I. CHRONOLOGY
28 B-24’s took off at 0813 hours to attack the Vienna/Sauerwerke. There was one early return and one prior return, both of which jettisoned their bombs. 18 dropped on target 35.25 tons of 500 lb RDX bombs with .1 nose and .01 tail fusing at 1227 hours from 25,000 to 25,500 feet. 3 of these aircraft jettisoned .75 tons. B-2 box became separated from the formation because of weather and attacked target of opportunity, dropping 12 tons on Strasz M/Y (4644N-1538E) at 1236 hours from 25,500 feet. 2 other a/c attacked targets of opportunity dropping 2 tons each on Koszeg M/Y (4721N-1631E) at 1245 from 22,600 feet and on Hlebine M/Y (4609N01658E) at 1350 hours from 17,000 feet. 21 returned to base at 1601 hours. One lost, none missing, four at friendly fields. There were 26 effective sorties.
II. ROUTE AND ASSAULT
Rendezvoused with 98th Group at San Vito on course at 10,000 feet at 0925 hours behind the 450th and 376th Groups. Proceeded to Vrgada (4351N-1531E) to Bosan Petrovac (4434N-1622E) to Durdevac (4603N-1703E) to Galambok (4632N-1708E) to Weiz (4713N-1537E) to Turnitz (4756N-1530E) to I. P. to target, attacking on a heading of 112 degrees true. Bombing was done by P.F.F. methods and in sections. Rallied left, using evasive action by variying altitude and course, around Bratislava and proceeded to Csorna (4737N-1715E) to Galambok (4632N-1708E) and then to reciprocal of course out to base.
The weather showed only a slight amount of clouds north to the Dinaric Alps with no trouble experienced in rendezvous or climb. From Dinaric Alps northward over Yugoslavia, there was 10/10 cirrus cloud at 23,000 feet with 7/10 low cloud. From I.P. to target, formation was flying in and out of low deck of clouds amounting to 8/10 andobscuring the target except during occasional small breaks. On return heavy cloudiness continued southward until the center of the Adriatic was reached. There was no difficulty in the let-down and there were broken low clouds at 2,200 feet over the home base.
Rendezvoused with approximately 40 P-38’s at 4715N-1705E at 1159 hours at 23,000 feet. Departure of escort was unobserved due to weather.
No radio jamming was reported.
III. RESULTS
Visual observations was impossible due to 8/10 cloud cover. Photos of the primary target are cloud obscured and no bomb strikes can be seen. 25 to 30 bursts are visible 5-3/4 miles SE of the primary target. No photo coverage is available of the strikes of B-2 box that bombed a target of opportunity at Strase M/Y.
IV. ENEMY RESISTANCE
A. Fighters. Three ME-109’s were sighted by a prior return at 4516N-1704E at 1145 hours at 22,000 feet. One ME-109 made one pass at our a/c from 8 o’clock low, closing to about 300 yards before peeling off in a dive to the rear and circling around to 3 o’clock before disappearing into the clouds. The other two e/astayed out of range and did not close. The attacking e/a had black wings with a silver fuselage.
B. Flak. Flak at the target was I-A-H and of 3 to f minutes duration, both aimed and barrage type.
[Losses: One, from Flak. Damage from flak: 16(10 minor, 6 serious). Casualties: 2 wounded, seriously. Victories: 1 ME-109 damaged.]
