Air Operations, Bismarcks

V Bomber Command B-25s attack Rambutyo Island.

Air Operations, Carolines

• 31 5th and 307th Heavy Bomb group B-24s attack Dublon Island in the Truk Atoll. 4 B-24s are lost during an interception by more than 30 Japanese fighters.
• During the night, 11 VII Bomber Command B-24s attack the Truk Atoll.

Air Operations, CBI

• 60 10th Air Force A-31s attack Nawngpu-awng and Paungbyin, and Japanese Army positions along the upper Chindwin River. 12 A-31s attack Japanese Army ground troops near Buthidaung in the Arakan coastal region. 6 P-51s attack dumps near Indaw and motor vehicles near Bhamo. 12 P-40s attack Kamaing.
• 459th Fighter Squadron P-38s downs 2 Ki-48 'Lily' bombers and 2 Ki-43 'Oscar' fighters over the airfield at Heho at 1220 hours.

• 2 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack a ship at sea between Hong Kong and Formosa.

Air Operations, East Indies

V Bomber Command B-25s attack Dili and Penfoei.

Air Operations, Europe

• 12th Air Force B-25s and B-26s attack numerous rail bridges.
• XII Air Support Command fighter-bombers attack numerous transportation targets, dumps, tactical targets, and targets of opportunity.

• After several aborts during the preceding two weeks, 15th Air Force heavy bombers finally get through heavy clouds to Steyr. A phased escort, the first of its kind in the theater, is provided by 15th Air Force's three P-38 groups and one P-47 group. Between 1213 and 1231 hours, 125 15th Air Force B-17s and 30 B-24s attack the ball-bearing plant.
• 168 15th Air Force B-24s attack the Steyr Airdrome.
• 125 15th Air Force B-24s bomb the Daimler-Puch aircraft components factory.
• 20 bombers are lost to enemy fire.

• In a series of fighter battles en route to and over the target area, 15th Air Force escort pilots down 33 Luftwaffe aircraft.
• 1 P-38 is written off after making a wheels-up landing at its home base

• 35 15th Air Force B-24s attack marshalling yards at Bihac.
• 28 B-24s of the 55th Heavy Bomb Group make their unit's combat debut in an attack on the Mostar Airdrome.
• 29 B-17s of the 5th Heavy Bomb Wing's 463rd Heavy Bomb Group attack a marshalling yard at Brod.
• 3 Bf-109s are downed near Zagreb at 1045 hours by P-47 pilots of the 325th Fighter Group's 31th Fighter Squadron.

Air Operations, Far East

The first B-29 Superfortress reaches India after a flight from the US via the UK and North Africa. This heavy bomber is scheduled to enter the war against Japan.

Air Operations, New Guinea

More than 120 V Bomber Command B-24s attack Bogadjim, Hansa Bay, Madang, Wewak, and assorted coastal targets of opportunity after being forced by bad weather to divert from their primary target, Hollandia.

Arctic

During the night British destroyer Keppel obtains an asdic contact while screening 25 miles from the convoy. A Hedgehog attack is launched and at least four explosions are heard when a few minutes later there is a violent underwater explosion. Oil and wreckage come to the surface.

U-360

Burma-India

A battalion of the US 5307th unit is attacked and cut off by the Japanese at Nhpum Ga. Efforts by other detachments of the unit to free it are ineffective.

Renya Mutaguchi's troops continue their advance. They now cut the road between Kohima and Imphal. South of Imphal the 17th Indian Div has nearly completed its retirement to the main position.

CBI

The Marauders receive 75mm pack howitzers via airdrop at Hsamshingyang. The 3rd Battalion can now provide artillery support to the 2nd Battalion surrounded at Nhpum Ga.

Eastern Front

The Soviets of the 2nd Ukrainian Front enter Rumania crossing the Prut east of Chernovtsy. They occupy the village of Gerca. Vyacheslav Molotov has offered a separate peace to the Rumanians, but the occupation of their country by the Germans has made it impossible for the Rumanian government to sign such a treaty.

The encircled 1st Panzer Army is presented with an ultimatum, to surrender or be destroyed. The offer is rejected as Hube plans to break out, deploying his army in a mobile hedgehog against the Soviet forces.

The 4th Tank Army crosses the Prut River east of Chernovtsy, while on the extreme southern wing the German 6th Army attempts to fall back across the Dniestr but is hampered by the weather, a fierce storm of sleet hindering the construction of a pontoon bridge.

El Salvador

There is an attempted military coup. About 300 people are killed.

Germany, Home Front

Hitler continues to profess his belief in ultimate victory: 'The Russians have exhausted and divided their forces.'

Occupied Italy

The Communist Party supports the Badoglio Government.

Images from April 2, 1944

Universal Carrier Crew at Anzio

Vehicles of the Grossdeutschland Division

93rd Division Troops in Bougainville

The 'Hitler Youth' Division

'Hitler Youth' Training in Tanks

Crash of RAAF Bristol Beaufort