SPECIAL NARRATIVE REPORT No. 182
MISSION: Vienna/Florisdorf Oil Refinery
DATE: 18 December 1944
I. CHRONOLOGY
34 B-24's took off at 0759 hours to attack Vienna/Florisdorf Oil Refinery.
There wee no early returns but were 2 prior returns. 32 dropped on the
target 62 tons of 500 lb RDX bombs with .1 nose and .o1 tail fusing at
1206 to 1209 hours from 23,500 to 24,500 feet. The two prior returns attacked
targets of opportunity. One dropped 2 tons on Gleisdorf M/Y (4705N - 1545E)
at 1125 hours from 23,000 feet and the other dropped 2 tons on R/R tracks
at Pressbaum (4811N - 1606E) at 1204 hours from 24,300 feet. 32 returned
to base at 1536 hours. None lost, none missing, and none at friendly fields.
There were 34 effective sorties.
II. ROUTE AND ASSAULT
Rendezvoused with the 450th Group as the third group in the Wing line at
Manduria on course to San Vito at 7,000 feet at 0901 hours. Proceeded from
San Vito to Split (4330N - 1628E) and from Split proceeded to left of briefed
course because of weather and to follwo the group ahead of this formation.
At 4522N - 1552E contact was lost with the group ahead and this group proceeded
to 4554N - 1538E to avoid possible flak at Zagreb and then back to briefed
course at Varazdin (4618N - 1620E). From this point the briefed course
was followed to Murzzuschlag (4737N -1540E) to I.P. to target, attacking
the target on a heading of 53 degrees true. Bombing was done by boxes and
by PFF methods as both the I.P. and the target were totally obscured by
10/10 low clouds. Rallied left to 4828N - 1603E to 4838N - 1603E to 4832N-1529E
to 4737N - 1540E and then reciprocal of route out to base.
Throughout most of the route 8 to 10/10 low clouds were encountered, clearing on the north slopes of the Alps but again covering the Danube basin. 10/10 low clouds obscured the I.P. and the target, but with no middle or high level clouds. The return route was the same as the route out with no clouds near the flight level until over the Dinaric Alps. An altitude of 19,000 feet was necessary to clear clouds over the Dinaric Alps. The base on return was covered with 10/10 low clouds down to 1,500 feet with rain beneath.
Rendezvous was made with approximately 20 P-38's at 4828N - 1623E at 1210 hours at 22,000 feet. The escort departed at 4737N - 1540E at 1305 hours at 17,500 feet.
No radio jamming was reported.
III. RESULTS
No results were observed because of the solid undercast of low clouds and
no bursts are visible in the photographs because of the solid cloud cover.
No results were observed of the bombings of the two targets of opportunity.
IV. ENEMY RESISTANCE
A. Fighters: none
B. Flak: Flak at the target was M-I-H. Many crews reported that the flak
was from 3 to 5 miles to the right of the formation and was bursting at
the tops of or in the clouds, approximately 15,000 feet below the formation.
[Losses: None. Damage: None. Casualties: None.]