Mission Number: 62
Date: 19 May ’44
Target: La Spezia, Italy Oil Storage
449th A/C Over Target: 37
Tons of Bombs Dropped: 92.5 GP
Flak: H-S-I
Enemy A/C Destroyed: 0
449th A/C Lost: 0
Results: Fair
Thirty-nine B-24’s took off at 0530 – 0622 to bomb Spezia Oil Storage and RR installations. Two returned early. Thirty-seven dropped 92-1/4 tons of 500-lb GP bombs, .1 and .01 and .1 and .025 mixed fusing, on target at 1007 hours from 19,300 to 21,500 feet. One A/C jettisoned 2-1/2 tons because #2 engine out causing early return. One A/C returning early returned 2-1/2 tons to base. Thirty-six returned to base at 1328 hours. None lost. One at a friendly field.
Rendezvoused with 450th at Manduria at 3,000′ at 0638 hours, with 376th and 98th at San Pan at 0644 hours. Thence to Isernia (4136N – 1414E), to Venafro (4129N – 1402E), to Mondragone (4107N – 1354E), to Ponza Island (4054N – 1258E), to Monte Cristo (4220N -1019E), to key point Caphaia (4302N – 0949E) at 20,000′ at 0943 hours, to turn point (4350N – 0925E), to IP (4400N – 0930E), turning right into target and attacking on an axis of 74°, rallied sharp left, thence to Levento (4410N – 0937E), reciprocal to Ponza, thence to Capri to base.
Rendezvoused with fighters at 4100N – 1245E at 0830 hours. With fighters into, over and beyond target. Escort consisted of P-51’s and P-38’s.
Assigned target area received fair coverage with some strikes short and over in M/Y. Bomb strike photos confirm. Weather prevented tight formation at target which greatly affected bombing pattern.
[No losses. No damage. No casualties. No victories.]
