Crew 12 - Pilot report William M. Bower

AIRPALNE TYPE:

B-25-B 402228

CREW:

Pilot -- 1st Lt. William Bower.

Co-Pilot -- 2nd Lt. Thadd Blanton.

Navigator -- 1st Lt. William R. Pound.

Bombardier - T/Sgt Walso J. Bither.

Eng-Gun. -- S/Sgt Omer A. Duquette

ORDERS:

To proceed from Minneapolis to Columbia, S.C. where crew was completed, then to Eglin Field, Florida, at which time the purpose of the mission was to be revealed, necessary training of crew accomplished and alterations of the ship made. Final preparation to be made at McClellan Field, Sacramento, California, prior to boarding the aircraft carrier U.S.S.

 Hornet 

at Alameda, Calif.

Target location was revealed at sea and all maps, objective folders and navigation data were covered by the crew enroute.

Take-off was ordered at 7:30 AM April 18, 1942 without sufficient warning to enable crew to gather necessary position, weather, etc., data.

Individual orders were to report to Chuchow for gas, then proceed to Chungking or if forced to land elsewhere or otherwise hold at Chuchow for further orders.

TIME OF T.O.

0910 April 18, 1942.

WEATHER:

Broken clouds from ship to landfall.

Clear from that point to target with high overcast 100 miles south to 300 S.W.

Clear to southern tip of Japan.

Broken to overcast 1000 ft. turning to W.

Instrument conditions encountered 1:30 hrs. before landfall of China coast.

Over China overcast from surface to 11,500 occasional breaks heavy rain.

ALTITUDE DESIRED:

Approach: below 1500 ft.

Bombing: 1500 ft.

ACTUAL ALTITUDE:

Surface and ground level approach, bombing at 1100 ft., surface to point :30 before E.T.A. of China coast, gradual climb to 11500 ft.

BOMBS:

3 - 500# demolition 1 - incendiary cluster (500#).

AMMUNITION:

900 rds .50 cal. 3 AP, 2 incendiary

700 rds. ..30 cal. 3 AP, 2 incendiary

TARGET:

Ship yard and docks at Yokohama.

Secondary: any mlitary objective within vicinity.

Barrage balloons at target made choice of secondary necessary.

TARGET BOMBED:

Oil refinery, tank farm, warehouse, 2 miles ENE of target.

ANTI-AIRCRAFT OPPOSITION:

Heavy AA was encountered just prior to bomb release point from S, W, N, range was poor, elevation good. No hits were made on ship. After bomb release rapid descent to surface was made and AA was seen to score hits on barrage balloons causing theiestruction. AA continued from rear and also from hill to the west until approximately two miles at sea. Bursts were of five, tracking excellent.

PURSUIT OPPOSITION:

No actual attack was made by enemy pursuit. Several biplanes evidently of obsolete type followed the plane at 1000 yds. for fiteen minute but did not offer attack.

MISSION REPORT:

Bombs were released in sequence on large warehouse, railroad siding at refinery and tank farm. Warehouse was seen to be hit and fired. Railroad tracks and tank cars also hit. Effect of last bomb and incendiary was not noticed due to heavy AA. Speed of run 200 m.p.h.titude 1100 ft.

One weather boat was sunk 100 miles east of Japan. No other attacks made by machine guns.

VAL IN CHINA:

Crew was assembled in navigators compartment when landing appeared impossiible. At 23:30 the crew left the ship at five second intgervals, followed in twenty seconds by the pilot. Ship was at 11500, on AFCE at 120 m.p.h.

I landed on a mountain with no ill effects, wrapped up in the silk and slept till 5:30 AM. Crew had been told to do likewise and await dwavbefore attempting to locate each other. The next morning I started down the mountain and walked east fo rseveral hours, then N.E. At a small village a school teacher was able to locate direction and distance of Chuchow. Walked SE till dark and slept until dawn. Three of teh crew joined me at this village. The fourth joined us at noon the next day. Natives carried us to Sian where a car took us into Chuchow. Six nights were spent at Army Air station there and on Saturday evening we left by train for Yun San. A bus met us and in this we traveled three days to Heng Yang. A plane met us there and brought us to Chungking.

/signed/
WILLIAM M. BOWER
1st Lt., Air Corps.