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March 25, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SUNDAY, 25 MARCH 1945

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 20+ B-25s and 150+ fighters, operating individually and in flights of up to 8 aircraft, continue attacks on numerous targets including river, road, and rail traffic, airfields, troop concentrations, storage areas, horses, and gun positions throughout S and E China; the detachment of the 22d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 341st Bombardment Group (Medium), operating from Peishiyi with B-25s, returns to base at Yangkai.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 26 P-47s support forces of the Chinese 50th Division in the Hsipaw area; 44 fighter-bombers and 14 B-25s attack troops and supplies and hit targets of opportunity along roads behind the battleline in C Burma; 557 transport sorties are flown to forward areas.

Seventh Air Force: During the night of 25/26 Mar, 5 B-24s from Guam Island hit Susaki Airfield. 23 B-24s from Angaur Airfield bomb defenses on Cebu. The US Marines complete the reduction of the final resistance pocket on Iwo Jima. VII Fighter Command: 16 Iwo Jima based P-51s bomb and strafe Susaki Airfield, and naval and radar installations on Chichi Jima; 16 more follow with attacks on a radar station and personnel concentration on the island.

USN: Lost due to bad weather is F6F Hellcat pilot Webber (MIA) over Yap.

RAAF: Crashed is Beaufort A9-518 on a reconnaissance flight over Sepik River crashed Murik Lakes.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Cebu City is thoroughly pounded by nearly 70 B-24s. B-24s hit Legaspi, and B-25s and fighter-bombers fly numerous ground support missions, especially between Montalban and Laguna de Bay. B-25s attack Pandanan Island, Philippines. The 6th Combat Cargo Squadron, 2d Combat Cargo Group, moves from Biak to Dulag with C-46s; and the 339th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group, ceases operating from Morotai with P-38s and returns to base at Puerto Princesa.

Australia Army: The lead platoon of "A" Company, 2/2 Infantry Battalion advanced on a narrow jungle ridge near Dagua and came under heavy fire from concealed enemy machine-guns sited on a small rise dominating the approach and killed one soldier and wounded nine others. Without awaiting orders, Lt Albert Chowne who was leading the reserve platoon rushed up a steep, narrow track towards the enemy guns and threw grenades that knocked out two light machine guns. He then called for his men to follow and fired his sub-machine-gun from the hip, while charing the enemy's position. As he advacnced into machine gun aand rifle fire, he was twice hit in the chest and seriously wounded but managed to kill two more Japanese before he died standing over three enemy foxholes. Chowne's actions resulted in the destruction of two enemy machine gun posts and inspired his men to capture the entire position.



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