Admiralty Islands

The first units of the US landing force sail for Los Negros. Bombing of targets in the Admiralty Islands and New Guinea continues.

Air Operations, CBI

• 13 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack the Mingaladon airfield at Rangoon and a number of targets of opportunity. 6 490th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s attack bridges at Kinu and Pintha. 10 Air Force P-51s, A-36s, and P-40s attack numerous targets over a wide area of Burma. 6 14th Air Force P-40s strafe the airfield at Myitkyina.

Air Operations, Europe

• 8 OTU Wellingtons make leaflet flights over France.
• There are no losses.

• 180 IX Bomber Command B-26s attack the Rosieres-en-Santerre Airdrome and V-weapons sites, but bad weather hampers the bombing, and 34 other B-26s are unable to locate targets.

• XII Bomber Command B-26s attack the landing ground at Canino, but heavy cloud cover causes most bombs to miss the target.
• XII Air Support Command A-36s attack the Guidonia, Littoria, and Marcigliana Airdromes.

• XII Air Support Command P-47s attack vessels off Dubrovnik as well as targets of opportunity on land.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• In the morning, covered by 1 V Bomber Command B-24 and 2 V Fighter Command P-38s that bomb and strafe nearby airfields, a US Army reconnaissance team is safely withdrawn from Los Negros Island in the Admiralty group by a US Navy PBY.
• Allied aircraft continue to mount pre-invasion attacks against targets in the Admiralty Islands and neighboring areas of New Guinea. Beginning during the noon hour, and despite poor weather, 27 V Bomber Command B-25s attack Salmi Plantation, Momote, and Lorengau. 6 B-24s attack Momote. B-24s and A-20s attack airfields around Hansa Bay.
• During the night, 7 V Bomber Command B-24s attack Hollandia.

CBI

Merrill's Marauders arrive at Tanja Ga and are ordered to Walawbum at the southern end of the Hukwang valley to cut the Kamaing road south of Walawbum and threaten the headquarters of the Japanese 18th Army.

Italy

The Germans begin a second offensive at Anzio. The main weight of the attack falls on the 3rd US Div on either side of the Cisterna-Anzio road. The 4 attacking divs fail to break through.

Pacific

• The US submarine Sand Lance (SS-381) sinks the Japanese transport Kaiko Maru (3548t) just east of Musashi Wan, off Paramushiro, Kurils.
• The US submarine Balao (SS-285) attacks a Japanese convoy and sinks the army cargo ship Akiura Maru (6803t) and the transport Shoho Maru (2723t) about 90 miles northwest of Manokwari, New Guinea.

Images from February 28, 1944

This Aircraft Flipped Over from Torque

Adm Kinkaid and Gen MacArthur on the Phoenix

Aboard the Cruiser Phoenix

Eisenhower Firing a Light Machine Gun