10/16/44

Okayama, Formosa

Airplane #463

The XX Bomber command flew its first October mission on the 14^th, 16^th and 17^th of October against Formosa and in support of U.S. Forces invading the Philippines.

23 aircraft took off on October 16. 18 aircraft bombed the primary target. Two aircraft bombed shipping along the China coast, and three bombed Hengyang, China, the last resort target. All aircraft returned safely, but encountered heavy fighter opposition over the primary target. There were 57 individual encounters with enemy aircraft with gunners claiming 2 destroyed, 2 probably destroyed and 5 damaged. Several aircraft received minor damage and one gunner wounded.

Reconnaissance photos indicated the target and adjacent buildings were almost completely destroyed. Of the 80 buildings in the target area, 65 were completely destroyed and only 6 escaped damage. Of 32 buildings around the airfield, 16 were destroyed and 9 damaged. 116 aircraft were destroyed or damaged.