This was a daylight precision bombing mission involving 19 planes from the 6th Bomb Group:
The next bombing mission was another attack on Truk – the airfield on Moen Island. Nineteen aircraft with 500-lb general purpose bombs completed the mission, however results were poor, as disclosed by strike photographs.
[Pirate’s Log, p. 29]
20th Af Mission 36
| Date: | 18 February 1945 |
| Code Name: | Panhandle #5 |
| Target: | Truk Airfields One and Two |
| Participating Units: | 313th Bombardment Wing |
| Number of A/C Airborne: | 36 |
| % A/C Bombing Primary: | 100% |
| Type of Bombs and Fuzes: | |
| Tons of Bombs Dropped: | |
| Time Over Primary: | 181227K – 181340K |
| Altitude of Attack: | 24,000 – 25,900 |
| Weather Over Target: | 1/10 – 4/10 |
| Total A/C Lost: | 0 |
| Resume of Mission: | Bombing results poor. Slight cratering of runways. AA and enemy air opposition nil. Average bomb load 9492 lbs. Average gas reserve 1335 gallons. |
