# USAAF Chronology:

    COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
    FEBRUARY 1945
    FTP SITES
      1. ftp.rutgers.edu in directory pub/wwii/usaf
      2. byrd.mu.wvnet.edu (129.71.32.152) in pub/history/military/airforce/
         wwii_chronology

    AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
      A-20, Douglas Havoc
      A-26, Douglas Invader
      B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress
      B-24, Consolidated Liberator
      B-25, North American Mitchell
      B-26, Martin Marauder
      B-29, Boeing Superfortress
      C-46, Curtiss Commando
      C-47, Douglas Skytrain
      UC-64, Noorduyn Norseman
      UC-78, Cessna Bobcat
      F-3, Douglas Havoc
      F-4, Lockheed Lightning
      F-5, Lockheed Lightning
      F-7, Consolidated Liberator
      F-9, Consolidated Liberator
      F4U, Vought Corsair
      L-1, Stinson Vigilant
      L-4, Piper Cub (Grasshopper)
      L-5, Stinson Sentinel
      Mosquito, deHavilland
      P-38, Lockheed Lightning
      P-40, Curtiss
      P-47, Republic Thunderbolt
      P-51, North American Mustang
      P-61, Northrop Black Widow
      P-70, Douglas
      Spitfire, Vickers Supermarine

    NOTE: A number in parenthesis after a target name indicates the number of
    bombers attacking.

    THURSDAY, 1 FEBRUARY 1945

    AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

      ZONE OF INTERIOR (ZI): The air echelon of the 19th Photographic Charting
    Squadron, 311th Photographic Wing (Mapping and Charting), based at MacDill
    Field, Tampa, Florida, begins operating from Accra, Gold Coast photo-mapping
    Africa with F-9s.

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 6 B-24s attack shipping off the
    French Indochina coast, claiming 1 cargo vessel sunk and a patrol boat
    damaged. In China, 4 P-40s attack a division HQ SW of Yungning; the 16th
    Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Group, based at Chengkung with P-51s, sends a
    detachment to operate from Poseh (another detachment is operating from
    Laohowkow).

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 33: 113 B-29s are dispatched to hit
    the naval base at Singapore, Malayan States; 67 bomb the Admiralty IX
    Floating Drydock (and a vessel berthed in it) and 21 bomb the West Wall area
    of the naval base; 21 others hit alternate targets at Martaban, Burma and
    George Town, Malayan States; they claim 3-4-14 Japanese aircraft; 2 B-29s are
    lost.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 28 fighter-bombers support
    ground forces around Hosi and Molo; 12 B-25s knock out the Mong Pawn bridge;
    8 P-47s damage the approach to the Pa-mao bridge; 8 others hit Hsumhsai
    Airfield; 90+ fighter-bombers hit troops, supplies, vehicles, a ferry
    crossing, and various targets of opportunity at several locations including
    Nauchye, Hsenwi, Man Pwe, Pongkalau, Nawng Mawn, Na-lang, Kunhkan, and
    Panghtu-Iin. 550 transport sorties are flown to forward areas. The 2d and 4th
    Combat Cargo Squadrons, 1st Combat Cargo Group, move from Tsuyung and
    Chengkung, China respectively to Dohazari, India with C-47s; the 459th
    Fighter Squadron, 80th Fighter Group, moves from Chittagong to Rumkha, India
    with P-38s. During Feb 45, the 24th Combat Mapping Squadron, 8th Photographic
    Reconnaissance Group, based at Guskhara, India sends elements to operate from
    Tulihal and Cox's Bazar, India with F-7s.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): During Feb 45, HQ 438th
    Troop Carrier Group and the 87th, 88th, 89th and 90th Troop Carrier Squadrons
    move from Greenham Common, England to Prosnes, France with C-47s.

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
      Mission 814: 699 B-17s and 328 P-51s are dispatched to hit rail targets and
    bridges in W Germany using Micro-H and H2X radar; no losses:
      1. 463 B-17s are sent to hit the marshalling yards at Mannheim (74) and
    Ludwigshafen (70); 270 hit the secondary target, the highway and rail bridge
    at Mannheim; targets of opportunity are Pforzheim (11) and other (3); 2 B-17s
    are damaged beyond repair and 24 damaged; 3 airmen are WIA. Escorting are 142
    of 151 P-51s.
      2. 236 B-17s are send to hit the rail bridge at Wesel (139); 36 hit the
    marshalling yard at Krefeld, the secondary target; and 13 hit Barth, a target
    of opportunity; 2 B-17s are damaged. 49 of 53 P-51s escort.
      3. 20 of 22 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
      4. 87 of 102 P-51s fly a freelance sweep in support of the bombers.
      Mission 815: 6 of 9 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands, France and
    Germany during the night.
      HQ 361st Fighter Group and the 374th, 375th and 376th Fighter Squadrons
    move from Little Walden, England to Chievres, Belgium with P-51s (the
    squadrons have been operating from St-Dizier, France since 23 Dec 44).

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 146 B-26s, A-26s, and A-20s bomb
    rail bridges and defended areas on the Rhine and Mosel Rivers and in W
    Germany near the battlefront. The IX and XIX Tactical Air Commands escort the
    bombers, fly armed reconnaissance, and in Germany, attack the Euskirchen
    marshalling yard and the town of Arloff. In France, HQ 98th Combat
    Bombardment Wing (Medium) moves from Athies Airfield, Laon to Havrincourt and
    HQ 367th Fighter Group moves from Juvincourt to St-Dizier.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Austria, 300+ B-17s and
    B-24s attack the Moosbierbaum oil refinery and the marshalling yards at Graz,
    Furstenfeld, and Klagenfurt. 1 bomber bombs Pula, Yugoslavia. P-38s and P-51s
    fly 270+ sorties escorting the bombers; other P-38s carry out reconnaissance
    and reconnaissance escort missions.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, bad weather curtails
    operations; A-20s and medium bombers are grounded and fighters and fighter-
    bombers fly only 14 sorties, 12 against communications targets N of the
    battle area and 2 weather reconnaissance sorties.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 21 Saipan Island, Mariana Island-based B-24s
    hit Iwo Jima Island, Volcano Islands, in the afternoon, and 10 more, flying
    individual snooper raids, hit the island during the night of 1/2 Feb. 20
    B-24s from Angaur Island, Palau Island, Caroline Islands, bomb Corregidor
    Island in Manila Bay, Luzon Island, Philippine Islands. During Feb 45, the
    6th Night Fighter Squadron, VII Fighter Command (attached to 318th Fighter
    Group) moves from East Field to Kaman Field, Saipan with P-61s (a detachment
    is operating from Kipapa, Hawaii); the detachment of the 17th Photographic
    Reconnaissance Squadron, 4th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance), operating
    from Bougainville Island, Solomon Islands with F-5s, returns to base on
    Morotai Island, Moluccas Islands.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon Island,
    B-24s pound the Canacao Peninsula and Cavite areas; targets include a
    shipyard, seaplane base, communications, and supply. B-25s hit Puerto
    Princesa on Palawan Island, Philippine Islands. On Formosa, B-24s bomb
    Okayama Airfield during the night of 31 Jan/1 Feb and hit Okayama and Heito
    Airfields and Toko seaplane base during the following day. The 71st and 823d
    Bombardment Squadrons (Medium), 38th Bombardment Group (Medium), move from
    Morotai to Lingayen, Luzon with B-25s. During Feb 45, the 160th Liaison
    Squadron, 3d Air Commando Group, based at Calasio, Luzon with UC-64 and L-5s
    sends a detachment to operate from Mindoro Island, Philippine Islands; the
    529th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 380th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves
    from Darwin, Australia to San Jose, Mindoro with B-24s.

    FRIDAY, 2 FEBRUARY 1945

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 4 P-40s attack a regimental HQ and a
    storage area at Lungchow, China.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 11 B-25s pound troops and
    supplies at Loilem; 60+ fighter-bombers support ground forces in the Molo,
    Hosi, and Mabein areas; troops, supplies, town areas, and vehicles are
    attacked at Panma, Kan-loi, Pansak, Man Ho Pang, Pongkalau, Hsenwi, Namtu,
    Panghai, Kong kang, and Ondon. Transports complete 485 sorties to forward
    bases and over the frontline areas.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 22 of 24 P-51s fly an uneventful
    sweep in the Koblenz-Wetzlar-Siegen-Siegburg, Germany area.
      Mission 816: During the night of 2/3 Feb, 1 B-17 and 8 B-24s drop leaflets
    in W Germany.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 350+ B-26s, A-26s, and A-20s bomb
    road and rail bridges to block the E-W movement E of the Rhine River and
    defended localities E of the battlefront in W Germany; fighters hit bridges
    and fly escort, armed reconnaissance and patrols, and support US Third Army
    elements along the Our River in Belgium and the Sauer River in Germany. In
    France, HQ 406th Fighter Group and the 513th Fighter Squadron move from
    Mourmelon-le-Grand to Metz with P-47s; the 393d Fighter Squadron, 367th
    Fighter Group, moves from Juvincourt to St Dizier with P-38s.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Bad weather cancels bombing
    operations; 1 B-17 and 1 B-24 drop supplies in N Italy. 33 P-51s, with 14
    others flying top cover, strafe Kurilovec Airfield in Yugoslavia; 11 other
    P-51s escort a Royal Air Force (RAF) supply dropping mission over Yugoslavia.
    11 P-38s fly photo and weather reconnaissance; photo reconnaissance is
    covered by 24 other P-38s.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers, taking
    advantage of improving weather conditions in NE Italy, hit bridges at Lavis,
    Chiusaforte, Calliano, Mantua, Rovereto, Calcinato, and Dogna; bad weather at
    bases restricts XXII Tactical Air Command aircraft to 5 weather
    reconnaissance sorties.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 20 Guam Island, Mariana Island-based B-24s
    pound a storage area on Iwo Jima Island. During the night of 2/3 Feb, 10
    B-24s, flying individual harassment raids, bomb the island's airfields. 4
    P-47s, on a reconnaissance flight, strafe buildings on Pagan Island, Mariana
    Islands. 22 B-24s from Angaur Island bomb Corregidor Island.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Colonel Carl A
    Brandt becomes Commanding Officer XIII Bomber Command. On Luzon Island, B-24s
    continue to pound Corregidor Island and Cavite and A-20s hit the Baler Bay
    area. In the Cagayan Valley on Mindanao Island, Philippine Islands, B-25s
    attack pillboxes, gun positions, and river barges. B-24s hit Okayama Airfield
    on Formosa during a dawn raid. HQ 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group moves
    from Leyte Island, Philippine Islands to Binmaley, Luzon.

    SATURDAY, 3 FEBRUARY 1945

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 B-25s attack troops and
    supplies at Loilem; 27 fighter-bombers support ground forces in the Molo,
    Hosi, and Myitson areas; 80+ fighter-bombers hit troop concentrations,
    supplies, town areas, tanks, and other targets at Kyaung-hen, Mongkyet,
    Hsipaw, Hsenwi, Na-sang, Konghsa, and Hkaihsi. Transports complete 531
    sorties, landing men and supplies at advanced bases and dropping supplies to
    forward troops.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
      Mission 817: 1,437 bombers and 948 fighters are dispatched in a major
    strike on Berlin by B-17s while B-24s hit the synthetic oil industry at
    Magdeburg; they claim 38-1-18 Luftwaffe aircraft; 25 bombers and 8 fighters
    are lost:
      1. 1,003 B-17s are sent to hit the Tempelhof marshalling yard in Berlin
    (937); targets of opportunity are Bad Zwischenahn (1), Bromsche (1), Gatow
    (13), Luneburg (2), Sogel (1) and other (1); 23 B-17s are lost, 6 damaged
    beyond repair and 339 damaged; 18 airmen are KIA, 11 WIA and 189 MIA. Escort
    is provided by 575 of 613 P-51s; they claim 12-1-0 aircraft in the air and
    17-0-11 on the ground; 7 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA) and 2 damaged beyond
    repair.
      2. 434 B-24s are dispatched to hit the Rothensee oil plant at Magdeburg
    (116); 246 hit a target of last resort, the marshalling yard at Magdeburg;
    targets of opportunity are Wesermunde (17), Mockern (12), Cuxhaven (9),
    Yechta Airfield (2) and other (3); 2 B-24s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair
    and 58 damaged; 19 airmen are MIA. Escorting are 210 of 232 P-51s without
    loss.
      3. 41 of 44 P-47s fly a sweep over Friedersdorf Airfield; they claim 9-0-6
    aircraft in the air; 1 P-47 is lost (pilot MIA).
      4. 35 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
      5. 24 P-51s escort 9 F-5s and 7 Spitfires on a photo reconnaissance mission
    over Germany.
      Mission 818: 1 B-17 and 10 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands and W
    Germany during the night.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, the 9th Bombardment
    Division attacks the Berg-Gladbach storage and repair depot, Dahlem
    communications center, rail bridges at Ahrweiler and Sinzig, and marshalling
    yard at Junkerath; fighters escort the 9th Bombardment Division, fly patrols,
    and carry out armed reconnaissance over W Germany. In France, the 394th
    Fighter Squadron, 367th Fighter Group, moves from Juvincourt to St Dizier
    with P-38s.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Weather again cancels bombing
    operations. P-38s fly photo and weather reconnaissance. P-51s escort the
    photo reconnaissance aircraft while other P-38s escort Mediterranean Allied
    Tactical Air Force (MATAF) B-25s on a transport run to Yugoslavia.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, weather restricts combat
    operations to an attack by 4 P-47s on the Sonico marshalling yard.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 9 Saipan Island-based B-24s hit Chichi Jima
    Island, Bonin Islands; 10 others hit Iwo Jima Island while 9, flying single
    bomber harassment strikes, pound Iwo Jima during the night of 3/4 Feb; 15
    P-38s, part of a force escorting photo aircraft, strafe the island in a
    2-wave attack.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon Island,
    B-24s again pound Corregidor Island and the Canacao peninsula; other B-24s
    hit Aparri and Tuguegarao an in the Batangas area, A-20s continue ground
    support missions. B-24s bomb Cebu City on Cebu Island, Philippine Islands,
    and surrounding targets. On Mindanao Island, B-25s and P-38s hit Matina,
    Daliao, and Padada Airfields.

    SUNDAY, 4 FEBRUARY 1945

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 10 P-40s bomb the airfield
    and Japanese HQ at Yungning and railroad yards at Sinyang; 2 of the P-40s
    over Sinyang are lost to ground fire. The detachments of the 25th and 26th
    Fighter Squadrons, 51st Fighter Group, operating from Leangshan and Laohokow,
    China respectfully with P-51s, return to base at Yunnani and Kunming, China
    respectfully; the 25th Fighter Squadron sends a detachment to operate from
    Poseh with P-51s.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 54 P-38s and P-47s destroy
    or damage bridges at Inailong, Bawgyo, Ho-hko, Hay-ti, Mong Long, and Pa-mao;
    26 P-47s support ground forces in the Myitson and Hosi areas. Troops,
    supplies, and vehicles are attacked at Nam Yem, Na-makhkaw, Mansam, Kong
    kang, Nawngsong, Mong Yai, Na-lang, and Pangmit. Again transports complete
    500+ sorties to advanced bases and over forward areas, where supplies are
    dropped to troops. The 166th Liaison Squadron, 1st Air Commando Group, moves
    from Asansol, India to Sinthe, Burma with UC-64s and L-5s.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 819: 7 of 9 B-24s drop
    leaflets in the Netherlands and Germany during the night.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, the 9th Bombardment
    Division attacks a repair depot at Mechernich, the Arloff road and rail
    junction, and flies a leaflet mission. The IX and XIX Tactical Air Commands
    patrol the battle area. The 158th Liaison Squadron, Ninth AF (attached to
    Twelfth Army Group) arrives at Somme-Suippe, France from England with L-5s.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Bad weather cancels bombing
    operations for the third successive day. 24 B-24s and 1 B-17 drop supplies
    and leaflets in N Yugoslavia. 8 P-38s carry out photo and weather
    reconnaissance missions.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers bomb
    railroad bridges at Ala, San Michele all' Adige, Lavis, Dogna, and Bodrez,
    and attack the Ala marshalling yard; XXII Tactical Air Command fighters and
    fighter-bombers escort the medium bombers and, in widespread areas of N
    Italy, destroy 2 bridges, damage 8 others, and blast rolling stock.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 9 B-24s from Guam Island, bomb AA defenses on
    Iwo Jima Island while 10 hit the town of Okimura on Haha Jima Island in the
    Bonin Islands. 2 B-24s from Saipan Island, on an armed reconnaissance flight,
    bomb Marcus Island in the North Pacific. 23 B-24s from Angaur Island bomb
    Caballo Island in the Philippine Islands. During the night of 4/5 Feb, 8
    Guam-based B-24s, operating singly, pound airfields on Iwo Jima.

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 26: For the first time the XXI Bomber
    Command sends B-29s from 2 wings [the 73d and 313th Bombardment Wings (Very
    Heavy)] against Japanese Home Islands. 110 B-29s are dispatched; 69 bomb the
    urban area of Kobe; 30 others, including 15 hitting Natsusaka, bomb last
    resort targets and targets of opportunity; about 200 attacking fighters down
    1 B-29 and damage 35 others; 1 other crashes upon landing at Saipan Island;
    B-29s claim 4-20-39 Japanese aircraft.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon Island,
    B-24s continue to hit Corregidor Island and Cavite; in support of ground
    forces B-25s bomb and strafe coast targets from San Felipe to Maloma, hit
    targets around lba, and drop napalm on San Jose del Monte and A-20s bomb Lipa
    and Calingatan Airfields. HQ 348th Fighter Group and the 340th Fighter
    Squadron move from Tanauan, Leyte Island to San Marcelino, Luzon with P-47s.

    MONDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 1945

    AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

      ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 5 B-24s bomb Kataoka on Shimushu Island in the
    Kurile Islands through solid overcast; a shipping sweep by B-25s is cancelled
    due to weather.

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 14 P-51s and P-40s attack
    locomotives and trucks at the Pinghan railroad yards, Hsiangcheng, and
    Lohochai; at least 9 locomotives and an undetermined number of trucks are
    destroyed; the 21st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Fourteenth AF,
    based at Kunming with F-4s and F-5s, sends a flight to operate from Hsian
    (another flight is operating from Luliang).

