Mission Number: 58
Date: 13 May ’44
Target: Piacenza, Italy M/Y
449th A/C Over Target: 37
Tons of Bombs Dropped: 91.5 GP
Flak: H-S-I
Enemy A/C Destroyed: 0
449th A/C Lost: 0
Results: Excellent
Forty-one B-24’s took off at 0945 – 1012 hours to bomb Piacenza M/Y. Three (3) returned early for the following reasons: One A/C had malfunctions of bomb mechanism causing release of bombs through bomb bay doors, one aircraft had a runaway prop on #4 engine and one A/C had #4 engine out. Thirty-seven (37) A/C dropped 912 tons of 500-lb GP mixed fusing of .1 and .01 and .1 and .025, at 1451 hours from 18,200 to 20,000 feet. The three early returns jettisoned 72 tons, one ton jettisoned by various aircraft, and the bombs of one aircraft are unaccounted for. Thirty-six (36) aircraft returned at 1815 hours. One aircraft returned at 2124 hours after landing at Naples on return for gas. One aircraft is missing.
Rendy with 450th at Manduria at 5,000 feet at 1056 hours, rendy with Wing at San Vito at 1102 hours. Continued on course to Bisaccia (1401N – 1522E), to Isernia (4135N – 1415E) at 12,000 feet, to Venafro (4129N – 1403E) to Marzano (4119N – 1402E) to Mondragone (4107N – 1354E) to Point Ventotene (4048N – 1326E) at 1234 hours to Pianosa (4235N – 1007E) to Caphaia (4303N – 0950E) to Chievari (4419N – 0920E) to IP (Bobbio: 4447N – 0923E), made right turn to target attacking on an axis of 38° True. The rally was right, thence to 4502N – 1002E to 4448N – 1223E, to Chiavari (4419N – 0920E) to Caphaia to Pianosa to Ventotene to Capri to base.
Rendy with fighters at 1400 hours at Caphaia, thence with fighters into, over and away from target, fighters departing at approximately 1500 hours. Escort consisted of 41 P-51’s.
Target covered. Aiming point obliterated. Bomb strike photos show over 50 hits in M/Y, 11 hits on passenger car shops and stations, 50 bursts in residential and business section up to 1,000 feet west and southwest of aiming pint, 10 bursts in transformer station area, with 3 of these on railroad tracks. 10 bursts 3,500 feet south of aiming point cutting a single track railroad, and 45 bursts in area of engineering works, with at least six bursts on works proper. Smoke on target from bomb bursts prevents accurate plotting of many further strikes.
[No enemy fighters or flak. Total losses listed as none. No damage, casualties or victories.]
