December 1944

Saturday 2 December 1944
In the Philippine Islands, B-24s hit Dumaguete Airfield on Negros Island and Matina and Cagayan Airfields on Mindanao Island. B-24s and B-25s attack Borebore Airfield and Kendari on Celebes Island. Fighter-bombers in the C Philippine Islands and Mindanao Island support ground forces and hit supplies, communications, and a variety of targets of opportunity. B-25s bomb Namlea Airfield on Buru Island and attack shipping off Ceram Island. The 19th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 22d Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Leyte Island to Angaur Island with B-24s.

Sunday 3 December 1944
Major B-24 strikes include raids against Malimpoeng and Mandai on Celebes Island. B-25s pound 4 airfields on Halmahera Island while A-20s attack Point Noejew, New Guinea. In the Philippine Islands, fighter-bombers hit a storage area at Palompon on Leyte Island and airfields near Masbate Island.

Tuesday 5 December 1944
On Halmahera Island, B-24s strike Hate Tabako, Galela, and Djailolo Airfields while B-25s and A-20s lightly raid Miti and Kaoe Airfields. B-25s hit Langoan on Celebes Island while B-24s flying in pairs hit targets of opportunity nearby and in North Borneo. Fighter-bombers over the C Philippine Islands area hit Japanese positions, barges, and communications targets.

Wednesday 6 December 1944
B-24s pound Bacolod Airfield on Negros Island; P-38s over Bacolod and others covering a convoy off South Leyte Island claim several aircraft downed; B-25s, with P-47 support, hit Cagayan, Jacgol, and Del Monte Airfields on Mindanao Island. B-24s hit airfields at Kendari and Borebore on Celebes Island. Fighter-bombers and B-25s attack Halmahera Island airfields while A-20s and B-25s bomb the Namlea area on Buru Island. HQ 417th Bombardment Group (Light) and the 672d, 673d, 674th and 675th Bombardment Squadrons move from Noemfoor Island to Tacloban, Leyte Island with A-20s.

Thursday 7 December 1944
In the Philippine Islands, B-24s pound Malogo Airfield, the town of Masbate on Masbate Island, and Legaspi Airfield on Luzon Island. On Halmahera Island, B-25s hit Miti, Kaoe, Galela, and Lolobata Airfields. Other FEAF aircraft fly armed reconnaissance and harassing missions over Mindanao Island, North Borneo, and Makassar, Celebes Island areas, attacking various targets of opportunity.

Friday 8 December 1944
More than 60 B-25s and fighter-bombers, along with Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aircraft, hit airfield and various other targets on Halmahera Island. More than 60 B-24s bomb Mandurriao, Lahug and La Carlota Airfields on Cebu and Negros Island while fighter-bombers hit the San Isidro area. FEAF aircraft fly armed reconnaissance and light raids over North Borneo, North Celebes, Flores Island in the Lesser Sunda Islands, and the Wewak, New Guinea area.

Saturday 9 December 1944
In Borneo, B-24s bomb the Lingkas tank farm, Dondang River bridge and Sanga Sanga oil installations, and 3 airfields in the Ambon Island-Ceram Island area. P-38s hit Old Namlea Airfield on Buru Island. B-25s attack the Wasile Bay area in the Moluccas Islands.

Sunday 10 December 1944
In principal strikes of the day B-24s hit the Pamoesian tank farm and nearby alternates of Lingkas tank farm, Labuan Islands docks, and Lutong refinery all in Borneo, while B-25s pound Sidate Airfield on Celebes Island. In smaller raids P-38s hit Port Misamis on Mindanao Island. B-25s bomb airfields on Boeroe Island in the Sunda Islands and Ambon Island in the Moluccas Islands, and fighter-bombers pound storage facilities and targets of opportunity in the Central Philippine Islands.

Monday 11 December 1944
In major air activity B-24s bomb Mandurriao Airfield on Cebu Island; B-25s, with P-47 support, hit Padada Airfield on Mindanao Island and Fifth AF fighters join US Marine Corps aircraft in attacks on a 13-ship convoy off Northwest Leyte Island. B-25s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers hit Goeroea in the Moluccas Islands. Other FEAF planes make small raids on oil and shipping targets around North Borneo.

