Kev, this may be useful if you've not seen it before -- here's a chart of aerial munitions that I found while searching -- from the 303rd Bomb Group website (www.303rdbg.com):
 
http://www.303rdbg.com/bombs.html
 
It shows the official designations of the various bombs; many of the shortened names are recorded in the 308th BG Mission Reports as the bombloads for each mission are described.
 
The chart lists the 500-lb. M26 cluster bomb under the fragmentation category.
  
  
 

AlanStarcher

Kev, this may be useful if you've not seen it before -- here's a chart of aerial munitions that I found while searching -- from the 303rd Bomb Group website (www.303rdbg.com):

http://www.303rdbg.com/bombs.html

It shows the official designations of the various bombs; many of the shortened names are recorded in the 308th BG Mission Reports as the bombloads for each mission are described.

The chart lists the 500-lb. M26 cluster bomb under the fragmentation category.
 
 

Thanks Alan, that looks a good site.
 
Had a look at the chart you mention and can see the M26 cluster, however these were the 20lb fragmentation clusters. I cant see any signs of the butterfly bomb clusters - M28 or M29.
did a search on the site and no links came up,  I'm not sure if the 8th Air Force were ever issued with these.........will keep looking though, and an open mind.
 
All links are useful and appreciate any help and thanks for looking!!
 
kind regards Kev

heres the film...
 

 
regards Kev

This ordnance was not an original U. S. weapons development, but rather an exact copy of a relatively early German ordnance, the SD2 Sprengbombe Dickwandig used extensively against Great Britain.
 
This pdf gives some added detail of U. S. development at the Picatinny Arsenal:  http://uxoinfo.com/blogcfc/client/enclosures/May_1944_Rpt_M83_Submunitions.pdf it was further developed for use in the Korean War as described here:  http://www.inert-ord.net/usa03a/usa6/bfly/index.html
 
Fact sheet: http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=15525
 
This was a devastating anti-personnel weapon as depicted in this UK public warning film, as it could be fused in several ways depending on the intended target.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWsnfK-MeCE
 
Scott 
 

To All;
 
I have just signed up onto this forum and am looking for some assistance or any other information that might be available on the use of cluster munitions within the Pacific Theater, specifically the South Pacific.
 
 I’m currently in transit and am jet-lagged, so I can’t seem to find the “Post New Thread” option however this thread is asking similar information to what I am looking for.
To start with; I am a retired US Army EOD 1SG with combat tours (& a life VFW member) who now works for a US Charity that performs high-level, complex and/or high risk missions in support of the overall EOD/Demining field. Nearly all of my team are also retired/former Soldiers, Sailors & Marines who like me, spent multiple tours of duty in conflict areas.
 
Because we are a charity with a humanitarian charter; please don’t confuse that with being pacifists,.. which we are not. We are non-political but we do not sign on to any of the “perfect world” concepts such as the ICBL or CMC. We deal with the Here and Now situation, which means we figure out ways to remove and reduce the threat when other organizations give up or failed.
 
I’m just returning from Palau where I gave a presentation on our UXO clearance project at Hells Point in Guadalcanal & as part of the workshop; the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) was pushing to get all of the countries within the South Pacific to formally sign on to the cluster munition ban with the reasoning of “Cluster Munitions where not used in the Pacific, so it’s easy for each nation to meet the obligation”.
 
I publicly called the CMC rep out on this for relaying false information; cluster munitions were in the theater and some US models have already been found.
 
When a country signs on to the CMC they have 10 years to clear all CBU contamination which normally comes at great expense and effort. I’ve been trying to assist various countries who signed the landmine ban as it has a similar string attached to it when they signed, but the politicians didn’t realize that.
 
I’m currently working a quick ID guide on WW-II US and Japanese cluster munitions  which will be sent to all of the countries within the South Pacific as the majority of them have no idea of what they even look like.
 
If I can receive information through this forum through 1^st or 2^nd hand records of where cluster munitions where employed at, it would be very helpful to narrow down the area.
Aside from personal experience of pilots and loader, any bombing data at all would be greatly appreciated. I read about an Air Force Officer who recently claimed he had assembled a full data-base of every bomb every dropped by the US but have not been able to get in touch with him.
 
If you do have some information but prefer not to have your name associated with it; I’ll send my personal email address and personal assurances that the source of the information will be safeguarded.
 
I thank any and all of you in advance & having had the project in Guadalcanal for over 18 months now, anyone who fought in the South Pacific has my deepest respect. That is some thick, dense, bug ridden stuff.
 
Sincerely
 
Roger Hess
Director, Field Operations
Golden West Humanitarian Foundation
www.goldenwesthf.org