.

./

~"
.-7·
flJ# TOllS PAGE il

#~.
....~ lCAWAHISHI ,.,AIlT PAGE 7
~. ~~ HIT
~ ~ ATTACK ON 8-19
.., OVfR ICYUSIIU PAGE /0

~ JAPANI'. P~E /3
.., SfARCNLltJNTS

~ SlllTN eAQUP" "IE /9

.., BRIEFING 1l00M

~ ~,=rJ:

"
. APO 234
..
 XX I B 0 M B ERe 0 • D
~I TE IG C
2 .1,,,,,,

r 3,000 0 0 0
HaJ1lA DII!t3 U 1 y BOIlIbed rlC<itu
1elds ~'tf\U!M
.. 1 . . "S

..'''''.,: 1

• •

1 e Y<>W.IG
•• •

epa sa ;)e1:U- r •
•

than
e d
:>1 c 1
s •

I t Is intended that this Weekly re.
port be a source or Inforl'Mt1on tor co-
bat crews end starr officers who have-;
legitimate interest In the operations ot
the XXI Banber Command. 'Uthin those
limits it should receive the widest pos.
sible clrculo.t1on permissible under the
provisions or AR ~80_5.
In order that a IlI8XIID1l1l1 of intelli_
gence may be included, the report 13
given an overall classification ot See-
ret. ':then the nature of the material
warrants. individual articles have re_
ceived a lower security claSSification.
The report Is so assembled thet the
component sections may be removed encl
circulated or filed separetely. It por-
tions are reproduced, security regula.-
tians must be observed and the source
credited.
Correspondence regarding this ~b.
l1cat1on should be addressed to the 011·
mand1ng General, XX! Bomber CoaElSOO,
APO 234, c/o Postlll8ster, San Franeueo,
Cal1tcrn1a, Attent1on: AP of S. A..2.
(7;~t~
cff~~i.
..•...
.. .
, .. G.S.C.
AC of 5, ..&-2
':,-(1.J" AUTH: C.G.XXI B.C. Initials(J.d·
DATI 2 JUne 1945 V
R~ tor 3:i1h PTU
,.1 "••
e potential Sard en plots in
'0 (,M laSt pass) ware created
t l11~t or 2~-23 ua,y when 514
01 the XXI Be-bel" COIa&nd drop.
',659 tollS or incendiaries on
t dty. '!bls far exceeds, 1.n
. , . d.rop~d a thousand plane
....
Ilea ot a-hs or 8-24s c:ne.r
urpt, the southern urben
or the c1ty, 1.5 very 1aportant
ed-Uy. It contains aeru- i'll-
t&!'.to rsll and storqe facUities,
:lD41.Q". the Shlnapwa :\eUroad
is, ~ dl"rsUled industrial
lV1\1••. Alrcra.rt part5, ball
1AII. ccc.unl~atlons equipJlent,
canDOQ and a.mn1tlon and lIl&cb-
tools ar. a re. of the 1tAS
cad in the area. 'nle Shina&aw•
1.1 the second mOSt 1npor tant
1'otTo and ta a aeJar cootrol
~ on ~ tokkaido line eonnect-
lokusaka, yollXlb..... xawa.sak1
SCQ"b to\1o with other parts of
cit" a'1d t'!.. country. Alar,.
tll\qe of the raw oaterial.s Ie>
to t.."- raetorles 1n thiS area
O9tIr this 11ne.
";~~.. is a solLd residential
......... t:'W cCl:lplex w1th an as-
::: PoPUlation density or rrc.
'. to '15,000 persons per
teToULs (P mE ''lSSI~1
'lbe $&tb "108 SUilPU.d l2'7 aU'-
~ ...
to. tbe 131'(1 168 the 3l3tb 103
t~ '14th 160 r::n. a total or 558
BClDb1n~ or t..... '..ar~~ ...
vls~Uy and
12,300 teet.
b; r1ti:r ~~ ',~"Y' t.o
'1~ t.r..L.Ao
follor.o· 5<e~ 1U at.~;oC'·. ac
u a:.
tons; 73"', 1.55 &OS 1.. 'P04 t~~
~13tb, 94 and 'i.e'" toaI; .U~. 14
a1rcra!'t dro.. -iv ~. t
Pboto reeoa.'\8U'SDCtt t4 :".Q
showed 3.2 sqa&:. ala. ":' t .........
=
with o:1lJ partial CO'f't:q& kl'Y.
obta.1Md. S... ra1 ~,ttl 0:' or":
port:.mit)' &lso n~ Ut.
Tbirt)' four atre:a!t -.cot !..~r­
fecti"e end 16 ..ere lost. :-:'"t
lost tl) unlr:na-n e8l1!es.a:. bell..11
to bay. 100. d~ Oft:" t ... u:",t.
'nlera were cr" rt~tI 0:' .l"I"C'al
having blten blt b7 flak, )a)U aDd
n&ht..er••
OM 5Btn -tne plaDa dl~,.. 1
11 of 12 ~D NJ~· ~
at.reraft cras~~: oat ~.,.r­
dl,Dbo. QO casual ties; oM $et.''1 "till
plane, no o:.sr.1&lt:u aDd oaa :!~U1
• ..,ber. bad 't*lled out
sat.
Oft:'.
"7iO& plana !'t'(II ......1c..l :'1'" ~
tar·
AIR DPrasr::"" .' •
"*,,,t'\""
,quar. BnQ1 air o;;oposlti.~llQ
th. win&'. ~e S~ u reror ted ..u
oppod tloa. w1. tb 20 e.., p.b:lIlt
slsb ted • !b&f clahed tho... d__
strOJad. tnc!udln& twO J&DS.
!be 13rd WitC rer-ol"'Wd e5 etJeOll.
tars, wltb 30 ~s1Ye a~u.e·~.
one &-29" obItrt"ed eo1Ud lnl ... 1'::1
,

