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February 19, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 1945

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Six B-24s fly photo reconnaissance over Shimushu and bomb Kurabu Cape Airfield on Paramushiru; six Japanese fighters intercept; the B-24s claim four damaged. Four B-25s weather-abort a mission to hit targets along the Hayakegawa River.

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): Fourteen P-51s and P-40s blast rail and river traffic at Chiuchiang, Hsuchang, Lung Hai, and Tsinpu.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 37: 49 of 59 B-29s bomb the Central Railroad Repair Shops at Kuala Lumpur, some bombing from only 1,000' Four other B-29s hit alternate targets, the Alor Star Airfield, and the marshalling yard at Martaban, Burma; they claim 1-0-7 Japanese aircraft; no B-29s are lost.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 24 B-25s and 31 P-47s fly close support strikes in the Mongmit-Myitson area; 70+ fighter-bombers hit troop concentrations, supplies, and villages behind the battleline in C Burma. Heavy transport operations continue. The 165th Liaison Squadron (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, moves from Shwebo, Burma to Asansol with UC-64s and L-5s.

AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 44 B-24s from Saipan are sent against Iwo Jima; 14 pound defense positions and bivouac and storage areas little more than an hour before elements of the American landings. ; the other thirty B-24s abort because of cloud cover, mechanical trouble, or arrival over target too late to make a bomb run. Twenty-six B-24s from Angaur Airfield bomb Likanan Airfield. During the night of 19/20 Feb, eight Saipan based B-24s fly individual heckler strikes over Chichi Jima.

USMC: At 9:00am the 4th Marine Divisions and 5th Marine Division make an amphibious landing on the black sand beach of Iwo Jima.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 37: 150 B-29s are dispatched to hit the Musashino aircraft plant in Tokyo hoping to draw air reinforcements away from the Iwo Jima invasion; thick clouds completely cover the primary target so 119 instead bomb the Tokyo area including the port and urban areas; 12 others hit targets of last resort and targets of opportunity; they claim 39-16-37 Japanese aircraft; Six B-29s are lost including B-29 "Super Wabbit" 42-65222.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Major General Paul B. Wurtsmith becomes Commanding General Thirteenth AF. In Formosa, B-24s bomb Koshun Airfield, Heito Airfield and Takao Airfield and B-25s and fighters on sweeps attack a large number of targets of opportunity including trains, parked aircraft, buildings, and coastal vessels. In the central Philippines, US Marine Corps (USMC) F4Us under the tactical command of the Thirteenth AF fly napalm strikes against airfields and other targets. On Luzon, fighters, B-25s, and A-20s continue to support ground forces at San Augustin, Carranglen, Balete Pass, and Bataan Peninsula and bomb Japanese-held sectors on Corregidor. B-24s bomb Miri Airfield. Five 494th BG B-24s bomb Licana Airfield, in a raid requested by guerilla forces in the area, that planned to attack immediately after the bombing. Lost is C-47 piloted by Wondaal.

RAAF: Damaged landing is Auster A11-8.



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