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started a fire on the ship. The destroyers fired with several medium guns following which five shore batteries opened up with intense fire thought to be 40 mm. and the attack was broken off. On his return trip base Lieutenant MADKAY dropped one 500 pounder, two 250's and 2 AN-M6 incendiary clusters on warehouses and shops at Mako in the Pescadores receiving meagre light anti-aircraft fire in return.
February 28-March 1 - Commander Norman C. GILLETTE, Jr., USN, found a 5,000 ton freighter (Fox Baker) and two escorts proceeding toward Make in the Pescadores at a point 10 miles south of that Harbor. A direct hit with a 500 pounder fifty feet from the stern caused the Fox Baker to explode and sink. Light and medium anti-aircraft from the escorts was fairly accurate until aided by the illumination provided by the burning ship, it became extremely accurate and the plane was hit by a 20 mm. shell which knocked out the VHF radio equipment. Shore batteries two miles distant also opened fire ineffectively. Proceeding to the China Coast, Commander GILLETTE searched from Amoy to Swatow with no sightings. Returning to the Pescadores he found no sign of the Fox Baker previously attacked but located one of the two escort vessels that had been with it and made a near miss with a 250 pounder. He then dropped two AN-M6 incendiary clusters on barracks located on the southwesternmost island of the Pescadores Group and started fires which burned furiously. The barracks area was also strafed. Lieutenant Arcia O. TURNER, USN, searched the China Coast from Swatow to Amoy with no ship sightings. One visual and one radar bogie were observed and at Amoy he was fired on by meagre heavy AA. Proceeding to the Pescadores Islands, he found several medium merchant ships and numerous small craft in Mako Harbor and dropped two 500's, one 250, and one incendiary cluster on a Sugar Baker. While making this run at 150 feet altitude, Lieutenant TURNER flew through a hail of intense light and medium AA which prevented observation of the results. Two men received serious leg wounds, one of which necessitated amputation, and the plane was heavily hit from bow to stern. Sixty-five holes were later counted in the hull. Fortunately neither engines nor controls were damaged and Lieutenant TURNER set course for base after first dropping his remaining bombs on unidentified buildings in the Pescadores. He put his plane down on the water at Lingayen Gulf at 0820 Item and immediately beached it on the seaplane ramp. Lieutenant Michel G. EMMANUEL, USNR, found no shipping in Hongkong area except the usual Chinese junks of which there were many. Four bogies were picked up on radar, however, one of which closed to visual range. Returning to base Lieutenant EMMANUEL dropped his entire bomb load in train across the main island of Pratas Reef starting a large fire.
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