in N Burma. 5 B-26's damage 1 bridge and score hits on the other bridge approaches at Namhkai and knock out 2 bridges at Wuntho and Kawlin.
10/8/44 Fourteenth AF 12 P-40's and P-51's hit locomotives, trucks, and river trafflc at Yuncheng and NE of Pengtse.
10/8/44 FEAF P-47's bomb Amahai and Boela. P-38's hit Dodinga Bay barge hideouts, supplies and T/Os along Wasile and Kaoe Bays. B-25's, A-20's, and FBs hit Sorong, Doom I, runways and T/Os at Efman and Samate, and gun positions, bivouacs, and supplies at Simora Pt.
10/8/44 Seventh AF 3 Saipan-based B-24's hit Pagan and Marcus. 24 P-47's hit buildings, beach defenses, and gun positions on Pagan. During the day and 8/9 Oct B-24's from the Marshalls bomb Wake.
10/8/44 Eleventh AF Photo missions to Paramushiru, Matsuwa, Onnekotan and Shasukotan turn back due to weather.
10/9/44 International Churchill and Eden, with Harriman, US presidential representative, as observer, arrive in Moscow.
Polish PM arrives later. Talks with Soviets deal with spheres of influence, the Balkans, and Poland's position.
10/9/44 Eighth AF Over 1,000 HBs strike 2 M/Ys and an engine plant at Mainz, and hit Koblenz, Gustavsburg, Schweinfurt, and 2 T/Os in W Germany. 19 ftr gps, including 2 from Ninth AF, provide spt.
10/9/44 Ninth AF HQ gives the TACs an initial attack list of 10 bridges on US front. Other lists follow. 309th Bomb Div aircraft attack rail bridge at Euskirchen. Ftrs provide escort and fly uneventful armed rcn. Dive bmrs sent against A/Fs in Germany are recalled because of bad weather.
10/9/44 Twelfth AF Weather again grounds MBs. FBs, and ftrs hit roads, rail crossing, transport and other tgts in Bologna and Sabbioso areas.
10/9/44 Fifteenth AF Bad weather restricts operations to weather rcn missions.
10/9/44 Tenth AF 50-plus P-47's knock out bridge at Manyut and thoroughly pound town area, bomb enemy positions at Nyaunggon, Pinhe, and near Mawhun, damage bridge near Mawlu, and hit a variety of tgts in Katha area. 9 B-25's attack road bridges SW of Lashio, knocking out Na-lang and Nampawng bridges. The MBs hit several T/Os in the area. Transport aircraft continue steady supply of various points in CBI.
10/9/44 Fourteenth AF 2 B-25's bomb area N of Mangshih. 3 B-24's hit shipping along lower Yangtze R. 29 P-51's and P- 40's on armed rcn attack river trafflc, troops, bridges, and other T/Os in areas around Tanchuk, Tengyun, Anking, and Amoy. Airstrip at Tanchuk is temporarily put out of commission.
10/9/44 FEAF B-25's, A-20's, and FBs attack Boela, Namlea, Kairatoe, and Liang, concentrating on oil tanks and A/Fs. B-25's and FBs hit Lolobata and Hate Tabako A/Fs and nearby barges, supplies, and other T/Os. A-20's and FBs strike Faan and Langgoer A/Fs. P-40's hit Manokwari and B-25's bomb Samate.
10/9/44 Seventh AF 18 B-24's from Saipan pound Iwo Jima. 25 B-25's from the Marshalls bomb Truk.
10/10/44 Ninth AF Weather cancels daytime bmr and ftr operations. IX ADC during 10/11 Oct flies patrol over Belgium and W Germany.
10/10/44 Twelfth AF MBs are again grounded due to weather. FBs, though also hampered by weather, manage to closely spt ground forces, particularly at Monte delle Formiche where US 85th Inf Div elements are stopped short of the crest, and attack comm N of battle area in the N Apennines.
10/10/44 Fifteenth AF Almost 170 B-17's and B-24's attack 4 M/Ys at Treviso and Mestre and bridges at Susegana and San Dona di Piave plus rail lines in surrounding areas. About 90 ftrs provide spt in Udine-Treviso area.
350-plus other HBs are forced to abort because of weather.
10/10/44 Tenth AF 28 P-47's spt ground forces near Pinhe, bomb towns of Tawbon and Man Naung, and hit T/Os in and near Momauk. Transport operations to various points in CBI continue at the rate of 250-plus sorties.
10/10/44 Fourteenth AF 12 B-25's bomb and considerably damage Kunlong ferry. 38 P-40's and P-51's on armed rcn attack bridge and other T/Os near Mangshih, hit troop areas around Tanchuk and Wuchou, river traffic near Dosing, and locomotives and barges along N Indochina coast.
10/10/44 FEAF B-24's strike oil refineries and an A/F in Balikpapan area. The HBs and escorting P-47's and P-38's claim over 30 Japanese ftrs downed. P-38's and B-25's bomb Djailolo, Kaoe, and Hate Tabako A/F and Wasile town area. P-47's hit Liang A/F. A-20's hit Sarmi area. A-20's and B-25's bomb Urarom A/F.
10/10/44 Seventh AF 14 B-24's from Saipan bomb A/F at Iwo Jima and shipping off the E shore. 24 P-47's pound buildings and storage caves on Pagan. Later a B-24 bombs the radio station N of Pagan A/F. 12 B-25's from Makin bomb runways and adjacent AA positions on Nauru.
10/10/44 Eleventh AF 4 B-24's abort a strike at Kashiwabara due to weather.
10/11/44 Eighth AF 130 B-17's bomb Wesseling synthetic oil plant and Koblenz M/Y. 3 P-47 gps give spt.
10/11/44 Ninth AF 99 MBs and LBs sent to bomb Camp-de-Bitche military camp are recalled when Pathfinder equipment malfunctions and weather prevents visual bombing. Ftrs escort bmrs, fly armed rcn, cut rail lines in Aachen-Rhine area, and spt US VII and XIX Corps in Aachen area, and US XII, XV, and XX Corps in Metz-Saarlautern area.
10/11/44 Twelfth AF Despite bad weather MBs attack bridges and supply dumps in Po Valley. FBs and ftrs closely spt ground forces in Apennine Mountains between Florence and Bologna where fierce fighting rages on Monte delle Formiche, Livergnano escarpment, Monte delle Tombe, Gesso ridge, and Monte Battaglia.
Also hit are comm behind battle area and as far W and N as Genoa, Turin, and Savona.
10/11/44 Fifteenth AF About 180 B-17's and B-24's, with ftr escort, bomb Vienna S ordnance depot, Graz motor works, S and SW areas of Vienna, towns of Hirtenberg and Enzesfeld, M/Y at Zeltweg, Dravograd railroad bridge on Yugoslav-Hungarian boundary, railroad and highway bridges at Cesara, and Trieste harbor.
Over 250 HBs fail to complete missions because of bad weather. 18 P-51's strafe tgts in Bratislava and Budapest areas, including supply dumps, and trains and destroy 17 airplanes at Esztergom landing ground. 37 other P-51's strafe Prostejov A/F and T/Os in surrounding area, destroying nearly 30 aircraft and trucks, locomotives, and railroad cars.
10/11/44 Tenth AF 15 P-47's hit guns and enemy positions near Pinhe while 9 attack town of Manwein and hit T/Os in the area. 8 others hit towns of Nayakaung and Nansiaung. 8 B-25's attack bridges at Man Pwe, Tahpalai, and Namyao damaging only Man Pwe bridge. 23 P-47's hit troops and stores near Tawbon and at Hkawan, knock out Kawnghka bridge and damage Wanling bridge. Transport flights continue to points throughout CBI.
10/11/44 Fourteenth AF 2 B-25's knock out bridge S of Mangshih. 3 P-40's attack sampans from Tanchuk to Tengyun while 8 hit general T/Os N of Mangshih.
10/11/44 FEAF B-24's bomb Koeandang and Langoan area. P-38's pound Miti A/F. A-20's and FBs attack Liang, Kairatoe, Laha, Haroekoe, and Namlea A/F. Langgoer A/F is bombed by P-47's. P-47's hit Babo A/F while A-20's attack Sarmi troop concentrations. At night B-24's bomb Sasa Matina and Buayoan A/F.
10/11/44 Seventh AF Saipan-based P-47's hit buildings on Pagan with rockets and bombs. A Kwajalein-based B-24 bombs Wake during the night.
10/11/44 Eleventh AF 4 B-25's over Shimushiru and Paramushiru blow up 3 buildings and damage 2 others at Cape Namikawa.
10/12/44 Eighth AF Over 500 HBs attack M/Y at Osnabruck, aircraft industries at Bremen, and T/Os including Diepholz A/F. 11 ftr gps escort HBs, claiming 18 ftrs downed.
10/12/44 Ninth AF Ninth AF is delegated administrative (in addition to operational ) control over XII TAC hitherto assumed by USSTAF. Advanced HQ XIX TAC arrives at Nancy, following the adv of US Third Army. Almost 250 MBs and LBs bomb Camp-de-Bitche military camp, rail bridges at Grevenbroich and Ahrweiler, city areas of Langerwehe, Aldenhoven, and Venraij, and various T/Os. Escorting ftrs fly also armed rcn and rail cutting in Dusseldorf, Aachen, and Belfort areas, and spt VIII, XII, XV, and XX Corps in E France and W Germany.
10/12/44 Twelfth AF MBs, supporting US Fifth Army, attack comm, supply dumps, and bivouac and barracks areas S of Bologna. FBs and XII FC ftrs, mainly in spt of US Fifth Army, blast supply dumps, gun positions, troop concentrations, and comm in the high country S of Bologna (while DAF gives similar spt to British Eighth Army in Rimini area).
10/12/44 Fifteenth AF Around 700 HBs, with ftr spt, pound ammo and fuel dumps and depots, bivouac area, barracks, vehicle repair shop, munitions factory and T/Os in Bologna area (Operation PANCAKE) supporting US Fifth Army offensive in that sector. 160 P-51's strafe mainline railroad and Danube R traffic in Vienna- Gyor-Budapest areas and strafe Seregelyes A/F, disrupting traffic and destroying many enemy airplanes.
10/12/44 Tenth AF 18 P-47's bomb railroad tgts in the Naba-Mawlu rail corridor damaging a bridge approach, and strike troops and stores near Nayakaung. 12 other P-47's hit various tgts at Pintha and Nyaunggon. 4 B-26's knock out a bridge just N of Lashio. 3 others knock out bridge at Kawlin and damage tracks near Man Pwe bridge.
10/12/44 Fourteenth AF 3 B-25's and 12 P-40's hit Chefang storage area and bridge and general T/Os in Mangshih area. 40- plus P-40's and P-51's on armed rcn covering wide areas of S China and extending into W Burma attack troop concentrations, river trafflc, storage areas, and buildings in areas around Taochuan, Kweiping, Hsinganhsien, Yuncheng, Tanchuk, and Hsenwi.
10/12/44 FEAF B-24's bomb Ambesia, Langoan, Mapanget, and Sidate A/Fs. B-25's, A-20's, and P-47's again pound A/Fs at Liang, Laha, Namlea, Kairatoe and Haroekoe, and town of Boela. P-38's hit numerous T/Os on Halmahera I. FBs hit Manokwari and Urarom and A-20's bomb pillboxes in Sarmi area.
10/12/44 Twentieth AF First B-29 (Joltin' Josie, the Pacific Pioneer) arrives at Saipan, piloted by Gen Hansell, CG XXI BC, for whom temporary HQ are set up on Saipan. Also the regular air echelon of 73d Bomb Wg arrives at Saipan on this date, followed during Oct and first week in Nov by 4 bomb gps and 4 air serv gps.
(313th Bomb Wg will be established in the theater in Dec 44, 314th in Jan 45, 58th in Mar, and 315th in Apr. In Mar 45 VII FC will be established at Iwo Jima from where some of its units escort B-29 missions).
10/12/44 Seventh AF B-24's from Saipan bomb harbor and shipping at Chichi Jima, shipping S of Haha Jima, AA positions on Marcus, and A/F area on Pagan. P-47's hit Pagan A/F area with bombs and rockets. B-24's from Kwajalein bomb Wake during 12/13 Oct.
10/12/44 Eleventh AF 3 B-24's hit A/F and shipping tgts in the MatsuwaOnnekotan area.
10/13/44 Ninth AF 9th Bomb Div hits bridges at Saarlouis, Roermond, Venlo, Euskirchen, and Mayen, plus several T/Os.
Escorting ftrs also fly armed rcn over areas of Metz and extensively over W Germany, attacking railroads and other tgts, and spt US First, Third, and Seventh Armies.
10/13/44 Twelfth AF Weather cancels all MB operations except for attacks on 4 tgts (bridges and supply dumps) in the battle area S of Bologna. FBs spt US Fifth Army operations more successfully in the area, hitting gun emplacements, troop concentrations, supply dumps, bridges, and vehicles.
10/13/44 Fifteenth AF More than 650 ftrescorted HBs bomb oil refineries at Blechhammer and Vienna/Floridsdorf, motor works, locomotive shops, and M/Y at Vienna, Graz, Banhida, Szekesfehervar, Papa, Hranice and Mezirici. Some of the escorting ftrs strafe railroads, roads, and A/F in areas of Balaton and Neusiedler Lakes, Vienna, and Prostejov. Other ftrs strafe roads, railroads, and Danube R traffic in Vienna-Gyor- Budapest areas.
10/13/44 Tenth AF 38 P-47's strike Okkyin, Yebyangale, and Theinlon, and hit troops in Myothit area. 8 P-47's spt ground forces in Mohnyin area, 12 attack and considerably damage Wanling bridge and 4 hit T/Os in the area. Transports fly over 280 sorties hauling troops and supplies to CBI terminals.
10/13/44 Fourteenth AF 138 P-40's and P-51's on numerous armed rcn missions throughout S China and into W Burma attack troop areas, rivercraft, town areas, bridges, trucks, and other T/Os. 71 of the FBs hit tgts in Kweiping area while the others attack tgts around Chuanhsien, Litou, Shepchung, Tengyun, Lungfukwan, Kingshan, Mangshih, and Chefang.
10/13/44 FEAF B-25's bomb Menado and surrounding area. P-38's hit AA positions, enemy concentrations, and other tgts in NE Celebes and Halmaheras. A-20's and FBs attack Boela oil installations and A/Fs at Amahai, Kairatoe, and Namlea.
10/13/44 Seventh AF B-24's from Saipan bomb Yap. From the Marshalls B-24's pound Truk. Gilberts-based B-25's bomb Nauru.
10/13/44 Eleventh AF 4 B-25's bomb Kurabu A/F and bomb and strafe buildings on Tomari Cape, scoring hits on canneries, warehouses, and barracks. Later, 4 B-24's photograph and bomb tgts at Kashiwabara.
10/14/44 Eighth AF About 1,100 HBs bomb 7 M/Ys at Saarbrucken, Kaiserslautern, and Cologne, city of Euskirchen, and T/Os in the Cologne area. 15 ftr gps give escort.
10/14/44 Ninth AF Bad weather grounds 9th Bomb Div. Ftrs escort leaflet mission, fly sweeps and rail cutting operations, armed rcn over E France and W Germany, and spt US Third Army.
10/14/44 Twelfth AF Bad weather cancels all MB operations. Over 100 ftrs and FBs pound troop concentrations, gun positions, supplies, bridges, roads, and rail lines S of Bologna where hard fighting is taking place in Monterumici, Livergnano, and Gesso ridge areas.
10/14/44 Fifteenth AF 317 B-17's and B-24's hampered by bad weather, bomb oil refineries at Blechhammer and Odertal, and several T/Os including M/Ys at Bratislava, Nove Zamky, Komarom, Komarom and Nove Zamky railroad bridges, Borzavar industrial area, and Ugod military garrison. Escorting ftrs strafe A/Fs, rail and road traffic and other T/Os in tgt areas. 52 B-24's bmb railroad bridge and M/Y at Maribor. 54 P- 51's on strafing mission in Balaton Lake area attack A/Fs at Szekesfehervar and Seregelyes. 55 P- 38's escort MATAF C-47's carrying airborne forces to Megara A/F.
10/14/44 Tenth AF Transport aircraft fly more than 200 sorties, delivering men and supplies to various points in CBI.
10/14/44 Fourteenth AF 32 P-51's and P-40's on armed rcn attack troops, town areas, and river traffic around Samshui, Mangshih, Kweiping, Hsinganhsien, Konghow and Tajungchiang.
10/14/44 FEAF B-24's again bomb oil refineries and associated industries in Balikpapan area. Others bomb Pombelaa mine. A-20's, B-25's, and FBs again hit Laha and Haroekoe A/Fs.
10/14/44 Twentieth AF 103 Chengtu-based B-29's bomb aircraft plant at Okayama. 12 more hit last-resort tgts and T/Os.
This is first Twentieth AF mission during which over 100 VHBs attack tgts and the first of a series of missions against Formosa in conjunction with US invasion of Leyte.
10/14/44 Seventh AF 3 B-24's on armed rcn from Saipan bomb Marcus. P-47's on sweep over Pagan bomb and strafe storage caves. 1 B-24 from the Marshalls bombs Wake during 14/15 Oct.
10/14/44 Eleventh AF 4 B-25's bomb and strafe buildings at Otomae Bay.
10/15/44 Eighth AF More than 1,000 HBs attack 9 M/Ys and gas unit plant in and around general area of Cologne, along with several other tgts including oil facilities at Reisholz and Monheim. 3 ftr gps give general area spt while 12 gps provide close escort. 2 P-47 gps attack comm in Hannover and Munster-Kassel areas.
10/15/44 Ninth AF Weather prevents bmr operations. Ftrs fly rail cutting missions and spt elements of US First, Third, Seventh, and Ninth Armies in E France and W Germany.
10/15/44 Twelfth AF B-25's bomb bridges in W Po Valley. B-26's hit bridges in the E part of the Valley, and have excellent success bombing a railway fill at Ossenigo, trapping over 300 railway cars N of the tgt. Ftrs and FBs concentrate efforts toward spt of ground forces along wide front in the mountains S of Bologna.
10/15/44 Fifteenth AF Bad weather limits operations to weather rcn missions.
10/15/44 Tenth AF About 40 P-47's attack positions in Mohnyin area and at Man Naung, supply concentrations at Kyungyi, railroad tgts in Mawhun area, ammo stores at Manwing, and buildings near Muse. 12 B-25's hit town of Onbauk, storage facilities at Indaw, and vicinity of Thabeikkyin. Transport operations in CBI continue on large scale.
10/15/44 Fourteenth AF 28 B-24's, 33 P-51's, and 18 P-40's pound White Cloud A/F and shipping in Hong Kong area. 2 B-24's bomb Amoy. 6 FBs hit T/Os near Mangshih and Taj ungchiang.
10/15/44 FEAF A-20's again pound A/Fs and oil storage on Ceram. P-38's carry out shipping sweep over Flores area and on Halmahera bomb Pitoe and Kaoe areas. P-38's bomb Amahai A/F while bmrs on armed rcn hit nearby T/Os. P-47's attack Sagan A/F.
10/15/44 Seventh AF 27 B-24's from Saipan strike fuel storage, AA positions, and installations at A/F on Iwo Jima. 1 other HB bombs A/F at Pagan. 2 B-24's from the Marshalls bomb Wake on 15/16 Oct.
10/15/44 Eleventh AF 4 B-25's on armed rcn over Paramushiru turn back when flight drifts off course. 1 B-24 strafes a freighter off Shimushiru.
10/16/44 Ninth AF Ninth AF adv HQ follows HQ 12th AG to Luxembourg. All operations cancelled due to weather.
10/16/44 Twelfth AF MB operations are cancelled by bad weather. LBs and FBs hit troop concentrations, bridges, gun positions, road, rail lines, and vehicles in battle area, particularly in Monte Belmonte vicinity.
10/16/44 Fifteenth AF Nearly 600 HBs, with ftr escort, hit tank factory, tank assembly plant, and aero engine works at Steyr, benzol plant and ordnance depot at Linz, plus alternate tgts and T/Os in Austria, including Graz- Neudorf aircraft engine factory, Trieben, Linz, Graz, Villach, Salzburg, Klagenfurt, Spittal an der Drau and Zeltweg M/Ys, town of Sankt Veit an der Glan, Brux synethetic oil refinery, and armament works in Plzen. Over 20 P-51's and P-38's fly photo and weather rcn missions and sea patrol. 29 P-38's escort MATAF C-47's (transporting airborne troops) to Greece and back to Italy.
10/16/44 Tenth AF 11 P-47's attack 2 railroad bridges in Naba-Mawlu area, damaging approaches to both tgts. 5 other P- 47's hit Japanese forces in NW part of Madangyang. 12 B-25's, supported by escort of 8 P-47's, pound A/F at Shwebo. Transports fly over 300 sorties in CBI.
10/16/44 Fourteenth AF 28 B-24's, 8 B-25's, 26 P-51's, and 21 P-40's blast shipping and Kowloon Dock area. 15 cargo vessels are damaged or sunk. 3 other P-51's hit Wuchou area. 36 P-40's, P-51's, and P-38's hit village and town areas, bridges, and troop concentrations in Kweiping, Tanchuk, Hsinganhsien, Tingka, and Chefang areas.
10/16/44 FEAF P-38's hit harbor, shipFing, A/F and trucks at Cagayan. B-24's blast Makassar area. B-24's, B-25's, and FBs again pound the Boeroe-Ceram A/Fs and towns of Boela and Amboina and hit shipping in Binnen Bay. FBs hit Timoeka and Mongosah and Sagan A/Fs. Langgoer A/F is pounded by A-20's.
10/16/44 Twentieth AF Over 40 B-29's, out of Chengtu, bomb Okayama aircraft plant and Heito A/F. 20-plus other B-29's bomb alternate or chance tgts at Takao, Swatow, Toshien, and Sintien harbors, Hengyang, and several A/Fs, including Taichu.
10/16/44 Seventh AF 15 P-47's and 1 B-24 from Saipan hit Pagan. From the Marshalls 14 B-24's hit Truk.
10/16/44 Eleventh AF 7 B-24's fly cover sorties for naval TF.
10/17/44 Eighth AF More than 1,200 HBs attack 5 M/Ys and 2 T/Os at Cologne. 15 ftr gps give spt.
10/17/44 Ninth AF All Rhine rail and road bridges are cleared for attack. 2 days later Adv HQ prescribes bridges as having priority on tgt list second only to rail lines. 35 MBs hit rail bridge at Euskirchen. Ftrs escort MBs, fly armed rcn in Strasbourg-Colmar-Mulhouse area, attack railroads in Allendorf an der LahnGemunden area, and M/Y at Dielkirchen.
10/17/44 Twelfth AF Weather cancels all MB operations and limits FBs to limited sorties in the battle area S of Bologna, hitting roads, rail lines and bridges. A-20's during 16/17 Oct on armed rcn over Po Valley bomb T/Os and cause explosions on N edge of Ravenna.
10/17/44 Fifteenth AF 330-plus HBs attack Blechhammer S oil refinery and industrial area of Vienna, plus alternate tgts and T/Os including M/Ys at Banhida, Nagykanizsa, Szombathely, Strass, Graz, and Maribor, railroad bridge at Maribor, rail line at Furstenfeld, and T/Os scattered throughout the Balkans. P-51's escort a C-47 picking up personnel at Valjevo A/F, a B-17 carrying a photo crew to Rumania (to photograph Ploesti), and several C-47's transporting personnel to Araxos A/F.
10/17/44 Tenth AF 15 P-47's bomb supply area near Naba, hit Japanese HQ and supply area near Mawhun, and blast supply base and permanent camp at Myazedi. 8 B-25's bomb Nawnghkio A/F and 3 attack bridges near Kawlin and Thityabin. Approach to the latter bridge is damaged. Transports fly almost 300 sorties to various points in CBI.
10/17/44 Fourteenth AF 15 B-25's, 12 P-40's, and 10 P-51's pound supply depot at Tien Ho A/F. 2 B-24's bomb supply depot at Victoria Harbor. 44 P-51's and P-40's on armed rcn attack rivercraft, troop concentrations, villages, and other T/Os around Kweiping, Tengyun, Mangshih, Tajungchiang, Wuchou, and Dosing. Runway at Tanchuk A/F suffers considerable damage.
10/17/44 FEAF FBs and B-25's hit A/Fs, shipping and scattered T/Os in the Halmahera area. In Ceram- AmboinaBoeroe area A-20's, B-25's, and FBs continue to pound A/Fs and oil facilities. In the principal strike of the day almost 60 B-24's hit oil installations, barracks, and shore tgts on Ilang and N Davao Bay areas.
10/17/44 Thirteenth AF XIII BC moves from Wakde to Morotai.
10/17/44 Twentieth AF 10 B-29's, flying out of Chengtu, bomb Einansho air depot. 14 others bomb alternate tgts.
10/17/44 Seventh AF 11 B-24's from Saipan hit shipping off Haha Jima and town of Okimura. Later, during 17/18 Oct, 1 B- 24 bombs A/F on Iwo Jima. B-25's from the Gilberts hit Nauru.
10/17/44 Eleventh AF 7 B-24's fly cover sorties for naval TF.
10/18/44 Eighth AF Over 450 HBs hit aircraft plants at Kassel, motor plant and M/Y at Cologne, and chemical works at Leverkusen, along with nearby T/Os. 12 ftr gps provide escort and 2 gps later strafe rail trafflc between Cologne and Kassel.
10/18/44 Ninth AF Weather prevents operations of all cmds ( including 9th Bomb Div) except IX TAC ftrs which fly sweeps, rail cutting missions, and night patrols, and provide air cover for US 1st Inf Div in Aachen area.
10/18/44 Twelfth AF Most MB missions are aborted because of weather, but B-26's effectively hit Castel San Pietro dell'Emilia warehouses and railroad bridge at Padua. Ftrs and FBs, operating on restricted schedule due to weather, offer effective close spt to ground forces in mountains S of Bologna and hit comm tgts in Bologna and Modena areas. On 17/18 Oct LBs on armed rcn bomb lights and vehicles E of Bologna.
10/18/44 Fifteenth AF 38 P-38's dive-bomb Vinkovci. 41 P-41's escort C-47's to Greece.
10/18/44 Tenth AF 13 P-47's attack Mingaladon A/F, 21 spt ground forces in Mohnyin area, 8 knock out 2 bridges at Wanting, and 6 hit troops near Hwemun. 6 B-25's damage approaches to 2 road bridges at Wuntho. 6 other B-25's damage approaches to 2 bridges at Namhkai and Meza. Transports again fly nearly 300 sorties to several locations in CBI.
10/18/44 Fourteenth AF 100-plus P-40's and P-51's fly armed rcn over vast areas of China S of the Yangtze R, attack town areas, troops, rivercraft, gun positions, supply facilities, A/Fs, and other T/Os around Kweiping, Shangkaishow, Tajungchiang, Konghow, Wuchou, Shepchung, Hsinganhsien, Tengyun, Liutu, Tanchuk, and Takhing. Railroad tgts at Lang Son are also attacked.
10/18/44 FEAF Bad weather curtails major strike on Balikpapan. Of 120plus HBs and ftrs, only 8 B-24's and 8 P-38's reach the tgt. P-38's hit barges, small shipping, and vehicles on W coast of Mindanao. B-24's at tack Sagan and Babo A/Fs. M/Bs and FBs again hit Namlea, Amboina, Liang, and nearby tgts, attack T/Os at Djailolo and in Wasile Bay area, and pound Urarom, Manokwari, Babo, Sagan, Otawiri, and other Vogelkop area tgts.
10/18/44 Seventh AF B-24's out of Saipan bomb Haha Jima while P-47's bomb and strafe Pagan.
10/18/44 Eleventh AF 4 B-25's bomb Kurabu Cape A/F and Suribachi. 8-12 interceptors attack the B-25's, which claim 2 victories.
10/19/44 Eighth AF More than 900 HBs attack Gustavsburg diesel engine and armored vehicle plant, Mainz M/Y, arty tractor plant at Mannheim, and several nearby towns and T/Os. 15 ftr gps fly escort.
