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8th Air Force Europe in May 1943
SATURDAY, 1 MAY 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission No. 53: 78 B-17's are dispatched against the Sainte-Nazaire, France U-boat base and shipyard. They find bad weather over the target and only 29 B-17's hit the target between 1125 and 1131 hours local. We claim 18-6-8 Luftwaffe aircraft; 7 B-17's are lost, 2 are damaged beyond repair and 20 others are damaged. Casualties are 3 KIA, 17 WIA and 73 MIA. At the same time, 24 B-24's fly a diversion along the Brittany Coast.
HQ 351st Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrives at Polebrook, England from the US.
MONDAY, 3 MAY 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
In Iceland, Lieutenant General Frank M. Andrews, the USAAF officer who is Commanding General European Theater of Operations, U.S. Army (ETOUSA), is killed in an aircraft crash while landing. There has been speculation over the years whether Andrews instead of Eisenhower would have commanded the Allied forces in Europe if he had lived. Camp Springs Army Air Field, Camp Springs, Maryland was renamed Andrews Army Air Field (now Air Force Base) in 1945 in his memory.
TUESDAY, 4 MAY 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission No. 54: 79 B-17's are dispatched against the former Ford and General Motors plants at Antwerp, Belgium; 65 aircraft hit the target between 1839 and 1843 hours local. We claim 10-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 16 B-17's are damaged. Casualties are 3 WIA. The B-17's are escorted by 117 P-47C's up to 175 miles (280 km) from base. A diversion is flown by 20 B-17's and 13 B-24's towards the French coast arousing more than 100 German fighters (about half of the total number in the region) and keeping many of them airborne long enough to prevent their attacking the main effort. None of the 33 diversionary aircraft are damaged or lost.
FRIDAY, 7 MAY 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
In England, Lieutenant General Jacob L. Devers is appointed Commanding General European Theater of Operations, U.S. Army replacing General Andrews who was killed in Iceland on Monday.
TUESDAY, 11 MAY 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
HQ 94th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and it's 331st, 332d, 333d and 410th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) with B-17F's, arrive at Earls Colne, England from the US. The group will fly it's first combat mission on Thursday.
The 334th, 335th, 336th and 412th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 95th Bombardment Group (Heavy), with B-17F's, arrive at Framlingham, England from the US. The squadrons will fly their first combat mission on Thursday.
WEDNESDAY, 12 MAY 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
HQ 95th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrives at Framlingham, England from the US.
HQ 323d Bombardment Group (Medium) and it's 453d and 455th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) with B-26C's arrive at Horham, England from the US. The group will fly it's first combat mission on Friday.
The 14th Photographic Squadron (Light), 3d Photographic Group, with F- 5A's, arrives at Mount Farm, England from the US.
The 337th, 338th, 339th and 413th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 96th Bombardment Group (Heavy) with B-17F's, arrive at Great Saling, England from the US. The squadrons will fly their first combat mission tomorrow.
The 417th Night Fighter Squadron, VIII Fighter Command arrives at Ayr, Scotland from the US. and begins training with Beaufighters.
The 508, 509th 510th and 511th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 351st Bombardment Group (Heavy), with B-17F's, arrive at Polebrook, England from the US. They will fly their first combat mission on Friday.
THURSDAY, 13 MAY 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 55: 97 B-17s' are dispatched against the Avions Potez aircraft factory at Meaulte, France; 88 aircraft hit the target at 1628-1630 hours local. We claim 11-31-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 3 and 11 others are damaged. Casualties are 1 WIA and 31 MIA. In a second raid, 72 B-17's are dispatched against the Longuenesse and Ft. Rouge Airfields at St. Omer, France; 31 bomb Longuenesse at 1637-1638 hours; 1 B-17 is lost and 1 is damaged beyond repair. Casualties are 1 KIA and 2 WIA.
The 416th Night Fighter Squadron, VIII Fighter Command arrives at Honiley, England from the US. Detachments are dispersed to Cranfield, Usworth and Bath to train with Beaufighters under control of the RAF.
The 456th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 323d Bombardment Group (Medium), with B-26C's, arrives at Horham, England from the US.
FRIDAY, 14 MAY 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 56: A maximum force is put in the air as part of a combined offensive against the Wehrmacht. 154 B-17's, 21 B- 24's and 12 B-26's are dispatched against 4 targets. The principal attack is against submarine yards and naval installations at Kiel, Germany; 136 B-17's and 21 B-24's are dispatched with 126 B-17's and 17 B-24's hitting the target at 1200-1203 hours local. We claim 62-24-27 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 5 B-24's and 3 B-17's with 1 B-24 damaged beyond repair and 9 B-24's and 27 B-17's damaged. Casualties are 3 KIA, 17 WIA and 81 MIA.
42 B-17's are dispatched against the former Ford and General Motors plants at Antwerp, Belgium; 38 hit the target at 1320 hours local; we claim 5-1-4 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 1 and 15 others and damaged; casualties are 3 WIA and 10 MIA;
in the third raid, 39 B-17's are dispatched against Courtrai Airfield, France; 34 hit the target; we claim 0-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 2 B-17's and 10 others are damaged; casualties are 20 MIA.
In the 4th raid, 12 B-26's are dispatched against the Velsen power station at Ijmuiden, The Netherlands; 11 hit the target at 1100 hours; 1 B-26 is damaged beyond repair when it crashes upon returning to base and 9 others are damaged; casualties are 1 KIA and 7 MIA. This is first time more than 200 US bombers are dispatched. The attack at Ijmuiden is made at low level by the 322d Bombardment Group (Medium), the first US medium bomber group to become operational in the UK.
The Antwerp mission is escorted by 118 P-47's; they claim 4-6-11 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 3 P-47's and 1 is damaged; casualties are 3 MIA.
