The USAAF in WWII usually had specific targets, like a factory, complex, rail yard, etc.
A flight of bombers would typically have a 5 or 7 plane front, with the rest behind, forming box.
The lead plane would aim and call the bomb drop for all the planes in the flight, creating a pattern. The bomb pattern was designed to allow for slop, and getting about a third of the bombs on target was considered pretty good.
In Japan, the B-29s dropped from a couple of miles higher than in Europe, so a stiff cross wind could push the bombs a mile off target.
FWIW, In Europe, returning planes with bomb loads had a specific area in the English Channel to dump bombs before returning to base. It's speculated that Glenn Miller's plane strayed too close/into to that area and was hit by a bomb dump from a cancelled mission.
For bombers over Germany unable to find their target, their orders were to release over Germany under the belief that the bomb striking a forest or farmers field would in some manner, harm the German war effort.
Seems a shame just to drop the bombs in the Channel. I had read the theory that that is what killed Glenn Miller. I’m sure you know the story of his getting on the plane to begin w. He asked about parachutes, and according to the account, the pilot asked him what was wrong, did he want to live forever? [or words to that effect]. As cold as the Channel was in Dec., a parachute probably wouldn’t have helped. (Especially not if in fact it was bombs that sank him.)