This was a daylight precision mission involving 20 planes from the 6th Bomb Group:
Three precision attacks with high explosive GP bombs were made in April. One, on [1]2 April against the Hodagaya Chemical Company at Koriyama, 100 miles north of Tokyo, was the longest raid thus far for the Sixth.
[Pirate’s Log, p. 38]
20th AF Mission 64
| Date: | 12 April 1945 |
| Code Name: | Butterball #1 |
| Target: | Hodagaya Chemical Company, Koriyama 90.9 – 2025 |
| Participating Units: | 313th Bombardment Wing |
| Number of A/C Airborne: | 82 |
| % A/C Bombing Primary: | 80% (66 primary and 9 Opportunity) |
| Type of Bombs and Fuzes: | |
| Tons of Bombs Dropped: | |
| Time Over Primary: | 121220K – 121330K |
| Altitude of Attack: | 7,000 – 15,000 |
| Weather Over Target: | clear 12-15 mi. Visibility |
| Total A/C Lost: | 0 |
| Resume of Mission: | Bombing results excellent -458,000 square feet or 59% of original roof area destroyed or damaged. Target 1658 Northeast Aluminum Plant – north of and adjacent to Target 2025 has 130,000 square feet or 68% of total roof area destroyed or damaged. Seven aircraft non-effective. Enemy air opposition slight – 3 attacks no claims, AA, AW, meager, inaccurate. Possible ground to air rockets. Average bomb load 8,939 lbs. Average gas reserve 948 gallons. |
