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Operation No. 609

RAIL

12 aircraft

Operational Record

Committed
12 Glenn Martin Baltimore
Airborne
0617 hrs
Returned
0815 hrs
From
Biferno
Map
ITALY 1:100,000 Sheet 146 SULMONA
Day / night
Day
12 Baltimores took off BIFERNO by 0817 Hrs to attack a STRETCH of RAILWAY in a defile near a tunnel between G797924 (42°08'05.0"N 13°45'16.0"E) and 794928 (Latitude : **42° 08' 18'' N **Longitude : **13° 45' 03'' E**), about 5 miles S.W. of POPOLI. After R/v with 223 Sqdn (leading) formation set course at 0850 Hrs and bombed in two boxes line astern from 10500' on a course of 330º at 0905 Hrs. Vics bombed independently, all bombs falling in close patterns from G798923 (Latitude : **42° 08' 01'' N **Longitude : **13° 45' 20'' E**) to G793929 (Latitude : **42° 08' 21'' N **Longitude : **13° 44' 59'' E**), with numerous direct hits on railway and road, the main weight of bombs at G797925 (Latitude : **42° 08' 08'' N **Longitude : **13° 45' 16'' E**). Two bombs burst at tunnel mouth G793929 (Latitude : **42° 08' 21'' N **Longitude : **13° 44' 59'' E**). All a/c back by 1015 Hrs. One 500 lb. bomb hang-up jettisoned in sea near base. Visibility good, target clear, 7/10 Cirrus, 25000'. NO enemy opposition. Six Spitfires provided area cover.