First Daylight Raid on the
Philippines since
MacArthur was driven out of
Corregidor
Friday, 1 September, 1944
More than 50 B-24s bomb Sasa, Matina,
and Likanan Airfields on Mindanao Island, Philippine Islands; others,
failing to reach Mindanao, hit Beo in the Talaud Islands. Fighter-bombers
hit Boela and Amahai Airfield on Ceram Island, Moluccas Islands.In New
Guinea, A-20s, P-40s and B-25s bomb runways at Babo and Urarom; and HQ
374th Troop Carrier Group moves from Townsville, Australia to Nadzab.
Saturday, 2 September, 1944
On Mindanao Island, 24 B-24s bomb
supply and personnel areas at Lasang, 12 B-24s hit shipyards and personnel
areas at Bunawan, and 22 B-24s hit Likanan Airfield. B-25s hit warehouses
and shipyards along Lembeh Strait, while other B-25s hit a position near
Pitoe Airfield on S Morotai Island, Moluccas Islands. B-24s bomb Koror
Island, Palau Islands. In New Guinea, fighter-bombers hit the Sorong area
and forces at Cape Pus and Boikin.
Sunday, 3 September, 1944
On Celebes Island, B-24s pound Langoan
Airfield and Lembeh Strait warehouses and shipping. B-25s hit the village
of Tobelo on Halmahera Island. Fighter-bombers hit oil tanks and a radio
station at Boela on Ceram Island. In New Guinea, fighter-bombers hit Babo,
Warren and Nabire Airfields, Manokwari storage and personnel areas, strafe
areas along MacCluer Gulf, and fly coastal sweeps in the Wewak area,
strafing troops, supplies, and occupied areas; HQ XIII Bomber Command
moves from Los Negros Island, Admiralty Islands to Wakde Island; and the
20th Combat Mapping Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, moves
from Nadzab to Biak Island with B-24s and F-7s.
Monday, 4 September, 1944
Bad weather cancels most large-scale
operations. In New Guinea, A-20s and B-25s hit Urarom Airfield and
fighter-bombers attack Moemi and hit Napido. During the night of 4/5
September, B-24s bomb Kendari Airfield on Celebes Island.
Tuesday, 5 September, 1944
B-24s hit the airfield on Peleliu
Island, Palau Islands. Small-scale B-24 strikes hit Kendari Airfield on
Celebes Island while fighter-bombers attack Galela and nearby villages on
Halmahera Island, Moluccas Islands. Almost 60 B-24s blast Langoan Airfield
on Celebes Island while a sizeable B-25 force bombs Djailolo Airfield,
several villages, and Kaoe AA positions on Halmahera Island. In New
Guinea, fighter-bombers hit Soepiori Peninsula villages and Waren and
Moemi Airfields; the 405th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 38th Bombardment
Group (Medium), moves from Nadzab to Biak Island with B-25s; and the 547th
Night Fighter Squadron, Fifth Air Force, arrives at Oro Bay from the US
with P-38s and P-61s.
Wednesday, 6 September, 1944
On Mindanao Island, B-24s pound
Santa Ana port and B-25s bomb Buayan Airfield in the first medium bomber
raid in the Philippine Islands since early 1942; several B-24s, turning
back from the Santa Ana strike, bomb Rainis in the Talaud Islands; B-25s
hit Galela on Halmahera Island and the S coast of Morotai Island while on
Halmahera Island, fighter-bombers hit Kaoe Airfield and bomb a Djailolo
Airfield runway. In New Guinea, A-20s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers hit
airfields at Manokwari, Moemi, Ransiki, and Waren, and stores and
personnel area at Nabire; P-40s attack S Soepiori Island and Napido; P-39s
strafe barges and huts at Suain; the 69th, 310th and 311th Fighter
Squadrons, 58thFighter Group, move from Saidor to Noemfoor Island with
P-47s; and the 71st Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 38th Bombardment Group
(Medium), moves from Nadzab to Biak Island with B-25s.
Thursday, 7 September, 1944
B-24s pound Menado area on Celebes
Island and B-25s hit Wasile Bay villages on Halmahera Island; other B-24s
strike Galela in force while P-38s dive-bomb Djailolo and airfield on
Halmahera Island. A-20s bomb Boela Airfield, Ceram Island and B-25s sink a
lugger in Bara Bay. In New Guinea, A-20s hit Mongosah Airfield while
fighter-bombers hit Manokwari Airstrip and villages in the Schouten
Islands and strafe and bomb Wewak Airfield and surrounding areas; and the
25th Liaison Squadron, 91st Photographic Wing (Reconnaissance), moves from
Nadzab to Biak Island with L-5s.
