70 years ago today 1 August 1944 - From the 8th AF Historical Society database and The Mighty Eighth War Diary by Roger A. Freeman. Mission 508: 1,291 bombers and 432 fighters are dispatched to attack airfields, bridges and tactical targets in France; all 1BD participated except 306BG; all 2BD groups participated; 3BD groups except 100BG flew Operation Buick, dropping supplies to French Resistance fighters; First operation of 92CBW with B-17s; All Fighter Groups except 78FG on operations; 5 bombers and 4 fighters are lost: 1. 193 of 195 3BD B-17s drop 2,281 containers of supplies to French Resistance forces (Operation Buick) at four locations in SE France, i.e., Chalon-Sur-Saone, the Savoie area, Haute-Savoie and W of Geneva; 5 B-17s are damaged; 3 P-51 groups furnish escort. 2. 76 of 100 3BD B-17s bomb Tours Airfield; 1 B-17 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 5 damaged; 6 airmen are WIA and 10 MIA. Escort is flown by 51 of 53 P-51s; 2 P-51s are lost and 2 damaged beyond repair. 3. 400 of 416 1BD B-17s attack 5 airfields and a railway bridge in the area S and SW of Paris; 112 hit Orleans/Bricy Airfield, 108 hit Chateaudun Airfield, 59 hit Melun Airfield, 58 hit Chartres Airfield, 36 hit Chartres Bridge, 15 hit targets of opportunity, and 12 hit Etampes/Mondesir Airfield; 3 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 32 damaged; 9 airmen are KIA and 27 MIA. Escort is provided by 138 P-38s and P-51s; 3 P-51s are damaged and 1 pilot is KIA. 4. 284 of 389 2BD B-24s are dispatched to bomb targets in the Paris environs; bad weather causes 100+ aborts; 66 hit Rouen, 47 hit Melun Airfield, 44 hit Nogent Bridge, 33 hit targets of opportunity, 29 hit Orleans/Bricy Airfield, 24 hit Montereau Birdge, 12 hit Nanteuil Bridge, 12 hit Villeroche Airfield, 11 hit Coulommiers Bridge, and 6 hit Chartres Airfield; 1 B-24 is lost, 3 are damaged beyond repair and 85 damaged; 20 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 127 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 3-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground; 2 P-47s are lost, 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair and 3 P-47s are damaged. 5. 191 3BD B-24s, sent against 8 V-weapon sites in NW France, run afoul of bad weather which causes multiple aborts; 61 of the planes manage to bomb 3 sites; 5 B-24s are damaged. Escort is provided by 81 of 84 P-47s. Bomb Group losses - 1BD: 91BD (1 a/c), 401BG (2 a/c); 2BD: 453BG (1 a/c); 3BD: 390BG (1 a/c). Fighter Group losses - 353FG (2 a/c), 355FG (2 a/c). OTHER OPERATIONS: 7PG dispatched 2 F-5s to Denmark, 38 F-5s and 6 Spitfires to Brest peninsula. 802RG dispatched 4 Mosquitoes to scout for 2BD and 3BD, 2 mosquitoes on WR France and 3 B-17s on WR Atlantic. 1SF dispatched 8 P-51s to scout for 1BD - claimed 1-0-0. Mission 509 - NIGHT LEAFLET OPERATION: 6 of 6 B-17s of 1BD, 422BS drop leaflets on France and Belgium during the night. In Aug, HQ 95th Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy) moves from Halesowrth to Ketteringham, England.
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 16:32:20 +0000
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