[Future Snake Eater]

It is not clear why he returned to the bombed area after releasing his bombs.

Battle damage assessment?

[Robert A Cook PE]

It is not clear why he returned to the bombed area after releasing his bombs.

Battle damage assessment?

Proper BDA is done by a photo plane coming by AFTER the bomb smoke and dust is cleared away, by a higher speed reconnaissance plane at low level coming in AFTER the strike from a different direction at an “unpredictable” time.

The slower strike planes are hindered by no camera's, higher drag of their external bomb racks, slower flight speed of the strike aircraft (compared to the F-102 Voodoo fighters or Navy recon planes for example), and because the gunners are already at their posts and are tracking the attack planes if they circle back or come in twice.

Also, a strike bomber who “missed” the first time will likely fly back over the same target and “miss” again - because he would be using the same visual clues and same aiming points to try to look at the original target! He would see the bomb blast of course - he's looking at the place where he put his own bombs, right? That's why they required independent photo evaluation by a different plane briefed on the target and flying independently. Doesn't prevent errors of course, but deliberately resets the table to reduce them from being repeated by the same guy who has no equipment, and who is violently acting to reinforce his original error by justifying his hits.

That's why the umpire calls balls and strikes. Not the pitcher, not the hitter.