I~
The 313th received 40 Q~uresslve
\ 3l3th '.'I1ng plane crashed on the
II attacks f'r00l 60 aircraft. There
wa5 5Ql'18 rocket f1rl~. Three Ba-
l<a' ','hleh at",eked 'Kera de.troY"".
The 314th 171ng clailllS five de-
stroyed. They encountered 68 enemy
aircraft and received 14 attac~.
There tl'ere many reports of "balls
ot fire" by several of the wings.
FLAK
Flak was fran medium and heavy
RUns and was ~ener811Y of moderate
intensity and lnaccura't8 for most
MiSsion 178 on 19 tJaY,w8s plan..
ned as 8 normal effort or all wings
with the Tachll<'.swa Army Air Arsenal
and Depot I Target 2008, as the pri-
mary visusl target. Thecity of
Hamamatsu was the pr1r.lary radar tar-
8et end the Japan l'Ustcal Company.
Target 1219, at Hama.':latsu, was the
secondary visual target.
All of these a:;.e of considerable
importance 1n the Japanese Aircraft
Industry. Tachlkawa Army Air Ar-
senal 15 the largest 1n Japan and
lIIay be canpared with "fright !l'1eld.
~esearchl experinentation, ordnance
testing facilities, a complete all'_
craft factory and a repair modif1_
cation center are all located here.
110 comparable facilities are knOl'tn
to exist elseWhere in Japan.
The Japan HUsicd COIDpany 1s one
of the two lIlaJor producers ot pro-
pellers for Japanese canbat aircraft.
Target 1219 is the largest Operated
by the Japan l'usical COMpany and 1s
c:'edited With apprOXimately 20 per-
cent of total Japanese propeller
production.
The city of
bo fc.c)f'l"1.es of P.a~catsu Contains
l the Jane.n tlusical
aircraft. AlthOUgn
were lost to unkno.rn 12 l:
s ibly five to flalt{.'>-4 (,
was sustained by ab~{1a\'
of the attaCk:1ng ror~ 10.,
light cons1deritl8 the ~,~'
ses of the area. Satm-at
defenses helped to redll.Cll~
age.
The flak-searchlight e'
t10n was generally goOd
searchlhhts trackl~ ah.~
cessfully. However, at t~
searchlights beca~ Cllnnull\
1nefficient. SCIDe 1Iletr.
ground-to-atr rockets were
(Secret)
Canpany. Targets 1219 alii ~
Nakajima Aircraft Cllil~'
1ar.ely re.oved l. Tar,,' ~
the Imper1al Goverrc.ent·
Shops, Target l230. In
various 10'"' and ..elll..,
are believed to have been
to war industries. Hl:lIlIttn.
important rail JunctiOD III o!
ka1do cain 11na. It unll
flammable and clOl811 tcll:
ha,ving an average densUr ~
Dersons per SQuare mile.
Airborne were 309
follows: 67 tro:n thl S8tll· _
the "3rd, 64 trom tne :s13111
from the 314th.
The very bad weathert eac~
from the assemblY po1D ~tliI Pl'd
get necessitated bOllblDl ~ ~t1.
~~::s e and :::agnetic nrr.:t1ng mech-
of Hamalll8tsu by raWBT1 ~ 1aii 11' Twonty t\'10 aircraft laid
so11d undercSSt. 'ftl:eo
eo- lid ro~~s lin the western approaches
,,~ Iitrl
bombing dropped 1,
22,000 to 23,800 feet. _~
of the bombine shOl' "..
craft Of the 58th 1181 "'-- I
..." • .- --- .-. _._.., r--·· ~'\"W"_ ~"l
OCI tM '(brd 486 tons j 0.:1 m11es . northwest of TiniaJt..afte:l
\:tJ ~
;hth 299 tons and '15 from
