23 Marauders airborne from PESCARA to attack an Enemy strongpoint about three miles west of PESARO. Combining with other units six formations well covered the target area with 500 and 250 lbs fragmentation bombs and thousands of 20 lbs frag. bombs. Only the last formation encountered slight inaccurate heavy A.A. Last aircraft down by 14.50 hours.
Sortie Report No. 814.
12 Marauders airborne from PESCARA in three boxes of four at 10.00, 10.40 and 11.20 hrs. respectively to attack an irregular area of strongpoints about 14 miles West of PESARO.
Due to similarity in features and bad visibility the pattern of the first formation fell about 2500 yards East of the briefed target. However, photographic results show that bombs of one aircraft straddled what appears to be a concentration of gun-positions. The pattern of the second box crossed the southern portion of the briefed target, with all bombs in the target area. Third box had a left error of about 1000 yards. Moderate, accurate heavy AA. encountered in target area, four aircraft being holed.
Sortie Report No. 815.
12 Marauders in three boxes of four aircraft each airborne from PESCARa between 16.08 and 16.20 hrs. to attack CESENA Marshalling Yards. The whole formation bombed at about 17.30 hours, boxes bombing individually on leaders. Both undershot with patterns (1 & 3) which commenced in open country North of the target and finished box about 100 yards short of the Marshalling Yards. Second box did not bomb due to the leader experiencing trouble with bomb doors, but one aircraft released five bombs with unobserved results, Moderate, accurate, heavy A.A. during run-up with eight aircraft holed. All aircraft down by 18.32 hours.
Sortie Report No. 816.
Squadron Routine Order No. 79/44.
The following aircrews reported for duty to-day : Sgts. HOWDEN and EVANS. F/Sgt. JONES, W.Os. LIVINGSTON & WILSON (WT/AGs). W.Os. FLETCHER & VENTER, F/Sgt. KRUGER (A.G.s.).