Tuesday 12 December 1944
B-24s, with fighter cover, bomb Bacolod Airfield on Negros Island while B-25s hit San Roque Airfield on Mindanao Island. B-24s pound Kendari Airfield on Celebes Island. In the Ambon-Ceram-Boeroe Islands area B-25s hit 3 airfields and attack barges. A-20s hit the airfield on Efman Island, New Guinea. HQ 4th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance) moves from Guadalcanal Island, Solomon Islands to Morotai Island. The 460th Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group, moves from Tacloban to Tanauan, Leyte Island with P-47s.

Wednesday 13 December 1944
B-24s bomb Carolina and Talisay Airfields on Negros Island. B-25s bomb San Roque Airfield on Mindanao Island; Haroekoe Airfield on Haroekoe Island, Moluccas Islands; Amahai Airfield on Ceram Island; Old Namlea Airfield on Buru Island; and Liang Airfield on Ambon Island. B-25s, P-38s, and P-47s on small raids hit shore positions at Galela Bay on Halmahera Island, while covering an attempted rescue of a downed pilot by a PT boat, and bomb the Goeroea supply area in the Moluccas Islands. Other B-25s and B-24s on reconnaissance hit targets of opportunity in the Sulu Archipelago. The 2d Photographic Charting Squadron, 311th Photographic Wing (attached to FEAF), moves from Hollandia, New Guinea to Morotai Island with F-7s.

Thursday 14 December 1944
B-24s pound airfields on Negros Island. B-25s hit Zettlefield airdrome on Jolo Island, Philippine Islands and Namlea on Buru Island. Other planes carry out sweeps, armed reconnaissance, and light raids against various targets in the C Philippine Islands, Luzon, Mindanao and Palawan Islands, Halmahera Island, North Borneo, and the Sulu Archipelago. The 38th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Thirteenth AAF [attached to 4th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance)] arrives at Hollandia, New Guinea from the US with B-25s (first mission is 21 Feb 45); the 340th Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group, moves from Tacloban to Tanauan, Leyte Island with P-47s; the 550th Night Fighter Squadron, XIII Fighter Command, arrives at Hollandia, New Guinea from the US with P-61s (first mission is 15 January 1945).

Friday 15 December 1944
In major strikes of the day in the Philippine Islands, fighter-bombers hit a fuel dump at San Fernando on Negros Island; B-24s and B-25s bomb Sasa and San Roque Airfields on Mindanao Island; and B-24s bomb Puerto Princesa on Palawan Island. B-25s hit airfields on Ceram and Ambon Islands. Miscellaneous armed reconnaissance and light raids by fighters and bombers are flown against airfields on Boeroe and Halmahera Islands; shipping and other targets of opportunity are attacked at several points throughout the Netherland East Indies. HQ 310th Bombardment Wing (Medium) moves from Leyte Island to San Jose, Mindoro Island, Philippine Islands; the 36th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Fifth AF, arrives are Hollandia, New Guinea from the US with F-5s (first mission is 25 Mar 45); the 341st Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group, moves from Tacloban to Tanauan, Leyte Island with P-47s; the ground echelon of the 418th Night Fighter Squadron, Thirteenth AF, arrives at San Jose, Mindoro Island from Dulag, Leyte Island (air echelon is on Morotai Island with P-61s. )

Saturday 16 December 1944
In the Philippine Islands, major operations of FEAF include B-24 strikes on Padada Airfield on Mindanao Island and Puerto Princesa Airfield on Palawan Island. B-25s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers attack airfields and targets of opportunity including shipping in the Ceram Island area and in the C Philippine Islands. Targets of opportunity are also attacked in North Borneo and in the Vogelkop Peninsula area. The 342d Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group, moves from Tacloban to Tanauan, Letye Island with P-47s.

Sunday 17 December 1944
In the Philippine Islands, on Negros Island B-24s pound Bacolod Airfield while B-25s hit Silay Airfield, P-40s join US Marine Corps fighter-bombers in attacking the Cananga area and P-38s destroy several aircraft during sweeps; B-25s bomb Likanan on Mindanao Island while B-24s with P-47 support, hit the airfield on Jolo Island; and fighter-bombers hit positions at Valencia on Mindanao Island. B-24s and fighter-bombers attack Jesselton Airfield in Borneo and Laha Airfield on Ambon Island.

Monday 18 December 1944
On Leyte Island, Philippine Islands, fighter-bombers destroy a bridge on the the Palompon-Cananga road and pound Calatagan Airfield; B-25s hit San Roque Airfield on Mindanao Island; fighter-bombers attack Tanao harbor and airfield and targets of opportunity in the Tarakan Island, Borneo area, strafe seaplane facilities at Sanga Sanga, Borneo, and bomb Haroekoe Airfield on Haroekoe Island.

