November 1944

Thursday 2 November 1944
In the Philippine Islands, B-24s over Ormoc Bay on Leyte Island attack a Japanese convoy, claiming 1 transport sunk and another damaged; P-38s hit smaller shipping in Ormoc Bay, strafe vehicles from Ormoc to Valencia, Mindanao Island, and bomb San Enrique; on Mindanao Island, B-25s pound Matina, Libby, Davao and Likanan Airfields; the 17th Reconnaissance Squadron (Bombardment), 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group, arrives at Tacloban, Leyte Island from Biak Island with B-25s; the 432d Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group, arrives at Dulag, Leyte Island from Biak Island with P-38s. During the night of 2/3 Nov B-24s bomb Makassar on Celebes Island, concentrating on the wharf area. The 17th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 4th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance), arrives on Morotai Island from Guadalcanal Island, Solomon Islands with B-25s and F-5s (detachments are operating from Bougainville Island, Solomon Islands and Sansapor, New Guinea).

Friday 3 November 1944
In the Philippine Islands, B-25s bomb Alicante Airfield on Negros Island and P-40s hit a highway and oil dump N of Ormoc on Leyte Island; HQ 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group moves from Biak Island to Leyte Island; the 110th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group, moves from Biak Island to Dulag, Leyte Island but the air echelon operates from Tacloban, Leyte Island with P-40s. A-20s and B-25s bomb Babo Airfield on New Guinea. During the night of 3/4 Nov harassing strikes are flown at airfields in the C Philippine Islands, on the Northeast peninsula of Celebes Island, and on Halmahera Island in the Moluccas Islands.

Saturday 4 November 1944
In the Philippine Islands, B-24s again pound Alicante Airfield on Negros Island; the 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, arrives at Dulag, Leyte Island from Biak Island with F-5s. The detachment of the 17th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 4th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance), ceases operating from Sansapor, New Guinea with F-5s and returns to base on Morotai Island.

Sunday 5 November 1944
B-24s and P-40s attack airfields and barges in the C Philippine Islands. B-24s also hit the town of Bima and Waingapoe Bay shipping on Soembawa Island in the Lesser Sunda Islands. B-25s and fighter-bombers strike airfields, troop concentrations, and communications targets throughout the Halmahera Island area and Northeast peninsula of Celebes Island. Fighter-bombers and A-20s hit Amahai and targets of opportunity on the S coast of Ceram Island. Almost 50 A-20s, supporting ground forces, blast installations in Sarmi, New Guinea area. HQ 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group arrives on Leyte Island from Biak Island. The ground echelons of the 35th and 36th Fighter Squadrons, 8th Fighter Group, move from Morotai Island to Dulag, Leyte Island (air echelon continues to operate P-38s from Morotai).

Monday 6 November 1944
B-24s strike Lahug, Cebu Island and Fabrica, Negros Island Airfields, while fighter-bombers pound Palompon on Leyte Island, a bridge North of Valencia on Mindanao Island, and barges in Ormoc Bay, Leyte Island, all in the Philippine Islands. B-24s bomb Malili on Celebes Island. The 822d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 38th Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Biak Island to Morotai Island with B-25s.

Tuesday 7 November 1944
In the Philippine Islands, B-24s and fighter-bombers hit Fabrica, Alicante, and Bacolod Airfields on Negros Island, and Opon Airfield on Cebu, Island; shipping at various C Philippine Islands locations, and communications and supply targets at Tambuco, Ormoc, and Palompon on Leyte Island, Valencia on Mindanao Island, and other areas; P-38s and B-25s hit Del Monte Airfield on Mindanao Island and targets of opportunity in Macajalar Bay on Mindanao Island, and Mandai Airfield on Celebes Island; the 89th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 3d Bombardment Group (Light), moves from Hollandia, New Guinea to Dulag, Leyte Island with A-20s. On Celebes Island, B-25s hit Tanamon, Mapanget, and Langoan. On Halmahera Island, B-25s and fighter-bombers hit Galela, Miti, and Kaoe Airfields. In sweeps over Boeroe Island, Lesser Sunda Islands, and Ceram Island, Moluccas Islands, small groups of B-25s and P-38s hit runways and small shipping. B-24s bomb Raba Estate in the Sunda Islands. In New Guinea, the 4th Photographic Charting Squadron, 311th Photographic Wing (Mapping and Charting) (attached to Thirteenth AF), arrives at Hollandia from the US with F-7s (the squadron will begin mapping of the SW and W Pacific in Dec 44).

