I. CHRONOLOGY
26 B-24’s took off at 0840 to 0855 hours to bomb Sarajevo West M/Y. No early returns. 26 a/c went over the target at 1132 hours; and of these, 25 a/c dropped 43.5 tons of 500 lb RDX bombs with .1 and mixed .01 and .025 fuses and 12.5 tons of 500 lb RDX bombs with 6 to 72 hour delay fuses, from 19,800 to 23,000 feet, and 1 a/c jettisoned 2 tons of 500 RDX bombs with .1 and mixed .1 and .025 fuses and .5 tons with 6 to 72 hour delay fuses at 4228N-1815E. 25 a/c returned to base at 1255 hours. None lost. None missing. 1 at friendly field.
25 effective and 1 non-effective sorties were credited.
II. ROUTE AND ASSAULT
Rendezvoused with 98th and 450th Groups over San Vito on course at 15,000 feet at 1015 hours. Proceeded somewhat right of course and made several dog-legs to avoid overrunning other two groups ahead, arriving at turnpoint Cavtat (4235N-1813E) at 20,000 feet at 1059 hours. Thence to IP, (4346N-1846E), to target, attacking on heading of 283 degrees, with visual bombing by boxes. Rallied left off target to turnpoint Cavtat, and thence to base.
Weather: Were few low and high clouds over the Adriatic Sea. Broken low clouds were encountered at the yugoslav coast with tops at 7,000 feet and with stratus and fog in valleys. Visibility lowered to 15 miles in haze and then cirrus. Over the target there was 4/10 cirrus at 26,000 feet and 2/10 low at 7,000 feet, none of which interfered with the bombing.
No escort was provided.
No radio jamming was reported.
III. RESULTS
Visual observation reported the M/Y to be well hit and the buildings near the aiming point badly damaged. Some hits to the left of the target hit the railroad line entering the M/Y at the southwest corner.
Photo coverage showed 23 bursts in or near the south side fo the M/Y, 12 of them hitting tracks or rolling stock. 57 bursts were scattered in an E-W direction from 1,000 to 2,500 feet south of the M/Y. 10 bursts beyond 3,000 feet to the west.
IV. ENEMY RESISTANCE
A. Fighters: None.
B. Flak: Moderate to intense, very accurate heavy flak was encountered for a period of 3 to 6 minutes at the target.
[Losses: None. Damage: From flak — 15 (11 minor). Casualties: From flak– 2 seriously wounded, 2 slightly wounded. Other reasons — 1, seriously, waist gun jumped off mount being test fired and struck gunner.]
