American Missions Against Wakde Airfield
April 7, 1944
(5th AF) B-24s bomb Langgoer and Wakde
April 13, 1944
(5th AF) B-25 fly light strikes against Wakde and other targets
April 16, 1944
B-24s fly a light strike against Wakde Island
April 21, 1944
(USN) Carrier planes hit Wakde in conjunction with upcoming landing at Hollanida.
April 28, 1944
(5th AF) B-24s and B-25s bomb Wakde
April 29, 1944
(5th AF) B-24s and B-25s bomb villages, AA positions and personnel
areas in the Wakde Island.
May 2, 1944
(5th AF) 8 B-25s hit Wakde Island oil stores, huts, AA positions,
trucks, and other targets of opportunity
May 5, 1944
(5th AF) B-25s hit supply areas at Wakde Island
May 7, 1944
(5th AF) B-24s, B-25s and P-40s hit Wakde coast and other targets
May 11, 1944
(5th AF) B-24s and B-25s bomb gun emplacements and supply areas on Wakde
May 14, 1944
(5th AF) Wakde-Sawar-Maffin Bay area, villages and AA positions are pounded
by B-24s and B-25s;
May 15, 1944
(5th AF) B-24s and B-25s attack numerous targets in the Wakde-Sawar-Sarmi-Maffin
Bay areas. US Army troops land on the island.
May 16, 1944
(5th AF) Aircraft continue to pound AA guns, supplies and occupied
villages in the Wakde Island-Maffin-Sawar coastal area, and bridges, villages,
troop concentrations and AA positions
May 22, 1944
(5th AF) P-40s hit supply and fuel dumps, trucks and other targets of opportunity
in the area of Wakde Island
May 23, 1944
(5th AF) P-40s hit troops on Wakde Island
May 25, 1944
(5th AF) B-24s attack targest on Wakde.
May 26, 1944
(5th AF) B-25s hit Wakde Island.
June 1, 1944
(5th AF) A-20s, B-25s and P-39s hit villages, bivouac, and other targets
of opportunity in the coastal area from Wakde Island to Hollandia.
June 15, 1944
(FEAF) B-24s, B-25s, A-20s and fighters attack barges in the Manokwari
area and a village in the Wakde area
July 4/5, 1944
(FEAF) Light strikes are flown in support of troops on Noemfoor Island
and against barges, airfields, and troop concentrations on Efman and Biak Islands
and at Moemi, Manokwari, and in the Wakde area.
July 10, 1944
(FEAF) Small-scale strikes in the Wakde area.
Japanese
Raids on Wakde Islad
June 6, 1944
(IJN) Three G4M Betty bombers of the 732nd Kokutai took
off from Wasile on
the night of June 5th. Led by Ens. Isao Sunayama the three bombers encountered
very heavy weather. One bomber became separated and dropped its bombs in
the Biak area. Sunayama
and the other bomber continued to Wakde and were rewarded by a break in
the clouds that allowed them to sight the field. The two bombers swooped
down low over the field. Each bomber took one side of the runway along
which American aircraft were parked. Releasing their bombs in a string
over the parked aircraft, the Japanese flyers estimated they had destroyed
dozens of American aircraft. In total, six planes are
destroyed and 80 damaged. This June 6th attack stands
out as a singularly successful Japanese effort at this stage of the Pacific
War.
June 8, 1944
Three G4M Betty bombers return to bomb Wakde Airfield.
