| APO-520 | US ARMY |
| S-2 NARRATIVE REPORT | |
| MISSION DATE: DECEMBER 19, 1944 | |||||||||
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MISSION NBR. 197 TARGET: Rosenseim, Germany - Main Marshalling Yard I. CHRONOLOGY Thirty-six B-24 type aircraft took off at 0732-0759 hours to bomb the Main Marshalling Yard at Rosenheim, Germany. Four aircraft were early returns because of engine failures. All aircraft carried 500 lb RDX bombs. Thirteen aircraft dropped 31.5 tons on target by PFF at 1146 hours from 22,000 - 22,500 feet. Bomb disposition of the other aircraft going to the target is as follows: 7 aircraft returned 16.5 tons to base; 2 aircraft, running low on fuel, jettisoned a total of 1.25 tons in the Adriatic and returned a total of 3.75 tons to base; 7 aircraft, because of gas shortage or engine trouble, jettisoned a total of 17.5 tons. The 4 aircraft returning early jettisoned a total of 10 tons (2.5 tons each). Twenty-nine aircraft returned to base a 1505 hours. None lost. None missing. None at friendly fields. II. ROUTE AND ASSAULT After taking off from base, the Group formed into 2 attack units of 2 boxes each. There was a PFF aircraft in the lead of each unit. The route was flown as briefed to the I.P. The lead overshot the I.P. and approached the target on an axis of 100 degrees T.C. On the bomb run, the PFF equipment on the Group lead aircraft malfunctioned and, due to a 10/10 undercast at 10,000 feet, the first attack unit was unable to drop its bombs. The second attack unit however, made a PFF run to effect a bomb release. The rally was to the right. The formation then went to an alternate target, Villach Marshalling Yard, but undercast and haze made visual bombing impossible there also. A course from Villach was then effected to bring the bombers to base as briefed. 30 P-38 type escort rendezvoused at 1110 hours at 21,000 feet at 47.22N-11.43E. Departed at 1150 hours at 23,000 feet in the Rosenheim area. III. RESULTS Group Lead (X-1) experienced malfunction of PFF equipment on run. This attack unit did not drop. Yoke Attack Unit experienced a normal synchronous PFF run but results are believed to be only fair. The 10/10 undercast made bomb strike photo assessment impossible. IV. ENEMY RESISTANCE A. Fighters: None B. Flak: None at target. Guns on the outskirts of south Munich began firing when the formation turned too far North of I.P. All bursts were to the left of our ships. No aircraft sustained damage. V. OBSERVATIONS None VI. CONCLUSION
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