Wednesday 8 November 1944
B-24s again hit Alicante Airfield on Negros Island. On Celebes Island, B-25s bomb Langoan Airfield while P-38s on sweeps over the Kendari area hit parked aircraft, shipping, the nickel mine, and other targets of opportunity. On Halmahera Island, B-25s attack Kaoe and Hate Tabako Airfield while others hit targets of opportunity on Ceram Island. The 12th Fighter Squadron, 18th Fighter Group, based at Sansapor, New Guinea, begins operating from Morotai Island with P-38s. The 424th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 307th Bombardment Group (Heavy), that has been operating from Noemfoor Island with B-24s, returns to base on Wakde Island.

Thursday 9 November 1944
In the Philippine Islands, fighter-bombers attack a convoy off the West coast of Leyte Island and hit barges and shipping near Ormoc; B-24s bomb Carolina Airfield on Negros Island. B-25s attack several airfields and villages in the Northeast peninsula of Celebes and Halmahera Islands. A-20s strike Piroe on Ceram Island. HQ 309th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) moves from Noemfoor Island to Owi, Schouten Islands. The 70th Fighter Squadron, 18th Fighter Group, based at Sansapor, New Guinea, begins operating from Morotai Island with P-38s. The 408th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 22d Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Owi, Schouten Island to Leyte Island with B-24s; the 431st Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group, moves from Biak Island to Dulag, Leyte Island with P-38s.

Friday 10 November 1944
B-25s and A-20s over Ceram Island bomb Haroekoe Airfield, Piroe, and targets of opportunity on the South coast. In the Philippine Islands, fighter-bombers again hit Ormoc Bay, Leyte Island shipping while B-25s join US Navy aircraft in shipping strikes throughout the same area; at least 3 destroyers are claimed sunk; B-24s in the area bomb the town of Ormoc; the 19th and 33d Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 22d Bombardment Group (Heavy), move from Owi, Schouten Islands to Leyte Island with B-24s; the 460th Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group, moves from Noemfoor Island to Tacloban, Leyte Island with P-47s; the 500th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 345th Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Biak Island to Dulag, Leyte with B-25s (squadron continues operating from Biak). The 371st, 372d and 424th Bombardment Squadrons, 307th Bombardment Group (Heavy), move from Wakde Island to Morotai Island with B-24s (squadrons are operating from Noemfoor Island).

Saturday 11 November 1944
In the Philippine Islands, B-24s hit Dumaguete Airfield on Negros Island while fighter-bombers hit shipping in the Palompon area of Leyte Island and targets of opportunity at Valencia on Mindanao Island. Over Halmahera Island, fighter-bombers and B-25s hit shipping and Namlea Airfield on Buru Island. On Celebes Island, P-38s hit Kendari Airfield and B-24s bomb the Ninring River area.

Sunday 12 November 1944
In the Philippine Islands, B-24s bomb Alicante Airfield on Negros Island while on Leyte Island, fighter-bombers hit Linao barges on the West coast and shipping in Ormoc Bay; B-25s bomb Daliao and Matina Airfields on Mindanao Island. B-24s and fighter-bombers over Northeast Celebes and Halmahera Islands attack shipping and Djailolo Airfield on Halmahera Island. 50+ B-25s blast Mapia and Asia Islands, New Guinea. Units moving to Leyte Island, Philippine Islands: HQ 91st Photographic Wing (Reconnaissance) moves from Biak Island; HQ 345th Bombardment Group (Medium) and the 498th and 499th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) from Biak Island with B-25s (squadrons continue to operate from Biak Island). The 370th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 307th Bombardment Group (Heavy), ceases operating from Noemfoor Island with B-24s and returns to base on Wakde Island.