10/19/44 Ninth AF Weather prevents bmr operations. Ftrs attack tank concentration E of Luneville, strafe tgts NW of Kaiserslautern, fly rcn in W Gerrnany, and provide cover for US Third and Seventh Army forces in E France.
10/19/44 Twelfth AF XII AF redesignates XII FC as XXII TAC following a reorganization period during which the XXII TAC was temporarily referred to as 'X'TAC and 'X-Ray'TAC, to distinguish it from XII FC HQ around which it was formed. B-26's attack Mantua causeway, railway fill at Ossenigo, and bridges at Calcinato and Peschiera del Garda. Ftr attack NW of Mantua accounts for 2 MBs lost and 1 missing. At least 2 of the attacking ftrs are destroyed. B-25's attack bridges in Milan area at Lonate Pozzolo, Cameri, and Magenta. FBs of XXII TAC hit tgts in spt of ground forces, concentrating on Monte Grande area, and attack rail lines and bridges N of battle zone. On 18/19 Oct LBs hit T/Os during armed rcn in Genoa and Bologna areas.
10/19/44 Fifteenth AF Bad weather restricts operations to rcn missions.
10/19/44 Tenth AF 10 P-47's blast approaches to 2 bridges in Mawlu are and 15 spt ground forces in Mohnyin area, hitting village of Nyaunggaing and damaging nearby bridge and pounding railroad station at Kadu.
10/19/44 Fourteenth AF More than 100 P-51's and P-40's on armed rcn over S China hit numerous T/Os from Tungting Lake area to Luichow Peninsula. The FBs concentrate on rivercraft, troop compounds, and building areas.
10/19/44 FEAF B-24's hit Parepare. FBs hit Amboina and Boela A/F and shipping from Zamboanga S in Sulu- Mindanao area, pound Cebu A/F, hit nearby shipping, and strafe Miti, Djailolo, and Hate Tabako. A- 20's and FBs blast A/Fs at Urarom, Sagan, and Babo.
10/19/44 Seventh AF B-24's on armed rcn from Saipan bomb bridge, pier, and town area at Yap.
10/19/44 Eleventh AF A B-24 bombs Kurabu Cape.
10/20/44 Ninth AF 9th Bomb Div hits Geertruidenberg/Parenboom and Moerdijke rail bridges. Attacks on other tgts are aborted because of bad weather. Ftrs fly armed rcn over E France and widespread areas of W Germany, attack railroads and various military tgts, and spt US Third and Seventh Armies' elements in E France.
10/20/44 Twelfth AF Weather clears, permitting for the first time in several days a maximum effort by MBs which attack 12 bridges and railroad fills in Po Valley. FBs of XXII TAC, operating on full scale, blast gun positions, troop concentrations, supply dumps, and comm tgts in close spt of US Fifth Army's drive on Bologna from the S. The FBs concentrate on approaches to Monte Grande area to prevent counterattacks.
10/20/44 Fifteenth AF 480-plus HBs attack oil refinery at Brux, oil storage at Regensburg, A/F at Bad Aibling, M/Ys at Rosenheim and Innsbruck, motor transport, armament plants, and ordnance works at Milan, plus scattered T/Os. P-38's and P-51's escort Brux and Regensburg missions.
10/20/44 Tenth AF 9 P-47's hit encampments and stores near Naba. 5 others knock out road bridge near Wanling and hit supply dump in the area, while 4 more attack troops and supplies in Nansiaung area. Transports fly over 200 sorties in the CBI.
10/20/44 Fourteenth AF 18 B-25's bomb docks and storage area at Samshui and town of Kweiping. 28 P-51's and P-40's join attack on Samshui area. 77 P-40's and P-51's on armed rcn pound road, river, and rail trafflc, town and village areas and other T/Os around Kweiping, Menghsu, Shawan, Kaotienhsu, Pingnam, Hsenwi, Wuchou, Dosing, Tanchuk, and coastal areas of Indochina including Hongay.
10/20/44 FEAF B-24's bomb Davao. B-25's hit Amboina town.
10/20/44 Seventh AF 6 Saipan-based P-47's bomb and strafe Pagan. Later in the day 4 B-24's hit the island. During 20/21 Oct a B-24 on a snooper mission bombs Iwo Jima.
10/21/44 Ninth AF Bad weather grounds bmrs. Ftrs fly armed rcn and attack railroads in W Germany and spt elements of US Third and Seventh Armies in E France and W Germany.
10/21/44 Twelfth AF B-26's, in the day's only MB mission, attack Nervesa della Battaglia railroad bridge and causeway.
Ftrs and FBs operate in close spt of US Fifth Army forces S of Bologna and FBs also hit comm in N Italy as far N as Verona and as far W as Turin. During 20/21 Oct LBs bomb T/Os during intruder missions N of battle area.
10/21/44 Fifteenth AF 104 B-24's with ftr escort attack M/Ys at Gyor and Szombathely. Almost 100 P-38's and P-51's strafe Szombathely and Seregelyes A/Fs and rail lines between Sajoszentpeter to Ipolyszog.
10/21/44 Tenth AF 15 P-47's damage at least 3 bridges throughout the railroad corridor in N Burma. 15 other P-47's spt ground forces in Mohnyin area, hitting gun positions and defensive works at Ywathit. 12 others attack positions and occupied areas around Bhamo and Muse, 6 knock out Paungni R bridge, and 4 attack town of Mawhun. About 270 sorties are flown by Tenth AF transports in CBI.
10/21/44 Fourteenth AF 3 B-25's and 130-plus P-40's and P-51's attack shipping, gun positions, troop areas, bridges, town areas, road traffic, and other T/Os around Yuma, Takhing, Dosing, Konghow, Shawan, Kuanyang, Kweiping, Tungpingchi, Tingka, Muse, Wan Lai-Kam, Shekpo, Menghsu, and Amoy.
10/21/44 FEAF B-24's bomb Cagayan and Parepare. B-25's and FBs hit Misamis and blast truck convoy near Kibawe.
Other FBs hit Kaoe Bay supply areas. FBs hit Boela A/F and Amboina town area. Mongosah and Sagan A/Fs are also bombed.
10/21/44 Seventh AF 28 B-24's from Saipan bomb Iwo Jima. 2 B-24's, in first US air strike from Guam, hit Yap.
10/22/44 Eighth AF 492d Bomb Gp (CARPETBAGGER gp under control of VIII FC) is transferred to 1st Bomb Div to operate as night bombing gp, one sq remaining on CARPETBAGGER duty. This reduction of supplydropping forces results from recapture of major portions of France. The remaining sq will supply underground forces in Scandinavia, the Low Countries, and Germany until V-E Day. More than 1,000 HBs attack 2 military vehicle plants at Brunswick and Hannover, 2 M/Ys at Hamm and Munster, and 11 T/Os. 15 ftr gps fly spt.
10/22/44 Ninth AF Adv HQ XXIX TAC (Prov) moves from Arlon to Maastricht to maintain close association with Ninth Army. Weather forbids bmr operations. Ftr sweeps and armed rcn spt US Third and Seventh Army elements in E France and W Germany.
10/22/44 Twelfth AF Bad weather grounds all MBs and LBs. Ftrs and FBs, flying less than 20 sorties, hit rail lines and trains in N Italy.
10/22/44 Fifteenth AF Bad weather limits operations to rcn flights.
10/22/44 Tenth AF 40-plus P-47's hit a variety of tgts including bridges at Panghkam, and at 2 other points along N Burma rail corridor, towns of Manna and Kyaungle, bivouac in Indaw area, and various T/Os.
10/22/44 Fourteenth AF 2 B-25's knock out 2 railroad bridges at Pingnam while 8 P-51's pound town area. 54 P-40's and P- 51's on armed rcn attack town areas and general T/Os at Nampang, Wanling, Kuanyang, Shekpo, Pingnam, Kweiping, and near Menghsu.
10/22/44 FEAF B-25's and P-38's attack shipping in Sulu Archipelago and Jolo and Zamboanga harbors while B-24's hit Opon and Lahug A/Fs. B-25's hit Ternate and B-24's pound Matina A/F, Cagayan, and Likanan. B- 25's hit Piroe Bay supply dumps and gun positions and FBs hit Kairatoe and Amahai A/Fs and T/Os in Binnen Bay. A-20's blast pillboxes and occupied areas in Metimedan-Sawar Rivers sector.
10/22/44 Seventh AF Guam-based B-24's hit Yap with harassment raids during the day, operating singly or in groups of 2 or 3. Makin-based B-25's bomb Nauru.
10/23/44 Ninth AF Weather prevents all cmds, including 9th Bomb Div, from flight operations.
10/23/44 Twelfth AF Bad weather grounds MBs. Ftrs and FBs although cancelling many operations, cause much damage to transportation, destroying or damaging numerous locomotives, railroad cars, and motor transport, and damaging vessels in Savona, Turin, Padua, and Genoa areas.
10/23/44 Fifteenth AF Around 500 B-24's and B-17's bomb Skoda armament works at Plzen, Rosenheim M/Y, Plauen industrial area, Munich airplane engine plant, Augsburg diesel engine factory, and Regensburg oil storage depot, and comm tgts in N Italy including M/Y at Bressanone, bridges at or near Casarsa della Delizia, Pordenone, Santo Stino di Livenza, and Maniago, and rail line running N to Brenner area. Ftrs escort missions to Germany and Czechoslovakia.
10/23/44 Tenth AF 20 P-47's hit Japanese concentrations at Nanhlaing and Kyungyi. 16 spt ground forces at Mawlu and Henu and in nearby areas. Bivouac area S of Indaw is pounded by 4 FBs while 7 knock out bypass bridge at Panghkam. 3 B-25's blast train cars and sidings at Kyaukme, 3 hit nearby motor pool, 2 hit motor pool at Namhsim, and 1 blasts rail line at Nawngpeng. Transports fly 270-plus sorties in CBI.
10/23/44 Fourteenth AF 3 B-25's knock out bridge at Lohochai while 7 P-40's hit trucks and locomotives nearby. 6 B-25's and 11 P-51's pound town area of Menghsu. 50-plus P-40's and P-51's hit small towns and other T/Os in Menghsu area. 40-plus others attack shipping, bridges, and general T/Os around Anfu, Kweiping, Shepchung, Kuanyang, Ssuwangshu, Mangshih, Chefang, Panghkam, Wanling, Takhing, Tanchuk, Dosing, Wuchou, and Tengyun.
10/23/44 FEAF B-24's and P-38's maintain shipping sweeps in Makassar area. B-25's, A-20's, and FBs hit Boela oil storage, Amboina town, 2 A/Fs, and other tgts in Amboina-Ceram-Boeroe area. FBs hit Sagan while A-20's spt ground forces further E in Sawar R-Orai R area. Vehicles and small vessels in Mindanao area are attacked by FBs while B-25's attack small shipping in Sulu Archipelago. FBs over Halmahera I hit scattered bivouacs.
10/23/44 Seventh AF 8 B-24's from Guam bomb Yap. 2 from Saipan hit Pagan and, during 23/24 Oct, 1 bombs Iwo Jima.
10/23/44 Eleventh AF 3 B-24's hit Kashiwabara tgts. 3 more B-24's bomb Otomari and fly a photo mission over Onnekotan.
5 B-25's bomb Asahi Bay area.
10/24/44 Eighth AF By this date, all Pathfinder aircraft of 482d Bomb Gp (engaged in H2X and other radar trg at RAF Alconbury) have been dispersed to HB gps within the bomb divs, which set up their own H2X trg.
Over 400 FBs are dispatched to attack aircraft and ground tgts in Hannover-Kassel area. 73 bomb flak positions at Elburg, factory near Nienburg, and miscellaneous ground tgts. Bad weather causes other FBs to jettison bombs in Channel and Zuider Zee. The FBs strafe transportation and other ground tgts with good results.
10/24/44 Ninth AF Bad weather cancels all operations except ftr patrols by IX and XXIX TAC over W Germany. The ftrs attack rail tgts.
10/24/44 Twelfth AF Weather grounds MBs. Over 300 XXII TAC ftrs and FBs attack tgts in spt of US Fifth Army S of Bologna and hit comm and shipping in Turin-Genoa and E Po Valley areas, destroying 14 locomotives and over 100 railroad cars. During 23/24 Oct LBs attack T/Os in Po Valley.
10/24/44 Fifteenth AF Weather cancels all offensive operations.
10/24/44 Tenth AF From 24 Oct through 27 Oct FBs and MBs steadily spt Allied troops on the N Burma front, pounding road and rail comm, troop concentrations and supply dumps, and sweeping A/Fs. The strikes include close spt of British troops advancing on the right flank of the front known as the 'Rail Corridor', and of Chinese forces pushing down the left flank along the Myitkyina-Bhamo road. CBI is split into 2 theaters- India-Burma and China.
10/24/44 Fourteenth AF About 80 P-40's, P-51's, and P-38's on armed rcn over SE China, SW China, and E Burma hit runways, storage facilities, town areas, troops, horses, gun positions, and other T/Os around Amoy, Lohochai, Tanchuk, Sinthe, Menghsu Pingnam, Mangshih, Chefang, and Lashio.
10/24/44 FEAF B-24's bomb Buayoan A/F while B-25's on armed rcn hit small shipping and troops. B-24's, B-25's, and FBs hit Sandakan area. P-38's bomb Amboina reservoir areas. A-20's and FBs again pound Babo, Moemi, Sagan, Manokwari, Otawiri, and other Vogelkop Peninsula area tgts.
10/24/44 Seventh AF Guam-based B-24's bomb Yap while Saipan-based P-47's hit Pagan.
10/24/44 Eleventh AF 3 B-24's bomb Kashiwabara and Kurabu Cape. 4 B-25's weather-abort a photo mission to Paramushiru. 2 others on a shipping sweep off Kurabu hit a freighter, which is observed listing and smoking, and strafe 2 subchasers.
10/25/44 Eighth AF Nearly 1,200 HBs in 5 forces attack 3 oil refineries, Neumunster A/F and aircraft repair works, synthetic oil tgts at Gelsenkirchen and Scholven/Buer, and several other tgts including M/Ys at Munster and Hamm. 11 ftr gps provide spt.
10/25/44 Ninth AF First Tac AF (Prov) is established, but not yet organized, therefore Ninth AF continues to administer, supply, and control all XII TAC and assigned units until mid-Nov when First Tac AF assumes full control.
9th Bomb Div's missions are cancelled because of bad weather. Ftrs fly sweeps, hit rail and military tgts in Saarbrucken area, and spt US XIX Corps in W Germany.
10/25/44 Twelfth AF Weather again grounds MBs. FBs blast guns, vehicles, and comm in battle area S of Bologna while ftrs destroy over 20 locomotives in Piacenza area.
10/25/44 Fifteenth AF Weather again limits operations. 3 B-17's bomb Klagenfurt aircraft factory and Sankt Veit and der Glan M/Y. 5 P-38's complete 3 weather rcn missions.
10/25/44 Fourteenth AF 6 B-25's and 4 P-38's damage railroad tracks at Dara bridge. 7 P-38's and P-51's hit Mongyu bridges and destroy Kawnghka bridge. 4 others strafe Nawnghkio A/F. 20-plus P-51's and P-40's on armed rcn attack T/Os at Tengyun, Kweiping, and Ssuanghsu, and about 50 strike tgts throughout Menghsu area.
10/25/44 FEAF 50-plus B-24's, supported by P-38's and P-47's, attack naval forces in Mindanao Sea, firing small vessels and claiming a light cruiser damaged. B-24's bomb Ambesia A/F and attack shipping in Makassar- Kendari area. FBs hit barges and villages in areas of Dodinga and Wasile Bays. B-25's, A-20's, and FBs hit Piroe, Boela, Halong, Amboina, Saparoea, Haroekoe, and N Ceram coastal tgts.
A-20's pound supply and fuel dumps in Sarmi area.
10/25/44 Twentieth AF 59 B-29's, flying out of Chengtu, bomb aircraft plant at Omura. Several other VHBs hit alternate tgts and T/Os.
10/25/44 Seventh AF 29 Saipan-based B-24's bomb Iwo Jima during the morning. Later during the day 4 B-24's from Saipan and Guam, on armed rcn missions, bomb Yap. 8 P-47's from Saipan bomb Pagan.
10/26/44 Eighth AF Over 1,100 HBs attack synthetic oil plant at Bottrop, ordnance and storage depot at Bielefeld, aircraft repair works and M/Y at Munster, military vehicle plant near Hannover, aqueduct and Mittelland Canal at Minden, and other tgts including city of Hannover. 14 ftr gps provide escort.
10/26/44 Ninth AF No bmr operations as bad weather prevails. Ftrs sweep areas of E France and W Germany from Metz to Cologne, attacking rail and road traffic, rail bridges, and M/Ys.
10/26/44 Twelfth AF Weather suspends all Twelfth AF operations.
10/26/44 Fifteenth AF Weather curtails operations. 7 B-17's bomb M/Y at Innsbruck.
10/26/44 Fourteenth AF B-24's and B-25's attack shipping off E Luichow Peninsula. B-25's also hit river shipping from Dosing to Takhing and Yellow R bridge. Ftrs attack town of Menghsu, hit T/Os around Menghsu and Kweiping, and make armed rcn attack on Hongay. B-25's and ftrs bomb railroad yards at Hsuchang.
10/26/44 FEAF B-24's attack naval force of 2 battleships, 5 carriers, and 5 destroyers W of Panay I. P-38's hit vehicles in Davao area and B-25's bomb Iligan. Hits are claimed on a battleship and 2 carriers. P-40's attack T/Os in Dodinga-Kaoe Bay area, Djailolo, supply area S of Galela, and guns S of Doro. A-20's and B-25's bomb Urarom.
10/26/44 Seventh AF 8 Saipan-based P-47's bomb and strafe Pagan. 15 B-25's based in the Gilberts, bomb A/F area on Nauru.
10/26/44 Eleventh AF Of 6 B-24's which abort a naval TF cover mission after failing to find the ships, 2 bomb installations on Onnekotan I.
10/27/44 Ninth AF Gen Robert C Richardson reassumes cmd of IX ADC. Adverse weather prevents all operations except patrols by XIX TAC and supply dropping missions (to VI Corps near Saint-Die) by XII TAC.
10/27/44 Twelfth AF Weather curtails operations. FBs on armed rcn in Genoa-Novi Ligure-Turin area hit comm and transportation tgts.
10/27/44 Fifteenth AF Bad weather limits operations to 5 weather rcn flights.
10/27/44 Fourteenth AF Ftrs bomb and strafe town of Mengmao and nearby hill positions, river traffic, troops, and horses from Tanchuk to Tengyun, bridges NE of Hsinganhsien, town of Kaotienhsu, troops in Kweilin area, rail trafflc W of Puchi, and A/Fs at Siangtan and Changsha.
10/27/44 FEAF 40-plus FBs, operating in 3 waves, hit shipping off Cebu and W of Mactan I. B-24's attack Malili and Palopo.
10/27/44 Seventh AF 2 B-24's on armed rcn from Saipan bomb Yap. During 27/28 Oct a B-24 on snooper mission hits Iwo Jima.
10/27/44 Eleventh AF 7 B-24's weatherabort an attempt to fly cover for naval TF.
10/28/44 Eighth AF 350-plus B-17's escorted by 4 ftr gps bomb M/Ys at Hamm and Munster.
10/28/44 Ninth AF HQ 9th Bomb Div transfers to Reims. 45 9th Bomb Div aircraft bomb rail bridges at Sinzig, Kempenich, and Ahrweiler, and A/F at Euskirchen. Ftrs escort bmrs, fly sweeps and armed rcn over W Germany, attack 6 bridges and 1 tunnel, and spt US XIX Corps in Belgium near German border.
10/28/44 Twelfth AF Bad weather again grounds MBs, and restricts XXII TAC. FBs and ftrs, flying 65 sorties, attack vehicles and trains in Turin-Milan-Genoa area.
10/28/44 Fifteenth AF Bad weather again limits operations. 10 B-17's bomb Klagenfurt aircraft factory. 6 P-38's fly rcn missions, during early part of the night. 8 B-17's bomb Munich W M/Y. 1 bombs Erlsbach.
10/28/44 Tenth AF 80-plus FBs pound numerous tgts including town areas, troops, railroad facilities, and a variety of T/Os at Mannaun, Manoi, Sinkan, Winwa, Man Mao, Myazedi, Pinwe, Naba, Yebawgyi, and Kangon.
10/28/44 Fourteenth AF Ftrs strafe villages, troops, and horses in Menghsu-Konghow area, pound bridges around Kaotienhsu, and hit Yangtong A/F and shipping at Hongay and Wuchou.
10/28/44 FEAF B-24's, fighting bad weather, bomb A/F at Puerto Princesa. During 28/29 Oct, B-24's bomb Wilhelmina Docks area. B-25's and P-38's blast town of Amboina.
10/28/44 Twentieth AF Marianas-based XXI BC flies its first combat mission when 14 B-29's attack sub pens on Dublon I. 4 others (1 carrying Gen Hansell, CG XXI BC) abort. About a third of the bombs fall in general tgt area.
10/28/44 Seventh AF B-24's from Saipan bomb Haha Jima while others, from Guam, hit Yap. Saipan-based P-47's bomb Pagan.
10/28/44 Eleventh AF 8 B-25's fly cover for naval TF.
10/29/44 Ninth AF About 170 MBs and LBs bomb rail bridges at Mayen, KonzKarthaus, Ellern, Moerdijke, and Euskirchen. Ftrs fly escort to bmrs, sweeps, defensive patrols, armed rcn over wide areas of E France, the Netherlands, and Germany, bomb rail tgts and bridges, and fly cover for US XIX Corps in Belgium.
10/29/44 Twelfth AF Weather again restricts operations. XXII TAC FBs fly 16 sorties against railroad tgts in Po Valley.
10/29/44 Fifteenth AF 35 B-24's of over 165 HBs dispatched with ftr escort, bomb Munich W M/Y. The remainder and 670 other HBs, dispatched against tgts in S Germany, abort mission due to bad weather. 30 P-38's, after escort duty, strafe comm lines from Wels to Kienberg, destroying 17 locomotives and several other road and rail transportation tgts.
10/29/44 Tenth AF 80-plus FBs again attack a wide variety of tgts including troop concentrations, bridges, supply dumps, and numerous T/Os at Kawlin, Wingnang, Hsenwi, Bhamo, Shwegu, Kyungon, Tugyaung, Yebyangale, Henu, and Kayin.
10/29/44 Fourteenth AF Ftrs in spt of Chinese ground forces blast hill positions in Lungling and Mangshih areas. Others damage bridge at Sinshih, bomb Kweiyi and Paoching, hit railroad tgts between Siaokan and Sinyang, and strafe A/Fs at Chingmen, Tangyang, and Ichang.
10/29/44 FEAF FBs and B-26's, operating in small forces, are active against A/Fs, AA positions, and T/Os on Halmahera I. FBs also hit Ransiki while FBs, A-20's, and B-25's bomb Urarom and Soeli and strafe T/Os throughout Urarom-Kaimana area.
10/29/44 Thirteenth AF Thirteenth AF moves from Noemfoor I to Morotai I.
10/29/44 Seventh AF 19 B-24's from Saipan bomb Chichi Jima. 2 from Guam strike Yap.
10/29/44 Eleventh AF 4 B-25's on rcn hit Tomari Cape buildings and a freighter which is left listing.
10/30/44 Eighth AF Over 600 HBs supported by 15 ftr gps attack oil refineries near Hamburg and 11 other tgts including M/Ys at Hamm and Munster. Clouds cause abort of around 600 other HBs.
10/30/44 Ninth AF 9th Bomb Div bmrs are recalled from mission (mainly against bridges) because of bad weather. Ftrs fly patrols and armed rcn over NE France and in W Germany around Aachen and Rhine R. XIX TAC escorts 9th Bomb Div and HBs of Eighth AF.
10/30/44 Twelfth AF Weather again grounds MBs and limits XXII TAC FBs and ftrs to 51 sorties against scattered tgts in Po Valley.
10/30/44 Fifteenth AF During 30/31 Oct 3 B-24's bomb Klagenfurt M/Y, P-38's fly rcn missions, while bad weather cancels all other operations.
10/30/44 Tenth AF 10 B-25's knock out bridges at Namhkai, Wuntho, Thegyaung, and Nankan and damage others at Okkyin and Zawchaung. 50-plus P-47's knock out Hpao Nam R bridge and strafe T/Os at several locations; hit several bridges throughout N Burma rail corridor, damaging or knocking out each tgt; spt ground forces at Naba Station and Pinwe; and hit troop concentrations at Mansi and Man yut.
10/30/44 Fourteenth AF 13 B-24's lay mines in Victoria Harbor. P-40's bomb installations around Phu Lang Thuong and hit junks at sea.
10/30/44 FEAF B-24's pound Bacolod A/F, while B-25's and FBs hit San Roque A/F and barges at Zamboanga. P- 38's hit Sandakan A/F. B-24's bomb Makassar wharf area while P-40's, over NE peninsula, hit various T/Os. P-38's hit Piroe. Urarom A/F is again bombed by A-20's and B-25's.
10/30/44 Twentieth AF 8 B-29's from the Marianas bomb sub pens on Dublon I, 9 others bomb 2 mi beyond tgt.
10/30/44 Seventh AF 8 B-24's on armed rcn missions from Guam bomb Yap. 1 B-24 from Saipan, during 30/31 Oct snooper mission, bombs Iwo Jima. Saipan-based P-47's hit Pagan. B-25's from Makin strike Nauru.
10/30/44 Eleventh AF 3 B-24's fly armed rcn over Matsuwa and Onnekotan.
10/31/44 Ninth AF Weather forbids bmr operations and limits ftrs. XII and XIX TACs fly patrols, sweeps, and armed rcn over E France and W Germany. XII TAC also supports US Seventh Army elements in Metz area.
10/31/44 Twelfth AF B-26's hit bridge and causeway at Nervesa della Battaglia and bridges at Montebello and Piazzola sul Brenta. FBs attack guns and positions in battle area S of Bologna in the Apennines, and comm and shipping tgts in Po Valley and on Po R.
10/31/44 Fifteenth AF P-38's fly photo and weather rcn. 174 B-24's, dispatched against tgt in Yugoslavia, are forced to return because of weather.
10/31/44 Tenth AF 60-plus P-47's attack occupied areas and supply areas at Namun, Bhamo, and Nakang, and railroad bridges, locomotive shelters, and rolling stock along the KyaikthinNaba line. 2 B-25's attack T/Os from Katha to Bhamo along the Irrawaddy R.
10/31/44 Fourteenth AF 6 P-51's hit shipping T/Os at Swatow and Amoy. About 70 ftrs spt Chinese ground forces by pounding positions in Lungling area. 4 B-25's and 12 P-40's bomb railroad bridge at Pengpu.
10/31/44 FEAF P-47's and A-20's bomb Kairatoe A/F and Saharoe village. B-25's and P-40's hit Loloda and Soasioe.
P-38's and A-20's, concentrating on A/Fs, attack Samate, Efman, Sagan, and Doom I.
10/31/44 Seventh AF During 31 Oct/1 Nov a B-24 on snooper mission from Saipan bombs Iwo Jima.
10/31/44 Eleventh AF 4 B-25's score direct hits on a cannery at Tomari Cape and leave nearby buildings burning. 1 of 2 B- 25's hit by AA heads for and safely lands in USSR.
11/1/44 Eighth AF Over 300 HBs attack 2 synthetic oil plants near Gelsenkirchen, a bridge at Rudesheim, and M/Ys at Koblenz and Hamm. 9 ftr gps fly escort.
11/1/44 Ninth AF Weather prevents bmr operations. Ftrs fly patrols, sweeps, armed rcn over Belgium, E France, and large areas of W Germany and attack bridges, railroads, and various other tgts.
11/1/44 Twelfth AF Operations are again curtailed by bad weather. However, ftrs and FBs successfully attack bridges, rail lines, roads, vehicles, and trains in C Po Valley and hit scattered tgts elsewhere in N Italy.
