Wednesday, 1 March, 1944 In the Admiralty Islands, about 30
B-24s and B-25s hit Los Negros Island and Lorengau, Manus Island.Other
B-24s and B-25s drop supplies to Allied pound forces on Los Negros. In New
Guinea, more than 100 B-24s, B-25s, A-20s, and fighter aircraft, along
with Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aircraft, pound Hansa Bay, Awar
Point, an airfield in the Wewak area, and enemy installations and
positions at Madang, Alexishafen, and Saiba. Detachment of 26th
Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance
Group, ceases operating from Port Moresby and returns to Finschhafen, New
Guinea with F-5s. Moves in New Guinea during Mar: HQ 309th Bombardment
Wing (Heavy) from Lae to Saidor; 17th Reconnaissance Squadron
(Bombardment), 71st Reconnaissance Group, from Dobodura to Finschhafen
with B-25s; 65th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group
(Heavy), from Dobodura to Nadzab with B-24s.
Thursday, 2 March, 1944 In New Guinea, more than 80 B-24s and
P-40s hit the Hansa Bay area, the airstrip at Nubia, and the
Madang-Alexishafen area. More than B-25s and A-20s pound enemy forces on
Los Negros Island as Allied ground forces occupy Momote Airfield; P-47s
providing cover for the B-25s claim 7 enemy fighters shot down.
Friday, 3 March, 1944 In New Guinea, more than 30 B-24s hit the
Hansa Bay and Alexishafen areas while 20 P-39s attack Madang and Bogadjim
and 22 A-20s pound Erima. 14 A-20s and B-25s hit enemy positions on Los
Negros Island.
Saturday, 4 March, 1944 More than 20 A-20s and B-25s support
ground forces on Los Negros Island. In New Guinea, more than 30 B-24s with
fighter escort, pound airfields in the Wewak area; more than 20 other
B-24s bomb Hollandia; and A-20s bomb buildings and gun positions in the
Saidor area. Moves in New Guinea: HQ 38th Bombardment Group (Medium) from
Port Moresby to Nadzab; HQ of the 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy) from
Dobodura to Nadzab.
Sunday, 5 March, 1944 About 30 B-24s bomb enemy positions on Los
Negros Island. In NE Nea Guinea, elements of the US 32d Infantry Division
land at Yaula; A-20s bomb and strafe the area; P-39's pound the areas
around Madang and Erima; Australian ground forces break out of the Ramu
Valley and retreat toward Madang. 71st Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 38th
Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Port Moresby to Nadzab, New Guinea
with B-25s.
Monday, 6 March, 1944 B-25s continue to hit Japanese forces on
Los Negros Island. In New Guinea, B-24s bomb the airstrip and other
targets in the Awar-Nubia area; P-39s and RAAF aircraft hit Japanese
forces around Madang. On New Britain Island, P-39s and P-38s strafe and
divebomb the Cape Hoskins-Talasea area as US Marines land about midway up
the coast of the Willaumez Peninsula in preparation for a drive on
Talasea. 405th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 38th Bombardment Group
(Medium), moves from Port Moresby to Nadzab, New Guinea with B-25s.
Tuesday, 7 March, 1944 B-24s and B-25s continue to hit targets on
Los Negros Island and other of the Admiralty Islands and bomb Boram
Airfield, New Guinea. P-38s and RAAF aircraft attack targets in the
Talasea area of New Britain Island. 823d Bombardment Squadron (Medium),
38th Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Port Moresby to Nadzab, New
Guinea with B-25s.
Wednesday, 8 March, 1944 B-25s carry out a number of low-level
strikes as Allied ground forces capture Lombrun Plantation on Los Negros
Island, virtually completing the capture of the island. In New Guinea,
over 70 B-24s, B-25s, and A-20s bomb Nubia and Awar airstrips; the bombers
and escorting fighters claim 17 aircraft shot down in the Wewak
area.Fighters continue to strafe coastal targets in Northeast New Guinea
and on New Britain Island. 822d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 38th
Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Port Moresby to Nadzab, New Guinea
with B-25s.
Thursday, 9 March, 1944 B-25s pound Lorengau and other targets on
Manus Island. Numerous other Fifth Air Force aircraft carry out armed
reconnaissance over wide reaches of the SWPA, attacking a variety of
targets.
Friday, 10 March, 1944 11 B-25s bomb Lorengau and several targets
of opportunity on Manus Island. B-24s and P-39s, operating singly or in
pairs, attack numerous scattered targets of opportunity throughout the
SWPA during armed reconnaissance flights.
Saturday, 11 March, 1944 12 B-25s pound Lorengau, Manus
Island while 7 B-24s bomb enemy positions to the West of the town, as the
preliminaries for invasion of Manus increase. In New Guinea, more than 80
B-24s, B-25s, and A-20s hit Boram Airfield while over 40 A-20s and P-39s
attack targets in the Madang area; P-47s strafe the Hansa Bay area; other
aircraft carry out armed reconnaissance and sweeps over wide reaches of
Northeast New Guinea and the New Britain coastal areas. 64th Bombardment
Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Dobodura
to Nadzab, New Guinea with B-24s.
