MISSION SUMMARY

Mission Number 251

      

1. Date:  6/7 July 1945

2. Target:  Chiba Urban Area

3. Participating Unit:  58th Bombardment Wing

4. Number A/C Airborne:  129

5. % A/C Bombing Primary:  95.48%  (124 primary & 1 opportunity)

6. Type of Bombs and Fuzes:  AN-M47A2, 100# incendiary bomb instantaneous nose: and #46, 500# incendiary clusters, with tail set to open 5000 feet above Target: T4E4, 500# fragmentation cluster with nose set to open 1000 feet below A/C.

7. Tons of Bombs Dropped:  889.5 tons on primary, & 6.3 tons on opportunity.

8. Time Over Primary:  070239K  - 070405K

9. Altitude of Attack:  9900  - 11,500 feet

10. Weather Over Target:  10/10

11. Total A/C Lost:  0

12. Resume of Mission:  Interrogation of crews indicated scattered fires were started in the Target area, with smoke rising to 25,000 feet.  Photo reconnaissance revealed that 43.4% (.86 sq. mi.) of Chiba’s urban area had been destroyed or damaged.  5 A/C bombed visually, and the remainder by radar.  4 A/C were non-effective.  Flak encountered was heavy, medium and light, nil to meager, and inaccurate.  18 E/A sighted made 1 attack.  14 B-29’s landed at Iwo Jima.  Average Bomb Load:  14,974 lbs.  Average Fuel Reserve:  842 gallons. 

 

 

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