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8th Air Force Europe in April 1943
THURSDAY, 1 APRIL 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
The 83d and 84th Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group with P-47C's transfer from Goxhill, England to Duxford, England.
SUNDAY, 4 APRIL 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission 49: 97 B-17's of the 1st Bombardment Wing are dispatched against industrial installations in the Paris, France area including the Renault armament works and motor works. 85 aircraft drop 251 tons of bombs on the target between 1414 and 1417 local and cause severe damage. We claim 47-13-6 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 4 B-17s and 16 others are damaged by fierce fighter opposition. Casualties are 6 WIA and 39 MIA.
The 13th Photographic Squadron (Light) flew 3 F-5 sorties in Belgium and France; 1 F-5 is missing.
MONDAY, 5 APRIL 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission 50: 104 B-17's of the 1st Bombardment Wing are dispatched against industrial targets in the Antwerp, Belgium area. The main force is directed at the Erla aircraft factory and Erla engine works. 82 B-17's drop 245.5 tons of bombs at 1530 hours local. We claim 23-8-4 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 4 to strong Luftwaffe fighter opposition; 13 aircraft are damaged. Casualties are 3 WIA and 40 MIA.
HQ 56th Fighter Group and it's 61st, 62d and 63d Fighter Squadrons with P-47C's transfer from Horsham St Faith, England to Halesworth, England.
THURSDAY, 8 APRIL 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
In England, 56th and 78th Fighter Groups become operational. Added to the 4th Fighter Group (already operational), this enables VIII Fighter Command to increase activity and paves the way for its coming role of escorting bombers on deep penetrations into enemy territory.
MONDAY, 12 APRIL 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
In England, a Board of 5 officers of the Eighth Air Force and 1 of the Royal Air Force complete formulation of a plan for the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO) from the United Kingdom in accordance with the mission prescribed by the Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) in the Casablanca Directive.
FRIDAY, 16 APRIL 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 51: 25 B-24's are dispatched against the Brest, France U-Boat base while 83 B-17's are dispatched against the Lorient, France U-Boat base. 19 B-24's drop 52 tons on Brest at 1337-1338 hours; the B-24's claim 2-3-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 B-24's are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 9 are damaged; casualties are 3 WIA and 31 MIA. 59 B-17's bomb Lorient at 1412-1414 hours dropping 147 tons of bombs; they claim 9-4-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-17 is lost and 8 are damaged; casualties are 7 WIA and 10 MIA. The attack is hindered by an effective smoke screen and strong fighter opposition.
HQ 96th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrives at Great Saling, England from the U.S.
SATURDAY, 17 APRIL 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 52: 115 B-17's are dispatched against the Focke-Wulf factory at Bremen, Germany the Eighth Air Force's largest mission to date. A mass of fighters attacks during bomb run, shooting down 15 while flak claims another. We claim 63-15-17 Luftwaffe aircraft; 39 B-17's are damaged; casualties are 2 KIA, 4 WIA and 159 MIA.
The Commanding General, VIII Fighter Command, expresses the need for 20 fighter groups to neutralize growing German fighter opposition to the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO).
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