11/1/44 Fifteenth AF 320-plus B-17's and B-24's, with ftr escorts, bomb diesel works, ordnance works, and M/Y at Vienna.
Also hit are M/Ys at Graz, tank factory at Kapfenberg, T/Os including M/Ys at Gussing, Ljubljana, and Cakovec, and scattered comm tgts in S Germany, Hungary, Austria, and Yugoslavia. Several ftrs strafe road and rail transport tgts and troops in Gyor-Parndorf and Neusiedler Lake areas.
11/1/44 Tenth AF 70-plus FBs knock out bridge at Panghkam, slightly damage bridges in the Wingkang and Kawnghka area, hit railroad T/Os between Indaw and Naba, attack Japanese positions near Bhamo, Si-in, Hantet, and Shwegu, and bomb towns of Loiwing and Lagaw. 9 B-25's damage bridge approaches at Hsenwi, Namhkai, and Kawnghka.
11/1/44 Fourteenth AF About 70 ftrs again spt Chinese ground forces in Lungling area. 13 ftrs strafe river, road, and rail traffic from Kunghsien to Loyang.
11/1/44 FEAF B-24's bomb A/Fs at Cebu City, and Alicante and supply dumps at Del Monte. FBs hit Bacolod, Alicante, and Carolina A/Fs. A-20's and B-25's hit Babo A/F. P-38's and B-25's pound Namlea A/Fs. P- 47's attack shipping and shore tgts during sweep over Sulu Archipelago.
11/1/44 Eleventh AF B-24's from Guam attack shipping NE of Iwo Jima. 12 B-24's escorting Navy photo airplanes over Iwo Jima, Haha Jima, and Chichi Jima, bomb A/Fs, a warehouse, and shipping. P-47's from Saipan strafe Pagan. During 1/2 Nov a B-24 on snooper mission from Saipan bombs Iwo Jima.
11/1/44 Eleventh AF A B-24 on an armed weather mission bombs Otomari Cape.
11/2/44 Eighth AF Eighth AF is ordered to increase size of 406th Bomb Sq (Night Leaflet), as liberation of Europe and conquest of Germany accelerate. About 1,100 HBs in 5 separate forces attack synthetic oil plant at Merseburg/Leuna, Castrop-Rauxel, Sterkrade, and Bielefeld/ Schildesche railroad and M/Y, along with several T/Os. Opposition is heavy with an estimated 500 ftrs attacking, mainly against the Merseburg/ Leuna force claiming 40 HBs. The 17 escorting ftr gps lose 28 planes. Total of over 160 ftrs are claimed destroyed.
11/2/44 Ninth AF 147 bmrs of 9th Bomb Div attack rail bridges at Mayen, Euskirchen, Bullay, Konz-Karthaus, and Trier.
Ftrs fly escort to 9th Bomb Div and Eighth AF, attack bridges, fly armed rcn and night patrol, and provide spt for ground forces in frontline areas.
11/2/44 Twelfth AF Clouds over Po Valley prevent MB operations. XXII TAC aircraft are also grounded due to unserviceable fields and bad weather over Italian battle areas.
11/2/44 Fifteenth AF Bad weather curtails operations. 5 B-17's bomb Moosbierbaum oil refinery, while 2 others hit an A/F N of the city and bomb Klagenfurt. 6 P-38's fly weather rcn missions. All other operations are cancelled.
11/2/44 Tenth AF Tenth AF moves from New Delhi to Myitkyina. 80-plus P-47's hit variety of tgts. The FBs bomb bridge at Ho-hko, spt ground forces at Myothit, bomb supply dumps at Namdaungmawn personnel and supply areas at Naungletgyi and Mawtaung, knock out bridge at Meza, hit nearby railroad cars, attack A/Fs at Nawnghkio and Sinlanzu and strike boats and boxcars S of Katha. 8 B-25's knock out 2 bridges at Tangon and Tantabin. A single B-25 bombs Indaw. Transports fly 268 sorties to forward areas.
11/2/44 Fourteenth AF 100-plus P-40's, P-51's, and P-38's on armed rcn over SW and SE China and N Indochina attack T/Os in Lungling and Mangshih area, knock out bridge at Dara and hit Nantingshun and Pinglo towns.
The FBs also damage 4 factories at Kweilin, hit tanks and troop concentrations N of town, attack T/Os near Pinglo, Tahsu and E of Yungfu, and A/F, barracks, town area, and trains at Gia Lam.
11/2/44 FEAF B-24's over Ormoc Bay attack Japanese convoy, claiming 1 transport sunk and another damaged. P- 38's hit smaller shipping in Ormoc Bay, strafe vehicles from Ormoc to Valencia, and bomb San Enrique. B-25's pound Matina, Libby, Davao and Likanan A/Fs. During 2/3 Nov B-24's bomb Makassar, concentrating on wharf area.
11/2/44 Twentieth AF 17 Marianas-based B-29's bomb sub pens on Dublon I.
11/2/44 Seventh AF 11 Saipan-based B-24's bomb Chichi Jima. 3 from Guam, on armed rcn, hit Marcus.
11/2/44 Eleventh AF 4 B-24's bomb Suribachi and Onnekotan. 4 B-25's on a photo and offensive sweep bomb tgts at Torishima Is and Hayakegawa setting fire to 15 buildings, including a cannery.
11/3/44 Ninth AF 140-plus MBs and LBs hit rail overpass at Kaiserslautern, and rail bridges at Neuwied-Irlich, Bad Munster am Stein, Morscheid and Konz-Karthaus. Ftrs fly armed rcn, ground forces cover, attack railroads, bridge, and observation posts in W Germany, and escort 9th Bomb Div.
11/3/44 Twelfth AF Heavy clouds over most of N Italy begin to disperse. MBs are still grounded but FBs manage to fly 8 sorties against gun positions in mountains S of Bologna.
11/3/44 Fifteenth AF 46 B-17's and B-24's (in an operation adapted to bad weather and flying without escort) bomb Vienna S ordnance depot, Moosbierbaum oil refinery, Munich W M/ Y, Klagenfurt aircraft factory, towns of Innsbruck and Graz, and rail line SE of Graz. The HBs attack individually, depending on cloud cover for protection. Over 30 other HBs abort due to clearing weather.
11/3/44 Tenth AF 12 B-25's, supported by 18 P-47's, hit Nawnghkio A/F. A single MB attacks T/Os between Myitkyina and Lashio. 90-plus FBs attack bridges, enemy forces, town areas and numerous T/Os at Kawngmu, Namhai, Tonlon, Ho-hko, Hinlong, Namhsum, Hkusan, Hkawngwa, Wingkang, Namhkam, and S of Mansi.
11/3/44 Tenth AF transports fly 240-plus sorties to forward areas.
11/3/44 Fourteenth AF 69 P-40's, P-51's, and P-38's on armed rcn over E Burma, SW and SE China, and N Indochina hit T/Os in Lungling area, damage railroad bridge S of Lashio, hit town of Mangshih and destroy nearby warehouse. The FBs hit town areas and docks at Takhing and Tengyun, attack troops in Mosun area, destroy 2 Japanese ftrs near Amoy, hit trains at Hongay, and bomb areas on Hainan I.
11/3/44 FEAF B-25's bomb Alicante A/F. P-40's hit highway and oil dump N of Ormoc. A-20's and B-25's bomb Babo A/F. During 3/4 Nov harassing strikes are flown at A/Fs in C Phil Is, on NE peninsula of Celebes, and on Halmahera.
11/3/44 Twentieth AF 49 B-29's, operating from rear bases in Calcutta area, bomb Malagon railroad yards. Almost as many others hit alternate tgts.
11/3/44 Seventh AF 14 B-24's from Guam pound shipping at Chichi Jima and Haha Jima. 34 P-47's from Saipan bomb and strafe Pagan. B-24's from Saipan continue armed rcn and snooper missions over Marcus and Iwo Jima.
11/4/44 Eighth AF More than 1,000 HBs operating in 6 forces attack synthetic oil plants, oil refineries, and benzol plant at Bottrop, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Hamburg/Harburg, Misburg, and Neunkirchen, and several T/Os.
17 ftr gps, including a Ninth AF gp, provide spt.
11/4/44 Ninth AF 218 MBs and LBs hit Trier ordnance depot, Baumholder depot, and Eschweiler gun positions. Ftrs escort the 9th Bomb Div, attack railroads, bridges, and other tgts, and spt US xrx Corps in Aachen area.
11/4/44 Twelfth AF Over 200 B-25's and B-26's of 42d Bomb Wg hit railway and road bridges in Brenner Pass. More than 130 B-25's of 57th Bomb Wg strike comm in W Po Valley, cutting at least 4 bridges. Ftrs and FBs of XXII TAC concentrate on comm tgts and trains in Po Valley and defenses in battle area S of Bologna.
Some XXII TAC aircraft hit guns on N Italian coast, some hit rocket launching site and comm N of battle area, and 4 P-47's bomb Milan hotel where Hitler is rumored to be staying.
11/4/44 Fifteenth AF 715 HBs with ftr escorts pound oil storage at Regensburg, M/Ys at Munich and Augsburg, main M/Y and a benzol plant at Linz, a troop concentration at Podgorica, as well as attacking several alternate tgts and scattered T/Os including M/Ys at Wels and Kufstein, Erding, A/F, railroad tgts in and near Rosenheim, and towns of Strass and Muhldorf.
11/4/44 Tenth AF 17 P-47's pound Shwebo A/F while 6 others bomb stores of guns and ammo at Mong Yaw.
11/4/44 Fourteenth AF 34 P-40's, P-51's, and P-38's attack road traffic and other T/Os in Mangshih and Lungling areas. 4 P- 38's bomb pass near Menghsu, blocking the highway.
11/4/44 FEAF B-24's again pound Alicante A/F.
11/4/44 Seventh AF 18 Saipan-based B-24's bomb Iwo Jima A/Fs. 2 others, on shipping rcn, bomb Haha Jima. 2 B-24's on armed rcn from Guam bomb Marcus. 16 P-47's bomb landing strip on Pagan.
11/4/44 Eleventh AF 6 B-24's strike A/F, buildings, and off shore shlpplng at Suribachi and Kurabu.
11/4/44 ZI First report is received of Japanese balloon SW of San Pedro; USN recovers some apparatus, envelope, and rigging.
11/5/44 Eighth AF More than 1,200 HBs attack M/Ys at Frankfurt/Main, Ludwigshafen, Karlsruhe, Hanau, and Kaiserslautern, and synthetic oil plant at Ludwigshafen, rail facilities at Landau, and 8 T/Os. 15 ftr gps give spt. 37 HBs and ftrs are lost.
11/5/44 Ninth AF 160 MBs and LBs strike ammo, ordnance, and supply depots at Hamburg. Ftrs escort bmrs, fly armed rcn, attack railroads and bridges, and cover ground forces of V and XIX Corps. IX TAC aids US 28th Inf Div in withstanding counter- attack near Kommerscheidt.
11/5/44 Twelfth AF MBs, flying over 300 sorties, bomb bridges in Brenner Pass and in the NE Po Valley to interdict the Germans' 2 main supply routes from the N. Ftrs and FBs hit defenses and forces in battle areas in the N Apennines S of Bologna and attack comm tgts to the N as well as in battle zone.
11/5/44 Fifteenth AF 500 B-24's and B-17's bomb Vienna/Floridsdorf oil refinery in largest operation against a single tgt during World War II. 10 other HBs bomb about 20 scattered T/Os and 1 alternate tgt (Kapfenberg tank works). 139 P-38's and 198 P-51's provide escort. 16 of the ftrs strafe T/Os in tgt area. 42 other B- 24's, with ftr escort, bomb troop concentrations at Mitrovica and Podgorica.
11/5/44 Tenth AF About 70 P-47's attack Lashlo A/F, hit gun positions on Kyundaw I, bomb Kanbalu M/Y, hit T/Os along Naba-Wuntho railroad and on Burma Road and bomb town of Namhpakka and Lasai area. 28 other P-47's maintain patrols S of Myitkyina. Transports fly 300-plus sorties carrying men, equipment and supplies to various forward areas.
11/5/44 Fourteenth AF 49 P-40's, P-38's, and P-51's attack storage facilities and other T/Os around Mangshih, Chefang, Wanling, and Kweihsien.
11/5/44 FEAF B-24's and P-40's attack A/Fs and barges in the C Phil Is. B-24's also hit town of Bima and Waingapoe Bay shipping at Soembawa. B-25's and FBs strike A/Fs, troop concentrations, and comm tgts throughout the Halmahera area and NE peninsula of Celebes. FBs and A-20's hit Amahai and T/Os on S coast of Ceram. Almost 50 A-20's, supporting ground forces, blast installations in Sarrni area.
11/5/44 Twentieth AF 24 Marianas-based B-29's bomb 2 Iwo Jima A/Fs, starting tac operations against the island in preparation for its invasion. 53 Calcutta-based B-29's bomb Singapore naval base putting the King George VI Graving Dock (one of the world's best drydocks) out of operation for 3 months, and blast other tgts at the base. 7 other B-29's bomb secondary tgt and Pangkalanbrandan refinery while 4 more hit other tgt.
11/5/44 Seventh AF B-24's from Guam hit shipping in the Bonins and, during armed rcn mission, bomb Marcus.
11/5/44 Eleventh AF 4 B-25's abort an offensive sweep off Suribachi due to intense shore fire. 4 more B-25's fly armed rcn over Shimushu and decklevel bomb Torishima Is tgts. Of 4 ftrs intercepting the B-25's, 1 is downed. 4 B-24's bomb Onnekotan and Matsuwa. 3 more B-24's bomb Kataoka naval base, starting fires. 7 ftrs intercept and the HBs down 1.
11/6/44 Eighth AF Over 1,000 HBs in 6 forces attack 6 oil and chemical installations, a canal aqueduct and aircraft repair plant, along with 3 M/Ys, an A/F, and several T/Os in N and NW Germany. 16 ftr gps afford close escort and later strafe ground tgts in NW Germany and the Netherlands.
11/6/44 Ninth AF Weather grounds 9th Bomb Div. Ftrs, during armed rcn, attack railroads and bridges. IX TAC also supports ground forces in Schmidt area.
11/6/44 Twelfth AF MBs strike electric transformers and converters, railway bridges and railway fills on the rail line through Brenner Pass. FBs and ftrs again hit troops and gun positions in the battlelines S of Bologna and comm tgts N of the battle area.
11/6/44 Fifteenth AF 580-plus ftr-escorted HBs bomb Moosbierbaum oil refinery and Vienna S ordnance depot, alternate tgts of Kapfenberg steel works, Deutsch Wagram, Graz and Maribor M/Ys, and railroad power sub station at Bolzano.
11/6/44 AAF, India-Burma Theater AAF, India-Burma Sector, China-BurmaIndia Theater is redesignated AAF, India-Burma Theater.
11/6/44 Tenth AF 70-plus P-47's, sweep A/Fs at Anisakan, Onbauk, Shwebo, Kin, and Kawlin; destroy and damage bridges at Hinlong and Wingkang; bomb town of Mawtaung and M/Y at Kanbalu; hit boxcars at Wuntho and Meza, boats along the Irrawaddy from Katha to Twinnge. and attack several scattered T/Os. 28 P-47's fly combat patrols S of Myitkyina. 8 B-25's bomb military area at Namun and supply dump at Mansi. Large-scale transport operations continue.
11/6/44 Fourteenth AF 16 P-40's pound Mangshih and Lungling areas. 15 others hit buildings and other T/Os at Wanling and around Chefang and Kweihsien.
11/6/44 FEAF B-24's strike Lahug and Fabrica A/Fs, while FBs pound Palompon, bridge N of Valencia, and barges in Ormoc Bay. B-24's bomb Malili.
11/6/44 Seventh AF B-24's from Saipan bomb shipping at Okimura and Higashi-minato and hit island of Ani Jima. During 6/7 Nov a snooper mission is flown over Iwo Jima A/Fs. Dispersal areas and runways are bombed.
Beginning on this date and continuing through 24 Dec 44, B-24's on Saipan fly 24 missions to lay 170 mines in several anchorages throughout the Bonin Is.
11/6/44 Eleventh AF 4 B-25's bomb Torishima Is, score a hit on a large building, sink two nearby barges, and probably hit other shipping tgts. About 20 ftrs intercept, downing 1 B-25. The MBs claim 3 victories.
11/7/44 Ninth AF No bmr operations because of unfavorable weather. Ftrs fly patrols and armed rcn, attacking railroads, guns positions and other tgts. IX TAC supports US V Corps as fierce counterattacks force US 28th Inf Div to retreat from village of Kommerscheidt. V Corps decides to withdraw Kall R bridgehead.
11/7/44 Twelfth AF AG officially orders de facto action of 19 Oct redesignating XII FC to XXII TAC. MBs of 42d Bomb Wg aid DAF in supporting British Eighth Army's attack on Forli. 57th Bomb Wg continues interdiction campaign against railway supply lines in NE Italy. FBs closely spt US Fifth Army forces astride Idice R in mountains S of Bologna and bomb comm N of the Apennines, scoring many hits on bridges between Piacenza and Bologna.
11/7/44 Fifteenth AF More than 550 HBs attack Maribor, Alipasin Most, and Brunico M/Ys, Vienna/Floridsdorf oil refinery, Brenner Pass railroad route, railroad bridges at Pinzano al Tagliamento, Casarsa della Delizia, Mezzocorona, Ora, and Albes, and troop concentrations at Novi Pazar, Sjenica, Prijepolje, and Mitrovica. Ftrs escort all operations except the attacks on troop concentrations. 124 P-38's strafe troop concentrations at Podgorica and roads and railroads near Raska, between Visegrad-Prijepolje-Sjenica and from Sjenica to Novi Pazar.
11/7/44 Tenth AF 80-plus P-47's hit gun positions, supply areas, and troops at Bhamo, Pintin, and in vicinity of Myazedi, bomb A/Fs at Kawlin, Shwebo, and Onbauk, hit fuel dump near Panghkam road junction, attack railroad T/Os between Indaw and Shwebo, and T/Os along the Irrawaddy between Bhamo and Katha. 28 other P-47's maintain overlapping patrols over area S of Myitkyina. Transports fly 260-plus sorties to forward areas.
11/7/44 Fourteenth AF 6 B-25's bomb railroad yards at Yuncheng. 2 B-25's and 21 P-51's, P-40's, and P-38's hit T/Os around Mangshih, Chefang, Wanling, and Lungling.
11/7/44 FEAF B-24's and FBs hit Fabrica, Alicante, Bacolod, and Opon A/Fs, shipping at various C Phil locations, and comm and supply tgts at Tambuco, Ormoc, Palompon, Valencia, and other areas. P-38's and B- 25's hit Del Monte A/F and T/Os in Macajalar Bay, Mindanao, and Mandai A/F. B-25's hit Tanamon, Mapanget, and Langoan. B-25's and FBs hit Galela, Miti, and Kaoe A/Fs. In sweeps over Boeroe and Ceram small groups of B-25's and P-38's hit runways and small shipping. B-24's bomb Raba Estate.
11/7/44 Seventh AF B-24's from Guam strike Iwo Jima and, during armed rcn flight, bomb AA positions on Marcus. P-47's strafe A/F on Pagan during the early morning and follow up with rocket and strafing runs later in the morning.
11/8/44 Eighth AF Transfer of trg functions from VIII AF Comp Cmd to combat gps is completed. VIII AF Comp Cmd ceases to function as personnel are attached to Air Disarmament Cmd (Prov) by USSTAF. A/F at Denain/Prouvy is assigned to Eighth AF. This is first step in establishing an VIII AFSC Serv Center on the European continent so that Eighth AF can service and administer its own aircraft and personnel in the area. Over 250 HBs attack synthetic oil plants at Merseburg/Leuna and M/Y at Rheine, along with 5 T/Os. Bad weather causes recall of over 350 other HBs. 18 ftr gps provide escort and later strafe ground tgts with good results. 23 ftrs are lost.
11/8/44 Ninth AF Weather cancels operations against military depots and troop concentrations in Germany, and fortified positions in France. Mission against rail bridges in Germany is recalled due to weather. Ftrs fly escort, attack railroads, bridges, factories, supply dumps, and cmd posts. IX and XIX TACs spt US 28th Inf Div in Schmidt area (V Corps begins withdrawing Kall R bridgehead) and Third Army elements start assault on enemy fortifications in Metz area.
11/8/44 Twelfth AF MBs strike rail line in Brenner Pass and other lines running into Italy from NE and bomb bridges in C and W Po Valley, damaging several and destroying the bridge at Mantua. Ftrs and FBs hit comm in Bologna area, but concentrate most of their operations against bridges and rail lines in Parma area in effort to disrupt battle area supply lines.
11/8/44 Fifteenth AF 34 B-24's bomb troop concentrations at Mitrovica, Prijepolje, and Sjenica. Heavy cloud over tgts forces over 70 others to abort.
11/8/44 Tenth AF 80-plus P-47's spt ground forces in Mawlu area, bomb personnel, supplies, and comm facilities at Tunhong, Chaungdauk, and Kutkai, gun positions at Hsipaw, Man Hpa town area, Kawlin A/F and T/Os along Kawlin-Pinwe railroad. 8 B-25's knock out Bawgyo railroad bridge. 270-plus transports fly sorties to forward areas.
11/8/44 Fourteenth AF In S China and N Indochina 2 B-25's hit railroad tracks at Lohochai and 2 others hit tracks at Duc Tho.
4 P-51's blast road machinery near Muse. 15 B-25's, 13 P-40's and P-51's pound storage buildings, villages, and other T/Os throughout Mangshih area.
11/8/44 FEAF B-24's again hit Alicante A/F. B-25's bomb Langoan A/F while P-38's on sweeps over Kendari area hit parked airplanes, shipping, nickel mine, and other T/Os. B-25's attack Kaoe and Hate Tabako A/F while others hit T/Os on Ceram.
11/8/44 Twentieth AF 17 XXI BC B-29's are airborne against Iwo Jima A/F. 6 manage to bomb through a hole in cloud cover.
Others fail to bomb tgt. Enemy aircraft drop phosphorous bombs on formations, damaging 1 B-29. 1 VHB ditches, the first aircraft lost by XXI BC on a combat mission.
11/8/44 Seventh AF B-24's from Saipan hit shipping at Chichi Jima and Haha Jima. A single HB on a snooper mission bombs Iwo Jima during 8/9 Nov. P-47's attempt ftr sweep over Pagan but must abort because of bad weather.
11/8/44 Eleventh AF An 8-aircraft shipping sweep is cancelled due to weather.
11/9/44 Eighth AF Over 1,100 HBs (in conjunction with Ninth AF aircraft) hit TAC tgts in Metz and Thionville area as US Third Army forces launch full-scale attack on Metz. Other tgts include Saarbrucken M/Ys, bombed by over 300 of the HBs. 11 ftr gps give escort and 6 gps of FBs bomb and strafe tgts between Frankfurt/ Main and Mannheim. Over 40 HBs and ftrs are lost.
11/9/44 Ninth AF 74 planes of 9th Bomb Div attack road junctions, barracks, ordnance arsenals, arty camps, military storage depot, and other tgts in Dieuze, Landau, Sankt Wendel, and Faulquemont areas. IX TAC flies sweeps over W Germany and attacks M/Y at Duren, while XXIX TAC escort attacks Rahling and an A/F and supports US Third Army elements (2 inf and 2 armd divs) as allout assault on Metz is pushed.
11/9/44 Twelfth AF Bad weather hampers MBs operations in Po Valley as 7 of 9 missions abort. In the 2 others, bridges in the Valley are hit. Ftrs and FBs fly less than 100 sorties, but successfully strike road and railroad bridges in Bologna-Modena areas.
11/9/44 Fifteenth AF Bad weather limits operations to 4 weather rcn missions.
11/9/44 Tenth AF 70-plus aircraft bomb concentrations and supply areas at Kutkai, Shwebo, Mawtawng, and Kunhailong, bomb A/F at Kawlin, knock out bridge at Ho-hko, and spt ground forces and hit T/Os near Chyauhkawng, Namakyaing, Sepein, Tonlon, and at other points in the same general area. 6 B-25's bomb rail yards at Kanbalu. Transports continue large-scale operations, flying nearly 300 sorties to forward areas.
11/9/44 Fourteenth AF 8 B-25's bomb Mangshih while 10 P-38's hit T/Os in Mangshih-Chefang area. 6 B-25's bomb Kaifeng while 6 others hit sampans, storage areas, and other T/Os in Yiyang area. 160 P-40's, P-38's, and P- 51's on armed rcn over wide expanses of S China and N Indochina attack trucks, gun positions, river and coastal shipping, and other T/Os at or near Pingnam, Kweihsien, Changsha, Yoyang, Siangtan, Lushan, Kioshan, Paoching, Hengyang, Liangshan, Liuchow, Suikai, Gia Lam, Kien An, and Weichow I.
11/9/44 FEAF FBs attack convoy off W coast of Leyte and hit barges and shipping near Ormoc. B-24's bomb Carolina A/F. B-25's attack several A/Fs and villages in the NE peninsula of Celebes and Halmahera.
A20's strike Piroe.
11/9/44 Seventh AF B-24's from Guam, fly shipping rcn over the Bonins attacking vessels and AA positions at Haha Jima, shipping and town at Okimura, and returning, strafe Iwo Jima. P-47's from Saipan strafe storage caves on Pagan. During 9/10 Nov a lone B-24 from Guam, on snooper mission, bombs Iwo Jima.
11/9/44 Eleventh AF An 8-plane armed rcn sweep and a 4-plane bombing mission are cancelled due to weather.
11/10/44 Eighth AF More than 600 HBs attack A/Fs, M/Y and chemical plant at or near Hanau, Wiesbaden, and Cologne; and 4 T/Os. 14 ftr gps give escort to HBs and 2 FB gps bomb and strafe transportation-comm tgts in NC Germany.
11/10/44 Ninth AF 150-plus bmrs dispatched against ordnance arsenal and camp area are recalled due to weather. 7 others drop leaflets. XXIX TAC attacks railroads while XIX TAC escorts bmrs and supports 80th and 5th Inf Divs in US Third Army assault in Metz area.
11/10/44 Twelfth AF HQ and HQ Sq, XII TAC; HQ and HQ Sq, 64th Ftr Wg; 324th Ftr Gp; 415th Night Ftr sq; 11th Tac Rcn Sq; and several signal, ftr control, and serv units are relieved from duty with Twelfth AF and assigned to ETOUSA and First TAC AF (Prov). MBs continue interdiction campalgn against railways in NE Italy, principally the Brenner Pass, Brenta R and Po R bridges, rail ferry at Ostiglia, and several dumps. FBs hit rail tgts and guns at several points in Po Valley.
11/10/44 Fifteenth AF Continued bad weather limits operations to rcn missions and rcn escorts by P-38's.
11/10/44 Tenth AF 60-plus P-47's again attack a variety of tgts including Japanese concentrations at Bhamo, Indaw, Hkapra, and Nawngtao, town of Naba Station bridges at Meza and in Kawlin area, and T/Os along the Irrawaddy and along the railroad corridor in N Burma and spt ground forces S of Bhamo. Transports fly more than 250 sorties to forward areas.
11/10/44 Fourteenth AF 11 B-25's pound storage buildings and town area of Wanling. 130-plus P-40's, P-38's, and P-51's on armed rcn over S China attack river, road and rail traffic, storage, A/F and villages at or near Tingka, Chefang, Kweilin, Yoyang, Nanyo, Changsha, Paoching, Kweihsien, Yungfu, Wuchou, Siangtan, Tanchuk, Mosun, Kweiping, Yuncheng, Chenghsien, Hankow, and Chikhom.
11/10/44 FEAF FBs again hit Ormoc Bay shipping while B-25's join Navy aircraft in shipping strikes throughout same area. At least 3 destroyers are claimed sunk. B-24's in the area bomb town of Ormoc. B-25's and A- 20's over Ceram bomb Haroekoe A/F, Piroe, and T/Os on S coast.
11/10/44 Seventh AF 27 Saipan-based B-24's pound Iwo Jima. 6 from Angaur I bomb Koror.
