FRIDAY, 21 JANUARY 1944
(CBI) BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 11 P-40's score near misses
on the Loilaw bridge and strafe Budagon nearby, starting several fires. 16 A-36's
and P-51's support ground forces near Sumprabum, and eleven fighter-bombers bomb forces SW
of Kamaing.
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): During the night of February 20-21, sixteen B-24's staging
through Tarawa bomb targets in Kwajalein. On take off, B-24J "Miss Bee Haven" 42-72982 crashed killing seven of the crew and twenty minutes later B-24J "Galloping Gus" 42-72999 crashed killing the entire crew. Six B-25s from Tarawa hit Arno Atoll, and twelve other B-25s bomb Aur Atoll; Nine B-25's from Abemama hit gun positions, barracks on Mille and the runway at Mille Airfield; 23 A-24s and 11
P-40's from Makin attack gun positions, ammunition and oil storage,
barracks, and two small vessels at Jaluit.
SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 38 B-24's pound the runway
and revetment area at Borpop Airfield. P-39's
strafe Kara and Kahili; and RNZAF Ventura's and B-24's on armed reconnaissance
bomb Kalakapisi, Nukiki, and Buka.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-25's, A-20's,
and P-39's bomb the Madang area, and strafe villages near Saidor and troops
from Reiss Point to Erima. B-25s and P-39s strafe barges
from Cape Raoult to Rein Bay and hit targets of opportunity along the the north
coast of New Britain; single B-24's on armed reconnaissance blast a control tower at Hoskins
Airfield, and hit ships near Kavieng and at Lorengau. Two
B-24's bomb Waingapoe, Sunda. Lost is B-25G 42-64807 (MIA).