Friday, 8 September, 1944
B-24s pound Langoan Airfield, Celebes
Island. On Halmahera Island, B-25s hit Galela and Tobelo while B-24s bomb
Lolobata and P-47s attack Kaoe Airfield and AA positions, Djailolo
Airfield and barges at Point Lelo; P-38s hit Boela, Ceram Island while
B-25s hit small shipping at Ceram. In New Guinea, B-24s bomb airfields at
Langgoer, Faan, Letfoean, and Toeal; fighter-bombers and A-20s hit
airstrips and targets of opportunity at Efman, Samate, Babo, Urarom,
Manokwari, Moemi, and Ranski; P-39s strafe the Wewak coastal area; and the
673d and 674th Bombardment Squadrons (Light), 417th Bombardment Group
(Light), move from Saidor to Noemfoor Island with A-20s.
Saturday, 9 September, 1944
B-24s bomb Mapanget Airfield, Celebes
Island. More than 100 fighter-bombers and A-20s pound airfields in
the Moluccas Islands, i.e., Liang on Ambon Island, Haroekoe on Haroekoe
Island, Boela on Ceram Island, and Namlea on Buru Island. B-24s hit Galela
Airfield on Halmahera Island. In New Guinea, fighter-bombers hit Moemi,
Manokwari, and Ransiki airstrips while B-25s hit Babo Airfield; and HQ
417th Bombardment Group (Light) moves from Saidor to Noemfoor Island.
Sunday, 10 September, 1944
On Celebes Island, B-24s pound
airfields at Langoan and Mapanget and hit Tomohon and the waterfront area
of Menado. On Halmahera Island, Lolobata and Hate Tabako Airfields are
bombed and areas along Wasile Bay strafed. B-25s, A-20s, and P-38s hit
airfields and oil storage at Namlea on Buru Island, and Amahai and Boela
on Ceram Island while B-24s hit Laha Airfield, Celebes Island. In New
Guinea, A-20s and fighters hit airfields at Samate, Sagan, Nabire, Urarom,
Manokwari, Moemi, and Ransiki; the 8th Photographic Reconnaissance
Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, moves from Nadzab to Biak
Island with F-5s; and the 672d Bombardment Squadron (Light), 417th
Bombardment Group (Light), moves from Saidor to Noemfoor Island with
A-20s.
Monday, 11 September, 1944
B-24s hit airfields at Galela and Miti
on Halmahera Island. B-25s bomb Kairatoe Airfield and village on Celebes
Island and Boela Airfield on Ceram Island while P-38s hit airfields at
Namlea on Buru Island and Amahai and oil tanks at Boela, Ceram Island.
A-20s and B-25s hit Kaoe Airfield on Halmahera Island and scattered
targets of opportunity. In New Guinea, A-20s strike Otawiri, Sagan,
Nabire, and Urarom Airfields while fighter-bombers hit airfields and AA
guns at Manokwari and Ransiki; the 110th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron,
71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group, moves from Tadji to Biak Island with
P-40s.
Tuesday, 12 September, 1944
B-24s pound 3 airfields in the Menado
area on Celebes Island. B-24s and B-25s bomb Kaoe and Galela Airfields on
Halmahera Island, and radar facilities on Morotai Island. B-24s hit Lautem
on Timor Island. P-38s dive-bomb Namlea runways on Buru Island while P-47s
hit Boela on Ceram Island. In New Guinea, A-20s, B-25s, and
fighter-bombers hit airfields, AA guns, and other targets at Babo,
Mongosah, Manokwari, Sagan, Moemi, and Samate; and the 39th Fighter
Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, move from Noemfoor Island to Owi, Schouten
Islands with P-47s.
Wednesday, 13 September, 1944
B-24s and B-25s hit 4 airfields and
bomb villages on Morotai Island. In New Guinea, B-25s hit Langgoer
Airfield while A-20s and fighter-bombers hit 2 airfields on Efman Island;
A-20s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers hit Babo AA positions and airfields at
Manokwari and Ransiki; HQ Thirteenth AF moves from Los Negros Island to
Hollandia.
Thursday, 14 September, 1944
On Celebes Island, B-25s pound
Mapanget airstrip and the Menado area. B-24s hit 4 airfields on Halmahera
Island. In New Guinea, A-20s and B-25s bomb Babo Airfield while
fighter-bombers make scattered small raids on AA positions, airfields, and
targets of opportunity on the Vogelkop Peninsula; the 69th Bombardment
Squadron (Medium), 42d Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Hollandia to
Sansapor; and the 100th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), Thirteenth Air
Force [attached to 42d Bombardment Group (Medium)], ceases operating from
Hollandia with B-25s and returns to base at Sansapor.
