Admiralty Islands

The US 7th Cav moves into the northern half of Los Negros. Gen Swift takes personal command of the new phase. A third wave of 1,400 troops arrives with destroyers which also give fire support.

Air Operations, Carolines

VII Bomber Command B-24s attack Ponape and Kusaie islands.

Air Operations, CBI

• At the start of Operation THURSDAY—what will be a massive offensive in Burma—USAAF light cargo aircraft of the 10th Air Force’s provisional, composite No. 1 Air Commando (formerly the 5318th Air Unit) airlift a 2-brigade British Army deep-penetration force (known as 'Chindits’) to landing zones in central Burma, 50 miles east of Indaw and far behind Japanese Army lines. Following a combat jump by US Army engineers, who clear a landing ground known as Broadway, 32 of 67 troop and cargo gliders sent deliver 539 ground troops, 3 mules, and 65,972 pounds of cargo (including several bulldozers). The gliders that abort (because a second landing ground has been blocked by Japanese Army ground troops) all return safely to their bases. By nightfall, the first of 62 fully laden C-47s are able to land at a newly created runway at Broadway. And during the night, a second landing zone is used by a dozen troop-laden gliders.
• 490th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s and 10th Air Force P-51s, P-40s, and A-36s mount more than 60 effective sorties throughout the day against Japanese Army ground troops, dumps, a bridge, and road targets around Myitkyina, Shingban, and Zigon.

• 8 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack the airfield at Chiengmai.

Air Operations, Europe

• 9 Mosquitos are sent to Duisburg and 1 to Aachen, there are 4 RCM sorties and 4 Serrate patrols, and 49 Stirlings and 17 Halifaxes are on Resistance operations.
• 1 Halifax is lost.

Air Operations, Marshalls

VMSB-231 SBDs attack antiaircraft defenses on the Jaluit Atoll. Atoll. From this day forward, VMSB-231 and VMSB-331 will mount alternating attacks almost daily attacks against Jaluit and other bypassed Marshall Islands s bases.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• Nearly 30 V Bomber Command B-24s attack Japanese Army defensive positions on Los Negros Island.
• As elements of the US 32nd Infantry Division land at Yaula, in northeastern New Guinea, about 30 miles from Saidor, V Bomber Command A-20s attack targets throughout the area. Also, V Fighter Command P-39s attack Erima and Madang.
• A V Fighter Command senior pilot downs a Ki-43 'Oscar' fighter over the airfield at Dagua at 1325 hours. 348th Fighter Group P-47s down 3 G3M 'Nell' bombers and 1 Ki-43 'Oscar' over Wewak at 1720 hours.

Burma

The 77th Long Range Penetration Bde (LRP) under Gen Orde Wingate is flown in to the landing area named 'Broadway' (or 'Piccadilly'?), 50 miles southwest of Myitkyina. A second Chindit Bde, 16th LRP, has been on the march south from Ledon since February 5th heading for the 'Aberdeen' area. In the northeast, the 66th Regt of the Chinese 22nd Div surrounds and captures Maingkwan. On their left flank, the US troops of Merrill's Marauders cross the Tanai River and tak Walabaum, only about 60 miles from Myitkyina. The battle for Walabaum is ferocious, with troops of the Japanese 18th Div making suicidal bayonet charges, while US and Chinese troops often go without food for 24-hour periods. But losses among Allied soldiers are relatively light.

Adm Mountbatten asks for Chinese and American reinforcements for the Arakan sector, where he believes a big Japanese offensive is imminent.

In the Arakan the British XV Corps begins an offensive movement against the Maungdaw-Buthidaung road and towards the mouth of the Naaf River.

Eastern Front

The 1st Ukraine Front's attacks make rapid progress, fracturing von Manstein's attenuated lines. The object of the offensive is to destroy the German forces in the great southern bend of the Dniepr. Izyaslav, Yampol and Ostropol in the Shepetovka sector are all taken.

Rybalko's 3rd Guards Tank Army and Badanov's 4th Tank Army pass through the advancing 60th and 1st Guards Armies to break into the German rear. Yampol and Ostropol are quickly taken, leaving the LIX Corps scattered. Zbaraz falls to the 18th Army.

Koniev's 2nd Ukrainian Front begins its attack against the 8th Army and 1st Panzer Army. Before Uman a rain of arty fire hits the German line. After the bombardment the 5th Guards Army crashes into the right wing of the 8th Army. Once againe the weight of the Russian attack proves too great for the Germans, their forces collapsing after a bloody struggle. Koniev then commits the 2nd Tank and 5th Guards Tank Armies to the attack.

New Guinea

Two battalions of the US 126th Inf Regt from the 32nd Div with support units land without trouble at Yalau Plantation, 30 miles west of Saidor. There is almost no Japanese opposition. Australian forces converge on the north coast west of Saidor from inland. The Japanese avoid encirclement by withdrawing toward Madang.

Gen MacArthur, hoping to isolate the Japanese forces in New Guinea, presses on with plans for the invasion of Hollandia, New Guinea and of Kavieng, New Ireland.

Images from March 5, 1944

Private W Stack of No. 9 Commando at Anzio, Equipped for a Patrol with a Browning Pistol, 5 March 1944

A Member of No. 9 Commando at Anzio, 5 March 1944

Sgt James S Dickinson, a Section Leader with No. 9 Commando at Anzio, with his a Lee Enfield No.4 Mk I Rifle and Fixed Bayonet, 5 March 1944

Rome, Italy, March 1944. Italian troops of the X MAS (belonging to the RSI Navy, and fighting as allies of the Germans) standing in viale Carso near piazza Bainsizza ), inspected by General der Luftwaffe Kurt Mälzer around the time this unit was deployed to counter the Allied beachhead at Anzio, Nettuno, south of Rome.

Italian Troops of the X MAS

Pz.Abt. 508, Befehlstiger A2 is having some maintenance performed on it near Nettuno, Italy, March 1944. This Befehlstiger is interesting because it has both the old and new placement for C-hook holders on its back plate, one between the exaust holes and one on the upper left corner.

Maintenance for a Pz.Abt. 508, Befehlstiger A2

Italian Campaign, March 1944: under a pouring rain a column of 7,5 cm Sturmgeschütz 40 Ausf. G (Sd.Kfz. 142/1) and Panther tank of the 26th Panzer Division (Panther I./Pz-Reg 4) briefly parked on the borders of muddy lane of a rural area during the movement to Nettuno front.

Parked near the Mud

Boeing B-17G-5-BO 'Miss Billie, Jr' 42-31166 of the 384th Bomb Group 545th BS Crashes in England, March 1944

Camouflaged German Army Sturmpanzer Assault Gun and Tiger I Heavy Tank at Nettuno, Italy, March 1944