17 Apr 1944
  • British Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Bomber Command commenced minelaying in the approaches of the English Channel in preparation for the forthcoming invasion of Europe. ww2dbase [Normandy Campaign, Phase 1 | AC]
  • Louis Mountbatten's headquarters moved from Delhi, India to Kandy, Ceylon. ww2dbase [Louis Mountbatten | CPC]
  • USS Bailey departed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii as an escort for a convoy bound for Majuro Lagoon, Marshall Islands. ww2dbase [Bailey | DS]
Alaska
  • USS Skipjack departed the Pribilof Islands, US Territory of Alaska. ww2dbase [Skipjack | CPC]
Australian New Guinea
  • 674th Bomb Squadron (flying A-20 aircraft) of USAAF 417th Bomb Group was transferred from Dobodura Airfield to Saidor Airfield, Australian Papua. ww2dbase [Saidor Airfield | Saidor | CPC]
Byelorussia
  • Roza Shanina was awarded the Order of Glory 3rd Class while fighting in Byelorussia; she was the first woman of 3rd Byelorussian Front to receive this award. ww2dbase [Roza Shanina | CPC]
Hawaii India
  • General Renya Mutaguchi ordered Lieutenant General Kotoku Sato to capture Kohima, India by 29 Apr 1944. On the front, Anglo-Indian and Japanese troops clashed at Garrison Hill and FSD Hill near Kohima. ww2dbase [Battle of Imphal-Kohima | Kohima, Assam | CPC]
Japan Pacific Ocean
  • USS Harder sank Matsue Maru and damaged an armed escort, firing four torpedoes and scoring one hit on each ship. ww2dbase [Harder | CPC]
  • USS Whale spotted two small Japanese vessels in the East China Sea but failed to achieve attacking position. ww2dbase [Whale | East China Sea | CPC]
United States
  • A Constellation aircraft piloted by Howard Hughes and Jack Frye flew from Burbank, California, United States to Washington DC, United States in 6 hours and 57 minutes, breaking the record. ww2dbase [C-69 Constellation | Washington | CPC]
Photo(s) dated 17 Apr 1944
B-25G Mitchell bomber of the AAF TAC Center, Orlando, Florida, United States, 17 Apr 1944

17 Apr 1944 Interactive Map

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis




Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you.

Share this article with your friends:

 Facebook
 Reddit
 Twitter

Stay updated with WW2DB:

 RSS Feeds

Search WW2DB
Famous WW2 Quote
"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."

Winston Churchill, on the RAF


Support Us

Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!

Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!