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

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Mission 265

HEADQUARTERS 47TH WING APO 520

CONSOLIDATED MISSION REPORT NO. 265. Period ending 2400 hours 25 Aug 1944.

 

GENERAL: 43 B-24's of the 98th and 376th Groups dropped 114.75 tons of 500 lb. GP bombs on ODERTAL U/G with excellent results. 14 B-24's of the 450th Gp dropped 34.25 tons of 500 lb. GP bombs on ROSENBACH-KADURBEN Train Ferry, scoring some near misses. MISCHA-KADURBEN Train Ferry. 18 B-24's of the 447th Group dropped 44.5 tons on OHRENIP Ferry Terminal (1st 18-track target), causing no damage.

  1. 449TH BOMB GROUP. At 0540 hours, 28 B-24's took off to bomb ROSENBACH-KADURBEN Ferry. 1 returned early. 27 over target at 1051 hours, at 21, - 22,000', 19 dropping on target 44.5 tons of 500 lb. GP bombs with .1 and .01 fusing. 3 others jettisoned 3 tons, and 4 returned 12 tons to base. 1 lost, 26 returned at 1330 hours. ROUTE: As briefed. RESULTS: 1st box: Near misses. 2nd and 3rd box: Did not drop. 4th box: Near misses. FLAK: IAH at target. SIH at GELTENTAL, 42 54 N, 20 50 E. E/A: 5 seen at 1155 hours, 16,000' at NIS, Me-109. PHOTOS: 8 a/c attempted. OBSERVATIONS: At 0811, 12,000', Gulf WORCH, 42 50 N, 18 40 E, possible naval vessel. ESCORT: 30/40 P-38's, 0950, 24,000', MOHENJLI DE TURE. Left 1140, 15,000 FTS. 15/20 P-51's in target area, 1030, 22,000'. Left 1130, E.
  2. 449TH BOMB GROUP. At 0550 hours, 28 B-24's took off to bomb Ferry Terminal at OHRENIP (1st alternate). 1 returned early. 27 over target at 1051, hours, at 22, - 24,000', 19 dropping 44.5 tons of 500 lb. PF bombs with .1 and .01 fusing. 3 others jettisoned, and 4 returned 12 ton. 26 returned at 1330. ROUTE: As briefed except went 8 miles SE of IP. Back 30 miles N of course. RESULTS: No bombs in target area. No damage. E/A: 5 seen at 1155 hours, 16,000' at NIS, Me-109. FLAK: S-MIH at target. PHOTOS: 6 a/c attempted. ESCORT: 27 P38s and P-51's, KROSIGNI DE TURE, 1028 hours, 44 07 N, 24 59 E. Left at 1105 hours, 43 40 N, 24 51 E.
  3. 376TH BOMB GROUP. At 0615 hours, 28 B-24's took off to bomb ODERTAL A/G. 1 returned early. 3 returned prior to bombing. 25 over target at 1107 hours, at 21,500 - 21,900', dropping on target 62 tons of 500 lb. bombs, AESF with .1 and .025 fusing. 25 returned at 1334 hours. ROUTE: As briefed plus minor change, thence 25 miles left of course to PINITUNE, thence as briefed. RESULTS: Excellent starting briefed IP cover A/D at A/D, 12-16; hangars at [???] burning; 7 a/c on A/D, some afire. E/A: 8 seen: 6 Me109; 2 Me109's attacked B-24 with red tail in distance. FLAK: SIH at target. PHOTOS: 7 a/c attempted. OBSERVATIONS: Bombs of 98th Wing in E, 15 - 16 E. Large fires and black smoke. ESCORT: P38 flash in sky of PIRMASENS. E/A: None seen at FLAKFORT. Wing flies in city of BRAUNAU. At FLAKFORT, 25 P-38's at at 0952 hours, 43,500 N, 23 50 N, 21 10 E, stayed short [???]. ESCORT: 25 P-38's at at 0952 hours, 43,500', 44 30 N, 21 10 E; last seen at 1140, 13,500', 42 31 N, 18 23 E. P-51's, 40/8, 20,000', 44 07 N, 22 30 N; last seen at 1240, 13,000', 42 31 N, 18 23 E.
  4. 98TH BOMB GROUP. At 0602 hours, 28 B-24's took off to bomb ODERTAL A/G. 2 returned early. 26 over target at 1106. 23,600 - 25,500', 24 dropping 52.75 tons of 500 lb GP bombs with .1 and .025 fusing. 2 others jettisoned while orbiting. 26 returned at 1330. ROUTE: As briefed. RESULTS: Excellent: Bursts started S of E end of E-W runway, carried across A/D. Many bursts in S half of A/D. E/A: 5 seen in target area: 2 Me-109's and 3 Ju-88's or Russian A-20. PHOTOS: 7 a/c attempted. OBSERVATIONS: At 1050, 44 05 N, 25 50 E, B-24 with 1 engine smoking. At 1005, 23,000', 42 52 N, 25 22 E, 4 chutes seen, 40 miles, At 1034, 23,000', 44 23 N, 23 56 E, 4 chutes seen, 20 miles. May be yellow DJ 837 to 44715 [???]. At 1015, 23,500', 43 55 N, 24 40 N, B-24 low on heading of 40° down in smoke. At 0935, 21,000', 43 17 N, 22 15 E, B-24 smoking and losing altitude. At 0930, 20,500', 43 52 N, 21 50 E, low on heading of 40° stalled formation 1 hour, down through formation, disappeared just before target. Many fires SE of ODERTAL but no smoke seen. ESCORT: At 1000 hours, 23,500', 43 40 N, 23 55 E, 30 P-38s and 30 P-51's. Last seen 1155 hours, 18,000', 43 20 N, 21 45 E.
  5. WEATHER: Train Ferry: 2/10 cumulus, tops 11,000'. ODERIP: 2 - 3 cumulus, tops 11,000, visibility good.
  6. TIME TABULATION: TIME DOWN FLASH MISSION 98th BG 1330 1353 (23') 1420 (1 hr 50) 376th BG 1334 1352 (18') 1440 (1 hr 26') 449th BG 1330 ? 1443 (1 hr 53') 450th BG 1310 1330 (20') 1417 (1 hr 47')

THOMAS, A-2.

 

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