Tuesday 19 December 1944
On Negros Island in the Philippine Islands, fighter-supported B-25s bomb Fabrica Airfield, fighters on a sweep over Ponay, and Leyte Islands hit Fabrica, Bacolod, Silay, Dumaguete and Alicante Airfields, and the town of Palompon on Leyte Island; on Luzon Island, B-24s bomb Legaspi Airfield while P-38s hit Batangas Airfield. B-25s, A-20s, and P-38s pound the Kairatoe area on Celebes Island. Other FEAF aircraft on armed reconnaissance, sweeps, and small strikes hit targets of opportunity at many locations throughout the Netherland East Indies and Philippine Islands.

Wednesday 20 December 1944
More than 150 B-24s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers pound 10 airfields throughout the Central Philippine Islands and 3 on Mindanao Island. In the Netherland East Indies B-24s hit Malang Airfield on Java and B-25s hit Haroekoe Island. Numerous other single FEAF flights and small forces attack a large variety of targets of opportunity throughout the Netherland East Indies and the Philippine Islands. HQ 8th Fighter Group and the 35th, 36th and 80th Fighter Squadrons move from Morotai Island to San Jose, Mindoro Island, Philippine Islands with P-38s.

Thursday 21 December 1944
B-24s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers pound 10 airfields mostly on Negros Island and elsewhere in the Central Philippine Islands; Leyte Island-based fighter-bombers fly More than 100 attack sorties; Likanan Airfield on Mindanao Island is also hit by B-24s. In the Moluccas Islands, B-25s pound Goeroea, Anggai, and Lolobata on Halmahera Island. The 311th Fighter Squadron, 58th Fighter Group, moves from San Roque, Leyte Island to San Jose, Mindoro Island with P-47s.

Friday 22 December 1944
On Luzon Island, Philippine Islands, B-24s, with P-47 support, bomb Clark Field while P-40s bomb and strafe Lipa Airfield. On Negros Island, B-24s bomb Carolina Airfield while B-25s, with P-47 cover, hit Fabrica Airfield. On Mindanao Island, B-24s bomb storage and personnel areas while B-25s hit the waterfront at Zamboanga. FEAF aircraft fly numerous shipping searches, armed reconnaissance, and sweeps over Mindanao Island and throughout the Netherland East Indies. In the Moluccas Islands, numerous fighter-bombers pound the Wasile River and Goeroea areas and Hate Tabako Airfield on Halmahera Island. US and RAAF B-24s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers bomb Lolobata and Hate Tabako Airfields on Halmahera Island and the Goeroea area. Units moving from Letye Island to San Jose, Mindoro Island: HQ 417th Bombardment Group (Light) and the 672d, 673d, 674th and 675th Bombardment Squadrons (Light) from Tacloban with A-20s; the 69th and 310th Fighter Squadrons, 58th Fighter Group, from San Roque with P-47s.

Saturday 23 December 1944
In the Philippine Islands, B-24s bomb Fabrica and Silay Airfields on Negros Island; P-38s and P-47s provide cover. B-24s bomb Grace Park Airfield in the suburbs of Manila; on Mindanao Island, B-25s pound San Roque Airfield and the Davao and Zamboanga areas. On Halmahera Island, B-25s and fighter-bombers blast Lolobata, Hate Tabako, and the Goeroea area. Again numerous FEAF aircraft fly various small strikes, armed reconnaissance, and sweeps over the Philippine Islands and the Netherland East Indies; fighter-bombers are especially active against targets in the C Philippine Islands and Halmahera Island. The air echelon of the 17th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment), 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group, moves from Biak Island to San Jose, Mindoro Island with B-25s (the squadron is based at Tacloban, Leyte Island).

Sunday 24 December 1944
B-24s bomb Clark Field on Luzon Island, Puerto Princesa Airfield on Palawan Island, and Kudat Airfield in Borneo. B-25s and fighter-bombers blast the Goeroea area in the Moluccas Islands, bomb Silay Airfield on Negros Island and on Mindanao Island, hit San Roque barracks, the Zamboanga waterfront, and Davao Bay shipping. Again FEAF aircraft on miscellaneous small operations attack many targets throughout the Netherland East Indies and Philippine Islands.

