I. CHRONOLOGY
28 B-24’s took off at 0751 – 0804 hours to bomb Innsbruck Main M/Y South Choke Point. One returned early. There were no prior returns. 26 were over the target, of which 25 dropped 47.75 tons of 500 lb RDX bombs fused .1 and .01 at 1153 – 1155 hours from 23,500 to 25,500 feet. Of the 26 over target, 1 jettisoned 2 tons and 1 jettisoned 1/4 ton. the bombs are unaccounted for of 1 a/c missing. 26 returned at 1527 hours. None lost. 1 missing. None at friendly fields.

There were 25 effective and 1 non-effective sorties.

II. ROUTE AND ASSAULT
Rendezvoused as the second group in the Wing over Manduria at 0849 hours at 9,000 feet, thence to San Vito to KP 4532N-1244E at 1048 hours at 22,000 feet to TP Neukirchen (4715N – 1218E) to IP Strass (4724N – 1150E) where a 360 degree turn was made to the north to avoid the 450th Group who were on a collision course. The target was attacked visually on an axis of 245 degrees true, with a rally right taking the formation around the IP Strass (4724N-1150E) to TP Neukirchen to KP 4532N-1244E to base.

Weather enroute was low broken clouds up to 8,000 feet over the Adriatic decreasing to nil over North Italy and the Alps. Haze throughout the route lowered visibility to about 15 miles. Over the target there were no clouds whatsoever. Visisbility restricted to about 20 miles in slight haze. Wind at altitude form 120 degrees at 44 mph. On return, no change in conditions and no trouble encountered on let-down or landing. Snow cover reported in ancona area, along north Yugoslave coast, over Fiume Peninsula, over north Italy, and at Innsbruck.

There was no fighter escort assigned to this group.

III. RESULTS
Photo coverage confirmed the visual report of a good concentration in the target area. The first three boxes hit the south end of the M/Y in the vicinity of the aiming point while the last box hit the north end of the M/Y with a good pattern. The bombardier chose this point because of smoke coverage at the briefed aimin point. three large fires were seen in the yards with much smoke of both black and green.

IV. ENEMY RESISTANCE

A. Fighters: No enemy aircraft were encountered.

B. Flak: M/I-A-H was experienced by this group for from 2-4 minutes at the target.

[Losses: None. (Note: 1130 hours at 24,500 feet, 4720N-1210E, Ship #26 was last seen as it left the formation after feathering #2 engine to return to base — this ship never made it back to base and was subsequently declared as lost with all hands aboard). Damage: 13 (1 severe, 11 minor, 1 engine out). Casualties: From flak 2.]

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