1944 -- A U.S. Army Air Forces B - 24 Liberator flies the first Allied photographic reconnaissance mission against Truk Atoll making a 1,700 - nautical mile ( 3,148 - km ) flight from Bougainville .
Truk Atoll is japan 's main base in the South Pacific Ocean .
1944 -- A U.S. Army Air Forces B - 24 Liberator flies the first Allied photographic reconnaissance mission against Truk Atoll , Japan 's main base in the South Pacific Ocean , making a 1,700 - nautical mile ( 3,148 - km ) flight from Bougainville .