tr'" j t,e 404- tons. several tar-
takeoff. Six survivors were pic~
up t four of wh.om l1vlijl;. ,Anotbej
r:J ,l)~t~~portunlty werG bombGd and m
II 0 .'t \fere ineffective.
lJ
!~ .lJ'cra>
way on takeoff. The crew was resj
cued and this aircraft is not inl
eluded in the operational total.!
~ bllll p_519 flere a1.rborne above ••
cart dred
and proceeded to the de-
1S:re pOint but were forced to
~ bS because of the I'lea ther • '/I~
~ a- ck of the 73rd "ling were
' ~.t1onal e9S escort to the figh ters
&rJ1 oDe strike B~29 Jettisoned its
~:r:~ ..nil escorte~ three fighterS No fighter opposition was en·
countered. Flak ran from all t~
11 d15tl'!Ss to lwO.
meager and inaccurate at ne.rna:natsu
due to undercast. no a1rcraft was
,.a'M lost;~or ~6~,\1;!y,J::~aJu.'. I
toW losses were four aircraft.
of tll8 58th Wing was 1n trouble
the JIlP ma.inland with one en-
out and 11 defective feathering Post strike photO$ reveal damage'
IlI1Sc. The crew bailed out over to n,amamatsu totallng 2 1 780,000
.m all wert rescued. One of square feet. A!lprpxlrnetely 20 per-
3Htb 'ing plMes crashed nnd cent of TarBet 1227, the SUzuki LoaD
med on return after an nttempt ''lorks, is destroyed. Total dar.lage
lIS .de to go around on three en- to the cit:,- is no,;/ about 9.3 ppr_
!~. All cre.1 members were saved
t:.l~lll2h sev!"n were injured serious- cent. ("ecret)
~
~ l.~ '/7 -~~
-
'1 . . " ,4IIU
T" • - , J -
e_
Strait.s. Four raid 2~ in '"aiz'.I%'U
b~e ~3th
0
oini08 operat1on undo:'M T!arbor. ·'ioes ·Rare dropped tra:J
JUUll1 date ?las flo:?n b~' the
..,. ng on the nl~ht of 20_21 5,500 to 6.650 feet.
Irll"ei~~~et
~
areas Vlere the eastern The 313th lost one s1rcraf't
lOeekl sr n a'}proaches to the Sh1mo- which crashed and expbded at the
IItzuru traits and the harbor of end of the runws" before heine air-
1bQ, On the north coast of '"{on-
borne. Ten crel'men "ere killed and
one seriously InJursd. ThiS air-
craft 19 -not included In the totalS
7'le 3Q I
e 0 8 rcraft airborne ell car- above.
iOIli
OO~POUM mines with both
The results of t:-r.e !IIlSs are
considered excelleDt. 1M iii_-
field in the westerD spprosch85 of
Shi.,onos eki ha.S been stroDE;l1 swet-
ened. The 'ene~ orobeb1Y'lJnJ f'f#-
aid 24 mines in tho (mst-
81tlrOl\cnes .. 0 ~i..,onosnkl
--:1
T "'LSU . .
1 to sweep vigorOUSly for tnree
r.ell mately l~ IUlles SOUth
or four day' and then attempt to of Shlkolm. 'nle crew or t~",
run the blockade and take hlS los- and three ';'fere reSCued bha~
ses. The mining of the lfe Said an- submarine. Eigl1t are .! lti
t
chorage In the eastern approaches !b~~1rt.
will dellY the use of the anchorage Some aircraft 1I'e1'
to ships over 1,000 tons tor tour searchlights and recetv:d ~O!III
to six dayS and 1fl11 (:!1srunt the vy and medlUl!1 AA fire. b:ltk
or~8nlzatl0n of convoyS tnrou~n tne
straHS. . 81ZUI'U ItSS mineO for 'tne ,-,~ ...
second tillle.
.
:~
. ',',

