8/8/2019 Special Damage Assessment, Flash Report No. 9, Hiroshima

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7

8 August 1945

C. I . U.T;iENTIZTIl AIR FORCE,\PO 234. cf a POSTIl.AST::1lSAN FllAlICISCO. CALIFOlUIIA

m .U If t_.. Itr...Ue4 _DIe Jilwctm 10. 0200. , eft.ott.,. 28 :rOT. ~

SUPPLEM:JNT to SPECIAL DAMAGE ASSESSMENT FLASR REPORT NO.990.30-735 ARMY TRANSPORT RASE - 25% destroyed.Fifte n warehouse-type buildings along the western quay are damaged - 5 othese bui ld ings have gutted damage. The others S6em to be distorted. Many!Illes of 0llen stores in the quay area h.::.ve been strewn about. Seven off icetype buildings in the N :fIart of the plant are destroyed. Some 30 barrackstype buildings around the large anti-aircraft compound are destroyed. Thesouth western part of the plant is obscured by clouds. (12,000 1-15,000'S of PI.)90.30-736 ARMY ORDNANCE DEPOT

Only 6" coverage - cannot be assessed accurately. Two large storagetype buildings ~ t t e d . (9.000' SE of PI).90.30-737 ARMY FOOD DEPOT - 3 destroyed.Seven small store-type buildings, 2 large warehouse-type buildings andseveral long store-type buildings are destroyed. Residential area immediately E of the depot is destroyed . (12,000' SE of A.P.)90,30-738 A - ~ I T CLOTHING DEPOT - 8 5 destroyedTen very long. narrow warehouse-type buildings, 3 saw-tooth roof bui14ings end 8 build ings lo ca ted in mo( part of the depot are destroyed. Twolarge buildings distorted. (10.000' SE of A.P.)90,30-740 EAST HIROSHII'.A R.R. STATION - destroyed.Partial 24" coverage shows the round house and shop area to have disappeared. Western section of the RR yard shows 2 R.R. sheds destroyed endsooe debris on the tracks. (10.000' lIE of A.P.)90.30-1889 UJINA SRIPBUILDING, CO.Apparently und2m,,&"d (6.000 yds SE of A.P.)90.30-6055 unIDENTIFIED I3IUSTRY - 90% destroyed.

Completely wiped-out except for 3 warehouse type buildings lo ca ted in theS part of the plant and 3 damaged structures remaining in the central part ofthe are.. (7,500' SE of A.P.90,30-6164 S U M I T O l ~ O RAYO,I PLANT - 2 S destroyedEight long, narrow buildings distorted - 5 similar buildings ~ t t e d .(7.500' SE of A.P.)20.30-6293 KIE1a'A RAYON MILL - 10% destroyedBine small shop-type buildings destroyed. One large store-type bUilding~ t t e d . (12.000' SE of A.P.)

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l3 /to SPECIAL DAMAG3 9. cont' d

" " " > < = < ~ . . . 9 0 6 l ! . . i 6 4 i ! : 1 - Destroyed (5.500' SE of P.I) .90,30-748 - A rectangular building 2000' HE of P.I. is dameged but s t i l l stands.A bUilding in a revetment 4,000. NNE of PI .a s only roof damage.(3.500' WE of PI) .9O,30-XXI 6163 8800' South of P.I . - TEIKOKU TEXTILE MILL

