OBJECTIVE: Bomb docks, godowns, and gasoline storage facilities in Canton
TIME OVER TARGET: ~12:45 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Five B-25s from the 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group) and four P-40s from the 23rd Fighter Group. All aircraft are from the China Air Task Force (10th Air Force).
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Major William E. Bayse (B-25s); Major David “Tex” Hill, John Petach (P-40s)
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: American M-30 100-pound bombs and Chinese 17-kg fragmentation bombs
OBJECTIVE: Bomb Tien Ho airfield at Canton
TIME OVER TARGET: ~5:15 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Four B-25C from 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group) and 7 P-40E from the 76th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group). All aircraft are from the China Air Task Force (10th Air Force).
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Major William E. Bayse (B-25s); Major Edward F. Rector
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: Chinese 50-kg incendiary bombs and 17-kg fragmentation bombs, plus Russian 100-kg general-purpose bombs
OBJECTIVE: Bomb Tien Ho airfield at Canton
TIME OVER TARGET: ~6:20 a.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Five B-25C from 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group) escorted by 7 P-40Es from 23rd Fighter Group. All aircraft are from the China Air Task Force.
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Major Dalene E. Bailey (B-25s); Captain Charles Sawyer; 1st Lt. Patrick H. Daniels; 1st Lt. Charles H. Dubois; 1st Lt. Harold K. Stuart (P-40s)
OBJECTIVE: Bomb targets in Kowloon and draw Japanese fighter pilots into a dogfight on terms favorable to American fighter pilots. This is the first American air strike on Hong Kong during the Second World War.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~1:30 p.m.
OBJECTIVE: Tien Ho airfield at Canton is the primary target, but when ground fog obscures the airbase, the bombers hit gasoline storage facilities and godowns instead.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~4:15 a.m.
AMERICAN SQUADRONS AND AIRCRAFT: Three B-25s from 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group, China Air Task Force)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW:
OBJECTIVE: Reconnaissance over Canton and Hong Kong
TIME OVER TARGET: ~9:00 a.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One P-43A Lancer on loan to the 23rd Fighter Group (China Air Task Force) from the Chinese Air Force
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Major Bruce K. Holloway
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None
RESULTS: Pilot reports no apparent damage from strikes on October 25 and 26, 1942, and this assessment is confirmed by aerial photographs of Kowloon taken during the mission.
JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None
AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None
OBJECTIVE: Bomb the North Point power station
TIME OVER TARGET: ~Midnight (American military documents, BAAG reports, and eyewitness accounts disagree on the time of the raid, which is said to occur somewhere between 23:00 on Oct. 25 and 01:30 on Oct. 26.)
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: 500-pound bombs and 17-kg fragmentation bombs
RESULTS: No damage to power station, despite American claims to the contrary. Some civilian casualties in residential areas near the plant.
OBJECTIVE: Dive-bomb shipping in Victoria Harbor
TIME OVER TARGET: ~11:00 a.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Seventeen P-40Es from 16th and 75th Fighter Squadrons (23rd Fighter Group, China Air Task Force, 10th Air Force)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW:
OBJECTIVE: Secret interception mission in vicinity of Hong Kong and Canton
TIME OVER TARGET: ~11:20 a.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Three P-40E1 from 16th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group, China Air Task Force, 10th Air Force)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: 1st Lt. Dallas A. Clinger; 2nd Lt. Walter E. Lacy
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None
RESULTS: Anticipated enemy aircraft did not appear
JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None
AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None
OBJECTIVE: Reconnaissance flight over Canton, San Chau, and Hong Kong
TIME OVER TARGET: ~9:00 a.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Two P-40E1s from 16th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group, China Air Task Force, 10th Air Force)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: 1st Lt. Robert E. Smith; 2nd Lt. Melvin B. Kimball
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None
OBJECTIVE: Reconnaissance flight over Canton, San Chau, and Hong Kong
TIME OVER TARGET: ~10:15 a.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Two P-40E1s from 16th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group, China Air Task Force, 10th Air Force)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: 1st Lt. Jack R. Best and 1st Lt. Donald D. Bryant
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None
RESULTS: Canton and San Chau obscured by cloud cover. Hong Kong almost entirely obscured.
JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None observed
TIME OVER TARGET: ~3:30 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Two P-40E1s from 16th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group, China Air Task Force, 10th Air Force)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: 1st Lt. Robert A. O’Neill and 2nd Lt. George V. Pyles
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None
RESULTS: Canton obscured by cloud cover. Pilots observe one destroyer and four medium-sized ships in Victoria Harbor.
OBJECTIVE: Reconnaissance flight over San Chau and Hong Kong
TIME OVER TARGET: ~7:15 a.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Two P-40E1s from 16th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group, China Air Task Force, 10th Air Force)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Captain Edmund H. Goss; 1st Lt. Robert H. Mooney
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None
OBJECTIVE: Reconnaissance flight over Canton, San Chau, and Hong Kong
TIME OVER TARGET: ~Noon
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One P-43 Lancer on loan to the 75th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group, China Air Task Force, 10th Air Force) from the Chinese Air Force.
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: 1st Lt. Roger C. Pryor
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None
OBJECTIVE: Bomb airfield at San Chau Island
TIME OVER TARGET: ~8:15 a.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Ten P-40E and P-40K from 75th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group) and six B-25s from 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group). All aircraft are from the China Air Task Force (10th Air Force).
OBJECTIVE: Bomb Tien Ho airfield in Canton
TIME OVER TARGET: ~2:30 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Seventeen P-40E and P-40K from 16th, 75th, and 76th Fighter Squadrons (23rd Fighter Group) and six B-25s from 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group). All aircraft are from the China Air Task Force (10th Air Force).
OBJECTIVE: Bomb river shipping (B-25s) and an aircraft assembly factory (P-40s) at Canton
TIME OVER TARGET: ~Noon
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Seventeen P-40s from the 16th and 76th Fighter Squadrons (23rd Fighter Group) and six B-25s from 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group). All aircraft are from the China Air Task Force (10th Air Force).
OBJECTIVE: Reconnaissance flight over Canton and Hong Kong
TIME OVER TARGET: ~10:30 a.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Two P-40E1 from 16th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group, China Air Task Force, 10th Air Force)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: 1st Lt. John D. Lombard; 1st Lt. Robert H. Mooney
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None
OBJECTIVE: Feint towards Hong Kong to throw off the Japanese and then bomb river shipping and Tien Ho airfield at Canton.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~10:15 a.m.
OBJECTIVE: Reconnaissance flight over Canton and Hong Kong
TIME OVER TARGET: ~10:30 a.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One F-4 (photographic reconnaissance version of P-38 Lightning) from Flight A of the 9th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron (attached to China Air Task Force, 10th Air Force)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Major Dale L. Swartz
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None
RESULTS: Unknown
JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None
AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None