No aU' opposition was encountered The third nlnlng 01

on the r.:IU!1on 600 flak was 'negli- week followed on the n1~~~1't
May. Thirty aircraft o!' ot
gible. Wing were airborne to .4 tIlI,~
the western approach to S~1~
Straits, FuShiki~Shblllal.c'
and Niigata. ,

Nine laid 63 2,OOO.Pau.lI

On the nl.G;ht of 22 ..23 }olay Shimo..
nosaki Stre.1ts were mined again by
:32 alreraft of the 313th Wing. S1.x-
teen laid 94 2,ooo_pounderll 1'0 the
western approaches and 14 laid 83
B,OOO_pounders 1'0 the eastern ap-
proaches. One dropped 1'0 another
area.
One aircraft was lOllt approxl-
at N11gata; nine laill 63ll1tb1-
shik1-Shlmlnato, Nanao UtI
seven laid 49 in the IlUtII
p'roach. to Shimonoseki Stn1t1.
dropped elsei'mere a~ tb:te I
ineffective. Only one aU.
received from an enemyt1rcM.
was negligible. Results rt
miSsion were consillered
(Secret)

\XXI.~C~ ~ ~~ 8j~
In response to inqUiries l a cCl:1~ April 1945. thiS COOI08Dd-a
parison has been obtained rran the rate of only 2 percent, a
33rd Statistical Control Unit on rate of 17 percent snd'
loss, dAlllage and casualty rates of rate of 1:'7" percent.
the 8th Air Force with those of the

-------- .
XXI Booher Cotm:tand. I t was only I7Mn t'l'

This cOlllpar1son shows that aU'-

was practically chased
skies and run fighter ~11PI""':.
!::I .AWAMISHI PLAN' tuIH HII ,I
craft and crews ofth1s Command have to Allied bomberS t!l!t tbt ~ ,," on T;a8 ;:l1S S1on
had a much better chance of getting 'Force loss rates 8PprOS1l'te Tne last issue of the A.I.l. reported t!'l~~. 'Kobe (Target
through misSions safely than did
thOse of the 8th Air Force.
of the XXI Banber cQlInao1· l~ 11 llay the Ka'l'1anishi Aircraft COlllpanY !'Ie: to above 11111
At the end of 1944 Ctlll,~ 1I111"~!1 OJ.. 02) had been miSsed. A glance at the Pc~ \faS based on
cent figures available) ~~ "~.'Q\ 00," prcwe the inaccurary of that st3te'O.ent, wh1 ell on 24 t!ay.
From the beginning of Operations S~U:e phot o 3 r aphy. Post..str1lfe photoS, obte1~d '1tIiS is a
on 17 August 1942 to 31 December Force losS rate .as !4:ri~ S 0'i'I' that the plant .8..9 38 percent destr~yS ~d north of
1943\ the 8th Air Force had a sor_ casualty rate 1 percei Ifill' GUTTEO correction we are bap?y to make. AreeS ee !ull or were"
- - - - . . ~he plant (eurrounded by dotted lines). ,;,;er:1tlost entue
lY
tie oss rate Of 4.2 percent,s dam_ damage rate ~~C'DC~
aJ;8 rate of ~6t2 percent and a cas- pares with m BOIIIbef,q t
ausee ana reeder installations. These ':'Iere
ualty rate 0 _ percent. rate of 1.4 percent! rt" i-all Wiped out. (Contident1al)
1.2 percent and demal'oJIII"u
FrOlll its first operetion &.Geinst percent during the ~.
Japan on 24 VPV8mber 1944 to 30 Uarch and,,}.prp; thUl 1---
MHIl9anw..~' I '
 ..,. .'
,1\:rr,··1
r.. .• •

landi~ l1~hts not used. Clle weele

captured Japanese pilots and
ulf ce~bers provide interesting
!t~ OIl N!PPon" Air Foree. The
Il'tr&!' !'lip l1kes to hear h1mse::rt'
un. He l1kes to sho''1 off and, 1n
I) ~~ll&,be provi~es both technica~
l:xl taotieal information of interes",
of eecn raonth .,.as devoted to night
flying. Prisoner had 20 hours ere&
dlt. no special test :7!lS given far
night vision during any p~t of the
tr9.ining.

