| Date
— 10 May 1945, Thursday 0145
Mission - Otake Airfield, southern part of Honshu Island
Time — 16:35
— Completed
Take—off 0145 was delayed because of an oil gage
instrument failure, but immediately corrected to enable
us to catch our formation at the assembly area. Our squadron
led the group and in turn led our wing over the target.
We led the second element in formation. The results were
excellent and the smoke trailed well up into the sky.
There were a few puzzling flak bursts at the assembly
area with no damage.
On toward the target the flak was the heaviest we have
yet encountered, but very inaccurate. After bombs away,
we passed over the remainder of the Jap fleet in hiding,
who also threw up everything but the ship itself. They
too were inaccurate, probably because they were doing
evasive tactics. One new twin engine pressed one attack
and two Tony’s just hung outside of our formation
- giving our altitude to the forces on the ground and
did not attempt to attack. Number 5 - and still ? to go.
Incidentally, these five missions makes us eligible for
the “Air Medal”. Bombing altitude —
18,000 ft.
Date
— 14 May 1945, Monday 0100
Mission - Honshu Island, North Nagoya
— Incomplete
Take—off scheduled for 0100 but due to a broken
off bolt stud as they were changing a blown out exhaust
stack, we had to have our plane scratched from the formation.
It was an incendiary raid.
Date — 16 May 1945, Wednesday 2000
Mission - Hinshu Island, South Nagoya Time - 14:55
- Completed
Take—off at 2000 for an early morning incendiary
raid on South Nagoya. We hit the target at 0400 singly
from an altitude of 7100 ft. The fighters were very hard
to see unless they opened fire on us. Lt. Shaeffer, substituting
as CFC man noticed an attack from the nose at 1 o’clock
and immediately let go a good burst from both upper turrets
and a ball of flames was seen to hurtle earthward. The
right gunner confirmed it. The search lights looked like
fingers reaching for us, but they were unable to find
us or stay on us once they did find us. The mission was
very successful and very scarring. Number 6 afterall.
One less to go.
Date — 23 May 1945, Wednesday 2000
Mission — Honshu Island, Heart of Tokyo
- Incomplete
Take—off at 2000 for an early morning incendiary
raid on ole Tokio itself. The largest number of B29’s
yet to hit a target were scheduled to go. We flew for
an hour or so when #4 engine began acting up. It swallowed
a valve and the oil pressure immediately began fluttering
and the oil quantity dropped. Number 4 had to be feathered
and bombs salvoed. So back to our base we headed, landed
and the ground crew began changing the engine for a new
one. We will eventually get our missions in.
Date — 25 May 1945, Friday 1715
Mission - Honshu, Heart of Tokyo Time - 15:45
- Completed
Take—off at 1715 on an incendiary raid — early
morning — on the government, hotel and industrial
buildings of Tokyo. Our aiming point being just 4000 ft.
from the Emperor’s palace grounds. We passed right
by Mt. Fujiyama and got a very clear look at its snowcapped
peak which was slightly higher than our bombing altitude,
it being 12,865 ft. high and we bombed at 9500 ft. Half
way to the target from the initial bomb point, we were
picked up by search lights and fairly accurate flak began
bursting all around us. Our co—pilot counted at
least sixty-five beams before he stopped counting. Just
on our left wing there were twelve to fifteen beams on
us. Until bombs away, we would not pull any evasive action.
After bombs away, our Major had the plane jitter-bugging.
We also encountered many parachute fire balls and suicide
fire balls, two of which pressed attacks on us. The bombadier
shot one down as we evaded the other. The glow of the
fire was visible for 175 miles at sea. It was an excellent
raid although very rugged. Number 7 for us. Still the
beginning only.
Late reports state that the Emperor’s grounds were
hit. The Embassy of U.S. and a few others were burned.
Also a 70 mile wind made the fire uncontrollable.
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