Air War WW2 Portal 
8th Air Force Europe in December 1942
TUESDAY, 1 DECEMBER 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
Major General Ira C. Eaker replaces Major General Carl Spaatz as
Commanding General Eighth Air Force. Spaatz flies to Algeria to serve as
air adviser to Lieutenant General Eisenhower, Commanding General European
Theater of Operations.
Headquarters 78th Fighter Group and its 82d, 83d and 84th Fighter
Squadrons is established at Goxhill England upon arrival from the US. The
three squadrons are equipped with P-38Gs but begin transitioning to the
P-47C in Jan 43 and enter combat with their P-47s on 13 Apr 43.
Headquarters 315th Troop Carrier Group and its 34th and 43d Troop Carrier
Squadrons is established at Aldermaston, England upon arrival from the US.
The air echelon is flying their C-47s across the North Atlantic with the
first aircraft arriving on 12 Dec.
Headquarters 322d Bombardment Group (Medium) and its 449th, 450th, 451st
and 452d Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) is established at Rougham,
England upon arrival from the US. The air echelon with B-26C-6s will not
depart the US until Mar 43; they will fly their aircraft via the southern
route with the last aircraft arriving until 29 May 43. The group will not
fly it's first combat mission until 14 May 43.
WEDNESDAY, 2 DECEMBER 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
The 13th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron arrives at Podington,
England from the US. The squadron, which was scheduled to go to North Africa
with the 3d Photographic Group, is reassigned to the Eighth Air Force due
to lack of equipment, personnel and aircraft and will remain in England for
the rest of the war. The squadron will be equipped with F-5s and will fly
it's first combat mission on 28 Mar 43.
SUNDAY, 6 DECEMBER 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
On Mission 24, 103 heavy bombers are dispatched against France. Nineteen
are dispatched against the Abbeville/Drucat Airfield; six bomb the target
with one aircraft lost. Sixty six are dispatched against the Atelier
d'Hellemmes locomotive works at Lille; 36 bomb the target with the loss of
one aircraft. Eighteen other aircraft fly a diversion.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
An VIII Bomber Command study of air attacks on submarine pens indicates
that available US bombs are incapable of penetrating roofs of the pens from
any bombing level low enough to maintain accuracy.
SATURDAY, 12 DECEMBER 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
During Mission Number 25, 90 bombers are dispatched to bomb two targets
in France; 78 aircraft are dispatched to the Rouen-Sotteville Marshalling
Yard; 17 attack the target with the loss of two aircraft. A diversion is
flown against the Abbeville/Drucat Airfield by 12 aircraft but the target
is overcast and the aircraft return without attacking.
MONDAY, 14 DECEMBER 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
An Inspector General report states that the drain of stocks from the
Eighth Air Force for the purpose of equipping the Twelfth Air Force in
Northwest Africa is hindering greatly the training and combat program of
the Eighth Air Force.
SUNDAY, 20 DECEMBER 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
During Mission Number 26, 80 B-17s and 21 B-24s are dispatched to attack
the Luftwaffe air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine; 72 bomb the target with the
loss of six B-17s to German fighters.
THURSDAY, 24 DECEMBER 1942 (CHRISTMAS EVE)
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
The first P-47s arrive in England however, because of VHF radio and
engine difficulties, the P-47s are not sent into combat until Apr 43.
FRIDAY, 25 DECEMBER 1942 (CHRISTMAS DAY)
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
HQ 24th Composite Wing is activated in Iceland to control all USAAF units
on the island.
WEDNESDAY, 30 DECEMBER 1942
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
During Mission Number 27, 77 bombers are dispatched to the submarine base
at Lorient, France; 40 aircraft attack with the loss of three B-17s to
German fighters. The submarine base shows the cumulative effect of
repeated bombardment.
Source:
COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
Jack McKillop
USAF (Airways and Air Communications Service)
1955-59
used sources by McKillop:
AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force History,
Headquarters USAF, 1961, ISBN 0-912799-02-1
COMBAT SQUADRONS OF THE AIR FORCE, WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force
History, Headquarters USAF 1982
THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by the
Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF, 1973