A detachment of the 416th Night Fighter Squadron, VIII Fighter Command is sent to Bristol, England for training with the RAF.
The 417th Night Fighter Squadron, VIII Fighter Command transfers from Ayr, Scotland to Cranfield, England. The squadron is training on Beaufighters with the RAF and has detachments at Ayr, Uxbridge, Coltishall and Bristol, England.
SATURDAY, 15 MAY 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 57: 113 B-17's are dispatched against various targets in Germany as well as airfield and naval installations on Helgoland Island and the naval base and submarine construction works at Wilhelmshaven; 76 bomb the targets at 1050-1055 hours local; we claim 29- 20-30 Luftwaffe aircraft destroyed; we lose 5 B-17's, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 26 damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 7 WIA and 51 MIA. 80 B-17's are dispatched against the U-boat yard, marshalling yard and airfield at Emden, Germany; 59 bomb at 1056-1103 hours local; they claim 14-3-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 1 B-17 and 9 others are damaged; casualties are 10 MIA.
116 P-47's are dispatched on a high altitude sweep of the Amsterdam/Rotterdam area prior to the bombing raids; they claim 2 Luftwaffe aircraft damaged; 1 P-47 is lost and the pilot is listed as MIA.
The 109th Observation Squadron, 67th Observation Group, with Spitfire VB's, transfers from Atcham, England to Membury, England.
MONDAY, 17 MAY 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 58: 159 B-17's are dispatched to hit the port area and U-boat base at Lorient, France; 118 bomb the target at 1213-1217 hours local; we claim 47-8-29 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 6 B- 17's, another is damaged beyond repair and 27 others are damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 8 WIA and 57 MIA.
An additional 39 B-17's are dispatched to hit the docks and sub pens at Bordeaux, France; 34 bomb at 1238-1244 hours local; we claim 0-1-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 1 B-17 and another is damaged; casualties are 2 WIA and 11 MIA.
In a third mission 11 B-26's of the 322d Bombardment Group (Medium) are dispatched on a low-level mission to bomb power stations at Haarlem and Ijmuiden, The Netherlands; 1 B-26 aborts, the other 10 are all shot down before they reach the target; casualties are 58 MIA. This mission prompts the Eighth Air Force to abandon low-level medium bomber attacks.
TUESDAY, 18 MAY 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
The Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO) plan for the round-the-clock bombing of the enemy from the UK by the RAF and Eighth Air Force is approve by the Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS). The Eighth Air Force now has authorization to proceed with daylight strategic bombing within the type of combined offensive it has long wished to initiate. The CBO plan lists the destruction of German fighters as the immediate priority objective. Primary objectives in order are German submarine yards and bases, the German aircraft industry, ball bearings, and oil (the last being contingent upon attacks from the Mediterranean against Ploesti, Rumania). Secondary objectives in order of priority are synthetic rubber and tires, and military motor transport vehicles.
WEDNESDAY, 19 MAY 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 59: 123 B-17's are dispatched against the U-boat yards at Kiel, Germany; 103 bomb the target at 1329-1333 hours local; we claim 48-7-21 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 6 B-17's and 28 others are damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 7 WIA and 60 MIA. A smaller force, 64 B-17's, is dispatched against the naval yards at Flensburg, Germany; 55 attack the target at 1325-1328 hours local; we claim 12-4-14 Luftwaffe aircraft; 9 B-17's are damaged; casualties are 2 KIA and 4 WIA. An uneventful diversion is flown by 24 B-17's.
THURSDAY, 20 MAY 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
The 524th, 525th, 526th and 527th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 379th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrive at Kimbolton, England from the US with B-17F's. They will fly their first mission on 29 May 43.
FRIDAY, 21 MAY 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 60: 98 B-17's are dispatched against the U-boat yards at Wilhelmshaven, Germany; 77 hit the target at 1244-1245 hours local; we claim 47-5-17 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 7 B-17's with another 24 damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 9 WIA and 60 MIA. A second, smaller strike of 63 B-17's is dispatched against the U-boat yards at Emden, Germany; 46 bomb the target at 1244-1246 hours local; we claim 31-6-6 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 5 B-17's with 2 others damaged beyond repair and 9 others damaged; casualties are 2 KIA, 5 WIA and 50 MIA. At Wilhelmshaven German fighters are reported firing rockets.
VIII Fighter Command Field Order Number 105: 105 P-47's are dispatched on a fighter sweep in the Ostend/Ghent area; they claim 0-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 3 and all pilots are listed as MIA.
HQ 379th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrives at Kimbolton, England from the US.
SATURDAY, 22 MAY 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
The 451st Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 322d Bombardment Group (Medium) transfers with B-26C's from Rattlesden, England to Rougham, England.
SUNDAY, 23 MAY 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
The 417th Night Fighter Squadron, VIII Fighter Command based at Cranfield, England sends a detachment to Scorton, England to train with the RAF on Beaufighters.
SATURDAY, 29 MAY 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 61: 169 B-17's are dispatched against the submarine pens and locks at Saint-Nazaire, France; 147 aircraft hit the target at 1706-1711 hours local; we claim 6-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 8 B-17's, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 58 are damaged; casualties are 10 WIA and 71 MIA. 7 YB-40's, heavily armored B-17's with increased firepower for escorting bombers, fly their first mission. YB-40's show an inability to keep up with B-17's and the need for modification of waist and tail gun feeds and ammunition supplies. In two other raids, 72 B-17's are dispatched against the Rennes, France naval depot; 57 hit the target at 1601-1605 hours; we claim 19-5-14 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 6 B-17's, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 30 others are damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 10 WIA and 64 MIA. In the third raid, 38 B-24's are dispatched against the U-boat yards at La Pallice, France; 34 hit the target without any casualties on either side.
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
