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 491st Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW:
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 373rd Bomb Squadron (308th Heavy Bomb Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Unknown
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: 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 491st Bomb Squadron (341st Medium Bomb Group)
AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Captain Blaha
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 491st Bomb Squadron (341st 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: 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: 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 375th Bomb Squadron (308th Heavy Bomb Group)
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: Aircraft commander aborts sea sweep when radar unit fails. He attempts to bomb the secondary target, the Kowloon docks, but the bombardier fumbles the bomb run. Rain and fully alerted antiaircraft defenses preclude another bomb run. Clouds and rain prevent bomb run on Canton targets as well. Aircraft returns to base with a full bomb load.
TIME OVER TARGET: Unknown, but presumably after nightfall
AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One B-24
OBJECTIVE: Fly nocturnal sea sweep mission to detect and sink Japanese ships in the South China Sea.
RESULTS: Due in part to bad weather, no enemy ships are detected during the sea sweep from Hainan to southern Formosa (Taiwan). The aircraft commander, Lt. Tilton, opts to bomb the Kowloon docks (the designated secondary target) on the return flight. Rain and darkness hamper accuracy of the bomb run, and some bombs are thought to fall in vicinity of the Tai Koo dockyard. Results of the bombing are unknown.
TIME OVER TARGET: ~1:00 a.m. on August 04
