Eighth Air Force. Almost 1,300 United States Army Air Force
(USAAF) heavy bombers bomb Zeitz synthetic oil refinery, Halle
marshalling yard, oil depot near Erfurt, cities of Gotha and
Brandenburg, and 11 targets. 15 fighters groups provide support.
Ninth Air Force. 650 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
medium bombers and light bombers hit storage depots at Ebrach,
Wurzburg, and Marienburg, marshalling yard at Wurzburg, town
area of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and a target. Fighters escort
9th Bomber Division, hit special targets, fly armed reconnaissance,
and support United States 3d and 9th Armoured Division near
Paderborn, XII Corps as it charges toward Eisenach, XX Corps
along Fulda and Eder Rivers, and XVI and XIX Corps South of
Haltern and North West of Lippstadt.
Twelfth Air Force. United States Army Air Force (USAAF) medium
bombers bomb several targets (mostly alternates) in Po Valley
and Brenner area despite bad weather. B-25 Mitchell medium
bombers hit bridges or bridge approaches at San Michele all'Adige,
Steinach, Crema, Canneto sull'Oglio, Legnago, and Manerbio,
and rail embankment at Salorno. XXII Tactical Air Command
A-20 Havoc light bombers and other aircraft hit Po River crossings
during
30-31
March 1945, at Casalmaggiore, Ostiglia, Borgoforte, and San
Benedetto Po, rail facilities at Piacenza and Cittadella,
plus nearby ammunition dumps and other targets. Fighter-bombers
continue to pound command and dumps at Lavis, Casarsa della
Delizia, San Ambrogio di Valpolicella, Legnago, and several
other points in Po Valley and Northeast Italy.
Fifteenth Air Force. 540 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-24 Liberator heavy bombers and B-17 Flying Fortress heavy
bombers bomb Linz main railroad station and sidings, marshalling
yards at Villach and Treviso, and 3 minor targets. P-51 Mustang
fighter-bombers and P-38 Lightning fighters provide escort.
37 other fighters on sweeps and strafing attack railroad targets
in Munich, Linz, Regensburg area and 43 hit similar targets
in Prague area. Still other P-38 Lightning fighters and P-51
Mustang fighter-bombers fly extensively reconnaissance and
reconnaissance escort.
Tenth Air Force. 12 United States Army Air Force (USAAF) B-25
Mitchell medium bombers hit troop dispersal areas behind enemy
lines in Central Burma and hit 1 road bridge. 8 P-38 Lightning
fighters attack supply dump at Namsang airfield.
Fourteenth Air Force. 30 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-24 Liberator heavy bombers, with escort of 9 P-51 Mustang
fighter-bombers, blast railroad yards at Shihkiachwang. 12
B-25 Mitchell medium bombers bomb railroad yards at Sinyang
while 4 hit Yanglowtung yards. 6 B-25 Mitchell medium bombers
damage bridge and hit gun position at Sienning while 6 more
knock out bridge near Ninh Binh and hit storage area at Samah
Bay. 26 P-51 Mustang fighter-bombers attack Ningpo airfield,
destroying or damaging several aeroplanes. 6 of the P-51 Mustang
fighter-bombers are lost. About 125 other fighter-bombers
and several B-25 Mitchell medium bombers operating individually
attack numerous targets in Indochina and South and East China
including bridges, troops, supplies, and rail, road, and river
traffic.
Far East Air Force (FEAF). United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
A-20 Havoc light bombers attack army camp at Saiatan while
P-51 Mustang fighter-bombers sweep from Babuyan Channel to
South West Formosa. Fighters attack targets in Cagayan Valley
and North of Laguna de Bay, blasting bridges and gun positions
over wide stretches of Luzon. B-25 Mitchell medium bombers,
A-20 Havoc light bombers; and fighter-bombers hit Cebu targets,
several of the strikes being flown in support of ground forces.
B-24 Liberator heavy bombers again bomb Bongao Island and
hit Oelin. Fighters harass North Borneo airfields. B-24 Liberator
heavy bombers bomb harbours and shipping at Kiirun, Formosa
and Yulin.
Twentieth Air Force. 137 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
B-29 Superfortress heavy bomber's strike Tachiarai machine
works and Omura airfield. This is diversionary strike preceding
invasion of Okinawa which begins at 0830 on
1
April 1945.
Seventh Air Force. 15 United States Army Air Force (USAAF)
P-51 Mustang fighter-bombers from Iwo Jima bomb and strafe
vessels, air installations, and targets on Chichi Jima. 16
more follow with attacks on vessels and harbour area. During
the night 5 B-24 Liberator heavy bombers from Guam, flying
individual harassment strikes, hit Susaki airfield.
Köln
Light cruiser
Sunk 31 March 1945
Go To: 1st
April
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
sources
