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8th Air Force Europe in June 1943
TUESDAY, 1 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
During the month of June, HQ 40th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) arrives at Brampton Grange, England from the US.
WEDNESDAY, 2 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
HQ 13th Bombardment Wing (Medium) arrives at Marks Hall, England from the US.
HQ 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and it's 350th, 351st and 418th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) with B-17's arrives at Thorpe Abbots, England from the US. They will fly their first combat mission on 25 Jun 43.
HQ 381st Bombardment Group (Heavy) and it's 532d, 533d, 534th and 535th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) with B-17's arrive at Ridgewell, England from the US. They will fly their first combat mission on 22 Jun 43.
THURSDAY, 3 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
HQ 5th Air Defense Wing arrives at Duxford, England from the US. This unit will be redesignated the 66th Fighter Wing in Jul 43.
HQ 384th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and it's 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) arrive with B-17's at Grafton Underwood, England from the US.
HQ 386th Bombardment Group (Medium) and it's 552d, 553d and 554th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) arrive with B-26's at Snetterton Heath, England from the US.
FRIDAY, 4 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
HQ 4th Air Defense Wing arrives at Debden, England from the US. This unit will be redesignated the 65th Fighter Wing in Jul 43.
HQ 14th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) arrives at Camp Lynn, England from the US.
The 544th, 546th and 547th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 384th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrive with B-17's at Grafton Underwood, England from the US. The group will fly it's first mission on 22 Jun.
The 555th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 386th Bombardment Group (Medium) arrives at Snetterton Heath, England from the US with B-26's.
SUNDAY, 6 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
The detachment of the 416th Night Fighter Squadron, VIII Fighter Command training with the RAF at Bristol, England with Beaufighters returns to it's base at Honiley, England.
MONDAY, 7 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
HQ 353d Fighter Group arrives at Goxhill, England from the US.
TUESDAY, 8 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
The 22d Photographic Squadron (Light), 5th Photographic Reconnaissance and Mapping Group, attached to the Eighth Air Force, arrives at Mount Farm, England from the US with F-5's. The squadron will fly it's first mission in Jul 43.
The 350th, 351st and 352d Fighter Squadrons, 353d Fighter Group arrives at Goxhill, England from the US with P-47D's. The group will fly it's first mission in Aug 43.
THURSDAY, 10 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
The Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) issues a directive through the Chief of Air Staff (C/AS), Royal Air Force (RAF), marking the official beginning of the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO) of the USAAF and RAF against sources of German war power. The RAF is to bomb strategic city areas at night and the USAAF is to hit precise targets by daylight. The CCS sanctions the Combined Operational Planning Committee as the agency for coordinating the efforts of the CBO forces.
HQ 386th Bombardment Group (Medium) and it's 552d, 553d, 554th and 555th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) with B-26's transfer from Snetterton Heath, England to Boxted, England. The group will fly it's first combat mission on 30 Jul 43.
The detachments of the 416th Night Fighter Squadron, VIII Fighter Command at Cranfield, Usworth, and Bath, England return to their base at Honiley, England. The squadron is attached to the RAF for training on Beaufighters.
The 417th Night Fighter Squadron, VIII Fighter Command transfers from Cranfield, England to Scorton, England. The detachments at Ayr, Scotland and Uxbridge, Coltishall and Bristol, England transfer to Scorton. The squadron is attached to the RAF for training on Beaufighters.
FRIDAY, 11 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 62: 252 B-17's are dispatched against the U-boat yard at Wilhelmshaven, Germany and the port area at Cuxhaven, Germany; 218 hit the targets; we claim 85-20-24 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 8 and 62 are damaged. Casualties are 3 KIA, 20 WIA and 80 MIA. The raid on Wilhelmshaven demonstrates the difficulty of operating beyond range of fighters escort as enemy fighters attacks prevent accurate bombing of the target.
HQ 388th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and it's 560th, 561st, 562d and 563d Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) arrive at Knettishall, England from the US with B-17's. The group will fly it's first combat mission on 17 Jul 43.
HQ 389th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and it's 564th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) arrive at Hethel, England from the US with B-24's. The group will fly it's first mission on 9 Jul.
The 416th Night Fighter Squadron, VIII Fighter Command transfers with Beaufighters from Honiley, England to Acklington, England.
SATURDAY, 12 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
HQ 3d Bombardment Wing transfers from Elveden Hall, England to Marks Hall, England.
HQ 96th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and it's 337th, 339th and 413th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) transfer with B-17's from Great Saling, England to Snetterton Heath, England.
The 449th, 450th, 451st and 452d Bombardment Squadrons (Medium), 322d Bombardment Group (Medium) transfer with B-26's from Rougham, England to Great Saling, England.
SUNDAY, 13 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 63: 151 B-17's are dispatched against the Bremen, Germany U-boat yards; 122 hit the target claiming 2-2-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 4 and 31 are damaged; casualties are 8 WIA and 32 MIA. A smaller force of 76 B-17's is dispatched against the Kiel, Germany U-boat yards; 60 hit the target and claim 39-5-14 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 22, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 23 are damaged; casualties are 3 KIA, 20 WIA and 213 MIA. Heaviest fighter attacks to date against Eighth Air Force accounts for 26 B-17's, mostly of the force attacking Kiel.
HQ 13th Bombardment Wing (Medium) transfers from Marks Hall, England to Camp Blainey, England.