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 35 P-47s support ground
    forces in the Myitson, Hosi, and Molo areas; 8 P-38s bomb Mong Long; 60 P-38s
    and P-47s hit troops and supplies at Kan-loi, Nam-yang, Man Peng, Pangmakhe-
    leng, Kwangteng, Mong Pa, and Mansam. Transports fly 554 sorties to forward
    areas.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): Weather cancels all operations
    except IX Tactical Air Command fighter patrols over the US First Army area
    around Butgenbach, Belgium.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 730+ B-17s and B-24s bomb oil
    storage at Regensburg, Germany, the main station and 2 marshalling yards at
    Salzburg, Austria, the marshalling yards at Rosenheim, Germany and Villach,
    Austria, and Straubing, Germany railroad installations; 6 bombers bomb the
    Comeglians, Italy road bridge. P-38s and P-51s escort the bombers, fly
    reconnaissance and reconnaissance support missions, and accompany 25 B-24s on
    a supply mission to Yugoslavia.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, B-25s score excellently
    against the San Ambrogio di Valpolicella landslide (the overhanging cliff
    collapses on the railroad by bombing) and bridges at San Michele all' Adige
    and Calliano; during the night of 4/5 Feb, XXII Tactical Air Command A-20
    intruder missions hit lights, motor transport, and roads in the Po Valley and
    areas S of Bologna; fighters and fighter-bombers fly 270+ sorties against
    communications targets in N Italy; incendiary bombing of a truck park damages
    numerous vehicles.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 21 B-24s from Saipan Island bomb AA positions,
    defense installations, and a bivouac on the N end of Iwo Jima Island; during
    the night of 5/6 Feb, Iwo Jima airfields are pounded by 10 Saipan-based B-24s
    flying individual snooper strikes. HQ 15th Fighter Group departs Hawaii for
    Iwo Jima.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon Island, 60
    B-24s deliver the heaviest attack yet on Corregidor Island; support for
    ground forces continues in various Luzon battle zones. B-25s on a shipping
    sweep of the E coast claim 9 barges and luggers sunk and several more
    damaged. B-24s bomb Manggar and Sepinggang Airfields on Borneo.  HQ 475th
    Fighter Group moves from Dulag, Leyte Island to San Jose, Mindoro Island (the
    group's 3 squadrons, the 431st, 432d and 433d Fighter Squadrons, remain at
    Dulag with P-38s and send detachments to operate from San Jose).

    TUESDAY, 6 FEBRUARY 1945

    AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

      CARIBBEAN (Sixth Air Force): The 397th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), VI
    Bomber Command, moves from the Galapagos Islands to Rio Hato, Panama with
    B-24s.

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 20 P-51s pound and
    considerably damage Peking Airfield, claiming 7 aircraft destroyed; other
    fighter-bombers on armed reconnaissance hit several targets of opportunity
    (mainly rail and river traffic) around Tsingpu, Wuhu, Suchow, Hsiangcheng,
    Ichang, Chingmen, and Yungning. Fighter-bombers sink numerous river craft on
    the Mekong River from Wan Mai-Lo to Nguen, Burma.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 86 P-47s and P-38s and 25
    B-25s pound troop concentrations, supplies, and AA positions in the Lashio
    area; 4 P-38s damage the approach to Mong Tong bridge. Transports complete
    514 sorties, carrying men and supplies to forward areas.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 821: 1,383 bombers and 904
    fighters are dispatched to attack oil targets in Germany; the expected clear
    weather does not materialize and the bombers attack secondary targets and
    targets of opportunity using H2X radar; they claim 4-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft;
    5 bombers and 4 fighters are lost:
      1. 474 of 949 B-17s hit the secondary target in 2 forces, the marshalling
    yard at Chemnitz; targets of opportunity are the Gotha marshalling yard (88),
    Giessen (68), Saalfeld (39), Ohrdruf (35), Eisfeld (34), Schmalkalden (32),
    Greiz (22), Zwickau (22), Eisenach (13), Waltershausen (12), Dirlos (12),
    Ostheim (12), Friedrichroda (11), Steinbach (2), Meppen (1), Reichenbach (1),
    Schmalkalden (1), and other (1); 3 B-17s are lost, 13 damaged beyond repair
    and 115 damaged; 41 airmen are KIA, 7 WIA and 24 MIA. Escorting are 545 of
    588 P-51s; they claim 1-0-1 aircraft in the air and 3-0-0 on the ground; 4
    P-51s are lost (pilots MIA) and 7 damaged beyond repair.
      2. 418 of 434 B-24s hit the secondary target, the marshalling yard at
    Magdeburg; targets of opportunity are the Meppen Bridge (1) and Quackenbruck
    (1); 2 B-24s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 61 damaged; 18 airmen are
    MIA. The escort is 235 of 262 P-51s without loss.
      3. 33 of 38 P-51s fly a scouting mission without loss.
      4. 8 P-51s escort photo reconnaissance aircraft over Germany.
      5. 8 P-51s escort air-sea-rescue aircraft.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 261 B-26s, A-20s and
    A-26s attack the Rheinbach ammunition dump, Sotenich communications center,
    Vlatten defended village, Berg-Gladbach motor transport center, and several
    casual targets; fighters fly armed reconnaissance, alert flights and patrols,
    dive-bomb the Horrem bridge, cut rails, and escort the 9th Bombardment
    Division bombers. The 160th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 363d Tactical
    Reconnaissance Group, ceases operating from Conflans, France with F-6s and
    returns to base at Le Culot, Belgium. In France, the 392d Fighter Squadron,
    367th Fighter Group, moves from Juvincourt to St Dizier with P-38s. Units
    moving from France to Belgium with P-47s: the 509th and 510th Fighter
    Squadrons, 405th Fighter Group, from St Dizier to Ophoven; the 513th and
    514th Fighter Squadrons, 406th Fighter Group, from Metz to Asch.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Bad weather permits only supply
    and reconnaissance missions; 5 P-38s complete weather and photo
    reconnaissance while 12 B-24s and 1 B-17 drop supplies in Yugoslavia.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, B-25s attack railroad
    targets on the line running N to the Brenner Pass, damaging bridges at
    Rovereto and Ala; marshalling yards at Rovereto and San Ambrogio di
    Valpolicella and a bridge at Crema are less successfully hit; fighter-bombers
    cut railroad bridges at Nervesa delta Battaglia and San Michele all'Adige;
    the P-47s claim 3 fighters destroyed in combat N of Verona and attack
    numerous targets of opportunity throughout the target areas; during the night
    of 5/6 Feb, A-20s attack lights, roads, and motor transport in the C Po
    Valley.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 9 Guam Island-based B-24s hit AA defenses and
    radar and radio installations on Iwo Jima Island; 10 more bomb Ototo Jima
    Island in the Volcano Islands and the the town of Omura on Kyushu Island,
    Japan. 1 B-24 from Angaur Island bombs Koror Island in the Palau Islands, and
    on Luzon Island, 2 hit Bulan Airfield and 19 bomb Corregidor Island in Manila
    Bay. 8 B-24s from Guam Island fly individual strikes against Iwo Jima
    airfields during the night of 6/7 Feb.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon, B-24s
    bomb Corregidor Island gun positions; B-25s and P-38s hit Echague and a camp
    on the Rosario-Baguio road; A-20s attack gun positions and defenses at
    Nichols Field in support of ground forces and bomb Caballo Island. B-24s and
    B-25s fly coastal sweeps hitting various targets at Divilacan Bay, Hondagua,
    and the Bicol Peninsula. A-20s attack Fabrica Airfield on Negros Island,
    Philippine Islands. B-24s, with P-38 support hit Manggar and Sepinggang
    Airfields in Borneo. The detachment of the 25th Photographic Reconnaissance
    Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, operating from Dulag, Leyte
    Island with F-5s, returns to base at San Jose, Mindoro. The 342d and 460th
    Fighter Squadrons, 348th Fighter Group, move from Tanauan, Leyte to San
    Marcelino, Luzon with P-47s.

    WEDNESDAY, 7 FEBRUARY 1945

    AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

      ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 6 B-24s off to Kataoka, Shimushu Island abort
    the  mission when all aircraft accidentally drop bombs prior to the bombing
    run. 4 B-25s weather abort.

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 11 P-51s knock out a bridge
    at Hengshan; 34 P-40s hit river, road, and rail traffic from Kweiyi to
    Hengshan, from Chiuchiang to Wuhu, from Siaokan southward, in the area S of
    Tsinan, and N of Tehsien, and from Wan Mai-Lo, Burma to Luang Prabang, French
    Indochina. 2 fighter-bombers hit the warehouse area at Kweihsien, China.

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
      Mission 34: 67 B-29s are dispatched to hit Saigon, French Indochina; 44
    bomb the primary target (11 drop prematurely and 33 hit a residential
    section), 19 hit Pnom Penh, a target of opportunity, and 2 bomb the last
    resort target, the marshalling yard at Martaban, Burma; they claim 0-0-1
    Japanese aircraft; 1 B-29 is lost.
      Mission 35: 64 B-29s are dispatched to hit the Rama VI bridge at Bangkok,
    Thailand; 58  bomb and effect the collapse of most of middle span of the
    bridge (this is the 3d strike at this target) and destroy the NE approach; 1
    B-29 bombs the Martaban, Burma marshalling yard; no B-29s are lost.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 11 B-25s attack tanks and
    troops at Man Namman; 50 P-47s support forces preparing to cross the Shweli
    River in the Myitson area; 40+ P-47s and P-40s attack troops and supply areas
    at Nawngkalio, Man Li, Hsunkwe, Nawnghkio, Loi Hkam, Panghsapye, Na-lang,
    Wingnang, and Pang Eng Hkye. 464 transport sorties are flown to advanced
    bases and frontline areas. In India, the 5th and 6th Fighter Squadrons
    (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, move from Fenny and Asansol respectfully
    to Hay with P-47s; the detachment of the 127th Liaison Squadron (Commando),
    2d Air Commando Group, operating from Cox's Bazar with UC-64s and L-5s
    returns to base at Kalaikunda; and the 317th Troop Carrier Squadron
    (Commando), 2d Air Commando Group, moves from Kalaikunda to Palel with C-47s.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
      Mission 822: 295 B-17s and 80 P-51s are recalled when they encounter a
    weather front rising to 30,000 feet (9,144 m) over the North Sea; 1 B-17
    attacks Essen; no bombers are lost. Escort is provided by 41 of 80 P-51s
    without loss. 36 of 36 P-51s patrol the Siegen, Germany area without loss.
      Mission 823: 10 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands and Germany during
    the night without loss.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 16 B-26s strike the rail siding at
    Lipp, Germany; weather cancels other operations. The 39th Photographic
    Reconnaissance Squadron, Ninth AF, moves from Valenciennes to Amand, France
    with F-5s (first mission is 16 Mar).

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 680 B-17s and B-24s bomb oil
    refineries at Moosbierbaum, Schwechat, and the Lobau, Floridsdorf, Korneuburg
    and Kagran refineries in the Vienna, Austria area; oil storage at Pula,
    Yugoslavia; shipyard and harbor of Trieste, Italy; the town of Bratislava,
    Czechoslovakia; Zwolfaxing Airfield, Austria; and several scattered targets
    of opportunity; 274 P-38s and P-51s provide escort. 8 B-24s drop supplies in
    Yugoslavia. 18 P-51s strafe the Zeltweg Airfield in Austria and the
    surrounding area while in Yugoslavia, 10 P-38s sweep the Zagreb-Karlovac-
    Sisak area. Other P-38s fly reconnaissance and escort operations.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 6/7
    Feb, A-20s bomb lights and movement over extensive areas of N Italy; during
    the day B-25 blasts cut bridges at Bodrez and Lavis, a viaduct at Lavis, and
    block rail lines at San Michele all'Adige and Mantua; XXII Tactical Air
    Command P-47s destroy 4 railroad bridges and damage another severely in the
    NE and C Po Valley and Brenner Pass, and blast dumps and sugar refineries in
    the Mantua, Brescia, and Reggio Emilia areas.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 6 B-24s from Saipan Island bomb the town of
    Okimura on Haha Jima Island; 8 B-24s hit AA positions and radio and radar
    installations on Iwo Jima Island, while 2 others bomb the airfield in Woleai
    Atoll in the Caroline Islands. From Angaur Island 20 B-24s bomb Silay and
    Talisay Airfields on Negros Island and 1 bombs Opon airfield on Mactan Island
    in the Philippine Islands. 9 B-24s on snooper raids from Saipan Island during
    the night of 7/8 Feb, bomb Iwo Jima airfields.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Formosa, B-24s,
    with P-38 support hit targets of opportunity at Heito Airfield and other
    points (after weather prevents the bombing of Takao) and B-25s, with P-51
    cover, fly several sweeps, claiming a sub sunk, a tanker set afire, a large
    motor launch sunk, other shipping damaged, and several vehicles and an
    airplane destroyed. On Luzon Island, A-20s, supporting ground operations,
    attack the hills W of Clark Field. B-24s hit Bago and Mandaue on Negros
    Island. In Borneo, other B-24s bomb Tawau and-in another mission-Miri
    Airfield, Tutong oil refinery pump station and power house. The 341st Fighter
    Squadron, 348th Fighter Group, moves from Tanauan, Leyte Island to San
    Marcelino, Luzon with P-47s.

    THURSDAY, 8 FEBRUARY 1945

    AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

      ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Kurile Islands, 4 B-25s abort a mission
    to the Masugawa River when unable to identify the target.

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 10 P-51s knock out a bridge
    at Shihtangchung and blast a bridge approach at Changsha; 9 other fighters
    knock out another bridge N of Changsha; 4 fighters hit railroad targets of
    opportunity from Linfen to Yutze to Shihkiachwang and bomb Tsinan Airfield.

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): In India, HQ 58th Bombardment Wing (Very
    Heavy) moves from Kharagpur to Hijli Base Area.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 72 P-47s support ground
    forces in the Myitson area; 37 P-47s and P-38s hit troops, supply areas,
    ammunition dumps, and targets of opportunity at Namsaw, Hsunkwe, Loi-Kong,
    Nawng-un, Hsipaw, Panghai, and Kongnio, and bomb a village near Pangkawn.
    Transports fly 581 sorties carrying men and supplies to forward bases and
    dropping supplies to frontline areas. The 155th Liaison Squadron (Commando),
    2d Air Commando Group, based at Kalaikunda, India with UC-64s and L-5s, sends
    a detachment to operate from various bases in Burma.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 150 B-17s and 264 B-24s dispatched
    to attack targets in W Germany are recalled before leaving the UK coast due
    to clouds over bases, routes, and targets. 98 of 99 P-51s fly a sweep
    strafing rail traffic and parked aircraft; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe
    aircraft. 11 of 13 P-51s escort photo reconnaissance aircraft over Germany.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): 320+ B-26s, A-20s, and A-26s strike
    a road junction, marshalling yard, 3 defended areas, and 10 casual targets in
    Germany. Fighters fly armed reconnaissance, bomb numerous ground targets, and
    support the US XII Corps which has, on 7 Feb, crossed the Our and Sauer
    Rivers between Vianden and Echternach, Luxembourg and established
    bridgeheads. HQ 406th Fighter Group and the 512th Fighter Squadron move from
    Metz, France to Assche, Belgium with P-47s. The 39th Photographic
    Reconnaissance Squadron, Ninth AF, based at St Amand, France with F-5s, sends
    a flight to operate from Le Culot, Belgium.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Austria, 500+ B-24s and
    B-17s bomb SE Vienna communications targets and the marshalling yard at Graz,
    plus several targets of opportunity; 270+ P-38s and P-51s escort. In
    Yugoslavia, 12 B-24s drop supplies and 11 P-51s sweep the Zagreb area. Other
    P-51s and P-38s fly reconnaissance and reconnaissance escort.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 7/8
    Feb, A-20s on intruder missions bomb various targets at 58 points in the Po
    Valley and Brenner Pass area; medium bombers during the day attack bridges at
    Calliano, Chiusaforte, Dogna and Piacenza; fighters and fighter-bombers
    closely support US Fifth Army forces in the Serchio Valley where
    counterattacks oppose the Allied offensive-and destroy the Nervesa della
    Battaglia railroad bridge and oil dump N of Mestre.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 20 B-24s from Guam Island bomb radar and radio
    installations and AA defenses on Iwo Jima Island in the afternoon; during the
    night of 8/9 Feb, 10 B-24s fly single-plane snooper strikes against Iwo
    Jima's airfields.

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 27: 30 of 31 B-29s from the Mariana
    Islands bomb Airfield Number 1 on Moen Island in Truk Atoll, Caroline
    Islands.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon Island,
    B-24s bomb the town of Mariveles on Bataan Peninsula and B-25s sink or damage
    several small vessels along the E coast and hit Legaspi Airfield. In Borneo,
    B-24s bomb Manggar and Sepinggang Airfields. Units moving to San Marcelino,
    Luzon: HQ 309th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) from Owi, Schouten Islands and the
    421st Night Fighter Squadron, 86th Fighter Wing, from Tacloban, Leyte Island
    with P-38s and P-61s.

