MISSION DATE: September 13, 1944
MISSION NBR. 140
TARGET: Ora, Italy - Railroad Bridge
I. CHRONOLOGY
Twenty-eight
B-24 type aircraft took off at 0745-0807 hours to bomb the Railroad Bridge at
Ora, Italy. Twenty-eight aircraft
dropped 80 tons of 1000 lb G.P. bombs on the target at 1200 hours from 19,500 –
21,000 feet. 3 tons were jettisoned by
3 other aircraft because of rack malfunctions.
Twenty-six aircraft returned to base at 1506 hours. One landed at friendly field and later
returned to base. One missing. None lost.
II. ROUTE AND ASSAULT
The
route to the Initial Point was flown as briefed and the target attacked on an
axis of 095 degrees T.C. Rally was to
the left to the west and south of Trento and a reciprocal course to the home
base. The target was clear with about
4/10 cumulus with visibility 10-15 miles.
No escort.
III. RESULTS
Bombing
was done by four boxes in train. The
first box had a good pattern about 500 feet to the right of the Aiming Point
and slightly long. The second box
showed a good concentration on the target with several direct hits on the
bridge, and the last tow boxes had good patterns dropping into the smoke caused
by the second box.
Bombardier's
Combat Mission Report: Mission went
as briefed. All boxes hit I.P. and had
good runs. Some lead bombardiers and
trouble picking up the target but all were able to find it and drop their bombs
on the first run. First box led by Lt.
Richman of the 720th Sqdn. hit approximately 500 feet right and
slightly over. Bombardier was not
completely synchronized. Second box led
by Lt. Andrews of the 722nd Sqdn. laid an excellent pattern directly
on the bridge. Third box led by Lt.
Frank of the 721st Sqdn. laid down his pattern approximately 500
feet left of target and over.
Bombardier had trouble on first part of his run with the A-5 and
switched to P.D.I. during last part of
his run he was unable to see the target because of previous boxes smoke. He dropped his bombs as his indices met
without further synchronization. It is
probably that his course and rate were not completely killed. Fourth box led by Lt. Gonzales of the 723rd
Sqdn. did an excellent job and laid his pattern right on top of the second
boxes bombs.
IV.
ENEMY RESISTANCE
A. Fighters: None were encountered.
B. Flak: None at target.
V.
OBSERVATIONS
At
1240 hours from 18,000 feet, B-24 with one engine feathered and one smoking
badly left formation.
VI. CASUALTIES
One
B-24 missing.
VII FLIGHT LEADERS:
Caywood Richman Andrews Frank Feasel Andrews
Murry Gonzalez