Sunday, 12 March, 1944 12 B-25s hit enemy positions and
communication at Lorengau, Manus Island as landings on small offshore
islands continue with a beachhead being established on Hauwei Island. More
than 40 B-24s B-25s, and A-20s hit the Wewak, New Guinea area. 403d
Bombardment Squadron, 43d Bombardment Group, moves from Dobodura to
Nadzab, New Guinea with B-24s.
Monday, 13 March, 1944 More than 160 B-24s, B-25s, A-20s, P-47s,
and P-40s thoroughly pound the Wewak, New Guinea area; US aircraft claim 8
interceptors shot down. Other aircraft, operating singly or in flights of
2 or 3, attack several targets in the Northeast New Guinea-New Britain
area. In the Admiralty Islands, Hauwei Island is cleared of enemy
opposition and artillery is brought ashore. 340th Fighter Squadron, 348th
Fighter Group, moves from Finschhafen to Saidor, New Guinea with
P-47s.
Tuesday, 14 March, 1944 In New Guinea, over 80 B-24s, B-25s, and
A-20s, supported by Allied fighters, pound the Wewak area; 17 other B-24s
bomb the airfield at Tadji; and 8 A-20s carry out a sweep over the Madang
area while 12 bomb the airstrip at Alexishafen. HQ 8th Fighter Group and
35th and 36th Fighter Squadrons move from Cape Gloucester, New Britain
Island to Nadzab, New Guinea with P-40s and P-47s respectively.
Wednesday, 15 March, 1944 In New Guinea, more than 200 B-24s,
B-25s, A-20s, P-38s, P-47s and P-40s pound Wewak township, blasting docks,
warehouses, gun positions, and numerous other targets; fighters claim 11
enemy aircraft shot down. 36 B-25s bomb Tingo village and Lugos Mission
area on Manus Island, where elements of the 1st Cavalry Division make an
amphibious landing, take the mission and head East toward Lorengau.
Thursday, 16 March, 1944 On New Guinea, more than 70
B-24s, B-25s and A-20s hit AA positions, buildings and salvage dumps at
Wewak and nearby Brandi Plantation; 19 B-25s bomb personnel and storage
areas at Nubia; and B-24s and Catalinas attack a Japanese convoy near
Hollandia. Other B-24s bomb docks and factory area at Soerabaja, Java. 8th
Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance
Group, moves from Port Moresby to Nadzab, New Guinea with F-5s.
Friday, 17 March, 1944 In New Guinea, almost 100 B-24s, B-25s and
A-20s attack the Wewak area; P-38s hit the Hansa Bay area while other
B-25s bomb the Madang-Alexishafen area. Soerabaja, Java naval base is
bombed by B-24s.
Saturday, 18 March, 1944 In New Guinea, more than 100
B-24s, B-25s, and A-20s continue to pound the Wewak area, hitting AA
positions and nearby Brandi Plantation; a Japanese supply convoy reaches
Wewak but escapes bombardment.
Sunday, 19 March, 1944 In New Guinea, more than 100
B-24s, B-25s, A-20s and P-47s pound the Wewak area, hitting especially
hard the Cape Moem and Cape Boram areas; other B-25s and P-39s, along with
RAAF aircraft, bomb the Hansa Bay, Nubia, Madang, and Alexishafen areas
and hit targets along Bogadjim Road; and 130 B-24s, B-25s, A-20s, and
P-38s virtually destroy a supply convoy proceeding from Wewak toward
Hollandia, sinking at least 5 vessels. P-40s attack a bivouac area and AA
on Garove Island, Bismarck Archipelago.
Monday, 20 March, 1944 In New Guinea, more than 30 B-24s bomb the
airfield at Aitape; over 20 P-39s and A-20s hit Japanese HQ and other
targets along the Bogadjim Road while B-25s and P-39s on armed
reconnaissance hit targets at Milhanak, along the Gogol River, at Yeschan,
Burui Airfield and at Erima; and at night B-24s bomb remnants of a supply
convoy off Cape Terabu.On New Britain Island, P-40s on armed
reconnaissance hit villages and barges along the Bangula Bay coast.
Tuesday, 21 March, 1944 In New Guinea, more than 140 B-24s,
B-25s, A-20s, P-38s and P-40s attack numerous targets in the
Wewak-Tadji-Hansa Bay-Schouten Island areas; and P-39s and RAAF
fighter-bombers blast Japanese positions in the Madang area. P-40s and
A-20s on armed reconnaissance attack targets on New Britain Island and on
Garove Island to the North.
Wednesday, 22 March, 1944 In New Guinea, over 130 B-24s,
B-25s, A-20s, and P-40s attack the Wewak area, hitting enemy positions, AA
guns, storage areas at Wewak, Boram, and Yeschan and hitting shipping
offshore. Japanese HQ and troops are hit by 25 other aircraft in the
Aitape-Tadji area; P-47s hit barges at Alexishafen while P-39s hit a HQ
and supply dump along the Bogadjim Road: and A-20s hit barges near Pondo
Plantation and hit Ewasse village.