....
B-29s or the SOOth tirwp, 73l'll 'til.
t) rver? ere'll lllel:lber •

CRGANIZATIOTI FAILUR~

nnt, PO"f statements on failures

lot revealed the
KAUIKAZS

fOll~i~7ka%e
All intervie7l' wi th Yo-
pi&

Ing Hnrnamatsu through the '0IIp lilt!
.r tbt Japair organization: so He is 19 yea(,:.', old, cannot relld,
he sa""
clo- . ' - ; , u' s lad acted l1ke 8
f'risOller thought the Army failure less"".a d O W se
. . ...."v"
. I an d oore or
~ elrrteld maintenance had cons 14- out amn fool.) He c8;::e ri!ht
l'1~ly added to Japan's downfall in
he of training school and ';I8.S told
11: IIZ'tare. Tht! weakness had re~
was to be a Yacikaze pilot. He

J» HOM.LAND~YWlA'H•••
rJtIll in well over 10 percent los_ began training at 16. He never did
Ie 1n pUots and airplanes in l8n-
any night flying. In the line ot
llq, talo::e&otf and other operation. navigation training all he did was
t1 eeeldents. go by the caps_.typical -fly the
iron beam" pilot.
B-24s or t~e 655th B~b 3qua_ Inne(Uately. What .;'PIIIlI ~e pr1.sone:r, Who had seen Al-
dron 00 '7eather ileconnalssance, to be a coxlIllJnlcatlOlll '" Ued elrrtelds, stated there was no NIGHT T,\CTIC5
attached to the XXI BomColll, are approximately 100 teet Wl- illlp&rtson between them and Jap air-
now staging delly weather mis_ "The only [!lethed of attack tsul;ht
surroundina: bulldlD&1 .. 111119. Cnly once had the p','1 seen
Hons trCX!l 1wo to the E'tnplre. s 19hted on a cUrf .t tbll~ 1 Stetl ~t used on a runway. He
was to approach the enarlY fren the
rear, and approX1n8telY 100 to 200
The opportunity to fil'e a few ern tip ot Tanega. strd'u. ~:lJld not recall where .i1': was ~ but
this installation'" c~
well-placed shots at Jap in_ ~lJ.t it 1f8S on a J&9 Navy field. ceters below I execute a dive to
stallations was
on the
not passed up
first of these misSions
and tracers were seeD
the ta:'1'er.
\0'" JAPANESE PILms
gain speed, then climb sharply and
press attack hcae, frOOl lCll" and siX
flown on 20 ray and Piloted by o'clock." This priSoner stated the
most difficult part of night right-
Lt, r:ol. II. H. Chaves!e, Squa-
dron CO with Capt. J.Q. Berta.
~ePrhoner or war interrogations er tacticS 1\'a5 to gaU&e diStances
Arrangements haft MIa rJi' !IlOlfn that'
5_3 as co-pilot. FlYing at accurately. Pr190ner had never rtr-
tor reception or lD-tusb' '; ed hU guns during night fly1l'18t
'1000 feet In clOUd. the a!r_ ther reports rroe .... ~:p Pilots were good as could be training, so could not 58.'/ 1Itla
p ene approached the Island or m.issions at both tw o -':: "~1~1l~ Consid.ering training they ettect gun flash would have on hiS
Tenege just South of ~ushu to
within fIve miles ijy radar, then This sbould be a bit: '1- look~e. They ITere generally well eyesight, and doubted if it .oul~
dropped t'r0lll the clOUds to tion to the i~prO~ (CII' atter by the Army. make 1llUch difference as pilots had
"traf1~ altitude, ther torecastin& It IJOo
..,;nr~ight ftghter training pilots
received no special iostructioo.
Dark gl.an es were Dot used ror rl1-
I
fidential) Ct, le~!lt taUght land1na and take-
"Iss,t er, formation tlyi118 and
ing. pilots ~ 01-- ~~!!,.i
I aU rU&btil, ll1abt or W: - (I,;UUO -
\0 llasto n• Airfields wen lighted
I St laMina and take-ott. deatia1) i. \
 y

~ ol15 aJt,hOV•
1I!!f ~r~ed sort 01
~ ~crlllf on hh
~d path, and be·
tJl hU r>ln on the
r;,.1't&t quarter. It
:-~!lble that he'S
':f.U to keep away
,., t,."e prop wash of
ON 1'290\'1, ~ t9 tor his final
tl'11la liIC£1ents betore
~. Re'S pick.
III up & lot ot speed

ICYUSIIDI IIhU dl't'e and nc'lt'-w.