Monday 25 December 1944
B-24s, with fighter support, bomb Mabalacat Airfield on Luzon Island, Sasa Airfield on Mindanao Island, and Sandakan and Jesselton Airfields in Borneo. B-25s, along with RAAF fighter-bombers, hit the Galela area on Halmahera Island. Other B-25s and fighter-bombers pound Mindanao and Halmahera Islands targets again during several smaller raids throughout the day. The 110th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group, based at Dulag, Leyte Island, begins operating from San Jose, Mindoro Island with P-40s.

Tuesday 26 December 1944
In the Philippine Islands, B-24s pound Clark Field on Luzon Island; on Mindanao Island, B-25s hit Matina Airfield, shipping in the Davao River, and bomb nearby Samal Island; and B-24s hit Libby airfield; the 418th Night Fighter Squadron, 310th Bombardment Wing (Medium), moves from Morotai Island to San Jose, Mindoro Island with P-61s. On Halmahera Island, B-25s, B-24s, and fighter-bombers hit Galela, Lolobata, and Hate Tabako. Miscellaneous attacks by other FEAF aircraft are flown against targets in North Borneo, Northeast Celebes, and Halmahera Islands. The 36th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, moves from Hollandia, New Guinea to Biak Island with F-5s (first mission is 25 March 1945).

Wednesday 27 December 1944
B-24s bomb San Jose and Talisay Airfields on Negros Island and Matina Airfield on Mindanao Island. Small miscellaneous strikes are carried out over Borneo, Celebes Islands, and the Lesser Sunda Islands. HQ 345th Bombardment Group (Medium) and the 498th, 499th, 500th and 501st Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) move from Dulag to Tacloban, Leyte with B-25s.

Thursday 28 December 1944
B-25s pound airfields at Laha on Ambon Island, Kairatoe on Celebes Island and Haroekoe on Haroekoe Island while fighter-bombers hit Namlea Airfield on Buru Island. In the Soembawa-Flores Island area in the Lesser Sunda Islands, B-24s attack Japanese shipping. FEAF fighters and bombers on numerous small raids hit targets on Palawan, Mindanao, Borneo, Celebes, Halmahera, Timor and Tanimbar Islands, the Lingayen Gulf, and West of Mindoro Island. The 38th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Thirteenth AF [attached to 4th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance)], moves from Hollandia, New Guinea to Morotai Island with F-5s (first mission is 21 February 1945).

Friday 29 December 1944
B-24s bomb Sasa Airfield on Mindanao Island while B-25s and fighter-bombers hit Namlea on Buru Island. Fighter-bombers hit Northeast Celebes airfields while B-24s bomb Limboeng on Celebes Island. FEAF aircraft fly small strikes against a wide range of targets in North Borneo, the Central Philippine Islands, South Luzon Island, and on Timor Island. The air echelon of the 82d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, begins operating from San Jose, Mindoro Island with F-6s and P-40s (squadron is based on Morotai Island).

Saturday 30 December 1944
In the principal action of the day, fighter-bombers pound airfields in the Central Philippine Islands, North Borneo, and North and Southwest Celebes Island while B-25s hit a barge anchorage and supplies at Haroekoe Island. Smaller strikes by B-25s, B-24s, and fighter-bombers are flown against shipping, oil targets, airfields, and targets of opportunity throughout the Philippine Islands and the Netherland East Indies. HQ 322d Troop Carrier Wing is activated at Hollandia, New Guinea. Units moving from Leyte Island to San Jose, Mindoro Island: HQ 3d Bombardment Group (Light) and the 8th, 13th, 89th and 90th Bombardment Squadrons (Light) from Dulag with A-20s; HQ 49th Fighter Group and the 7th and 9th Fighter Squadrons from Tacloban with P-38s; and HQ 58th Fighter Group from San Roque.

Sunday 31 December 1944
B-24s and B-25s bomb airfields in the Central Philippine Islands, on Luzon and Mindanao Islands. Other B-24s bomb Ambesia Airfield on Celebes Island, hit Dili on Timor Island, and pound airfields and supply areas throughout Halmahera Island. Fighter-bombers are active against airfields, shipping, AA guns, and various targets of opportunity on Halmahera Island and on North Celebes Island. The 63d Troop Carrier Squadron, 403d Troop Carrier Group, based on Biak Island with C-47s, ceases operating from Noemfoor Island. The ground echelon of the 82d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group, begins a movement from Morotai Island to Luzon Island (air echelon is operating from San Jose, Mindoro Island with F-6 and P-40s). The 550th Night Fighter Squadron, XIII Fighter Command, based at Hollandia, New Guinea with P-61s, sends a detachment to operate from Middleburg Island.

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