| APO-520 | US ARMY |
| S-2 NARRATIVE REPORT | |
| MISSION DATE: FEBRUARY 14, 1944 |
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MISSION NBR. 25 TARGET: Verona, Italy - Marshalling Yard I. CHRONOLOGY Forty-two B-24's took off at 0845 hours to bomb Verona Marshalling yard. Sixteen returned early. Seventeen dropped 50 tons of 500 lb G.P. bombs from 24,000 - 25,000 feet on a target of opportunity, Mantova Marshalling Yard. Of the sixteen listed as early returns, ten returned 30 tons of bombs, two jettisoned 6 tons of bombs in the Mediterranean Sea due to mechanical malfunctions. Four dropped 3 tons of bombs each on a bridgehead, railroad tracks and factory at Ia-Spezia and railroad tracks near Leghorn. There were 3 late returns all of which jettisoned 9 tons of bombs in the Mediterranean Sea four returned from 1800 to 2100 hours. One missing, none at friendly fields. II. ROUTE AND ASSAULT Rendezvoused with the 376th Bomb Group over Manduria at 0925 hours and with escort at Capri at 1025 hours. From there on the course to the target. Rally was right and a course to Taranto to base. The Group was escorted by P-38's from the 82nd Fighter Group. III. RESULTS Main target was obscured by haze and cloud cover which permitted bomb release but which prevented any accurate observations. Some smoke was seen in the target area and two bursts on tracks in the center of the east marshalling yard. The cloud cover at the target of opportunity, Mantova Marshalling Yard, was less and bursts were seen on the railroad tracks. Some smoke was seen coming from the vicinity of the marshalling yard but it is believed most bombs went wide and that the coverage attained was spotted. Four of the early returns dropped on targets of opportunity. One hit a railroad siding and tracks at Mossa. Bomb strike photo showed nine visible bursts on the siding and adjacent factory building which appeared to be destroyed. Cloud cover obscured any accurate observations of the results obtained by the other three aircraft. IV. ENEMY RESISTANCE A. Fighters: Twenty to twenty-five ME-109's picked up the formation in the immediate area of the main target but did not get closer than 1200 yards as they were immediately engaged by our escort. Results of ensuing encounters between fighters were unobserved. One of our aircraft straggled at this point, was seen to be under attack by enemy aircraft before friendly fighters could interfere but the results of this encounter was obscured by clouds. Several minutes past the main target, two ME-109's were seen at 1400 yards flying abreast but no attack was made. The ME-109's had silver wings and fuselages but further makings could not be seen due to distances. B. Flak: Along the east side of the Verona Marshalling Yard, moderate to intense, accurate flak was encountered. Scattered, sporadic flak of the heavy type, moderate and somewhat inaccurate came from the north of the marshalling yard and from the city of Verona. All bursts were both black and white while those from the east side of the marshalling yard were rectangular in pattern with 2 bursts in line abreast, one high in front and one low by 20 feet in back. This was of the predicted variety and accurate to altitude. There was some light, slight, inaccurate flak from the north edge of the target area but it was at least 2,000 feet low. Heavy, intense inaccurate flak was encountered over the cities of Ferrera and Bologna while burst of heavy, slight, accurate flak were observed coming from the east side of a road at Grizzana. V. OBSERVATIONS Eight trains of an undetermined number of wagons were observed at 1100 hours from 22,000 feet in an area of camouflaged buildings. Many trains were seen at the southeast corner of the city of Bologna. Four Naval vessels believed to be destroyers, were observed shelling the mainland near the beachhead at Anzio at 1105 hours from 20,000 feet. At the same time, landing barges were seen under attack by twin engine enemy fighter bombers and one was afire. VI. CASUALTIES One aircraft did not return - reason not determined, One aircraft received minor damage from flak. |
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VII. FLIGHT LEADERS |
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| Davis | Kingsman | Orris | Clavin |