70 Years Ago Today: Monday, June 12, 1944 European Theater, (POINTBLANK) 8th Air Force Mission 407 – With bad weather over top priority targets in Germany, 1,442 bombers are dispatched against airfields and landing grounds in northeastern France and rail and road bridges on the Brest Peninsula. 769 B-17s and 673 B-24s hit 16 airfields and six railroad bridges in the Rennes and St Nazaire area. Six B-17s and two B-24s are lost, with 65 men listed as killed or missing. In 8th Air Force fighter action, 234 P- 38s, 80 P-47s and 201 P-51 s fly escort, sweeps and patrols over the Channel, northwest of Paris, and in the Rennes area. They shoot down 20 Luftwaffe aircraft and destroy another on the ground. Meanwhile, 93 P-38s and 183 P-47s fly fighter-bomber missions against five railroad bridges in the Tours-Paris area, shooting down five Luftwaffe aircraft and destroying one on the ground. Elsewhere, 45 P-38s and 152 P-51s fly escort for 9th Air Force A-20s and B-26s. Four P-38s, nine P-47 and three P-51s are lost, with 15 pilots listed as missing. During the night, the RAF dispatches 348 Halifaxes, 285 Lancasters, and 38 Mosquitos to attack communications, mostly railways, at Amiens/St Roch, Amiens/Longueau, Arras, Caen, Cambrai and Poitiers. Meanwhile, 286 Lancasters and 17 Mosquitos carry out the first raid of the new oil campaign, hitting the Nordstern synthetic-oil plant at Gelsenkirchen. The attack opened with exceptional accuracy but later phases of the bombing were spoiled by the clouds of smoke from the burning target. A rogue target indicator fell 10 miles short of the target and is bombed by 35 aircraft. In other action, 27 Mosquitos attack Cologne, three fly radio counter measure sorties, 39 fly Serrate patrols and 13 fly Intruder patrols. Elsewhere, nine Halifaxes and five Stirlings lay mines off Brest and St Nazaire, and 13 aircraft fly resistance operations. 23 Lancasters and 17 Halifaxes are lost, with their crews. 8th Air Force Mission 408 – During the night, Seven B-17s drop leaflets on France, and Belgium. During the night, 16 B-24s, from the 8th Air Force, fly CARPETBAGGER missions. European Theater, Battle of Normandy The 9th Air Force sends a force of 509 B-26s and A-20s to bomb marshalling yards, road and rail junctions, bridges, artillery, town areas, troop concentrations and various targets of opportunity. Fighter aircraft fly support for bombers, and bomb and strafe rail lines, gun batteries, bridges, fortifications, radar installation, tanks, ammunition dumps, town areas and strongpoints in the battle area. The 9th Air Force moves the 366th Fighter Group from Thruxton, UK, to France. In US First Army’s VII Corps area, the 39th Infantry, of the 9th Division, attached to the 4th Division, is given part of 22nd Infantry’s sector, along the coast, and takes Crisbecq, from which the enemy has withdrawn. They also take Dangueville and Fontenay-sur-Mer, forcing the enemy back to his main line of resistance on the Quinéville ridge. With strong fire support, including naval, the 22nd Infantry makes a concerted assault on Ozeville and captures it. The 12th Infantry again moves forward to Les Fieffes Dancel, at the west end of the Quinéville ridge, while the 8th Infantry makes a limited attack on Montebourg, but finds it strongly held and pulls back. West of the Merderet River, the 90th Division commits the 359th Infantry, which has returned from being assigned to the 4th Division, between the 357th Infantry and the 358th Infantry, but is still unable to make much headway. During a nighttime attack on Pont l’Abbé, the 358th Infantry overruns the town, which has been leveled by artillery and aerial bombardment. The 508th Parachute Infantry, of the 82nd Airborne Division, reinforced and organized as a task force, crosses the Douve River, at Beuzeville-la-Bastille, During the night, in an effort to make contact with the 101st Airborne Division at Baupte. The 101st Airborne Division envelops and captures Carentan, with Brigidier General Anthony McAuliffe coordinating the final assault, which is made by 506th Parachute Infantry. After the 501st Parachute Infantry and the 506th Parachute Infantry close the circle around Carentan, elements of the 506th and the 327th Glider Infantry drive rapidly into the town and eliminate stragglers. To secure the approaches to Carentan, the 506th and 501st Regiments thrust toward Baupte and Priers, respectively, but are soon stopped. The 327th Glider Infantry pushes southeast to the Montmartin-en-Graignes region and makes contact with elements of V Corps. In the V Corps area, the 29th Division Task Force, comprised of two companies of the 115th Infantry, crosses the Vire River, to reconnoiter in Montmartin-en-Graignes area and take the bridges over Vire–Taute Canal, but they are halted by strong opposition in Montmartin-en- Graignes region. To meet an expected enemy counterattack in the weak sector between VII Corps and V Corps, elements of the 2nd Armored Division are ordered to Montmartinen- Graignes area. V Corps begins to attack toward St. Lô and is vigorously opposed on right. The 115th Infantry, of the 29th Division, makes a futile attempt to cross the Elie River southeast of Ste Marguerite-d’Elle. The 3rd Battalion crosses but is driven back with severe casualties. The 116th Infantry attacks through the 115th in the evening and succeeds in crossing the river. The 23rd Infantry, of the 2nd Division, attempts to reach Hill 192, which commands approaches to St. Lô from the north and east, but is stopped at the