Monday 13 November 1944
In the Philippine Islands, B-24s pound Fabrica Airfield on Negros Island while fighter-bombers hit shipping and other targets of opportunity; a few fighter-bombers hit Legaspi Airfield on Luzon Island; B-25s, with P-38 cover, hit San Roque Airfield and the town of Zamboanga on Mindanao Island; the 433d Fighter Squadron, 475th Fighter Group, moves from Biak Island to Dulag, Leyte Island with P-38s; the 501st Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 345th Bombardment Group (Medium), moves from Biak Island to Dulag, Leyte Island but continues to operate from Biak. Over Halmahera Island and in the Ceram Island area fighter-bombers and A-20s bomb airfields and various targets of opportunity. Pegun Island, New Guinea, is blasted by 2 waves of 70 A-20s.

Tuesday 14 November 1944
B-25s pound Pegun Island, New Guinea in preparation for allied amphibious landings early the following morning. B-24s strike Langoan Airfield on Celebes Island. In the Philippine Islands, B-24s, with P-38 and P-47 cover, bomb Bacolod Airfield on Negros Island while fighter-bombers hit trucks and buildings in the Valencia, Mindanao Island area and near Linao on Leyte Island and hit shipping South of Ormoc on Leyte Island; on Cebu Island, B-25s and fighter-bombers pound Lahug and Opon Airfield; the 310th Bombardment Wing (Medium) moves from Morotai Island to Leyte Island; the ground echelon of the 418th Night Fighter Squadron, Thirteenth AF, moves from Morotai Island to Dulag, Leyte Island (the air echelon remains on Morotai with P-61s). The 370th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 307th Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves form Wakde Island to Morotai Island with B-24s.

Wednesday 15 November 1944
B-25s and fighter-bombers support allied amphibious landings in Mapia Islands off the Northwest coast of New Guinea. In Northeast Celebes B-24s bomb Tanamon, Celebes Island while other B-24s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers hit scattered targets of opportunity on Celebes and Halmahera Islands. In the Philippine Islands, B-24s, with P-38 support, bomb La Carlota Airfield on Negros Island while B-25s hit Lahug on Cebu Island; B-25s and fighter-bombers attack targets of opportunity on Cebu Island and shipping off the West coast of Leyte Island; on Mindanao Island B-24s hit 3 airfields while P-38s hit shipping and other targets of opportunity; HQ 22d and 43d Bombardment Groups (Heavy) move from Owi, Schouten Islands to Leyte Island; the 8th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 3d Bombardment Group (Light), moves from Hollandia, New Guinea to Dulag, Leyte Island; the 20th Combat Mapping Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, moves from Biak Island to Dulag, Letye Island (air echelon continues operating from Biak Island with F-7s; the 80th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, moves from Morotai Island to Dulag, Leyte Island but continues to operate from Morotai with P-38s. In New Guinea, the 68th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Nadzab to Biak Island (detachment remains at Biak) with C-47s.

Thursday 16 November 1944
Colonel Willard R. Wolfinbarger becomes Commanding Officer of the XIII Fighter Command In the C Philippine Islands and in the Mindanao Island area B-25s, B-24s, and fighter-bombers hit airfields, harbors, shipping, and targets of opportunity. In the Kendari area and on the Northeast peninsula of Celebes Island, and on Halmahera Island, B-24s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers pound airfields, villages and shipping. B-25s also support ground forces in the Mapia Island and bomb Namlea Airfield on Buru Island. Units moving to Leyte Island, Philippine Islands: HQ 3d Bombardment Group (Light) and 90th Bombardment Squadron (Light) from Hollandia, New Guinea with A-20s; HQ 348th Fighter Group from Noemfoor Island.

Friday 17 November 1944
In the Philippine Islands, B-24s bomb Legaspi Airfield on Luzon Island; on Mindanao Island, B-24s bomb Sasa and Likanan Airfields; other B-24s and B-25s fly heckling missions over the C Philippine Islands, Mindanao Island, and Northeast Celebes Island B-25s continue to support ground forces on Mapia Island. HQ 317th Troop Carrier Group moves from Hollandia, New Guinea to Leyte Island.