11/11/44 Eighth AF 400-plus HBs attack Oberlahnstein, Koblenz, and Rheine M/Ys, Scholven/Buer oil plant, and Bottrop synthetic oil plant, along with other tgts. 11 ftr gps provide escort.
11/11/44 Ninth AF 190 MBs and LBs hit strongpoints at Putzlohn and rail bridges at Sinzig, Euskirchen, Ahrweiler, and Mayen. IX TAC hits railroads and other tgts, escorts 9th Bomb Div, and supports US 28th Inf Div in Schmidt area. XXIX TAC hits tgts in W Germany. XIX TAC flies armed rcn and supports US XII and XX Corps in Thionville-Metz area.
11/11/44 Twelfth AF MBs strike at railroad bridges in NC and NE Italy, damaging bridge at Piazzola sul Brenta and knocking out 2 spans of bridge at Latisana. FBs continue spt of ground forces S of Bologna, attack vehicles, trains, and comm in Genoa-Alessandria area, bomb Villafranca di Verona A/F and set most of the area aflame. During 10/11 Nov A-20's bomb Ghedi A/F and T/Os in Po Valley.
11/11/44 Fifteenth AF 220-plus HBs attack M/Ys in Rosenheim, Salzburg, Villach, Linz, and Lienz, railroad at Zell am See, highway bridge at Sillian, Wurzen Pass, railroad bridges at Pinzano al Tagliamento, Latisana, and Casarsa della Delizia, and Aviano A/F. Ftrs escort all missions except the bridge attacks. Bad weather grounds 100-plus other HBs, and another 320-plus are recalled before reaching tgt areas.
11/11/44 Tenth AF Nearly 90 P-47's hit troop concentrations at Chaungdauk, Nawngtao, Mankang, and in Indaw vicinity; damage and knock out bridges at Meza and S of Kawlin, score near misses on bridges i Hsenwi- Namhkai area; blast radio installation near Manoi, bomb Kawlin A/F, hit rail traffic between Shwebo and Padu, and attack T/Os along the Irrawaddy from Tigyaing to Twinnge. Transports fly 237 sorties to forward areas.
11/11/44 Fourteenth AF 18 B-25's hit Phuc Yen, Wan Lai-Kam, and damage bridge on Mekong R. 10 B-25's bomb Kweilin A/F while 4 hit Wanling. 5 B-25's and 6 P-40's attack Chingmen A/F. 70-plus P-40's, P-51's and P-38's over S China and N Indochina on armed rcn hit T/Os at several locations, concentrating on Lampang, Changsha, Lingling, and Hengyang areas.
11/11/44 FEAF B-24's hit Dumaguete A/ F while FBs hit shipping in Palompon area and T/Os at Valencia. Over Halmahera FBs and B-25's hit shipping and Namlea A/F. P-38's hit Kendari A/F and B-24's bomb Ninring R area.
11/11/44 Twentieth AF The last of the 6 preliminary trg missions of XXI BC is directed at Truk atoll. 8 B-29's bomb Dublon I sub pens.
11/11/44 Seventh AF Escorted by newly arrived P-38's (some of which also escort B-29 raid on Truk) 29 Guambased B-24's pound Iwo Jima A/Fs. 16 Saipan-based P-47's hit Pagan beach defenses and storage caves.
11/12/44 Eighth AF Operational tour of duty for ftr pilots is set at 270 hrs.
11/12/44 Ninth AF Weather prevents operations by 9th Bomb Div. Ftr operations are limited but IX and XIX TAC's fly patrols and armed rcn in W Germany and along French-German border.
11/12/44 Twelfth AF Bad weather grounds MBs. FBs spt ground forces in the N Apennines and hit railway tgts in Po Valley, cut rail lines in 18 places and destroy or seriously damage 8 bridges. During 11/12 Nov LBs hit motor transport, Bergamo A/F, and Po R crossing at San Benedetto Po.
11/12/44 Fifteenth AF 107 ftr-escorted B-24's strike at bridges at Ora, Albes, and Mezzocorona, viaduct at Avisio, plus alternate tgt of Casarsa della Delizia railroad bridges and T/Os in NE Italy including Latisana railroad bridge and an A/F to the N.
11/12/44 Tenth AF 16 P-47's spt ground forces in Pinwe area and near Indaw. 24 attack supplies and comm tgts in Kawlin area while 9 bomb Japanese concentrations at Indaw and Man Hkong. Town of Pegon is attacked by 11 P-47's and 20-plus others and 9 B-25's hit T/Os during the sweeps of the Irrawaddy from Singu to Katha anl along rail lines at several points in N Burma. 250-plus transport sorties are flown to forward bases and frontline areas.
11/12/44 Fourteenth AF 8 B-25's knock out a railway bridge and damage 2 others near Thanh Hoa. 4 B-25's bomb town of Man Pwe while 4 attack Wanling. 38 P-51's and P-40's hit Hengyang A/F and attack river, rail, and road traffic, arty pieces, pillboxes, and storage around Hengyang, Lingling, and Kweilin. 13 P-40's hit Changsha area. 40 P-51's and P-38's hit various T/Os at several other locations scattered throughout S China and N Indochina.
11/12/44 FEAF B-24's bomb Alicante A/F while FBs hit Linao barges of W coast of Leyte, and shipping in Ormoc Bay.
B-25's bomb Daliao and Matina A/F. B-24's and FBs over NE Celebes and Halmahera I attack shipping and Djailolo A/F. 50-plus B-25's blast Mapia and Asia Is.
11/12/44 Twentieth AF 29 Chengtu-based B-29's bomb Omura. Over 20 others bomb last resort tgt of Nanking (due to bad weather over Omura), and 20-plus more hit various alternate tgts and T/Os.
11/12/44 Seventh AF 29 Saipan-based B-24's with P-38 escort bomb A/F on Iwo Jima. 11 P-47's strafe runway and storage area on Pagan. During the night a B-24 on snooper mission bombs Iwo Jima. B-24's from Angaur bomb Koror.
11/12/44 Eleventh AF 2 B-24's fly armed rcn over Onnekotan and Matsuwa.
11/13/44 Ninth AF Weather prevents all operations except for night patrol and weather rcn by IX TAC.
11/13/44 Twelfth AF During 12/13 Nov A-20's bomb ammo dumps, pontoon bridge, and T/Os in Po Valley. Thick overcast covering N Italy the following morning vastly curtails MBs which attack only a railway bridge at Padua.
FBs continue to hit comm N of battle area and also oil pipeline across the Po R at Ostiglia.
11/13/44 Fifteenth AF During 12/13 Nov 14 MBs hit Blechhammer oil refinery. 5 others hit alternate tgts and T/Os at scattered locations including Gleiwitz, Karvina, Ruzomberok, and Vac. Day operations are limited to rcn missions.
11/13/44 Tenth AF 100-plus FBs pound numerous tgts in N Burma. Close spt strikes are made on Pinwe area, bridges at Namhkai, Meza, and Thegyaung, on troop concentrations and on supplies at Loi-Lum and Namhpakka. Ferry crossing at Shweli is hit by 12-hr delay bombs, Nawnghkio landing ground is strafed, and numerous T/Os along the Irrawaddy and rail lines in N Burma are hit. Transports fly over 300 sorties to forward areas.
11/13/44 Fourteenth AF 4 B-25's bomb Man Pwe while 4 others blast 3 warehouses at Wanling. 60-plus P-40's, P-51's, and P- 38's on armed rcn over S China and as far W and SW as Burma and Thailand hit numerous T/Os including shipping, troops, and railroad tgts.
11/13/44 FEAF B-24's pound Fabrica A/F while FBs hit shipping and other T/Os. A few FBs hit Legaspi A/F. B-25's, with P-38 cover, hit San Roque A/F and town of Zamboanga. Over Halmahera I and in Ceram area FBs and A-20's bomb A/Fs and various T/Os. Pegun I is blasted by 2 waves of 70 A-20's.
11/13/44 Seventh AF 6 B-24's from Guam, escorting Navy photo aircraft over Iwo Jima and the Bonins, attack shipping at Futamiko. 1 B-24 from Saipan, carrying out unsuccessful shipping search, bombs Iwo Jima. 7 B-24's from Angaur hit oil storage on Malakal I and attack bridge between Malakal and Koror.
11/14/44 Ninth AF Weather prevents all operations except a few ftr patrols and rcn flights.
11/14/44 Twelfth AF Bad weather restricts operations to FB attacks by 17 P-47's on rail lines and road N of battleline.
11/14/44 Fifteenth AF Bad weather limits operations to rcn missions.
11/14/44 Tenth AF 12 B-25's bomb supply area near Lashio. 56 FBs hit supply areas, enemy concentrations, town areas, and general T/Os at Kutkai, Sandaya, Palaung, Kawlin, Tingka, and in Shwebo-Kyaukmyaung area.
12 spt ground forces in Pinwe area, 4 bomb Sindaw R bridges and 30-plus others maintain patrols S of Myitkyina. 300-plus transport sorties are flown to forward areas.
11/14/44 Fourteenth AF In E Burma and in China-Burma boundary areas 8 B-25's bomb Wanling and Hsenwi. 15 P-38's and P-40's on armed rcn hit T/Os around Wanling and Mangshih.
11/14/44 FEAF B-26's pound Pegun I in preparation for allied amphibious landings early the following morning. B- 24's, with P-38 and P-47 cover, bomb Bacolod A/F while FBs hit trucks and buildings in Valencia area and near Linao and hit shipping S of Ormoc. B-26's and FBs pound Lahug and Opon A/F. B-24's strike Langoan A/F.
11/14/44 Seventh AF 22 Saipan and Guambased B-24's bomb Woleai hitting an A/F and adjacent installations and firing an oil dump. 4 Saipan-based P-47's hit Pagan A/F. During 14/16 Nov a B-24 from Saipan on snooper mission attacks shipping SW of the Bonins.
11/15/44 Ninth AF XII TAC, along with 71st Ftr Wg, 60th, 368th, and 371st Ftr Gps, 86th Air Depot Gp, and 83d and 312th Serv Gps, is assigned to the First Tac AF (Prov). When hostilities cease the First Tac AF will be disbanded and all of its units will revert to Ninth AF. Weather prevents bmr operations and limits ftrs.
XIX TAC flies armed rcn in Merzig-Trier-Saarbrucken area and supports XX Corps in same area.
11/15/44 Twelfth AF Twelfth AF loses HQ & HQ Sq, 63d Ftr Wg; HQ and HQ Sq, 42d Bomb Wg; 17th and 320th Bomb Gps, and 310th Serv Gp to ETOUSA. Bad weather cancels all operations except for rcn by 4 P-47's and attack by 2 on railroad bridge and rolling stock in Po Valley.
11/15/44 Fifteenth AF 80 B-17's and B-24's attack benzol plant at Linz, M/Y at Innsbruck, and troop concentration at Novi Pazar (all primary tgts), and make single bmr attacks on Wolfsburg, Salzburg, Hieflau, Kapfenberg steel works, Schwaz, Ybbs, and A/Fs near Linz, Passau, and Traunstein. Ftrs escort the Novi Pazar raid.
11/15/44 Tenth AF 12 B-25's attack A/F at Kawlin. 42 P-47's hit supplies, troop and vehicle concentrations, and T/Os at Mansak, Gyogon, Banmauk, Namtao, and Wuntho. 20 spt ground forces in Pinwe area while 16 attack bypass bridges at Kawnghka and Namhkai, knocking out the latter. 8 P-47's bomb Kyaikthin rail sidings and junction, 8 strafe Anisakan A/F, and 12 hit T/Os during N Burma road sweeps. 280 transport sorties are flown.
11/15/44 Fourteenth AF 19 B-25's and 16 P-51's and P-40's over SW China, W Burma, and N Indochina hit railroad tgts, villages, town areas, and general T/Os at or near Wanling, Mangshih, Tingka, Quang Yen, Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa, and Man Pwe.
11/15/44 FEAF B-25's and FBs spt allied amphibious landings in Mapia Is.B-24's, with P-38 spt, bomb La Carlota A/F while B-25's hit Lahug. B-25's and FBs attack T/Os on Cebu and shipping off W coast of Leyte. On Mindanao B-24's hit 3 A/Fs while P-38's hit shipping and other T/Os. In NE Celebes B-24's bomb Tanamon while other B-24's, B-25's, and FBs hit scattered T/Os in Celebes anl Halmahera I.
11/15/44 Seventh AF Guam-based B-24's on shipping strike to the Bonins, attack vessels at Haha Jima and near Chichi Jima. 1 Saipan-based B-24, during 15/16 Nov snooper mission, bombs Iwo Jima after failing to find shipping tgts in the Bonins.
11/15/44 Eleventh AF 8 B-25's weatherabort armed photo rcn over Paramushiru.
11/16/44 Eighth AF About 1,200 HBs, along with Ninth AF and RAF airplanes, attack tac tgts E of Aachen in spt of US First and Ninth Armies' offensive. 9 ftr gps fly escort and 2 gps later strafe transportation tgts in Giessen, Marburg, and Berleburg areas.
11/16/44 Ninth AF 80 9th Bomb Div bmrs hit defended areas and strongpoints at Echtz, Luchem, and Eschweiler. IX TAC FBs dive-bomb gun positions and other tgts in Stolberg and Hurtgen areas and XIX TAC supports US XX Corps in Merzig, Trier, Saarbrucken area. XXIX TAC attacks tgts in 12 W German towns. US First and Ninth Armies begin eastward thrust (Operation QUEEN) into areas hit by IX and XXIX TACs.
11/16/44 Twelfth AF MBs fly over 250 sorties against rail lines in Brenner Pass and other parts of NE Italy destroying the railroad bridge at Sacile. FBs in spt of British Eighth Army adv to NW of Forli hit guns, ammo supplies, and other military tgts, attack pipeline crossings of the Po at Ostiglia and Ferrara, and pontoon stores near Ficarola, as well as hitting comm tgts N of battle area.
11/16/44 Fifteenth AF More than 550 HBs attack Munich W M/Y and troop concentrations at Visegrad as well as alternate tgt of Innsbruck M/Y and scattered T/Os. Over 250 P-51's and P-38's spt the attack on Munich. 26 other P-38's strafe transport tgts on roads between Sarajevo and Novi Pazar.
11/16/44 Tenth AF 30 P-47's hit troop concentrations and supply areas at Naungmo, Nawngmoloi, and Lashio. 11 spt ground forces in Pinwe area, 4 attack bridges at Meza and over Sindaw R. 4 bomb Meza railroad station, 16 sweep railroad from Sagaing to Kanbalu, and 16 strafe Nawnghkio and Hsumhsai A/Fs.
Transports fly 270-plus sorties to forward bases and frontline areas.
11/16/44 Fourteenth AF 23 B-24's bomb Changsha. 8 B-25's hit Lohochai and bomb Wanling area. 16 B-25's hit Nghia Trang, Duc Tho, Nha Trang, and Do Len. 70-plus P-40's and P-51's over SE and SW China on armed rcn attack road, river, and rail traffic, town areas, and other T/Os at several scattered locations.
11/16/44 FEAF In C Phil Is and in Mindanao area B-25's, B-24's, and FBs hit A/Fs, harbors, shipping, and T/Os. In Kendari area and on NE peninsula of Celebes, and on Halmahera, HBs, MBs, and FBs pound A/Fs, villages and shipping. MBs also spt ground forces in Mapia Is and bomb Namlea A/F.
11/16/44 Thirteenth AF Col Willard R Wolfinbarger becomes CO of XIII FC.
11/16/44 Seventh AF 12 Saipan-based B-24's bomb shipping at Chichi Jima while 2 others attack barges at Haha Jima. 12 P-47's and 3 P-38's hit A/F un ragan In the first combat strike by P-38's in the Marianas. During a 16/17 Nov snooper mission in the Bonins a B-24 attacks shipping.
11/17/44 Ninth AF 30 bmrs of 9th Bomb Div hit Haguenau. Weather prevents 1OO-plus bmrs from attacking tgts. Ftrs escort bmrs, fly patrol and armed rcn over wide area of W Germany, and spt US 104th and 4th Inf Divs and 2d Armd Div, E of Aachen and near Hurtgen.
11/17/44 Twelfth AF For the first time in several months the Twelfth's MBs attack tgts in Yugoslavia, hitting bridges along the Brod-Zagreb-Maribor railroad. MBs also hit rail bridges and viaducts in NE Italy, concentrating on Brenner Pass where ground haze and smoke screen at Avisio viaduct hamper the attacks. FBs of XXII TAC cut rail lines, hit larger concentrations of railroad cars, and blast several ammo and fuel dumps N of the battleline below Bologna. FBs closely supporting ground forces also hit guns and other military tgts in battle area.
11/17/44 Fifteenth AF 630-plus HBs attack Blechhammer S and Vienna/Floridsdorf oil refineries, industrial area in and near Vienna, M/Ys at Maribor, Gyor, Graz, Salzburg, Villach, and town of Sankt Johann in Tirol, plus several scattered T/Os. Ftrs escort HBs and fly rcn and rcn escort missions.
11/17/44 Tenth AF 33 P-47's hit troop and vehicle concentrations and supply areas at Manlu, Loi Lum, Nawng Moloi, and Kyaukme. 10 P-47's spt ground forces in N Burma railroad corridor near Meza. 16 others sweep rail line from Hsipaw to Sedaw hitting rolling stock, gun positions and other T/Os while 3 bomb Meza railroad station. 16 others strafe A/Fs at Nawnghkio, Anisakan, and Onbauk. 9 B-25's bomb bridges at Lashio, knocking out a bypass bridge and damaging others. Several machinegun positions are silenced in the bridge area. Transports continue to operate on large scale, flying 266 sorties to forward areas.
11/17/44 Fourteenth AF 3 B-24's bomb Kowloon Docks. 15 B-25's, in flights of 2 or 3 MBs each, attack gun positions, storage areas, and village and town areas N of Chuchou, S of Hpalen, W of Nanyo, and at Chefang and Nanyo. Also a bridge at Tingka is knocked out. 100-plus P-40's and P-51's hit T/Os throughout SE and SW China, concentrating on Mangshih and Changsha areas.
11/17/44 FEAF B-24's bomb Legaspi A/F. In Mindanao area B-24's bomb Sasa and Likanan A/Fs. Other B-24's and B-25's fly heckling missions over C Phil Is, Mindanao, and NE Celebes. B-25's continue to spt ground forces on Mapia Is.
11/17/44 Seventh AF 15 B-24's, flying shipping strike out of Saipan, attack vessels SW of Muko Jima and attack harbor and town of Okimura.
11/17/44 Eleventh AF 4 B-24's bomb Suribachi A/F. 2 ftrs intercept and damage 1 B-24 which force-lands on Kamchatka.
11/18/44 Eighth AF 8 ftr gps strafe oil storage depots in Hanau and Ulm areas, A/Fs at Leipheim and Lechfeld, and miscellaneous ground tgts. About 70 ftrs are encountered. US ftrs claim 26 air victories and 69 destroyed on the ground. 8 US ftrs are lost.
11/18/44 Ninth AF 340-plus bmrs of 9th Bomb Div strike barracks areas, rail bridges, rail facilities, strongpoints, and defended positions at 13 locations in Germany. Ftrs escort Bomb Div, fly sweeps and armed rcn over W Germany, and spt ground forces E of Aachen and in Sarreguemines area.
11/18/44 Twelfth AF MBs bomb bridges at Pizzighettone, Romano di Lombardia, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Migazzone, Casarsa della Delizia, Casale Monferrato, and at Zidani Most and also pound Brod-Ljubljana railway, the principal German escape route in the Balkans. FBs continue successful attacks on rail lines, dumps, guns, and pipelines in the N Apennines and the Po Valley, XXII TAC claiming over 100 train cars, 8 locomotives, and nearly 75 vehicles destroyed.
11/18/44 Fifteenth AF 680-plus HBs bomb Vienna/Floridsdorf and Korneuburg oil refineries, A/Fs at Aviano, Villafranca di Verona, Udine, and Vicenza, and troop concentrations at Visegrad. 126 P-38's escort Austria missions while 12 others bomb the troop concentrations at Visegrad. 186 P-51's provide cover for raids on the Italian A/Fs and sweep tgt areas. Over 50 other ftrs fly rcn and rcn escort.
11/18/44 Tenth AF 27 FB's spt ground forces S of Pinwe and in Bhamo area. 16 attack troops and supply area at Panglong and Ngapwegyi while 7 hit ferry area at Meza, 20 hit T/Os along Kanbalu-Wuntho railroad and at Maymyo and Wetwin. 9 B-25's pound Man Pwe rail yards, destroying warehouses and other buildings anl causing much general damage. Transports continue large-scale operations to forward areas.
11/18/44 Fourteenth AF 10 B-25's blast stores at Hengshan and hit populated areas from Ishan to Liuchow. 130-plus P-51's, P-40's, and P-38's pound T/Os scattered over vast areas of S China. Troops, shipping, supplies, trucks, and railroad tgts are hit particularly hard N of Lingling, from Liuchow to Ishan, from Hengshan to Hengyang, from Kweilin to Liuchou, from Siangtan to Paoching, and at Chuanhsien, Hwaiyuanchen, Chingmen, Chuchiang, and Shihkiachwang.
11/18/44 FEAF In Mindanao-NE Celebes areas B-24's, B-25's and A-20's again hit A/Fs and T/Os. FBs, A-20's, and B-25's over several locations in Phil Is pound shipping, supply and personnel areas, harbors, barges, airstrips, and comm tgts. B-24's, with P-38's and P-47's supporting, launch major strike against oil installations at Tarakan. Other B-24's and B-25's hit shipping off Tarakan and in Brunei Bay. In the MakassarKendari area B-24's bomb Polewali shipyards. B-24's pound A/Fs in Ceram-Amboina area while P-38's strafe shipping. B-25's continue to spt ground forces in Mapia Is.
11/18/44 Seventh AF B-24's from Saipan and Guam hit shipping at Chichi Jima and Haha Jima. P-38's and B-24's from Saipan escort photo planes over Iwo Jima.
11/18/44 Eleventh AF 4 B-24's strike Suribachi shore batteries, including one on Takikawa Cape. A shipping sweep by 6 B- 25's is cancelled due to weather.
11/19/44 Ninth AF 450-plus A-20's, A-26's, and B-26's bomb storage depots, bridge, junction, ordnance depots, and defended positions in or near 10 German towns and cities. Ftrs escort 9th Bomb Div, carry out patrols, and fly armed rcn hitting rail facilities and other tgts over W German areas including Euskirchen, Trier, Saarbrucken, Julich, and Cologne. IX, XIX, and XXIX TACs spt US VII, XII, XIX, and XX Corps areas E of Aachen and near Hurtgen, between Metz and Saarlautern and near Sarreguemines.
11/19/44 Twelfth AF Fog and low clouds force cancellation of missions against W Po Valley tgts and limit FBs to a midday attack on rail lines, guns, troop concentrations, motor transport, and other military tgts in and near battle area S of Bologna. During 18/19 Nov A-20's on armed rcn bomb Ghedi A/F and tgts in Bologna, Ferrara, Mantua, Cremona, and Parma areas.
11/19/44 Fifteenth AF More than 500 B-24's and B-17's bomb Schwechat and Vosendorf oil refineries, Winterhafen oil depot and Lobau oil plant, WienerNeudorf aircraft factory, Linz benzol plant, Horsching A/F, Gyor, and Maribor M/Ys, plus several scattered T/Os. 19 P-38's dive-bomb troop concentrations at Prijepolje and Novi Pazar, while 126 P-51's strafe roads and railroads between Esztergom and Veszprem and Vienna, and also attack Veszprem and Tapolcza A/Fs. Other ftrs cover HB and rcn missions.
11/19/44 Tenth AF 15 P-47's spt ground forces attacking Bhamo and fighting in the Pinwe area. 36 P-47's pound enemy concentrations at Man Mao, Sekang, and Manlu. Transports fly 290 sorties to forward areas.
11/19/44 Fourteenth AF 3 B-24's bomb Samah Bay docks. 10 B-25's damage 2 buildings N of Chefang and score hits on bridges at Tingka and Wan Lai-Kam. 8 P-40's and P-38's hit T/Os S of Tingka and Chefang. 19 P-40's blast troops and river, rail, and road traflic in Hankow area. 27 P-40's, P-51's, and P-38's hit numerous T/Os in Mangshih area.
11/19/44 FEAF B-24's bomb Alicante and Palompon while P-47's hit Valencia and Ormoc areas. On Mindanao B-24's hit Libby A/F. Others bomb A/Fs at Sasa, Sidate, Mapanget, and Borebore. B-25's and A-20's hit A/Fs and shipping in Ceram-Am- boina-Boeroe. B-25's and A-20's hit Asia Is tgts.
11/19/44 Seventh AF 5 B-24's from Guam, on armed rcn over Iwo Jima and the Bonins, bomb A/Fs on Iwo Jima while 15 hit shipping at Chichi Jima and Haha Jima. 1 B-24 from Angaur in the Palaus bombs Legaspi A/F.
11/20/44 Eighth AF Almost 200 B-17's sent against Eudenbach A/F must abort because of bad weather. Over 150 others bomb Scholven/Buer synthetic oil plant and Munster M/Y, with 7 ftr gps in spt. 6 other gps strafe W German ground tgts.
11/20/44 Ninth AF Bad weather prevents 9th Bomb Div operations. Ftrs fly sweeps and night patrols over broad areas of W Germany and strafe and bomb numerous railroads, trains, buildings and various military tgts.
11/20/44 Twelfth AF During 19/20 Nov 44 A-20's attack Po R crossings, A/Fs and lights in the Po Valley. During the day bad weather prevents MBs from successfully attacking tgts. FBs able to operate during the late morning destroy 2 factories E of Modena, and supply dumps near Parma, and cause large explosions in dump near San Felice del Benaco.
11/20/44 Fifteenth AF 192 B-24's and B-17's bomb Blechhammer S oil refinery and town of Prerov (a T/O). 284 others encounter bad weather and attack several alternate tgts and T/Os in Czechoslovakia including town of Zlin and M/Ys at Brno, Hodonin, and Breclav and other T/Os in C and SE Europe. 92 B-24's attack Sarajevo M/Y, and railroad bridges at Doboj, Zenica, and Fojnica. 11 P-38's divebomb M/Y at Brod, while 43 others strafe comm between Esztergom, Veszprem, and Vienna. Other ftrs fly HB escort, rcn, and rcn escort.
11/20/44 Tenth AF 7 B-25's knock out Hsipaw road bridge. 4 others fail to damage Bawgyo bridge. 12 P-47's spt ground forces in Pinwe sector. 20-plus others hit defenses at Mong Nge, horse transport unit at Selan, bomb storage areas at Kyungon and Kyakataing, Japanese HQ and troop concentration at Man Mao, and several scattered T/Os. Transports maintain continuous flights to forward bases and frontline areas.
11/20/44 Fourteenth AF 8 B-25's hit barracks area at Lashio. 60-plus P-38's, P-40's, and P-51's on armed rcn over parts of SE and SW China and Indochina attack shipping-especially severely in the Chiuchiang area-and barracks, radio stations, villages, and other T/Os.
11/20/44 FEAF B-25's bomb Haroekoe and Laha A/Fs. P-38's hit T/Os over Sidate and in Makassar areas.
11/20/44 Seventh AF Bad weather cancels all bombing missions.
11/20/44 Eleventh AF 3 B-24's fly an air cover mission for the Navy.
11/21/44 Eighth AF Over 1,100 HBs attack synthetic oil plant at Merseburg/ Leuna, 2 oil refineries at Hamburg, and several other tgts including 4 towns, 4 M/Ys, an A/F, flak position, and about 30 T/Os. 16 ftr gps escort, later strafe ground tgts, and combat large number of ftrs over Merseburg area. US ftrs claim over 70 destroyed. 34 US ftrs and HBs are lost.