All buildings show blast damage,PQWEIl PLAliT Adjacent and Wof XXI 6163 (8.800' S of P.r .)Damage i s not apparent.. Two ta l l smoke stacks remain standing.RIYEBS: In general the rivers, around bridges are clogged wi th debris andsplintered snal l boats. In several places the river banks are caved in .tuU(AGED ElIPGES Distance measured from center of bridge to probable point ofimpact. Bridges are located as follows on XXI Bom Con Litho-mosaic, HiroshiaaArea, Target 90.30 Urban:050104 - Debris locged on E side of bridge. which appears to be intact .054108 - About 1/4 of br idge missing. N end (bridge about 4.750' from probableimpact). Debris lodged on E side of bridge.058107 - Large bridge seems to be shattered but s t i l l i ~ e , Debris lodged atbend of river east of bridges.. Bridges about 4,000' fron probe impact ..064112 - Large hole in West side of bridge. (About 4.700 ' from prob. impact.Splintered boats in r'ver west of bridge.063098 - Debris on bridge, but i s s t i l l intact (about 900 from probe impact)b Banks of river caved in just north of this bridge.055098 - Both approaches to bridge cluttered with debris, but s t i l l intact .056094 - Both bridges s t i l l intact . (about 2600' from prob. impact ). Smallboats and debris clog stream on both sides of bridges.063094 100% destroyed (200ft, from probable impact) .062092 - Sevsrly damaged - river is l i t tered with debris (500' from prob. impact)067092 - Destroyed. short span (20% on Wbank s t i l l standing but appears as ashell) (500' from probable impact),065087 - Severely damaged, appears shattered and inoperative. Considerabledebris directly do,rnstrsam (500' from P.I.)066083 - Bridge intact, slight damage visible (1200' from P.I,)062083 - Both approaches severely damaged. Bridge intact and in use (1400B from P,I,)

Bridges reported are covered by 40' photography.8 amall river craft in motion in harbOrJ'ire in o il storage 6000' S of P.I . ~ c x . 077). ):Electric Railway Power Station - Gutted (8100' S of P.I,) (On O ) ~ I Power Generator - Destroyed (3000' S of PI) 6 t.'t O ~ Telephone Co, - Destroyed (3000' E of P.I .) (07'3 ') )Hiroshima Gas Works - Destroyed (8500' SE of P,I .) . CoB-a 07iHiroshima Rll Stotion - Destroyed (10.000' E of p , r . ) C o 9 ~ Ill:!.)Bll St.t ion - Destroyed (6000' N of p,r . ) (0 .)-( ,1/0Bo ac t iv i ty v i sib le on railroadsVery fev moving vehicles and people a r e ~ v i s i b l e , no mOVing streetcars.Two a ~ lres aru 5 t l 1 ~ 5 m O R ~ d e r l n g u e ~ ' c ~ u t e r or c i t yA'I'erage maximum radius of destruction - 7,000 1Average maximum radius of damege - 9500No cloud visible in ~ l . : 0 t o g r a p J : ' ~ : . __

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C, . I , .U.T \ ~ f r I E T H ! ~ FORCE

f ~ 234. c/o POSTIM2TERSlIN F illCISCO. C;J,IFORNIASPECIl.L DAMhGE ;2SESSl.IENTFLASH ~ ~ O R T NO. 9Mission No. 3PR5M 391

DATE: 8 J ~ u g u s t 1945Target ~ e a : Kure (90.30)

Date Flown: 7 ~ u g u s t 1945 h/C C O L ~ a n d e r : G. J . Benedict.""- 1st Lt. 1l0 ..

(This tentat ive report is subject to changear ter a more detailed study and is to be considered str ic t ly as advance inrornmtion.lDamage to HIROSHIl>I!. - 90.30 - Urban.

20AF SBM 13, 6 August 1945. 509th Bomb Group.Built-up a rea: Sq. Mi. Total: 6.9 Sq. Mi. Destroyed: 4.1Percent des troyed: 60Targets dnnaged by current s tr ike: 5 nunbered, 0 other.Quality and l imitat ions or photocraphs: Good 24" Cover.Damaged targets are

Target 748 /,:rmy,Div. Hq." 1889 Ujina Shipbuildin6 Co." 6055 Unidentifiedn 6163 Teikoku Textile Mill." 6164 Sinal Corps 2nd Co.

Note: Destroyed area Given above (4.1 sq. mi.) is that areain which a l l buildings are destroyed. "dditionnl danageis seen outside this areti. Concrete buildings withinthe destroyed area are s t i l l standine. No bomb crateris 'v is ib le .

~ . ; ; ; IL l d,.L,. / j / ' I J ( . ,< I I I /11i.1.t-'" 1:;'.1';(J>PPROVED ,J. . . . . . . J1PPRonD / w - I f lL.MILTON r;. Th.RiJY, . .', ,FH,.NK E. DEL.NEY,, Maj or J 1..0, In Charge. Captain, J..JJ, .I.Lsst il..-2

DISTRIBUTION: SPECliL