10 Aug 1944, WW2 Air Raids over Hong Kong & South China | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

10 Aug 1944, WW2 Air Raids over Hong Kong & South China

Date(s) of events described: 
Thu, 10 Aug 1944

OBJECTIVE: Fly nocturnal sea sweep mission to detect and sink Japanese ships in the South China Sea.

RESULTS: Aircraft commander aborts sea sweep when radar unit fails.  He attempts to bomb the secondary target, the Kowloon docks, but the bombardier fumbles the bomb run.  Rain and fully alerted antiaircraft defenses preclude another bomb run.  Clouds and rain prevent bomb run on Canton targets as well.  Aircraft returns to base with a full bomb load.

TIME OVER TARGET: Unknown, but presumably after nightfall

AMERICAN UNITS AND AIRCRAFT: One B-24

AMERICAN PILOTS AND AIRCREW: Major Killam

ORDNANCE EXPENDED: None

JAPANESE UNITS, AIRCRAFT, AND PILOTS: None

AIRCRAFT LOSSES: None

SOURCES: Original mission reports and other documents in the Air Force Historical Research Agency archives at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama.

Information compiled by Steven K. Bailey, author of Bold Venture: The American Bombing of Japanese-Occupied Hong Kong, 1942-1945 (Potomac Books/University of Nebraska Press, 2019).

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