11/21/44 Ninth AF 9th Bomb Div hits rail bridges and defended areas at several points including Bergstein, Echtz, Sinzig, Neuwied, and Derichsweiler. Ftrs escort B-26's and also Eighth AF B-17's (to Merseburg), fly area cover, sweeps, and dive-bombing missions in W Germany, and spt US 1 st, 8th, and 104th Inf Divs in Hurtgen area and XII and XX Corps between Merzig and Sarreguemines.
11/21/44 Twelfth AF B-25's blast defenses and troop concentrations in Faenza area as British Eighth Army's 5 Corps opens general offensive N towards that town. FBs hit tgts in US Fifth Army battle area S of Bolonga, in Po Valley, and in NE Italy. Particularly good results are achieved against supply dumps and rail line in Brenner Pass is cut in 3 places.
11/21/44 Fifteenth AF 25 B-24's bomb troop concentrations, railroad, and highways at Novi Pazar and Cacak. 155 P-38's dive-bomb comm lines in S Yugoslavia, destroying several vehicles, blasting roads at Vucitrn, Rogatica, Tvrdosevo, and Duga Poljana, hitting bridges at Vrbasici, and Kukavica and causing landslide at Pavlica. 87 P-51's strafe comm over wide areas of S Yugoslovia. Other ftrs fly rcn missions.
11/21/44 Tenth AF 28 P-47's spt ground forces in Pinwe and Bhamo areas. 37 others hit supply areas, troop concentrations and strongholds at Langwa, Pinmalut, Hlebwe, Mutawng, and Nawnghkem. 15 P-47's hit T/Os while sweeping Kyaukme-Namyao road. 10 B-25's knock out bridges at Hsipaw and Bawgyo.
Transports fly 280-plus sorties to forward areas.
11/21/44 Fourteenth AF 42 P-51's and P-38's on armed rcn attack fuel supplies and town area at Ishan and road and rail trafflc and other T/Os in Chiuchiang area, N of Wanling, S of Foochow, and at Hsuchang, Sincheng, and Sheklung.
11/21/44 FEAF B-24's bomb Matina and Lumbia A/Fs. FBs hit troop barges and supply dumps in Ormoc Bay and numerous T/Os throughout the C Phil Is. B-25's hit Langoan and Mapanget A/Fs while B-24's in Kendari area bomb A/F at Ambesia.
11/21/44 Twentieth AF 61 B-29's from Chengtu bomb aircraft plant at Omura. 13 B-29's bomb Shanghai, and several others hit alternates and T/Os. The VHBs claim 27 ftrs downed, the highest Twentieth AF claim to date.
11/21/44 Seventh AF Seventh AF serv gps are reassigned from VII Air Serv Area Cmd to VII BC and VII FC, with one serv gp to spt each tac gp in the field. B-24's from Guam bomb shipping and naval shore installations at Chichi Jima and Haha Jima. During 21/22 Nov a lone B-24 on snooper mission bombs Iwo Jima.
11/21/44 Eleventh AF Adv HQ is established on Shemya with Gen Harry A Johnson as Dep Cmdr. 5 B-24's fly air coverage for naval units. Another fleet coverage mission by 10 B-25's is cancelled due to weather. Before clearance can be obtained from Russians through diplomatic channels, a B-24 air-drops provisions to marooned crew of B-24 which forcelanded on Kamchatka on 17 Nov 44.
11/22/44 Eighth AF 2d and 4th Combat Bomb Wgs of 3d Bomb Div are combined to form the Administrative Bomb Wg (Prov). This type of unit is expected to be highly suitable for conditions in Pacific theater where bomb div HQ might be located far from its wg HQ. Under this new plan, the administrative wg can absorb many functions of the div HQ. This experiment will be judged acceptable during Feb 45.
11/22/44 Ninth AF Bmr operations are cancelled due to bad weather. Ftr operations are limited. 16 aircraft from IX and XIX TAC patrol over V and VII Corps area (SE of Aachen), BonnCologne area, and fly rcn around Saarbrucken, Homburg/Saar, Neukirchen, Kaiserslautern, and Sarrebourg.
11/22/44 Twelfth AF B-25's again pound defenses in Faenza area as British Eighth Army forces push into that area from the SE. FBs and ftrs fly nearly 350 sorties against rail lines in Po Valley and very successfully hit guns, vehicles, troops and other tgts in US Fifth Army battle area S of Bologna, and supply dumps and pipelines N of the battle area.
11/22/44 Fifteenth AF 205 HBs hit E and W M/Ys at Munich. 214 others fail to reach primaries because of impenetrable weather and attack alternates and T/Os including M/Ys at Regensburg, Salzburg, Lienz, and Villach and several T/Os at scattered points. Ftrs provide escort to Munich. 88 B-24's attack bridge at Ferrara and rail line at Carbola, while 39 P-38's bomb Osoppo motor transport depot.
11/22/44 Tenth AF 15 P-47's spt ground forces at Bhamo while 37 others fly close spt in Pinwe area. Supply and personnel areas at Nawngchio, Kutkai, Ingon, Selong, Man Mao, and in vicinity of Kanbalu are pounded by more than 40 P-47's. 12 others attack A/F at Kawlin. Transports fly 188 sorties to forward areas.
11/22/44 Fourteenth AF 22 B-24's bomb Hankow. 11 B-25's pound Ishan and Liuchenghsien areas while 8 hit storage facilities at Wanling and Kutkai. 95 P-51's, P-40's, and P-38's on armed rcn over wide expanses of S China attack town areas, supplies, and road and rail trafflc, hitting Chefang area especially hard.
11/22/44 FEAF B-24's, B-25's, and FBs pound Bacolod A/F, Ipil, and Ormoc area bridges, barges, and T/Os. B-24's bomb Sasa A/F. FBs hit T/Os in Makassar area, B-24's bomb nickel mine and T/Os in Kendari area and hit A/Fs in NE Celebes. Other B-24's hit small shipping during sweep over Brunei Bay.
11/22/44 Seventh AF 22 B-24's from Saipan escorted by 22 P-38's (the first long-range P-38 escort of Seventh AF bmrs), bomb A/Fs on Moen and Param. P-47's from Saipan pound A/F on Pagan.
11/22/44 Eleventh AF 4 B-25's abort an air coverage mission due to weather. " 11/23/44 Eighth AF Over 140 B-17's escorted by 2 ftr gps bomb benzol manufacturing plant near Gelsenkirchen and M/Y at Duisburg.
11/23/44 Ninth AF Unfavorable weather cancels all flights.
11/23/44 Twelfth AF Bad weather restricts operations. MBs over Faenza area abort due to overcast, P-47's hampered by low clouds over the Apennines, fly only 16 sorties, against rail lines S of Bologna, but succeed in cutting the lines in 6 places.
11/23/44 Fifteenth AF 81 B-24's attack road and railroad bridges at or near Zenica Brod, and Doboj. 30 P-38's bomb Doboj M/Y, 13 hit Doboj road and rail bridge, and 4 attack, but miss, bridge at Maglaj. 13 B-24's and B-17's drop supplies at points in Yugoslavia.
11/23/44 Tenth AF More than 50 P-47's spt ground forces in Pinwe and Bhamo areas. 16 sweep and strafe A/Fs and many T/Os from Anisakan to Nawnghkio. 3 hit ammo dump at Man Naung. 21 P-47's sweep roads in Ye-U area and strafe rail installations at Kanbalu. 10 B-25's knock out Tantabin main bridge and Tangon and Thegyaung bypass bridges, and blast approaches to Tangon main bridge and Tantabin bypass bridge. 282 transport sorties are flown to forward bases and frontline areas.
11/23/44 Fourteenth AF 12 B-25's bomb storage area near Lashio and 8 hit Kutkai and Wanling. 2 B-24's bomb Kowloon Docks. More than 120 P-40's, P-51's and P-38's hit T/Os throughout SW and SE China. 32 of the FBs spt ground forces in Chefang area.
11/23/44 FEAF B-24's bomb Matina A/F.
11/23/44 Seventh AF 17 B-24's from Guam hit shipping at Chichi Jima and Haha Jima and bomb town of Okimura.
11/24/44 Ninth AF Weather cancels all operations except for 3 XIX TAC ftrs which fly night intruder mission in Saarbrucken, Zweibrucken, and Homburg/Saar areas.
11/24/44 Twelfth AF B-25's, in spt of British Eighth Army, bomb defenses in Faenza area. Bad weather restricts FBs to 2 missions which damage a road bridge and cut rail line S of Modena.
11/24/44 Fifteenth AF P-38's and P-51's fly photo and weather rcn missions.
11/24/44 Tenth AF 32 P-47's fly close spt strikes in Pinwe and Bhamo sectors. 50 P-47's attack troops and supply areas at Panma, Hpa-Hpen, Nawng-Sang, Kawlin, Wahkyet, Kawng ai, and in Pintha area, 8 damage bridges at Meza, Namhkai, and Hsenwi while 10 others hit Lashio A/F. 6 B-25's pound storage and ferry area at Meza and 4 damage approaches to Namhkai and Hsenwi road bridges. 323 transport sorties are flown to forward areas.
11/24/44 Fourteenth AF 21 B-24's bomb warehouse area and docks at Hankow. 3 others hit Haiphong area. 22 B-25's bomb storage area near Lashio, T/Os in Hankow area, and towns of Wanling, Siangtan, Wuchang, and Wan Lai-Kam. 120-plus P-40's, P-38's and P-51's on armed rcn attack many T/Os in E Burma and SW and SE China, concentrating on river and rail trafflc and supplies at Chefang, Heng- shan, and Sinshih- Changsha area.
11/24/44 FEAF B-24's bomb AA positions and T/Os at Camp Downes and Panalisan Pt and US ftrs attack and destroy several airplanes over Carigara Bay and Leyte area. B-24's hit AA positions and other tgts at Matina A/F.
11/24/44 Twentieth AF XXI BC flies its first mission against Japan. Objective is Tokyo. The 111 B-29's are led by 73d Bomb Wg CG, Gen O'Donnell piloting Dauntless Dotty, copiloted by Maj Robert K Morgan, erstwhile pilot of the famed B-17, Memphis Belle. 35 VHBs bomb primary tgt, Musashino aircraft plant; 50 bomb secondary tgt, urban area and docks; 17 abort en route; the remainder are unable to bomb due to mechanical difficulties. 1 B-29 crashes off Honshu when a ftr rams the bmr, shearing off the elevator and right horizontal stabilizer, becoming the first XXI BC VHB lost to Japanese action. 1 other ditches after running out of fuel. B-29 gunners claim 7 aircraft downed.
11/24/44 Seventh AF 2 B-24's from Saipan on shipping rcn attack vessels at Haha Jima and Chichi Jima. 3 B-24's from Guam on armed rcn bomb Marcus. 14 Saipan-based P-47's strafe landing ground on Pagan.
11/25/44 Eighth AF More than 900 HBs attack Merseburg/Leuna synthetic oil plant, Bingen M/Y and several T/Os.All bombing utilizes Pathfinder technique due to very heavy clouds. Escorting ftrs fly over 800 sorties.
Over 65 HBs fail to return from mission but many land safely in Allied-occupied territory. 36th Bomb Sq starts daily operations as a screening force for bomb divisions. It is assigned task of protecting the Eighth's primary VHF and ftr-to-bmr comm from interception during assembly. Increase of flak batteries around German military and industrial installations soon compels the 36th to increase radar countermeasures on each mission. The sq remains on this assignment until end of war in Europe.
11/25/44 Ninth AF 9th Bomb Div hits Landau ordnance arsenal, road junctions, and ammo dump at Neustadt and Kaiserslautern. Ftrs escort 9th Bomb Div and Eighth AF, fly armed rcn over Germany, and spt ground forces E of Aachen and between Merzig and Sarreguemines.
11/25/44 Twelfth AF Bad weather again hampers operations. 3 ftr gps fly only 53 sorties against railway tgts and T/Os N of US Fifth Army battle area, cutting lines at 14 places and destroying several vehicles.
11/25/44 Fifteenth AF During 24/25 Nov over 40 B-17's and B-24's bomb Linz benzol plant, Klagenfurt, Innsbruck, and Munich W M/Ys, and 2 unidentified T/Os. During the day P-38's fly photo and weather rcn missions.
11/25/44 Tenth AF 24 FBs spt ground forces in Bhamo area. 24 bomb an A/F at Kawlin while 8 more strafe Tabingaung A/F and town area. 12 attack Meza railroad station and boxcars in nearby bridge area, storage and personnel areas in Lashio area and at Nawngyang, Ashang, and Man Mao. 8 P-47's strafe T/Os along Wuntho-Shwebo rail line. Transports fly 325 sorties to forward bases and frontline areas.
11/25/44 Fourteenth AF 12 B-25's hit warehouses, village and town areas at Lashio and Wanling. 6 attack rail tgts, trucks, and buildings at Phu Lang Thuong. 75 P-40's, P-51's, and P-38's on armed rcn attack river, road, and rail traffic, troops, buildings, and other T/Os at several Thailand, Burma, S China, and N Indochina locations, including areas around Lampang, Paoching, Ankang, Ishan, Hochih, Bhre, Namsang, Mongyu, and Phu Lang Thuong.
11/25/44 FEAF FBs range over wide areas of Masbate, Cebu, Leyte, and surrounding waters, attacking shipping, A/Fs, bivouacs, and a variety of tgts. B-25's and FBs hit A/Fs on Ceram and Boeroe and B-24's on armed rcn over N Borneo hit shipping and other T/Os. During 25/26 Nov B-25's hit A/Fs in NE Celebes and Halmahera.
11/25/44 Seventh AF 7 Guam-based B-24's, escorting photo aircraft over Bonin and Kazan Is, bomb Chichi Jima, Muko Jima, and Haha Jima.
11/25/44 Eleventh AF A B-24 aborts an armed photo mission over Matsuwa due to weather and instead radarbombs Kurabu A/F. B-25's cancel a shipping sweep due to weather.
11/26/44 Eighth AF 1,000-plus B-17's and B-24's bomb rail viaducts at Altenbeken and Bielefeld, Misburg oil refinery, M/Ys at Hamm, Osnabruck, Hannover, Gutersloh, Bielefeld, and Herford, and 7 T/Os. 15 ftr gps fly escort. About 550 ftrs are encountered. HB losses total over 35 (25 to ftrs). US ftrs claim over 100 air victories.
11/26/44 Ninth AF 173 MBs and LBs bomb supply, storage, stores, and ordnance depots at Gaulsheim, Bergzabern, Giessen, Reichenbach, and Homburg/Saar. Ftrs fly sweeps and armed rcn over W Germany, search for lost A-20, escort 9th Bomb Div, and spt US 29th Inf Div at Bourheim and XX and XII Corps in area of the Maginot Line and German-French border.
11/26/44 Twelfth AF Slight improvement in weather permits FBs to increase operations. P-47's closely spt ground forces in US Fifth Army battle area in the Apennines S of Bologna and cut rail lines in over 30 places N of the immediate battle zone.
11/26/44 Fifteenth AF 39 P-38's fly offensive sweep over Seregelyes A/F and strafe nearby road and rail traffic. Other ftrs fly rcn and escort.
11/26/44 Tenth AF 16 P-47's continue close spt strikes. About 60 FBs hit concentrations, supply and ammo dumps, and rail tgts at Panghkai, Kunmong, Mabein, Lashio, Panku, and around Meza. 7 others on railroad sweep hit T/Os between Maymyo and Man Pyen. Transports fly more than 300 sorties to forward areas.
11/26/44 Fourteenth AF 19 B-25's and 20 P-51's blast railway cars, station, and track, hit several trucks, and hit town areas at Hochih and Phu Lang Thuong 6 B-25's damage bridge at Kengluang. 90-plus P-40's, P-51's, and P- 38's hit river, rail, and road traffic and other T/Os over wide S China areas, 40 of them concentrating on tgts between Kweiyi and Changsha and around Liuchow.
11/26/44 FEAF 40-plus B-24's, some with ftr spt, bomb La Carlota and Talisay A/Fs. FBs hit A/F and various T/Os throughout the area. B-25's pound A/Fs in Amboina-Ceram area and B-24's bomb A/F near Davao.
Others bmrs and ftrs fly light strikes and armed rcn missions against a variety of tgts in N Celebes, N Borneo, S Luzon, Mindanao, and Halmahera.
11/26/44 Seventh AF P-47's from Saipan strafe A/F on Pagan. During the night a B-24 on snooper mission from Guam bombs Iwo Jima. B-24's from Angaur bomb Arakabesan.
11/26/44 Eleventh AF Shipping sweep by 4 B-25's is called off due to weather.
11/27/44 Eighth AF More than 450 HBs attack Bingen and Offenburg M/Ys and 5 T/Os, 5 ftr gps fly escort. 10 gps of ftrs (2 of FBs) sent against oil tgts in NC Germany fail to locate primaries. Several FBs bomb and strafe rail tgts and A/F in Stendal area. 8 gps are jumped by about 750 ftrs (largest sighting to date) in Magdeburg-Munster-Hannover areas when the Germans mistake them for HB formations. US ftrs claim 98 destroyed against 11 losses. After combat 4 ftr gps resume strafing of ground tgts.
11/27/44 Ninth AF Weather forbids bmr missions. Ftrs patrol over W Germany, dive-bomb bridge at Rurdorf, and spt US 104th, 8th, and 1st Inf Divs near Hurtgen and in Weisweiler-Franz area, and XIX Corps (mainly 2d Armd Div) at Merzenhausen.
11/27/44 Twelfth AF Weather grounds all missions except 5 weather rcn sorties.
11/27/44 Fifteenth AF P-51's and P-38's fly rcn and rcn escort missions. Bad weather cancels other operations.
11/27/44 Tenth AF 12 P-47's fly close spt strikes in Pinwe area. 21 FBs destroy bridges at Inailong and Thegyaung and damage bridges at Ho-hko and Kawnghka. 60-plus FBs attack personnel and supply areas at Kutkai, Kyungon, Kodaungbo, Mongmit, Datwin, Man Namsawk, Old Lashio, and Ugingyi. Transports fly 280- plus sorties, carrying men and supplies to forward bases and frontline areas.
11/27/44 Fourteenth AF 17 B-24's bomb Gia Lam. 17 B-25's blast Hochih area, 6 bomb Phu Lang Thuong, and 8 pound warehouses at Lashio. 56 P-40's, P-51's, and P-38's on armed rcn over E Burma, N Indochina, and vast areas of S China attack town areas, railroad tgts, bridges and other T/Os around Lampang, Phu Binh, Pachai, Ishan, Wanling, Chefang, Hsenwi, and Kawnghka.
11/27/44 FEAF B-24's bomb Malogo, Bacolod and Daliao A/Fs. B-25's blast Namlea, Liang, and Laha A/Fs. A variety of FEAF aircraft attack A/ Fs, shipping, and T/Os on Celebes, N Borneo, and in the Halmahera and the Ceram areas.
11/27/44 Twentieth AF Operating from Calcutta area, 55 B-29's bomb Bangsue railroad yards at Bangkok. 3 others hit individual tgts. 81 Marianas-based B-29's fly against Tokyo. None of the VHBs bomb the primary tgts (Musashino and Nakajima plants) but 59 hit secondary (urban area and docks). 7 bomb Hamamatsu, a T/O. While the mission is in progress 11 enemy airplanes attack Isley Field on Saipan, destroying or damaging several B-29's. AA and intercepting ftrs down 10 aircraft.
11/27/44 Seventh AF 24 B-24's from Saipan, escorted by 12 P-38's, hit Iwo Jima. 29 more B-24's, from Guam, fly a second strike against the island. 25 B-24's from Angaur bomb Del Monte A/F.
11/28/44 Ninth AF 9th Bomb Div hits defended villages of Birgel and Merken, rail bridge at Sinzig, and Billiger Forest ammo dump. Ftrs fly escort, night intruder missions, and armed rcn in Kall-Trier area, and spt US 1st, 8th, and 104th Inf Divs as they take Langerwehe, Jungersdorf, Hurtgen, and bridge at Inden.
11/28/44 Twelfth AF B-25's hit railroad bridges at Magenta, Torre Beretti, and Casale Monferrato, and an abandoned ship at La Spezia harbor. Ftrs and FBs spt ground forces in battle area in Apennines S of Bologna, hit comm tgts N of battle zone, and cut railroad lines in more than 40 places in Brenner Pass and NC Po areas.
11/28/44 Fifteenth AF Bad weather limits operations to rcn flights.
11/28/44 Tenth AF 39 P-47's spt ground forces in Pinwe and Bhamo areas. Supply and personnel concentrations and T/Os at Nwegyo, Kutkai, Meza area, Mankang, Manai, Nawnglok, Nawnglong, Loimawk, Man Myeng, Mong Wi and Kungmong are attacked by about 80 FBs. 16 hit T/Os along Maymyo-Bawgyo rail line.
Transports fly 317 sorties to forward areas.
11/28/44 Fourteenth AF 17 B-24's, escorted by 12 P-51's, bomb Gia Lam. 6 B-25's hit railroad bridge at Phu Lang Thuong. 3 blast 6 warehouses at Hsenwi, 3 bomb Wan Lai-Kam, 1 hits Kutkai, and 4 attack buildings in Wanling and Chefang areas. 60-plus P-40's, P-51's, and P-38's on armed rcn over wide areas of E Burma and S China hit troops, bridges, horses, and other T/Os at many locations.
11/28/44 FEAF B-24's bomb Daliao and Matina A/Fs. Small attacks by HBs, MBs, and FBs are launched against A/Fs, shipping, and T/Os over wide areas of SWPA, including C Phil Is, Halmahera, and Timor area.
11/28/44 Seventh AF 21 Saipan-based B-24's bomb Iwo Jima A/F. 3 others, flying armed rcn mission, bomb Marcus. During 28/29 Nov 1 B-24 on snooper mission hits Iwo Jima. 3 B-24's from Angaur bomb Arakabesan radio station.
11/28/44 Eleventh AF 1 B-24 photos and bombs Matsuwa shore area.
11/29/44 Eighth AF Over 1,000 HBs hit viaducts at Altenbeken and Bielefeld, Misburg oil refinery, Hamm M/Y, and several T/Os. 16 ftr gps escort HBs and 5 gps later strafe transportation tgts.
11/29/44 Ninth AF 301 MBs and LBs hit defended areas, barracks, and military depots at Wittlich, Mariaweiler, Pier, Elsdorf, Limburg, Rastatt, and Landau. Ftrs escort 9th Bomb Div and Eighth AF, fly armed rcn over W Germany, and spt 104th Inf Div in holding action against counterattacks at Inden and Lammersdorf, 8th Inf Div at Hurtgen, and 7 Armd Div in XIII Corps drive toward the Roer.
11/29/44 Twelfth AF During 28/29 Nov A-20's fly armed rcn over Po Valley, dropping incendiaries at several points including bridges at Piacenza and Castel Maggiore and A/Fs at Ghedi and Villafranca di Verona. During the day weather grounds MBs. However ftrs and FBs can operate, and blast enemy comm on Brenner line and in NC Po Valley, cutting rail lines in numerous places and destroying a large number of vehicles and railroad cars.
11/29/44 Fifteenth AF Weather limits operations to photo and weather rcn missions.
11/29/44 Tenth AF 50-plus FBs fly close spt strikes in battle areas around Bhamo and Pinwe. Bridges at Tonbo, Pauktaw, Man Loi, Meza, Bon Chaung, and at 2 unnamed points in N Burma are pounded by 60-plus FBs. 8 others bomb supplies, personnel and ammo stores at Tigyaing. 323 transport sorties are flown to forward areas.
11/29/44 Fourteenth AF 6 B-25's bomb Ninh Binh, 8 hit Lashio, and 3 attack Hsenwi. 20 P-40's, P-38's, and P-51's hit T/Os in Chefang area. 23 P-38's and P-51's attack bridges, horses, shipping, and rail traffic around Hochih, Nanning, Hsenwi, Quang Yen, Kawnghka, and Namhkai.
11/29/44 FEAF B-24's bomb Matina A/F while A-20's and P-47's hit A/F at Pangsagan. B-24's, with ftr cover, pound Puerto Princesa and Kendari A/F. HBs, MBs, and FBs fly several light raids against Halmahera A/Fs and against shipping and other T/Os in Phil Is, Ceram area, N Celebes, and N Borneo.
11/29/44 Twentieth AF 24 Marianas-based B-29's strike Tokyo dock and industrial area during 29/30 Nov. 2 VHBs bomb last resort tgts of Yokohama and Numazu.
11/29/44 Seventh AF 18 B-24's from Guam bomb Iwo Jima. 4 P-47's from Saipan strafe Pagan.
11/29/44 Eleventh AF 3 B-24's bomb Kashiwabara. B-25's call off a shipping sweep due to weather.
11/30/44 Eighth AF Around 1,200 HBs strike 4 synthetic oil plants at Bohlen, Zeitz, Merseburg/Leuna, and Lutzkendorf, and M/Ys at Neunkirchen and Homburg/Saar. 16 Eighth AF and 3 Ninth AF ftr gps providing escort encounter sporadic ftr opposition. Intense accurate flak downs at least 29 HBs of a total loss of around 40.
11/30/44 Ninth AF 288 MBs and LBs attack defended villages of Vettweiss, Stockheim, Erp, and Pirmasens, armd vehicle repair center at Gemund, a rail tunnel, a military camp at Malsbenden, and M/Y at Zweibrucken. Ftrs escort 9th Bomb Div, give area spt to Eighth AF HBs at Leipzig, fly sweeps, dive bombing missions, and rcn over W Germany, and spt elements of US VII Corps in Hurtgen area (especially 104th Div at Lammersdorf and Inden).
11/30/44 Twelfth AF B-25's bomb bridges at Romano di Lombardia and Crema. Ftrs and FBs attack comm in Po Valley, cutting rail lines and destroying a large number of railroad cars and motor transport. Tgts also include bridges, guns, and buildings.
11/30/44 Fifteenth AF On 29/30 Nov 18 B-17's bomb Linz benzol plant. 3 others hit M/Ys at Villach, Klagenfurt, and Gmunden. B-24's hit M/Ys at Munich and Innsbruck. During day P-38's and P-51's fly rcn over Yugoslavia, Italy, and Germany.
11/30/44 Tenth AF 9 B-25's knock out and damage bridges at Bawgyo, Namhkai, and Hsenwi. 16 P-47's spt ground forces at Bhamo. Town of Pinwe is found to be free of enemy forces. About 70 FBs attack troops and supply areas at several locations including Molo, Naungmo, Namun, Hkumpen, Myadaung, Kutkai, Kanbalu, Kyauk, and Natpe. 13 others attack bridges at Meza and in Bawdwin area. 8 strafe T/Os along Kyaukme-Panglong road. 321 transport sorties are flown to forward areas.
11/30/44 Fourteenth AF 12 B-25's and 8 P-51's damage 2 railroad bridges and several buildings at Phu Lang Thuong and Phu Ly. 11 bomb 5 warehouses and several other buildings at Lashio, and Wanling. 9 FBs hit shipping, rail tgts, and troops at various points in Thailand. 23 FBs attack T/Os in Chefang area.
11/30/44 FEAF B-24's in major strikes of the day hit Malimpoeng and Parepare, Legaspi A/F, Matina A/F, and 4 A/Fs on Halmahera. B-25's strike Dumaguete A/F. FBs, HBs, and MBs fly armed rcn, harassing strikes, and light raids over various areas of NEI and Phil Is.
11/30/44 Seventh AF 23 B-24's from Saipan bomb A/F on Iwo Jima. 8 Guam based B-24's, escorting photo airplanes over the Kazan and Bonin Is, bomb Haha Jima. 37 from Angaur hit Legaspi A/F. During 29/30 Nov 2 B-24's from Guam and Saipan, bomb Iwo Jima A/F during snooper missions.
11/30/44 Eleventh AF A weather sortie is the only mission.
12/1/44 Ninth AF 134 MBs and LBs strike defended areas at Fraulautern, Ensdorf, and Saarlautern. Ftrs fly sweeps, armed rcn, and bombing missions over W Germany and spt US VII Corps elements at Inden and Hurtgen Forest and 8th Inf Div of V Corps at Tiefenbach Creek and Brandenberger Forest.
