Diary pages from this date

Death of prison officer George Bertram Foster from typhus at the age of 48.

OBJECTIVE: Bomb military targets in Canton

RESULTS: Eleven aircraft bomb the primary target, military facilities near Chungshan University.  Six aircraft are unable to locate the primary target.  Four of these planes bomb White Cloud airbase, and two bomb Tien Ho airbase.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~9:00 to 10:55 p.m. depending on the squadron

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Seventeen B-24J from 373^rd, 374^th, 375^th, and 425^th Bomb Squadron (308^th Heavy Bomb Group)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW:

• B-24J #422: 1^st Lt. R.P. Aldridge; 2^nd Lt. S.E. Whitman; 2^nd Lt. L.M. Jacobson; 2^nd Lt. M. Shapiro; Staff Sgt. A.S. Boreson; Staff Sgt. R.L. Shane; Sgt. B.A. Pentasia [spelling?]; Sgt. J. Macarelli

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: 90 x 100-pound incendiary bombs; 400 x 100-pound bombs; 48 x 250-pound bombs

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None

AIRCRAFT LOSSES: B-24J #422 crashes near Kunming for unspecified causes, but all crewmembers safely bail out.

SOURCES: Original mission reports and other documents in the Air Force Historical Research Agency archives at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama.

Information compiled by Steven K. Bailey, author of Bold Venture: The American Bombing of Japanese-Occupied Hong Kong, 1942-1945 (Potomac Books/University of Nebraska Press, 2019).

G. B. Foster died (typhus)

Death – G.B. Foster (48), Prin. Officer,Prison Dept. (typhus)

Ballet music (Drown, Heasman, Talbot)

B.O.

Hot, windy & cloudy.

Foster died 11am.

Canteen gear arrived at last.

Russians advance in Finnland & Poland. Advance made by us in Italy. German CinC. relieved in Normandy (due to ill health?) More raids on Bonin & Guam. US raided Canton last night 9pm. Japs holding brass barter in town which proves how poorly they are off in Japan for that and other metals too no doubt. 

Attended Foster’s funeral. With Steve after.

Getting squally pm.

Surprise roll-call 11pm.

US Officers from Saipan described fighting as extremely bloody & inferred that Japs put up strong and brave resistance. 10,000 US casualties.