K  e  n  s  m  e  n   :   4  3  r  d    B  o  m  b    G  r  o  u  p    (H),    5  t  h    A  A  F
 Home > History > The 5th Air Force in WWII > October 1944



Sunday 1 October 1944

On Celebes Island, B-24s bomb Langoan while B-25s hit Lembeh Island, Menado, and Bolaang-oeki port. B-24s bomb Taka in the Moluccas Islands while P-38s hit Amahai, Ceram Island, Kairatoe, Celebes Island, and shipping off Amboina, Ambon Island. B-25s and P-38s on shipping sweeps off Halmahera Island destroy several barges and luggers. In New Guinea, A-20s and P-38s attack Urarom Airfield and Fak Fak supply dumps, while P-40s hit Doom Island and targets of opportunity in Windissi, Idorra, and MacCluer Gulf; P-47s and A-20s hit Doeroa, Langgoer, and Faan Airfields; the 63d and 70th Troop Carrier Squadrons, 403d Troop Carrier Group, move from Los Negros Island, Admiralty Islands and Hollandia respectively, to Biak Island with C-47s. The 82d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group, moves from Biak Island, New Guinea to Morotai Island, Moluccas Islands with P-40s and F-6s.

Monday 2 October, 1944

B-25s pound Laha Airfield on Ambon Island while B-24s hit Haroekoe Island; P-38s cover the Laha raid, attack shipping in Seri and Amboina Bays and hit Amahai on Ceram Island and Kairatoe Airfield on Celebes Island. Off Halmahera Island B-25s fly a barge sweep, bomb Laboehan, and attack the coastal villages on Weda and Boeli Bays. In New Guinea, P-40s attack vessels off Tamoelol village and Misool Island and bomb Otawiri and Ransiki Airfields; the 64th Troop Carrier Squadron, 403d Troop Carrier Group, based on Biak Island begins operating from Wakde Island with C-47s.

Tuesday 3 October 1944

For the second time B-24s bomb oil refineries in the Balikpapan, Borneo area, B-25s hit shipping and bomb Sanana on Sanana Island, Moluccas Islands; on Halmahera Island, B-25s smash Kaoe runway and bomb Galela; B-25s and B-24s over Ceram Island-Ambon Island hit barge and coastal targets of opportunity and pound Taka Airfield in the Moluccas Islands, while fighter-bombers attack Halong seaplane base on Celebes Island and Namlea Airfield on Buru Island and Haroekoe Airfields on Haroekoe Island. On the Vogelkop Peninsula in New Guinea, fighter-bombers again hit Fak Fak and Otawiri.

Wednesday 4 October 1944

On Celebes Island, B-25s bomb Sidate and Bolaang-oeki. On Halmahera Island, P-40s and B-25s attack Galela and Kaoe Airfields. B-25s and A-20s on a shipping sweep bomb town and port area of Amboina on Ambon Island, hit a wharf at Halong on Celebes Island, and attack shipping and shore targets of opportunity at various points. In New Guinea, HQ 403d Troop Carrier Group moves from Los Negros Island, Admiralty Islands to Biak Island; the 13th Troop Carrier Squadron, 403d Troop Carrier Group, based on Espiritu Santo Island, New Hebrides Islands, ceases operating from Los Negros Island and begins operating from Wakde Island with C-47s; the 63d Troop Carrier Squadron, 403d Troop Carrier Group, based on Biak Island, begins operating from Wakde Island with C-47s. In the Moluccas Islands, the 35th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, moves from Owi, Schouten Islands to Morotai Island with P-38s.

Thursday 5 October 1944

B-24s bombairfields in the Kendari area on Celebes Island. B-25s and P-38s hit Kairatoe Airfield on Celebes Island, the town of Amboina on Ambon Island and numerous coastal and shipping targets of opportunity in the Ambon-Ceram Islands area. In New Guinea, A-20s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers attack Urarom, the Simora Point area, Doom Island, Babo, Efman and Samate Airfields and disposal areas; A-20s blast Japanese bivouacs and supply areas near Sarmi; HQ 54th Troop Carrier Wing moves from Nadzab to Biak Island. In the Moluccas Islands, the 418th Night Fighter Squadron, V Fighter Command [attached to HQ 310th Bombardment Wing (Medium)], moves from Owi, Schouten Islands to Morotai Island with P-61s.

