HEADQUARTERS
450TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H) AAF
APO-520 US ARMY
S-2 NARRATIVE REPORT
MISSION DATE: NOVEMBER 20, 1944


MISSION NBR. 181

TARGET: Doboj, Yugoslavia - Railroad Bridge

I. CHRONOLOGY
Twenty-eight B-24 type aircraft took off at 0900-0920 hours to bomb the railroad bridge at Doboj, Yugoslavia. None returned early. Twenty-eight dropped 80 tons of 1000 lb RDX bombs on the target at 1152 hours from 18,000 - 19,500 feet. Three jettisoned partial loads due to rack malfunctions. No bombs were returned to base. Twenty-eight returned to base at 1400 hours. None lost. None missing. None at friendly fields.

II. ROUTE AND ASSAULT
Rendezvoused with the 98th Bomb Group at San Vito on course, thence on the briefed course to the I.P., Puracic, from which a bomb run was made on axis of 304 degrees True. Bombs were dropped visually from an altitude of 18,000 - 19,500 feet. Rally was left and the return to home base was over the briefed course. No escort was provided. enroute 2/10-3/10 scattered cumulus was encountered at 8,000 - 10,000 feet. Weather at the target was CAVU, visibility 15-20 miles and 3/10 cirrus with base at 22,000 feet.

III. RESULTS
Bomb strike photos show the bombs of X-1 box beginning 1000 feet short of the target and developing toward the aiming point, the last bursts being on the approach to the bridge near the river. Photos of subsequent boxes over showed the railroad approach embarkment cut in two places approximately 200 feet and 400 feet southeast of the bridge. The pattern of the Y-1 box began on the southeast approach and developed onto the bridge. Damage was obscured by smoke. Y-2 box placed a pattern approximately 600 feet north of the bridge which extended across the river from the south bank to the north bank.

IV. ENEMY RESISTANCE
A. Fighters: At 1245 hours from 9000 feet, two ME-210's at 5000 feet flew parallel to formation, on port side and out of range for 10 minutes. Enemy aircraft did not attack formation.
B. Flak: (None

V. OBSERVATIONS
At 1243 hours at 42.50N - 18.26E from 9000 feet, a silver B-24 on ground, (not on runway or landing strip) looked as though it had crashed; nose section demolished. The area is rugged and no roads are in the vicinity.

VI. CASUALTIES
None

VII. FLIGHT LEADERS:

PILOT
Regg
Andrews
BOMBARDIER
Butner
Frank
NAVIGATOR
Lazotte
Ages
PILOT
Taylor
Venclik
BOMBARDIER
Feinberg
Kemp
NAVIGATOR
Rudman
Beach