Thursday, 23 March, 1944 In New Guinea, nearly 100 B-24s,
B-25s, A-20s and P-47s hit numerous targets in the Aitape, Wewak,
Alexishafen, and Hansa Bay areas; and B-24s bomb Babo and during the night
attack shipping in the Bismarck Sea. On New Britain Island, 29 P-40s
attack Talasea and nearby bivouacs, including Gogosi.
Friday, 24 March, 1944 In New Guinea, P-39s and P-40s hit
Alexishafen with a dive bombing and strafing attack at midday; a single
B-24 bombs nearby Sek Island; other B-24s on armed reconnaissance score a
hit on a minesweeper. Organized Japanese resistance ends on Los Negros and
Bougainville Islands, although considerable time will be required for
mopping-up operations. HQ 475th Fighter Group moves from Dobodura to
Nadzab, New Guinea.
Saturday, 25 March, 1944 In New Guinea, more than 100
B-24s, B-25s, and A-20s continue pounding of the Wewak area, destroying
supply dumps along the coast from Wewak Point to the airfield, a fuel dump
West of Boram, and targets along the Sauri road and in the Cape Wom area;
other A-20s attack the coastal area around Bunabun Harbor; and B-24s bomb
the Babo-Urarom area. On New Britain Island, P-40s attack a Japanese HQ at
Cape Hoskins. On Manus Island, the last major battle takes place; isolated
enemy positions remain to be eliminated. Moves in New Guinea with P-38s:
80th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, from Cape Gloucester, New
Britain Island to Nadzab; 432d Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group from
Dobodura to Nadzab.
Sunday, 26 March, 1944 In New Guinea, more than 220 B-24s,
B-25s, A-20s and fighters hit Wewak, Boram, Cape Wom, Aitape, the Hansa
Bay coast, Mushu Island, and the general area along the North coast of
Northeast New Guinea, blasting storage areas, barges, shipping, grounded
aircraft, fuel dumps and enemy troops; other A-20s hit Bunabun Harbor
while P-39s hit the Madang area. On New Britain Island, P-39s and P-40s
attack Cape Hoskins and troops in the Talasea area. On Manus Island, A-20s
hit buildings and Japanese positions on the South shore. 431st Fighter
Squadron, 475th Fighter Group, moves from Dobodura to Nadzab, New Guinea
with P-38s.
Monday, 27 March, 1944 In New Guinea, over 200 B-24s, B-25s,
A-20s, P-47s, P-40s and P-39s attack storage areas, shipping, bridges,
fuel dumps, enemy troop concentrations and other targets in areas around
Wewak, Hansa Bay, Ulipan Harbor, and Madang. Other aircraft carry out
sweeps and armed reconnaissance over New Britain Island and the Bismarck
Sea. 341st Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group, moves from Finschhafen
to Saidor, New Guinea with P-47s.
Tuesday, 28 March, 1944 B-24s hit Hollandia, New Guinea and
Penfoei, Timor Island. Moves in New Guinea: 26th Photographic
Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, from
Finschhafen to Nadzab with F-5s; and 418th Night Fighter Squadron, 308th
Bombardment Wing, from Dobodura to Finschhafen with P-61s.
Wednesday, 29 March, 1944 Brigadier General Paul H. Prentiss is
announced as Commanding General V Air Force Services Command and Brigadier
General Warren R Carter as Commanding General 64th Troop Carrier Wing. In
New Guinea, B-24s bomb Hollandia; B-25s and A-20s pound the Wewak area,
hitting targets at Cape Wom and Dagua and attacking shipping throughout
the day; more A-20s pound the Bogia-Bunabun area and P-39s hit an AA
position at Erima in the Madang area; and P-47s and P-40s on a fighter
sweep and armed reconnaissance strafe coastal targets of opportunity in
Northeast New Guinea and New Britain Island. Moves in New Guinea: HQ 348th
Fighter Group from Finschhafen to Saidor; 433d Fighter Squadron, 475th
Fighter Group, from Dobodura to Nadzab with P-38s.
Thursday, 30 March, 1944 In New Guinea, more than 60
B-24s, with support from more than 90 P-38s and P-47s, hit Hollandia in
the first big daylight raid; airfields and fuel dumps are bombed; a large
number of enemy aircraft are destroyed or damaged on the ground; escorting
fighters claim about 10 interceptors shot down; B-25s, A-20s, P-47s,
P-40s, and P-39s continue to blast Japanese installations and forces in
areas around Wewak, Tadji and Madang. Moves in New Guinea: HQ 91st
Photographic Wing (Reconnaissance) to Nadzab from the US; and 342d Fighter
Squadron, 348th Fighter Group, from Finschhafen to Saidor with P-47s.
Friday, 31 March, 1944 In New Guinea, more than 60 B-24s,
with P-38 support, pound Hollandia for the second successive day; 3
airfields in the area are thoroughly blasted and a large number of enemy
aircraft destroyed; US aircraft claim 14 interceptors shot down; supplies,
enemy troops, and coastal targets in the Tadji, Wewak, and Hansa Bay areas
are hit by over 120 A-20s and B-25s.
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