    FRIDAY, 9 FEBRUARY 1945

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 8 fighters hit rail bridges
    in the Kiyang and Lukou areas, damaging 1 bridge; several trucks are strafed
    and destroyed; 3 fighters on a railroad sweep destroy several locomotives
    between Peking and Sinsiang; several other fighters bomb railroad yards at
    Kaifeng and the airfield at Sinsiang; Chinese-American Composite Wing (CACW)
    fighters make a surprise strike at Tsingtao Airfield, and claim about 100
    aircraft destroyed and damaged, and also destroy several nearby locomotives.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 10 B-25s damage a bridge
    at Tonglau and destroy 1 bridge and damage another at Ke-hsi Mansam; 2 others
    pound trucks, gun positions, and buildings during a road sweep from Hsipaw to
    Loilem to Lashio; 9 P-47s knock out a bridge at Bawgyo and damage another at
    Inailong; 22 P-47s support ground forces in the Myitson area; troops,
    supplies, and communications are attacked at Tangtong, Man Mau, Se-u, Mansam,
    Panghai, Na-lang, and Man hpat by 40+ fighter-bombers. 479 transport sorties
    are flown to forward areas.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 824: 1,296 bombers and
    871 fighters in 6 forces hit oil targets in Germany; except where noted,
    attacks were made with PFF; they claim 61-4-22 Luftwaffe aircraft; 8 bombers
    and 5 fighters are lost:
      1. 313 B-24s are sent to hit the Rothensee oil plant at Magdeburg (10); 268
    hit the secondary target, the marshalling yard at Magdeburg; targets of
    opportunity are Tarchen (9) and Quackenbruck Airfield (1); the Magdeburg
    attacks are made using H2X; they claim 0-0-1 aircraft; 3 B-24s are lost, 1
    damaged beyond repair and 51 damaged; 14 airmen are KIA, 5 WIA and 20 MIA.
    Escorting are 151 of 173 P-51s; they claim 9-0-5 aircraft in the air and
    1-0-0 on the ground; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
      2. 198 of 311 B-17s hit the secondary target, the munitions industry at
    Weimar; targets of opportunity are the marshalling yards at Giessen (25)
    and Gottingen (15), the munitions industry at Eisenach (11), Jena (11) and
    Fulda (24) and other (4); attacks are made using H2X and visually; they claim
    0-0-1 aircraft; 3 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 7 damaged; 1
    airman is WIA and 28 MIA. The escort is 271 of 274 P-51s; they claim 8-1-3
    aircraft in the air and 2-0-9 on the ground; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA) and 1
    damaged beyond repair.
      3. 304 B-17s are dispatched to the oil plants at Lutzkendorf (233); 12 hit
    the secondary target, Erfurt; targets of opportunity are Eisenach (13, using
    H2X radar), Eisleben (13), Montesada (11) and other (3); all attacks except 1
    were visual; 1 B-17 is lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 64 damaged; 6 airmen
    are KIA, 3 WIA and 26 MIA. 193 of 215 P-51s escort and claim 2-1-0 aircraft
    in the air and 34-0-3 on the ground; 3 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA) and 1
    damaged beyond repair.
      4. 64 of 65 B-24s hit the Schildesche rail viaduct at Bielefeld using Gee-H
    without loss. 39 of 40 P-47s escort without loss.
      5. 151 B-17s are sent to hit the Altenbeken rail viaduct at Paderborn
    (72) and the Arnsberg rail viaduct (75) using Gee-H; 1 B-17 is lost and 1
    damaged. 47 of 53 P-51s escort without loss.
      6. 107 of 152 B-17s hit the secondary target, oil plants at Dulmen using
    Micro H; 21 hit a target of opportunity, the marshalling yard at Munster with
    H2X radar; 10 B-17s are damaged. Escorting are 55 of 60 P-51s without loss.
      7. 33 of 35 P-51s fly a scouting mission; they claim 5-1-0 aircraft in
    the air without loss.
      8 20 of 21 P-51s escort photo reconnaissance missions over Germany.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 347 A-20s, A-26s, and
    B-26s bomb communications centers at Viersen and Kempen, marshalling yards at
    Rheydt, Grevenbroich, and Viersen, and rail bridges at Neuwied-Irlich and
    Sinzig. Fighters fly armed reconnaissance over the E and W of the Rhine
    River, attack rail bridges, and support US XII Corps bridgeheads across the
    Our and Sauer Rivers. In France, HQ 323d Bombardment Group (Medium) and the
    453d, 454th, 455th and 456th Bombardment Squadrons move from Athies Airfield,
    Laon to Prouvy Airfield, Denain and Valenciennes (454th) with B-26s; HQ 410th
    Bombardment Group (Light) and the 644th, 645th, 646th and 647th Bombardment
    Squadrons (Light) move from Coulommiers to Juvincourt with A-20s; and the
    669th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 416th Bombardment Group (Light) moves
    from Melun to Athies Airfield, Laon with A-26s. HQ 405th Fighter Group and
    the 511th Fighter Squadron move from St Dizier, France to Ophoven, Belgium
    with P-47s.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): During the night of 8/9 Feb, 1
    B-17 and 10 B-24s drop supplies in N Italy. During the day in Austria, 49
    bombers hit the Moosbierbaum oil refinery; 5 others bomb marshalling yards at
    Graz and Bruck an der Mur. 11 B-24s drop supplies in C Yugoslavia, while
    P-38s and P-51s fly reconnaissance missions and reconnaissance and supply
    escort.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 8/9
    Feb, A-20s and A-26s on intruder missions attack communications targets
    throughout the C and NE Po Valley; weather restricts daytime operations to
    weather reconnaissance and supply dropping missions.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA
        Seventh Air Force: 22 B-24s from Guam and Saipan Islands bomb airfields,
    defense and radar-radio installations and AA positions on Iwo Jima Island;
    during the night of 9/10 Feb, 11 more B-24s from Saipan make separate strikes
    against airfields and AA defenses. HQ 21st Fighter Group departs Hawaii for
    Iwo Jima.
        VI Air Service Area Command: The 311th Troop Carrier Squadron arrives at
    Kahuku, Hawaii from the U.S. with C-47s (the squadron will perform aerial
    transportation in the C and W Pacific, Feb-2 Sep 45).

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 28: 29 XXI Bomber Command B-29s hit
    Moen Island for the second consecutive day, bombing airfield number 2.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon Island,
    B-24s fly morning and afternoon raids against Corregidor Island gun
    positions; A-20s also hit the island fortress; Mariveles and the S part of
    Bataan Peninsula are pounded by B-24s and A-20s throughout the morning and
    afternoon; B-25s and P-51s hit shipping near Legaspi and in San Miguel Bay
    and destroy buildings at San Fernando on Negros Island. In support of ground
    forces, A-24s and P-40s over Balete Pass area attack bridges and roads. The
    17th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Thirteenth AF, based on Morotai
    Island with B-25s and F-5s, sends a detachment to operate from Dulag, Leyte
    Island. The 421st Night Fighter Squadron, 86th Fighter Wing, based at San
    Marcelino, Luzon with P-38s and P-61s, sends a detachment to operate from
    Tacloban, Leyte.

    SATURDAY, 10 FEBRUARY 1945

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, HQ 308th Bombardment Group
    (Heavy) moves from Kunming to Hsinching; the 35th Photographic Reconnaissance
    Squadron, Fourteenth AF, based at Chanyi with F-5s, sends a flight to operate
    from Chengkung (another flight is at Chihkiang).

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 5 B-25s destroy the Laihka
    Bridge; 4 others hit the Namsang Bridge, with poor results; 9 P-47s knock out
    approaches to the Pa-mao Bridge while 8 others destroy half of the bridge at
    Inailong; 15 P-47s support ground forces in the Mongmit area, concentrating
    on Japanese positions S of Myitson; 76 fighter-bombers attack troops and
    supply areas at Panglong, Namsangsok, Namtu, Kutkai, Mong Yaw, Mongmit,
    Ho-mong, Man Pwe, Namsam, and Loiya. Again transports fly 500+ sorties to
    forward areas.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
      Mission 825: 9 of 164 B-17s carry out the first DISNEY mission (Royal Navy
    rocket-boosted concrete piercing bombs) against the U-boat pens at Ijmuiden,
    the Netherlands visually; 140 hit the secondary target, the oil storage depot
    at Dulmen, Germany using Micro H; and 1 hits Lingen, a target of opportunity;
    5 B-17s fly a screening mission; 5 B-17s are damaged. Escorting are 102 of
    106 P-51s without loss. 3 of 6 P-51s fly a scouting mission and 20 of 21
    P-51s escort photo reconnaissance aircraft over Germany. 102 of 104 P-51s fly
    a strafing mission in the Steinhuder Lake area but abort because of bad
    weather; 2 P-51s are lost.
      Mission 826: 1 B-17 and 11 of 12 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands and
    Germany during the night; 1 airman is KIA.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 320+ bombers of the 9th
    Bombardment Division attack communications centers at Kempen, Horrem, and
    Euskirchen, vehicle center and depot at Munstereifeland at Berg-Gladbach, and
    several casual targets including rail bridge at Bullay; fighters escort the
    bombers, fly patrols and armed reconnaissance, bomb bridges, attack railroad
    cars and other targets, and support the US VIII and XII Corps in the Prum
    area on the Prum River and in the bridgehead area E of the Sauer River NW of
    Echternach, Luxembourg. In France, HQ 416th Bombardment Group (Light) and the
    668th and 670th Bombardment Squadrons (Light) move from Melun to Athies
    Airfield, Laon with A-26s; the 39th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron,
    Ninth AF, based at St Amand with F-5s, sends a flight to operate from Jarny
    (another flight is at Le Culot, Belgium).

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Bad weather prevents bombing;
    12 B-24s drop supplies in Yugoslavia while P-38s fly reconnaissance and
    escort missions.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 9/10
    Feb, A-20s and A-26s hit railroads, lights, and movement in the Po Valley and
    Brenner area and bomb docks at La Spezia; weather cancels all but 2 medium
    bomber missions; however, the B-25s cut bridges at Palazzuolo sull' Oglio and
    Romano di Lombardia; fighter-bombers concentrate on railroads in NE Italy,
    and destroy numerous vehicles in a truck park in the Mantua area.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 10 Guam Island-based B-24s bomb Okimura on Haha
    Jima Island; 6 P-38s escort a photo mission and fly fighter a sweep over Iwo
    Jima Island. 17 B-24s from Guam, with P-38 escort, pound Iwo Jima in the late
    afternoon, and 9 more make single bomber harassment strikes on the island
    during the night of 10/11 Feb.

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 29: 118 B-29s from the Mariana
    Islands are dispatched to hit the Nakajima aircraft plant at Ota, Japan; 84
    hit the primary target and 14 hit other targets; they claim 21-15-26 Japanese
    aircraft; 12 B-29s are lost.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Brigadier General
    Frederick H Smith Jr becomes Commanding General V Fighter Command.
      On Luzon, B-24s again blast Japanese gun positions while P-51s and P-38s,
    supporting ground forces hit communications targets in the Bayambang-Santa Fe
    area, while B-25s in the area blast villages where vehicles are hidden;
    B-24s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers completely saturate the S part of Bataan
    Peninsula with bombs during morning and afternoon attacks, thoroughly
    pummelling defenses and forces. P-47s on a fighter sweep over Formosa claim
    10 aerial victories. HQ 312th Bombardment Group (Light) and the 386th and
    387th Bombardment Squadrons (Light) move from Tanauan, Leyte Island to
    Mangaldan, Luzon with A-20s.

    SUNDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 1945

    AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

      ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Of 7 B-24s off on an air cover mission for a
    naval task force, only 3 reach the target.

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 17 B-25s hit railroad yards
    at Sinyang and Lohochai and a locomotive foundry at Hsuchang; 23 P-47s pound
    Hankow Airfield; 8 fighters hit Anyang Airfield and Pinghan railroad targets
    of opportunity; B-24s claim 2 cargo vessels sunk in the S China Sea.

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 36: 56 of 59 B-29s bomb storage dumps
    around Rangoon, Burma; they claim 0-0-3 Japanese aircraft; no B-29s are lost;
    the mission is flown in conjunction with B-24s of the Eastern Air Command's
    Strategic AF which also hit the target.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 11 B-25s bomb troops and
    supplies at Loilem; 22 P-47s support ground forces in the Mongmit area,
    hitting buildings at Nabu and Japanese positions S of Myitson; 100+ fighter-
    bombers pound troop concentrations, supplies, ammunition dumps, gun
    positions, and targets of opportunity at several locations including
    Pangsang, Taung-gaing, Panghsapye, Nampok, Byaungbyan, Manai, Kutkai,
    Mongmit, Namun, and Pangmakhe-leng. Transports complete 503 sorties to
    forward bases and over frontline areas (dropping supplies).

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 827: In Germany, 124 of
    127 B-24s attack the Dulmen oil depot using Micro H; 1 B-24 hits the Lochern
    road junction using H2X; no losses. Escorting are 50 of 51 P-51s without
    loss. Other fighter missions are:
      1. 48 of 51 P-51s hit the Celle/Uelzen railroad without loss.
      2. 183 of 192 P-51s make a sweep over NW Germany; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot
    MIA).
      3. 7 of 11 P-51s escort photo reconnaissance aircraft over Germany without
    loss.
      4. 8 P-51s fly a scouting mission without loss.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 97 B-26s and A-20s bomb
    the Bingen and Modrath marshalling yards; fighters fly armed reconnaissance
    and patrols, attack special targets and targets of opportunity, and attack in
    cooperation with the US XII Corps across the Sauer River NW of Echternach,
    Luxembourg. The flight of the 112th Liaison Squadron, Ninth AF (attached to
    HQ Command, SHAFE), operating from Namur, Belgium with UC-78s and L-5s,
    returns to base at Buc, France.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Bad weather limits operations
    to B-24 supply mission to Yugoslavia during the night of 10/11 Feb and to
    P-38 reconnaissance missions.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, A-20s on night intruder
    missions attack enemy movement and lights at various points in N Italy, hit
    bridges in the Po Valley, and attack frontline positions in the N Apennines;
    weather grounds the medium bombers but fighters and fighter-bombers blast
    railroad bridges and lines in the NE and C Po Valley and stores and supply
    dumps in the C and W Po River areas.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 21 B-24s from Saipan Island, operating in 2
    separate forces, bomb airfields and defenses on Iwo Jima Island; 3 others, on
    armed reconnaissance, bomb Marcus Island. 25 B-24s based on Angaur Island
    bomb Corregidor Island in Manila Bay on Luzon Island. During the night of
    11/12 Feb, 10 B-24s from Saipan fly individual harassment strikes against Iwo
    Jima.

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 30: 9 B-29s from the Mariana Islands
    carry out a reconnaissance mission for the US Navy; 1 returns early; the area
    covers 135-OOE to 148-OOE to 30-OON.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon Island,
    B-24s attack Corregidor Island almost continuously throughout the day;
    fighter-bombers support ground forces blasting numerous targets from
    Cauringan to Taytay and at Wawa, Montalban, Antipolo, and Marikina. P-47s
    blast a train NE of Heito, Formosa. B-24s fly a light strike against Bago on
    Negros Island. The 388th and 389th Bombardment Squadrons (Light), 312th
    Bombardment Group (Light), move from San Jose, Mindoro Island to Mangaldan,
    Luzon with A-20s.

    MONDAY, 12 FEBRUARY 1945

    AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

      ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): B-25s cancel a cover mission for a naval force
    because of weather.

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 6 P-51s destroy 6
    locomotives between Suchow and Pengpu and strafe the Nanking and Suchow
    airfields; other fighters claim at least 10 more locomotives destroyed in
    areas S of the Yellow River; P-40s bomb troops in the Hsiangcheng area and
    hit trains on the Pinghan railroad; HQ 81st Fighter Group and the 92d Fighter
    Squadron move from Kwanghan to Fungwansham with P-47s.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): 23 P-47s support ground forces
    hitting NE of Nabu and bombing mortar positions S of Myitson; 4 others
    support forces at Loiya; 3 P-47s severely damage a bridge at Pa-mao; 60+
    P-47s and P-38s pound supply areas, troops, tanks, and trucks at various
    locations including Hu-kawt, Kongtap, Namtu, Namta-gun, Mongmit, Loingu, and
    Tonsing. 520 transport sorties are flown to forward areas throughout the day.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): HQ 434th Troop Carrier
    Group and the 71st, 72d, 73d and 74th Troop Carrier Squadrons move from
    Aldermaston, England to Mourmelon-le-Grand, France with C-47s.

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 828: During the night, 6
    of 7 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands and Germany without loss. In
    England, HQ 92d Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy) moves from St Edmunds to
    Elveden Hall after all it's bombardment groups are reassigned.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): All combat operations cancelled
    because of bad weather. In France, HQ 409th Bombardment Group (Light) and the
    640th, 641st, 642d and 643d Bombardment Squadrons move from Bretigny to
    Couvron Airfield, Laon with A-26s.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Continued bad weather restricts
    operations to reconnaissance and reconnaissance escort by P-38s and P-51s.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, A-20s, during the night
    of 11/12 Feb, bomb communications targets in the Po Valley and NE Italy,
    including the Brenner Pass area; bad weather during the day restricts medium
    bomber operations to bombing the bridge at Ala and a a sugar refinery at
    Legnago; only 1 fighter gp, the 57th, can operate, hitting bridges, rail
    lines, and guns in the Po Valley.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 9 Guam Island-based B-24s pound Chichi Jima
    Island naval installations while 19 bomb airfields and defenses on Iwo Jima
    Island; during the night of 12/13 Feb, 8 B-24s from Guam fly single bomber
    harassment strikes against both Iwo and Chichi Jima.

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
        Mission 31: 21 B-29s from the Mariana Islands bomb heavy AA sites on Iwo
    Jima Island in preparation for the amphibious invasion of the island on 19
    Feb; no losses.
        Mission 32: 10 B-29s fly a reconnaissance mission for the US Navy
    covering from 135-OOE to 148-OOE and to 30-OON; 1 B-29 is lost.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon Island,
    B-24s continue to pound Corregidor Island in Manila Bay; A-20s sweeping S
    Bataan Peninsula, sink about 30 barges loaded with troops, ammunition, and
    supplies; throughout the day B-25s and fighters directly support ground
    forces on the Bataan Peninsula and from Lingayen Gulf area to Nichols Field.
    The 67th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group, based on Middelburg Island,
    New Guinea with P-38s, begins operating from Morotai Island. The 498th,
    499th, 500th and 501st Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 345th Bombardment Group
    (Medium), move from Tacloban, Leyte Island to San Marcelino, Luzon with
    B-25s.

    TUESDAY, 13 FEBRUARY 1945

    AMERICAN THEATER

      CARIBBEAN (Sixth Air Force): The 74th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), VI
    Bomber Command, moves from the Galapagos Islands to Aguadulce, Panama with
    B-24s.

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, fighters sweep the railroad
    from Sinyang to Hsuchang, bomb the approach to a Hsuchang bridge, and strafe
    Sinyang and Ichang Airfields; B-25s bomb a foundry at Hsuchang

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, troop concentrations,
    supply areas, and targets of opportunity are pounded by 70 fighter-bombers at
    several locations including Kongpaw, Namtu, Kyao-hpak, Laihka, Kon-wet, Mong
    Pa, Hkom-nio, and Naung-lang; 19 fighter-bombers support ground forces in the
    Mongmit-Myitson area; 16 fighter-bombers knock out the approach to the main
    bridge and damage the bypass bridge at Hay-ti. 477 air supply sorties are
    flown by transports throughout the day. In India, the 1st and 2d Fighter
    Squadrons (Commando) move from Kalaikunda to Cox's Bazar with P-51s.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): HQ 435th Troop Carrier
    Group moves from Welford Park, England to Bretigny, France.

