| APO-520 | US ARMY |
| S-2 NARRATIVE REPORT | |
| MISSION DATE: MAY 27, 1944 | ||||||||||||
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MISSION NBR. 75 TARGET: Marseille, France - St. Charles Marshalling Yard I. CHRONOLOGY Thirty-nine B-24's took off at 0600-0627 hours to bomb the St. Charles Marshalling Yard at Marseille, France. Three returned early. Thirty-one dropped 75.5 tons of 500 lb G.P. bomb on target at 1050 hours from 20,000 - 21,500 feet. One jettisoned 2 tons of bombs in the Mediterranean approximately ten minutes past target time as bomb bay doors were inoperative and could not be opened before. Five at friendly fields. None missing. Thirty-one returned at 1415 hours. II. ROUTE AND ASSAULT II. ROUTE AND ASSAULT Rendezvoused with the 449th Bomb Group over Manduria at 4000 feet at 0651 hours and with other Wing Groups at San Vito D' Normanni. Proceeded on course to turn point and thence to the French Coast but approximately 24 miles east of designated course so a correction was made to the west paralleling the coast line and penetration was made at St. Aygulf. Course then was direct to I.P. (Jaques) and axis of attack started on 210 degrees but our Group was forced aside by another group (identity unknown) and target actually attacked on an axis of 190 degrees. Left rally was made and the route to base was as briefed. Our escort was first seen at 1030 hours near landfall and consisted of 25-30 P-51's who stayed with the formation over the target and out over the Mediterranean, departing at about 1100 hours. III. RESULTS When our Group arrived over the target, it was seen that our aiming point was smoke covered and the first attack unit dropped into the smoke but results were so obscured that no burst were observed. The second attack unit was confronted with the same situation and their bombs fell in the smoke covered target area. Some bursts could be seen across the ST. Charles Station and among nearby warehouses. A stick of bombs can be seen bursting across aiming point, and several bursts in the city. The bombing of this Group can be considered effective after evaluating all observations of crew members as to the approximate positions where they fell. IV. ENEMY RESISTANCE A. Fighters: None observed or encountered. B. Flak: Flak was first encountered at Cannes where it was moderate, inaccurate, heavy, apparently coming from six guns as the formation proceeded along the coast. It was again encountered at Frejus where it was moderate, accurate, heavy and at the point of penetration, St. Aygulf, it was again moderate accurate, heavy and is believed to have been shot from two 4-gun batteries. Another formation over Gassin appeared to be experiencing moderate, accurate as to altitude, heavy flak - this city being to the left of our course. Over target, it was moderate, accurate, heavy. Nine of our aircraft suffered minor damage. V. OBSERVATIONS As our formation rallied left over the coast, smoke pots could be observed along the entire harbor front of Marseille, throwing a heavy cloud of grey-white smoke which seemed to be effectively covering the entire city. Inasmuch as these pots had been just started at that time, we believed that the enemy was taken by surprise and had not expected the attack. Toulon was also effectively screened by smoke from pots located along the water front and to the east and west sections of the city. At 1025 hours from an altitude of 19,000 feet, six large merchant vessels and 2 smaller merchant vessels were seen in the harbor of Cannes. At 1026 hours from an altitude of 20,000 feet, a number of small craft thought to be submarines were sighted in the harbor at Frejust. At 1050 hours from 21,000 feet, twelve large merchant vessels were seen in the harbor and at docks at Marseille. VI. CASUALTIES Nine of our aircraft received minor flak damage.
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