Friday, 15 September, 1944
On Halmahera Island, B-24s, A-20s, and
P-47s bomb Kaoe, Lolobata, and Hate Tabako. In New Guinea, P-39s bomb
Manokwari Airfield and town area; and the 675th Bombardment Squadron
(Light), 417th Bombardment Group (Light), moves from Saidor to Noemfoor
Island with A-20s.
Saturday, 16 September, 1944
On Celebes Island, B-24s bomb
Kendari air depot and Ambesia Airfield while B-25s attack a large
warehouse at Gorontalo and B-24s and B-25s hit Kairatoe and Kamarian.
B-25s and B-24s pound Namlea on Buru Island, Liang on Ambon Island,
Haroekoe on Haroekoe Island, and Laha on Amboina Island. In New Guinea,
fighter-bombers hit Manokwari, Sagan, Moemi, and Warren airstrips; HQ 42d
Bombardment Group (Medium) moves from Hollandia to Sansapor; the 64th
Troop Carrier Squadron, 403d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Henderson
Field, Guadalcanal Island, Solomon Islands, to Biak Island with
C-47s; and the 418th Night Fighter Squadron, 310th Bombardment Wing
(Medium), moves from Hollandia to Owi, Schouten Islands with P-61s.
Sunday, 17 September, 1944
B-25s bomb Buayoan Airfield on
Mindanao Island. B-24s, B-25s, and P-38s hit Langoan Airfield on Celebes
Island. B-25s and P-39s, fighting bad weather, attack a variety of
targets, including airfields and villages in Amboina-Ceram Islands area.
In New Guinea, P-47s and P-40s pound the airfield on Samate Island.
Monday, 18 September, 1944
B-24s blast several targets in the
Davao, Mindanao Island area, including oil storage at Sasa. B-25s hit
Langoan Airfield and lake area on Celebes Island. Bad weather forces B-24s
over the Ceram-Amboina Islands area to individually attack targets which
include 4 airfields. In New Guinea, B-25s hit Samate Airfield and
fighter-bombers hit the airfield and town of Manokwari and AA guns at
Moemi; HQ 310th Bombardment Wing (Medium) moves from Hollandia to Morotai
Island; and the 371st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 307th Bombardment
Group (Heavy), based on Wakde Island with B-24s begins operating from
NoemfoorIsland.
Tuesday, 19 September, 1944
Striking all principal targets
in Northeast Celebes, B-24s, B-25s, and P-38s hit the Amoerang port area,
Menado fuel tanks and shipping personnel areas and AA guns at Mapanget and
Sidate, bivouac, supply areas, and lookout towers along Lembeh Strait,
Langoan Airfield, and Kakas rest camp. In New Guinea, HQ 8th Fighter Group
and the 36th Fighter Squadron move from Owi, Schouten Islands to Morotai
Island with P-38s; and HQ 347th Fighter Group and the 339th Fighter
Squadron move from Sansapor to Middleburg Island with P-38s.
Wednesday, 20 September, 1944
Despite poor weather over Celebes
Island, the Menado area is again attacked and B-24s hit Mapanget and
Sidate Airfields and supply dumps and other targets of opportunity. On
Halmahera Island, B-24s hit Djailolo. A-20s and P-47s strike Kaoe
Airfields during the night of 19/20 September. B-24s, B-25s , and
fighter-bombers, striking during the night of 19/20 September and during
the day, pound airfields at Amahai on Ceram Island, Namlea on Buru Island,
Liang and Laha on Amboina Island, the town of Lautem on Timor Island, and
several targets of opportunity. During the night of 20/21 September a few
B-24s again hit the Menado and Sidate area on Celebes Island. In New
Guinea, fighter-bombers hit AA guns and targets of opportunity at Moemi
and Ransiki Airfields and hit a supply dump further East along the Orai
River; the 75th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 42d Bombardment Group
(Medium), moves from Hollandia to Sansapor with B-25s; the 80th Fighter
Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, moves from Owi, Schouten Islands to Morotai
Island with P-38s; the 370th and 372d Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 307th
Bombardment Group (Heavy), based on Wakde Island with B-24s, begin
operating from Noemfoor Island.
Thursday, 21 September, 1944
B-24s attack Laha on Amboina Island
and Kairatoe Airfield on Celebes Island and shipping in Piroe Bay. On
Celebes Island, P-38s and B-25s hit Menado, Tomohon, the Kakas rest camp,
small craft near Belang Island, Kairatoe, and Namlea Airfield on Buru
Island, and a barge off Kaoe Point, Halmahera Island. In New Guinea,
fighter-bombers hit Windissi and Ransiki and strafe targets of opportunity
near the Orai River; during the night of 21/22 September, fighter-bombers
hit the Geelvink Bay-Bentoni Bay area; the 13th Troop Carrier Squadron,
403d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Espiritu Santo Island, New Hebrides
Islands to Biak Island with C-47s (squadron is operating from Los Negros
Island); the detachment of the 421st Night Fighter Squadron, V Fighter
Command, operating from Wakde Island with P-38s and P-61s, returns to base
at Nadzab.