Friday 6 October 1944

On Halmahera Island, P-38s hit Kaoe Airfield and shipping near Djailolo. In the Ceram Island-Amboina, Ambon Island-Boeroe, Sunda Island area B-25s and P-38s attack Namlea on Buru Island, Waai on Celebes Island, Amahai on Ceram Island, and several small craft. In New Guinea, P-47s bomb Kaimana; and the 547th Night Fighter Squadron moves from Oro Bay to Owi, Schouten Islands with P-38s and P-61s.

Saturday 7 October 1944

B-24s over Mindanao Island, Philippine Islands, bomb Zamboanga while a P-38 cover force hits seaplanes, shipping, and other targets of opportunity in the area. On Celebes Island, B-25s bomb Langoan, Tompaso, and Tondegesang. P-38s attack Kaoe on Halmahera Island, and hit oil tanks at Boela on Ceram Island. B-25s bomb a storage area at West Amboina, Ambon Island. In New Guinea, P-38s and B-25s strike Doom Island and Babo airfield.

Sunday 8 October 1944

On Ceram Island, P-47s bomb Amahai and Boela. In the Moluccas Islands, P-38s hit Dodinga Bay barge hideouts, supplies and targets of opportunity along Wasile and Kaoe Bays on Halmahera Island. In New Guinea, B-25s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers hit Sorong, Doom Island, runways and targets of opportunity at Efman and Samate, and gun positions, bivouacs, and supplies at Simora Point; a detachment of the 17th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 4th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance), begins operating from Noemfoor Island with F-5s (squadron HQ begins a movement from Guadalcanal Island, Solomon Islands to Morotai Island; another detachment is operating from Bougainville Island, Solomon Islands).

Monday 9 October 1944

B-25s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers attack Boela on Ceram Island, Namlea and Kairatoe on Celebes Island, and Liang on Ambon Island, concentrating on oil tanks and airfields. On Halmahera Island, B-25s and fighter-bombers hit Lolobata and Hate Tabako Airfields and nearby barges, supplies, and other targets of opportunity. In New Guinea, A-20s and fighter-bombers strike Faan and Langgoer Airfields, P-40s hit Manokwari, and B-25s bomb Samate.

Tuesday 10 October 1944

B-24s strike oil refineries and an airfield in the Balikpapan, Borneo area; the B-24s and escorting P-47s and P-38s claim 30+ Japanese fighters downed. On Halmahera Island, P-38s and B-25s bomb Djailolo, Kaoe, and Hate Tabako Airfield and the Wasile town area. P-47s hit Liang Airfield on Ambon Island. In New Guinea, A-20s hit the Sarmi area and A-20s and B-25s bomb Urarom Airfield.

Wednesday 11 October 1944

B-24s bomb the Koeandang and Langoan area on Celebes Island. P-38s pound Miti Airfield on Halmahera Island. A-20s and fighter-bombers attack airfields at Liang on Ambon Island, Kairatoe on Celebes Island, Laha on Ambon Island, Haroekoe on Haroekoe Island, and Namlea on Buru Island. In New Guinea, Langgoer Airfield is bombed by P-47s and P-47s hit Babo Airfield while A-20s attack Sarmi troop concentrations. At night B-24s bomb Sasa Matina and Buayoan Airfield on Mindanao Island, Philippine Islands

Thursday 12 October 1944

On Celebes Island, B-24s bomb Ambesia, Langoan, Mapanget, and Sidate Airfields. B-25s, A-20s, and P-47s again pound airfields at Liang and Laha on Ambon Island, Namlea on Buru Island, Kairatoe on Celebes Island and Haroekoe on Haroekoe Island, and the town of Boela on Ceram Island. P-38s hit numerous targets of opportunity on Halmahera Island. In New Guinea, fighter-bombers hit Manokwari and Urarom and A-20s bomb pillboxes in the Sarmi area.

