The 6th Bomb Group

This was a daylight tactical support mission involving 10 planes from the 6th Bomb Group:

The next day, April 8, ten other planes of the Group attacked Kanoya East Airfield on the southern tip of Kyushu.  This was the first of a series of missions for the purpose of neutralizing airfields from which the enemy was staging aerial attacks against naval units supporting ground forces on Okinawa.  These airfields were the homes of the Kimikaze flyers.

[Pirate's Log, pp. 35-38]

20th AF Mission 61

Date: 8 April 1945
Code Name: Famish #1
Target: Kanoya East A/F   (primary - visual) - Target 90.38-2516, Kagoshima  (primary-radar),
Secondary - Kokubu A/F Target 90.38-2525
Participating Units: 313th Bombardment Wing
Number A/C Airborne: 21
% A/C Bombing Primary:  29% (6 A/C primary visual); 62%  (13 A/C       "      radar)
Time Over Primary: Kanoya East A/F  - 081132K; Kagoshima  - 081132K-081135K
Altitude of Attack: Kanoya East A/F  -17010-17800; Kagoshima - 17000  - 18800
Weather Over Target:  10/10
Total A/C Lost:  1
Resume of Mission: Bombing results  - total destruction to Kagoshima from missions   60 and 61 amounts   to 1,260,000 square feet.  One aircraft missing  - crashed shortly after take off.  One aircraft returned early.  Enemy air opposition and AA nil.  Average bomb load 9,095 lbs. Average gas reserve 1076 gallons.