January 1945
Mission #140
4 January 1945
Target: Trento, Italy
28 aircraft with 1 early return dropped 52.5 tons of bombs with 2 losses and 10 casualties.
The importance of Trento as a target lay in the fact that it is situated on the double-track Bologna-Brenner pass line. On this date the yard was found to be well stocked with cars. 28 aircraft were dispatched to the target, and 52 tons of bombs were dropped. There were many hits in the target area, and a large explosion was seen in the middle of the yard.
Mission #141
5 January 1945
Target: Zagreb, Yugoslavia
21 aircraft with 21 early return due to bad weather with 0 losses and 0 casualties.
21 aircraft took off to bomb this target visually, but because the sidings were cloud covered, all bombs were returned to base.
Mission #142
8 January 1945
Target: Linz, Austria
24 aircraft with 24 early return due to bad weather with 0 losses and 0 casualties.
24 aircraft were recalled because of bad weather.
Mission #143
15 January 1945
Target: Vienna, Austria
28 aircraft with 3 early return dropped 37.5 tons of bombs with 2 losses and 20 casualties.
This target was the number one priority communication target in the 15th Air Force operational area because of nearness to the Russian lines. Two primary line to the front make it possible for the enemy to feed vast supplies to the force on the Russian Front. 25 aircraft dropped 37 tons in the target area by PFF, but the results were unobserved.
Mission #144
19 January 1945
Target: Brod Railroad Bridge, Yugoslavia
26 aircraft with 0 early return dropped 55.0 tons of bombs with 0 losses and 0 casualties.
At this time, Brod was considered to be the keey communications target in Yugoslavia. It was the junction of lines from Zagreb, Belgrade and Sarajevo. The whole 15th Air Force was going into this area. 55 tons of bombs were dropped in the bridge area. The target was believed to be well hit.
Mission #145
20 January 1945
Target: Linz, Austria
28 aircraft with 3 early return dropped 54.75 tons of bombs with 2 losses and 20 casualties.
Twenty-eight aircraft were dispatched, three returned early, two aircraft were lost and twenty aircrew members were declared MIA.
Mission #146
31 January 1945
Target: Moosbierbaum, Austria (Red)
20 aircraft with 4 early return dropped 39.0 tons of bombs with 0 losses and 0 casualties.
On this high priority target 40 tons of bombs were dropped by Pathfinder method. Results were unobserved, but operators were of the opinion that a good job was done.
Mission #146
31 January 1945
Target: Moosbierbaum, Austria (Blue)
19 aircraft with 5 early return dropped 19.5 tons of bombs with 1 losses and 0 casualties.