Robert N. McLean, Jr. Mission on July 7, 1944

July 7, 1944 – Friday

“enginuity”

Mission #25 – target – Zagreb marshalling yards in Yugoslavia.  Takeoff 0500 Landing 1025 (0525)  Total combat Hours (125:05) Load 5000 lbs.  Purpose of mission – to act as a decoy in order to distract fighters from attacking the main part of the 15th, which was out to bomb oil targets in Southeast Germany.  Also to blast the 500 cars in the yards (our mission purpose).  Remarks:

1)     One hour from target, #2 engine ran out of oil and had to be feathered.  #3 engine started smoking.  We were ordered to turn back.

2)     Bombs were dropped ‘safe’ over Yugoslav mountains

3)     Little flak, but no fighters encountered

4)     No casualties

5)     Statistics - total bomb tonnage (84,800 lbs)(42.4 tons)

6)     Mission credit granted

7)     Halfway mark reached