| APO-520 | US ARMY |
| S-2 NARRATIVE REPORT | |
| MISSION DATE: JANUARY 14, 1944 |
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MISSION NBR. 5 TARGET: Mostar, Yugoslavia - Town I. CHRONOLOGY Thirty-five B-24's dropped 90.5 tons of 500 lb. Demo. bombs in the target area at 1040 - 1052 hours from 20,000 - 21,000 feet. Disposition of bombs in missing aircraft unknown. Eight other aircraft jettisoned bombs in the Adriatic Sea due to early returns or inability to bomb at target. II. ROUTE AND ASSAULT There were five early returns to home base. Of these early returns, one aircraft dropped 12 X 500 in area of Porto Largo, Island of Lagosta. Four other early returns jettisoned in the Adriatic Sea enroute back to home base. All early returns due to mechanical failure. The Group was escorted by P-38's from the 82nd Fighter Group. III. RESULTS Seventeen of our planes claimed to have hit target with all bombs. Seven aircraft went wide and claimed hits on Mostar Airdrome. Three other ships reported hits on road and bridge approximately one mile NW of target. IV. ENEMY RESISTANCE A. Fighters: Three encounters reported with ME-109's. All contacts near target area and back to the Adriatic Coast. One of our aircraft attacked by seven ME-109's. Second bomber reports passed by four or five ME-109's from high rear. Exact location of attack not stated. Third bomber reports three ME-109's or FW-190's at 1050 hours, just beyond target at 20,000 feet, coming out of sun at 11 o'clock high. On one pass, one enemy aircraft trailed smoke after breakoff. No damage resulting from fighter attacks per reports. B. Flak: Reported in target area and over Mostar Airdrome. Heavy type, moderate to intense, accurate over target area and airdrome. Twenty of our aircraft hit by flak. One plane reported failure of engine from same cause. V. OBSERVATIONS Several of our aircraft reported one ME-109 shot down in flames by a P-38 SW of target at 1100 hours. Nine of our aircraft reporting seeing a B-24 explode over target at 1100 hours. Various reports indicate from one to four parachutes seen. VI. CASUALTIES One bomber lost to flak. Twenty aircraft received flak damage. Two crew members wounded by flak. |
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VII. FLIGHT LEADERS |
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| Snaith | Kaecker | Orris | Lehman |