Friday 13 October 1944

B-25s bomb Menado on Celebes Island and the surrounding area. P-38s hit AA positions, enemy concentrations, and other targets in NE Celebes and Halmahera Islands. A-20s and fighter-bombers attack Boela on Ceram Island, oil installations and airfields at Amahai on Ceram Island, Kairatoe on Celebes Island, and Namlea on Buru Island. In New Guinea, the 17th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 4th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance), enroute from Guadalcanal Island to Morotai Island, sends a detachment to operate from Sansapor with F-5s (other detachments are at Bougainville and Noemfoor Islands).

Saturday 14 October 1944

B-24s again bomb oil refineries and associated industries in the Balikpapan, Borneo area; others bomb Pombelaa mine on Celebes Island. A-20s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers again hit Laha Airfield on Ambon Island and Haroekoe Airfield on Haroekoe Island. In New Guinea, HQ 374th Troop Carrier Group and the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron move from Nadzab to Biak Island with C-47s.

Sunday 15 October 1944

A-20s again pound airfields and oil storage on Ceram Island; P-38s carry out a shipping sweep over the Flores Island area n the Lesser Sunda Islands and on Halmahera Island bomb the Pitoe and Kaoe areas; P-38s bomb Amahai Airfield on Ceram Island while bombers on armed reconnaissance hit nearby targets of opportunity. In New Guinea, P-47s attack Sagan Airfield; the 33d Troop Carrier Squadron, 374th Troop Carrier Group, moves from Port Moresby to Hollandia with C-47s; the 70th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Hollandia to Biak Island with C-47s. HQ 38th Bombardment Group (Medium) and the 405th and 823d Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) move from Biak Island, New Guinea to Morotai Island with B-25s.

Monday 16 October 1944

P-38s hit the harbor, shipping, airfield and trucks on Cagayan Islands, Philippine Islands. B-24s blast the Makassar area on Celebes Island. B-24s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers again pound the Boeroe Island-Ceram Island airfields and the towns of Boela on Ceram Island and Amboina on Ambon Island and hit shipping in Binnen Bay in the Moluccas Islands. In New Guinea, fighter-bombers hit Timoeka and Mongosah and Sagan Airfields; Langgoer Airfield is pounded by A-20s. HQ 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and the 23d and 31st Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) move from Noemfoor Island, New Guinea to Morotai Island with B-24s.

Tuesday 17 October 1944

Fighter-bombers and B-25s hit airfields, shipping and scattered targets of opportunity in the Halmahera Island area. In the Ceram Island-Ambon Island-Boeroe Island area A-20s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers continue to pound airfields and oil facilities. In the principal strike of the day almost 60 B-24s hit oil installations, barracks, and shore targets on Ilang and North Davao Bay areas of Mindanano Island. HQ XIII Bomber Command moves from Wakde Island to Morotai Island. In New Guinea, HQ 433d Troop Carrier Group moves from Port Moresby to Biak Island; the air echelon of the 82d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group, begins operating from Biak Island with F-6s and P-40s (squadron is based on Morotai Island).

Wednesday 18 October 1944

Bad weather curtails a major strike on Balikpapan, Borneo; of more than 120 B-24s and fighters, only 8 B-24s and 8 P-38s reach the target. P-38s hit barges, small shipping, and vehicles on West coast of Mindanao Island. In New Guinea, B-24s attack Sagan and Babo Airfields. B-25s and fighter-bombers again hit Namlea on Buru Island, Amboina and Liang on Ambon Island, and nearby targets, attack targets of opportunity at Djailolo on Halmahera Island and in the Wasile Bay area, and pound Urarom, Manokwari, Babo, Sagan, Otawiri, and other Vogelkop area targets in New Guinea. HQ 307th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Wakde Island, New Guinea to Morotai Island. The 65th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Nadzab to Biak Island, New Guinea with C-47s

Thursday 19 October 1944

B-24s hit Parepare, Celebes Island. Fighter-bombers hit Amboina on Ambon Island and Boela Airfield on Ceram Island and shipping from Zamboanga South in the Sulu-Mindanao Island area, pound the airfield on Cebu Island, Philippine Islands, hit nearby shipping, and strafe Miti, Djailolo, and Hate Tabako on Halmahera Island. In New Guinea, A-20s and fighter-bombers blast airfields at Urarom, Sagan, and Babo; the 13th and 63d Troop Carrier Squadrons, 403d Troop Carrier Group, cease operating from Wakde Island with C-47s and returns to base on Biak Island.

