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NOTES TO TABLE 39
This table sums up the data for 1944 given in Table 38, and provides additional figures on ordnance expenditures on targets.
The carrier emphasis on strafing and rocket attacks on grounded aircraft may be noted, together with the heavy volume of bombing attack on other airfield targets (Note that sorties classified as attacking primarily aircraft runways may have expended some of their bombs, and the bulk of their rockets and strafing fire, on grounded aircraft and airfield buildings and installations).
It may also be noted that carrier planes expended over 50% of their rockets and strafing fire, and land-based planes 75%, on military land targets.
The table illustrates the intensity of attack on large merchant vessels during 1944, the considerable volume of strafing attacks on small vessels, and the heavy tonnage per sortie against armored warships. Also of interest are the attacks on land transportation targets. The urban areas attacked included principally towns on Guam and Palau, and the cities of Davao and Naha. Industrial facilities included oil storage and manufacturing facilities in the Philippines and Formosa.
From the table may be calculated average ordnance expenditures per sortie against each type of target. Note, however, that rockets were not fully utilized during 1944.
TABLE 39. ATTACKS, AND ORDNANCE EXPENDITURES ON TARGETS, BY ALL CARRIER-BASED AND LAND-BASED AIRCRAFT, 1944 ONLY.By Detailed Type of Target |
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TYPE OF TARGET |
CARRIER-BASED ATTACKS |
LAND-BASED ATTACKS |
||||||
SORTIES ATTACKING TARGETS |
EXPENDITURES |
SORTIES ATTACKING TARGETS |
EXPENDITURES |
|||||
TONS OF BOMBS |
ROCKETS |
M.G. AMMO (*) |
TONS OF BOMBS |
ROCKETS |
M.G. AMMO (*) |
|||
Grounded Aircraft |
7,719 |
1,084 |
3,699 |
2,243 |
342 |
87 |
0 |
122 |
Airfield Runways |
8,709 |
3,024 |
1,002 |
3,135 |
7,559 |
3,809 |
136 |
1,282 |
Defense Installations, Guns |
16,077 |
5,014 |
6,413 |
6,095 |
21,522 |
9,704 |
240 |
4,274 |
Personnel and Bivouac Areas |
3,939 |
1,262 |
2,987 |
1,523 |
8,310 |
3,320 |
72 |
2,841 |
Buildings, Storage Areas (#) |
13,569 |
5,250 |
5,380 |
4,263 |
13,062 |
5,590 |
376 |
3,832 |
Docks and Waterfront |
459 |
168 |
309 |
136 |
476 |
217 |
6 |
94 |
Roads, Bridges, Vehicles |
1,407 |
299 |
1,119 |
593 |
1,962 |
619 |
0 |
652 |
Industrial Facilities |
681 |
249 |
452 |
209 |
77 |
19 |
0 |
27 |
Urban Areas |
544 |
166 |
112 |
152 |
1,107 |
394 |
0 |
303 |
Other and Unknown Land |
541 |
86 |
246 |
57 |
429 |
69 |
24 |
27 |
Armored Warships |
2,011 |
973 |
780 |
454 |
13 |
14 |
0 |
2 |
Unarmored Warships |
2,104 |
573 |
617 |
642 |
232 |
94 |
8 |
74 |
Merchant, Over 500 Tons |
8,425 |
3,011 |
2,805 |
1,805 |
1,115 |
463 |
102 |
452 |
Merchant, Under 500 Tons |
3,272 |
347 |
897 |
840 |
3,218 |
475 |
127 |
786 |
Ships, Type Unknown @ |
303 |
125 |
12 |
69 |
283 |
232 |
58 |
23 |
Total Land Targets |
53,645 |
16,602 |
21,719 |
18,406 |
54,846 |
23,828 |
854 |
13,454 |
Total Ship Targets |
16,115 |
5,029 |
5,111 |
3,810 |
4,861 |
1,278 |
295 |
1,337 |
TOTAL ALL TARGETS |
69,760 |
21,631 |
26,830 |
22,216 |
59,707 |
25,106 |
1,149 |
14,791 |
* – In thousands of rounds expended on targets. |