5th BW Missions November 1943
November 1 - Naval Base: Spexia, Italy; RR/BDG: Vezzano, Italy
Six B-17s of the 301st Bomb Group bombed a railroad bridge near Vezzano, Italy. Bombs were observed to fall to left of target. One B-17 of the 97th Bomb Group dropped 6 x 100 pound bombs on La Spezia. The rest of the formation failed to bomb because of weather.
November 2 - A/C Components Factory: Wiener Neustadt, Austria
Seventh four B-17s of the 2nd, 97th, 99th and 301st Bomb Groups dropped 444 x 1,000 pound bombs on the Wiener Neustadt, Austria Aircraft factory. Bomb strike photos show this to be a most successful mission. The 2nd Bomb Group was attacked by approximately 100 enemy aircraft resulting in eight E/A being destroyed. Two B-17s failed to return - cause unknown. The 97th Bomb Group was attacked by 15 enemy aircraft, five of which were destroyed, while this Group suffered no losses. The 99th Bomb Group encountered 45 enemy aircraft. Eight of these E/A were destroyed while no losses were sustained. The 301st Bomb Group encountered 45 enemy aircraft. No claims being made. Four B-17s of this Group were lost due to enemy aircraft and flak. Thirty one P-38s furnished escort part way to target. No enemy A/C were observed by the escort.
November 4 - Highway: Leghorn to Rome, Italy
Eight B-17s of the 97th Bomb Group dropped 48 x 1,000 pound bombs on the Leghorn to Rome road. Bomb strike photos show at least six direct hits on the road causing temporary damage. One P-38 made a weather recon flight.
November 6 - RR/BDGs: Orbtello, Italy
Seven B-17s of the 99th Bomb Group dropped 42 x 1,000 pound bombs on a railroad bridge north of Orbetello, Italy. Bomb strike photos show several direct hits on double railroad track and several damaging near misses on bridge. Ten P-38s dived bombed a railroad bridge nine miles south of Orvieto scoring several near misses. They also straffed railroad installations and electric station at Montalto di Castro, Italy. Eight P-38s, also from the 15th Fighter Group, furnished top cover.
November 7
Bombers and fighters were forced to return to their base, without bombing, because of weather. Forty one P-38s served as escort with no encounters.
November 8 - Ball Bearing Factory: Turin, Italy
Eighty B-17s of the 97th, 99th and 301st Bomb Groups attacked the Turin Ball Bearing Works, Turin, Italy dropping744 x 500 GP bombs and 648 x 100 incindiary bombs. Photos show this to be a very successful mission. No enemy aircraft were encountered. Two B-17s of the 99th Bomb Group were lost. Cause unknown.
November 9 - M/Y: Bolzano, Italy
Twenty four B-17s of the Second Bomb Group attacked the Genoa, Italy Marshalling Yards. Bomb strike photos showed a concentration of hits on residential and commericial structures to the west of the Annaldo Steel Works. Thirty one P-38s of the 14th Fighter Group furnished the escort. One P-38 crashed in water. No enemy aircraft were encountered.
November 10 - M/Y & RR/BDG: Bolzano, Italy
Fifty nine B-17s of all Groups attacked Bolzano, Italy, Marshalling Yards dropping 636 x 500 pound CP and 266 x 100 pound incindiary bombs. Protos show considerable damage to M/Ys and railroad bridge. A very successful mission. Forty five enemy aircraft were encountered resulting in four being destroyed, one probably destroyed and two damaged. Two B-17s of the 2nd Bomb Group and one from the 99th Bomb Group were lost to enemy action. Thirty four P-38s escorted this mission almost to the target but were forced to turn back due to shortage of fuel. No enemy aircraft were encountered.
November 13
Two P-38s flew a search mission for missing aircraft down in water.
November 16 - Istres Le Tube A/D: Marseilles, France
Eighty three B-17s of all Groups attacked Istres Le Tube A/D, France dropping 456 x 500 GP bombs and 6444 x 20 fragmentation bombs. Barracks and installations were severly hit. Bombers were attacked by approximately 40 enemy aircraft but E/A were not aggressive. Thirty six P-38s furnished escort but had no encounters.
November 17
Nine B-17s of the 301st Bomb Group dropped 108 x 500 pound GP bombs on Athens/Eleusis A/D in Greece. No enemy aircraft were encountered.
November 18 - Eleusis A/D: Athens, Greece
Eighty one B-17s of the 2nd, 97th and 99th Bomb groups attacked Athens/Eleusis A/D, Greece, dropping 372 x 500 GP bombs and 6900 x 20 frag bombs. Installations were severely damaged. One B-17 was lost.
November 22 - Naval Base: Toulon, France
B-17s accompanied by P-38s were out in heavy force but were forced to return because of weather.
November 24 - Submarine Pens: Toulon, France
120 B-17s of all Groups dropped 1446 x 500 GP bombs on Toulon Submarine Base and Pens at Toulon, France. Bomb strike photos and PRUs show considerable damage to Pens, shipping and installations. Thirty six P-38s furnished the escort. One B-17 of the 99th Bomb Group failed to return from this mission.
November 25
Six P-38s were scheduled to furnish escort for a PBY; however, due to zero visibility no contact was made.
November 26 - Railroad Viaduct: Recco, Italy; M/Y: Rimini, Italy
Forty two -17s of the 2nd, 99th and 301st Bomb Groups dropped 128 tons of bombs on Rimini Marshalling Yards and railroad viaduct at Recco, Italy. Several direct hits were scored on the viaduct. Weather over the target obscured the results over Rimini; however, bombing was not believed to have been good. Thirty four P-38s furnished the escort and sighted 12/15 enemy aircraft attempting to attack bombers. The enemy aircraft were driven off by the escorting fighters. No claims were made.
November 27 - M/Y & RR/BDGs: Grizzano, Italy; M/Y: Rimini, Italy; RR/BDG: Vergato, Italy
One hundred and six B-17s dropped 215 tons of bombs on Rimini, Italy Marshalling Yards. Bomb strike photos show a heavy concentration of hits in M/Ys. A very successful mission. Twenty three P-38s furnishing escort encountered eight enemy aircraft over Avezzo. No claims or losses by escort. The 97th Bomb Group was attacked by 50 enemy aircraft of which 9 were destroyed. We had no losses.
November 29 - A/D: Grosseto, Italy; Fiano Romano A/D: Italy
The 97th Bomb Group dropped 84 tons of bombs on Grosseto A/D. The airdrome was deserted; however, several hits were scored on administrative buildings.
November 30 - Submarine Pens: Marseilles, France
All Groups were out; however, mission was recalled half way to target because of weather.