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 829: 9 B-24s drop leaflet
    in the Netherlands and Germany during the night without loss.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 320+ B-26s, A-26s, and
    A-20s, attack rail bridges at Sinzig, Neuwied-Irlich, and Euskirchen,
    military transport depots at Schwelm and Iserlohn, defended points at
    Wittlich, and targets of opportunity; fighters escort the A-20s, A-26 and
    B-26s, bomb the Neuss and Zieverich bridges and other targets, fly armed
    reconnaissance, and support Third Army elements from Prum to Saarlautern
    along the Our and Sauer Rivers, and Saar River bridgehead areas. In France,
    HQ 97th Combat Bombardment Wing (Light) moves from Voisenon to Marchais; the
    39th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Ninth AF, based at Amand with
    F-5s, sends a flight to operate from Gosselies, Belgium (another flight is
    operating from Jarny); and the 405th Fighter Squadron, 371st Fighter Group,
    moves from Tantonville to Metz with P-47s. The 155th Photographic
    Reconnaissance Squadron, 10th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance), moves from
    St Dizier, France to Le Culot, Belgium with A-20s and F-3s.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In the Vienna area of Austria,
    640+ B-17s and B-24s with fighter support hit the S ordnance depot, S and SE
    goods yards and depot, C repair shops, and Matzleinsdorf marshalling yard,
    and the marshalling yards at Graz, Austria; Sarvar, Hungary; and in
    Yugoslavia, 2 at Zagreb and 2 at Maribor, the Pula harbor, the Maribor
    locomotive depot and rolling stock repair shops, and several targets of
    opportunity. P-38s and P-51s carry out reconnaissance and reconnaissance
    escort missions.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 12/13
    Feb, A-20s attack enemy movement in the C and NC Po Valley; medium bombers
    hit bridges at Calcinato, Dogna, and Chiusaforte and the bridge approach at
    Lavis; fighter-bombers fly nearly 350 sorties against enemy communications in
    N Italy including marshalling yards at Verona, Parma, and Vicenza.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 25 B-24s from Saipan Island fly two strikes
    against Iwo Jima Island, while 10 others hit Haha Jima Island; during the
    night of 13/14 Feb, 5 B-24s, flying individual harassment strikes, bomb Iwo
    Jima at intervals over an 8-hour period.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon Island,
    B-24s continue to pound Corregidor Island in Manila Bay as a large segment of
    B-24s attack the main coastal guns and score direct hits on several
    batteries; B-24s bomb Mariveles on Bataan Peninsula while A-20s and P-47s bomb
    and strafe targets of opportunity throughout the S part of Bataan Peninsula;
    B-25s and fighters attack small shipping during sweeps of E and N coasts.
    B-25s, with fighter support, hit Kagi Airfield on Formosa. HQ 345th
    Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Tacloban, Leyte Island to San
    Marcelino, Luzon. The 339th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group, based on
    Middelburg Island, New Guinea with P-38s, begins operating from Morotai
    Island.

    WEDNESDAY, 14 FEBRUARY 1945

    AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

      ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 3 B-24s bomb and photograph Suribachi Airfield
    on Paramushiru Island, Kurile Islands (the secondary target).

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, P-47s bomb Kaifeng Airfield
    and P-51s hit Shihkiachwang Airfield, destroying several parked aircraft; the
    P-51s afterwards blast 7 locomotives between Puchou and Sinsiang; other
    fighters destroy 7 more locomotives between Sinyang and Hsuchang, bomb
    the railroad yards at Lohochai, and destroy a fuel dump at Hsiangcheng.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 B-25s attack vehicles
    along roads from Lashio to Takaw to Hopong; 7 P-47s strafe Laihka Airfield;
    bad weather cancels other scheduled offensive missions. Transports continue
    to operate despite the weather, completing 520 sorties to forward areas.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
      Mission 830: 1,377 bombers and 962 fighters are dispatched to hit oil and
    rail targets in Germany; bombing of most targets is by H2X radar; they claim
    11-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 7 bombers and 7 fighters are lost:
      1. 461 B-17s are dispatched to hit the marshalling yard at Dresden (311);
    targets of opportunity are Prague (62), Brux (25) and Pilsen (12) in
    Czechoslovakia and other (25); they claim 1-0-0 aircraft; 5 B-17s are lost, 3
    damaged beyond repair and 54 damaged; 4 airmen are KIA, 15 WIA and 49 MIA.
    Escorting are 281 of 316 P-51s; 3 are lost (pilots MIA) and 1 damaged beyond
    repair.
      2. 457 B-17s are sent to hit the marshalling yard at Chemnitz (294);
    targets of opportunity are Eger Airfield (38), Bamberg (33), Sonneberg (23),
    Tachau (24), Hof marshalling yard (12) and other (17); 1 B-17 is lost, 3
    damaged beyond repair and 103 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 4 WIA and 14 MIA.
    The escort is 224 of 238 P-51s; 2 are lost (pilots MIA) and 1 damaged beyond
    repair.
      3. 375 B-24s are sent to hit an oil refinery at Magdeburg but are unable to
    attack due to weather; 340 hit the secondary, the marshalling yard at
    Magdeburg; targets of opportunity are Emlicheim (1), Meppen (1), Bodenteich
    (1) and other (1); 1 B-24 is lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 16 damaged; 9
    airmen are MIA. 253 of 273 P-51s escort; they claim 10-0-3 aircraft; 2 P-51s
    are lost (pilots MIA).
      4. 84 B-17s are sent to hit the Wesel road bridge (37); 35 hit the
    secondary, the Dulmen oil depot and 1 hits Ahaus, a target of opportunity; 15
    B-17s are damaged. 26 of 30 P-51s escort the bombers.
      5. 44 of 49 P-47s fly a sweep of the Magdeburg area without loss.
      6. 24 P-51s escort photo reconnaissance aircraft over Germany.
      7. 29 of 32 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
      Mission 831: 10 B-24s drop leaflet in the Netherlands and Germany during
    the night.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 600+ A-20s, A-26s, and
    B-26s attack rail bridges, a marshalling yard, communications centers, an
    ammunition dump, a prime mover depot, and several targets of opportunity in
    morning and afternoon missions aimed primarily at obstructing enemy movement
    and supply; fighters fly armed reconnaissance over wide areas, escort the
    bombers bombers, attack river traffic, bridges, and other targets, and
    support US Third Army elements E of the Our and Sauer Rivers.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 500+ B-24s and B-17s bomb the
    Moosbierbaum, Vienna/Lobau, Vienna/Floridsdorf, and Schwechat oil refineries
    in the Vienna, Austria area; marshalling yards at Graz, Gleisdorf,
    Klagenfurt, and Villach, Austria; Celje, Maribor, and Zagreb, Yugoslavia; and
    several scattered targets of opportunity; P-38s also bomb the Moosbierbaum
    refinery and Maribor marshalling yard; other P-38s and P-51s escort the
    bombers, fly photo and weather reconnaissance, and escort reconnaissance
    missions.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 13/14
    Feb, A-20s bomb the bridge approach at Castelnuovo di Garfagnana and hit
    targets of opportunity in the Po Valley; during the day medium bombers bomb
    bridges or bridge approaches at San Michele all'Adige, Tarvisio, Bressanone,
    and hit guns near Ponte Gardena; fighters and fighter-bombers, operating in
    poor weather, attack mainly communications targets in the Po Valley.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 17 Guam Island-based B-24s pound defenses and
    radar and radio installations on Iwo Jima Island at midday; during the night
    of 14/15 Feb, 5 more B-24s, flying individual snooper missions bomb Iwo Jima
    Airfield and AA positions while 4 in separate strikes hit Susaki Airfield on
    Chichi Jima Island.

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 33: 6 B-29s from the Mariana Islands
    again carry out a reconnaissance mission for the  US Navy, covering the area
    northward from the base line at 28-02N 145-55E to 28-44N 148-OOE.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon Island,
    B-24s continue to bomb Corregidor Island in Manila Bay, concentrating on the
    dock area and gun positions; other B-24s bomb Mariveles on Bataan Peninsula
    and B-25s bomb the airfield at Tuguegarao; B-25s and fighters provide
    excellent support for ground forces, blasting guns and troops W of Clark
    Field, N of Marikina airfield, and N of Montalban; A-20s pound the general
    area of S Bataan. On Mindanao Island, B-25s bomb barges at Zamboanga and
    P-38s bomb Matina Airfield. Fighters on armed reconnaissance strafe airfields
    on Negros and Cebu Islands. A few B-25s bomb Kagi Airfield on Formosa and
    nearby targets of opportunity. HQ 54th Troop Carrier Wing moves from Biak
    Island, New Guinea to Leyte Island. The 550th Night Fighter Squadron, XIII
    Fighter Command (attached to XIII Bomber Command) moves from Hollandia, New
    Guinea to Morotai Island with P-38s, P-61s and P-70s (the detachment
    operating from Middelburg Island also moves to Morotai).

    THURSDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 1945

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 15 fighter-bombers attack
    railroad targets at Saiping, in the Hankow area, N of Sinantien, between
    Hsuchang and Loyang, and along the Yangtze River from Wuhu to Hankow; the
    27th Troop Carrier Squadron, 443d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Yunnani to
    Chengkung with C-47s; the 528th Fighter Squadron, 311th Fighter Group, based
    at Shwangliu with P-51s, sends a detachment to operate from Hsian.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 B-25s hit buildings,
    troops, and other targets of opportunity during a sweep from Lashio to
    Loilem and along the road E and W from Loilem; 20 P-47s fly close support
    strikes in the Mongmit-Myitson area; a bridge at Hay-ti is knocked out by 6
    P-47s; 56 P-47s attack troops, town areas, and supplies at Paukmyaing,
    Nam-hpuktok, Namtoi, and Namhu-tau and 8 P-47s hit the Li-lu ferry area.
    Large-scale transport operations continue; 511 sorties are flown to forward
    areas.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 832: 1,131 bombers and 510
    fighters are dispatched to hit oil targets in Germany; with some exceptions,
    all attacks are made using H2X radar; they claim 2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2
    bombers and 1 P-51 are lost
      1. 459 B-17s are sent to hit oil targets at Bohlen; 435 hit the secondary,
    the marshalling yard at Cottbus; targets of opportunity are Dresden (1),
    Quackenbruck (1) and other (2); 1 B-17 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and
    34 damaged; 3 airmen are WIA and 9 MIA. 153 of 173 P-51s escort; they claim
    2-0-0 aircraft; 3 P-51s are damaged beyond repair.
      2. 224 B-17s are dispatched to hit oil targets at Ruhland; 210 hit the
    secondary, Dresden; targets of opportunity are Lingen (1) and the Ems-Weser
    Canal (1); 4 B-17s are damaged beyond repair and 8 damaged; 7 airmen are KIA
    and 8 WIA. Escorting are 141 of 158 P-51s; 1 is lost (pilot MIA).
      3. 353 of 372 B-24s hit the Magdeburg synthetic oil plant; 1 B-24 is lost,
    3 damaged beyond repair and 32 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA and 3 MIA. The
    escort is 110 of 120 P-51s.
      4. 58 of 76 B-17s hit a target of last resort, the Rheine marshalling yard;
    13 others hit Munster, a target of opportunity. Escorting are 27 P-47s.
      5. 4 P-51s escort photo reconnaissance aircraft over Germany.
      6. 25 of 28 P-51s fly a scouting mission.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, around 90 B-26s bomb
    Sinzig and Mayen rail bridges and 4 targets of opportunity in the area;
    fighters patrol points along the battlefront, attack railroads and other
    special targets, fly armed reconnaissance and support the US VII, VIII, XII,
    and XX Corps along the Roer and Prum Rivers and in the Saar River bridgehead
    area. In France, HQ 371st Fighter Group and the 404th and 406th Fighter
    Squadrons move from Tantonville to Metz with P-47s; and the 671st Bombardment
    Squadron (Light), 416th Bombardment Group (Light), moves from Melun to Athies
    Airfield, Laon with A-26s.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Austria, 650+ B-24s and
    B-17s bomb 5 station freight yards, SE goods depot, Korneuburg oil refinery,
    and Vienna/Floridsdorf, Matzleinsdorf, and Penzing marshalling yards all in
    the Vienna area, plus marshalling yards at Klagenfurt, Wiener-Neustadt and
    Graz, the Graz ordnance depot, shipyards in Fiume, Italy and scattered
    targets of opportunity are also hit; fighters escort the bombers and fly
    reconnaissance and reconnaissance escort missions.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers bomb the
    Spilimbergo ammunition dumps through an overcast, but are forced by the bad
    weather to cancel all other operations; fighter-bombers, limited by weather,
    concentrate on railway targets in NE and W Po Valley.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA
        VI Air Service Area Command: The 311th Troop Carrier Squadron, VI Air
    Service Area Command, moves from Kahuku to Bellows Field, Hawaii with C-47s.
        Seventh Air Force: 24 B-24s from Saipan Island, in two separate strikes,
    bomb Iwo Jima Island airfields and AA defenses; 12 others hit the airfield on
    Chichi Jima Island; 4 B-24s from Guam Island, escorting photo aircraft over
    Truk Atoll, bomb airfields on Param and Moen Islands; 5 B-24s fly night
    harassment raids against Iwo and Chichi Jima.

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 34: 117 B-29s from the Mariana
    Islands are dispatched to hit the Mitsubishi aircraft engine works at Nagoya,
    Japan; 33 hit the primary; 68 hit targets of last resort and targets of
    opportunity, 54 of them bombing Hamamatsu; they claim 7-8-23 Japanese
    aircraft; 1 B-29 is lost.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-25s attack
    bridges in the S part of Formosa. B-24s again blast Corregidor Island in
    Manila Bay with A-20s and fighter-bombers bombing and strafing its few
    remaining gun positions; fighter-bombers hit Caballo Island and fighter-
    bombers, B-25s, and A-20s hit Bataan Peninsula all day; also hit are troops
    and gun positions in the Ft William McKinley area and airfields at Tuguegarao
    and Echague. The 68th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group, moves
    from Biak Island, New Guinea to Tanauan, Leyte Island with C-46s.

    FRIDAY, 16 FEBRUARY 1945

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 33 fighter-bombers attack
    airfields in the Nanking area, railroad yards at Hsuchang and Tungpu, and hit
    rail and river traffic from Wuhu to Hankow, in the Sinsiang area, and in
    French Indochina, the Luang Prabang area, and from Muong Soui to the Mekong
    River.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 B-25s bomb troops,
    storage areas, and vehicles during offensive reconnaissance along roads S of
    Lashio and from Hsenwi to Loilem; 31 P-47s support ground forces in the
    Myitson area; about 160 fighter-bombers attack town areas, troop
    concentrations, artillery positions, transportation targets, and general
    targets of opportunity at Namtu, Wengkau, Hsipaw, Namhsawng-hawng, Hunhla,
    Mong Yai, Sinkin, Panghung, Hatka, Na-kyeh, and Panglong and similar targets
    at Kyawngsu, Kunsanlek, Namloi, Man-kyawng, Tonsing, Sam-Lau, and Mong Li.
    Transports fly 632 sorties delivering men and supplies to forward bases and
    dropping supplies to frontline troops.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): The 77th Troop Carrier
    Squadron, 435th Troop Carrier Group, moves from Welford Park, England to
    Bretigny, France with C-47s.

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 833: 1,042 bombers and 197
    fighters attack benzol plants, oil refineries and marshalling yards in C
    Germany; 8 bombers are lost:
      1. 223 B-17s are sent to hit the marshalling yard at Hamm (208); targets of
    opportunity are Osnabruck (1), Meppen (1) and Rheine (1); bombing is by H2X,
    Micro H and some visual; 2 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 95
    damaged; 7 airmen are WIA and 11 MIA. Escorting are 44 of 45 P-51s.
      2. 375 B-17s are dispatched to hit the Harpenerweg oil refinery at Dortmund
    (78) and oil refineries at Nordstern (104) and Minsterstein (112); 30 hit the
    marshalling yard at Munster, a secondary target; targets of opportunity are
    Langendreer (23) and other (2); bombing is by Gee-H with some visual; 5 B-17s
    are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 170 damaged; 8 airmen are WIA and 46
    MIA. 38 of 39 P-51s escort.
      3. 362 B-24s are sent to hit marshalling yards at Osnabruck (174) and
    Rheine (94) and the Salzbergen oil refinery (46); 31 hit Burgsteinfurt, a
    target of opportunity; H2X and Gee-H are used; 1 B-24 is lost and 26 damaged;
    10 airmen are MIA. 50 P-51s escort the B-24s.
      4. 63 of 76 B-17s hit the rail bridge at Wesel visually; 13 hit the
    marshalling yard at Rheine, a target of opportunity, with H2X. Escorting are
    45 of 51 P-51s.
      5. 6 B-24s fly a screening mission without loss.
      6. 4 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
      7. 4 P-51s escort photo reconnaissance aircraft over Germany.
      8. 4 P-51s escort a B-17 on a "special sortie."

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 300+ B-26s and A-20s
    bomb the Mayen, rail bridge, Rees communications center, Solingen turbo-jet
    component works, Unna ordnance depot, and a target of opportunity; fighters
    escort the bombers, fly patrols, sweeps, and armed reconnaissance, attack
    bridge, railroads, and other special targets; the XIX Tactical Air Command
    also supports the US VIII, XII, and XX Corps W of the Prum River, E of the
    Sauer River, and in the Saarlautern area. The 158th Liaison Squadron, Ninth
    AF (attached to Twelfth Army Group), moves from Somme-Suippe, France to
    Celles, Belgium with L-1s, L-4s and L-5s.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 630+ B-24s and B-17s bomb
    airfields at Regensburg, Landsberg, and Neubiberg, Germany; marshalling yards
    at Rosenheim, Germany, Hall, and Innsbruck, Austria, and Bolzano, and
    Vipiteno, Italy, plus scattered targets of opportunity in Austria and N
    Italy; P-38s and P-51s escort the bombers, fly reconnaissance missions, and
    escort reconnaissance and supply operations.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, bad weather grounds
    medium bombers; fighter-bombers cut rail lines at the S end of Garda Lake,
    and bomb an ammunition and fuel dump E of Nervesa della Battaglia and an
    ammunition dump E of Villafranca in Lunigiana.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (Army Air Forces, Pacific Ocean Area)
      VI Air Service Area Command: The 316th Troop Carrier Squadron, VI Air
    Service Area Command, moves from Kahuku to Bellows Field, Hawaii with C-47s.
      Seventh Air Force: 2 Guam Island-based B-24s on an armed reconnaissance
    flight bomb Marcus Island in the N Pacific. 42 sent against Iwo Jima Island
    are recalled due to total cloud cover over the target. During the night of
    16/17 Feb, 4 Guam-based B-24s, striking separately, hit Susaki Airfield on
    Chichi Jima Island.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Fighters attack
    vehicles and trains in the S part of Formosa. On Luzon Island, 120+ A-20s and
    B-24s pound Corregidor Island during the early daylight hours; amphibious and
    airborne landings follow and the paratroops soon link up with the beachhead;
    A-20s and fighter-bombers also bomb nearby Caballo Island; B-25s support
    ground forces in the Mariveles area, hit facilities at Baguio and Santa Fe,
    and bomb Camalaniugan Airfield. P-38s hit Likanan and Matina Airfields on
    Mindanao Island and B-24s pound Kendari Airfield on Celebes Island.

