address>MISSION DATE:  August 7, 1944
 
MISSION NBR.  116
 
TARGET:  Alibunar, Yugoslavia  -  Airdrome
 
I. CHRONOLOGY
            Twenty-seven B-24's took off at 0545-0628 hours to bomb the Alibunar Airdrome.  One returned early.  Twenty-six flew over the target and twenty-five dropped 57.96 tons of 120 fragmentation clusters instantaneously fused in target area at 1008 hours from 19,000 – 20,000 feet.  Five aircraft jettisoned 4.33 tons in the Adriatic due to rack malfunctions and one aircraft returned .06 tons to base.  Twenty-six retuned to base at 1208 hours.  None lost.  None missing.  None at friendly fields.
 
II. ROUTE AND ASSAULT       

            Rendezvoused with the 98th Bomb Group at San Vito on course at 0704 hours at 8000 feet thence to target and returned to home base as briefed: base to San Vito to turnpoint Scredo Isle 43.05N-16.42E to Livno 43.50N-17.00E to Bohonye 46.24N-17.23E to keypoint Czeze 46.46N-18.38E to Initial Point Petrovgrad 45.23N-20.24E from which target was attacked on an axis of 126 degrees from 19,000 – 20,000 feet at 1008 hours.  The formation rallied right and proceeded to Grocka 44.40N-20.43E to Ragusa to base.  No escort was provided.  The weather enroute varied from 3/10 to 6/10 scattered cumulus at 18,000 feet.  At the target 3/10 cumulus prevailed at 13,000 feet.  On return route scattered cumulus up to 25,000 feet.

 

III. RESULTS
            The lead attack unit dropped their bombs approximately 2500 feet to the right of the target area into open fields.  Vertical cameras were able to photograph only a few of the bursts due to the great amount of trail.  Oblique photos indicated the probability that the main concentration was short of the target.  A number of bombs were observed to strike in the town of Alibunar and a fire resulted.  Of the 38-45 aircraft reported present on the airdrome none were assessed as damaged.
            Bombardier's Combat Mission Report:  The formation squared away at the I.P. and drifted left on the run to the target.  The lead bombardier picked up the target and gave a correction to the pilot over the interphone, the correction was to large and before he could turn back the release point was reached.  The bombs landed 2500 feet to the right of the aiming point.  Reason for failure was poor coordination between the bombardier and navigator and nose turret operator. The Second Attack Unit leader was changed when the lead ship did not get off the ground.  Number 4 took over the lead.  The bombardier was mediocre, the bombs dropped 4500 feet short and the pattern extended to with in 2000 feet of the target.  K-20 photos show similar terrain features, a lake, square town and a clearing similar to the actual target.  It is believed the bombardier identified the wrong target.  A photo strip extending farther back may have prevented this mistake as we were unaware of this similarity until our photos revealed it.
 
IV.  ENEMY RESISTANCE
A.     Fighters: No enemy aircraft were observed or encountered.  
B.     Flak: The Group experienced only one flak burst over the target.  It was low and black and of unknown type.  Flak was observed at two other places: at Stari-Becej, 45.30N-20.03E, slight, inaccurate and heavy.  At 46.46N-18.38E southwest of Czeze, slight, accurate and heavy.      
 
V.  OBSERVATIONS
            At 0920 hours from 18,000 feet, long white trenches, 4000-5000 feet in length were observed at 46.40N-17.30E.  One of our crews with experience with 8th Air Force believed these trenches to be rocket launching platforms similar to those in the Pas-de-Calais area.
            At 0945 hours from 20,000 feet, a small number of aircraft of unknown type were observed on airdrome at Sombor 45.45N-19.07E.  At 1008 hours over the target (AlibunarL/G) from 19,000 feet, 38-45 aircraft observed in dispersal areas.  At 1010 hours form 20,000 feet at Petrovgrad 45.23N-20.21E, 28 twin-engine aircraft, 5-10 single engine and several four engine silver aircraft with Davis type wing and twin tails, believed to be B-24's observed on airdrome.  At 1012 hours from 21,000 feet, 220 three engine aircraft and 20 aircraft of unknown type on airdrome at Neazina 45.20N-20.46E.  At 1025 hours from 19,000 feet 50 aircraft on ramps and 6-7 aircraft on airdromes combined, observed at the two airdromes at Belgrade.
            At 0848 hours from 18,000 feet 200 cars in marshalling yard at Novska.  At 0903 hours from 20,000 feet the Dorpedac marshalling yard was observed, loaded with traffic and very active.  At 0952 hours from 21,000 feet 150-200 cars were observed in the Suotica marshalling yard 46.06N-19.42E.  At 0950 hours from 19,000 feet, 30 barges on Danube River at Varva 46.10N-18.58E.  At 1027 hours from 21,000 feet 200-300 cars in marshalling yard at Amederevo 44.04N-20.56E.
            Slight jamming on VHF occurred near Lake Balaton.  Believed to have been from a distant station.
 
VI. CASUALTIES
None from any source.
 
VII  FLIGHT LEADERS:
            Davis              Bozzo             Jeff                  Carlson