12/1/44 Twelfth AF B-25's attack 4 railroad bridges in W Po Valley, damaging the bridges at Voghera and Torre Beretti.
XXII TAC hits motor transport and train cars at several points in N Italy and hit rail lines over widespread area N of the Apennines, are cut at 3 points.
12/1/44 Tenth AF 30-plus P-47's continue spt of ground forces in Bhamo area. Town areas, troops, warehouses, and supply dumps at Myitson, Mingon, Alezeik, Lenaung, and Old Lashio are pounded by 30-plus P-47's.
17 more hit bridges in N Burma and 8 strafe Hsenwi landing ground. 290 transport sorties are flown to forward areas.
12/1/44 Fourteenth AF 6 B-24's attack T/Os in S China Sea. 8 B-26's destroy 3 storage buildings and damage 6 others at Wanling. 9 FBs pound troop positions in the area and destroy or damage several trucks. Several other FBs hit trucks, locomotives, and villages in Chefang area, between Lashio and Hsenwi, from Linfen to Taiyuan, and at Kunlong.
12/1/44 FEAF Major FEAF strikes include B-24 raids on Bacolod and Fabrica A/Fs and B-25 attack, with P-47 spt, on Lahug A/F. B-25's attack Cagayan A/F. B-25's and FBs also hit several A/Fs and numerous T/Os on Halmahera during a series of raids. Other FEAF aircraft maintain armed rcn and sweeps over wide area of NEI and Phil Is.
12/1/44 Seventh AF 26 Guam-based B-24's pound A/F on Iwo Jima. During 1/2 Dec a B-24 bombs Iwo Jima during a snooper mission.
12/2/44 Eighth AF Around 275 HBs attack M/Ys at Bingen, Oberlahnstein, and Koblenz-Lutzel, along with a railroad and 4 T/Os. Over 150 HBs abort because of heavy clouds. 8 ftr gps fly spt, encounter over 100 ftrs and claim 17 destroyed. Ftrs down 8 B-24's at Bingen. 3 ftr gps fly sweeps over Cologne-Kassel- Mannheim-Frankfurt/Main area, meet about 50 ftrs and claim 15 destroyed.
12/2/44 Ninth AF 210 A-20's, A-26's, and B-26's bomb areas of Saarlautern, Ensdorf, and Fraulautern. Ftrs escort 9th Bomb Div, fly armed rcn over W Germany (tgts hit include M/Y and bridges), and spt US 1st Inf Div at Luchem, 104th Inf Div at Inden, and 8th Inf Div in Brandenberger Forest-Tiefenbach Creek area.
12/2/44 Twelfth AF MBs hit several bridges in N and NE Italy, scoring effective hits on 2 bridges across the Piave and Brenta Rivers and 4 on the Brenner line. Ftrs and FBs attack comm in Po Valley and spt US Fifth Army forces in battle area S of Bologna. On 1/2 Dec A-20's hit Ghedi A/F and T/Os in NC Po Valley and trains on Brenner line.
12/2/44 Fifteenth AF Around 500 HBs attack Blechhammer N and S, Odertal and Vienna/Floridsdorf oil refineries, and Strasshof and Celldomolk M/Y and Medvedov highway bridge, plus scattered T/Os in C and E Europe.
Ftrs fly escort and carry out rcn missions.
12/2/44 Tenth AF 40 FBs fly close spt strikes in Bhamo battle sector. Supply areas, ammo dumps, personnel and tank concentrations, and strongholds at Mayathein, Kwingyi, Nanthe, Hsai-hkao, Hsenwi, Man Hkam, Wuntho, Tedaw, and Old Lashio are hit by 60-plus FBs. 16 others hit rolling stock on rail line between Hsipaw and Lashio and strafe supply train in Pangkyawng. 10 B-25's pound several N Burma bridges, knocking out road bridges at Tonglau and Nam Nung and 2 railroad orlages at langon. lransports fly 286 sorties to forward areas.
12/2/44 Fourteenth AF 4 B-25's damage several buildings at Hsenwi. 39 P-51's, P-40's, and P-38's on armed rcn attack troops, horses, trucks, railroad yards, shipping, storage facilities, and road machinery between Yungfengshih and Paoching, from Wanling to Lashio, in Chiuchiang area, N of Wanling and Nan-Tan, and at Kichang and Lashio.
12/2/44 FEAF B-24's hit Dumaguete, Matina, and Cagayan A/Fs. B-24's and B-25's attack Borebore A/F and Kendari. FBs in C Phil and Mindanao spt ground forces and hit supplies, comm, and a variety of T/Os.
MBs bomb Namlea A/F and attack shipping off Ceram.
12/2/44 Seventh AF 23 B-24's from Guam hit Iwo Jima. During 2/3 Dec 3 B-24's on snooper missions from Saipan and Guam bomb A/F on Iwo Jima.
12/3/44 Ninth AF Weather cancels bmr operations. Ftrs fly defensive patrols and armed rcn, hitting rails and bridges and dive-bomb tgts in W Germany including M/Y at Grevenbroich. 104th Inf Div is supported as it extends Inde R bridgehead beyond Lucherberg, US 1st Inf Div as it seizes Luchem, US 8th Inf Div in Brandenberger Forest-Tiefenbach Creek area, and units of US XII Corps at Sarre-Union as it checks a counterattack.
12/3/44 Twelfth AF Weather hampers operations. Many missions are aborted. MBs score effective hits only on bridge E of Mantua. 57th and 350th Ftr Gps fly 60 sorties against tgts in US Fifth Army battle area S of Bologna and against comm in N Italy. During 2/3 Dec LBs bomb lights throughout Po Valley.
12/3/44 Fifteenth AF 85 B-24's and B-17's bomb Vienna SE freight depot, Linz industrial area, M/Ys at Innsbruck, Villach, and Klagenfurt, and various T/Os. P-38's and P-51's escort HBs and fly rcn and rcn escort. 14 B-17's and B-24's drop supplies in Yugoslavia.
12/3/44 Tenth AF 32 P-47's continue close spt of ground forces attacking Bhamo. 18 others damage road bridges at Hay-ti and Tonbo and 6 attack several railroad bridges in N Burma. 4 drop delay-fuse bombs on Myitson ferry landing. 30-plus FBs hit troop and equipment concentrations, fuel and other supplies, arty, ammo dumps, and general town areas in or near Hopaw, Loipao, Man Kat, Namhpai, and Indaw.
9 strafe T/Os along Shwebo-Wuntho rail line. 4 B-25's during 3/4 Dec destroy train on Tangon railroad bridge and attack several other T/Os. 323 transport sorties are flown to forward bases and frontline areas.
12/3/44 Fourteenth AF 5 B-24's place delayed action bombs near Pengpu bridge. 4 B-25's and 10 P-51's bomb Sintsiang storage area. 67 FBs on armed rcn blast trucks, railroad tgts, warehouses, shipping and other T/Os at Wanling, Loyang, Yuncheng, HeiShih Kuan, Wuhu, and particularly in areas around Shihhweiyao and from Hengyang to Siangtan and Lingling.
12/3/44 FEAF Major B-24 strikes include raids against Malimpoeng and Mandai. B-25's pound 4 A/Fs on Halmahera while A-20's attack Point Noejew. FBs hit storage area at Palompon and A/Fs near Masbate.
12/3/44 Twentieth AF Almost 70 XXI BC B-29's based in the Marianas bomb Musashino aircraft plant and docks and urban areas at Tokyo. 6 VHBs are lost.
12/3/44 Seventh AF 17 Guam-ba Yed B-24's pound Iwo Jima. 7 others, escorting photo airplanes over Bonin and Kazan Is, bomb Haha Jima and Iwo Jima. B-24's on snooper missions from the Marianas during 3/4 Dec continue to bomb Iwo Jima.
12/4/44 Eighth AF Over 1,100 HBs bomb M/Ys at Kassel, Soest, Bebra, Giessen, and Mainz and as secondary tgts Friedberg and Koblenz M/Ys, along with city of Fulda, and several unidentified T/Os. 15 ftr gps fly spt.
Most of the 70 ftrs and HBs failing to return to UK land safely on the Continent.
12/4/44 Ninth AF Weather prevents bmr operations. Ftrs fly armed rcn and spt US 1st, 8th, and 104th Inf Divs at Luchem, Bergstein, and E of Inde R; and XII and XX Corps in drive toward the Saar R and around Saarlautern.
12/4/44 Twelfth AF B-25's hit defenses in Bagnacavallo and Faenza areas and ammo dump at Tortona. XXII TAC aircraft hit tgts in US Fifth Army battle area S of Bologna in the Apennines and comm to the N of the battle zone. During 3/4 Dec LBs again bomb T/Os in Po Valley.
12/4/44 Fifteenth AF 26 P-38's bomb railroad bridge at Zenica. 14 B-17's and B-24's drop supplies in N Italy. P-38's and P- 51's fly rcn and escort missions. Bad weather prevents HB bombing.
12/4/44 Tenth AF 28 P-47's attack and damage bridges at Kawnghka, Namyao, Nampawng, Namhkai, and Hsenwi and demolish main bridge at Ho-kho. 8 P-47's spt ground forces in Bhamo area. 60-plus FBs hit enemyheld positions, troop concentrations, supply areas, warehouses, and general T/Os at Man Mau, Nwegyo, Hkayanzatkon, Mogok, Pangpong, Namahokgyi, Kyusa, Man Maw, Mongnaw, and Man Htam. Transports fly 308 sorties to forward areas.
12/4/44 Fourteenth AF 24 B-25's, supported by 12 P-40's, hit bridges, buildings, and river, road, and rail traffic at several points in China, Indochina, and Burma including Lashio, Kutkai, Namhkai, Saiping, Hsiangcheng, Lingling, Kweilin area, between Minkiang and Sinantien, and between Sinyang and Saiping. 90-plus FBs on armed rcn pound numerous T/Os from Hsenwi to Nanning, Lang Son, and Namhkai and across S China from Burma border to Amoy.
12/4/44 Seventh AF 3 B-24's from Guam hit Marcus while 3 from Saipan bomb Pagan. Snooper missions continue as 2 Marianas-based B-24's bomb Iwo Jima during 4/5 Dec.
12/4/44 Eleventh AF A weather aircraft aborts shortly after takeoff.
12/5/44 Eighth AF More than 500 HBs attack munitions and tank works at Berlin, Munster M/Y, and 10 T/Os. 15 escorting ftr gps encounter an estimated 275-300 ftrs and claim 90 destroyed.
12/5/44 Ninth AF 172 A-20's, A-26's, and B-26's attack M/Y, road junction, fuel storage dump, defended positions, and rail bridge at 8 W German locations. Ftrs escort 9th Bomb Div, fly numerous armed rcn missions, and provide cover for US 1st, 8th, and 104th Inf Divs in Luchem, Bergstein, and Lucherberg areas.
12/5/44 Twelfth AF Bad weather severely restricts operations. MB missions are cancelled except for a weather rcn flight.
Ftrs and FBs hit a few rail lines and other comm tgts in E Po Valley but devote major effort to closely spt US Fifth Army in battle area S of Bologna.
12/5/44 Fifteenth AF Bad weather again cancels HB operations. P-38's, escorted by P-51's, fly photo and weather rcn missions.
12/5/44 Tenth AF 31 FBs spt ground forces in Bhamo area. 25 FBs hit Hay-ti, Meza, and 3 other road bridges. 20-plus FBs attack town areas, troop concentrations and storage facilities in or near Kawngwai, Kunmong, Settawagon, and Thitpoklwin. 8 attack T/Os along Shwebo-Wuntho rail line. Transports complete 285 sorties carrying troops to forward bases and dropping supplies to frontline forces. 10 B-25's bomb comm center, supplies, and personnel concentration at Mogok. On this date Tenth AF airplanes begin Operation GRUBWORM, flying Chinese 14th and 22d Divs from Burma to China in preparation for Yunnan campaign to counter a probable Japanese drive toward Kunming.
12/5/44 Fourteenth AF 7 B-24's on sweeps over Gulf of Tonkin, S China Sea, and Formosa Srait bomb Ft Bayard and Kowloon Docks and damage a freighter. 6 B-25's pound T/Os from Liuchow to Liuchenghsien. 61 P- 40's, P-51's, and P-38's on armed rcn hit river, road, and rail traffic and other T/Os at scattered points mainly in S China.
12/5/44 FEAF B-24's strike Hate Tabako, Galela, and Djailolo A/Fs. B-25's and A-20's lightly raid Miti and Kaoe A/Fs.
B-25's hit Langoan while B-24's flying in pairs hit T/Os nearby and in N Borneo. FBs over C Phil area hit Japanese positions, barges, and comm tgts.
12/5/44 Seventh AF P-47's from Saipan strafe runway on Pagan.
12/5/44 Eleventh AF 6 B-24's off for a strike on Kakumabetsu abort due to weather. B-25's cancel a shipping sweep.
12/6/44 Eighth AF Over 650 HBs, supported by ftrs flying over 750 sorties, bomb synthetic oil plant at Merseburg/Leuna, Minden aqueduct, Bielefeld M/Y, and several other tgts.
12/6/44 Ninth AF 154 A-20's and B-26's bomb defended areas of Munstereifel, Erkelenz, Nideggen, and Daun. Ftrs escort bmrs, fly armed rcn and night patrol, attack bridges, gun positions, and other tgts, and provide air cover for US V, VII, and XII Corps in areas of Bergstein, Lucherberg, and Sarreguemines and along Saar R.
12/6/44 Twelfth AF Heavy cloud cover, increasing in density throughout the day, severely restricts operations. MBs are grounded except for 1 rcn sortie. XXII TAC ftrs and FBs fly less than 100 sorties, attacking comm in Brescia, Verona, and Mantua areas.
12/6/44 Fifteenth AF 270-plus HBs attack M/Ys at Graz, Szombathely, Sopron, Nagycenk, Hegyeshalom, Maribor, Bratislava, and Devinska Nova Ves, and town of Zalaegerszeg, plus scattered T/Os. P-51's and P-38's escort HBs, cover RAF supply missions to Yugoslavia, and strafe Vienna.
12/6/44 Tenth AF 9 P-47's damage bridge at Namhkai and knock out bridge at Mongmit. 10 B-25's knock out main bridge at Bawgyo and damage bypass. 15 P-47's spt ground forces in Bhamo area, 4 bomb Hsenwi A/F, and 8 strafe Bawgyo AA positions. 12 P-47's hit troops, arty, and supplies at Banmauk, W side of Indawgyi Lake, and Namhkam. Transports fly 300 sorties to forward areas.
12/6/44 Fourteenth AF 8 P-51's attack road traffic in Hsenwi area and from there to Wanling.
12/6/44 FEAF B-24's pound Bacolod A/F. P-38's over Bacolod and others covering convoy off S Leyte claim several airplanes downed. B-25's, with P-47 spt, hit Cagayan, Jacgol, and Del Monte A/Fs. B-24's hit A/Fs at Kendari and Borebore. FBs and B-25's attack Halmahera I A/Fs while A-20's and B-25's bomb Namlea area.
12/6/44 Eleventh AF 4 B-24's bomb Suribachi A/F, scoring hits on the runway, and blast batteries. On return flight, 1 is hit by AA fire. 1 B-25 flies a negative shipping search. A B-24 weather airplane force-lands in USSR.
12/6/44 Ninth AF All missions except a few ftr patrols are cancelled because of bad weather.
12/6/44 Twelfth AF Weather grounds MBs. Ftrs and FBs, despite weather, attack railroads, roads, bridges, rolling stock, and other tgts over widespread areas of N Italy, from La Spezia to N of Po Valley. Bad weather obscures most primaries but alternate tgts are fairly successfully hit.
12/6/44 Fifteenth AF 31 B-17's and B-24's make predawn raids on Salzburg, Klagenfurt, Villach, and Lienz M/Ys, comm tgts in Wolfsberg, Spittal an der Drau, Mittersill, Sankt Veit in Defereggen, and Trieste. P-38's, and P- 51's fly rcn and rcn escort missions.
12/6/44 Tenth AF 9 B-25's knock out E span of road bridge at Tonbo. 21 P-47's spt ground forces in Bhamo area. 63 blast concentrations of enemy troops and supplies at Male while 4 others hit supplies at Myauk-le. 14 P-47's knock out bridge at Mansam and damage 3 bridges at Mongmit and Namyao. 17 others hit Nawnghkio and bomb supply areas at Na-kawnkongnyaung. Transport fly 267 sorties to forward areas.
12/6/44 Fourteenth AF 8 B-25's hit storage area at Lashio. 4 B-25's and 8 P-40's attack and considerably damage Sankiao. 4 B-25's, operating individually, attack truck convoys and other T/Os in Hengyang area and in SiangChiang Valley. 2 B-24's claim 1 cargo vessel sunk in S China Sea while 15 P-51's hit shipping at Hong Kong, claiming a destroyer and freighter sunk. 65 P-51's, P-40's, and P-38's on armed rcn over wide areas of China attack storage areas, troops, bridges, railroad tgts, and gun positions around Paoching, Anking, Hengyang, Tuhshan, Nan Tan, Kengtung, and Luchai and between Kweilin and Liuchow.
12/6/44 FEAF B-24's pound Malogo A/F, town of Masbate, and Legaspi A/F. B-25's hit Miti, Kaoe, Galela, and Lolobata A/Fs. Other FEAF aircraft fly armed rcn and harassing missions over Mindanao, N Borneo, and Makassar areas, attacking various T/Os.
12/6/44 Twentieth AF 80 B-29's, operating from Chengtu, bomb Manchuria Airplane Manufacturing Company and adjacent arsenal at Mukden. 10 other B-29's bomb a rail yard short of the primary, and several other bmrs strike alternates. The VHBs claim 20 ftrs downed.
12/6/44 Seventh AF Immediately following an enemy bombing raid on Saipan, 4 P-47's fly rcn over Pagan searching for aircraft but observe none.
12/6/44 Eleventh AF 9 bmrs fly 2 negative shipping searches.
12/8/44 Eighth AF As part of move to create self-sustaining, mobile air divs, all sub-depots are relieved from assignment to VIII AFSC and assigned to the 3 bomb divs with VIII AFSC retaining technical supervision.
12/8/44 Ninth AF 29 A-26's hit Sinzig rail bridge. Ftrs escort RAF, bomb gun positions, bridges, and city areas, fly armed rcn, and spt US V and VII Corps W of Schmidt and Duren, and XX Corps and XII Corps in Sarreguemines and Dillingen areas.
12/8/44 Twelfth AF Weather again greatly curtails operations. 4 P-47's on weather rcn of W Po Valley attack trains, claiming destruction of 4 locomotives and damage of almost 100 train cars. On 7/8 Dec 3 A-20's bomb T/Os in Po Valley.
12/8/44 Fifteenth AF Again hitting comm tgts in predawn attack 24 B-17's and B-24's bomb Moosbierbaum oil refinery and Graz, Klagenfurt, and Villach M/Ys. Later in the day P-38's fly photo and weather rcn missions. P-51's escort the photo rcn flights over Vienna area, W Hungary, and N Yugoslavia.
12/8/44 Tenth AF 30-plus P-47's spt ground forces in Bhamo area. 28 hit supply areas at Kyingyi, Loi-Lun, and Hkehkun.
12 bomb troop concentrations at Namti and 4 hit village on Nawnghkem. 16 FBs attack Shwebo motor pool and radio station while 6 others hit Namun ferry landing. 7 aircraft knock out a bypass bridge at Namhkai and 8 FBs hit railroad T/Os between Sedaw and Nawnghkio. Large-scale transport operations continue.
12/8/44 Fourteenth AF 4 B-25's hit Nan Tan area, killing many horses. 14 P-51's hit A/F and other tgts at Nanking, claiming 24 airplanes, a freighter, and 2 locomotives destroyed. 15 P-40's blast railroad tgts and buildings from Nan Tan area to Liuchow. 25 P-51's hit Hochih and troops, warehouses, trucks and ammo dump in the area. 20-plus other FBs on armed rcn hit various T/Os around Lipo, Shihhweiyao, Tuhshan, Santon, Paoching, Hengyang, Taiyuan, and Linfen areas.
12/8/44 FEAF 60-plus B-25's and FBs (along with RAAF airplanes) hit A/F and various other tgts on Halmahera. 60- plus B-24's bomb Mandurriao, Lahug and La Carlota A/Fs while FBs hit San Isidro area. FEAF aircraft fly armed rcn and light raids over N Borneo, N Celebes, Flores, and Wewak area.
12/8/44 Twentieth AF 60-plus B-29's from the Marianas join P-38's, B-24's and Navy cruisers in strike against A/Fs on Iwo Jima from which Japanese strikes against US A/Fs in the Marianas are being launched. (Japanese aircraft strike the A/Fs on 2, 7, and 27 Nov, 7 and 25 (the largest attack-25 aircraft) Dec, and from 25 Dec 44 to 2 Jan 45 in very minor degrees. Altogether about 80 aircraft attack, and nearly 40 are downed. 11 B-29's are destroyed and 43 damaged).
12/8/44 Seventh AF 89 B-24's from Guam and Saipan join B-29's and naval vessels in bombarding Iwo Jima A/Fs. 28 P- 38's escort the B-29's. The strikes are aimed at reducing the raids against US bases in the Marianas.
12/9/44 Eighth AF Nearly 400 B-17's bomb 2 A/Fs and a M/Y in Stuttgart area, along with 5 T/Os. 7 ftr gps fly escort and strafe transportation tgts.
12/9/44 Ninth AF 254 A-20's, A-26's, and B-26's bomb defended villages, storage depots, barracks area, and M/Y in W Germany. Ftrs escort 9th Bomb Div, sweep Landau and Saarbrucken areas, attack Zulpich and bridge at Euskirchen, and spt XII and XX Corps in Sarreguemines and Saar R area and around Dillingen.
12/9/44 Twelfth AF Bad weather grounds MBs. Ftrs and FBs attack comm in C and NE Po Valley.
12/9/44 Fifteenth AF 170 HBs attack Linz industrial area and Villach M/Y, Regensburg oil refinery, and several Plzen armament works. P-51's and P-38's escort the HBs and fly rcn missions.
12/9/44 Tenth AF 12 P-17's knock out a bridge at Mongmit, damage another and blast approach to Namyao bridge.
Villages and building areas, supply dumps, and T/Os are attacked at Man Mao, Etgyi, Namhsim, Tawma and other points in N Burma. Transports continue flying men and supplies to forward areas, completing nearly 300 sorties.
12/9/44 Fourteenth AF 12 B-25's bomb Lipo, Tuhshan, and Hochih. A B-25 attacks truck convoy in Siang-Chiang Valley while a B-24 claims 1 cargo ship sunk in S China Sea. 19 P-40's and P-51's hit river, road, and rail shipping and other T/Os from Kweiyi to Siangtan. 65 P-51's and P-40's hit similar T/Os around Kweilin, Liuchow, Lingling, Hengyang, Tuhshan, and Chuchou. 50 more FBs hit T/Os at several other locations scattered throughout S China.
12/9/44 FEAF B-24's bomb Lingkas tank farm, Dondang R bridge and Sanga Sanga oil installations, and 3 A/Fs in Amboina-Ceram area. P-38's hit Old Namlea A/F. B-25's attack Wasile Bay area.
12/9/44 Seventh AF 2 B-24's from Saipan during 9/10 Dec fly harassment strikes against Iwo Jima.
12/10/44 Eighth AF Over 450 HBs strike M/Ys at Bingen and Koblenz-Lutzel and several T/Os supported by 10 ftr gps. 2 other gps sweep E of tgt area.
12/10/44 Ninth AF About 130 B-26's bomb defended positions at Birkesdorf, and Huchem-Stammeln. Ftrs escort 9th Bomb Div, strafe and dive-bomb numerous tgts in W Germany, and spt US 8th, 9th, 83d, and 104th Inf Divs and 3d and 5th Armd Divs in areas around Bergstein, Duren, and along W bank of the Roer.
12/10/44 Twelfth AF MBs bomb bridges, fills, and tunnel in Brenner Pass area, hit Fidenza bridge and barracks at Bologna, and spt British Eighth Army in Faenza area, bombing defensive positions. XXII TAC tgts are again predominantly comm N of US Fifth Army battle zone.
12/10/44 Fifteenth AF 550-plus B-17's and B-24's dispatched to bomb oil tgts in Germany are recalled because of overcast weather. 6 B-17's manage to bomb Klagenfurt M/Y as a T/O.
12/10/44 Tenth AF 20 P-47's fly close spt strikes in Bhamo area. 8 others blast approaches to Hay-ti road bridge. 50-plus P-47's hit warehouses and other storage areas, troop concentrations, and positions at Daungbin, Myebalin, Kyaunghkam, Pongon, Thinbaung, Kawnghkang, Pangteng, and Hsipaw. 12 B-25's hit storage areas at Meza, Namun, and Kungmong. Transports fly 178 sorties to forward areas.
12/10/44 Fourteenth AF 25 B-24's bomb city of Hankow. 3 others bomb Samah Bay docks. 8 B-25's bomb Kutkai and hit T/Os in Liuchow area. 118 P-40's, P-51's, and P-38's on armed rcn over wide areas of China attack numerous T/Os, concentrating on rail, river, and road traffic, especially in the Hochih, Changsha, and Yuncheng areas.
12/10/44 FEAF In principal strikes of the day B-24's hit Pamoesian tank farm and nearby alternates of Lingkas tank farm, Labuan docks, and Lutong refinery, while B-25's pound Sidate A/F. In smaller raids P-38's hit port Misamis. B-25's bomb A/Fs on Boeroe and Amboina, and FBs pound storage facilities and T/Os in C Phil Is.
12/10/44 Seventh AF 3 B-24's from Saipan and 1 from Guam fly harassment strikes against Iwo Jima during 10/11 Dec.
12/11/44 Eighth AF Over 1,400 HBs attack M/Ys at Frankfurt/Main, Hanau, and Giessen, and road and rail bridges at Mannheim and Maximiliansau, along with several T/Os. 15 ftr gps fly escort and 1 gp later strafes tgts in Kassel-Minden area.
12/11/44 Ninth AF Over 200 bmrs dispatched to bomb defended villages and storage areas in Germany are recalled because of weather. 1 bmr manages to bomb stores depot at Reichenbach. Ftrs escort RAF, divebomb tgts in German cities, and spt, US 3d Armd Div in Echtz-Geich area, 104th Inf Div at Merken, 9th Inf Div at Merode and Derichsweiler, and 83d Inf Div at Strass.
12/11/44 Twelfth AF MBs hit Motta di Livenza bridge. Ftrs and FBs hit occupied areas, houses, guns, and defensive positions S of Bologna and attack railroad tgts in C Po Valley. During 10/11 Dec LBs attack vehicles, lights, railway lines, roads, river ferries, and pontoon bridges in Po Valley.
12/11/44 Fifteenth AF 435 HBs, with ftr escorts, attack Moosbierbaum oil refinery, and in Vienna/Matzleinsdorf railroad station, S ordnance depot, and SE goods depot. Alternate tgts include Kapfenberg tank works, town of Tulln, Parndorf A/F, Graz M/Y, and various T/Os.
12/11/44 Tenth AF 12 B-25's hit stores area at Hpaklon. 16 P-47's spt ground forces in Bhamo area. 21 P-47's knock out and damage bridges at Mongmit, Man Aitau, Ho-hko, and Pa-mao. 7 FBs severely damage Hsipaw ferry. Supply and personnel concentrations and town areas are hit at Lawa, Myitson, Pemnegon, Nam Pan, Hsenwi, and Nawngpeng. 270 transport sorties are flown to forward areas.
12/11/44 Fourteenth AF 6 B-24's and 6 B-25's, supported by 8 P-51's, pound Hai Duong area. 12 B-25's bomb Kutkai. 16 FBs attack Tien Ho A/F, Kengtung barracks, Lashio, and Wan Lai-Kam.
12/11/44 FEAF In major air activity B-24's bomb Mandurriao A/F. B-25's, with P-47 spt, hit Padada A/F and Fifth AF ftrs join Marine aircraft in attacks on 13-ship convoy off NW Leyte. B-25's, A-20's, and FBs hit Goeroea. Other FEAF planes make small raids on oil and shipping tgts around N Borneo.