Friday 20 October 1944

B-24s bomb Davao on Mindanao Island. B-25s hit Amboina town on Ambon Island. In New Guinea, the 2d Photographic Charting Squadron, 311th Photographic Wing, arrives at Hollandia from the US with F-7s; the 6th Troop Carrier Squadron, 374th Troop Carrier Group, moves from Nadzab to Biak Island with C-47s; the ground echelon of the 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, begins a movement from Biak Island to Leyte Island, Philippine Islands (air echelon continues operating from Biak with F-5s); the 67th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Squadron, moves from Hollandia to Biak Island with C-47s.

Saturday 21 October 1944

B-24s bomb Cagayan in the Philippine Islands and Parepare on Celebes Island. B-25s and fighter-bombers hit Misami Island, New Guinea and blast a truck convoy near Kibawe on Mindanao Island. Other fighter-bombers hit Kaoe Bay supply areas on Halmahera Island; fighter-bombers hit Boela Airfield on Ceram Island and the Amboina town area on Ambon Island. In New Guinea, Mongosah and Sagan Airfields are also bombed; the ground echelon of the 17th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment), 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group, begins a movement from Biak Island to Leyte Island (air echelon operations from Biak Island with B-25s until Dec 44); the 64th Troop Carrier Squadron, 403d Troop Carrier Group, based on Biak Island ceases operating from Wakde Island with C-47s.

Sunday 22 October 1944

In the Philippine Islands, B-25s and P-38s attack shipping in the Sulu Archipelago and Jolo harbor on Jolo Island and Zamboanga harbor on Mindanano Island while B-24s hit Opon and Lahug Airfields on Cebu Island; B-25s hit Ternate on Samar Island and B-24s pound Matina Airfield in the Cagayan Islands, and Likanan on Mindanao Island; and HQ 308th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) moves from Hollandia, New Guinea to Leyte Island. B-25s hit Piroe Bay supply dumps in the Moluccas Islands and gun positions and fighter-bombers hit Kairatoe Airfield on Celebes Island and Amahai Airfield on Ceram Island and targets of opportunity in Binnen Bay. A-20s blast pillboxes and occupied areas in the Metimedan-Sawar Rivers sector of New Guinea.

Monday 23 October 1944

B-24s and P-38s maintain shipping sweeps in the Makassar area on Celebes Island. B-25s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers hit oil storage at Boela on Ceram Island, Amboina town on Ambon Island, 2 airfields and other targets in the Amboina Ceram Island-Boeroe Island area. In New Guinea, fighter-bombers hit Sagan while A-20s support ground forces further East in the Sawar River-Orai River area. In the Philippines, vehicles and small vessels in the Mindanao area are attacked by fighter-bombers while B-25s attack small shipping in the Sulu Archipelago. Fighter-bombers over Halmahera Island hit scattered bivouacs. In New Guinea, the detachment of the 17th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 4th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance), ceases operating from Noemfoor Island with F-5s (the ground echelon is enroute from Guadalcanal Island, Solomon Islands to Morotai Island and other detachment are operating from Bougainville Island, Solomon Islands and Sansapor, New Guinea). The 39th Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, moves from Owi, Schouten Islands to Morotai Island with P-47s.

Tuesday 24 October 1944

B-24s bomb Buayoan Airfield on Mindanao Island while B-25s on armed reconnaissance hit small shipping and troops. B-24s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers hit the Sandakan, Borneo area. P-38s bomb Amboina, Ambon Island reservoir areas. In New Guinea, A-20s and fighter-bombers again pound Babo, Moemi, Sagan, Manokwari, Otawiri, and other Vogelkop Peninsula area targets. The following units move from New Guinea to Leyte Island: HQ 85th Fighter Wing from Hollandia; HQ 49th Fighter Group and the 7th and 9th Fighter Squadrons from Biak Island to Tacloban with P-38s. The 72d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Noemfoor Island, New Guinea to Morotai Island with B-24s.

