WEDNESDAY, 21 FEBRUARY 1945
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 21 B-25s, supported by 12 P-51s, pound Taiyuan; 2 B-25s and 12 P-40s hit Yoyang; about 100 fighter-bombers on armed reconnaissance attack troops, trucks, horses, railroad targets, river shipping, and other targets of opportunity at many locations throughout S and E China; the detachment of the 530th Fighter Squadron, 311th Fighter Group, operating from Hsian with P-51s, returns to base at Kwanghan.
INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 16 P-47s provide close support for ground forces in the Namhsan area; 15 support ground forces in the Mongmit sector; 100+ fighter-bombers strike supply and troop concentrations and make offensive sweeps of roads along the battleline areas. Transports continue to land men and supplies at forward bases and drop supplies to frontline troops. The 127th Liaison Squadron (Commando), 2d Air Commando Group, based at Kalaikunda, India, sends a detachment to operate from Akyab Airfield with UC-64s and L-5s.
USN: Japanese kamikaze planes sink the escort carrier USS Bismarck Sea CVE-95 and
damage the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga.
AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 24 P-47s from Saipan hit Pagan with napalm. P-38s from Guam escort photo aircraft over Truk and strafe aircraft on Moen and a wharf
on Falas. Three Guam based B-24s
on an armed reconnaissance flight bomb Marcus Airfield.
During the night of 21/22 Feb, six B-24s fly individual snooper raids from Guam against Chichi Jima.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon, B-24s bomb
Japanese positions in the hills west of Fort Stotsenburg, P-47s pound Corregidor and strafe the Bagae-Pilar road and fighters support ground forces at Marikina,
San Mateo, and on Corregidor; and Basco is hit by B-25s, A-20s, and P-38s.
In Borneo,
B-24s bomb Kudat and Sandakan Airfields while A-20s attack Jesselton Airfield and town. The 528th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 380th Bombardment Group (Heavy),
moves from Darwin to San
Jose with B-24s.
U.S. Army: in the morning the 12th Cavalry, 1st Squadron with artillery support from two 105mm self-propelled howitzers and M4 tanks assault Manila Hotel and by the end of the day liberates the east wing.
