February 8, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 8 FEBRUARY 1945

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Four B-25s abort a mission against the Masugawa River in the Kuriles unable to identify the target.

RCAF: Force landed due to an engine failure is PBV Canso 11007 after take off from Tofino Airfield on Vancouver Island.

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 10 P-51s knock out a bridge at Shihtangchung and blast a bridge approach at Changsha; 9 other fighters knock out another bridge N of Changsha; 4 fighters hit railroad targets of opportunity from Linfen to Yutze to Shihkiachwang and bomb Tsinan Airfield.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): In India, HQ 58th Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) moves from Kharagpur to Hijli Base Area.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 72 P-47s support ground forces in the Myitson area; 37 P-47s and P-38s hit troops, supply areas, ammunition dumps, and targets of opportunity at Namsaw, Hsunkwe, Loi-Kong, Nawng-un, Hsipaw, Panghai, and Kongnio, and bomb a village near Pangkawn. Transports fly 581 sorties carrying men and supplies to forward bases and dropping supplies to frontline areas. The 155th Liaison Squadron (Commando), 2d Air Commando Group, based at Kalaikunda, India with UC-64s and L-5s, sends a detachment to operate from various bases in Burma.

AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Twenty B-24s from Guam bomb radar and radio installations and AA defenses on Iwo Jima in the afternoon. Lost is B-24L 44-41470 (MIA). During the night of 8/9 Feb, ten B-24s fly single-plane snooper strikes against Iwo Jima airfields.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 27: 30 of 31 B-29s from the Mariana bomb Moen Airfield No. 1.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon, B-24s bomb Mariveles and B-25s sink or damage several small vessels along the E coast and hit Legaspi Airfield. B-24s bomb Manggar and Sepinggang Airfields. Units moving to San Marcelino: HQ 309th Bombardment Wing from Owi, and the 421st Night Fighter Squadron, 86th Fighter Wing, from Tacloban, with P-38s and P-61s.