    SATURDAY, 17 FEBRUARY 1945

    AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

      ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 4 B-25s provide air coverage for a naval task
    force en route to Paramushiru Island.

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 30 B-25s bomb Linfen and
    Yuncheng; a single B-25 hits railroad targets of opportunity from Hengyang to
    Lingling; 27 P-40s and P-51s attack animal transport, barracks, railroad
    targets, and the town area at Puchi; 16 P-47s hit the Hankow-Wuchang area; 37
    other fighter-bombers attack railroad yards and targets of opportunity and
    road and river traffic near Tsinan, Changsha, and Kweiyi, and at Sinyang,
    Linfen, and Lung Hai.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): 14 P-47s support ground forces in
    the Mongmit-Myitson area; 140+ fighter-bombers strike at troop
    concentrations, supply points, transport, animal concentrations, tanks, and
    arms and ammunition stores are pounded in N Burma including at Hko-lawng,
    Hai-pu, Na-kyeh, Man Sang, Samlan, Hkummanmao, Mong Lang, Na-leng, Honwo, and
    Loi-pyek; and 10 B-25s bomb troops and supplies at Hai-hseng. 603 transport
    sorties are flown. The detachment of the 24th Combat Mapping Squadron, 8th
    Photographic Reconnaissance Group, operating from Chanyi, China with F-7s
    returns to base at Guskhara, India.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command):

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 834: 895 bombers and 183
    fighters are dispatched to hit synthetic oil plants in Germany and the
    Frankfurt marshalling yard; deteriorating weather forces the recall of 261
    B-17s and 288 B-24s; the weather was so bad that some aircraft controls froze
    and several had to jettison their bombs during assembly; 3 B-17s and 2 of the
    recalled B-24 force are lost in addition to 1 P-51. 346 B-17s are sent to hit
    the marshalling yard at Frankfurt (260); targets of opportunity are the
    Giessen marshalling yard (45), Aschaffenburg (12), Hanau (10) and other (4);
    3 B-17s and 2 B-24s are lost, 1 B-17 and 1 B-24 are damaged beyond repair and
    106 B-17s damaged; 17 airmen are KIA, 2 WIA and 38 MIA. The escort is 151 of
    167 P-51s; 1 is lost (pilot MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair. 12 P-51s fly a
    scouting mission and 4 escort photo reconnaissance aircraft over Germany.
    The 862d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 493d Bombardment Group (Heavy)
    (attached to 3d Air Division), moves from Debach to Wormingford, England and
    begins flying weather reconnaissance missions with B-17s and P-51s.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 31 B-26s strike the
    Mayen rail bridge and a target of opportunity at Reinfeld; fighters of the IX
    and XIX Tactical Air Commands fly patrols, sweeps, and armed reconnaissance;
    the XXIX Tactical Air Command (Provisional) cancels operations due to bad
    weather.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): About 500 B-17s and B-24s
    attack the marshalling yard, station, and benzol plant at Linz, steel works
    at Judenburg, tank works at Steyr and Sankt Valentin, marshalling yards at
    Graz, Wels, Bruck an der Mur, and Villach, Austria; plus shipyards and
    harbors at Fiume and Trieste, Italy, and Pula, Yugoslavia. P-38s and P-51s
    escort the bombers, fly reconnaissance missions, and supply drops, strafe
    rail lines in the Vienna-Linz, Austria area and aircraft at Ardning and
    Grafenstein Austria, and fly weather and photo reconnaissance.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, medium bombers bomb
    bridges at Chiusaforte, Bressanone, Crema, and Dogna; fighters and fighter-
    bombers hit communications targets in the Po Valley and damage bridges at
    Nervesa della Battaglia, Cittadella, Calliano, Ala, and Pordenone; also
    bombed are guns and dumps from the S of La Spezia E to the battle area below
    Bologna.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 42 B-24s from Saipan Island blast defense
    installations and a bivouac area on Iwo Jima Island; 3 others, on an armed
    reconnaissance flight, bomb Marcus Island; 3 B-24s from Guam Island,
    escorting a photo plane over Truk Atoll bomb Param, Uman, and Eten Islands in
    the atoll. 5 B-24s from Saipan fly individual snooper strikes during the
    night of 17/18 Feb, against Chichi Jima Island. The air echelon of the 548th
    Night Fighter Squadron, VII Fighter Command, begins operating from Saipan
    with P-61s (ground echelon is enroute from Hawaii to Iwo Jima).

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 35: 8 of 9 B-29s from Saipan bomb the
    submarine pens on Dublon Island, Truk Atoll without loss.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s, with fighter
    support attack the airfield, railroad yard, and aluminum plant at Takao,
    Formosa. On Luzon Island, A-20s support ground forces in the Mariveles area
    and hit caves and dugouts in hills W of Ft Stotsenburg; A-20s, B-25s, and
    fighter-bombers attack Tuguegarao and the coastal town of San Fernando. B-24s
    pound Miri Airfield in Borneo. HQ 375th Troop Carrier Group moves from Biak
    Island to San Jose, Mindoro Island.

    SUNDAY, 18 FEBRUARY 1945

    AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

      ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 7 B-24s fly cover sorties for a naval force
    during its approach to Kurabu Cape, Paramushiru Island.

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 25 fighter-bombers attack
    the Sinyang railroad yards and airfield and targets of opportunity along the
    Pinghan railroad, at Chiuchiang, in the Nanking area, E of Lohochai, and SE
    of Hsuchang; 4 B-24s over the S China Sea claim damage on 2 vessels; the
    374th, 375th and 425th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 308th Bombardment Group
    (Heavy), move from Chengkung and Kunming to Kwanghan with B-24s.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 B-25s demolish bridges
    at Namsang and Ke-hsi Mansam; 30+ fighter-bombers support ground forces in
    the Mongmit-Myitson-Nabu area; 100+ fighter-bombers pound troop
    concentrations, supplies, vehicles, and other targets immediately in advance
    of the southward moving battleline. Transports fly 602 sorties to the forward
    areas.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 60+ B-26s bomb the
    Dottesfeld rail bridge, a target of opportunity at Daun, and 5 other targets
    of opportunity as the 9th Bombardment Division starts a campaign to isolate
    the Ruhr; the XIX Tactical Air Command escorts the B-26s and flies weather
    reconnaissance and armed reconnaissance; the IX and XXIX Tactical Air
    Commands are grounded because of weather.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): During the night of 17/18 Feb,
    24 B-24s drop supplies in N Italy; during the day 160 B-17s bomb a benzol
    plant, main marshalling yard and station at Linz, Austria; 20 P-38s provide
    escort; almost 290 B-24s, with fighter escorts, are recalled because of
    weather from missions dispatched against targets in Austria; weather also
    causes the recall of 52 P-51s on a strafing mission. A few P-38s complete
    reconnaissance missions but most are recalled as weather worsens. In Italy,
    the detachments of the 71st and 94th Fighter Squadrons, 1st Fighter Group,
    operating from Vincenzo Airfield with P-38s, return to base at Salsola
    Airfield.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 17/18
    Feb, A-20s bomb targets in the Po Valley, including the towns of Nogara,
    Castelfranco Veneto, Modena, Cremona, Bovolone, and Isola della Scala,
    bridges at Cittadella and Villafranca in Lunigiana, and airfields at Ghedi
    and Villafranca in Lunigiana; all B-25 missions abort due to weather except
    an attack on the Ala rail bridge; fighters and fighter-bombers fly less than
    100 sorties, hitting ammunition dumps and railroad bridges and lines, mainly
    in the Po Valley.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 36 Guam Island-based B-24s dispatched against
    Iwo Jima Island are recalled because of complete cloud cover over the target.
    3 others on armed reconnaissance bomb Marcus Island. During the night of
    18/19 Feb, 9 B-24s from Guam individually strike Chichi Jima Island.

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 36: 36 Mariana Islands-based B-29s
    bomb 2 airfields on Moen Island in Truk Atoll without loss. HQ 39th and 330th
    Bombardment Groups (Very Heavy) and the 457th, 458th and 459th Bombardment
    Squadrons (Very Heavy) arrive at North Field, Guam Island from the US with
    B-29s (first mission is 12 Apr).

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Formosa, B-24s
    bomb Takao, Okayama, and Toshien Airfields and P-38s provide support while
    B-25s and fighters pound communications targets and targets of opportunity
    throughout Formosa. B-25s and fighters continue to fly numerous missions in
    support of the ground forces on Luzon Island. B-24s bomb Labuan Airfield in
    Borneo.

    MONDAY, 19 FEBRUARY 1945

    AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

      ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): In the Kurile Islands, 6 B-24s fly photo
    reconnaissance over Shimushu Island and bomb Kurabu Cape Airfield on
    Paramushiru Island; 6 Japanese fighters intercept; the B-24s claim 4 damaged.
    4 B-25s weather-abort a mission to hit targets along the Hayakegawa River.

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 14 P-51s and P-40s blast
    rail and river traffic at Chiuchiang, Hsuchang, Lung Hai, and Tsinpu.

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 37: In the Mayalan States, 49 of 59
    B-29s bomb the Central Railroad Repair Shops at Kuala Lumpur, some bombing
    from only 1,000 feet (305 m); 4 other B-29s hit alternate targets, the Alor
    Star Airfield, and the marshalling yard at Martaban, Burma; they claim 1-0-7
    Japanese aircraft; no B-29s are lost.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 24 B-25s and 31 P-47s fly
    close support strikes in the Mongmit-Myitson area; 70+ fighter-bombers hit
    troop concentrations, supplies, and villages behind the battleline in C
    Burma. Heavy transport operations continue. The 165th Liaison Squadron
    (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group, moves from Shwebo, Burma to Asansol,
    India with UC-64s and L-5s.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): The 76th and 78th Troop
    Carrier Squadrons, 435th Troop Carrier Group, move from Welford Park, England
    to Bretigny, France with C-47s.

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 835: 1,135 bombers and 560
    fighters are dispatched to hit oil, industrial and rail targets in Germany;
    they claim 3-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-24 and 7 P-51s are lost:
      1. 196 B-17s are sent to hit the marshalling yard at Osnabruck (155); 24
    hit the secondary target, the marshalling yard at Munster; 10 hit Haselunne,
    a target of opportunity; Micro-H and H2X are used; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond
    repair and 21 damaged; 1 airman is WIA. Escorting are 38 of 42 P-51s.
      2. 291 B-24s are dispatched to hit military vehicle plants at Meschede (97)
    and Jungenthal (86) and the marshalling yard at Siegen (94) using Gee-H; 1
    B-24 is lost and 8 damaged; 9 airmen are MIA. 122 P-47s and P-51s escort.
      3. 422 B-17s are sent to hit benzol plants at Bochum (99) and Gelsenkirchen
    (36), oil refineries at Dortmund (74) and Alm (37) using Micro H and H2X; 162
    hit the secondary target, the Munster marshalling yard (162) visually; 1 B-17
    is damaged beyond repair and 59 damaged; 1 airman is KIA. 91 of 96 P-51s
    escort; 1 is lost (pilot MIA).
      4. 131 of 144 B-17s hit the marshalling yard at Rheine with Micro H without
    loss. 48 P-51s escort.
      5. 68 of 82 B-17s hit the rail bridge at Wesel using Micro H; 25 B-17s are
    damaged. 32 of 37 P-51s escort.
      6. 163 of 179 P-51s fly a fighter sweep against rail and road targets in
    the Hannover-Magdeburg-Brunswick area claiming 2-0-0 aircraft in the air and
    1-0-0 on the ground; 5 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).
      7. 27 of 28 P-51s fly a scouting misson; 1 is lost (pilot MIA).

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, B-26s, A-26s, and A-20s,
    strike the Mechernich prime mover depot, rail bridges at Pracht,
    Niederscheld, and Neuwied-Irlich, the Wiesbaden ordnance depot, and 4 targets
    of opportunity; fighters escort the bombers, attack railroads and bridges,
    fly armed reconnaissance and alerts, and cooperate with the VIII, XII, and XX
    Corps E of the Our River, between the Westwall and the Prum River, and in the
    Saar-Mosel triangle. The 167th Liaison Squadron, Ninth Air Force (attached to
    the Sixth Army Group), is activated at Vittel, France with L-4s and L-5s.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): During the night of 18/19 Feb,
    11 B-24s drop supplies in N Italy. In Austria during the day almost 500 B-24s
    and B-17s, escorted by about 220 P-51s and P-38s, bomb 2 marshalling yards
    and the S station area in Vienna, marshalling yards at Klagenfurt, Graz, and
    Bruck an der Mur; marshalling yards at Maribor, Yugoslavia; shipyards in
    Fiume, Italy; and the Pula, Yugoslavia harbor and military installations. In
    Austria, 51 P-51s strafe rail and river traffic and airfields between Linz
    and Vienna and in the Graz area; other P-51s and P-38s fly escort and
    reconnaissance missions.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): Brigadier General Edward M Morris
    takes command of the XII Air Force Services Command (until 1 Jan 44
    designated the III Air Service Area Command). In Italy, bad weather grounds
    the medium bombers; fighter-bombers, some bombing by radar-control because of
    heavy clouds, attack-communications and dumps in the W Po Valley and NE
    Italy, and claim several rail line cuts in the Brenner area.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 44 B-24s from Saipan Island are sent against
    Iwo Jima Island; 14 pound defense positions and bivouac and storage areas
    little more than an hour before elements of the US 4th and 5th Marine
    Divisions make an amphibious landing on the SE coast at 0900 hours; the other
    30 B-24s abort because of cloud cover, mechanical trouble, or arrival over
    target too late to make a bomb run. 26 B-24s from Angaur Island bomb Likanan
    Airfield on Mindanao Island. During the night of 19/20 Feb, 8 Saipan-based
    B-24s fly individual heckler strikes over Chichi Jima Island.

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 37: 150 B-29s are dispatched to hit
    the Musashino aircraft plant in Tokyo hoping to draw air reinforcements away
    from the Iwo Jima invasion; thick clouds completely cover the primary target
    so 119 bomb the port and urban area of Tokyo; 12 others hit targets of last
    resort and targets of opportunity; they claim 39-16-37 Japanese aircraft; 6
    B-29s are lost.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Major General Paul
    B Wurtsmith becomes Commanding General Thirteenth AF. In Formosa, B-24s bomb
    Koshun, Heito, and Takao Airfields and B-25s and fighters on sweeps attack a
    large number of targets of opportunity including trains, parked aircraft,
    buildings, and coastal vessels. In the C Philippine Islands, US Marine Corps
    (USMC) F4Us under the tactical command of the Thirteenth AF fly napalm
    strikes against airfields and other targets. On Luzon Island, fighters,
    B-25s, and A-20s continue to support ground forces at San Augustin,
    Carranglen, Balete Pass, and Bataan Peninsula and bomb Japanese-held sectors
    on Corregidor Island. B-24s bomb Miri Airfield on Borneo.

    TUESDAY, 20 FEBRUARY 1945

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 34 P-51s pound locomotives,
    railroad cars, and other targets of opportunity at Tsingtao and Puchi; about
    30 other fighter-bombers on armed reconnaissance hit targets of opportunity
    (mainly rail and river traffic) at scattered locations including Changsha,
    Lohochai, Tsingtao, Chukiatsi, N of Lingling, and between Siangsiang and
    Siangtan.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 44 P-47s fly close support
    strikes in the Mongmit battle sector; 8 support ground forces in the Namhsan
    area; 13 P-38s severely damage a bridge at Mong Long; nearly 100 P-47s and
    P-38s pound troop concentrations, supply and ammunition dumps, and general
    targets of opportunity behind enemy lines. Large-scale transport operations
    continue. The 164th Liaison Squadron (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group,
    moves from Assansol, India to Shwebo with UC-64s and L-5s.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): HQ 53d Troop Carrier Wing
    moves from Greenham Common, England to Voisenon, France.

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 3 missions are flown.
      Mission 836: 1,264 bombers and 726 fighters are dispatched to hit the main
    station and marshalling yard at Nurnberg, Germany; the target is bombed
    visually and using H2X radar; they claim 49-1-21 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 B-17s
    and 7 fighters are lost:
      1. 360 B-24s dispatched abandon the mission over Belgium due to weather
    conditions; one B-24 hits Steig, a target of opportunity; 1 B-24 is damaged
    beyond repair; 3 airmen are KIA and 2 WIA. Escorting are 123 of 141 P-51s;
    they claim 2-0-0 aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
      2. 831 of 904 B-17s hit the primary target; targets of opportunity are
    Schiltach (16) and other (12); 5 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and
    241 damaged; 9 airmen are KIA, 10 WIA and 47 MIA. The escort is 315 of 337
    P-51s; they claim 8-0-2 aircraft on the ground; 5 P-51s are lost (pilots
    MIA).
      3. 194 P-47s and P-51s strafe rail and road targets in the Nurnberg and
    Straubing areas; they claim 12-0-1 aircraft in the air and 35-1-20 on the
    ground; 7 fighters are lost (pilots MIA).
      4. 28 of 29 P-51s fly a scouting mission without loss.
      5. 10 P-51s escort photo reconnaissance aircraft over Germany.
      Mission 837: 10 of 11 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands and Germany
    during the night without loss.
      Mission 838: During the night of 20/21 Feb, 30 B-24s attack the Neustadt
    marshalling yard without loss and 6 of 7 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): The IX Engineer Command is relieved
    of its assignment to the Ninth AF and assigned to US Strategic Air Forces in
    Europe (USSTAF). (After V-E the command will revert to control of the Ninth.)
    Weather grounds the 9th Bombardment Division; in Germany, fighters fly armed
    reconnaissance E and W of the Rhine River, attack a bridge and defended area,
    and support the US VIII, XII, and XX Corps in the Lichtenborn area, W of the
    Prum River, and in the Saar-Mosel triangle.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 520+ B-17s, with fighter
    escort, and B-24s bomb the Lobau, Vienna and Schwechat, Austria oil
    refineries and Floridsdorf marshalling yard at Vienna, steel works at
    Kapfenberg, Austria, harbor at Pula, Yugoslavia, and shipyards at Trieste and
    Fiume, Italy.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): The 27th and 86th Fighter Groups
    and an air service group are transferred from the Twelfth AF to the First
    Tactical Air Force (Provisional) in France; HQ 86th Fighter Group moves from
    Pisa, Italy to Tantonville, France. In Italy, A-20s on night intruder
    missions during the night of 19/20 Feb, bomb targets of opportunity at over
    30 points in the C Po Valley, several rail diversions, and marshalling yards
    at Villafranca in Lunigiana, Roncanova, Bovolone, Cerea, Legnago, Cittadella,
    Casa di David, Isola della Scala, Castelfranco Veneto, and Nogara; fighter-
    bombers devote their main effort to support the US Fifth Army offensive in
    the Monte Torraccia area; medium bombers bomb bridges at Montebello,
    Chiusaforte, Salzano, and Calcinato; the detachment of the 416th Night
    Fighter Squadron, 62d Fighter Wing, operating from Etain, France with
    Mosquitos, returns to base at Pisa.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 2 Guam Island-based B-24s on an armed
    reconnaissance flight bomb Marcus Island in the N Pacific. During the night
    of 20/21 Feb, 7 B-24s flying individual raids, bomb the town of Okimura and
    airfield on Haha Jima Island. The air echelon of the 549th Night Fighter
    Squadron begins operating from Saipan Island with P-61s (ground echelon is
    enroute from Hawaii to Iwo Jima).

