Admiralty IslandsAn American brigade lands at Salami Plantation, Los Negros and the first US planes begin operations from Momote airfield. [ | ]Air Operations, CarolinesVII Bomber Command B-24s attack Kusaie and Ponape islands. [ | ]Air Operations, CBIBURMA
Air Operations, EuropeRAF BOMBER COMMANDEvening Ops:
Air Operations, MarshallsG4M 'Betty' bombers evade a pair of VMF(N)-532 F4U night fighters over Engebi Island in the Eniwetok Atoll at 0400 hours, score a direct hit on the air-search radar, and spend a leisurely two hours circling over the US base to drop their bombs. The island’s bomb dump is hit, as is a small fuel dump, but none of the parked aircraft are hit. The bombers also strafe ground targets before escaping without damage. [ | ]Air Operations, New Guinea
Air Operations, SolomonsJapanese Army artillery bombards airfields on Bougainville, and Japanese Army infantry breaks into the Bougainville perimeter. Throughout the day AirSols SBDs, TBFs, and fighters mount 107 sorties against several hills in the area occupied by the Japanese. A VMSB-244 SBD from which air strikes and artillery fire is being directed is struck by a bullet or shells and blown up in mid-air. [ | ]Argentina, Home FrontPresident Pedro P. Ramirez resigns following an army coup. [ | ]AtlanticThe US destroyer escort Leopold (DE-319) is sunk by a submarine torpedo south of Iceland. [ | ]BougainvilleThe Japanese resume their attacks along the perimeter of the Cape Torokina beachhead and succeed in making a small break in the lines of the American 37th Div. Counterattacks to eliminate the salient are unsuccessful. The Japanese switch their artillery fire from the Piva runways to the Torokina airfield. [ | ]BurmaThe Chinese-American 1st Armored Group, with units of the Chinese 22nd and 38th Divs, occupy Walawbum, from which the Japanese have withdrawn in good order. The occupation of Walawbum gives the Chinese control of the Hukawng valley. News of the advance of 33rd Div reaches Gen David Cowan's headquarters, but is not at first believed. In Operation THURSDAY 9,000 Chindits commanded by Brigadier Wingate are droped by gliders 200 miles behind Japanese lines. Their mission is to cut the supply lines to the Japanese troops opposing Stilwell's advance to Myitkyina and the Chinese advance from Yunnan. [ | ]Eastern FrontNikolai F. Vatutin's 1st Ukraine Front takes Starokonstantinov south of Shepetovka and reaches the outskirts of Tarnopol where there is bitter house-to-house fighting against von Manstein's Army Group South. Rodion Malinovsky's 3rd Ukraine Front crosses the Ingulets River in the south. SOUTHERN SECTORThe 1st Guards Army throws screening forces around Tarnopol. A furious attack is launched into the town but the Germans counterattack, forcing the Russians out. Starokonstantinovka also falls to the 38th Army after a brief struggle. [ | ]SolomonsOn Bougainville the Japanese attacks on the Torokina Bridgehead against the 37th Div make a few gains. The airfields at Piva and Torokina are shelled. [ | ]Images from March 9, 1944
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[March 8th - March 10th] |