The 6th Bomb Group

Mission 24. Tokyo Arsenal Area (Apr 13)



This was a night incendiary mission involving 29 planes from the 6th Bomb Group:

The arsenal area of Tokyo was hit on 13 April and the urban area of Kawasaki (suburb south of Tokyo proper) felt the result of Sixth bombs on the night of 15 April.  Both of these raids were incendiary attacks.  Twenty-nine ships carried out the arsenal strike * * *

[Pirate's Log, p. 38]

 

20th AF Mission 67

Date:  13 April 1945
Code Name:  Perdition # 1
Target:  Tokyo Arsenal Area, Tokyo  90.17-201-309
Participating Units:  73rd, 313th and 314th Bombardment Wings
Number A/C Airborne: 348
% A/C Bombing Primary:  94.3%   (327 primary and 3 opportunity)
Time Over Primary:  132357K  - 140336K
Altitude of Attack:  4750 - 11,000
Weather Over Target:  Clear-visibility unrestricted except for smoke rising from fires.
Total A/C Lost:  7
Resume of Mission:  Bombing results: Excellent 296,000,000 square feet - 10.7 square miles, 6,850 acres destroyed.  Eighteen aircraft non-effective.  Six aircraft missing to unknown reasons and one aircraft ditched on return.  Enemy air opposition - moderate 102 attacks l/3 aggressive.  Enemy aircraft destroyed six, probably destroyed none and two damaged.  A/A heavy and medium, meager to intense, inaccurate to accurate.  Average bomb load 73rd Wing, 16,887 lbs., 313th Wing 15,125 lbs., and 314 Wing, 9,409 lbs.  Average fuel reserve 73rd Wing, 779 gallons, 313th Wing, 1006 gallons, and   314th Wing 1153 gallons.