March 8th, 1944 (WEDNESDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: A major post-war building programme for up to 200,000 houses a year is promised by the government.
Miners in Wales and Durham strike in support of a wage claim.
A new mark of Spitfire, the XIV, is coming into RAF service. The Merlin engine of earlier marks has been replaced by a two-stage Griffon. This and the re-designed airframe enable the Mark XIV to reach speeds of almost 450mph, as well as markedly improving the rate of climb. For some time the Spitfire has been struggling against the Focke-Wulf Fw190. These improvements will enable it to match its rival on much better terms.
Boom defence vessel HMS Prefect is launched.
Submarine HMS Achates is laid down.
Destroyer HMS Zebra is launched.
Minesweepers HMCS Minas, Blairmore, Fort William, Milltown, Wasaga, Canso, Lempra and Guysborough join invasion Minesweeping Flotillas Devonport.
GERMANY: U-955 and U-1232 are commissioned.
ITALY: Milan: More than a million Italian workers have marched out of the factories to strike against "German pillaging" in occupied northern Italy. German tanks and SS infantrymen are being used in an attempt to force the workers back. The Germans have also threatened to impose a quisling Gauleiter and martial law, with the death penalty for strike leaders.
AZORES: Lagens airfield. No. 269 ASR squadron RAF takes up station.
BURMA: "Merrill's Maruaders" have killed 800 Japanese in north Burma. The 3,000-strong unit is the US counter-part of the British Chindits, and was formed after the war department had appealed for recruits "for particularly hazardous and self-sacrificing operations". Commanded by Colonel Frank Merrill, it arrived in India last October.
Mountbatten assigned the unit to General Stilwell's Northern Combat Area Command. Stilwell was advancing towards Hukawng Valley with Kamaing, Mogaung and Myitkyina as objectives. By early February he was in the valley, and was reinforced by the Marauders and a Chinese tank unit. His aim was to encircle two Japanese regiments in Maingkwan. The Marauders were to make a wide eastward flanking movement, cutting in on the enemy rear at Walawbaum, while the Chinese 22nd Division attacked at Maingkwan.
The Japanese, anticipating Stilwell's tactics, concentrated for five days on the outnumbered Maraduders who beat off repeated bayonet charges. One unit fought for 36 hours without food or water. By 7 March the Japanese were forced out of Walawbaum. Eight Marauders died and 37 were wounded.
Air Commando Combat Missions 21& 22 No flight time on 21, 3:30 on 22. Hailakandi, Assam to Katha, Burma. Bombed and strafed railroad and rolling stock, warehouse, dumps and destroyed radio station. Hailakandi, Assam to Shewbo, Burma. Night mission on Shewbo Air Field. Twelve B-25s dropped incendiaries and fragmentation bombs flying from a 3 ship line abreast formation. Destroyed 12 Japanese aircraft and started huge fires. Encountered flak from heavy guns in the town of Shewbo. The Japanese did not disclose their positions until we had bombed the field. No search lights observed.
Could see the flak explode above us from my turret (think they could not fuse their shells for our low altitude), also could see the winking flashes of machine gun fire but saw no tracers. On this raid Lt. Weber, our navigator, won himself a spot in our hearts. Though it was a moonless night and there was the usual haze from countless forest fires, Lt. Weber brought us directly to the Shewbo Air Base and then back to our own base.
Notes: Our crew flew with another pilot on the morning mission and my flight time was never logged. Or regular pilot Lt/Col. Smith was on a fighter sweep into the Shwebo area. His flight of 21 P-51s accounted for 27 fighters, seven bombers and a transport plus one shot down in the air. Less than an hour after landing back at Hailakandi pilots who had just participated in the fighter sweep were now flying B-25s back to the enemy air fields. The B-25H model did not have dual controls, just a jump seat next to the pilot where the navigator usually rode. He was also the designated cannon loader. (Chuck Baisden)
BOUGAINVILLE: The Japanese begin a counter-offensive. (Gordon Rottman)
CANADA: Frigate HMCS Monnow commissioned.
Minesweepers HMCS Minas, Blairmore, Fort William, Milltown, Wasaga, Canso, Lempra and Guysborough join invasion Minesweeping Flotillas Devonport.
U.S.A.: Submarine USS Sea Lion is commissioned.
Submarine USS Sennet is laid down.
Destroyer escort USS Douglas A. Munro is launched.