Ninth Air Force. 280 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
medium bombers and light bombers hit Landau barracks area
and command centre, Niederscheld town area and rail bridge,
6 other town areas, a marshalling yard, rail junction, crossroads,
and also drop leaflets. Fighters escort 9th Bomber Division,
fly patrols, sweeps, armed reconnaissance, and cover VIII,
XII, and XX Corps in assault across the Mosel from West of
Koblenz and North of Boppard, at one point, as far East as
Bad Kreuznach, and as far South as Merzig.
Twelfth Air Force. United States Army Air Force (USAAF) B-25
Mitchell medium bombers of 57th Bomber Wing, flying their
farthest North penetration to date, bomb Brixlegg railroad
bridge. The medium bombers also hit Spilimbergo power plant,
with excellent results, and lightly damage 3 bridges on Brenner
line, 1 in Central Po Valley, and 1 in Northeast Italy. XXII
Tactical Air Command fighter-bombers continue to attack command
in Po Valley and Northeast Italy, while light bombers bomb
bridges and targets on night intruder missions along Po River
and in North Po Valley.
Fifteenth Air Force. 720 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-24 Liberator heavy bombers and B-17 Flying Fortress heavy
bombers bomb Korneuburg, Vienna, Floridsdorf, Schwechat, and
Moosbierbaum oil refineries and marshalling yards at Sankt
Veit an der Glan, Amstetten, Graz, Varazdin and Pragersko.
52 P-51 Mustang fighter-bombers strafe rail lines in Vienna,
Linz, Passau, and Regensburg areas and airfield at Mettenheim.
B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers and B-24 Liberator heavy
bombers continue supply drops to North Italy and Yugoslavia
while P-38 Lightning fighters fly extensive weather and photo
reconnaissance missions. Fighters fly more than 300 sorties
in escort of heavy bombers, supply runs, and reconnaissance
operations.
Tenth Air Force. 23 United States Army Air Force (USAAF) P-47
Thunderbolt fighters support forces of Chinese 50th Division
in Hsipaw area. 4 P-38 Lightning fighters, supporting British
36th Division, bomb artillery positions Northeast of Mogok.
12 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers blast fuel dump and troop
concentration at Panghai. 40 P-38 Lightning fighters sweep
roads South of bomb line. Transport operations continue on
steady basis.
Fourteenth Air Force. 32 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-24 Liberator heavy bombers, escorted by 10 P-51 Mustang
fighter-bombers, pound North railroad yards at Shihkiachwang.
1 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers and 2 P-51 Mustang fighter-bombers
attack railroad between Sinsiang and Shihkiachwang.
Far East Air Force (FEAF). United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
A-20 Havoc light bombers and B-24 Liberator heavy bombers
continue pounding Japanese installations at Baguio. P-51 Mustang
fighter-bombers strike Patapat, hitting vehicles and supplies.
Fighters on patrol hit Caballo Island. Batangas area is again
pounded by fighter-bombers and A-20 Havoc light bombers. B-24
Liberator heavy bombers hit Talisay and Carolina airfields
and bomb targets pinpointed by guerrillas on Cebu. B-25 Mitchell
medium bombers bomb San Roque airfield and attack Tarakan
and Jesselton airfields. B-24 Liberator heavy bombers also
hit town of Taihoku, airfields at Heito, and Okayama naval
airbase.
Twentieth Air Force. 307 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
XXI Bomber Command B-29 Superfortress heavy bomber's, of 331
airborne, fire raid Kobe in the heaviest attack to date, bombing
from 5,000 to 9,500 ft during the predawn hours of 16-
17
March 1945. About one fifth of the city's area is burned.
Seventh Air Force. 13 Guam based United States Army Air Force
(USAAF) B-24 Liberator heavy bombers bomb Susaki airfield.
16 Iwo based P-51 Mustang fighter-bombers dive-bomb and strafe
radio and radar installations, gun positions, and storage
area on Chichi Jima. During 16-
17
March 1945, Susaki is hit again, by 5 B-24 Liberator heavy
bombers flying individual harassment strikes. Iwo Jima is
declared secure although fierce resistance continues on some
parts of the island.
Eleventh Air Force. Because of a navigational error, 2 United
States Army Air Force (USAAF) B-24 Liberator heavy bombers
on a photo mission to Matsuwa reach 130 miles South of the
island, the deepest penetration of the Japanese Home Islands
to date. The B-24 Liberator heavy bombers turn North, photograph
Matsuwa and bomb Shimushiru with unobserved results.
V-2 rocket
launched against England, hit Willesden.
V-2 rocket
launched against England, hit near North Foreland.
V-2 rocket
launched against England, hit Leyton.
V-2 rocket
launched against England, hit Stock.
V-2 rocket
launched against England, hit East Ham.
V-2 rocket
launched against England, hit Dengie.
V-2 rocket
launched against England, hit Basildon.
M606
Minesweeper
Commissioned 16 March 1945
M607
Minesweeper
Commissioned 16 March 1945
R14
R-boat
Sunk 16 March 1945
Go To: 17th
March
Articles:
The Second Great War.
Edited by Sir John Hamilton
The War Illustrated.
Edited by Sir John Hamilton
2194 Days Of War.
ISBN-10: 086136614X
For a complete list of
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