U.S. Navy Air Raid on Taichung Airfield

After the Formosa Air Battle of October 1944 the Japanese airfields on Taiwan remained important bases supporting operations in the Philippines. The American landing at Lingayen Gulf on Luzon was set for 9 January 1945, and to prevent Japanese aircraft from Taiwan attacking the invasion convoys, Admiral William Halsey's Third Fleet sent Vice Admiral John S. McCain's Task Force 38, the fast carrier force, to strike airfields and shipping on Taiwan and in the southern Ryukyus on 3 and 4 January.

On 3 January 1945 a major U.S. Navy carrier strike targeted Taichung Airfield. Air Group 80 from USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) led the attack with 14 SB2C-3 Helldiver dive bombers, 6 TBM-3 Avenger torpedo bombers and 12 F6F-5 Hellcat fighters. Additional aircraft from USS Langley, USS Essex and USS San Jacinto participated. The dive bombers and fighters dropped their heavier bombs on buildings and hangars at the eastern corner of the airfield, while the torpedo bombers attacked the runway diagonally. The weather was poor: six SB2Cs turned back and two TBMs diverted to attack Suao. All participating aircraft returned safely. On the same day Air Group 44 from Langley attacked Hokuto (Beidou) airfield in central Taiwan.

According to English Wikipedia, the strikes of 3-4 January were hampered by bad weather; the Americans claimed more than 150 Japanese aircraft destroyed for the loss of 86 of their own, 46 of them in accidents. Task Force 38 struck Taiwan again on 9 January, then entered the South China Sea, and attacked Takao (Kaohsiung) and Toshien (Zuoying) on 15 and 21 January; on the 21st Ticonderoga was badly damaged by two kamikaze aircraft off Taiwan and withdrew for repairs. The Taichung raid was thus one episode in the 3-22 January campaign against Taiwan's airfields and military targets.