May 5, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 5 MAY 1944

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 15 P-38s hit targets along Tiddim road; 3 B-25s bomb the Thayaung Airfield area; 80+ P-40s, P-51s, A-36s and B-25s carry out support of ground forces, hit gun positions and supply dumps, attack troop concentrations and blast numerous targets of opportunity throughout the Mogaung Valley; 3 B-25s and 6 fighter-bombers hit an ammunition dump N of Mohnyin; and 12 P-38s bomb a large warehouse E of Monywa. 6 B-24s lay mines in the harbor off Koh Si Chang Island, Thailand.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): Eleven B-24s bomb docks and shipping at Haiphong. In Burma, P-40s damage bridges at Hsenwi and Wan Pa-Hsa and hit barracks and destroy several trucks at Kentung. In China, eight B-25s and twenty-three fighter-bombers attack the warehouse area at Chiuchiang, causing large fires; 25 CACW B-25s and P-40s thoroughly pound Sinyang marshalling yard and storage area; and 10 P-40s sweep the road from Loyang to Juchou, claiming 40-50 vehicles and numerous troops destroyed.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): During the night of 4/5 May B-24s from Kwajalein stage through Eniwetok and bomb Truk. During the day B-25s from Eniwetok strike Ponape. Ten B-25s from Makin hit Jaluit and Wotje using Majuro as a rearming base between the attacks. Lost is B-24J Liberator 44-40332 (MIA).

SOUTH PACIFIC AREA (SOPAC, Thirteenth Air Force): Twenty-four B-25s bomb gun positions at Buka and 34 P-39s hit various targets on Bougainville including buildings at Porton, Chabai and Kohiso, a pillbox on Pau Island and a road near Tsundawan; supply area at Chabai is bombed by 12 other P-39s; P-40s bomb buildings at Kieta and at nearby Rigu Mission. Fighter patrols continue over the Northern Solomons and Bismarck Archipelago.

USMC - PBJ Mitchells from VMB-413 took off from Green Island (Nissian) on a strike against Tobera Airfield. Lost is PBJ-1 Mitchell 35143 (MIA). Off Efaté force landed is F4U-1 Corsair 02270 (survived).

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, Fifth Air Force): B-24s bomb Mokmer Airfield while B-25s hit supply areas at Wakde Island and along the coast of Maffin Bay; A-20s and fighter-bombers again pound targets around Wewak and along the coast of Hansa Bay, hitting supply and personnel areas, warehouses and occupied villages.