This was an daylight precision mission involving 22 planes from the 6th Bomb Group:
Target for the next mission on 10 May was the airfield at Usa on northern Kyushu, (named for “Made in U.S.A.”). Missiles were 1000 nd 200 pound GP bombs with fusings ranging from instantaneous to thirty-six hour delay. Bad weather caused difficulty in making assembly. Only fifteen planes hit the primary target, but results were excellent as reported by visual observations. Other planes bombed targets of opportunity. Fighter opposition was aggressive as twelve to fifteen twin-engine fighters attacked the Sixth formations but only two planes were damaged. Sixth gunners shot down three enemy planes.
[Pirate’s Log, p. 43]
20th AF Mission 160
| Date: | 10 May 1945 |
| Target: | Usa A/F (PV) 90.33-1307 Oita City (PR) |
| Participating Units: | 313th Bombardment Wing |
| Number of A/C Airborne: | 22 |
| % A/C Bombing Primary: | 67.5% (15 primary and 5 opportunity) |
| Type of Bombs and Fuzes: | |
| Tons of Bombs Dropped: | |
| Time Over Primary: | 100839K – 100906K |
| Altitude of Attack: | 18,400 – 19,000 |
| Weather Over Target: | CAVU |
| Total A/C Lost: | 0 |
| Resume of Mission: | Crews reported bomb pattern good and well centered with heavy concentration in hangar area. 3 hits on hangars. Two B-29’s were non-effective. No B-29’s were damaged by A/A. Twenty E/A were sighted and made 10 attacks. One B-29 was damaged. Claims: 3-0-2. Eight A/C landed at Iwo Jima. Average Bomb Load: 10,360 lbs. Average fuel reserve: 573 gallons. |