12/11/44 Seventh AF Col Lawrence J Carr becomes CO of VII BC. 28 B-24's from Guam pound A/F and ammunition storage area on Iwo Jima. Night harassment of Iwo Jima continues as individual B-24's from Guam and Saipan fly 3 snooper strikes against the island during 11/12 Dec.
12/11/44 Eleventh AF 4 MBs fly negative enemy shipping search.
12/12/44 Eighth AF Nearly 1,200 HBs hit M/Ys at Darmstadt, Hanau, and Aschaffenburg, and synthetic oil plant at Merseburg/Leuna (all primary tgts); and other tgts including Friedberg M/Y, Gelnhausen, Nordhausen, Dieburg, and several T/Os. 15 ftr gps fly escort, 4 of them later strafing ground tgts.
12/12/44 Ninth AF 90 B-26's and A-20's strike defended villages of Gemund, Harperscheid, Hellenthal, Schoneseiffen, Wollseiffen, and Schleiden, and towns of Dorsel, Mayen, and Wiesbaden. Ftrs fly armed rcn and strafing and bombing missions in W Germany and spt US 83d Inf Div in Strass-Gey area, cover VII Corps in Duren area, and spt XII and XX Corps in Habkirchen and Bliesbruck areas (35th Inf Div assault across Blies R) and Saarlautern-Dillingen.
12/12/44 Twelfth AF Bad weather cancels all except 11 weather rcn sorties.
12/12/44 Fifteenth AF 75 B-17's and B-24's bomb Blechhammer S oil refinery, Moravska-Ostrava, and several T/Os. Around 40 P-51's and P-38's fly rcn and rcn escort.
12/12/44 Tenth AF 11 B-25's bomb several storage areas N of Lashio. 20-plus P-47's knock out bridges at Namyao, Inailong, and Kunlong, and damage others at Hohko, Hinlong, and Kunlong. 40-plus FBs hit Japanese HQ, trucks, town areas, troop concentrations, and supplies at Sedo, Pale, Chaunggyi, Tada-u, Hsenwi, Shwebo, and Thabyetha. 263 transport sorties are flown to forward areas.
12/12/44 Fourteenth AF 6 B-25's bomb Kutkai, damaging 3 warehouses and 2 other buildings. 50-plus P-40's, P-51's, and P- 38's on armed rcn attack many T/Os including town areas, road and rail traffic, and supplies at or near Wan Pa-Hsa, Chiengmai, Sinantien, Paoching, Hengyang, Changsha, Kweilin, Nan-Tan, Hochih, and Szeenhsien. Several FBs drop napalm on Yangtong A/F.
12/12/44 FEAF B-24's, with ftr cover, bomb Bacolod A/F while B-25's hit San Roque A/F. B-24's pound Kendari A/F. In Amboina-Ceram-Boeroe area B-25's hit 3 A/Fs and attack barges. A-20's hit A/F on Efman I.
12/12/44 Twentieth AF Serv gps of 313th Bomb Wg arrive on Tinian.
12/12/44 Seventh AF 24 Saipan-based B-24's pound Iwo Jima. Individual B-24's from Saipan and Guam fly 5 snooper strikes against Iwo during 12/13 Dec.
12/12/44 Eleventh AF The weather aircraft aborts mission due to weather.
12/13/44 Eighth AF Over 200 B-17's dispatched against tgts in Germany are recalled when weather grounds ftr escort.
12/13/44 Ninth AF 250 A-20's, A-26's, and B-26's hit supply dump at Schleiden, plus defended positions in several villages and M/Y at Euskirchen. Ftrs escort 9th Bomb Div, fly night bombing missions, attack tgts in Cologne area, and spt XX Corps in Dillingen- Saarlautern bridgehead area, and XII Corps in Habkirchen-Bliesbruck area along Blies R.
12/13/44 Twelfth AF Weather again hampers operations. The only B-25 bombing mission of the day aborts. Ftrs and FBs attack mainly occupied areas and buildings in battle area S of Bologna, comm throughout C Po Valley, and coastal defend AA guns S of La Spezia.
12/13/44 Fifteenth AF Weather restricts operations to rcn and escort missions.
12/13/44 Tenth AF 12 B-25's bomb storage and personnel area at Mongmit. 7 P-47's damage approach to Hay-ti road bridge while 4 spt US inf forces near Tonkwa. Supply areas, personnel, Japanese-held buildings, vehicles, and general T/Os are hit by 60-plus FBs at several places including Hosi, Longkin, Kyauktaing, Tigyaing, Kantha, Man-pwe, and Konnyaung. 260-plus transport sorties carry men and supplies to forward areas.
12/13/44 Fourteenth AF 6 B-25's severely damage warehouse area at Hsenwi. 2 bomb town of Wuming. 24 P-51's and P-38's hit town of Bac Ninh and rail yards at Phu Lang Thuong, and damage bridge at Chiengmai.
12/13/44 FEAF B-24's bomb Carolina and Talisay A/Fs. B-25's bomb San Roque, Haroekoe, Amahai, Old Namlea, and Liang A/Fs. B-25's, P-38's, and P-47's on small raids hit shore positions at Galela Bay, while covering attempted rescue of downed pilot by PT boat, and bomb Goeroea supply area. Other B-25's and B-24's on rcn hit T/Os in Sulu Archipelago.
12/13/44 Twentieth AF 70-plus B-29's from the Marianas bomb and considerably damage Mitsubishi aircraft engine plant at Nagoya as bombing accuracy is improved.
12/13/44 Seventh AF With most of its personnel aboard the Sea Flasher and its equipment aboard the Cape Catoche, Seventh AF HQ arrives at Tanapag. Remainder of HQ arrives by air, 14-19 Dec. 15 Guam-based B- 24's bomb Iwo Jima. 3 from Saipan, on armed rcn mission, bomb Marcus I. During 13/14 Dec 6 B-24's make individual harassment raids against Iwo Jima from Saipan and Guam.
12/13/44 Eleventh AF 4 MBs weatherabort a shipping search.
12/14/44 Ninth AF Bad weather grounds bmrs. Ftrs fly armed rcn, hit rail tgts and bridges, and spt US 2d and 99th Inf Divs in Monschau Forest, 8th Inf Div in Bergstein area, 78th Inf Div in Simmerath-Kesternich area, and XII and XX Corps around Habkirchen and Saarlautern.
12/14/44 Twelfth AF MBs score effective hits on railroad bridges at Parma and Chivasso. Ftrs and FBs attack rail lines N of the immediate battle area and in Po Valley and hit guns and occupied areas on US Fifth Army front S of Bologna.
12/14/44 Fifteenth AF Bad weather cancels all operations except 1 P-38 rcn mission.
12/14/44 Tenth AF 12 B-25's again bomb supply and personnel area at Mongmit. Bodegon railroad bridge is severely damaged by 4 P-47's. 48 P-47's hit troop concentrations, supplies, and areas of active enemy movement at Panghkam, Hohai, Dobin, Kyaukpyintha, Ho-naw, Kunlong, and Nawngkyaung. 4 others spt ground forces near Tonkwa. Large-scale transport operations to forward areas continue. Japanese garrison at Bhamo prepares to withdraw.
12/14/44 Fourteenth AF 6 B-25's bomb Loi Mwe while 10 P-38's and P-51's hit Kentung.
12/14/44 FEAF B-24's pound A/Fs on Negros. B-25's hit Zettle Field in Sulu Archipelago and Namlea. Other planes carry out sweeps, armed rcn, and light raids against various tgts in C Phil Is, Luzon, Mindanao and Palawan Ia, Halmahera, N Borneo, and Sulu Archipelago.
12/14/44 Twentieth AF 33 B-29's, flying out of Calcutta area, bomb railroad bridge at Bangkok. 14 others hit T/Os and alternate tgts.
12/14/44 Seventh AF 24 Saipan-based B-24's pound Iwo Jima. During 14/15 Dec 6 B-24's from Guam and Saipan fly individual snooper strikes against Iwo Jima.
12/15/44 Eighth AF Around 650 HBs strike Hannover M/Y, Kassel tank factories and M/Y, and 9 T/Os. 11 ftr gps fly escort.
12/15/44 Ninth AF 300-plus A-20's, A-26's, and B-26's hit defended positions, camp area, and oil storage at Heimbach, Wollseifen, Harperscheid, Schonau, Ruthen, and Dorsel. Ftrs escort 9th bomb Div, hit supply and ammo dumps and other tgts during bombing attacks and armed rcn, and spt US 2d and 99th Inf Divs in area of Westwall fortifications, 78th Div at Kesternich, and 8th Inf and 5th Armd Div N of Kesternich.
Ftrs spt XX and XII Corps in Dillingen-Saarlautern area and at Habkirchen and heights along Blies R.
12/15/44 Twelfth AF B-25's, attack ammo dumps at Cremona, Bologna, and Pavia, fuel dump at Castellar Guidobono, and severely damage railway bridges S of Asti and at Voghera. Ftrs and FBs again hit tgts in US Fifth Army battle area S of Bologna and comm in C Po Valley and make numerous rail cuts throughout the area (especially on the vital Brenner Line) destroying many vehicles and train cars. Several bridges are hit, 3 being left impassable.
12/15/44 Fifteenth AF 330-plus HBs attack main M/Ys, main station, and freight yard at Linz, M/Ys at Amstetten, Salzburg, Innsbruck, and Rosenheim (all primary tgts) and T/Os including Klagenfurt and Waldhausen M/Y and town of Sankt Johann in Tirol. Schwaz M/Y is also hit (due to malfunction of instruments). 250plus P- 38's and P-51's provide escort.
12/15/44 Tenth AF 10 B-25's destroy Hsi-paw railroad bridge and a bypass bridge at Namhkai and damage other bridges at Namhkai. 4 P-47's severely damage 2 bridges at Ho-hko. 7 P-47's fly close spt strikes along Namh- KamBhamo road. Japanese garrison at Bhamo escapes through Chinese lines early in the morning and later Chinese troops occupy the town. 13 P-47's hit Lashio A/F. Town areas, troop concentrations, and supply areas are attacked at Panglong, Nanponpon, Panghkam, Kinu, Man Hpai, and Namhkam.
Steady air movement of men and supplies to forward bases and frontline areas continues.
12/15/44 Fourteenth AF 6 B-25's blast storage building at Kunlong. 5 P-51's hit and damage a bridge and a building S of Huizan. 4 P-38's knock out bridge at Hawng Luk.
12/15/44 FEAF In major strikes of the day, FBs hit fuel dump at San Fernando; B-24's and B-25's bomb Sasa and San Roque A/Fs; B-24's bomb Puerto Princesa; and B-25's hit A/Fs on Ceram and Amboina.
Miscellaneous armed rcn and light raids by ftrs and bmrs are flown against A/Fs on Boeroe I and on Halmahera; shipping and other T/Os are attacked at several points throughout NEI.
12/15/44 Seventh AF 13 B-24's from Guam bomb Iwo Jima. During 15/16 Dec a B-24 on snooper raid from Guam hits the island.
12/15/44 ZI Continental AF is activated to coordinate the work of the 4 domestic AFs and I TC Cmd but will not assume jurisdiction until 8 May 45.
12/16/44 Eighth AF Over 100 B-17's supported by 3 ftr gps bomb Stuttgart M/Y, city of Bietigheim, and a T/O.
12/16/44 Ninth AF Bad weather cancels 9th Bomb Div combat operations. Ftrs escort RAF, fly night patrol and intercept missions, and spt US First Army elements in Ardennes as German FM von Rundstedt begins allout counteroffensive, and XII and XX Corps at Saarlautern bridgehead and in Saint-Avold-Saarbrucken area where news of Ardennes counteroffensive cancels XII Corps plans for assault on Westwall.
12/16/44 Twelfth AF Bad weather grounds MBs. XXII TAC FBs hit occupied buildings and guns in battle zone S of Bologna, continue attacks on Brenner rail line effecting 16 rail cuts, hit and set aflame 3 vessels in La Spezia drydock, and blast several railroad bridges N of battle area.
12/16/44 Fifteenth AF Almost 600 B-24's and B-17's bomb synthetic oil plant at Brux and armament works at Plzen, benzol plant at Linz, and M/Ys at Innsbruck and Villach, plus several scattered T/Os. P-38's and P-51's escort operations to Czechoslovakia. Other P-38's fly rcn missions while P-51's fly rcn escort.
12/16/44 Tenth AF 4 P-47's spt US ground forces near Tonkwa. Locomotives, storage areas, buildings, personnel, and areas of Japanese activity are attacked at Se-eng, Nanponpon, Kangon, Winghsa, Inywa, Molo, and Mabein. Large-scale air supply to forward areas continues.
12/16/44 FEAF Major operations of FEAF include B-24 strikes on Padada and Puerto Princesa A/Fs. B-25's, A-20's, and FBs attack A/Fs and T/Os including shipping in Ceram area and in C Phil Is. T/Os are also attacked in N Borneo and in Vogelkop Peninsula area.
12/16/44 Seventh AF Daytime activities are limited to rcn flights by B-24's over the Bonin and Kazan Is and by P-47's over Pagan. During 16/17 Dec 3 B24's from Guam and Saipan fly individual snooper strikes against Iwo Jima.
12/17/44 Ninth AF Weather prevents bmr operations. Over 1,000 ftrs fly armed rcn, defensive patrols, and attacks on bridges and gun positions. IX and XIX TACs also spt ground forces (8th, 28th, 78th, 99th, and 106th Inf Divs, 5th Armd Div, V, VII, VIII, XII, and XX Corps) against counteroffensive in the Ardennes and in battle to hold Saarlautern bridgehead.
12/17/44 Twelfth AF Bad weather again cancels MB operations. XXII TAC hits comm in Po Valldssssey and attacks Trento M/Y on rail line running N to Brenner Pass.
12/17/44 Fifteenth AF 550-plus HBs bomb oil refineries at Blechhammer N and S, Odertal and Moravska-Ostrava, M/Ys at Gross Strehlitz, Villach, Saak, Salzburg, and Wels. P-38's and P-51's escort HBs, fly rcn, strafe railroad running from Rosenheim into Austria, and escort photo rcn operations. Enemy ftrs appear in force for first time since Aug HBs and ftrs claim 55 air victories.
12/17/44 Tenth AF 8 P-47's spt ground forces in Namhkam sector. 8 more P-47's hit rail T/Os between Kyaikthin to Kinu, then E to the Irrawaddy and up the river to Tigyaing. 4 hit rivercraft at Tagaung. 50-plus FBs attack storage areas, vehicles, bivouacs, personnel areas, and general T/Os at Pang-hsao, Kyaukme, Manai, Kutkai, Ma-ugon, Hpa-ye, and Man Namman. 12 more strafe T/Os during Kyaukme-Nampyao railroad sweep. 290 transport sorties are flown.
12/17/44 Fourteenth AF 9 B-24's pound Camranh Bay area. 5 B-25's bomb road at Wan Pa-Hsa while 12 FBs hit nearby railroad bridge, damaging it severely.
12/17/44 FEAF B-24's pound Bacolod A/F while B-25's hit Silay A/F. P-40's join Marine FBs in attacking Cananga area and P-38's destroy several aircraft during sweeps over Negros. B-25's bomb Likanan while B-24's with P-47 spt, hit Jolo A/F. FBs hit positions at Valencia. B-24's and FBs attack Jesselton and Laha A/Fs.
12/17/44 Seventh AF 24 B-24's from Saipan and 26 from Guam pound Iwo Jima. 3 from Saipan, on armed rcn, bomb Woleai Atoll and Eauriprik. During 17/18 Dec B-24's from Saipan and Guam fly 3 single-plane harassment strikes against Iwo Jima.
12/18/44 Eighth AF Over 350 HBs hit M/Ys at Cologne-Kalk, Kaiserslautern, and Mainz, areas of Koblenz, Lutzel, and Bonn, and several T/Os. Bad weather causes over 500 aborts. 7 ftr gps fly escort.
12/18/44 Ninth AF 160-plus A-26's, A-20's, and B-26's hit defended positions at Harperscheid, Hellenthal, Blumenthal, Dreiborn, and Herhahn. Ftrs fly sweeps and armed rcn over W Germany (claiming over 40 enemy airplanes downed plus hitting numerous ground tgts) and spt US 2d, 4th, 28th, and 106th Inf Divs W of Butgenbach, W of Trier, SE of Clervaux, and SE of Saint-Vith, and XII Corps at Niedergailbach. IX TAC hits Panzer units spearheading Bulge.
12/18/44 Twelfth AF Weather again curtails operations. XXII TAC ftrs and FBs hit comm in E Po Valley, scoring particular success against lines in N part of the Valley in Padua region, and spt US Fifth Army operations in battle area S of Bologna.
12/18/44 Fifteenth AF 560-plus HBs hit oil refineries at Blechhamer (2), Odertal, Vienna/Floridsdorf, MoravskaOstrava, and Auschwitz; M/Ys at Graz, Studenzen, and Sopron; Bruck an der Mur industrial area, and various scattered T/Os. Ftrs fly escort and rcn missions.
12/18/44 Tenth AF 12 B-25's knock out two railroad bridges at Wetlet and damage another at Saye. 17 P-47's destroy bypass bridges at Hinlong and Wingkang. 11 P-47's hit A/F at Nawnghkio while 12 others sweep A/Fs at Anisakan, Hsumhsai, and Nawnghkio. 9 FBs provide close spt to ground forces in Namhkam. 17 P- 47's attack personnel and supply areas at Man Ton and Hseing-hkai. 292 transports fly men and supplies to forward bases and battle areas.
12/18/44 Fourteenth AF 33 B-24's bomb barracks and administrative buildings at Hankow. 23 B-25's hit Wuchang. 7 B-25's bomb barracks and damage a bridge at Siaokan A/F while 6 others pound storage buildings at Kunlong. 149 P-40's and P-51's spt the Hankow, Siaokan, and Wuchang raids and claim 42 aircraft downed and destroyed on the ground. 20 P-51's and P-38's follow the B-25 strike on Kunlong with napalm attacks, causing considerable damage. 28 other P-40's and P-51's attack various T/Os around Hochih, Nanning, Mengmao, Wanling, Sang Song, and Phu Bang Thuong.
12/18/44 FEAF FBs destroy bridge on Palompon-Cananga road on Leyte and pound Calatagan A/F. B-25's hit San Roque A/F. FBs attack Tanao harbor and A/F and T/Os in Tarakan area, strafe seaplane facilities at Sanga Sanga, and bomb Haroekoe A/F.
12/18/44 Twentieth AF 63 B-29's flying out of the Marianas hit Mitsubishi aircraft plant at Nagoya. 10 others bomb last resort tgts and T/Os. 84 B-29's, flying out of Chengtu area, drop incendiaries on docks at Hankow in the first mass firebomb attack by B-29's. The strike is made in conjunction with 200 aircraft of Fourteenth AF, 5 other VHBs hit alternates.
12/18/44 Seventh AF 6 Guam-based B-24's flying armed photo rcn over Moen, Param, and Eten bomb Dublon. After photographing A/Fs on the 3 islands, the HBs return by way of Woleai, Puluwat, and Namonuito and photograph all 3 atolls. During 18/19 Dec, 4 B-24's from Guam and Saipan fly snooper strikes against Iwo Jima.
12/19/44 Eighth AF Over 300 HBs attack Ehrang and Koblenz M/Ys and 8 W German rail and road junctions, rail and road chokepoints, and railhead tgts. Only 1 ftr gp flies escort as weather grounds others.
12/19/44 Ninth AF All administrative sections and extra operational equipment of XXIX TAC are moved from Maastricht to Saint-Trond to avert transportation problems should XXIX TAC be subsequently forced into a hasty withdrawal. Weather grounds bmrs. Ftrs fly armed rcn in W Germany, escort RAF Lancasters, fly patrols from Belgium to the Rhine, spt US 1st, 2d, 99th, and 106th Inf Divs, and 7th Armd Div (N and E of Malmedy and SE and SW of Saint-Vith), and fly cover for US Twelfth Army troops and XII Corps near Verdun and Saint-Avold.
12/19/44 Twelfth AF Weather grounds MBs. XXII TAC ftrs and FBs, unable to reach primary tgts further N, hit comm N of battle area but concentrate mainly on gun positions in La Spezia area.
12/19/44 Fifteenth AF More than 400 B-24's and B-17's attack Blechhammer N and S and Moravska-Ostrava oil refineries, Rosenheim rail sidings and M/Y and Strasshof, Villach, Klagenfurt, Graz, Innsbruck, and Sopron M/Ys, town of Sternberk, and several scattered T/Os. P-38's and P-51's fly rcn missions and escort HBs.
12/19/44 Tenth AF 12 B-25's hit road junctions at Mongmit and S of Kyaukme, Kyaukme railroad station, and Hsenwi bridge. 7 P-47's severely damage Tonbo road bridge, and 11 others hit T/Os during Onmaka-Hsoplong rail sweep. 42 P-47's pound supply and personnel areas and troops at Myadaung, Tantabin, and Twinnge, village of Nyaugbintha, and truck park near Humon. 300-plus transport sorties are flown to forward areas.
12/19/44 Fourteenth AF 16 B-25's, escorted by 24 P-40's, attack Pengpu. 4 P-38's bomb Wanling-Mongyu road causing trafflc block. 4 P-51's claim 2 freighters sunk off Hong Kong. 2 P-40's destroy 3 locomotives and a truck at Sinyang.
12/19/44 FEAF Ftr-supported B-25's bomb Fabrica A/F. Ftrs on sweep over Ponay, Negros, and Leyte hit Fabrica, Bacolod, Silay, Dumaguete and Alicante A/Fs, and town of Palompon. B-24's bomb Legaspi A/F while P-38's hit Batangas A/F. B-25's, A-20's, and P-38's pound Kairatoe area. Other FEAF aircraft on armed rcn, sweeps, and small strikes hit T/Os at many locations throughout NEI and Phil Is.
12/19/44 Twentieth AF 17 B-29's, from Chengtu area, hit aircraft plant at Omura, 13 others hit secondary tgt of Shanghai, and another 2 strike other alternates.
12/19/44 Seventh AF HQ Seventh AF is officially opened at Tanapag. 27 B-24's from Saipan and 25 from Guam strike Iwo Jima. 3 on armed rcn from Guam bomb Marcus. 14 P-38's from Saipan, with 3 B-29's as navigational escort, strafe A/Fs on Iwo Jima. 4 B-25's from Guam and Saipan carry out 3 snooper strikes against Iwo Jima during 19/20 Dec.
12/19/44 ZI 4 ftrs of Fourth AF, directed by Los Angeles Control Gp to search for Japanese balloon reported over Santa Monica, are unable to locate the tgt.
12/20/44 Ninth AF Bad weather prevents all combat operations, except night intruder mission by 2 ftrs.
12/20/44 Twelfth AF Continued bad weather limits operations. MBs are grounded and overcast prevents ftrs and FBs to reach many tgts in C and E Po Valley. However, the Brenner line is cut S of Trento and trains are successfully attacked near Padua and Treviso. Armed rcn in W Po Valley accounts for several locomotives, vehicles, and other T/Os, and railroads, bridges, and T/Os are hit in the La Spezia and Genoa areas. During 19/ 20 Dec LBs attack lights at 5 locations in E Po Valley.
12/20/44 Fifteenth AF For fifth consecutive day, HBs hit Axis oil production. 454 HBs hit Regensburg oil refinery, M/Ys at Linz, Salzburg, and Villach, and armament works at Plzen. Over 300 P-38's and P-51's provide escort.
40-plus others fly rcn and rcn-escort missions.
12/20/44 Tenth AF 9 B-25's destroy 3 road bridges at Mongmit, bypass bridges at Tangon and Tantabin, and 3 bridges in N Burma. 3 other MBs blast ferry area at Thabeikkyin. 12 P-47's knock out Hay-ti road bridge and damage Pa-mao bridge. 12 other FBs sweep the Irrawaddy from Sheinmaga to Twinnge, strafing several T/Os. 13 P-47's spt ground forces in Namhkam sector. Troops, supply areas, and buildings are pounded at Hseing-hkai, Tigyaing, Na-kawnkongnyaung, and Man Hkunhawng. Transport operations to front areas total 284 sorties.
12/20/44 Fourteenth AF 118 P-51's and P-40's on armed rcn over S China and E Burma attack road, rail, and river traffic and other T/Os, mainly in or near Wanling, Mongyu, Monhkong, Lashio, Hochih, Chinchenchiang Hong Kong, Sinyang, Lohochai, Leiyang, Kweilin, Sintsiang, Siangtan, Paoching, Liuchenghsien, Hengshan, and Hengyang.
12/20/44 FEAF 150-plus B-24's, B-25's, and FBs pound 10 A/Fs throughout C Phil Is and 3 on Mindanao. In NEI B- 24's hit Malang A/F and B-25's hit Haroekoe. Numerous other single FEAF flights and small forces attack a large variety of T/Os throughout NEI and the Phil Is.
12/20/44 Seventh AF 23 B-24's, based on Saipan, pound Iwo Jima. During 20/ 21 Dec 6 B-24's from Guam and Saipan hit Iwo Jima with 5 snooper strikes.
12/20/44 Eleventh AF A B-24 flies armed rcn over the Kurils. Another B-24 strikes Onnekotan installations, while 2 more flying armed photo mission over Kashiwabara and Kataoka also strafe buildings on Onnekotan and bomb Nemo Bay. 4 B-25's abort a fighter-decoy mission due to weather.
12/21/44 Ninth AF IX and XXIX TACs are transferred from Ninth AF to British Second Tac AF control to operate against the N line of the Bulge. XIX TAC flies armed weather and intruder rcn in SaarbruckenTrier area.
Weather grounds all operations.
12/21/44 Twelfth AF During 20/21 Dec A-20's attack highways, secondary roads, and T/Os in N and C Po Valley. During the day, bad weather grounds MBs and reduces ftr and FB operations of XXII TAC. However, XXII TAC aircraft are effective against railroad tgts in Treviso area and damage Ghedi A/F. Trains, vehicles, guns, and buildings are attacked in or near Mantua, Milan, Turin, La Spezia, Padua, and Mestre.
12/21/44 Fifteenth AF 84 B-24's bomb main M/Y and railroad sidings at Rosenheim. 40 P-51's provide escort. Over 40 P- 38's fly photo rcn and rcn escort missions.
12/21/44 Tenth AF 12 B-25's bomb supply and personnel area at Magyidon. 13 P-47's damage bridges at Hay-ti, Mong Long, and Pa-Mao. Rail T/Os from Hsumhsai to Hsipaw are attacked by 12 P-47's. More than 20 FBs hit troop concentrations at several points including Man Ka-lao and general area E of Shweli R. 12 P- 47's bomb and strafe Lashio area. 290-plus transport sorties are flown to forward bases and frontline areas.
12/21/44 Fourteenth AF 5 P-40's and P-51's fly armed rcn over wide expanses of S China, E Burma and N Indochina. The ftrs attack chiefly troops and river, road, and rail trafflc and a variety of T/Os at numerous locations. 9 B- 25's bomb Kunlong and Minkiang.
12/21/44 FEAF 24's, B-25's, and FBs pound 10 A/Fs mostly on Negros and elsewhere in C Phils. Leyte-based FBs fly over 100 attack sorties. Likanan A/F is also hit by HBs. B-25's pound Goeroea, Anggai, and Lolobata.
12/21/44 Twentieth AF 19 B-29's from Chengtu attack Mukden. The primary objective (Manchuria Airplane Manufacturing Company) suffers little damage and nearby arsenal and rail yards are slightly damaged. 8 other VHBs bomb alternates and T/Os.
12/21/44 Seventh AF 23 Guam-based B-24's hit Iwo Jima. During 21/22 Dec, 4 B-24's from the Marianas fly 3 harassment strikes against Iwo Jima.
12/22/44 Ninth AF 3 ftr gps of IX TAC are transferred to XIX TAC to concentrate air power for cooperation with US Third Army to which main effort against the Bulge has been assigned. The gps return to control of IX TAC on 25 Dec. Ftrs fly a few strafing, weather rcn, intruder patrol, and alert missions. Bad weather cancels all other missions.