"t'S eC£llTl8 1n at
4» .•let h1ln have 1 t I
'rne fol107!'lng four 51l0ts l'l :f,vJ ~155, he'll con-
a Super fort being attacked onq,l ~ 00 dOll'l1 a'll'ay to
ushu by a Jap fi,'Ihter on S r", :!!IIert and.---st1ll
r.th plent)' of speed--
~I'll d1l:lb back up
:,:t: podt1on, above
III to t:Ja left.

~
• 011"1' LET HIS FANCY ACROD~TICS
r~.t.uE YCll__KEEP LOOTaIlG A..TlOOND.
!l tl1 Hm: A BIID::JY Co;.urlG IN Fila
• • • ,." • ~y mlTI

o ~~hte:;' starts dive

l'rcrn high above and to
the left of the '29.
~e13 pot to ?lck up
speed. tor Ule t,pe of
attacl': his cr1ental
mind has conceived, a.
100,'1 tail approach and
.~
brea.'~":iay •

6 Jap rolls
his ~ay dewn, expcsln&
over on
his belly,and at first
glance it would appear
that he'S started a
SPl1t S but notices
thnt such Q t:'lQnouver I
completed, would allow
'11m ltttle 1r any rlr~
In~ the 0:'1 t"e ~per.
fortress' uj'rer
r~~e· __ 50•• _
sur.
lfflZItn 7 _
..... ~. .-v.........-~
Technical Intell1e;ence Officers
are continuallY reporting on all
p~lases of .1o..:D.:'lOse arnn,'lCnt, air-
cr,,~t, engines and 0eneral :nalnten-
c.nee problel:ls. These rnen, spcclo1-
1sts 1n their fields, have ey.Ql,!n-
ad nu~orOilS .JopSMSO ln~talhtlons
and aircraft on Oklna~la and their
con:-:ents are lnterestins from the
standpoint of "Just f:het does the
.T:Jp have? ",'!nat does he do w1t!t
·....hat equipment he hes? H0'.7 :nucn
longer csn he fl8ht?"
In other r7ords, the little thine s ,
the basic ele!:lents of getting a
fif;hter into tl'le a1.r, I:'lUst be con-
s1dered in evaluating the OilPosl-
t ion to our nlr strel18th.
JAP DFFICULTI£S
First, the Japanese Air ~orces
are in difficulties ariSing out of
t!1e followina factors:
e. ?ieh operational losses.
(ground loops, bad lal1dings, pilot
error acc1dents included).
b. Poor maintenance and service.
c. Da-,e.ge to or loss of service
installations by our action.
d. ,Shortage of first line pi-
lots.
Second, the Japanese may be short
cnpturea
was ranta9~I d.estr0l'
stored 1n c~· FlJel'a ~
the fields vas lOcate ~~,
must havQ and 1n 1 d~!l~
denscme ~de trans ()eatl!lt.l~i
percent' or t~retororeP01'l.<tb:~-
ply 09.:'10 froell' aV1e.tt ~~l
erla.nds East :n sources ~~:1l.'
Indies, ~t'.. >,;
Third, the l'
shO?1 more and .1p 1a besl.....
structural perio re !U~tt~
found on Okino.lI' s or hll-""-
canposition p~is Ply,o~
several fl.1 sa 1.D.ga lIer,'
emy shows a c!er seetioll,
and the baser me~Ue 1atkC
~a1l1ng 1n alumi llld It
1n plane construet~"um ca1rltt~
•
l!E7 PtANS3 :I::Ul EA.;? loytlent or search- craft. These are the lights 'll'hich
HO','lever, it did not t" •
ftl,e i
enemy"
III
e
1Jnportance with
I~ts lnereas~sni~t operations of
"flick" the aircraft 1n a very
short search tiie. IoAnually con·
the Japanese fully erot';: te lJlllberd 0 Almost all flak en_ trolled "carry" lights on the inner
newer planes to akinete' ~ ct:.~;Al\O~ our night mis!{ions to
Ccr.nbat reports repeatt4l1~'
Ifals, Os cars , Nat83 , zei;: ::a 1S reported by crews whose
&1rea!t have f1rst been picked up
circles then focus on the aircraft
and track them 1n ror the AA guns
or fighters "hile the plcy.-uP l1ght.~
and examination of eras·lll .... I:I! earried in searchlight beaf.'lS.
may search for other tarGets.
about ident1tication o(pa; ea' is .ost rlal-r at night over
s e"bled as early as l~. :a~ 1; delivered by "seen" meth- The Jap nas necessarllY devllne<1
e rather than by the radar or from the standard circular arrall8 e -
In otber words, ttls t.'f ~een· l:Iethod, and this naturally ment in a l1..IJ:lber or the searchl1sht
story of "for mnt of a II:: Il~es great 1I::lp.ortance to the defenses on the mainland. 'nle fact
shoe was lost, for want or I ~es, searchlight defense. that the large cities so far et-
the horse \'las lost".-a.n:l «.!i tacked are on large bays or the In-
conclusior. .that beea:Jst rJ.!'it ~I.qg
the t'irs t phase of nigh t land Sea precludes the all around
of such small cc:mponents,1'I earr1ed out by the XXI
II1sstons defense. ,'L1so terrain !overl'.s the
to the final once hoped.flt r ~ CO"'...:s.nd,the Jap search118hts .. ispos1tion to a larGe extent.