Wednesday 25 October 1944

More than 50 B-24s, supported by P-38s and P-47s, attack naval forces in the Mindanao Sea of the Philippine Islands, firing small vessels and claiming a light cruiser damaged. On Celebes Island, B-24s bomb Ambesia Airfield and attack shipping in the Makassar-Kendari area. In the Moluccas Islands, fighter-bombers hit barges and villages in areas of Dodinga and Wasile Bays. B-25s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers hit Piroe and Saparoea in the Moluccas Islands, Boela on Ceram Island, Halong on Celebes Island, Amboina on Ambon Island, Haroekoe on Haroekoe Island, and North Ceram coastal targets. A-20s pound supply and fuel dumps in the Sarmi, New Guinea area. The 8th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group moves from Biak Island to Tacloban, Leyte Island with P-38s; and the 421st Night Fighter Squadron, V Fighter Command, moves from Owi, Schouten Islands to Tacloban, Leyte Island with P-38s and P-61s.

Thursday 26 October 1944

In the Philippine Islands, B-24s attack a naval force of 2 battleships, 5 aircraft carriers, and 5 destroyers W of Panay Island; hits are claimed on a battleship and 2 carriers; on Mindanao Island, P-38s hit vehicles in the Davao area and B-25s bomb Iligan. On Halmahera Island, P-40s attack targets of opportunity in the Dodinga-Kaoe Bay area, Djailolo, supply area South of Galela, and guns South of Doro. In New Guinea, A-20s and B-25s bomb Urarom; the 318th Troop Carrier Squadron (Commando), 3d Air Commando Group, arrives at Nadzab with C-47s.

Friday 27 October 1944

In the Philippine Islands, more than 40 fighter-bombers, operating in 3 waves, hit shipping off Cebu Island and West of Mactan Island. B-24s attack Malili and Palopo on Celebes Island.

Saturday 28 October 1944

B-24s, fighting bad weather, bomb the airfield at Puerto Princesa, Palawan Island, Philippine Islands. During the night of 28-29 October, B-24s bomb the Wilhelmina Docks area on Celebes Island. B-25s and P-38s blast town of Amboina, Ambon Island. In the Philippines, HQ 475th Fighter Group moves from Biak Island, New Guinea to Dulag, Leyte Island.

Sunday 29 October 1944

Fighter-bombers and B-25s, operating in small forces, are active against airfields, AA positions, and targets of opportunity on Halmahera Island. In New Guinea, fighter-bombers also hit Ransiki while fighter-bombers, A-20s, and B-25s bomb Urarom and Soeli and strafe targets of opportunity throughout the Urarom-Kaimana area. HQ Thirteenth AF moves from Noemfoor Island, New Guinea to Morotai Island. The 63d and 64th Troop Carrier Squadrons, 403d Troop Carrier Group, based on Biak Island, begin operating from Wakde and Noemfoor Islands respectively with C-47s.

Monday 30 October 1944

In the Philippine Islands, B-24s pound Bacolod Airfield on Negros Island, while on Mindanao Island, B-25s and fighter-bombers hit San Roque Airfield and barges at Zamboanga. P-38s hit Sandakan Airfield in Borneo. B-24s bomb the wharf area at Makassar, Celebes Island while P-40s, over the Northeast peninsula, hit various targets of opportunity. P-38s hit Piroe on Ceram island. Urarom Airfield in New Guinea is again bombed by A-20s and B-25s.

Tuesday 31 October 1944

P-47s and A-20s bomb Kairatoe Airfield and Saharoe village on Celebes Island. B-25s and P-40s hit Loloda and Soasioe in the Moluccas Islands. In New Guinea, P-38s and A-20s, concentrating on airfields, attack Samate Efman, Sagan, and DoomIsland.