The 331st, 332d, 333d and 410th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 94th Bombardment Group (Heavy) transfer with B-17's from Earls Colne, England to Bury St Edmunds, England.
The 338th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 96th Bombardment Group (Heavy) transfers with B-17's from Great Saling, England to Snetterton Heath, England.
MONDAY, 14 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
HQ 323d Bombardment Group (Medium) and it's 453d, 454th , 455th and 456th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) transfer with B-26's from Horham, England to Earls Colne, England.
The 349th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrives at Thorpe Abbots, England from the US with B-17's. The squadron will fly it's first mission on 25 Jun.
TUESDAY, 15 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
Additional modifications of YB-40 escort bombers are completed in the United Kingdom. It is now hoped that these B-17's converted to heavily armored aircraft with great firepower will solve the problem of long-range escort for bombers.
HQ 94th Bombardment Group (Heavy) transfers from Earls Colne, England to Bury St Edmunds, England.
HQ 95th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and it's 334th, 335th, 336th and 412th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) transfer with B-17's from Framlingham, England to Horham, England.
The 329th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 93d Bombardment Group (Heavy) transfers with B-24's from Bungay, England to Hardwick, England.
The 565th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 389th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrives at Hethel, England from the US with B-24's.
WEDNESDAY, 16 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
The 566th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 389th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrives at Hethel, England from the US with B-24's.
THURSDAY, 17 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
HQ 4th Air Defense Wing transfers from Debden, England to Saffron Walden, England. This unit will be redesignated 65th Fighter Wing on 7 Aug 43.
The 567th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 389th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrives at Hethel, England from the US with B-24's.
SATURDAY, 19 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
During the month of June, the 40th Bombardment Wing arrives at Brampton Grange, England from the US.
TUESDAY, 22 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 65: In the first large-scale daylight raid on the Ruhr, 235 B-17's are dispatched to hit the chemical works and synthetic rubber plant at Huls in the main attack; 183 bomb the target; we claim 46-21-35 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 16 and 75 others are damaged; casualties are 2 KIA, 16 WIA and 151 MIA; this plant, representing a large percentage of the country's producing capacity, is severely damaged. 11 YB-40's accompany the Huls raid; 1 is lost. In a second raid, 42 B-17's are dispatched to bomb the former Ford and General Motors plants at Antwerp; 39 hit the target; they claim 1-2-9 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 4, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 17 others are damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 3 WIA and 40 MIA. An additional 21 B-17's fly an uneventful diversion.
FRIDAY, 25 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 67: 275 B-17's make scattered attacks on targets of opportunity in NW Germany when primary targets at Bremen and Hamburg are obscured by clouds; 167 bomb targets and claim 62-11-40 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 18 B-17's, 1 is damaged beyond repair and another 61 are damaged; casualties are 3 KIA, 14 WIA and 172 MIA. Of 7 YB-40 escort bombers dispatched only 4 are able to accompany formations to the target area.
HQ 387th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrives at Chipping Ongar, England from the US.
SATURDAY, 26 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
Air Marshall Trafford L Leigh-Mallory is given responsibility for drafting air plans for the invasion of the Continent. His deputy is Brigadier General Haywood S Hansell, Jr.
Eighth Air Force Mission Number 68: 165 B-17's are dispatched against the Vilacoublay, France air depot; 12 hit the target while 6 hit the secondary target, Poissy Airfield, and 39 bomb Tricqueville Airfield; they claim 17-5-10 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 5 B-17's and 14 others are damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 3 WIA and 51 MIA. 5 YB-40 escort bombers take off to accompany heavy bombers but none are able to complete the attack.
MONDAY, 28 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 69: 191 B-17's are dispatched against the locks and submarine pens at Saint-Nazaire, France; 158 hit the target between 1655 and 1713 hours local; we claim 28-6-8 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 8 B-17's and 57 others are damaged; casualties are 3 KIA, 14 WIA and 50 MIA. 50 other B-17's are dispatched against Beaumont-le-Roger Airfield; 43 bomb the target between 1736 and 1740 hours local; 6 B-17's are damaged.
TUESDAY, 29 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 70: 108 B-17's are dispatched against the air depot at Villacoublay, France and another 40 against the airfield at Tricqueville, France; neither groups hit the target due to heavy cloud cover and return to base; they claim 0-3-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 14 B-17's are damaged. Another 84 B-17's are dispatched against the aeroengine works at Le Mans, France; 76 hit the target between 1959 and 2003 hours local. Both of the 2 YB-40's dispatched as escorts are forced to abort. The lack of success of the YB-40's in this and previous missions in Jun 43 convinces Lieutenant General Ira C. Eaker, Commanding General Eighth Air Force, that if the escort bomber is to succeed it must be able to carry bombs and must be endowed with the same flight performance as the B-l7.
The 548th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 385th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrives at Great Ashfield, England from the US with B-17's. The squadron will fly it's first mission on 17 Jul 43.
WEDNESDAY, 30 JUNE 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
The VIII Fighter Command becomes independent of Royal Air Force (RAF) operational control. All fighter groups are placed under control of the 4th Air Defense Wing.
The 4th and 19th Antisubmarine Squadrons (Heavy), AAF Antisubmarine Command arrive at St Eval, England from Newfoundland with B-24's.
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
