Mission Number: 51
Date: 28 Apr ’44
Target: Orbetello, Italy Harbor
449th A/C Over Target: 41
Tons of Bombs Dropped: 97-1/2 GP
Flak: H-IS
Enemy A/C Destroyed: 0
449th A/C Lost: 0
Results: Poor
Forty-one (41) B-24’s took off at 1050 – 1114 hours to bomb communication and harbor facilities at Orbetello. None returned early. Thirty-nine (39) dropped 972 tons of 500-lb GP .1 and .025 bombs on target at 1426 hours from 20,000 to 22,000 feet. Two (2) jettisoned 5 tons because of malfunction of mechanism. Forty-one (41) returned at 1632 hours. None lost. None at friendly fields.
Route and assault: From home base to San Vito, thence on briefed course to IP to target with a rally left after bombs away. After rally left, to 4216N – 1143E, to 4234N – 1205E, to 4234N – 1409E, to base. Fighter rendy was as briefed.
One (1) hit and three (3) effective near misses on west hangar. Approximately 30 hits in residential area. Three (3) probable hits on RR 1,000 feet NE of aiming point. Two probable hits on causeway at west end of target area. No shipping seen in area.
Fighters. Six unidentified A/C seen at 4300N – 1145E at 1414 hours; very low. There were no attacks.
Flak. Over the target this group experienced slight to moderate, inaccurate, heavy flak. Ten (10) A/C were holed, minor damage.
Total losses: None. [Ten damaged (minor) from flak. No casualties and no victories.]
