I. CHRONOLOGY
Three B-24’s took of at at 0885 hours to attack MOOSBIERBAUM Oil Refinery. The 3 ship element was composed of 3 PFF aircraft. Two dropped on the target 3 tons of 500 lb GP bombs at 1235 hours from 25,000 to 25,400 feet. One dropped 1.5 tons of 500 lb GP bombs on a target of opportunity at BRUCK M/Y at 1242 hours from 24,500 feet. Three returned to base at 1548 hours.
II. ROUTE AND ASSAULT
Departed SAN VITO on course at 4,200 feet at 0930 hours as the third element in the Wing line. Proceeded to 4140 N � 1545 E to ZIRJE (4339 N � 1540 E) to CANAK (4444 N � 1530 E). The formation broke up approximately at 4520 N � 1510 E at 1030 hours because of cloud layers and the a/c continued singly to the target. Proceeded to RIBNICA (4545 N � 1443 E) to turnpoint at JUDENBURG (4710 N 1440 E) to I.P. to target, attacking on a heading of 45° true. One a/c failed to pick up the target clearly on the PFF set and did a 360 and dropped their bombs on the second bomb run. The third a/c having experienced a PFF malfunction had not attempted to attack the primary target but attacked a target of opportunity at BRUCK M/Y by DR navigation. Rallied right off the primary target and proceeded to 4705 N � 1550 E to HODOSAN (4625 N � 1640 E) to 4357 N � 1635 E to 4048 N � 1700 E to base.
There was less than 1/10 low cloud to the Yugoslav Coast on the route out. From the Yugoslav Coast northward, the remainder of the route showed 8-10/10 middle clouds at 17,000 feet with tops at 18,000 feet. Also from the Alps northward, there was 8/10 high clouds above the flight level. Icing was encountered in penetrating the middle level clouds. At the target there was 10/10 middle level clouds up to 18,000 feet and 8/10 high clouds above the bombing altitude with visibility over 20 miles. There was no change in the route weather on the route back except that an overcast of high clouds extended throughout the route and over Southern Italy. No low clouds over Southern Italy on the base on return.
No escort was provided or sighted.
No radio jamming was reported.
III. RESULTS
Because of the solid undercast, results were unobserved at either target. At the primary target, however, the PFF operators believe they had excellent results with long bomb runs possible and with slight corrections for rate only being necessary as the course was killed in both attacking aircraft.
IV. ENEMY RESISTANCE
A. Fighters: None.
B. Flak � Flak at the primary target was S � I � H for 2 minutes duration. The flak was well below the altitude of both a/c and was very patchy or sporadic. No flak was reported at BRUCK
V. CONCLUSIONS
None lost, none damaged, no casualties, no victories.