I "'t
of aViation fuels. The extent to Japan's air strenGth U 10ft· &eneral1y 1neffect1ve. Coor-
'Ihich they disperaed the su-plies fidential) -Uoo betl'feen lights and flak
t1&hters "as fairly good at the
~::n1116 or the attack, but the
tr:su beca::le oore and oore oon-
'B~~ JAP lI.IrtC~A""T DIE YOUUG ~,~ksand poorly operated as the
'C progressed. 'l'tLe enemy's
x - .... ,.. Chl1~bt tactics are still far
ased on I:l. recent study of engine plates. ~CIf1DI.,e , Per ect, but they heve very
. . . .-:?"'..
. "lents, and H;.7 interro!;lltions, come the t till JaPplI! ~~ly ilQprOVed with each suc_
~ .•l)ut interesting co',ments on: How long ca~t btC. . ", - night attack.
"~~~~~"soar into the wild blue yonder" btlfore
-. -- of the ever-increaS1n~ scrap heap? :rsPOSlTrOIl OF SEARCHLIGHTS
Average span for Jap Army an~ Ilavy fighters--- rour
.oat!ll·
""sl~l~chli£;hts
1llg
cally, enemy rules for em-
around an area
Life of a Jap AI'l:IY bomber seven an~ one he 1( lIIon-·~JI :0.3 to those enployed by
etlll~eni';~se consist or setting
And, finally, the Jap I:avy bombcr COi:les up w1t\~~ (~I ,ts Il1' c circles or search_
effective flYing span of---three an~ one half IDOD '. the QJ.nd t:)e areu to be ~eren_
tid) 4!sl l'! ltghts 1n the outer rlnc
~t S ~ted as "pick_up" liehts
a r~c!~.erallY equ1')pe~ eithel"
,ttl!' to r or 30"'e rorm or souDd
~ ...... - detect aoproachinA air-
:te has employed good searc\tlight
doctrine 1n the Tokyo aoo Nagoya
areas by placing stron~ de~ensesterS
to
work in conjunction with rith
and flak along favorable a;lproaches
to the target area. Good search-
light defenses have e.,lleared OIl
Chiba peninsula along the route to
Tokyo and on the shores of Ise Bay,
south or NagoY e •
Another deviation in d~P~~~~:~
is th.e report of siX t~i a!I one
close together and ee !l5
unit around 8 CiSster l1p:ht.
1 are e::ployed
searchl1e;hts 8 soto il1ll:linate
s
in outl1nin& o.reo. tighter attaC~'
our aircraft tor in station-
5MB or tnese l1<::hts .rcr.a pointing
ary with their bea·s ob"bl3' I)8J't
stl"aight up. Thi\~S P~l"hter b~
or the search•1 Jrs ;rb~ til.' -..
'l'l'here enetO' (ig -
1\
i
,
\" \ \

,
- ,
.""'1'""

.'.
'-'
(.

erai cap of the mission.

and 1s done 1n all.
l1~ts. Tne curtain

,' \
\

tbll 1s the interior or the

llll11rlNp'l Ccabat Crew Reading
~-, in the rear of the brief-
L1cI haU. Strike photos. damage
I.l ISS=ent photos and radar scope
\ C~:" are Posted here, all lao.
"lth the names of the air-
!~ ellll..~nders
"-II
'l'lhose crews took
\ ~ • ft eadlng material of an In-
.U,lgtne e
there. nature also 1s avail-

