Admiralty Islands

On Los Negros Island the Americans occupy the village of Loniu. There is intensive patrol activity on both Los Negros and on Manus with negligible Japanese opposition.

Air Operations, Carolines

• As Task Force 58 closes on the Palau Islands, it is attacked by 4 G4M 'Betty' torpedo bombers, based at Tinian and staging through Palau, but all are downed or driven away by antiaircraft fire.
• At about 2100 hours, 17 30th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s mount harrassment attacks against the Truk Atoll.

Air Operations, CBI

• 8 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack supply dumps at Kamaing. 9 490th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s and more than 60 10th Air Force fighter-bombers support Allied ground troops in the Kamaing, Mogaung, and Sumprabum areas, and attack dumps and town areas as Kamaing, Manywet, and Mohnyin. 60 10th Air Force A-31s attack villages in the Chindwin area; and 6 A-31s attack Kalewa.

• 4 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s attack a barracks area at Vinh Yen.

Air Operations, East Indies

380th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack Penfoei, Timor.

Air Operations, Europe

• 364 1st and 3rd Bomb Division B-17s attack the Dijon/Longvic, Chartres, Chateaudun, and Reims/Champagne Airdromes with a total of 937 tons of bombs.
• 2 B-17s are lost
• Escort and support for the bombers is provided by 453 USAAF fighters. The 355th Fighter Group P-51 pilots strafe the Digon/Longvic Airdrome after it has been bombed.
• 3 P-51s and their pilots are lost

• 12th Air Force B-25s attack rail bridges and viaducts at two locations.
• 12th Air Force B-26s attack a marshalling yard and rail junction at Montepescali, and a bridge approach at Perugia.

• XII Air Support Command A-20s attack a tank factory.
• XII Air Support Command A-36s attack rail bridges at two locations.
• XII Air Support Command P-40s attack numerous tactical targets around Cassino as well as motor-vehicle pards and supply dumps.
• A total of 12 Luftwaffe fighters are downed over Italy during the day, by both 12th and 15th Air Force fighter pilots engaged in either escort or ground-support missions.

• 15th Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack marshalling yards at Verona.
• 15th Air Force B-24s attack bridges at Cessano and Fano, and a marshalling yard and industrial targets (including the Breda shipyard) at Mestre. The aggregate of bombs expended is 1,061 tons, making this day the first thousand-ton day for the 15th Air Force.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-24s attack Hollandia.

Bougainville

Elements of the 93rd Division arrive at Empress Augusta Bay. American infantrymen find the Japanese have abandoned Hill 260.

Burma

In the northeastern sector the Chinese and Americans block the Kamaing road below Shaduzup and drive off 5 Japanese counterattacks.

Canada, Home Front

Professor Stephen Leacock, economist and humorous writer, dies at the age of 73.

CBI

The Japanese make their first attack on the 2nd Battalion's defenses at Nhpum Ga.

The 3rd Battalion now at Hsamshingyang provides artillery support and protects the only available drop zone for resupply and evacuation of casualties in the area. The 1st Battalion, after driving Japanese defenders off, blocks the Kamaing Road below Shaduzup an is reinforced by Chinese forces. The Chinese 38th and 22nd Divisions are now pressuring Japanese forces from two directins.

Eastern Front

After a vicious struggle Nikolayev, east of Odessa, falls to Malinovsky's men.

Over the next 2 weeks 24,145 German and Rumanian troops and wounded are evacuated from Odessa.

The 6th Tank Army reaches Khotin and blocks the 1st Panzer Army's line of retreat to the Prut. The isolated army comprises the III, XXIV and XLVI Panzer Corps, some 6 panzer, 1 panzer grenadier, 1 arty and 10 infantry divisions.

The 1st Guards Army launches heavy attacks against Group Neinhoff in Tarnopol. The German perimeter breaks and bloody fighting erupts inside the town. Farther south the 46th Army of the 3rd Ukrainian Front captures Nikolayev.

Italy

In the Anzio sector the American 34th Div replaces the 3rd Div at Cisterna.

Norwegian Sea

The British submarine Syrtis is lost near Bodø, Norway, probably to a mine, along with her crew of 48.

Pacific

• The US submarine Barb (SS-220) sinks the Japanese merchant cargo ship Fukusei Maru (2219t) off Rasa Island.
• The Japanese cargo ship Kairyu Maru (4373t) is sunk by the US submarine Silversides (SS-236) off Manokwari.
• The British submarine Truculent in at attack on a Japanese convoy in the Malacca Strait sinks the army cargo ship Yasushima Maru (1911t).

Images from March 28, 1944

Investiture Ceremony in Algiers

B-17 Hit by Flak

Flak Damaged B-17

Lulu, Mascot of a Field Ambulance Dressing Station

Collected Japanese Weapons on Bougainville

Banyan Tree Observation Post

Rommel Inspecting the Atlantic Sea Wall

Sherman Tank of the 37th Infantry Division