MISSION SUMMARIES
NOVEMBER 1944
2 November 44
Mission # 3
Date: 2 November 1944
Code Name: Truk
Target: Submarine pens, Dublon Island, Truk Atoll
Participating Unit: 73rd BW
Number of A/C Airborne: 20
% A/C Bombing Primary: 85% ( 17 )
Time Over Primary: 021034K - 021135K
Altitude of Attack: 25,900 - 27,300
Weather Over Target: 7/10 - 8/10
Total A/C Lost: 0
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Resume of Mission: Shakedown mission. Bombing results
poor. Three aircraft non-effective. No enemy opposition. Mis-
sion planned to afford practice in using radar bombing proce-
dure. AA heavy. meager to inaccurate. Assemblies made
according to plan. Average bomb load: 5,000 lbs. Average
bomb load: 5,000 lbs. Average gas reserve 2053 gallons.
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5 November 44
Mission # 4
Date: 5 November 1944
Code Name: Iwo Jima
Target: Two airfields at Iwo Jima
Participating Unit: 73rd BW
Number A/C Airborne: 36
% A/C Bombing Primary: 67% ( 24 )
Time Over Primary: 051623K - 051639K
Altitude of Attack: 26,750 - 27,500
Weather Over Target: 9/10 - 10/10
Total A/C Lost: 0
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Resume of Mission: Shakedown mission. Mission planned to
give training in daylight visual bombing and test of night landing
facilities at base. Two aircraft non-effective. Ten aircraft reaching
target were ineffective due to malfunction of bomb bay doors on
lead aircraft. Bombs dropped at various intervals beyond target.
No enemy air opposition. AA heavy, meager to inaccurate.
Bombing results poor. Average bomb load: 10,000 pounds. Ave-
rage gas reserve: 1,409 gallons.
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8 November 44
Mission Summary
Mission # 5
Date: 8 November 1944
Code Name: Iwo Jima
Target: Airfields at Iwo Jima
Participating Unit: 73rd BW
Number A/C Airborne: 17
% A/C Bombing Primary: 35% ( 6 )
Time Over Primary: 081232K - 081234K
Altitude of Attack: 27,650 - 29,000
Weather Over Target: 4/10 - 5/10
Total A/C Lost: 1
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Resume of Mission: Shakedown mission. Bombing results---
no photos. Crews reported excellent. Formation of eight aircraft
missed target entirely when lead aircraft over ran IP. Eleven A/C
non-effective. One aircraft ditched at 19 degrees north 141 degrees
east. Enemy air opposition slight, eight enemy aircraft made at-
tacks. Six phosphorus bombs dropped on formations. AA heavy,
moderate too inaccurate. Average bomb load: 10,000 lbs. Average
gas reserve: 1,167 gallons.
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11 November 44
Mission Summary
Mission # 6
Date: 11 November 1944
Code Name: Truk
Target: Submarine Base, Dublon Island
Secondary - Dublon Island Shipping
Participating Unit: 73rd BW
Number A/C Airborne: 9
% A/C Bombing Primary: 89% ( 8 )
Time Over Primary: 111335 - 111357
Altitude of Attack: 25,000 - 25,000
Weather Over Target: 2/10 - 3/10
Total A/C Lost: 0
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Resume of Mission: Shakedown mission. Bombing results
fair. One aircraft non-effective. Enemy air opposition slight
by five unaggressive attacks. One enemy aircraft damaged.
Average bomb load: 10,000 pounds. Average gas reserve:
2,212 gallons. AA meager to inaccurate.
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24 November 44
Mission Summary
Mission # 7
Date: 24 November 1944
Code Name: San Antonio # 1
Target: Musashino A/C Plant Tokyo ( 357 ),
Secondary - Urban and Dock Area Tokyo
Participating Unit: 73rd BW
Number A/C Airborne: 111
% A/C Bombing Primary: 22% ( 24 )
Time Over Primary: 241312K - 241532K
Altitude of Attack: 27,000 - 32,000
Weather Over Target: 2/10 - 9/10
Total A/C Lost: 2
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Resume of Mission: Fifty-nine aircraft attacked urban and
dock area of Tokyo and five aircraft attacked Matsuzaki village,
target of opportunity. Bombing results poor---16,058 square
feet destroyed or damaged. Ground speeds estimated at 445
mph over target---16 bursts in target area. Twenty-three air-
craft non-effective. One aircraft ditched all crew rescued. One
aircraft believed lost in collision with enemy aircraft. Enemy
air opposition meager, moderate to intense---184 attacks.
Enemy aircraft destroyed seven, probably destroyed 18 and
damaged 9. AA heavy, meager to moderate, inaccurate to
accurate. Average bomb load: 10,000 lbs. Average gas re-
serve: 1,048 gallons.
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27 November 44
Mission # 8
Date: 27 November 1944
Code Name: Sand Antonio # 2
Target: Primary---Musashino Plant, Nakajima A/C Factory
Tokyo (357)
Secondary---Urban and Dock Area Tokyo
Participating Unit: 73rd BW
Number A/C Airborne: 81
% A/C Bombing Primary: 0 Primary, 49 Secondary
Time Over Primary: Secondary---271347K - 271525K
Opportunity---271420K - 271423K
Altitude of Attack: Secondary---27,700 - 34,000
Opportunity---32,000
Weather Over Target: 10/10
Total A/C Lost: 1
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Resume of Mission: Bombing results unobserved. Primary
completely obscured. Forty-nine aircraft bombed secondary
target by radar. Seven aircraft bombed Hamamatsu. While
this mission was being flown nine to eleven enemy fighters
attacked Isley Field. All but one destroyed by AA and fighters.
Three B-29s destroyed, two extensively damaged, undeterm-
ined number damaged. Nineteen aircraft non-effective. One
aircraft ditched on return to base, 12 crew members missing.
Enemy air opposition and flak nil. Average bomb load: 10,000
lbs. Average gas reserve: 1,093 gallons.
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29 November 44
Mission Summary
Mission # 9
Date: 29 November 1944
Code Name: Brooklyn # 1
Target: Primary---Industrial Area Tokyo
Secondary---None
Last Resort---Any Industrial City
Participating Unit: 73rd BW
Number A/C Airborne: 29
% A/C Bombing Primary: 79% (Primary 23, Last Resort 2)
Time Over Primary: Primary---300050K - 300527K
Last Resort---300108K - 300157K
Altitude of Attack: Primary---25,000 - 33,200
Last Resort---21,000 - 33,200
Weather Over Target: Primary - 10/10
Last Resort - 10/10
Total A/C Lost: 1
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Resume of Mission: Bombed by radar results unknown. Last
resort targets Yokohama and Numozu. Four aircraft were non-
effective. One aircraft missing to unknown reasons. AA heavy,
meager to inaccurate. Enemy air opposition slight---five attacks.
Average bomb load: 7,000 lbs. Average gas reserve: 1,238 gal-
lons.
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