OBJECTIVE: Take reconnaissance photographs of Kowloon
TIME OVER TARGET: ~9:15 a.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One F-4 or F-5 (photo-recon version of the P-38)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Unknown
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None
RESULTS: Recon photos of Kowloon show no evidence of damage from the B-24 raid the previous evening (Nov. 15). Numerous ships are at the HK & Whampoa dockyard.
JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None
AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None
OBJECTIVE: Sea sweep over South China Sea
TIME OVER TARGET: Twelve noon
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Two B-25s from the 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW:
OBJECTIVE: Bomb Tai Koo dockyard and HK & Whampoa dockyard
TIME OVER TARGET: ~2:00 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT:
OBJECTIVE: Bomb the Kowloon shipyards (most likely the HK & Whampoa dockyard)
TIME OVER TARGET: ~12:30 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Eight P-40s from the 74th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group) escort seven B-25s from the 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group) and an unknown number of B-25s from the 1st Bomb Group of the Chinese American Composite Wing.
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW:
OBJECTIVE: Bomb Tien Ho airfield at Canton
TIME OVER TARGET: ~2:08 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT:
OBJECTIVE: Drop anti-ship mines into Victoria Harbor
RESULTS: B-24s successfully drop mines into shipping channels of Victoria Harbor. Reconnaissance mission flown three days later photographs a 325-foot ship sinking in the channel where the mines are laid.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~7:30 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Two B-24s from the 373rd Bomb Squadron (308th Heavy Bomb Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Unknown
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: Seven anti-ship mines of unknown type
JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None
OBJECTIVE: Fly reconnaissance mission over Hong Kong
RESULTS: Reconnaissance photographs are taken that show a 325-foot ship sinking in the channel where B-24s laid mines in Victoria Harbor on January 11.
TIME OVER TARGET: Unknown, but during daylight
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Unknown, but likely a single F-4 or F-5 from the 21st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Unknown
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None
JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: Unknown
AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None
OBJECTIVE: Air strike against Kai Tak airfield
RESULTS: B-25s bomb buildings on the east edge of Kai Tak; American and Chinese fighter pilots dogfight with defending Japanese fighter pilots
TIME OVER TARGET: ~2:45 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT:
OBJECTIVE: Air strike against Kai Tak airfield
RESULTS: Twelve B-25s bomb Kai Tak. Four P-40s are shot down in a dogfight with defending Japanese fighters.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~1:37 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT:
OBJECTIVE: Attack southbound convoy that has just departed Hong Kong
RESULTS: B-25s search without success for convoy reported to be offshore between San Chau and Hong Kong. The pilots fly within five miles of Hong Kong, which they can see is not blacked out.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~6:00-7:00 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One B-25H and two B-25Ds of the 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW:
OBJECTIVE: Bomb HK & Whampoa dockyard
RESULTS: B-24s attempt to bomb dockyard at night with the aid of flares, but only six aircraft find the target. Bombs are widely scattered and cause little damage, with some apparently falling on Hong Kong Island. The Hongkong News later claims a hospital is hit, killing several Chinese patients. The 308th judges that the use of flares for night bombing over Hong Kong is a failure and the group does not repeat this experiment.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~10:20 p.m.
OBJECTIVE: Bomb Tien Ho airfield at Canton
RESULTS: Aircraft fail to find target due to cloud cover and return to base without dropping any bombs
TIME OVER TARGET: ~8:15 to 8:45 a.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT:
OBJECTIVE: Reconnaissance flight to determine weather conditions over Canton
RESULTS: Pilot reports light overcast at 7,000 feet and very heavy ground haze and fog.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~6:30 a.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One P-40 from the 74th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Thomas P. Bennett
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None
JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None
AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None
OBJECTIVE: Fighter sweep over Canton airfields
RESULTS: P-51 fighter pilots strafe ground vehicles, buildings, and parked aircraft at Tien Ho, White Cloud, and University airfields.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~3:00-3:10 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Eight P-51s from the 76th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Captain Butler; Lt. Melgard; 2nd Lt. Jerome F. Eisenman; Lt. Moore; Lt. Short; Lt. Carpenter; Lt. Christensen; Lt. Bedient
OBJECTIVE: Harass the Canton airfields with a series of one-plane night raids staggered over a four-hour period
RESULTS: Due to poor weather conditions only three of eight B-25s reach the target and release their bombs; two B-25s run out of fuel and crash.
TIME OVER TARGET: From 8:25 p.m. on April 6 to 12:37 a.m. on April 7
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Eight B-25s from the 11th Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Unknown
OBJECTIVE: Sea sweep over San Chau Island and surrounding coastline
RESULTS: Junks and barges are strafed and rocketed to the west of San Chau
TIME OVER TARGET: Midday
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Nine P-40s from the 74th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Col. David L. “Tex” Hill; Major Barry Melloan; 2nd Lt. Chester Denny; Lt. [Kenneth?] Latourelle; Captain Lee; Lt. Thomas P. Bennett; Lt. Gordon F. Bennett; Lt. Richard D. Mullineaux; Lt. Koasy [Kossy?]
OBJECTIVE: Sea sweep over South China Sea
RESULTS: Two vessels are attacked at sea by the B-24DR “Sweepy Time Gal,” but no hits are scored. “Sweepy Time Gal” strays off course on the return flight and flies into Victoria Harbor at low altitude, where it is shot down by Japanese fighter pilots.
TIME OVER TARGET: Precise times are unclear, but “Sweepy Time Gal” was apparently shot down during the early afternoon.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Two B-24s from 373rd Bomb Squadron (308th Heavy Bomb Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW:
OBJECTIVE: Fighter sweep and reconnaissance mission over Canton
RESULTS: No contact with enemy aircraft and poor visibility prevents observation of the Canton airfields
TIME OVER TARGET: ~Noon
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Eight P-40s from the 74th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Colonel Brightweiser; Major Barry Melloan; Lt. Thomas Aston; Lt. Duffy; 1st Lt. Kenneth Latourelle; Lt. Thomas P. Bennett; Lt. Robert Gibeault; Lt. Balyard
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None
OBJECTIVE: Block Pearl River channels with anti-ship mines
RESULTS: B-24s drop anti-ship mines into the Pearl River
TIME OVER TARGET: 9:40 to 10:50 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Four B-24Js from the 374th, 375th, and 425th Bomb Squadrons (308th Heavy Bomb Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Unknown
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: Three of the four B-24s drop twelve Mark 13 anti-ship mines into the Pearl River
JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None
AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None
OBJECTIVE: Reconnaissance flight over Canton airfields
RESULTS: Due to poor weather, pilots are only able to observe the satellite field for White Cloud airbase, where they note the runway is in good repair but no enemy aircraft are visible.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~2:30 p.m.
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Two P-51s from the 76th Fighter Squadron (23rd Fighter Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Croughan; Lt. Wilson
ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None
JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None
AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None