World War Photos

soldiers Rest Under Wing of Boeing B-29 at Marianas Base

First Combat Mission from the Marianas

The first combat mission launched from the Marianas was not against Japan, but rather a series of “practice” raids against Japanese-held islands. These raids served as training exercises for the B-29 crews stationed in the Marianas.

• On October 28, 1944, B-29s based in the Marianas flew their first combat mission, targeting the island of Truk in the Caroline Islands chain.
• Only 14 of the 18 B-29s successfully bombed the targets at Truk, achieving limited results.
• The island of Iwo Jima was also targeted in these early practice missions.
• These missions against Truk and other enemy-held islands provided valuable training for the B-29 crews in preparation for missions against the Japanese home islands.

The first combat mission against the Japanese home islands launched from the Marianas occurred on November 24, 1944.

• This mission, named San Antonio I, was a daylight strike targeting the Musashino aircraft engine assembly plant in Tokyo.
• The plant was a significant target, producing an estimated 27 percent of the aircraft engines used in Japan’s warplanes.

Before the Marianas became operational, B-29s of the XX Bomber Command had flown combat missions from bases in India and China for ten months, starting in June 1944. However, only nine of these missions targeted Japan.