12/22/44 Twelfth AF During 21/22 Dec A-20's hit scattered tgts in Po Valley. Clearing weather during the day enables MBs to hit bridges at Torre Beretti, Pontetidone, and at Chiari. FBs concentrate on railway tgts, destroying 5 bridges in N Italy and making numerous cuts in rail lines, several on the important Brenner line. Motor transport and guns N of battle area are also successfully attacked.
12/22/44 Fifteenth AF Bad weather restricts operations to rcn, supply dropping, and escort missions over Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Yugoslavia.
12/22/44 Tenth AF 12 B-25's bomb supply area at Magyidon. 8 P-47's knock out Namhkai bypass bridge and damage 2 bridges at Kinu. 16 hit T/Os along Irrawaddy R from Tagaung to Thabeikkyin and along road E and N to Mongmit. 12 P-47's bomb and strafe personnel area at Onbauk and bridge at Na-lang. More than 300 transport sorties are flown to forward areas.
12/22/44 Fourteenth AF 4 B-25's damage bridge at Song Hoa. 2 B-25's bomb Yungning. 80-plus P-51's and P-40's on armed rcn over wide reaches of S China, E Burma, and N Indochina hit numerous T/Os. A/Fs at Heho and Tien Ho are strafed and several airplanes are destroyed in battles over Canton and Kai Tek A/Fs. Rail facilities, river and road traffic, and other T/Os are hit at several locations including Chinchengchiang, Wanling, Gia Lam, and Pingsiang-Yungning area.
12/22/44 FEAF B-24's, with P-47 spt, bomb Clark Field while P-40's bomb and strafe Lipa A/F. B-24's bomb Carolina A/F while B-25's, with P-47 cover, hit Fabrica A/F. On Mindanao B-24's bomb storage and personnel areas while B-25's hit water-front at Zamboanga. FEAF aircraft fly numerous shipping searches, armed rcn, and sweeps over Mindanao and throughout NEI. Numerous FBs pound Wasile R and Goeroea areas and Hate Tabako A/F. US and RAAF B-24's, B-25's, and FBs bomb Lolobata and Hate Tabako A/Fs and Goeroea area.
12/22/44 Twentieth AF 48 B-29's from XXI BC hit Mitsubishi aircraft industrial complex. Total cloud cover prevents accuracy, and damage is light. B-29's claim 9 ftrs downed.
12/22/44 Seventh AF During 22/23 Dec 2 Guam and Saipan-based B-24's make harassing strikes on Iwo Jima.
12/23/44 Eighth AF Almost 400 HBs attack M/Ys at Ehrang, Kaiserslautern, and Homburg/Saar, comm centers at Junkerath, Ahrweiler, and Dahlem, rail junction at Homburg/Saar, and several T/Os. 7 P-51 gps fly escort and encounter an estimated 75-100 ftrs, claiming 23 shot down. 3 ftr gps on sweeps encounter about 350 ftrs and claim 46 destroyed.
12/23/44 Ninth AF Around 500 B-26's and A-20's attack rail bridges, comm tgts, villages, rail junction and T/Os in Germany losing 31 bmrs. Ftrs fly bmr escort, armed rcn, and patrols (claiming over 100 aircraft downed and 3 A/Fs bombed), and spt ground forces between Werbomont and Butgenbach along N battleline of Bulge and US III, VIII, and XII Corps forces along S battleline of the Bulge.
12/23/44 Twelfth AF On 22/23 Dec A-20's on intruder patrols hit Po R crossings and T/Os. Bad weather during day grounds MBs. FBs operate in W Po Valley, mainly against railway comm. A/F near Milan is attacked, and several enemy airplanes destroyed.
12/23/44 Fifteenth AF Bad weather again limits operations to rcn, supply dropping, and escort missions over C and E Europe.
12/23/44 Tenth AF 15 P-47's knock out and damage bridges at Mong Long, Pa-mao, and Man Pwe. 12 B-25's destroy bridges at Tonbo, Saye, Ketka, and Nampawng, and damage several others. 40-plus FBs attack storage areas, bivouacs, and enemy-held points at Namhkam, Nyaunggyin, Hseinghkai, Mongyin, and Kutkai. Transport sorties to forward bases and frontline areas total 353.
12/23/44 Fourteenth AF 8 B-25's pound points along Burma Road. 13 B-25's hit town areas, trains, and other T/Os at Vinh, from Dap Cau to Lungchow, and from Lang Son to Yungning. In China 3 B-25's and 5 P-40's damage about 50 railroad cars in area S of Yellow R. 16 P-51's over Wuchang and Hankow damage 2 ferry ramps and blast 3 oil dumps. 12 P-51's and P-38's damage 2 hangars at Heho A/ F, 12 P-51's pound railroad shops at Chenghsien, and bomb Houmachen with napalm.
12/23/44 FEAF B-24's bomb Fabrica and Silay A/Fs. P-38's and P-47's provide cover. B-24's bomb Grace Park A/F and B-25's pound San Roque A/F and Davao and Zamboanga areas. B-25's and FBs blast Lolobata, Hate Tabako, and Goeroea area. Again numerous FEAF aircraft fly various small strikes, armed rcn, and sweeps over Phil Is and NEI. FBs are especially active against tgts in C Phil Is and Halmahera.
12/23/44 Seventh AF 12 B-24's from Saipan and 14 from Guam hit Iwo Jima. 3 others from Guam, flying armed rcn mission, bomb Woleai. During the night 2 B-24's from Guam and Saipan fly harassing strikes against Iwo Jima.
12/23/44 Eleventh AF The weather mission finds squall conditions and is aborted.
12/24/44 Eighth AF Almost 1,900 (of over 2,000 dispatched) HBs attack 11 A/Fs, 14 comm centers, and numerous other tgts including 2 M/Ys, 5 cities, and over 50 T/Os-all in battle areas. 13 ftr gps meet over 200 enemy ftrs and claim 70 destroyed.
12/24/44 Ninth AF 276 MBs and LBs hit rail bridges and comm centers in W Germany. Ftrs escort 9th Bomb Div, fly armed rcn, and spt US III, VIII, and XII Corps along S battleline of the Bulge, stretching from Echternach to area NW of Neufchateau, as 4th Armd Div reaches enemy's ring around Bastogne.
12/24/44 Twelfth AF Weather again holds operations to a minimum. However, P-47's carry out very successful raid on Thiene A/F, causing considerable damage and destroying several enemy airplanes. Other missions find little activity and result in destruction of only a few trucks and trains.
12/24/44 Fifteenth AF Unfavorable weather curtails all but photo and weather rcn missions.
12/24/44 Tenth AF 38 P-47's hit troop concentrations and supply areas at Pangkai, Man-namman, Man Om, Mong Nge, and Kyanhnyat. 6 spt ground forces in Si-U sector while 12 hit T/Os along Sinlum-Nawghkio rail line. 8 P-47's strafe A/F at Lashio. 287 transport sorties are flown to forward areas.
12/24/44 Fourteenth AF 6 B-25's blast Kunlong ferry area 3 B-24's claim 1 tanker sunk in S China Sea. 100-plus P-40's, P- 51's, and P-38's on armed rcn attack T/Os throughout S China, especially river, road, and rail trafflc, troops, and buildings around Hengyang, Lingling, Siangtan, and Changsha. Also Hong Kong area shipping is pounded (1 tanker claimed sunk and other ships damaged) and 30-plus enemy airplanes claimed destroyed at Tsinan A/F.
12/24/44 FEAF B-24's bomb Clark Field, Puerto Princesa, and Kudat A/Fs. B-25's and FBs blast Goeroea area, bomb Silay A/F and hit San Roque barracks, Zamboanga waterfront, and Davao Bay shipping. Again FEAF aircraft on miscellaneous small operations attack many tgts throughout NEI and Phil Is.
12/24/44 Twentieth AF 23 XXI BC B-29's attack 2 A/Fs on Iwo Jima.
12/24/44 Seventh AF 12 B-24's from Saipan and 38 from Guam strike Iwo Jima. 17 Saipan-based P-38's make low-level strafing attack on Iwo Jima. 23 other B-24's, based on Saipan, bomb Chichi Jima. 2 B-24's on harassment strikes from the Marianas hit Iwo Jima during 24/25 Dec.
12/25/44 Eighth AF Over 350 HBs hit 18 tgts (mostly rail bridges and comm centers) in the tac area W of the Rhine. 9 escorting ftr gps encounter over 300 ftrs and claim more than 40 kills.
12/25/44 Ninth AF Nearly 650 MBs and LBs hit rail and road bridges, comm centers and T/Os in W Germany and breakthrough area. Ftrs, including an Eighth AF gp loaned to Ninth, escort 9th Bomb Div, fly patrols and armed rcn, and spt US III, VIII, and XII Corps along S battleline of enemy salient from Echternach to NW of Neufchateau.
12/25/44 Twelfth AF Clearing weather in Po Valley permits FBs to successfully cut numerous rail lines running N to Brenner Pass, and lines in E Po Valley, destroying or damaging several locomotives.
12/25/44 Fifteenth AF 253 HBs hit Brux synthetic oil plant and main M/Y at Wels. 145 others bomb M/Ys at Plattling, Villach, Hall, Graz, Innsbruck (2), and Rosswein and Innsbruck AA position and rail siding. Over 30 ftrs escort Brux-WelsRosswein-Plattling raids. Other P-38's and P-51's fly rcn escort and cover MATAF B-25's on Yugoslav supply run.
12/25/44 Tenth AF 4 P-47's bomb and strafe troop concentrations and supplies at Mabein. 8 others sweep Burma Road stretches and strafe Lashio A/F. Transports fly 259 sorties delivering men and supplies to forward bases and frontline areas.
12/25/44 Fourteenth AF 6 B-25's and 8 FBs knock out bridge at Wan PaHsa. 22 P-51's pound railroad ferry, damage tanker at Nanking, and hit nearby A/F, claiming 13 airplanes destroyed. 30-plus other P-51's, P-40's, and P-38's on armed rcn hit various T/Os around Yungning, Kunming, Kiungshan, Paoching, Wanling, Man Pong, and Mong Long.
12/25/44 FEAF B-24's, with ftr spt, bomb Mabalacat, Sasa, Sandakan and Jesselton A/Fs. B-25's, along with RAAF FBs, hit Galela area. Other B-25's and FBs pound Mindanao and Halmahera I tgts again during several smaller raids throughout the day.
12/25/44 Seventh AF 12 B-24's from Saipan bomb Iwo Jima. B-24's from Guam and Saipan continue night strikes against Iwo Jima during 25/ 26 Dec.
12/26/44 Eighth AF Over 100 HBs attack 3 M/Ys and 2 bridges at Andernach, Neuwied, Sinzig, and Niederlahnstein, and 3 other tgts in W German battle area. 5 ftr gps fly escort and 2 others fly sweeps in Bonn area.
12/26/44 Ninth AF 9th Bomb Div attacks road junctions, rail bridges, rail head, comm and casual tgts in breakthrough area as enemy's westward drive ends short of the Maas R. Ftrs fly escort, armed rcn, sweeps, and spt US III and VIII Corps S of Bastogne, as US 4th Armd Div breaks ring around the city.
12/26/44 Twelfth AF Good weather permits operations in force for first time in several days. During 25/26 Dec A-20's bomb area between battleline and Bologna, attack lights, motor transport, and railroads in Po Valley, and hit Vicenza A/F. During the day MBs concentrate on Brenner Pass and hit Padua, San Ambrogio di Valpolicella, Ponte di Piave, Dolce, Pordenone railroad bridge, and 2 dumps in Bologna area. FBs bomb railways, especially Brenner line, bridges in Po Valley, and NE Italy, spt US Fifth Army forces S of Bologna and in Serchio R Valley where Germans begin series of counterattacks, and hit shipping at La Spezia and Genoa.
12/26/44 Fifteenth AF Around 380 B-24's and B-17's bomb Odertal, Blechhammer S, and Auschwitz oil refineries, railroad bridge at Ora and viaduct at Avisio, plus scattered T/Os 26 P-38's bomb railroad bridge at Latisana. P- 38's and P-51's escort the HB missions.
12/26/44 Tenth AF 8 B-25's knock out and damage bridges at Taunggon, Padan, and Kyaukhlebein. 34 P-47's hit troop concentrations at Panghai, Mongyu, Na-hsang, Man Om, and Hpa-lin. 8 others hit stores area and distributing point at Hsenwi, 11 attack supplies at Pangpao, and 2 bomb rafts, boats, and landing points at Myitson ferry. 4 B-25's fly offensive night rcn against comm lines. 275 transport sorties are flown to forward areas.
12/26/44 Fourteenth AF 6 B-25's bomb Wan Lai-Kam. 5 B-25's hit T/Os in Formosa Strait, in Siang-Chiang Valley, and at Ikiawan and Changsha. 12 P-51's attack Tsinan A/F. 46 P-51's, P-38's, and P-40's hit railroad tgts, shipping, storage and other T/Os at or near Kinkiang, Anking, Ka-chun, Lampang, Monglong Valley, and Man Pong.
12/26/44 FEAF B-24's pound Clark Field. B-25's hit Matina A/F, shipping in Davao R, and bomb nearby Samal I. B- 24's hit Libby A/F. B-25's, B-24's, and FBs hit Galela, Lolobata, and Hate Tabako. Miscellaneous attacks by other FEAF airplanes are flown against tgts in N Borneo, NE Celebes, and Halmahera.
12/26/44 Seventh AF 13 Guam-based B-24's hit Iwo Jima. 3 from Saipan fly armed rcn and bomb Marcus. 2 HBs from the Marianas strike Iwo Jima during 26/27 Dec.
12/27/44 Eighth AF Nearly 600 HBs attack tgts in battle area of W Germany, including 8 M/Ys, 4 rail bridges, 2 rail junctions, cities of Hildesheim and Eckfeld, and 13 T/Os. 4 ftr gps fly spt. 5 other gps on sweeps engage about 200 ftrs in combat, claiming about 30 kills.
12/27/44 Ninth AF 9th Bomb Div attacks rail bridges, comm centers, and T/Os in Germany and Belgium. Ftrs escort bmrs, fly patrols and armed rcn, and spt US 3d Armd and 82d Airborne Divs in Manhay and Trois- Ponts area, and III, VIII, and XII Corps in Saint-Hubert-Bastogne-Martelange area.
12/27/44 Twelfth AF On 26/27 Dec A-20's bomb pontoon bridges at Ficarolo, road bridges at Ostiglia and Castel Maggiore, San Benedetto Po crossing, Turin A/F, and several Po Valley roads. MBs blast 3 Brenner area routes leading into Austria and Yugoslavia, and bomb 2 supply dumps in Bologna area. FBs devote main effort to spt US Fifth Army in Serchio Valley area where counterattacks are being successfully halted.
Other FBs hit comm in Po Valley and escort MBs and C-47's dropping supplies to Italian partisans.
12/27/44 Fifteenth AF 520-plus HBs bomb Vosendorf oil refinery, Linz ordnance depot, M/Ys at Wiener-Neustadt, Villach, Klagenfurt, Bruck an der Mur, Graz, and Maribor, Feldbach railroad junction, Brenner rail line, Venzone viaduct, and Vipiteno and Bressanone railroad bridges. 44 P-38's bomb bridges at Latisana and Casarsa della Delizia. 29 P-51's strafe railroad tgts between Vienna and Linz. Other ftrs fly over 250 escort sorties.
12/27/44 Tenth AF 8 B-25's attack bridges at Kin and Kyaukhlebein, damaging the former. 28 P-47's hit troop and supply areas at Se-hai, Man Hkam, Mong Yok, and Mong Nge. 285 transport sorties are flown to forward areas. 4 B-25's continue offensive rcn against comm lines during 27/28 Dec.
12/27/44 Fourteenth AF 6 B-25's bomb area W of Kengtung. 2 B-25's and 8 P-40's hit Ishan area. 29 P-40's and P-51's attack area S of Puchi. 17 P-51's over White Cloud, Whampoa, and Tien Ho A/Fs claim 10 airplanes destroyed. 2 P-51's are lost. 40-plus P-40's and P-51's hit T/Os at or near Kweiyi, Vinh Yen, Lungan, Mong Long, Mong Khong, and Namtao.
12/27/44 FEAF B-24's bomb San Jose-Talisay and Matina A/Fs. Small miscellaneous strikes are carried out over Borneo, Celebes, and Lesser Sunda Is.
12/27/44 Twentieth AF B-29's and crews of 313th Bomb Wg (VH), commanded by Col John H Davies, begin to arrive on Tinian, joining the 73d Bomb Wg as the XXI BC's second operational wg. 39 B-29's from the Marianas bomb Tokyo's Nakajima and Musashino aircraft plants. 13 attack alternates and T/Os. Enemy ftrs are active, flying over 250 individual attacks on the VHBs. B-29's claim 21 downed. 3 VHBs are lost, 1 to ftrs and 2 to mechanical difficulties.
12/27/44 Seventh AF 13 Saipan-based B-24's hit Iwo Jima while 21 more bomb Chichi Jima. 35 from Guam also pound Iwo Jima while P-38's strafe the island on which 2 B-24's also make snooper strikes during 27/28 Dec.
12/28/44 Eighth AF More than 1,100 HBs attack 9 M/Ys, 4 bridges, and several cities and T/Os in W German tac area. 11 gps of P-51's fly spt. 4 other ftr gps sweep Bonn-Koblenz area.
12/28/44 Ninth AF Weather prevents all combat operations except night-ftr missions.
12/28/44 Twelfth AF MBs attack troop concentration at Aulla, dump at Mirabello Monferrato, 3 rail lines from Austria and Yugoslavia into NE Italy by hitting bridges at Chiusaforte and Bodrez, and viaduct at Borovnica. XXII TAC planes spt US Fifth Army in Serchio Valley, where counterattacks are repulsed, hit roads and bridges, and destroy a number of vehicles, many at a motor transport depot near Aulla which the ftrs bomb and strafe. During 27/28 Dec LBs bomb lights and motor transport at almost 50 places throughout Po Valley and Brenner area.
12/28/44 Fifteenth AF 480-plus HBs attack Regensburg oil storage and freight yard in Germany, M/Ys at Zwettl, Amstetten, Kallwang, Hieflau, and Salzburg, oil refineries at Kralupy nad Vltava, Kolin, and Pardubice, oil storage and sidings at Roudnice nad Labem, Nymburk railroad bridge at Kammern, Brenner rail line, and Bressanone and Venzone railroad bridges. P-38's and P-51's fly over 350 sorties in spt of HBs.
12/28/44 Tenth AF 23 P-47's knock out bridge at Nampawng and damage others at Man Pwe and Hsenwi. 8 B-25's destroy bridges at Kin and Kyaukhlebein, hit an already unserviceable bridge at Padon, damage a bypass road at Lashio and bomb troop concentrations, supplies, and arty at Mong Hseng, Mong Tat, and Kathe. 297 transport sorties are flown to forward areas. 4 B-25's continue offensive rcn over comm lines during 28/29 Dec.
12/28/44 Fourteenth AF 2 B-25's and 16 FBs hit town areas, railroad tgts, and gun positions in HengyangLeiyang area. 20 P- 51's and P-38's attack Gia Lam A/F, pounding barracks area, hangars, shops, and railroad facilities.
40-plus other P-51's, P-40's, and P-38's on armed rcn over S China and over Indochina hit T/Os at several locations including areas around Anking, Kinkiang, Wanling, Mongyu, Namtao, Yungning, Hanoi, Lang Son, Man Pong, Siangtan, and Yuncheng.
12/28/44 FEAF B-25's pound Laha, Kairatoe, and Haroekoe A/Fs while FBs hit Namlea A/F. In Soembawa-Flores I area, B-24's attack Japanese shipping. FEAF ftrs and bmrs on numerous small raids hit tgts on Palawan, Mindanao, Borneo, Celebes, Halmahera, Timor and Tanimbar Is, Lingayen Gulf, and W of Mindoro I.
12/28/44 Seventh AF 13 B-24's, flying out of Saipan, bomb A/F on Iwo Jima which is hit again during 28/29 Dec when HBs from Guam and Saipan fly 2 single-plane strikes.
12/29/44 Eighth AF 750-plus HBs strike 5 M/Ys, 4 bridges, 6 comm centers, dock area, 5 city areas, and several T/Os in W Germany. 10 P-51 gps fly close escort and 2 gps later strafe rail transportation. 3 other gps fly area spt.
12/29/44 Ninth AF Weather causes recall of over 100 bmrs except for 7 which bomb Saint-Vith comm center and Keuchingen road bridge. XIX TAC flies armed rcn over Belgium and Germany and supports US III, VIII, and XII Corps in Neufchateau-BastogneArlon areas.
12/29/44 Twelfth AF During 28/29 Dec LBs pound motor transports, ferry crossings, road bridges, rail line, and T/Os throughout NW and NC Po Valley. MBs during the day blast the Rovereto bridge and Lavis viaduct, attack several bridges in NE Italy destroying center span of bridge at Pordenone, and severely damage bridge at Motta di Livenza. FBs concentrate on comm tgts in extreme W end of battle area, with excellent results on bridges in Massa Lombarda area and destroy numerous vehicles and several locomotives.
12/29/44 Fifteenth AF Almost 450 HBs attack M/Ys at Innsbruck, Passau, Rosenheim, Landshut, Salzburg, and Verona(2), Brenner rail line, Castelfranco Veneto and Udine locomotive repair depots, and Bressanone railroad bridge. 14 P-38's bomb road bridge S of Rosenheim. Around 300 other P-38's and P-51's fly escort and rcn missions.
12/29/44 Tenth AF 9 B-25's bomb troops and supplies at Panma. 15 P-47's hit supply area at Twinnge and troop concentration at Wetwun. 4 B-25's continue armed night rcn over comm facilities. Transports fly 289 sorties to forward bases and frontline areas.
12/29/44 Fourteenth AF 4 B-25's attack T/Os from Dong Hoa to Lang Son. 37 P-51's and P-40's on armed rcn attack Gia Lam A/F and hit various T/Os E of Man Pong, E of Tsingsinghsien, N of Mongyu, and at Shanhsien and Hei-Shih Kuan.
12/29/44 FEAF B-24's bomb Sasa A/F while B-25's and FBs hit Namlea. FBs hit NE Celebes A/Fs while B-24's bomb Limboeng. FEAF aircraft fly small strikes against a wide range of tgts in N Borneo, C Phil Is, S Luzon, and on Timor.
12/29/44 Seventh AF 26 B-24's, based on Guam, pound Iwo Jima which is bombed again for a 6-hr period during 29/30 Dec by 9 HBs, flying at varying intervals.
12/29/44 Eleventh AF 3 B-25's on a ftrdecoy mission abort due to weather. 2 of them are missing on return flight. A B-24 bombs Kataoka.
12/30/44 Eighth AF Over 1,200 HBs hit 8 M/Ys, 6 bridges, rail junction and city area, and 13 T/Os in W Germany. 11 ftr gps fly escort, 2 others fly area sweeps.
12/30/44 Ninth AF Weather forces recall and cancellation of 9th Bomb Div and IX TAC missions. XXIX TAC flies armed rcn over battle area and around Wallersheim and XIX TAC covers large areas of France, Belgium, and Germany hitting numerous ground tgts and supports US III, VIII, and XII Corps in Saint-Hubert, Bastogne and Diekirch areas.
12/30/44 Twelfth AF MBs concentrate major effort on rail line running N to Brenner Pass, hitting fill at Dolce and bridges at Calliano, Ala, and Santa Margherita d'Adige, and ammo dump at Bologna. FBs blast road bridges, spt US Fifth Army SE of La Spezia, and hit bridges in Mantua and Modena areas. During 29/30 Dec LBs hit T/Os at numerous N Italian locations, including Ghedi A/F, and train S of Mantua.
12/30/44 Tenth AF 12 P-47's knock out and damage bridges at Man Pwe, Ho-hko (2), and Inailong. 17 B-25's blast troop and supply area at Kyatpyin. 28 P-47's and P-38's hit troops, supplies, and areas of enemy activity at Myethin, Manna, Nanponpon, Lawa, Sabenago, Hmattawmu, and Hosi. Transports complete 338 sorties to forward areas. 4 B-25's continue single-plane offensive rcn over comm lines during 30/31 Dec.
12/30/44 Fourteenth AF 4 B-24's damage a bridge W of Kengtung while 2 others NE of Thanh Moi damage a bridge, railroad tracks, and more than 40 boxcars. 40-plus P-51's and P-40's on armed rcn attack T/Os at several points including areas around Mong Nawng, Man Pong, Mong Long, Ka-chun, Shanhsien, Ichang, and Shayang.
12/30/44 FEAF In the principal action of the day, FBs pound A/Fs in C Phil, N Borneo, and N and SW Celebes while B-25's hit barge anchorage and supplies at Haroekoe. Smaller strikes by B-25's, B-24's, and FBs are flown against shipping, oil tgts, A/Fs, and T/Os throughout Phil Is and NEI.
12/30/44 Seventh AF 14 Saipan-based B-24's bomb Iwo Jima which is hit again over an almost 7-hr period, 30/31 Dec, by 9 HBs singly operating from Guam.
12/31/44 Eighth AF 1,200-plus HBs hit 5 oil refineries, an aircraft plant, Uboat yards, 2 A/Fs, T/Os in N Germany, 6 bridges, 3 comm centers, 3 M/Ys, a detraining point, a city area, several T/Os in W Germany and Helgoland I. 14 escorting ftr gps engage about 150 ftrs, mostly in Hamburg area, and claim about 60 kills. HBs lose 14 to the ftrs, and claim 26 ftrs destroyed.
12/31/44 Ninth AF Weather grounds bmrs. Frs fly sweeps and armed rcn, attacking numerous ground tgts. XIX TAC supports US III, VIII, and XX Corps around Bastogne and between Mosel and Saar Rivers in Merzig area.
12/31/44 Twelfth AF During 30/31 Dec A-20's again fly intruder missions, bombing a variety of tgts, including motor transport, bridges, and railroads in Po Valley. During the day MBs hit bridge at Bodrez, railroads at Piazzola Sul Brenta and near Padua, and a dump. XXII TAC FBs destroy 5 and damage 2 railway bridges in Po Valley, cut rail lines at numerous places, destroy several locomotives, and destroy or damage 200- plus railway cars.
12/31/44 Tenth AF 28 P-47's strafe Laihka, Namsang, Aungban, Kunlon, and Heho A/Fs. 5 P-47's damage bridge at Namhkai. A total of 65 P-47's and P-38's hit Japanese Div HQ at Ongyaw and troop concentrations and supply areas at Mongmit, Nawngka, Kawngtawng, Pangnim, Mong Tat, Kutkai, and Man Namman. A few B-25's fly night harassment missions against A/Fs. About 300 transport sorties are flown to forward areas throughout the day.
12/31/44 Fourteenth AF 4 B-24's claim 1 freighter sunk and another damaged ofl Hainan I. 4 B-25's damage 2 bridges and destroy or damage 5 buildings at Mong Ping. 35 P-40's and P-51's attack troops, horses, town areas, and railroad tgts at or near Hankow, Saiping, Siangtan, Hengyang, Lingling, and Kweilin. 29 other ftrs on armed rcn hit T/Os at several points in N Indochina, E Burma, and S China.
12/31/44 FEAF B-24's and B-25's bomb A/Fs in C Phil, on Luzon and Mindanao. Other B-24's bomb Ambesia A/F, hit Dili, and pound A/Fs and supply areas throughout Halmahera I. FBs are active against A/Fs, shipping, AA guns, and various T/Os on Halmahera and in N Celebes.
12/31/44 Twentieth AF Gen Hansell and his XXI BC Forward Echelon HQ staff close Saipan HQ and move to Guam where ground echelon arrived in early Dec.
12/31/44 Seventh AF From Guam 19 B-24's hit Iwo Jima A/Fs during the day. 10 more HBs hit the island with individual harassment raids over a 6-hr period during 31 Dec/1 Jan.
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