Admiralty Islands

Another American regiment lands on Los Negros and joins up with the units pursuing the retreating Japanese. The beachhead is widened to take in the villages of Salami and Porlaka.

Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Fighter Command P-38 and P-39 dive-bombers attack the Cape Hoskins airfield on New Britain in support of a US Marine landing on the Willaumez Penensula aimed at securing Talasea.

Air Operations, CBI

• 4 490th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s attack a bridge spanning the Sittang River and adjacent antiaircraft batteries. 18 10th Air Force P-40s and P-51s attack a bridge at Sawnghka and dumps at Walawbum.

• 14 490th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s sow mines around Kham Yi Island, and attack Prong Island and a marshalling yard at Pegu.

Air Operations, Europe

US heavy bombers raid Berlin for the first time. A force of 660 (730?) B-17s and B-24s of the 8th Air Force bombers is sent and 69 are lost. They bomb the city and the nearby Erkner ball-bearing works. Escorting the bombers are 796 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s plus 2 RAF Mustang squadrons. The US aircraft fight running battles with German interceptors form the Dutch coast to Berlin. There is heavy flak over the target.

• 261 Halifaxes and 6 Mosquitos of Nos. 4, 6 and 8 Groups make the first in a series of raids on railway targets in France and Belgium in preparation for the invasion. 1 site hit is the Trappes marshalling yards on the Paris-Brittany line.
• There are no losses.

• 15 Mosquitos are sent to Hannover, 6 to Kiel and 1 to Krefeld, there is 1 RCM sortie, and 30 aircraft are on Resistance operations.
• There are no losses.

Sticks of Incendiaries Being Prepared for an Operation in early March 1944

Bombs and Incendiaries Being Loaded into the Wing-cells of a Halifax

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-25s attack Japanese Army positions on Los Negros Island. V Bomber Command B-24s attack an airfield and other targets in the Awar-Nubia area. RAAF bombers and V Fighter Command P-39s attack Japanese Army ground troops near Madang.

Argentina

The Foreign Ministry repudiates the breaking off of relations with the Tripartite Pact countries.

Bougainville

Big Japanese forces are located near a hill overlooking the Cape Torokina beachhead in Empress Ausgusta Bay. Expecting a counterattack, the Americans try to extend and strengthen their perimeter, but they are not able to dislodge the Japanese form any of the positions that constitute a danger to the beachhead.

Burma

Chiang Kai-shek orders Gen Stilwell to hold up the offensive in the northeast of the country for a time in view of the Japanese Arakan offensive. However, during the day there are violent encounters between Chinese and American forces and the Japanese, who carry out a number of fierce counter-attacks and suffer heavy losses. In one such attack about 400 Japanese are killed in an unsuccessful bid to cross the Tanai River. The Japanese withdraw from Walawbum.

Eastern Front

The 3rd Ukraine Front begins a new offensive, cutting the Odessa-Lvov rail line and capturing Volochisk.

The 1st Ukrainian Front pushes deeper into the German rear as it develops its attack, a 30-mile hole having been punched between the 4th and 1st Panzer Armies. Volochisk falls to the 3rd Guards Tank Army. The 2nd Ukrainian Front continues to widen the break between the 8th Army and 1st Panzer Army.

Malinovsky now begins his offensive. Following the customary arty barrage, the 8th Guards and 46th Armies attack the junction of the 8th and 6th Armies, striking the XXX Corps particularly hard. Fierce fighting rages, but by dusk both the 8th Guards and 46th has broken the German line. The Russians immediately press into the rear of the 6th Army toward Nikolayev in an effort to isolate it.

New Britain

The US 1st Marine Div is sent to land on the east side of Willaumez Peninsula near Volupai with the aim of taking Talasea. A 2,000 yard bridgehead is established. The Japanese defense is not particularly formidable but the terrain is difficult and the advance inland is not very rapid.

Pacific

The US submarine Scorpion (SS-278) is reported as presumed lost in the Pacific Ocean area.

Images from March 6, 1944

B-17 Flying Fortress Bombers over Erkner, Germany, 6 March 1944

The Terrain Traveled by the Mortar Squads is tough, rocky, and hard to get over, Cassino Area, Italy, 6 March 1944.

Anzio Beach-head, Italy - German dead lying in gulley where they attempted to break through Allied lines at night to cut a vital Allied road junction - Signal Corps 6 March 1944

German Dead Lying in a Gulley

'Liberty Lady' B-17 on March 6, 1944 as It Burns in a Farmer’s Field on the Island of Gotland, Sweden

Douglas-built B-17F-70-DL Flying Fortress 42-3491, commanded by Major Fred Rabo, with Lieutenant 'Red' Morgan as co-pilot, was shot down near Berlin, Germany, 6 March 1944. The bomber exploded immediately after this photograph was taken. Lt. Morgan and three others survived. (U.S. Air Force)

B-17 Shot Down near Berlin

The wreck of a B-26 Marauder (ER-P, serial number 41-31875) of the 450th Bomb Squadron, 322nd Bomb Group, 6 March 1944. Official caption on image: (GAD-115-3-475vG)(6-Mar-44)(A/C 41-31875

The Wreck of a B-26 Marauder

306th Bomb Group B-17 En Route to Berlin, 6 March 1944

Guns of the 3rd Marine Defense Battalion Firing on Enemy Positions in New Guinea, 6 March 1944

Using the new third fuel tank and drop tanks, on 6 March 1944, P-51Bs escorted Eighth AF B-17 Flying Fortresses all the way to Berlin for the first time.

P-51s Escort All the Way to Berlin