70 years ago today - 2 January 1945 From THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by Carter/Mueller, the Office of Air Force History, and The Mighty Eighth War Diary by Roger A. Freeman. HQ VIII Air Force Services Command (Advanced) is established in Brussels, Belgium, along with a Far Shore staff division; through this HQ, the Commanding General Air Force Services Command can administer his command and closely communicate with other commands operating on the Continent; this arrangement functions until 29 Apr 45 when it is relieved by the 5th Strategic Air Depot at Merville, France. Mission 776: 1,011 bombers and 503 fighters are dispatched to attack communications and tactical targets in W Germany visually and using Gee-H; 3AD bombed visually, 1AD also visually except for Prum which was GH, and 2AD all GH. Bomb Groups participating included: all 1AD except 303BG, 305BG, 398BG, 401BG; all 2AD except 44BG, 446BG; all 3AD. 4 bombers and 3 fighters are lost: 1. 299 B-17s of 1AD are dispatched to hit the Gerolstein marshalling yard (74) and communications centers are Mayen (68), Prum (34), Daun (34), Kyllburg (37) and Bitburg (36); 3 others hit a target of opportunity; 70 B-17s are damaged. Escorting are 128 of 130 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair. Bomb Groups participating – 306BG, 351BG, 379BG, 381BG, 384BG, 457BG, 91BG, 92BG. 2. 296 B-24s of 2AD are dispatched to hit the Lutzel (65) and Guls (59) rail bridges at Koblenz plus rail bridges at Irlich (59), Remagen (56) and Engers (43); 3 others hit a target of opportunity; 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 26 damaged. The escort is 215 P-47s and P-51s without loss. Bomb Groups participating – 93BG, 389BG, 392BG, 445BG, 448BG, 453BG, 458BG, 466BG, 467BG, 491BG. 3. 410 B-17s of 3AD are sent to hit marshalling yards at Bad Kreuznach (73) and Ehrang (66), a rail junction at Bad Kreuznach (67), a rail bridge at Kaiserslautern (34) and tank concentrations at Lebach (128); targets of opportunity are marshalling yards at St Wendel (11) and Trier (3) and other (3); 4 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 36 damaged; 10 airmen are KIA, 2 WIA and 37 MIA. Escort is provided by 125 of 127 P-51s; 2 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA). Bomb Groups participating (losses) – 94BG, 100BG, 34BG (1 a/c), 385BG, 388BG, 390BG (1 a/c), 447BG, 452BG (2 a/c), 486BG, 487BG, 490BG, 493BG, 95BG, 96BG. 4. 6 of 6 B-17s fly a screening force mission. 5. 23 P-51s escort 6 F-5s and a Spitfire on a photo reconnaissance mission over Germany. All Fighter Groups operating. Fighter Group e/a credits – 4FG (2 a/c), 361FG (5 a/c). Fighter Groups operating (losses) – 20FG, 352FG, 356FG, 359FG, 364FG, 4FG (1 a/c), 56FG, 355FG, 361FG, 479FG, 55FG, 78FG (1 a/c), 339FG, 353FG, 357FG (1 a/c). OTHER OPERATIONS: 7PG dispatched 6 F-5s and 1 Spitfire on PR Germany 9with 30 P-51 escort). 25BG dispatched 4 Mosquitoes for support of 1 and 3ADs, 4 Mosquitoes on WR Continent/UK and 4 B-17s on WR Azores/Atlantic/UK. 36BS dispatched 6 B-24s on RCM for 8AF 776. ASR dispatched 14 P-47s on patrols. Mission 777: 2 B-17s and 6 B-24s of 422BS drop leaflets in France and Germany during the night. 36BS dispatched 1 B-24 on RCM for RAF. 25BG dispatched 1 A-26 on Red Stocking mission Holland. From Century Bombers by Richard Le Strange, At 07.15 the following morning, the Hundredth, led by Neal Scott, who flew with Paul Spurgeon, set out for the marshalling yards at Bad Kreuznach, northwest of Mannheim, where at 11.50, the planes obstructed the highways and rail lines, by bombing the rubble left from earlier attacks. Vernon Sheedy writes, Lieutenant Harold Krinke appointed Mess Officer to straighten things out - they were in a h--- of a mess. Photo and caption from Le Stranges Century Bombers
Posted on: Fri, 02 Jan 2015 21:52:43 +0000
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