Pages tagged: air raids

OBJECTIVE: Fly nocturnal sea sweep mission to detect and sink Japanese ships in the South China Sea.

RESULTS: No enemy ships are detected during the sea sweep, so the aircraft commander, Lt. Clendenen, opts to bomb the Royal Navy dockyard.  Bombs fall in vicinity of the dockyard, but damage is unknown.

TIME OVER TARGET: Unknown, but presumably after nightfall

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One B-24

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Clendenen

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: 12 x 500-pound bombs

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None

OBJECTIVE: Fly nocturnal sea sweep mission to detect and sink Japanese ships in the South China Sea.

RESULTS: No enemy ships are detected during the sea sweep.  The aircraft commander, Lt. Wind, opts to bomb the HK & Whampoa dockyard (the designated secondary target) on the return flight.  At least nine bombs fall in vicinity of the dockyard, but damage is unknown.

TIME OVER TARGET: Unknown, but likely around 1:00 a.m. on August 26

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One B-24 from the 375^th Bomb Squadron (308^th Heavy Bomb Group)

OBJECTIVE: Block channels in Victoria Harbor with anti-ship mines

RESULTS: Six B-24s drop their mines, but only four release their mines accurately, and at least two mines are destroyed upon impact with the water when their parachutes malfunction.  Two B-24s fail to locate the target and return their mines to base.  The mission is judged less than 50 percent effective by the U.S. Navy.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~8:24 p.m. on August 29 to 12:41 a.m. on August 30

OBJECTIVE: Staggered single-aircraft night raids to harass Canton airfields and prevent JAAF from flying night bombing missions

RESULTS: Six B-25s bomb aircraft revetments at White Cloud and Tien Ho airbases, but damage is unknown. 

TIME OVER TARGET: ~8:10 to 10:25 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Six B-25s from 491^st Bomb Squadron (341^st Medium Bomb Group)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Sussdorf

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: 72 x 100-pound fragmentation bomb clusters

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None

OBJECTIVE: Fly a series of staggered single-aircraft night raids to harass airbases at Canton and Hong Kong, which will prevent JAAF pilots from flying night bombing missions

RESULTS: Three B-25s bomb Tien Ho airbase, four B-25s bomb White Cloud airbase, one B-25 bombs Kai Tak airfield, and one B-25 bombs godowns on Pearl River south of Canton.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~8:14 to 10:25 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Nine B-25s from 491^st Bomb Squadron (341^st Medium Bomb Group)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Captain Blaha

OBJECTIVE: Fly a series of staggered single-aircraft night raids to harass airbases at Canton and Hong Kong, which will prevent JAAF pilots from flying night bombing missions. 

OBJECTIVE: Block channels in Victoria Harbor with anti-ship mines and deny the use of the harbor to the Japanese.

RESULTS: Three B-24s drop anti-ship mines into the approaches to Victoria Harbor.  American intelligence now believes the port is completely blocked by mines dropped during this mission and the mission flown on August 29.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~8:38 to 9:41 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Three B-24s from the 373^rd Bomb Squadron (308^th Heavy Bomb Group)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Unknown

OBJECTIVE: Night raid to bomb targets in Canton/Hong Kong area

RESULTS: One B-25 bombs Kowloon targets, including Kai Tak airfield.  A second B-25 bombs the town of Samshui in Canton area.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~9:30 to 11:25 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Three B-25s from the 491^st Bomb Squadron (341^st Medium Bomb Group)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW:

OBJECTIVE: Staggered single-aircraft night raids to bomb targets in Canton area

RESULTS: Ten B-25s bomb town of Samshui.  Damage is unknown, but the bombing ignites two large fires.  One B-25 drops bombs on Canton in vicinity of Wongsha railroad station.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~10:05 p.m. on September 06 to 1:25 a.m. on September 07

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Eleven B-25s from the 491^st Bomb Squadron (341^st Medium Bomb Group)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Sussdorf

OBJECTIVE: Fly nocturnal sea sweep mission to detect and sink Japanese ships in the South China Sea.

RESULTS: A small patrol boat is attacked near Hong Kong, but all four bombs miss.  The aircraft commander opts to drop his remaining bombs on the oil tanks at Lai Chi Kok during the return flight.  However, the bombs apparently fall to the north of Lai Chi Kok.  According to the BAAG, they strike a reservoir and temporarily disrupt water supplies in Kowloon.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~2:05 a.m. on September 8

OBJECTIVE: Staggered single-aircraft night raids to bomb targets in Canton area

RESULTS: Three B-25s bomb the Chungshan University area, causing fires and secondary explosions.  Three B-25s bombs Tien Ho airbase and nearby godowns, and one B-25 bombs White Cloud airbase.  Five B-25s hit godowns and other facilities in Canton area, igniting a number of fires.

