Everything tagged: air raids

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

RESULTS: Due to cloud cover, B-25 #405 fails to find the target and does not release its bombs.  B-25 #403 bombs Tien Ho and White Cloud airbases, but damage is unknown.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~7:55 to 10:20 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Two B-25s from 11^th Bomb Squadron (341^st Medium Bomb Group)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW:

OBJECTIVE: Single-aircraft night raid to harass Canton airfields and prevent JAAF from flying night bombing missions

RESULTS: Bombs are dropped on Tien Ho, Tien Ho satellite, and White Cloud fields, but damage is unknown.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~7:40-8:40 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One B-25J from 11^th Bomb Squadron (341^st Medium Bomb Group)

OBJECTIVE: Single-aircraft night raid to harass Canton airfields and prevent JAAF from flying night bombing missions

RESULTS: Bombs are dropped on Tien Ho, White Cloud, and White Cloud satellite fields, but damage is unknown.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~7:53 to 9:15 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One B-25J from 11^th Bomb Squadron (341^st Medium Bomb Group)

OBJECTIVE: Test a new high-altitude dive-bombing procedure

RESULTS: Pilots tip over at 25,000 feet and release bombs at 18,000 feet over White Cloud airbase.  They claim bomb hits on runways and taxiways.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~3:20 p.m.

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

OBJECTIVE: Fighter sweep over Canton airfields

RESULTS: Pilots spot Japanese bombers over White Cloud airbase, but are unable to close within firing range

TIME OVER TARGET: ~8:30 a.m.

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

OBJECTIVE: Reconnaissance flight over Canton airfields

RESULTS: No aircraft are observed on the ground at Tien Ho and White Cloud airbases

TIME OVER TARGET: ~5:25 p.m.

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

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Major Charles E. Griffith; Lt. Reeves

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: Eight Ki-44 that likely belong to the 85^th Sentai attempt to intercept the P-51s without success.

AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None

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

RESULTS: B-24s drop anti-ship mines into Victoria Harbor (East Lamma Channel, Rambler Channel, and near Green Island) and into the Pearl River.

TIME OVER TARGET: 10:25 to 11:55 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Nine B-24s from the 373^rd, 374^th, 375^th, and 425th Bomb Squadrons (308^th Heavy Bomb Group)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW:

OBJECTIVE: Bomb military targets in Canton

RESULTS: Eleven aircraft bomb the primary target, military facilities near Chungshan University.  Six aircraft are unable to locate the primary target.  Four of these planes bomb White Cloud airbase, and two bomb Tien Ho airbase.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~9:00 to 10:55 p.m. depending on the squadron

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Seventeen B-24J from 373^rd, 374^th, 375^th, and 425^th Bomb Squadron (308^th Heavy Bomb Group)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW:

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

RESULTS: B-25s bomb Tien Ho and White Cloud airbases.  Damaged is unknown, but bombs ignite a large fire in godowns near Tien Ho.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~9:24 to 11:00 p.m.

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

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Major Main; Lt. Biswell; Lt Ley; Lt. Strom

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

RESULTS: Three B-25s bomb Tien Ho airfield.  One B-25 bombs Canton itself after an accidental bomb release.  One B-25 bombs an unidentified town east of Canton when the crew cannot locate Tien Ho airbase.  Damage to targets is unknown, but incendiary bombs start fires in godowns near Tien Ho airbase.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~8:44 to 10:55 p.m.