Friday, 22 September, 1944
On Celebes Island, B-24s again pound
Sidate and Mapanget. B-24s and B-25s bomb Amahai on Ceram Island and Liang
on Ambon Island and the airfield on Haroekoe Island. In New Guinea, A-20s
pound Urarom Airfield while fighter-bombers hit Idorra, Windissi, Moemi,
and Kaimana; HQ 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy) moves from Wakde Island to
Noemfoor Island; the 342d Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group, moves
from Wakde Island to Noemfoor Island with P-47s.
Saturday, 23 September, 1944
During night and day raids B-24s and
B-25s concentrate on Sidate and Mapanget Airfields on Celebes Island.
P-47s pound Kaoe Airfield on Halmahera Island. In New Guinea, P-47s and
P-40s bomb AA guns at Manokwari, Moemi, and Ransiki Airfields; HQ
Thirteenth Air Force moves from Hollandia to Noemfoor Island; the 460th
Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group, moves from Nadzab to Noemfoor
Island with P-47s.
Sunday, 24 September, 1944
B-24s and B-25s bomb Amahai Airfield
and Boela on Ceram Island, Namlea Airfield on Buru Island, and Haroekoe
Airfield on Haroekoe Island and B-24s hit Lautem on Timor Island. In New
Guinea, fighter-bombers attack Babo, Urarom, and Manokwari Airfields while
B-25s bomb Sorong.
Monday, 25 September, 1944
On Celebes Island, B-24s hit Kendari
Airfield and B-25s bomb Langoan Airfield. A-20s fire storage areas and hit
personnel areas on the West shore of Kaoe Bay on Halmahera Island. Namlea
Airfield on Buru Island is again bombed by B-24s. P-38s pound Kairatoe
Airfield on Celebes Island and Boela Airfield on Ceram Island. In New
Guinea, B-25s and A-20s hit Sagan and Urarom Airfields while P-40s attack
Kaimana.
Tuesday, 26 September, 1944
B-25s bomb Maumere Bay, Flores
Island, Lesser Sunda Islands. B-25s and B-24s bomb Liang Airfield on Ambon
Island and Kendari Airfield on Celebes Island. In New Guinea, P-40s hit
Kokas; the 31st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group
(Heavy), moves from Wakde Island to Noemfoor Island with B-24s; the 424th
Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 307th Bombardment Group (Medium), based on
Wakde Island with B-24s, begins operating from Noemfoor Island.
Wednesday, 27 September, 1944
B-24s bomb Menado personnel and
supply areas on Celebes Island. B-25s attack oil tanks at Boela, Ceram
Island and hit Old Namba Airfield on Buru Island. In New Guinea, P-40s hit
Ransiki, Kokas, and Warren Airfield and shipping in the Vogelkop Peninsula
area; HQ 375th Troop Carrier Group moves from Nadzab to Biak Island; the
72d and 394th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group
(Heavy), move from Wakde Island to Noemfoor Island with B-24s. HQ 35th
Fighter Group moves from Owi, Schouten Islands to Morotai Island.
Thursday, 28 September, 1944
On Celebes Island, B-25s on a
shipping sweep attack small vessels off Kairatoe and A-20s bomb Langoan
Airfield. P-38s hit barge and the town area at Pajahi in the Moluccas
Islands. In New Guinea, P-47s pound Manokwari Airfield.
Friday, 29 September, 1944
Kendari Airfield on Celebes Island is
bombed by B-24s. B-25s hit both Namlea Airfields on Buru Island while
B-24s blast Liang on Ambon Island and Haroekoe Airfield on Haroekoe
Island. In New Guinea, A-20s and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
aircraft, continue to pound Urarom Airfield; other A-20s bomb Faan
Airfield.
Saturday, 30 September, 1944
B-24s strike oil installations at
Balikpapan, Borneo. On Celebes Island, Ambesia Airfield is pounded by
B-24s while B-25s hit Mapanget, Langoan, and Sidate, and P-38s hit
shipping in Wasile Bay. Other B-25s attack shipping in the Halmahera
Island waters. P-38s hit Amahai on Ceram Island, Kairatoe and Halong
seaplane base on Celebes Island, and Haroekoe Airfield on Haroekoe Island.
In New Guinea, A-20s and fighter-bombers hit Babo, Urarom, and Fak Fak;
A-20s and B-25s bomb Faan; the 23d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 5th
Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Wakde Island to Noemfoor Island with
B-24s.
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