TIME OVER TARGET: 10:50 p.m. on September 07 to 2:20 a.m. on September 08

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Eleven B-25s from the 491^st Bomb Squadron (341^st Medium Bomb Group)

OBJECTIVE: Staggered single-aircraft night raids to bomb targets in Canton area

RESULTS: Two B-25s drop incendiary bombs on the Chungshan University area, causing fires and secondary explosions.  One B-25 bombs Tien Ho airbase and two more bomb nearby godowns.  One B-25 bombs White Cloud airbase.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~11:33 p.m. on September 08 to 12:58 a.m. on September 09

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Six B-25s from the 491^st Bomb Squadron (341^st Medium Bomb Group)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Captain Hunt

OBJECTIVE: Dive-bomb targets in town of Samshui near Canton and run fighter sweep over White Cloud airbase

RESULTS: The American pilots encounter a formation of Japanese fighters, which forces the American pilots to abort the mission and engage in an extended dogfight.

TIME OVER TARGET: Morning

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Eleven P-51s from the 76^th Fighter Squadron (23^rd Fighter Group)

OBJECTIVE: Dive-bomb targets in town of Samshui near Canton and run fighter sweep over White Cloud airbase.

RESULTS: The P-40s and P-51s hit Samshui with high-explosive and incendiary bombs, causing numerous fires.  After completing their bomb run, the P-51 pilots are ambushed by Japanese fighter pilots and a short dogfight ensues.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~4:00 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Ten P-51s and four P-40s from the 76^th Fighter Squadron (23^rd Fighter Group)

OBJECTIVE: Fly a fighter sweep over the Canton airbases and try to ambush the Japanese fighter pilots who have been patrolling the airspace over Samshui.

RESULTS: No Japanese aircraft are encountered and the fighter sweep is uneventful.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~9:15 a.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Eight P-51s from the 76^th Fighter Squadron (23^rd Fighter Group)

OBJECTIVE: Block approaches to Victoria Harbor and Pearl River with anti-ship mines and deny the use of the harbor and river to the Japanese.

RESULTS: Two B-24s drop anti-ship mines into the approaches to Victoria Harbor and the Pearl River, while a third B-24 is unable to find the target zone and returns its mines to base.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Three B-24s from the 308^th Heavy Bomb Group

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Unknown

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: 9 x anti-ship mines

OBJECTIVE: Block approaches to Victoria Harbor and Pearl River with anti-ship mines and deny the use of the harbor and river to the Japanese.

RESULTS: Four B-24s drop anti-ship mines into the approaches to Victoria Harbor and the Pearl River.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Four B-24s from the 308^th Heavy Bomb Group

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Unknown

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: 22 x anti-ship mines

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None

AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None

OBJECTIVE: Fly a series of staggered single-aircraft night raids to harass airbases at Canton and prevent JAAF pilots from flying night bombing missions against American airbases in China.

RESULTS: Two B-25s bomb Tien Ho airbase and one B-25 bombs White Cloud airbase.  Damage is unknown, but the bombing ignites a large fire at White Cloud airbase.  A fourth B-25 is unable to locate its target and returns to base with its bombs still in the bomb bay.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~7:13 to 17:38 p.m.

OBJECTIVE: Fly a series of staggered single-aircraft night raids to harass airbases at Canton and prevent JAAF pilots from flying night bombing missions against American airbases in China.

RESULTS: Captain Perdew is unable to locate White Cloud airbase due to cloud cover, but drops propaganda leaflets over Canton.  He then bombs the town of Wuchow, his designated alternate target.  Lt. Sloat is assigned to hit White Cloud airbase, but he blows a landing-gear tire and is unable to take off for the mission.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~7:00 p.m.

OBJECTIVE: Fly a series of staggered single-aircraft night raids to harass airbases at Canton and prevent JAAF pilots from flying night bombing missions against American airbases in China.

RESULTS: One B-25 bombs Tien Ho airbase and one B-25 bombs White Cloud airbase.  Damage is unknown.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~7:00 to 7:55 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Two B-25s from the 491^st Bomb Squadron (341^st Medium Bomb Group)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Shields; Lt. Patterson