by
Lt. Col James M. Diley, Jr.
6th Bomb Group RCM Officer 1944-1945
Editor’s Note: The title of this article is changed from the original There We Were to better reflect the subject.
From the start of our training at Grand Island, Nebraska to our shake-down missions from Tinian, all operations were aimed at high altitude, precision bombing. Our B-29’s were designed for the same thing. Starting with the 58th Wing’s first raid on the Japanese homeland from China and continuing with the huge effort from the Marianas Islands, the high-altitude bombing strategy was a failure. Primary targets were not hit with much success. Then came General Curtis LeMay with his B-17 experience. Lead crews were designated. All planes in a formation dropped their bombs when the lead crew’s bombardier dropped his. In spite of the changes bombing accuracy left much to be desired.
Bombing of Japan 1945 © John Potenza
The main cause of inaccurate bombing was the terrible weather encountered over Japan at high altitude. Winds up to 300 miles per hour played havoc with bombing accuracy. Also, the target was often obscured by cloud cover. The bombardier then had to resort to dropping the bombs by radar. The onboard radar set was the APQ-13. It was touted as a navigational aid but a washout as a bombing instrument. Through overcast, the set did not have enough resolution to pick out a target in a built up-area. Near the end of the war, some of the new replacement planes had a new set called the “Eagle”. This could pick up cars on city streets.
THE NEW STRATEGY SHOOK THE HELL OUT OF US
Firebombing of Tokyo
General LeMay came up with the solution for both the weather and the radar problems. The General made entire cities the target and the bombing would be done from low altitude. The 6th Bomb Group briefing for the first low level bombing was memorable. The target was identified as Tokyo and the bombs were to be dropped by single plane sorties. The bomb load would consist of new type incendiaries, and the bombing altitude was set between 5,000 and 10,000 feet. Shock filled the briefing room. Major Spears talked about the “shadow industry” carried out in Japanese homes. There would be a huge element of surprise. Japanese anti-aircraft shells would be fused for high altitude and would be ineffective. Since the climb to altitude would not be necessary, gas loads were reduced, and bomb loads increased.
Colonel Gibson took over the end of the briefing. In a quiet, cool tone he reviewed the main points previously mentioned. He ended his remarks with the statement. “I will be in the lead airplane”.
Even though the new strategy shook the hell out of us when it was initiated, General LeMay’s gamble was a huge success which completely changed the course of the air war. It brought Japan to her knees.
Bio: Lt. Diley was assigned to the headquarters of the 6th Bomb Group on Tinian Island from 1944- 1945. He also flew missions as Radar Countermeasures officer intercepting enemy radio and electronic signals and activating jamming and mechanical countermeasures designed to minimize the effectiveness of enemy radio interference and anti-aircraft artillery
MORE TO READ
Read B-29 Navigator Donald W Kearney’s Firebombing of Tokyo articles below for a first-person, in-cockpit narrative of these harrowing missions. Also read an excerpt from Sgt. Creek’s military memoirs Short Stories of World War II.
Firebombing of Tokyo – March 9, 1945
Most Devastating Bombing Raid in History
Firebombing of Tokyo – May 23, 1945
First of Two Roughest B-29 Missions
Firebombing of Tokyo – May 25, 1945
Finishing Tokyo
