Bombningen af Gdynia 09-10-1943

Time:  Takeoff 0735.  Target 1145.  Return 1525.
Extra gas tanks were carried in bomb bay.  While we
were attacking Anklam, the second A.T.F. were enroute
to Marienburg, 3rd A.T.F. to Danzig, and the 4th
A.T.F. to Gdynia. (ED. Note:  This is a wild guess.
The name was illegible. - FF)  At Gdynia the largest
concentration of the German fleet are at anchor and
include the Emden, I____, Leipzig,
D____, Hamburg, Schleswig, Echl___,  Holstein,
Prince Eugen, 5 large depot ships, plus
C-Boats (?) and possibly the Admiral Speer. (ED. Note -
Most of these names were illegible, at least in part.
- FF)

Fly-foto af havnen 1943

9 October 1943 Mission #5 Target: Gdynia-Danzig

The Second Bombardment Division was assigned this seaport target complex with the 392nd’s target being the facilities at Gdynia, just north of Danzig. Fourteen (14) Liberators were dispatched to this target with (11) of these reaching the complex to bomb. The 578th Squadron led the raid with a Group total of (132)500# General Purpose bombs carried. Of the attacking aircraft, (4) were forced to abort (3) pre-target for mechanical and personnel problems and (1) over-target due to equipment malfunctions. Bombing was adjudged as poor with no weapons of the (78) released falling within 2000 feet of the briefed aiming point. Numerous problems were encountered including enemy fighter attacks from 25-30 single and twin-engine aircraft against the Group. The gunners had (6) claims. No B-24s were lost on this mission, but (9) received battle damage from flak and enemy aircraft fire. The total flight route duration for this raid was to be one of the longest flown by any bombardment unit over Europe at this time, a total of 9:00 hours round-trip.

S/S INGER SKOU af København, 1806 B. R. T. Bygget 1943/48 af stål. På rejse fra New Orleans til Belize med stykgods. Grundstødt d. 3/6 52 i Det karaibiske Hav; forlist. Søforklaring i New Orleans d. 24/6 52. Søforhør i København d. 7/8 52. D. 2/8 kl. 0118 passerede I.S. Sct. Antonie fyr i en afstand af 7 sm., hvorefter der styredes rv. 206°. Farten var ca. 10 knob. Den observerede middagsplads viste, at skibet var forsat 6 sm. V.-over, og kl. 1530 viste en stedlinie, at skibet var forsat yderligere 8 sm. V.-over. Kl ca. 2330 skulle I.S. efter bestikket være tværs af Cayo Norte fyr på Banco Chinchorro i en afstand af ca. 19 sm., men da fyret ikke sås, fortsattes sejladsen. Vejret var let skyet med god sigtbarhed. D. 3/6 kl. 00:11 grundstødte I.S. på Banco Chinchorro. Skibet er senere blevet vrag. Anm. Ministeriet må antage, at grundstødningen skyldes uforsigtig navigering.