Mission to La Pallice, coastal battery.

Report on planning and execution of operational mission, 24 December 1944, Pt. De la Goubre, France.

1. At 23:30 hours, 23 December 1944 the target and bombload of 12 x 500 lb. general purpose, 1/10 nose – 1/40 tail was received by telephone from 8^th Air Force Controller and instructions were to plan our own mission so as to return to base by 17:00 hours.

2. Eighteen (18) airplanes were scheduled, routes and timings were planned and this information was passed to the watch officer at 8^th Air Force who in turn, submitted a teletype Field Order to cover operation.

3. The necessary information was then passed to the movement Liaison Officer and the operation was cleared for ten o’clock (10:00). Weather did not permit ten o’clock (10:00) take-off so one (1) hour was added to all timings and the Movement Liaison Officer was notified.

4. The first aircraft took off at 1:00 hours and the twelfth aircraft took off at 11:14 hours. The other six (6) aircraft were not able to take-off due to the following reasons:

   1. Aircraft 630 D-og; Supercharger waste gate jammed.
   2. Aircraft 695 C-harlie; Radio, Radar and Oxygen trouble. Repaired too late to enable aircraft to join stream.
   3. Aircraft 746 G-eorge; Supercharger out.
   4. Aircraft 508 J-ig; Oxygen system trouble delayed aircraft past last possible take-off time.
   5. Aircraft 664 X-ray; Same as above.
   6. Aircraft 840 A-ble; Same as above.
      (Original agreement was eleven (11) aircraft. Eighteen (18) aircraft were attempted for the operation but without success).

5. The bomber stream departed the rendezvous point at the proper time. The three (3) PFFaircraft having departed two (2) minutes earlier as scheduled. At 11:50 hours, aircraft 693 H-arry aborted due to supercharger trouble. Bombs were salvoed in the Wash and the aircraft returned to base.
6. PFFaircraft reached the target at 14:00 hours as scheduled and dropped their TI’s. other aircraft bombed on the TI’s. TI’s were about one half (½) mile over the target.
7. Results were not observed too well because of haze but several hits were believed to have been made on the gun emplacements.
8. Planes returned to base at 17:00 hours but fog settled in and four (4) planes diverted. They returned to base at 15:00 hours, 26 December 1944.
9. Aircraft not attacking:
   1. Twelve aircraft dispatched; eight (8) attacked.
   2. Aircraft 693 H-arry; aborted – supercharger out.
   3. Aircraft 673 B-aker; salvoed in the water about four (4) miles from the target due to frozen racks.
   4. Aircraft 755 D-og; salvoed in the water about four (4) miles from the target due to frozen racks.
   5. Aircraft 578 Q-ueen; saw no markers so did not bomb
10. One pilot reported a few flak bursts 14,000 feet between IP and target. No enemy aircraft encountered.
11. There were two (2) K-24 cameras but they were switched on too late. No photographs were obtained.

The following aircraft were scheduled to fly the mission:

The navigation report for this mission was written by the Group Navigator: Maj. Tresemer.

This mission was accomplished as briefed. The timing of this mission was very good. All aircraft released their bombs within a period of three and one half (3½) minutes. The briefed time being three (3) minutes (between 13:59 hours and 14:02 hours). The entire route was flown by each aircraft without too much navigational difficulty. The weather forecast was good