Everything tagged: air raids

OBJECTIVE: Bomb ammunition and supply godowns at Canton

RESULTS: Damage to target is unknown, but eighty percent of bombs are estimated to fall in target area and the bombing ignites numerous fires.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~8:37 to 9:06 p.m.

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

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Unknown

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: 410 x 100-pound bombs; 158 x 100-pound incendiaries; 4,000 propaganda leaflets

OBJECTIVE: Harass Canton airfields and prevent JAAF from flying night bombing missions

RESULTS: At staggered intervals, B-25s bomb White Cloud and Tien Ho airbases.  Damage to target is unknown, but two large and three small fires are ignited by the bombing.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~7:45 to 9:42 p.m.

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

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Col. Clark; Captain Toney; Lt. Anderson; Lt. Cullen; Lt. Hexberg; Lt. Lesher

OBJECTIVE: Harass Canton airfields and prevent JAAF from flying night bombing missions

RESULTS: At staggered intervals, two B-25s bomb White Cloud airbase and three B-25s bomb Tien Ho airbase.  Damage to target is unknown.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~8:34 to 11:39 p.m.

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

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Unknown

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: Sixty 100-pound fragmentation bombs

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None

AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None

OBJECTIVE: Weather reconnaissance over the Canton area

RESULTS: Pilots encounter scattered thunderstorms and are unable to observe Canton airbases

TIME OVER TARGET: ~5:00 p.m.

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

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Rodier; Lt. Florance

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None

AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None

OBJECTIVE: Block Pearl River channels with anti-ship mines

RESULTS: B-24s drop anti-ship mines into the Pearl River

TIME OVER TARGET: Evening

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

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Unknown

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: Twelve anti-ship mines, most likely a mix of Mark 13 and Mark 13-5

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None

AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None

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

RESULTS: Five B-24s drop anti-ship mines into Victoria Harbor (Lei Yue Mun, Sulphur, Rambler, and Kellett channels); a sixth B-24 drops mines into the Pearl River.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~10:10 to 11:42 p.m.

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

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Unknown

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: Twenty Mark 13 and Mark 13-5 anti-ship mines

OBJECTIVE: Reconnaissance flight over Canton airfields

RESULTS: Pilots overfly Tien Ho and White Cloud airbases to take pictures with recon cameras; they also overfly satellite fields and report that the White Cloud satellite field has been ditched to render it unusable.

TIME OVER TARGET: ~3:30 p.m.

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: Two P-40s from the 118^th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (attached to 23^rd Fighter Group)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Major Edward O. McComas; Lt. Penning

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None

OBJECTIVE: Bomb military godowns, arms factory, railroad repair facilities, and Shell Oil facility at Canton

RESULTS: Haze and darkness make accurate bombing difficult.  An estimated sixty percent of bombs fall within target area.  Some errant bombs may have landed on barracks near Tien Ho airbase.

TIME OVER TARGET: 8:17 to 9:15 p.m.

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

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Unknown

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 76^th Fighter Squadron (23^rd Fighter Group)

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Lt. Croughan; Lt. Wilson

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None

AIRCRAFT LOSSES: 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 374^th, 375^th, and 425th Bomb Squadrons (308^th 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