15th Army Air Forces; WWII
15th Army Air Forces; WWII

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Mission 263

HEADQUARTERS 47TH WING APO 520

CONSOLIDATED MISSION REPORT NO. 263. Period ending 2400 hours 23 Aug 1944.

 

GENERAL: 82 B-24's of the 376th, 449th and 450th Groups dropped 132.5 tons of 500 lb RDX bombs on the Panto Oil Refinery at VOESENDORF with good to unobserved results. 14 B-24's of the 449th Group dropped 27.75 tons on first alternate, industrial area of S VIENNA, with good results.

  1. 376TH BOMB GROUP. At 0820 hours, 27 B-24's took off to bomb Panto Oil Refinery at VOESENDORF. 1 returned early. 26 over target at 1316 hours at 23/25,200', dropping 50.0 tons of 500 lb RDX bombs with .1 and .025 fusing. 1 landed at friendly field. 26 returned at 1604 hours. ROUTE: As briefed except 20 miles to left at IP. Back 10/15 miles to right of course. RESULTS: Area smoke covered. Fires and large columns of black smoke seen. Area H-M/11-12 (T.C. L2-M2-M4) well covered. Main concentration just short of briefed aiming point. Bombed visually. E/A: None seen. FLAK: IAH at target. PHOTOS: 5 a/c attempted. OBSERVATIONS: A/c crashed in target area, 10 chutes seen. At 1430, 18,000', 46 30 N - 17 00 E, Martin Mariner seen about 5000' below formation, turned off and went away. At 0952, 10,000', SL flak at BARI. ESCORT: 30 P38's at 1220, 23,000', 46 00 N - 16 00 E; left at 1440, 13,700', 43 40 N - 16 29 E.
  2. 449TH BOMB GROUP. At 0820 hours, 28 B-24's took off to bomb Panto Oil Refinery at VOESENDORF. 28 over target at 1323 hours at 23,600/25,500', 14 dropping on primary 27.5 tons of 500 lb RDX bombs with .1 and .025 fusing. 14 dropped 27.75 tons on first alternate, industrial area of S VIENNA. 1 landed at friendly field. 27 returned at 1603 hours. ROUTE: As briefed. RESULTS: Both targets believed well hit. Bombed VOESENDORF visually. Bombed alternate by PFF. E/A: 4 Me109 seen at 1150, 24,500', 48 00 N - 16 00 E; no encounters. FLAK: IAH at target. MAH at MULLENDORF, 47 50 N - 16 27 E; TATTENDORF, 47 36 N - 16 42 E; and 47 35 N - 16 32 E. MIH at PREIN, 47 41 N - 15 46 E; FRISNITZ, 47 54 N - 15 58 E. SIH at STEINAMANGER, 47 17 N - 16 48 E. PHOTOS: 8 a/c attempted. OBSERVATIONS: At 1115, 17,500', 43 42 N - 14 22 E, large column of black smoke seen coming out of water, might have been a/c. 5 chutes seen in target area. 5/10 bursts of flak at BARI on route out; not too close, but within accurate range. At 0955 hours, 8000'. ESCORT: P51's at 1235 hours, 46 25 N - 16 09 E; departure not noted.
  3. 450TH BOMB GROUP. At 0830 hours, 28 B-24's took off to bomb Panto Oil Refinery at VOESENDORF. 28 over target at 1316 hours at 23/24,000', dropping 55.0 tons of 500 lb RDX bombs with .1 and .025 fusing. 2 lost, 1 to flak at target, crashed in flames, 10 chutes seen; 1 abandoned over base, crew safe. 27 returned to base at 1559 hours. ROUTE: As briefed. RESULTS: Observations obscured by smoke and cloud. Photos show practically all bombs short and in fields to SW. Bombed visually. E/A: None seen. FLAK: IAH at target. IAH at ZOLFAXING. SIH at SOPRON. PHOTOS: 8 a/c attempted. ESCORT: 20/25 P38's at 1225, 19/21,000', 46 10 N - 15 50 E; left at 1445, 16,000', 43 40 N - 17 00 E.
  4. WEATHER. Target: 6-8/10 cumulus at 18,000' to 24,000', with bad haze.
  5. TIME TABULATION: TIME DOWN FLASH MISSION 376th 1604 1624 (20') 1737 (1 hr, 33') 449th 1603 1617 (14') 1732 (1 hr, 28') 450th 1559 1630 (31') 1737 (1 hr, 37')
     

THOMAS, A-2.

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