Saturday 18 November 1944
In the Mindanao-Northeast Celebes Islands areas B-24s, B-25s and A-20s again hit airfields and targets of opportunity. Fighter-bombers, A-20s, and B-25s over several locations in the Philippine Islands pound shipping, supply and personnel areas, harbors, barges, airstrips, and communications targets. In Borneo, B-24s, with P-38s and P-47s supporting, launch a major strike against oil installations at Tarakan; other B-24s and B-25s hit shipping off Tarakan and in Brunei Bay. On Celebes Island in the Makassar and Kendari area B-24s bomb Polewali shipyards; B-24s pound airfields in the Ceram Island-Ambon Island area while P-38s strafe shipping. B-25s continue to support ground forces on Mapia Island off the NW coast of New Guinea. In the Philippine Islands, HQ 58th Fighter Group and the 310th and 311th Fighter Squadrons move from Noemfoor Island to San Roque, Leyte Island with P-47s. In New Guinea, the 66th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group, moves from Nadzab to Biak Island with C-47s.

Sunday 19 November 1944
In the Philippine Islands, B-24s bomb Alicante on Negros Island and Palompon on Leyte Island while P-47s hit the Valencia, Mindanao Island and Ormoc, Leyte Island areas. On Mindanao Island B-24s hit Libby Airfield; others bomb airfields at Sasa on Mindanao Island, and Sidate, Mapanget, and Borebore on Celebes Island. B-25s and A-20s hit airfields and shipping in the Ceram Island-Ambon Island-Boeroe Island area. B-25s and A-20s hit targets on Asia Island, New Guinea. Units moving to Leyte Island: HQ 312th Bombardment Group (Light) and the 386th, 387th, 388th and 389th Bombardment Squadrons (Light) from Hollandia, New Guinea with A-20s; 2d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 22d Bombardment Group (Heavy), from Owi, Schouten Islands with B-24s; 39th Troop Carrier Squadron, 317th Troop Carrier Group, from Hollandia; 403d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy) from Owi, Schouten Islands with B-24s.

Monday 20 November 1944
B-25s bomb Haroekoe Airfield on Haroekoe Island and Laha Airfield on Amon Island. On Celebes Island, P-38s hit targets of opportunity over Sidate and in the Makassar areas. Units moving to Leyte Island: HQ Fifth AF moves from Owi, Schouten Islands; 13th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 3d Bombardment Group (Light), from Hollandia, New Guinea to Dulag with A-20s. The 371st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 307th Bombardment Group (Heavy), ceases operating form Noemfoor Island with B-24s and moves forward to Morotai Island.

Tuesday 21 November, 1944
In the Philippine Islands, B-24s bomb Matina and Lumbia Airfields on Mindanao Island; on Leyte Island, fighter-bombers hit troop barges and supply dumps in Ormoc Bay and numerous targets of opportunity throughout the C Philippine Islands. On Celebes Island, B-25s hit Langoan and Mapanget Airfields while B-24s in the Kendari area bomb Ambesia Airfield.

Wednesday 22 November 1944
In the Philippine Islands, B-24s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers pound Bacolod Airfield and Ipil on Negros Island, and Ormoc, Leyte Island area bridges, barges, and targets of opportunity; B-24s bomb Sasa Airfield on Mindanao Island. On Celebes Island, fighter-bombers hit targets of opportunity in the Makassar area, B-24s bomb the nickel mine and targets of opportunity in the Kendari area and hit airfields in Northeast Celebes. Other B-24s hit small shipping during sweep over Brunei Bay, Borneo.

Thursday 23 November 1944
In the Philippine Islands, B-24s bomb Matina Airfield on Mindanao Island; the 63d and 64th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy), move from Owi, Schouten Islands to Tacloban, Leyte Island with B-24s.

