| Date
— 1 August 1945, Wednesday 1830
Mission — Honshu Island, Mito (transportation ctr.)
Time — 14:35
— Completed
Take—off at 1830 for a night incendiary raid on
the city of Mito, 7Omi. north of Tokyo. This target was
added to the publicized bombing list and the people were
warned to flee. Our plane and crew were pathfinders, dropping
our bombs from an altitude of 12,000 ft. The target was
covered by lower hanging stratus clouds and we had to
bomb by radar. The sky all around us was fairly clear
and no fighters were seen. There were no search lights
able to penetrate the cloud coverage but a good amount
of flak was thrown up from the airfield on the east end
of the city. It was right with us but low and too far
to the right. Bill estimated at least 20 bursts. We were
able to see the explosions on the target of Homamatsu,
a few miles southeast of Tokyo. An oil installation was
hit by GP’s. All went fine and dandy number 23 with
just an even dozen to go.
Date — 5 August 1945, Sunday 1904
Mission — Honshu Island, Kobe (aircraft factories)
Time — 15:10
— Completed
Take—off at 1904 for a night incendiary raid on
the suburbs of Kobe. We had, once before, hit Kobe during
a daylight fire raid. This raid is to finish it up. This
raid was again a warning raid. The third straight. Our
plane was not a pathfinder this time and when we dropped
our bombs from an altitude of 12,600 ft., the fires were
well started and the smoke was around 15 to 16,000 ft.
high. We had to go through the heat thermal, but it was
not too rough. As we approached the target, we could see
the search lights hunting the sky for our planes and the
flak was fairly moderate. About 3min before bombs away
we were flying alongside of the flak batteries and search
lights but they were both a trifle low and off to our
left. We left the target and as we were heading for land’s
end, two enemy fighters came from 11 o’clock high
going towards 5 o’clock. They were 1,000 ft. above
us and they did not see us. Their lights were on, ours
were out. The night was fairly clear and easy to see our
own 29’s when they got too close for comfort. Number
24. Oh happy day. 11 more to go now.
Date — 10 August 1945, Friday 0245
Mission - Honshu Island, Tokyo Time — 14:35
— Completed
Take-off at 0245 for a 2,000 ft. general purpose bombing
raid on an aircraft factory in Tokyo during the daytime
and in formation. Our plane was to lead the group but
a malfunction with our auto—pilot caused us to surrender
our lead to another plane. We flew over the target at
an altitude of 21,000 ft. and we dropped our bombs at
1050 on a secondary target, a few miles further of our
primary target. It was 7/10’s cloud coverage. The
bombs fell well on our secondary target which was bombed
visually. The target was radar supposedly. P—51’s
escorted us on to the target and back from it so enemy
fighters were seen. The flak was a different story. It
was intense flak and very accurate as far as damaged planes
go. Not one plane escaped any flak holes. Our plane had
5 holes, one in each wing, one underneath our fuselage
damaging our bombing camera, one also hitting our radar
dome and the other from the side of the nose by our navigator.
His flak curtains stopped it. Tokyo flak is still rough
but we did not lose any planes and the mission was a success.
Number 25 for us.
When we returned from the mission, 5 hours later, the
peace feeler of Japan was broadcasted. I pray we pulled
the last mission of the war.
Date — 14 August 1945, Tuesday 1849
Mission — Honshu Island, Isesaki Time — 14:45
— Completed
Take—off at 1849 for an incendiary raid on the city
of Isesaki, 55mi. north of Tokyo. This raid was in coordination
with an all out effort by all wings to help the Japs make
up there minds to surrendering all stood by on our way
up for an order to salvo our bomb load and return to base.
No news came until we were ½ hour from our base
on our return from the target. No enemy opposition was
encountered by our plane, although some saw ack—ack.
We went over as a pathfinder once again. Our formal airplane
commander, now Squadron C.O. flew this last mission with
us. This mission was the one we all were looking forward
to making. The last one and our 26th. Gee! It’s
all over except for the enforcing of peace once and for
all.
Oh happy day ! Thanks be to God.
Date — 29 August 1945, 0205
Mission — Honshu Island, Osake Area Time —
15:30
- Completed
Take—off at 0205 on a reconnaissance flight over
the area of Osaki at an altitude of 1,000 ft. or less.
We were to verify Prisoner of War camps and try to locate
more if any. Of 3 camps, only one we could actually verify
and we did locate two more. Supplies will get to them
the following day. We flew around the area, mostly burned
out, for 2½ hours. All went very well and peaceful.
This is counted as our 27th mission.
Total combat flying time is 429:45.
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