MISSION DATE:  August 14, 1944
 
MISSION NBR.  121
 
TARGET: Savona, Italy  -  Gun Positions
 
I. CHRONOLOGY
            Twenty-eight B-24 type aircraft took off at 0701-0728 hours to bomb coastal gun batteries in the Savona Area., Italy at the following positions, Standard Military Grid:  O-524286, O-540320.  Twenty-eight dropped 64 tons of 1000 lb bombs on the two targets at 1047-1055 hours from 21,000 – 22,000 feet.  The 64 tons was distributed as follows. Target O-524286: fourteen aircraft dropped 30 tons.  Target O-540302: fourteen aircraft dropped 34 tons.  Two aircraft returned 5 tons to base and one aircraft jettisoned .5 tons in Gulf of Taratnto due to malfunctions.  Twenty-six returned to base at 1340 hours and one aircraft landed at Corsica and one at Borgo, Italy due to engine malfunctions.  None lost.  None missing.  Two at friendly fields. 
 
II. ROUTE AND ASSAULT       

            The briefed route was flown to the water I.P. where the formation attacked in 4 boxes of 7 aircraft each.  "X" Attack Unit, #1 box attacked target O-524286. could not see target due to smoke of previous bombings and did 360 degree turn and attacked again on axis of 340 degrees True.  #2 box attacked on axis of 320 degrees True.  "Y" Attack Unit bombed target O-540302 #1 and #2 boxes on axis of 334 degrees True and 323 degrees True respectively.  All units rallied left and to base on briefed course.  No friendly fighters were observed. 

             

III. RESULTS
            Target:  O-524286.  The target area was obscured by smoke from previous bombings.  "X" – 1 box made 360 degree turn and still found the target obscured.  Bombs were dropped by using reference points as aiming point could not be seen.  A few bombs were observed bursting in the smoke and a few could be seen stringing out into the clear.  "X" – 2 box bombed by reference points on the initial run.  Bombs fell into smoke of previous bombings, apparently short of the target.
 
            Target: O-540302.  "Y" – 1 & 2 boxes bombed by reference points.  Bombs were slightly long in general, most of the falling into the smoke.
 
IV.  ENEMY RESISTANCE
A.     Fighters:  None.
B.     Flak: At target the "Y" Attack Unit experienced moderate, accurate and heavy flak, causing minor damage to 3 aircraft.  Bursts were black in color with a few red.       
 
V.  OBSERVATIONS
            None.
 
VI. CASUALTIES
            Three aircraft slightly damaged by flak.
 
VII  FLIGHT LEADERS:
            McWhorter                 Schirmacher              Ferguson                    Carter