Elie River. Against lighter resistance, the 9th Infantry advances in conjunction with the 1st Division and takes Litteau ridge. On the left flank of V Corps, the 1st Division, with the 18th Infantry on the right and the 26th Infantry on the left, thrusts to the edge of Caumont. In the British Second Army’s XXX Corps area, the 50th Division maintains pressure on the enemy near Tilly-sur-Seulles. The 7th Armoured Division begins a flanking attack on the right flank of XXX Corps and pushes through Livry to positions east of Caumont. Italian Campaign In Italy, 12th Air Force medium bombers hit bridges, viaducts, and rail lines at Collazone, Perugia, Foligno, Massa Lombarda, Pietrasanta, Cattolica, Pesaro, Arezzo and Bucine, while light bombers hit Arcidosso and motor transport in the area. Fighter-bombers are restricted by bad weather but attack several bridges and roads in the line of the enemy retreat, which, at its farthest point, is north and west of Viterbo. The 12th Air Force moves many units further north as the enemy withdraws, including the 86th Fighter Group, with P-47s, the 5th Combat Mapping Squadron, with F-5s, the 97th Bomb Squadron (Light), and the 522nd and 523rd Fighter Squadrons, with P-47s. In US Fifth Army area, port at Civitavecchia is opened to LST traffic. IV Corps continues pursuit of the enemy northward, advancing a little less rapidly than VI Corps had, against gradually increasing resistance. An assault by the 36th Division, reinforced by the 361st Infantry, of the 91st Division, and tanks and tank destroyer units, is screened by the 117th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron. Task Force Ramey, under the command of Brigidier General Rufus Ramey, consisting of the 91st Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, reinforced by the 141st Infantry, of the 36th Division, and supporting units, is formed to screen the right flank of IV Corps and maintain contact with French. The enemy is offering delaying opposition in vicinity of Orbetello. China – Burma – India Theater (China) The 14th Air Force sends a group of 50 P-40s, P-51s and B-25s to hit troop concentrations in the Yellow River area, at Lingpao and south of Loyang, in China. In the Tungting Lake area, a force of about 100 P-40s and P-51s attack numerous supply boats and other river and lake traffic, and hit dock areas and warehouses at Lanchi, Yuankiang and at scattered points. Also hit are villages and troops in the Changsha and Kuanchuang areas. The 14th Air Force moves the 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, with P-51s, from India, to China. China – Burma – India Theater (Burma) Over 30 B-25s, from the 10th Air Force, continue to supply troops at Imphal, India with ammunition. Meanwhile, 16 P-40s hit Mogaung and targets of opportunity in northern Burma. On the Salween front, the Chinese 115th Infantry recovers Hongmoshu, in the Huei-jen Bridge area. Southwest Pacific Area 5th Air Force In New Guinea, fierce ground fighting continues on Biak Island while Japanese aircraft attack Allied ground forces and shipping offshore. P-47s battle attacking aircraft, shooting down several. Meanwhile, P-47s and A-20s hit troop concentrations, communications and various other targets in the Wewak and Hansa Bay areas. Thirteenth Air Task Force B-24s bomb Dublon Island, in the Truk Atoll, and the airfield on Peleliu Island. On Biak, the 2nd Battalion, of the 163rd Infantry, of the 41st Division, arrives. The 186th Infantry remains on the first phase line, actively patrolling, while awaiting forward movement of the 162nd Infantry to the right. The regimental boundary is extended 300 yards on the north, as the 162nd Infantry is still furiously opposed on right, where the 3rd Battalion works slowly forward, with advance elements gaining only 300 yards. A gap of almost 900 yards exists between the 3rd and 2nd Battalions at the end of the day. Engineers begin repairs on the Mokmer airdrome. In the Wakde-Sarmi area, General Sibert takes command of Task Force TORNADO. The headquarters of the 6th Division becomes the headquarters of Task Force TORNADO, replacing the headquarters of Regimental Combat Team 158. The 5th Air Force moves the 82nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, with P-39s, from Saidor, to Biak Island. South Pacific Area Air Command Solomons sends six B-24s to bomb the runways at Tobera and Rapopo, on New Britain Island. Meanwhile, 22 P-39s and 10 P-38s join over 20 US Navy aircraft in attacks on supply dumps near Ralum, and 20 B-25s pound Malapau village. Elsewhere, 44 P-39s hit the airfield on Buka Island and, on Bougainville Island, the Tsirogei plantation, barges and pier south of Kleine Island and the occupied area west of Komai. Central Pacific Area Eniwetok Atoll-based B-24s, of the 7th Air Force, bomb Truk Atoll. In the Marianas, US Navy aircraft of Task Force 58 continue their attacks to complete the destruction of enemy planes and wreck airfields. They attack an enemy convoy attempting to escape, sinking 10 to 14 ships. They also sink a cargo vessel just off Saipan and severely damage another, and sink an enemy vessel in Tanapag harbor. During the night B-24s, from Eniwetok Atoll, bomb Truk Atoll and Ponape Island. North Pacific Area During the night, six B-24s, from the 11th Air Force, are dispatched to fly an offensive sweep and provide air cover for a naval task force. They abort the mission due to bad weather.
Posted on: Thu, 12 Jun 2014 11:13:40 +0000
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