OBJECTIVE: Bomb Tien Ho airfield at Canton
TIME OVER TARGET: ~2:37 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Six B-25 medium bombers from the 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group) and ten P-40s from the 74th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW:
OBJECTIVE: Reconnaissance of Canton area
TIME OVER TARGET: ~Noon
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Two P-40 fighters from the 74th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Captain Arthur W. Cruikshank; Lt. Jarmon
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None
RESULTS: Pilots report there are no aircraft visible at the Canton airfields and that there is very little river traffic.
JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None
AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None
OBJECTIVE: Bomb shipping and dockyards in Hong Kong
TIME OVER TARGET: ~2:45 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Eighteen B-24s from all four squadrons of the 308th Heavy Bomb Group. Fighter escorts include twelve P-40s from the 74th Fighter Squadron and three P-38s from the newly arrived 449th Fighter Squadron. Both fighter squadrons are part of the 23rd Fighter Group.
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW:
OBJECTIVE: Bomb HK & Whampoa dockyard
TIME OVER TARGET: ~7:15 a.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Six B-25s from the 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group) escorted by nine P-40K and P-40Ms from the 74th FS (23rd Fighter Group). All aircraft belong to the 14th Air Force.
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW:
OBJECTIVE: Bomb a Japanese freighter reported to be at anchor near Stonecutters Island
TIME OVER TARGET: ~3:15 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Six B-25s from the 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group) and ten P-40s from the 74th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group). Possibly pilots and aircraft from the 16th Fighter Squadron are involved as well. All aircraft are based at Kweilin and belong to the 14th Air Force.
OBJECTIVE: Reconnaissance flight over Canton
TIME OVER TARGET: ~9:30 a.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Two P-40K from 74th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Major Norval C. Bonawitz; Lt. Anderson
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None
RESULTS: Due to clouds and rain, pilots are unable to see the ground in the Canton area
JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None
AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None
OBJECTIVE: Bomb shipping at Whampoa docks in Canton. This is the first raid in a sustained anti-shipping campaign by the 14th Air Force that begins in July 1943.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~1:15 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Seven B-25s from the 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group) and twenty-two P-40s from the 23rd Fighter Group
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: P-40s: Lt. Col. Clinton D. Vincent; Lt. Col. Samuel “Tex” Knowles
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: Forty-two 500-pound demolition bombs (B-25s)
OBJECTIVE: Bomb Tien Ho airfield in Canton. This is the first raid on a target in the Pearl River delta by the China-based 14th Air Force, the successor unit to the China Air Task Force (a unit of the India-based 10th Air Force). This is also the first raid on a Pearl River delta target by the 308th Heavy Bomb Group, and only the unit’s second combat mission.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~1:30 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT:
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
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.
