Terminology
Mission Summaries
Some terminology used in the mission descriptions:
1. Acft T/O - Number of aircraft that took off for the day's mission
2. Aborts - Number of aircraft that returned to base (mechanical or medical reasons - no sortie credit)
3. Over Pri - Number of aircraft over the primary target
4. Over Sec - Number of aircraft over the secondary target
5. Over L/R - Number of aircraft over the Target of Opportunity or Last Resort (any target of military value)
6. 10 x 500 lb. AN-M43 GP - average bomb load for a Consolidated B-24 Liberator
7. 210x500lb GP - The total bomb load for the mission consisted of 210 five hundred pound General Purpose (high explosive) bombs.
8. 100lb/500lb IB - These are incendary bundles used to start fires once the high explosive bombs have broken up the building.
9. 120lb FB - These are 120 pound fragmentation bombs, usually found in bundles of 3 or more bombs wired together.
10. Results:
a. Unobserved - Bombing results were not seen from the air; no photos taken (usually because of cloud/smoke cover)
b. Poor - More than 50% of bombs outside the CEP curve (2,000 ft radius from aiming point).
c. Fair - 100% of bombs within 2,000 ft of the aiming point
d. Good - 100% of bombs within 1,000 ft of the aiming point
e. Excellent - 100% of bombs within 1,000 ft of the aiming point with 50% or more within 500 ft.
11. Losses - Number of planes lost on the current mission. Losses over enemy territory would generate a Missing Air Crew Report (MACR).
2. Aborts - Number of aircraft that returned to base (mechanical or medical reasons - no sortie credit)
3. Over Pri - Number of aircraft over the primary target
4. Over Sec - Number of aircraft over the secondary target
5. Over L/R - Number of aircraft over the Target of Opportunity or Last Resort (any target of military value)
6. 10 x 500 lb. AN-M43 GP - average bomb load for a Consolidated B-24 Liberator
7. 210x500lb GP - The total bomb load for the mission consisted of 210 five hundred pound General Purpose (high explosive) bombs.
8. 100lb/500lb IB - These are incendary bundles used to start fires once the high explosive bombs have broken up the building.
9. 120lb FB - These are 120 pound fragmentation bombs, usually found in bundles of 3 or more bombs wired together.
10. Results:
a. Unobserved - Bombing results were not seen from the air; no photos taken (usually because of cloud/smoke cover)
b. Poor - More than 50% of bombs outside the CEP curve (2,000 ft radius from aiming point).
c. Fair - 100% of bombs within 2,000 ft of the aiming point
d. Good - 100% of bombs within 1,000 ft of the aiming point
e. Excellent - 100% of bombs within 1,000 ft of the aiming point with 50% or more within 500 ft.
11. Losses - Number of planes lost on the current mission. Losses over enemy territory would generate a Missing Air Crew Report (MACR).
The map below shows the Buncher sites that the various bomb groups would assemble into their Group Formation. From the Bunchers, the various Groups would proceed to their assigned Splasher to assemble the Combat Wing. Once all of the Combat Wings were assembled, the Wings would position themselves to be in their briefed position when they reach the Division Assembly Line.