!
'I

, " '.... R.seu. p.nel h.s

,. ltneut'rent material on the sub_
tirt8' POSted daily.
tt~ or ene~ vessels are Ind1-
Also, s1gh_
l1thll'~ the 1llap. The 6th Group,
JJ~~ t1t<tiC"1 1t had never had a
~" ~tlllg'Places considerable em-
The SUding panel set-up Is shawn ~~~t10DS ~~ ",or8 "8...
ClII' rl1' "'!he!, on Air-Sea Rescue tech-
each measuring 8 X 8 feet -- six tor They are ,
~ the
s 1x tor Intelligence on the right.
big map and heve stors,!!;e space
Jb81!"h<!1.!!"'~.:.... _
J>:"
," -
; -4:'., ....,.-
~" '.'~
~<!'.
Jap officials take a very
dl:n view of the psycnologl-.
B29~
~ ~ ~f.'v.. ~
•••

~~ ~
~J~
cal warfare poop_Sheets be-
lng dropped on the homeland
~~
by B-29s. (See A.l.R. No.
~ e
~, lltY ~~
11) They call them nch1l1Hsh" but
they 01'0 pene11" anyone oho doe' >,,7
not turn the. 1n to the oo11ca. bo.b, an 1
Rere's an extract frOll\ e Jap ra~,,":~ets are pro~ag:~leb.'ftlt
d10 broadcast to homeland on ~ 1ne; anti-war thoug~t a1~ed tt l-:.
the
the sUbject: '~ s~ civilian
- / o.n among the 1ll1l1~ AM l~l.o~
pec 1 Y,go,._ ......
"A single '8_29 from the l.1erlanf..... t~nt
1s very Chlid~ ~Ild t~~~~
0 hesethe Tokyo rnetrs. 'file ~
Oll~l1, 1h~
bases penetrated tnto the capital
by wey of suruga Bay at about 1330>
tooay. The enemy plane dropped
i
up \7111 please
mmediately to the alld t:.ei:~
leaflets on one portion of the cap- 0 stratton. defense he n~relt K!i
ital end tried to destroy the figh- 0 ficas. a quarte:'! t
ting spirit of the people o~e "'Your attention is caHill ~
To!:lyo !:l.etropolis, <>->-;::5
the fact that in case YOllI!'t
"The l~etropolitan
police '):oard lle;ent in handing the!ll la, 10<'-
be penalized, At 8111 rate,la
cautions the people of Tokyo as fol- necessary thet everpOOlvldoJl1ii
lows concernin8 the leaflets Which
were dropped: <.::C.7 himself fiBRt Me Mt .i!'ii"
~
strOM nerves. '"
"'The enemy recently '1r8s been Whether as a result Dr tt,~,
dropping i~s,t on various /U'. lets or not an antt•.,&!' I:fK
apparently is rearing its U61r!lll
'0~<::K=7 in Tokyo. At the first cDld'N
of the Suzuki cabinet the Pr~
tOI' General "es ecial !.Bill
the control .;0iio..t~h~e..!!111·5.
iiiOVement." (n
~Troons should endeavour to C81ll-
oUflage tully the entrances to hid-
den caves, It is believed that one
good plan 15 to deceive US troops
by constructing naturally sited
outhouses, which US troops thorou_
ghly disl1ke,near the entrances to
the eaves, thereby causing them to
avoid these areas". So read a Jap
document captured at EADEflA air- Tokyo Radio _ -'!'b'
AS!'iII":
field. 5 Apr 45. (24~~ Corps G_2 tural MiniStry bad _'-1
plans to Uafl rlcter1 ~
~) Report 7 Apr 45 _ a..tt-
While util1dlli
However, .itb the ~ lIIi'
"aceD':
Ji\Pi\NESE HOMEFRONT bombings of Toll1 0 ~!i""
Jap P7 expresseo me tnought
land bas been - ' I"!":""II
r1ght 1. the hear' !lloll!r.~
that the general felling of the Jap this land ..s.11 bI UI'"
public was that the war was not go- tory lI:ard eftl -
i~ in their favor and many were
beginning to feel that JAPAN would
The 11.elY ..
ot the groiriDl ... ~.,
rdI",,:lii"j
...

be defeated. Propoganda to caubat the vietor7 ~.... .".

defeatism was used extens ively I and streets wh.re .....~'
stressed patriotism to the Japanese back and torth bJ'tD&'01'.-..,
Empire, Prisonar felt that if JAP- quiet to tbl' bllr!!~t
AN were invaded I there would be
mass suicides. (SI'IPA ATIS Inter.
Rpt 11673 - 13 Apr 45 Co eMs 'hl)
~~:~(::0 ar!"rr--
••