U.S. Planes Pay "Surprise" Visit To Hong Kong -- Bombers of the U.S. Army 14th Air Force pay a surprise visit to the Japanese-held, port of Hong Kong on Oct. 16, 1944, to drop destruction and death from the skies on vital enemy installations. Ships in the harbor (left center) can be seen burning as the planes fly over their targets. A column of smoke also puffs up from a large fire started (center) in the Kowloon dock area. The China coast port was being used by the Japanese to harbor shipping, much of it removed from the Philippines and Formosa to escape other American air assaults. November 15, 1944. (Photo by U.S. Office of War Information Picture).