Source: NARA via Fold3.com
部署到四川新津A-1基地的美國陸軍航空隊第40轟炸大隊,在1944年10月14日執行完對台灣的第一次轟炸任務後,並沒有立即返回印度,但也沒有參與10月16日的對台轟炸行動。他們奉命在17日執行對台南飛行場的大規模轟炸任務,高雄港則是這次任務的次要目標。
The 40th Bombardment Group on TDY to A-1 in Hsinching, China, did not participate in the October 16, 1944, raid against Taiwan as the Group was exclusively ordered to carry out a maximum effort strike against the airfield and repair depot at Einansho (now Tainan) Airdrome. The secondary target was shipping and harbor installations in Takao (now Kaohsiung).
第40轟炸大隊一共有32架B-29轟炸機準備參加這次任務,不過其中兩架無法順利起飛,所以總共有30架B-29升空。成功起飛的飛機之中,包括以下照片中這架紀念波音公司B-29試飛員Eddie Allen的B-29(序號42-24579)。
Thirty-two B-29 heavy bombers of the 40th Group were to undertake this mission. But two aircraft had to abort during take-off. In the end, a total of thirty B-29 were airborne, including the one in the following photo, 42-24579 “Eddie Allen” (named after the B-29 test pilot at Boeing, who was killed in the second B-29).
Source: NARA via Fold3.com
總共有10架B-29在此次任務中轟炸了台南飛行場,投下了174枚通用炸彈和50枚燒夷彈。另外13架B-29改炸次要目標,在高雄港上空投下281枚通用炸彈和121枚燒夷彈。目前我仍未找到這次任務轟炸台南飛行場的照片,只有以下兩張轟炸高雄港的照片:
Of the 30 B-29 airborne, only ten bombed the primary target Einansho Airdrome, dropping a total of 174 general-purpose bombs and 50 incendiary bombs. Another 13 B-29 attacked the secondary target Takao Harbor and dropped 281 GP bombs and 121 incendiary bombs. I have not found any photo showing the raid against Einansho Airdrome during this mission. Only the next two photos showing bombs bursting in Takao Harbor were found:
Source: NARA via Fold3.com
Source: NARA via Fold3.com
Source: Google Earth
30架成功起飛的B-29中,一架無法飛到台灣,因此改炸廈門的目標。另外有6架因為機械故障被迫中止任務,其中4架順利飛返A-1,一架改降A-3,但另一架不幸墜毀。而在參與轟炸的24架B-29之中,22架安全返回A-1,一架改降柳州,另一架轉降遂川。One B-29 bombed a tertiary target in Amoy, China. The rest of six aircraft were forced to abort due to mechanical problems. Four of the six returned safely to A-1, one to A-3, and one crashed southwest of A-1. Of the 24 B-29 bombing assigned targets, 22 returned to A-1, one landed at Luichow, China, and the other at Suichwan, China.
Source: NARA via Fold3.com
Source: NARA via Fold3.com