| APO-520 | US ARMY |
| S-2 NARRATIVE REPORT | |
| MISSION DATE: DECEMBER 26, 1944 | |||||||||
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MISSION NBR. 201 TARGET: Adige/Ora, Italy - Railroad Bridge I. CHRONOLOGY Twenty-eight B-24 type aircraft took off at 0745-0812 hours to bomb the Adige River railroad bridge at Ora, Italy. None returned early. Twenty dropped 46 tons of 1000 lb RDX bombs on the primary target at 1133-1137 hours from 23,000 - 25,000 feet. Seven aircraft returned 17.5 tons to base due to C.I. (Automatic pilot) failure. One aircraft jettisoned total load of 2.5 tons on railroad track to maintain attitude and formation when two engines developed trouble and loss of power. Partial loads were jettisoned by two aircraft due to rack malfunction and two aircraft to maintain position in formation. Twenty-eight aircraft returned to base at 1452-1508 hours. None lost. None missing. None at friendly fields. II. ROUTE AND ASSAULT Rendezvoused with the 449th Bomb Group at Manduria on course to San Vito then on briefed course to the Initial Point, Predazzo, from which the target was attacked visually by three boxes on axis varying from 240 to 300 degrees True. The X-2 box experienced failure of the C.I. automatic pilot and did not bomb. Rally was sharp left and the return to base was on the briefed route. At 1130 hours, 20-30 P-38's rendezvoused with the formation at 26,000 feet and provided cover during penetration and withdrawal, departing at 1215 hours at Key Point at 24,000 feet. Weather at the target was CAVU, visibility unlimited. Enroute, weather varied from 4/10 cover to clear. III. RESULTS Bomb strike assessment photos show the bombs of Box 1 (Y-1) headed in the direction of target, however, the sharp left rally prevented photography of the bursts. Box 2 (Y-2) put down a good concentration of bursts on the target resulting in a few near misses on the bridge. Box 3 (X-1) made a 360 degree turn for a second run and placed several direct hits on the bridge and on the approaches. IV. ENEMY RESISTANCE A. Fighters: None B. Flak: At the target, moderate - inaccurate - heavy flak was experienced of undetermined variety, holing one aircraft (minor). Moderate, inaccurate, light flak was experienced at the Key Point. Flak was observed at Venice and Bolzano, Vittori, and Treviso. V. OBSERVATIONS None VI. CONCLUSION
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