| APO-520 | US ARMY |
| S-2 NARRATIVE REPORT | |
| MISSION DATE: JANUARY 30, 1944 |
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MISSION NBR. 19 TARGET: Udine, Italy - Airdrome I. CHRONOLOGY Thirty-six B-24's took off at 0825 hours to bomb the Udine Landing Ground at Campo Formida. Four returned early. Thirty-two dropped 38.10 tons of fragmentation bombs on target at 1221 hours from 22,000 - 24,000 feet. One brought back .12 tons and one jettisoned .12 tons in the Adriatic Sea, both due to malfunctions of bomb release mechanism. O f the four early returns, two brought back their complete bomb load and two jettisoned in the Adriatic Sea. Thirty-one returned to base at 1400 hours. One landed at friendly airdrome (Foggia) with pilot seriously wounded and aircraft holed by flak II. ROUTE AND ASSAULT Rendezvoused with the 449th Bomb Group at 0927 hours at 4,000 feet at Lake Varano. The course was continued to I.P. where right turn was made onto target. Rally was right and flight continued on reciprocal course to Lake Varano to base. The Group was escorted by P-38's from the 82nd Fighter Group. III. RESULTS The target was well covered with hits observed on administration building, barracks, hangars and runways. Observations showed the installations to be smoking and aflame with several aircraft destroyed on the ground. IV. ENEMY RESISTANCE A. Fighters: The attack occurred at 22,500 feet after the formation had rallied right from the target and commenced at 1222 hours and lasted until 1235 hours. Between 10 to 12 enemy aircraft consisting of ME-109's, FW-190's and Italian aircraft with Italian Markings believed to be MA-202's, jumped the lead element of the Group. The enemy aircraft were first sighted coming from the Southeast and all approaches were made from this direction either singly or in pairs from 1 to 3 o'clock high, broke off at not less than 600 yards and dived under the element. None of these attacks were aggressive and apparently were not coordinated. None of our aircraft were holed. During this period the escort was busy with an undetermined number of enemy aircraft and it is believed were successful in discouraging a larger number of attacks. Our claims are as follows: Destroyed 1 ME-109, Probable 1 Italian Aircraft. B. Flak: The only flak to be experienced was over the target and it was heavy, of moderate intensity and accurate. One of our aircraft was damaged. Four additional aircraft where holed. V. OBSERVATIONS None. VI. CASUALTIES Five aircraft were damaged by flak, 1 sever, 4 slight. Four crew members were wounded, 1 seriously and 3 slight. |
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VII. FLIGHT LEADERS |
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| Snaith | Leebody | Orris | Lehman |