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s bomb runways
    and warehouse at Jesselton Airfield in Borneo. Buildings at Puerto Princesa
    on Palawan Island and underground installation on Corregidor Island in Manila
    Bay are pounded. B-25s and fighters over Formosa thoroughly blast the town of
    Choshu, and also hit railroad yards, vehicles, railway rolling stock, and
    buildings. HQ 380th Bombardment Group (Heavy) moves from Darwin, Australia to
    San Jose, Mindoro Island. The 23d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 5th
    Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Morotai Island to Samar Island,
    Philippine Islands.

    WEDNESDAY, 21 FEBRUARY 1945

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      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, Burma with UC-64s and L-5s.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): Units moving from England
    to France with C-47s: 75th Troop Carrier Squadron, 435th Troop Carrier Group,
    from Welford Park to Bretigny and 79th Troop Carrier Squadron, 436th Troop
    Carrier Group, from Membury to Melun.

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
      Mission 839: 1,262 bombers and 792 fighters are dispatched to again attack
    the tank plant, main railroad station, marshalling yards and locomotive shops
    at Nurnberg, Germany using H2X radar; they claim 4-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft on
    the ground; 7 fighters are lost:
      1. 830 of 867 B-17s hit the marshalling yard; 11 others hit targets of
    opportunity; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 298 damaged; 1 airman is KIA
    and 6 WIA. Escorting are 373 of 391 P-51s; they claim 2-0-0 aircraft; 2 P-51s
    are lost (pilots MIA).
      2. 375 of 395 B-24s hit the station and marshalling yard; targets of
    opportunity are Speyer (1) and other (2); 63 B-24s are damaged; 1 airman is
    KIA and 3 WIA. The escort is 175 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 2-0-0 aircraft;
    3 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).
      3. 45 of 46 P-51s make a sweep of the Meiningen-Coburg-Nurnberg area; 1
    P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
      4. 98 of 101 P-51s escort Ninth AF B-26s; they claim 0-0-1 aircraft.
      5. 23 of 31 P-51s fly a scouting mission; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
      6. 29 of 30 P-51s escort 10 F-5s and 7 Spitfires on a photo reconnaissance
    mission over Germany.
      Mission 840: During the night of 21/22 Feb, 25 of 29 B-24s attack the
    Duisburg power and gas stations using PFF; 2 B-24s are lost.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS
        First Tactical Air Force (Provisional): Units moving from Italy to France
    with P-47s: 522d, 523d and 524th Fighter Squadrons, 27th Fighter Group, from
    Pontedera to St Dizier; 526th Fighter Squadron, 86th Fighter Group, from Pisa
    to Tantonville.
        Ninth Air Force: In Germany, the 9th Bombardment Division hits rail a
    overpass and bridges, an oil storage depot, marshalling yards, communications
    centers, and 13 targets of opportunity; 1,100+ fighter sorties are completed
    as the IX, XIX, and XXIX Tactical Air Commands escort the bomber, attack
    railroads, airfield, and other selected targets, fly armed reconnaissance
    over wide areas including the US First Army area between Duren and Losheim,
    and support the VIII, XII, and XX Corps along the Prum River, the West wall,
    and in the Saar-Mosel triangle.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): During the night of 20/21 Feb,
    1 B-17 and 13 B-24s drop supplies in N Italy. During the day 500+ B-17s and
    B-24s with fighter escorts bomb Vienna, Austria railroad targets (C yards, S
    station, and Matzleinsdorf marshalling yard), marshalling yards at Bruck an
    der Mur, Wiener-Neustadt, and Zeltweg, Austria, and Sopron, Hungary, and
    shipyards at Trieste and Fiume, Italy. HQ 1st Fighter Group moves from
    Vincenzo Airfield to Salsola Airfield, Italy and the detachment of the 27th
    Fighter Squadron ceases operating from Vincenzo and returns to base at
    Salsola with P-38s.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, night fighters and A-20s
    on intruder missions during the night of 20/21 Feb, continue to attack
    communications and supplies in the Po Valley; medium bombers, during the day,
    bomb bridges at Dogna, Crema, and Romano di Lombardia; fighter-bombers devote
    their main effort to close support of ground forces along the W and C US
    Fifth Army front, and also hit communications to the N of the battleline and
    in the Po Valley.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 24 P-47s from Saipan Island hit Pagan Island
    with napalm. P-38s from Guam Island escort photo aircraft over Truk Atoll and
    strafe aircraft on Moen Island and a wharf on Falas Island. 3 Guam Island-
    based B-24s on an armed reconnaissance flight bomb the airfield on Marcus
    Island in the N Pacific. During the night of 21/22 Feb, 6 B-24s fly
    individual snooper raids from Guam against Chichi Jima Island.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon Island,
    B-24s bomb Japanese positions in the hills W of Ft Stotsenburg, P-47s pound
    Corregidor Island and strafe the Bagae-Pilar road and P-40s support ground
    forces at Marikina, San Mateo, and on Corregidor Island; 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,
    Australia to San Jose, Mindoro Island with B-24s.

    THURSDAY, 22 FEBRUARY 1945

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 19 fighter-bombers hit
    villages, tanks, and trucks from Hsiangcheng to Hsuchang, attack railroad
    traffic around Sinsiang and Linfen, hit river craft, trucks, and troops in
    the Chiuchiang area, and claim 1 freighter sunk on the Yangtze River between
    Hankow and Nanking; a single B-25 attacks convoys in the Siang-Chiang Valley
    near Hengyang.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 29 P-47s support ground
    forces in the Namhsan area; 11 closely support forces in the Mongmit sector;
    about 100 fighter-bombers attack troop concentrations, gun positions, supply
    points, trucks, and animal transport in the battle areas and behind enemy
    lines. Transports complete 600+ sorties to forward areas throughout the day.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 841: 1,428 bombers and 862
    fighters commence Operation CLARION, a joint RAF, Eighth, Ninth and Fifteenth
    AF operation with the objective of paralyzing the already decimated German
    rail and road system; most attacks were made visually; bombing was conducted
    from an optimum 10,000 feet (3,048 m) to achieve accuracy at target without
    flak defenses; they claim 28-2-43 Luftwaffe aircraft; 7 bombers and 13
    fighters are lost:
      1. 522 B-17s are sent to hit marshalling yards at Bamberg (64), Zwickau (2)
    and Kitzingen (1); targets of opportunity are Ansbach (143), Donaueschingen
    (24), Reutlingen (25), Ulm (77), Freiburg (21), Hafingen (10), the
    marshalling yards at Aalen (24), Neustadt (26), Singen (8), Schwenningen
    (22), and Villgen (11) and other (42); some attacks are made with H2X radar;
    they claim 0-0-1 aircraft; 2 B-17s are lost and 29 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA
    and 19 MIA. Escorting are 163 of 168 P-51s; 3 are lost (pilots MIA).
      2. 452 B-24s are dispatched to hit marshalling yards at Halberstadt (51),
    Sangerhausen (11), Nordhausen (30), Vienenburg (23), Peine (52), Hildesheim
    (55), Kreiensen (48), and Northeim (48); targets of opportunity are
    Nordhausen (11), Ottbergen (10), the rail and highway bridge at Lindern (1)
    and marshalling yards at Wallhausen (19), Oker (8), Eschwege (30), Gottingen
    (29) and Celle (8) and other (1); 4 B-24s are lost and 68 damaged; 2 airmen
    are WIA and 38 MIA. 246 P-47s and P-51s escort; they claim 19-0-16 aircraft
    on the ground; 4 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).
      3. 454 B-17s are sent to hit Wittenburg (72), Stendal (73), Salzwedel (59),
    Uelzen (73), Wittstock (11), Luneburg (39), and Ludwigslust (48); targets of
    opportunity are Grabow (13), Kobbelitz (24), Dannenberg (12) and Klotze (13).
    The escort is 268 of 280 P-51s; they claim 4-2-18 aircraft in the air and
    3-0-5 on the ground; 5 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).
      4. 99 of 103 P-51s fly a freelance mission in support of the bombers; they
    claim 2-0-0 aircraft in the air; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
      5. 28 of 32 P-51s fly a scouting mission; they claim 2-0-3 aircraft on the
    ground.
      6. 13 P-51s escort 10 F-5s and 5 Spitfires on photo reconnaissance missions
    over Germany.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS
        First Tactical Air Force (Provisional): HQ 27th Fighter Group moves from
    Tarquinia, Italy to St Dizier, France.
        Ninth Air Force: In Operation CLARION, 450+ A-20s, A-26s, and B-26s of
    the 9th Bombardment Division bomb SW German targets including 46 rail
    bridges, 12 marshalling yards, 11 stations, plus junctions, roundhouses, a
    viaduct, a crossing, a workshop; this marks the first low-level operations by
    B-26s since May 43; 1,000+ fighters of the IX, XIX, and XXIX Tactical Air
    Commands escort the bombers, attack several assigned ground targets, fly
    armed reconnaissance, and cooperate with the US VIII, XII, and XX Corps along
    the Prum River and in the Saar-Mosel Triangle.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): The Fifteenth's participation
    in Operation CLARION includes 350+ B-17s and B-24s bombing 50+ separate
    communications targets in Germany, Austria, and Italy, including some 25
    marshalling yards and numerous railroad lines and bridges; fighters fly 300+
    escort and strafing sorties.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 21/22
    Feb, A-20s attack an ammunition dump, railroad bridges and lines, and road
    lights in the Po Valley; B-25s bomb railroad bridges and marshalling yards at
    Lavis, Bressanone, and Ala, cutting the bridge at Lavis and the through
    tracks at the Ala marshalling yard; fighters and fighter-bombers continue to
    support US Fifth Army forces S and SW of Bologna and hit communications
    targets, dumps, vehicles, and guns in and N of the battle area in the
    Apennines Mountains and in the Po Valley, and bomb airfields at Ghedi and
    Bergamo.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 3 B-24s on armed reconnaissance from Guam
    Island bomb the airfield on Marcus Island in the N Pacific. During the night
    of 22/23 Feb, 6 B-24s fly individual harassment strikes against Susaki
    Airfield and the town of Okimura on Haha Jima Island.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon Island,
    100 B-24s hit troop concentrations NW of Ft Stotsenburg, P-47s pound
    Corregidor Island, A-20s hit concentrations at Pugo, SW of Baguio, B-24s bomb
    supply areas N and W of Baguio while P-51s hit Angin and Marikina. B-24s bomb
    Tarakan and Labuan Airfields in Borneo. Units moving from New Guinea: HQ 42d
    Bombardment Group (Medium) Sansapor to Morotai Island [the group's 75th and
    100th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) remain at Sansapor but begins operating
    from Morotai with B-25s]; HQ 347th Fighter Group and the 67th and 339th
    Fighter Squadrons from Middelburg Island to San Jose, Mindoro Island with
    P-38s (the 67th and 339th are operating from Morotai).

    COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
    FRIDAY, 23 FEBRUARY 1945
    FTP SITES
      1. ftp.rutgers.edu in directory pub/wwii/usaf
      2. byrd.mu.wvnet.edu (129.71.32.152) in pub/history/military/airforce/
         wwii_chronology

    AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
      A-20, Douglas Havoc
      B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress
      B-24, Consolidated Liberator
      B-25, North American Mitchell
      F-7, Consolidated Liberator
      P-38, Lockheed Lightning
      P-40, Curtiss
      P-47, Republic Thunderbolt
      P-51, North American Mustang

    NOTE: A number in parenthesis after a target name indicates the number of
    bombers attacking.

    AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

      ZONE OF INTERIOR (Fourth Air Force): In California, a P-38 from Santa Rosa
    AAFld shoots down a Japanese balloon over Calistoga.

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER
      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 29 B-24s and 22 fighters
    scheduled to attack Shihkiachwang abort because of bad weather; 8 P-51s hit
    railroad targets of opportunity near Siaokan and attack river traffic from
    Nanking to Hankow; 5 B-24s sweep Gulf of Tonkin and S China Sea, damaging 1
    vessel; 4 P-40s attack targets of opportunity in the Kaifeng area.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 20+ P-47s support ground
    forces in the Mongmit sector and near Lashio, hitting a Japanese
    concentration; 12 B-25s and 120+ fighter-bombers continue pounding troop
    concentrations, supply areas, road traffic, and ammunition dumps in the
    frontline areas and behind enemy lines. A large transport effort completes
    655 sorties.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
      Mission 843: As a follow-up to the yesterday's attacks on transportation
    facilities as part of Operation CLARION, 1,274 bombers and 705 fighters are
    dispatched to hit marshalling yards in Germany; they claim 15-0-16 Luftwaffe
    aircraft; 1 B-24 and 6 P-51s are lost:
      1. 446 B-17s are dispatched to hit marshalling yards at Treuchtlingen (61),
    Crailsheim (52), Neumarkt (74), Ansbach (109) and Kitzingen (95); targets of
    opportunity are Nordlingen (2), Schwabisch Hall (24), Winterhausen (7) and
    other (2); 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 34 damaged; 1 airman is WIA.
    Escorting are 194 of 203 P-51s; they claim 5-0-2 aircraft on the ground;
    2 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).
      2. 460 B-17s are sent to hit the marshalling yard at Plauen (110); targets
    of opportunity are Meiningen (49), Adelsberg (12), Hildburghausen (12),
    Kitzingen (88), Lichtenfels (13), Schweinfurt (12), Ellingen (25), Ottingen
    (48), Wurzburg (37), Crailsheim (38), and Zwolle (1); 1 B-17 is damaged
    beyond repair and 16 damaged; 3 airmen are WIA. 193 of 208 P-51s escort and
    claim 1-0-0 aircraft in the air; 3 P-51s are lost; 1 pilot is KIA and 3 MIA.
      3. 368 B-24s are dispatched to hit marshalling yards at Weimar (57), Fulda
    (10) and Gera (46); targets of opportunity are Paderborn (104), Osnabruck
    (50), Jena (25), Schluchtern (20), Fritzlar (9), Reichenbach (9), Steinau
    (9), and other (1); 1 B-24 is lost, 4 damaged beyond repair and 6 damaged; 21
    airmen are KIA and 4 WIA. The escort is 105 of 110 P-51s.
      4. 141 P-47s and P-51s make a sweep of Neuburg, Landsberg and Leipheim
    Airfields claiming 9-0-14 aircraft on the ground; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
      5. 4 P-51s escort 10 F-5s on a photo reconnaissance mission over Germany.
      6. 30 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
      Mission 844: 24 of 27 B-24s make a PFF attack on the Neuss marshalling yard
    during the night without loss.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS
        First Tactical Air Force (Provisional): The 527th Fighter Squadron, 86th
    Fighter Group moves from Pisa, Italy to Tantonville, France with P-47s.
        Ninth Air Force: The 9th Bombardment Division hits communications centers
    E of the Roer River as the US Ninth Army crosses the river and begins an
    assault (Operation GRENADE) toward the Rhine River; fighters fly armed
    reconnaissance, patrols, and alerts and support the US 104th and 8th Infantry
    Divisions near Duren, Germany, the XIII and XIX Corps' attack across the Roer
    at Linnich and Rurdorf, Germany, and the VIII, XII, and XX Corps at the Prum
    River, E of the Our River, and E of the Saar River.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): About 380 B-17s and B-24s hit
    the marshalling yards at Villach, Worgl, Knittelfeld, and Klagenfurt, Austria
    and Udine, Italy, plus Kitzbuhel, Austria railroad junction; 140+ P-38s and
    P-51s provide escort; some of the fighters strafe areas NW of Linz, Austria
    and N of Munich, Germany; 35 other P-38s dive-bomb the Worgl marshalling yard
    and afterwards 30 of them strafe the rail line from Rosenheim, Germany-
    Innsbruck, Austria-Landeck, Austria; other P-38s and P-51s fly reconnaissance
    and escort missions.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy, A-20s on intruder
    missions during the night of 22/23 Feb, hit marshalling yards and airfields
    throughout N Italy; medium bombers concentrate on the N end of the Brenner
    Pass, damaging bridges at Campo San Pietro and a railroad fill at San Felice
    del Benaco and hitting bridges at Dogna; fighter-bombers pound airfields, and
    enemy movement in the C and N Po Valley, and damage 5 bridges and cut rail
    lines at numerous points.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 26 B-24s from Angaur Island bomb San Roque
    Airfield on Mindanao Island. 2 P-47s fromm Saipan Island on armed
    reconnaissance strafe Pagan Island. On the night of 23/24 Feb, 7 B-24s from
    Guam Island fly snooper raids against the airfield on Cbichi Jima and the
    town of Okimura on Haha Jima. US Marines raise the US flag on the summit of
    Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima Island.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: Strikes supporting
    ground forces continue throughout the battle zones on Luzon Island. In
    Borneo, P-47s hit Jesselton Airfield while B-24s bomb Sandakan, Lahat Datu,
    and Miri Airfields. In French Indochina, B-25s on shipping sweeps bomb
    vessels in Phan Rang harbor and hit a small convoy SW of Camranh Bay. The
    20th Combat Mapping Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, based at
    Dulag, Leyte Island, ceases operating from Tacloban, Leyte with F-7s. The
    68th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group, moves from Middelburg Island to
    San Jose Mindoro Island with P-38s. The 69th Bombardment Squadron (Medium),
    42d Bombardment Group (Medium), based at Sansapor, New Guinea, begins
    operating from Morotai Island with B-25s.

    SATURDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 1945

    AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

      ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 4 B-25s on a shipping sweep attack the
    Hayakegawa River in the Kurile Islands; returning, the B-25s sight and
    photograph a Japanese bomb-carrying balloon.

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 5 B-24s on individual sweeps over the
    S China Sea and Gulf of Tonkin claim 4 vessels sunk.

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 38: In an all-incendiary attack, 105
    of 116 B-29s hit the Empire Dock area at Singapore, Malayan States, burning
    out about 40 per cent of the warehouse area; 1 B-29 is lost; this is the last
    100-aircraft strike by the XX Bomber Command. HQ 58th Bombardment Wing (Very
    Heavy) and HQ 468th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) begin a movement from the
    Hijli Base Area and Kharagpur, India respectively to the Mariana Islands.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 8 P-47s in close support
    of the ground forces near Lashio pound vehicle and a troop concentration; 12
    B-25s and about 125 fighter-bombers strike against targets immediately behind
    the lines, hitting troops, supply areas, occupied towns and villages,
    vehicles, and general targets of opportunity. Transports complete 600 sorties
    carrying men and supplies to forward areas.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
      Mission 845: 1,114 bombers and 592 fighters are dispatched to hit oil
    refineries and rail targets using H2X radar; they claim 1-0-3 Luftwaffe
    aircraft on the ground; 2 bombers and 11 fighters are lost:
      1. 362 B-17s are sent to hit the Albrecht (278) and Harburg (70) oil
    refineries at Hamburg; 6 others hit a target of opportunity; 26 B-17s are
    damaged; 2 airmen are WIA. 181 of 195 P-51s escort; 4 are lost (pilots MIA).
      2. 280 B-24s are dispatched to hit the Misburg oil refinery (104) and the
    marshalling yard at Lehrte (61); 76 hit the secondary target, the marshalling
    yard at Bielefeld; targets of opportunity are Hannover (11), Lingen (2) and
    other (5); 1 B-24 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 16 damaged; 4 airmen
    are KIA, 3 WIA and 12 MIA. Escorting are 166 of 179 P-51s; 5 are lost (pilots
    MIA).
      3. 383 B-17s are sent to hit the Deschimag U-boat yards at Bremen (200) and
    the Bremen W rail bridge (134); targets of opportunity are Minden (12),
    Osnabruck (8), Quackenbruck (5) and Brinkum (1); 1 B-17 is lost, 1 damaged
    beyond repair and 162 damaged; 7 airmen are WIA and 9 MIA. The escort is 93
    of 98 P-51s; they claim 1-0-3 aircraft on the ground; 2 P-51s are lost
    (pilots MIA).
      4. 70 of 76 B-17s hit the Wesel rail bridge using Micro H; 22 B-17s are
    damaged. 29 P-51s escort without loss.
      5. 12 of 13 B-17s fly a screening mission.
      6. 43 of 46 P-51s fly a freelance mission for the bombers without loss.
      7. 28 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
      8. 17 P-51s escort 19 F-5s and 4 Spitfires on photo reconnaissance missions
    over Germany.
      Mission 846: 12 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands and Germany during
    the night.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, nearly 500 B-26s, A-20s
    and A-26s hit 5 communications centers, 2 marshalling yards, 3 rail bridges,
    6 town areas, and a target of opportunity as part of interdiction operations
    against troops during the Rhineland campaign; fighters support the 8th and
    104th Infantry Divisions in the Duren area, the XIII and XIX Corps at the
    Roer River bridgehead area, and the VIII, XII, and XX Corps E of and along
    the Prum River and in the Saarlautern area.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 500+ B-17s and B-24s (with
    fighter escorts) attack the Udine, Padua, Verona, and Ferrara marshalling
    yards and Ferrara railroad bridge in Italy; marshalling yards at Graz and
    Klagenfurt, Austria;  and several targets of opportunity. During the previous
    night 20 B-24s continue supply drops in N Italy.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 23/24
    Feb, A-20s bomb marshalling yards, including those at Castelfranco Veneto,
    Rovereto, Villafranca di Verona, and Legnago, and airfields at Villafranca di
    Verona, Ghedi, and Bergamo; medium bombers bomb rail lines, bridges, bridge
    approaches, and fills at Bozzolo, Santa Margherita d'Adige, San Michele
    all'Adige, Pizzighetone, and Lavis, and severely damage the Sesto Calende
    industrial complex; fighter-bombers hit communications, mainly airfields,
    railroad bridges, lines, and marshalling yards at several points including
    Villafranca, Calliano, N of Nervesa della Battaglia, N of Santa Margherita
    d'Adige, Bergamo, Pavullo nel Frigano, Isola della Scala, and Motta di
    Livenza; fighters and fighter-bombers support US Fifth Army forces, hitting
    gun positions in advance of the battlefront, at Montese and E of Modena, and
    blast targets in the battle area as the 10th Mountain Division reaches the
    summit of Monte Torraccia.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 28 B-24s from Angaur Island bomb Ising on
    Mindanao Island. 3 B-24s on armed reconnaissance from Guam Island bomb the
    airfield on Marcus Island in the N Pacific. During the night of 24/25 Feb, 5
    B-24s out of Guam fly individual snooper strikes against the airfield on
    Chichi Jima Island and the town of Okimura on Haha Jima Island.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon Island,
    strikes in support of ground forces continue, especially W of Ft Stotsenburg;
    fighter-bombers attack forces holding out on Corregidor Island in Manila Bay;
    B-24s bomb Sepinggaiig and Manggar Airfields in Borneo. B-25s sweep off the
    China coast, bombing the naval base at Ryukyu-Sho, Formosa. The 20th Combat
    Mapping Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, based at Dulag,
    Leyte Island begins operating from San Jose, Mindoro Island with F-7s. The
    390th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 42d Bombardment Group (Medium), based at
    Sansapor, New Guinea, begins operating from Morotai Island with B-25s.

    SUNDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 1945

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 6 B-25s, supported by 5
    P-40s, hit sampans and buildings in the Puchi area; 3 B-25s and 19 P-40s
    pound the Isuho ferry and attack river and road traffic from Siangtan to
    Hengyang; a single B-25 bombs truck convoys S of Hengyang; 4 B-24s over the
    Gulf of Tonkin and S China Sea claim damaging hits on 2 vessels; 44 P-51s and
    P-40s hit bridges, river shipping, troop areas, and motor transport at
    Kweiyi, Paoching, and Siangtan, from Lingling to Hengyang and Leiyang, from
    Anjen to Chaling, N of Liuchow, and W of Ishan.

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): HQ 40th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) begins
    a movement from Chakulia India to the Mariana Islands.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, in joint operations with
    the British and Chinese army forces, 16 P-47s support the British 36 Division
    in the Mongmit sector while 31 P-47s support the Chinese 38th and 50th
    Divisions near Lashio and Namtu, respectively; a low B-25 strike knocks out a
    suspension bridge at Namsang; 9 B-25s and 85 fighter-bombers blast troop
    concentrations, supply areas, road traffic, and general targets of
    opportunity behind enemy lines. 600+ transport sorties are completed to
    forward areas.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): HQ 437th Troop Carrier
    Group and the 83d, 84th, 85th and 86th Troop Carrier Squadrons move from
    Ramsbury, England to Voisins Airfield, Coulommiers, France with C-47s.

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
      Mission 847: 1,197 bombers and 755 fighters are dispatched to hit tank
    factories, airfields associated with jet aircraft, oil depots and rail
    targets visually; they claim 34-0-21 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 bombers and 8
    fighters are lost:
      1. 377 B-17s are sent to hit the Maybach tank factory at Friedrichshaffen
    (63) using Gee-H, and the station and marshalling yard (73) and oil storage
    tanks and marshalling yard (174) at Munich; 51 hit the secondary target, the
    marshalling yard at Ulm; 1 other hit Kenzingen, a target of opportunity; 2
    B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 135 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 2
    WIA and 18 MIA. Escorting are 136 of 149 P-51s; they claim 1-0-2 aircraft on
    the ground; 2 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).
      2. 452 B-17s are dispatched to hit the marshalling yard at Munich (315) and
    Neuburg (88); targets of opportunity are Kaufbeuren (13), Ludwigsfeldt
    marshalling yard (12), Kempten (1), Durladingen (2), Rortwell (1) and other
    (5); 3 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 197 damaged; 1 airman is
    KIA, 3 WIA and 27 MIA. 140 of 145 P-51s escort and claim 2-0-3 aircraft on
    the ground.
      3. 368 B-24s are sent to hit the marshalling yard (115) and tank factory
    (54) at Aschaffenburg and the airfields at Giebelstadt (96) and Schwabishch
    Hall (93); 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 31 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA
    and 6 WIA. The escort is 126 of 135 P-51s.
      4. 262 P-47s and P-51s fly close escort and area patrols claiming 21-0-4
    aircraft in the air and 10-0-12 on the ground; 6 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA)
    and 1 P-47 is damaged beyond repair.
      5. 8 P-51s escort 4 F-5s on a photo reconnaissance mission over Germany.
      6. 32 of 34 P-51s fly a scouting mission.
      Mission 848: 12 B-24s drop leaflets in France, the Netherlands and Germany
    during the night.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, the 9th Bombardment
    Division strikes 4 rail bridges, 4 communications centers, a marshalling yard
    and 9 targets of opportunity as part of the interdiction campaign against
    Germany; fighters escort the bombers, attack assigned ground targets, fly
    armed reconnaissance, and support the 8th and 104th Infantry Divisions in the
    Duren area, the XIII and XlX Corps E of the Roer River, and the VIII, XII,
    and XX Corps along the Prum and Saar Rivers.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): In Austria, 600+ B-17s and
    B-24s bomb marshalling yards in Amstetten, 2 in Linz, 2 in Villach, and
    Salzburg, plus the Linz benzol plant and ordnance depot and several targets
    of opportunity. Fighters escort and some afterwards strafe targets of
    opportunity in Austria, SE Germany, and W Czechoslovakia. In Germany, 37
    P-51s strafe railroad targets in the Rosenheim-Muhldorf-Landshut-Augsburg
    areas. Routine reconnaissance and supply missions continue.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 24/25
    Feb, A-20s attack marshalling yards at Villafranca di Verona, Cittadella,
    Castelfranco Veneto, Trento, and Turin, and airfields at Villafranca di
    Verona and Bergamo; medium bombers cut or damage bridges at Vipiteno, Dogna,
    Ala, and Campo San Pietro, and a railroad fill at San Felice del Benaco; XXII
    Tactical Air Command fighters and fighter-bombers are restricted by ground
    haze in the Po Valley but attack rail lines, marshalling yards, rolling
    stock, motor transport, and dumps.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Lieutenant General Millard F Harmon, Commanding
    General AAFPOA and Deputy Commander of the Twentieth AF, is lost near
    Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands when his aircraft disappears enroute
    to Washington DC. (On 2 Mar Major General Willis H Hale, AAFPOA deputy
    commander for operations, assumes Harmon's positions).
      9 Guam Island-based B-24s hit blockhouses, and mortar and rocket-launching
    positions on the NW part of Iwo Jima Island; 8 B-24s, flying separate
    harassment strikes, pound airfields on Chichi Jima during the night of 25/26
    Feb. In Hawaii, HQ 508th Fighter Group and the 466th Fighter Squadron move
    from Kahuku to Mokuleia with P-47s.

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 38: 172 of 229 B-29s bomb the urban
    area of Tokyo; 29 others hit alternates and targets of opportunity; this is
    the XXI Bomber Command's largest mission to date and its first 3-wing strike
    against Japan as the the 73d and 313th Bombardment Wings (Very Heavy) are
    joined by the 314th; 3 B-29s are lost.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In Formosa, B-24s
    bomb Takao and P-51s hit targets of opportunity along the E coast. On Luzon
    Island, B-24s attack troop concentrations on the E side of the Ipo River and
    pound Japanese positions between Ipo and Osboy. B-24s bomb Tawau and Labuan
    Airfields in Borneo. HQ 49th Fighter Group and the 7th Fighter Squadron move
    from San Jose, Mindoro Island to Lingayen, Luzon with P-38s.

    MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY 1945

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 20 B-25s, some with fighter
    escort, bomb Ishan, Luchai, Siangtan, and hit bridges at Chuchou and Loshan.
    In French Indochina, 9 B-25s attack bridges, railroad tracks, and heavy port
    equipment at Ha Trung, along the Chu R, and at Hongay and Haiphong. 70+
    fighter-bombers on armed reconnaissance over S and E China and N French
    Indochina attack numerous targets of opportunity including airfields, town
    areas, and river, rail, and road traffic.

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): HQ 462d Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) begins
    a movement from Piardoba, India to the Mariana Islands.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 12 P-47s support troops of
    the British 36 Division in the Mongmit area; 8 support the MARS Task Force,
    a composite Chinese-American force, in the Lashio sector while 16 others fly
    close support for Chinese 50th Division troops near Namhsam; 8 B-25s on low-
    level strikes knock out bypass bridges at Mong Pawn and Loi-leng; 80+
    fighter-bombers and 4 B-25s continue to attack troops, supplies, road
    traffic, and other targets immediately behind lines.  Again 600+ transport
    sorties are flown.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): HQ 436th Troop Carrier
    Group and the 80th, 81st and 82d Troop Carrier Squadrons move from Membury,
    England to Melun, France with C-47s.

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
      Mission 849: 1,207 bombers and 726 fighters are dispatched to make H2X
    radar attacks on three Berlin rail stations; they claim 6-0-0 Luftwaffe
    aircraft; 3 B-17s and 3 P-51s are lost:
      1. 377 B-17s are sent to hit the Schlesischer rail station (363); 1 hits
    Osnabruck, a target of opportunity; 2 B-17s are lost and 21 damaged; 1 airman
    is WIA and 18 MIA. 214 of 244 P-51s escort claiming 4-0-0 aircraft in the
    air.
      2. 446 B-17s set out to hit the Alexanderplatz rail station (418); 4 others
    hit a target of opportunity; 1 B-17s is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 43
    damaged; 8 airmen are KIA, 2 WIA and 9 MIA. Escorting are 232 of 240 P-51s;
    they claim 2-0-0 aircraft on the ground; 3 P-51s are lost (2 pilots MIA).
      3. 361 B-24s are dispatched to hit the North rail station (285); 37 hit
    Eberswalde, the secondary target; 4 hit a target of opportunity; 2 B-24s are
    damaged beyond repair and 26 damaged; 3 airmen are WIA and 3 MIA. The escort
    is 20 P-47s and 190 P-51s.
      4. 17 B-17s and 6 B-24s fly screening missions.
      5. 31 of 32 P-51 fly a scouting mission.
      Mission 850: During the night, 12 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands
    and Germany; and 5 B-24s fly a CARPETBAGGER mission.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 235 A-20s, A-26s, and
    B-26s attack the communications center at Wickrath, rail and road junctions
    at Zieverich and Gladbach, a supply and ammunition depot (casual target), the
    towns of Kapellen, Viersen, and Munstereifel, and targets of opportunity;
    weather limits fighter operations to armed reconnaissance flights in the
    Aschaffenburg-Wurzburg area by the XIX Tactical Air Command.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): During the night of 25/26 Feb,
    supply drops to N Italy continue. In Austria during the day 32 P-38s dive-
    bomb and strafe the Graz-Bruck an der Mur-Wiener Neustadt rail lines and 12
    others fly top cover. Other P-38s and P-51s fly reconnaissance and escort
    missions. 102 B-24s, with fighter escort, dispatched against tactical targets
    in Yugoslavia, are recalled when clouds completely cover the objectives.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 25/26
    Feb, A-20s considerably damage marshalling yards at Castelfranco Veneto and
    Bazzano; medium bombers bomb railroad bridges at Legnago, Ala, Pontetidone,
    and San Michele all'Adige; fighters and fighter-bombers hit bridges,
    marshalling yards, rail lines, and transport targets at numerous points
    including Nervesa della Battaglia, Ora, Bologna, Trento, Vicenza, Castelnuovo
    di Garfagnana, and Avisio, and bomb airfields at Ghedi and Bergamo; XXII
    Tactical Air Command aircraft also support US Fifth Army forces in the battle
    area S of Bologna.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 9 B-24s sent from Guam Island against positions
    on Iwo Jima Island are recalled due to cloud cover; 8 B-24s hit Chichi Jima
    Island during the night of 26/27 Feb, flying individual harassment strikes.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s over Formosa
    hit Takao Airfield while fighters on a sweep strafe railroad targets. On
    Luzon Island, B-24s bomb troop concentrations in the Ipo Dam area and support
    ground forces NE of Manila; A-20s and fighter-bombers support ground forces
    in the Echague Airfield area, at Ternate, Trinidad, and Antipolo, and hit
    troops W of Ft Stotsenburg. A-20s, P-38s, and P-47s hit Puerto Princesa on
    Palawan Island and B-25s bomb Zettle Airfield on Jolo Island. In Borneo,
    B-24s hit Manggar and Sepinggang Airfields. The 9th Fighter Squadron, 49th
    Fighter Group, moves from San Jose, Mindoro Island to Lingayen, Luzon with
    P-38s and the 70th Fighter Squadron, 18th Fighter Group, moves from Lingayen,
    Luzon to San Jose, Mindoro with P-38s.

    TUESDAY, 27 FEBRUARY 1945

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): 12 B-25s knock out 4 bridges and
    damage 2 others in N French Indochina. In China, 12 others bomb Ishan and
    Hwaiyuanchen; 4 B-24s over the Gulf of Tonkin and S China Sea attack
    shipping, claiming 2 vessels sunk; 19 fighter-bombers hit barracks SW of
    Ishan, 15 attack Kiungshan Airfield, 12 hit targets of opportunity in the
    Yoyang area, 23 hit targets of opportunity around Kiyang, and 30 others hit
    scattered targets of opportunity at other points in S and E China; the 22d
    Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 341st Bombardment Group (Medium), based at
    Yangkai with B-25s, sends a detachment to operate from Peishiyi; the 35th
    Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, Fourteenth AF, based at Chanyi with
    F-5s, sends a detachment to operate from Laohwangping (another detachment is
    operating from Chengkung).

      HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 40: In the Malayan States during the
    night of 27/28 Feb, 10 of 12 B-29s mine Johore Strait on the E of Singapore
    and 1 mines Penang harbor.
      Personnel of the 58th Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy) begin shipping out of
    Calcutta, India for Tinian and Guam Islands, implementing the redeployment
    orders of the 6 Feb War Department directive; the final shipment arrives in
    the the Mariana Islands on 6 Jun, completing the transfer of the wing from
    India without loss of a single life or aircraft.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 18 P-47s closely support
    ground forces in the Mongmit area; 4 others knock out a small bypass bridge
    at Hay-ti; about 100 fighter-bombers attack troop concentrations, supplies,
    gun positions, elephant transport, and road traffic along the battlefronts
    and behind enemy lines. Transport operations continue on a large-scale as 589
    sorties are completed.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
      Mission 851: 1,107 bombers and 745 fighters are dispatched to hit road and
    rail communications at Halle and Leipzig using H2X radar; they claim 83-0-19
    Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 B-24s and 2 P-51s are lost:
      1. 314 of 351 B-24s hit the marshalling yard at Halle; targets of
    opportunity are Bitterfeld (21) and other (3); 2 B-24s are lost and 4
    damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 18 MIA. Escorting are 196 P-47s and P-51s; they
    claim 1-0-0 aircraft in the air and 45-0-3 on the ground; 2 P-51s are lost
    (pilots MIA).
      2. 717 of 756 B-17s hit the rail center at Leipzig; 7 others hit targets of
    opportunity; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 3 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA.
    The escort is 453 of 489 P-51s; they claim 1-0-0 aircraft in the air and
    36-0-16 on the ground without loss.
      3. 28 P-51s fly a scouting mission without loss.
      4. 13 P-51s escort 2 F-5s and 2 Spitfires on a photo reconnaissance mission
    over C and E Germany.
      Mission 852: During the night of 27/28 Feb, 23 of 26 B-24s bomb
    Wilhelmshafen oil storage by PFF without loss and 1 B-17 and 11 B-24s drop
    leaflets in the Netherlands and Germany.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 118 A-20s, A-26s and
    B-26s attack the Ahrweiler rail bridge, communications centers at Glessen,
    Munstereifel, and Monheim, and a target of opportunity; fighters fly leaflet
    missions, attack Frankfurt/Main oil storage tanks, fly alerts, and strafe
    from W of Duisburg to Worringen; the XXIX Tactical Air Command (Provisional)
    also flies support for the XIII and XIX Corps SW and S of Monchen-Gladbach.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): 540+ B-24s and B-17s, with
    fighter escort, bomb marshalling yards at Augsburg, Germany and Salzburg,
    Lienz, and Jenbach, Austria plus several targets of opportunity; escorting
    fighters strafe targets of opportunity during the return flight. Routine
    reconnaissance and supply missions continue.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 26/27
    Feb, A-20s bomb enemy movement at 14 different places in the Po Valley,
    marshalling yards at Villafranca di Verona and Isola della Scala, the town of
    Bazzano, and airfields at Villafranca di Verona and Ghedi; XXII Tactical Air
    Command fighter-bombers concentrate on railroad cutting in the Brenner area
    and NE Italy, claiming 36 cuts, and attack rolling stock in the Villach,
    Austria area; medium bombers destroy a railroad diversion bridge at San
    Michele all'Adige and cut approaches on the Ala and Lavis bridges and
    effectively blast the Spilimbergo and Pagnocco dumps.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 9 Guam Island-based B-24s blast pillboxes,
    artillery emplacements, blockhouse, and mortar positions on the N part of Iwo
    Jima Island. On Mindanao Island, 22 B-24s from Angaur Island bomb Daliao and
    Libby Airfields. During the night of 27/28 Feb, 9 B-24s, flying snooper
    strikes out of Guam, bomb airfields, radio stations, and the town of Okimura
    on Haha Jima Island.

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-24s, A-20s, and
    P-38s strike Puerto Princesa on Palawan Island in preparation for the
    following morning's allied amphibious landings. On Luzon Island, ground
    support continues on a largescale including a strike on Baguio by P-51s. On
    Mindanao P-38s and USMC aircraft hit airfields. B-24s bomb Tarakan and
    Jesselton Airfields in Borneo. On Formosa, Takao is hit by B-24s while
    fighters sweep the W coast. Sweeping the China coast, B-25s hit a fleet of
    junks and sampans near Hong Kong destroying and damaging 25+. The 8th Fighter
    Squadron, 49th Fighter Group, moves from San Jose, Mindoro Island to
    Lingayen, Luzon with P-38s and the 12th Fighter Squadron, 18th Fighter Group,
    moves from Lingayen to San Jose with P-38s. The 65th and 66th Troop Carrier
    Squadrons, 403d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Biak Island to Morotai Island
    with C-46s and C-47s (the squadrons cease operating from Hill Field,
    Mindoro); and the 432d Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group, moves from
    Dulag, Leyte Island to Clark Field, Luzon with P-38s (a detachment is
    operating from San Jose, Mindoro).

    COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
    WEDNESDAY, 28 FEBRUARY 1945
    FTP SITES
      1. ftp.rutgers.edu in directory pub/wwii/usaf
      2. byrd.mu.wvnet.edu (129.71.32.152) in pub/history/military/airforce/
         wwii_chronology

    AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
      A-20, Douglas Havoc
      A-26, Douglas Invader
      B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress
      B-24, Consolidated Liberator
      B-25, North American Mitchell
      B-26, Martin Marauder
      C-46, Curtiss Commando
      C-47, Douglas Skytrain
      F-5, Lockheed Lightning
      P-38, Lockheed Lightning
      P-47, Republic Thunderbolt
      P-51, North American Mustang
      Spitfire, Vickers Supermarine

    NOTE: A number in parenthesis after a target name indicates the number of
    bombers attacking.

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 2 B-25s attack targets of
    opportunity in the Hsiang River Valley while 2 P-51s hit targets of
    opportunity NE of Hengyang; a single B-24 damages a cargo vessel in the S
    China Sea; the 11th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 341st Bombardment Group
    (Medium), based at Yangkai with B-25s, sends a detachment to operate from
    Laowhangpin.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 28 P-47s support forces of
    the British 36 Division in the Mongmit area; 75 fighter-bombers continueu
    pounding troop concentrations, supply dumps, and road traffic behind enemy
    lines. 552 transport sorties are flown, landing men and supplies at forward
    bases and dropping supplies to frontline troops.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): Units moving from England
    to France: HQ 313th Troop Carrier Group from Folkingham to Achiet; HQ 314th
    Troop Carrier Group and the 32d and 61st Troop Carrier Squadrons from Saltby
    to Poix with C-47s.

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 3 missions are flown.
      Mission 854: 1,104 bombers and 737 fighters are dispatched to make PFF
    attacks on rail targets in Germany; they calim 18-0-11 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1
    B-17 and 5 P-51s are lost:
      1. 378 B-17s are sent to hit marshalling yards at Soest (143), Hagen (151)
    and Schwerte (74) using Gee-H; 1 other hits a target of opportunity; 1 B-17s
    is lost; 3 airmen are MIA. 106 of 112 P-51s escort without loss.
      2. 346 B-24s are dispatched to hit the Arnsberg (95) and Bielefeld (81)
    viaducts, the Siegen marshalling yard (77) and the Henschel tank plant at
    Meschede (79); 1 other hits the Neustadt road junction, a target of
    opportunity; all attacks are made using Gee-H; no casualties. Escorting are
    117 of 123 P-51s; 1 is lost (pilot MIA).
      3. 364 of 380 B-17s hit the marshalling yard at Kassel, the secondary
    target; 6 others hit 6 targets of opportunity; the attacks are made using H2X
    radar; no casualties. The escort is 113 of 118 P-51s; they claim 0-0-1
    aircraft in the air and 10-0-4 on the ground; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
      4. 308 of 318 P-51s fly a strafing run in the Wurzburg-Munich area; they
    calim 8-0-6 aircraft on the ground; 3 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).
      5. 18 of 20 P-47s fly a figher-bomber mission against Ablar, Offenbach and
    Werdorf marshalling yards and factory buildings without loss.
      6. 16 P-51s escort 4 F-5s and 1 Spitfire on a photo reconnaissance mission
    over Germany.
      Mission 855: 11 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands and Germany during
    the night without loss. 1 Mosquito flies a SKYWAVE mission over Germany.
    (SKYWAVE is a special navigational mission to calibrate LORAN equipment.)
      Mission 856: 22 of 24 B-24s bomb the Freiburg rail depot during the night
    using PFF methods; no losses.
      The 36th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 1st Air Division [attached to 482d
    Bombardment Group (Heavy)], moves from Cheddington to Alconbury, England with
    B-24s (the 36th is engaged in radio countermeasures operations).

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 340+ A-20s, B-26s and
    A-26s bomb rail bridges at Mayen, Niederscheld, and Colbe, the Unna ordnance
    depot, Kamp road junction, Siegen and Sankt Wendel marshalling yards, the
    town of Rheinburg, and targets of opportunity; fighters escort the bombers,
    fly sweeps, patrols and armed reconnaissance, attack special targets, and
    support the US 3d Armored Division at the Paffendorf bridgehead, US Ninth
    Army elements near Monchen-Gladbach and Neuss [the 2d Armored Division
    reaches a point within 6 miles (9.7 km) of the Rhine River], and the VIII,
    XII, and XX Corps between the Prum and Kyll Rivers and near Trier.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): About 680 B-17s and B-24s bomb
    marshalling yards at Lienz, Austria; Ora, Bolzano, Vipiteno, Vicenza,
    Fortezza, Bressanone, Brunico, Brescia, and Conegliano, Italy, and bridges at
    Albes and Verona-Parona di Valpolicella, Italy; 109 P-51s provide escort; 75
    P-38s divebomb the Sankt Veit an der Glan marshalling yard in Austria and
    strafe rail lines in the Sankt Veit, Austria-Klagenfurt, Austria-Villach,
    Austria-Ljubljana, Yugoslavia areas; other P-38s and P-51s (about 25) strafe
    rail traffic around Bruck an der Mur, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, and Worgl,
    Austria and Passau, Germany, and attack Bjelovar Airfield in Yugoslavia,
    destroying an enemy-held B-24 and P-38; reconnaissance and supply flights are
    maintained.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 27/28
    Feb, A-20s attack a few marshalling yards, bridges, rail lines, and general
    movement but because of bad weather are recalled by midnight; XII Tactical
    Air Command fighter-bombers continue to pound communications and other
    targets, including Ghedi and Vicenza Airfields, ammunition dumps near
    Codroipo and W of Villafranca di Verona, and shell loading plant SW of
    Piacenza; medium bombers bomb bridges at Ala, Santa Margherita d'Adige, San
    Michele all'Adige, Ponte di Piave, and Pordenone, and a railway embankment at
    Salorno.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 8 Guam Island-based B-24s pound Susaki Airfield
    on Chichi Jima Island. 23 B-24s from Angaur Island bomb Sasa Airfield on
    Mindanao Island. During the night of 28 Feb/1 Mar, 6 B-24s from Guam, flying
    separate harassment strikes, bomb Susaki Airfield again. The ground echelon
    of the 548th Night Fighter Squadron, VII Fighter Command arrives on Iwo Jima
    Island from Hawaii (air echelon is operating from Saipan Island with P-61s).

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In Borneo, B-24s
    strike Sandakan and Labuan Airfields and B-25s fly a napalm raid against
    Sanga Sanga Airfield. B-24s bomb Caldera Point and B-25s hit San Roque
    Airfield on Mindanao. The 70th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier
    Group, moves from Hollandia, New Guinea to Dulag, Leyte Island with C-46s and
    C-47s. The 431st and 433d Fighter Squadrons, 475th Fighter Group, move from
    Dulag, Leyte to Clark Field, Luzon Island with P-38s (they are operating from
    San Jose, Mindoro Island). The 530th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 380th
    Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Darwin, Australia to San Jose, Mindoro
    WEDNESDAY, 28 FEBRUARY 1945

    CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

      CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 2 B-25s attack targets of
    opportunity in the Hsiang River Valley while 2 P-51s hit targets of
    opportunity NE of Hengyang; a single B-24 damages a cargo vessel in the S
    China Sea; the 11th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 341st Bombardment Group
    (Medium), based at Yangkai with B-25s, sends a detachment to operate from
    Laowhangpin.

      INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 28 P-47s support forces of
    the British 36 Division in the Mongmit area; 75 fighter-bombers continue
    pounding troop concentrations, supply dumps, and road traffic behind enemy
    lines. 552 transport sorties are flown, landing men and supplies at forward
    bases and dropping supplies to frontline troops.

    EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

      AIRBORNE OPERATIONS (IX Troop Carrier Command): Units moving from England
    to France: HQ 313th Troop Carrier Group from Folkingham to Achiet; HQ 314th
    Troop Carrier Group and the 32d and 61st Troop Carrier Squadrons from Saltby
    to Poix with C-47s.

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 3 missions are flown.
      Mission 854: 1,104 bombers and 737 fighters are dispatched to make PFF
    attacks on rail targets in Germany; they claim 18-0-11 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1
    B-17 and 5 P-51s are lost:
      1. 378 B-17s are sent to hit marshalling yards at Soest (143), Hagen (151)
    and Schwerte (74) using Gee-H; 1 other hits a target of opportunity; 1 B-17
    is lost; 3 airmen are MIA. 106 of 112 P-51s escort without loss.
      2. 346 B-24s are dispatched to hit the Arnsberg (95) and Bielefeld (81)
    viaducts, the Siegen marshalling yard (77) and the Henschel tank plant at
    Meschede (79); 1 other hits the Neustadt road junction, a target of
    opportunity; all attacks are made using Gee-H; no casualties. Escorting are
    117 of 123 P-51s; 1 is lost (pilot MIA).
      3. 364 of 380 B-17s hit the marshalling yard at Kassel, the secondary
    target; 6 others hit 6 targets of opportunity; the attacks are made using H2X
    radar; no casualties. The escort is 113 of 118 P-51s; they claim 0-0-1
    aircraft in the air and 10-0-4 on the ground; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
      4. 308 of 318 P-51s fly a strafing run in the Wurzburg-Munich area; they
    claim 8-0-6 aircraft on the ground; 3 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).
      5. 18 of 20 P-47s fly a fighter-bomber mission against Ablar, Offenbach and
    Werdorf marshalling yards and factory buildings without loss.
      6. 16 P-51s escort 4 F-5s and 1 Spitfire on photo reconnaissance missions
    over Germany.
      Mission 855: 11 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands and Germany during
    the night without loss. 1 Mosquito flies a SKYWAVE mission over Germany.
    (SKYWAVE is a special navigational mission to calibrate LORAN equipment.)
      Mission 856: 22 of 24 B-24s bomb the Freiburg rail depot during the night
    using PFF methods; no losses.
      The 36th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 1st Air Division [attached to 482d
    Bombardment Group (Heavy)], moves from Cheddington to Alconbury, England with
    B-24s (the 36th is engaged in radio countermeasures operations).

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 340+ A-20s, B-26s and
    A-26s bomb rail bridges at Mayen, Niederscheld, and Colbe, the Unna ordnance
    depot, Kamp road junction, Siegen and Sankt Wendel marshalling yards, the
    town of Rheinburg, and targets of opportunity; fighters escort the bombers,
    fly sweeps, patrols and armed reconnaissance, attack special targets, and
    support the US 3d Armored Division at the Paffendorf bridgehead, US Ninth
    Army elements near Monchen-Gladbach and Neuss [the 2d Armored Division
    reaches a point within 6 miles (9.7 km) of the Rhine River], and the VIII,
    XII, and XX Corps between the Prum and Kyll Rivers and near Trier.

    MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

      STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): About 680 B-17s and B-24s bomb
    marshalling yards at Lienz, Austria; Ora, Bolzano, Vipiteno, Vicenza,
    Fortezza, Bressanone, Brunico, Brescia, and Conegliano, Italy, and bridges at
    Albes and Verona-Parona di Valpolicella, Italy; 109 P-51s provide escort; 75
    P-38s divebomb the Sankt Veit an der Glan marshalling yard in Austria and
    strafe rail lines in the Sankt Veit, Austria-Klagenfurt, Austria-Villach,
    Austria-Ljubljana, Yugoslavia areas; other P-38s and P-51s (about 25) strafe
    rail traffic around Bruck an der Mur, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, and Worgl,
    Austria and Passau, Germany, and attack Bjelovar Airfield in Yugoslavia,
    destroying an enemy-held B-24 and P-38; reconnaissance and supply flights are
    maintained.

      TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 27/28
    Feb, A-20s attack a few marshalling yards, bridges, rail lines, and general
    movement but because of bad weather are recalled by midnight; XII Tactical
    Air Command fighter-bombers continue to pound communications and other
    targets, including Ghedi and Vicenza Airfields, ammunition dumps near
    Codroipo and W of Villafranca di Verona, and a shell loading plant SW of
    Piacenza; medium bombers bomb bridges at Ala, Santa Margherita d'Adige, San
    Michele all'Adige, Ponte di Piave, and Pordenone, and a railway embankment at
    Salorno.

    PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

      AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 8 Guam Island-based B-24s pound Susaki Airfield
    on Chichi Jima Island. 23 B-24s from Angaur Island bomb Sasa Airfield on
    Mindanao Island. During the night of 28 Feb/1 Mar, 6 B-24s from Guam, flying
    separate harassment strikes, bomb Susaki Airfield again. The ground echelon
    of the 548th Night Fighter Squadron, VII Fighter Command arrives on Iwo Jima
    Island from Hawaii (air echelon is operating from Saipan Island with P-61s).

    SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: In Borneo, B-24s
    strike Sandakan and Labuan Airfields and B-25s fly a napalm raid against
    Sanga Sanga Airfield. B-24s bomb Caldera Point and B-25s hit San Roque
    Airfield on Mindanao. The 70th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier
    Group, moves from Hollandia, New Guinea to Dulag, Leyte Island with C-46s and
    C-47s. The 431st and 433d Fighter Squadrons, 475th Fighter Group, move from
    Dulag, Leyte to Clark Field, Luzon Island with P-38s (they are operating from
    San Jose, Mindoro Island). The 530th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 380th
    Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Darwin, Australia to San Jose, Mindoro
    with B-24s.

    SOURCES:
    AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force History,
      Headquarters USAF, 1961, ISBN 0-912799-02-1
    COMBAT SQUADRONS OF THE AIR FORCE, WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force
      History, Headquarters USAF 1982
    THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by the
      Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF, 1973
    THE MIGHTY EIGHTH WAR DIARY by Roger A. Freeman, ISBN 1-85409-071-2

    Jack McKillop
    USAF (Airways and Air Communications Service)
    1955-59

    -------------------------------------------------------------------
    |  Jack McKillop         |  Those who have long enjoyed such      |
    |  Bellcore              |  privileges as we enjoy forget in      |
    |  Piscataway, NJ USA    |  time that men have died to win them.  |
    |  jem3@cc.bellcore.com  |                       FDR              |
    -------------------------------------------------------------------