March 17, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 17 MARCH 1944

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Three B-24s fly armed reconnaissance over Onnekotan before dawn releasing bombs through the overcast.

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 24 B-24s and 12 P-38s attack supply dumps in the Kalewa area in the Chin Hills region; 30+ B-25s, P-51s and A-36s damage Shweli and Mogaung bridges and hit positions and supply dumps in the Kamaing area. Lost is B-25H 43-4229; 37 P-40s blast the Myitkyina Airfield; numerous other aircraft fly miscellaneous sorties over the Sumprabum area; and 2 B-25s cause fires among oil installations at Chauk. 24th Photographic Squadron (Heavy), Tenth Air Force, based at Guskhara with F-7s, sends a detachment to operate from Hsinching.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In French Indochina, 5 B-25s bomb and strafe boatyards at Vinh and hit lumber stores and sawmills at nearby Ben Thuy.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-24s and B-25s from Tarawa bomb, respectively, Ponape and Jaluit. 392d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 30th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Abemama to Kwajalein with B-24s.

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): 31 fighter-bombers and 31 B-25s pound supply areas at Vunapope and at Ralum. A few fighter-bombers hit a Japanese bivouac area on Matchin Bay. Twenty plus B-24s pound Namatanai Airfield.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): Almost 100 B-24s, B-25s and A-20s attack the Wewak area; P-38s hit the Hansa Bay area while other B-25s bomb the Madang-Alexishafen area. Soerabaja naval base is bombed by B-24s.

U.S. Army: 1st Cavalry Division, 7th Cavalry Regiment captures all of Lorengau Airfield on Manus Island to the edge of the Lorengau River.