Friday 24 November 1944
In the Philippine Islands, B-24s bomb AA positions and targets of opportunity at Camp Downes and Panalisan Point and US fighters attack and destroy several aircraft over Carigara Bay and the Leyte Island area; B-24s hit AA positions and other targets at Matina Airfield on Mindanao Island; units arriving on Leyte Island: 25th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, at Dulag from Biak Island with F-5s; 65th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy), at Tacloban from Owi, Schouten Islands with B-24s.

Saturday 25 November 1944
In the Philippine Islands, fighter-bombers range over wide areas of Masbate, Cebu, and Leyte Islands, and surrounding waters, attacking shipping, airfields, bivouacs, and a variety of targets. B-25s and fighter-bombers hit airfields on Ceram and Boeroe Islands and B-24s on armed reconnaissance over North Borneo hit shipping and other targets of opportunity. During the night of 25/26 Nov, B-25s hit airfields in Northeast Celebes and Halmahera Islands.

Sunday 26 November 1944
In the Philippine Islands, more than 40 B-24s, some with fighter support, bomb La Carlota and Talisay Airfields on Negros and Cebu Islands respectively; fighter-bombers hit an airfield and various targets of opportunity throughout the area. B-25s pound airfields in the Ambon-Ceram Islands area and B-24s bomb an airfield near Davao, Mindanano Island. Other bombers and fighters fly light strikes and armed reconnaissance missions against a variety of targets on North Celebes, North Borneo, S Luzon, Mindanao, and Halmahera Islands. HQ 22d Bombardment Group (Heavy) and the 33d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) move from Leyte Island, Philippine Islands to Angaur Island, Palau Islands with B-24s.

Monday 27 November 1944
In the Philippine Islands, B-24s bomb Malogo and Bacolod Airfields on Negros Island and Daliao Airfield on Mindanao Island. B-25s blast Namlea Airfield on Buru Island; Liang and Laha Airfields on Ambon Island. A variety of FEAF aircraft attack airfields, shipping, and targets of opportunity on Celebes Island, North Borneo, and in the Halmahera and the Ceram Islands areas. The detachment of the 419th Night Fighter Squadron, XIII Fighter Command, operating from Noemfoor Island moves to Morotai Island with P-61s (squadron is based on Middleburg Island).

Tuesday 28 November 1944
On Mindanao Island, B-24s bomb Daliao and Matina Airfields. Small attacks by B-24s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers are launched against airfields, shipping, and targets of opportunity over wide areas of the SWPA, including C Philippine Islands and the Halmahera and Timor Islands area. The 2d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 22d Bombardment Group (Heavy), moves from Leyte Island to Angaur Island with B-24s; the 35th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, that has been operating from Morotai Island, joins the ground echelon at Dulag, Leyte Island with P-38s.

Wednesday 29 November 1944
In the Philippine Islands, B-24s bomb Matina Airfield on Mindanao Island while A-20s and P-47s hit the airfield at Pangsagan; B-24s, with fighter cover, pound Puerto Princesa Airfield on Palawan Island and Kendari Airfield on Celebes Island. B-24s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers fly several light raids against Halmahera Island airfields and against shipping and other targets of opportunity in the Philippine Islands, the Ceram Island area, North Celebes Island, and North Borneo.

Thursday 30 November 1944
B-24s in major strikes of the day hit Malimpoeng and Parepare Airfields on Celebes Island, Legaspi Airfield on Luzon Island, Matina Airfield on Mindanao Island, and 4 airfields on Halmahera Island. B-25s strike Dumaguete Airfield on Negros Island. Fighter-bombers, B-24s, and B-25s fly armed reconnaissance, harassing strikes, and light raids over various areas of the Netherlands East Indies and Philippine Islands. The air echelons of the 36th and 80th Fighter Squadrons, 8th Fighter Group, operating from Morotai Island with P-38s, return to base at Dulag, Leyte Island; the 340th Fighter Squadron, 348th Fighter Group, moves from Noemfoor Island to Tacloban, Leyte Island with P-47s; the ground echelon of the 418th Night Fighter Squadron begins a movement from Dulag, Leyte Island to San Jose, Mindoro Island (air echelon is on Morotai Island with P-61s).