This was a night incendiary mission involving 37 planes from the 6th Bomb Group:
The Group’s second mission in August, flown on the 5th, was also a night incendiary attack. The target was Maebashi, a city of 87,000, fifty miles northwest of Tokyo. Thirty-eight planes were airborne at 1642, carrying a mixed load of E-46 clusters and GP bombs. Results showed 71 per cent of the planned target area destroyed. Only two aircraft reported fighter attacks and anti-aircraft fire was only meager. Jap resistance was becoming less and less.
[Pirate’s Log, p. 53]
20th AF Mission 313
| Date: | 5/5 August 1945 |
| Target: | Maebashi Urban Area ( 90.13 ) |
| Participating Units: | 313th BW |
| Number of A/C Airborne: | 102 |
| % A/C Bombing Primary: | 90.19% (92 Primary and 4 Opportunity) |
| Type of Bombs and Fuzes: | M-19 (500lb incendiary clusters set to open 5000 feet over the target.) T4E4 (500lb frag clusters set to open 3000 feet below A/C) M64 (500lb G.P. bombs with proximity nose and non-delay tail fuzings.) |
| Tons of Bombs Dropped: | 723.8 tons on Primary and 30.6 tons on Opportunity. |
| Time Over Primary: | 052328K – 060108K |
| Altitude of Attack: | 15,200 – 16,900 |
| Weather Over Target: | 0/10 – 9/10 |
| Total A/C Lost: | 0 |
| Resume of Mission: | Results were reported as unobserved to excellent. Eighty-two A/C made radar sightings and 10 A/C made visual sightings. Six A/C were non-effective. 30 to 35 E/A made 14 attacks and damaged one B-29. No claims. Flak was heavy and light, nil to meager and inaccurate. One Wind-Run and 3 RCM A/C also took part in this mission. Total A/C A/B does not include 3 RCM and 1 W/R. Fifteen B-29s landed at Iwo Jima. Average bomb load: 16,840 lbs. Average fuel reserve: 498 gallons. |
