SPECIAL NARATIVE REPORT No. 216
MISSION: MOOSBIERBAUM Oil Refinery
DATE: 1 March 1945

I. CHRONOLOGY
25 B-24’s in two waves of 12 and 13 A/C respectively took off at 0827 to 0840 hours to bomb MOOSBIERBAUM Oil Refinery. 1 early return jettisoned 2 tons at 4215 N – 1645 E. 1 turned back to base due to engine failure and, probably due to 10/10 undercast, flew into accurate route flak. At last radio contact, the crew was abandoning ship someplace South of Lake BALATON with three engines out, one crewman dead and three injured. 23 dropped 46 tons of 500 lb RDX bombs on target at 1234 and 1239 hours from 24,000 to 26,000 feet.
23 returned to base at 1525 to 1535 hours. 1 lost, none missing, and none at friendly fields.

II. ROUTE AND ASSAULT
Rendezvoused over SAN VITO with the 450th Group at 0908 hours and 0913 hours at 4,000 in two waves with a planned 5 minute spacing. This group was last in the wing formation. The route out and return were flown as briefed with all altitudes and turnpoints reached on time and the attacks made with the briefed 5 minute spacing.
In the BRATISLAVA area a thin layer of broken middle clouds began which increased to 10/10 thin middle clouds up to 16,000 feet in the target area. Haze restricted visibility to about 10 miles.
The haze and undercast are believed to have caused one early return of this group to fly into flak with the resultant loss of the A/C.
20 P-51’s were sighted at 1143 hours at 4730 N – 1700 E at 20,000 feet and 12 P-38’s were sighted at 1139 hours at 4715 N – 1655 E at 20,000 feet. Due to haze and undercest, precise departure was uncertain, however, the last escort were believed to have left at 1314 hours at 4616 N – 1631 E.

III. RESULTS
10/10 clouds prevented observations of results. i hotos show only bombs away over solid clouds. All 1 navigators agree that the runs were perfect with the target easily and positively identified. No set malfunctions occurred.

IV. ENEMY RESISTANCE
A. Fighters: None.
B. Flak –M – A – H at the target lasting from 3 to 5 minutes.

V. CONCLUSIONS
One lost (44-41218) , 3 damaged by flak (minor), no casualties, no victories.

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