June 20, 1944
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 20 JUNE 1944

BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, five B-24s fly fuel to Kamaing; 2 B-25s hit a bridge at Banchaung; and 8 A-36s and 3 P-40s attack targets at Myitkyina. In India, 13 B-25s supply ammunition to Imphal; 20th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, based at Kisselbari, ceases operating from Dinjan with P-40s; and 315th Troop Carrier Squadron, 443d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Sookerating to Moran with C-47s.

CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force): In the Yangtze River-Tungting Lake area of China, about 120 B-25s and fighter-bombers again attack a wide variety of targets, pound river shipping at numerous points, hit villages and supply lines in the Pinkiang area, and bomb the towns of Changsha, Pingsiang and Ikiawan; in the Salween River area 24 B-25s pound Lungling and 16 P-40s hit troops and positions at Tengchung and Chenanso; in the Yellow River area 8 P-40s pound railroad yards and strafe about 75 trucks, destroying20+ of them; 3 B-24s over the S China Sea attack shipping, claiming a 5,000-ton commercial ship sunk; and a detachment of 26th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Group, moves from Liangshan to Kweilin with P-40s (squadron is based at Kunming).

USN: During the Battle of the Phillippine Sea, F6F Hellcats claim almost 300 Japanese aircraft shot down.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, Seventh Air Force): B-25s from Makin strike Ponape. B-24s from Kwajalein bomb Truk. HQ 318th Fighter Group and 19th Fighter Squadron move from Bellows Field to Saipan with P-47s that are launched from USS Natoma Bay (CVE-62).

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: A-20s, P-39s, and RAAF aircraft, pound areas along the coast in the general area of Wewak and B-24s bomb Kamiri Airfield; and 82d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group, moves from Biak to Owi. B-24s attack Woleai and Dublon. B-25s, P-38s and other Allied aircraft, including some of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, blast AA positions S and SW of Rapopo.

RNZAF: Corsairs from 15 Squadron fly a mission over Rabaul. Shot down by anti-aircraft fire is F4U Corsair NZ5274 (MIA).