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8th Air Force Europe in September 1943
WEDNESDAY, 1 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
The 506th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy), ceases operating from Benina, Libya with B-24's and returns to it's base at Shipdham, England.
THURSDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
VIII Bomber Command Mission 89: Airfields in France are targeted; because of unfavorable cloud conditions only part of one force is able to attack a target.
1. 233 B-17's are dispatched to airfields in NW France but the mission is abandoned at the French coast due to heavy clouds.
2. 86 B-17's are dispatched to Mardyck and Denain/Prouvy Airfields; 34 hit the target at 1922 and 1905 hours respectively; 9 B-17's are damaged; casualties are 2 WIA.
182 P-47's are dispatched to escort the bombers but they carry out fighter sweeps; 3 P-47's are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 4 are damaged; casualties are 3 MIA.
VIII Air Support Command Missions 41 and 42: 216 B-26's are dispatched to 5 targets in France (36 per target); the missions to a power station at Rouen and Poix/Nord and Lille/Nord Airfields are aborted due to weather; 35 B-26's hit a power station at Mazingarbe and 69 hit a fuel dump at Hesden; 1 B-26 is lost and 13 damaged; casualties are 5 WIA and 6 MIA.
FRIDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
VIII Bomber Command Mission 90: Luftwaffe air installations in France are the target.
1. 168 B-17's are dispatched to the Romilly sur Seine air depot; 100 hit the target at 0903-0911 hours; 28 hit the secondary target, the airfield at St Andre de L'Eure at 0947-0949 hours; and 12 hit a target of opportunity, the Evreux/Fauvill Airfield at 0955 hours; they claim 11-1-10 Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 B-17's are lost and 55 damaged; casualties are 2 WIA and 40 MIA.
2. 65 B-17's are dispatched to Mureaux Airfield; 38 hit the target at 0843-0844 while 18 hit a dummy airfield near Dieppe; 2 B-17's are damaged; no casualties.
3. 65 B-17's are dispatched to an industrial area at Caudron-Renault near Paris; 37 hit the target at 0925 hours; they claim 15-4-8 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 B-17's are lost and 18 damaged; casualties are 4 WIA and 40 MIA.
The B-17's are escorted by 160 P-47's; they claim 4-1-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 is lost and 2 damaged; no casualties.
VIII Air Support Command Mission 44: 36 B-26's are dispatched to the Beaumont le Roger Airfield and 31 hit the target at 1007 hours; 36 are dispatched to Beauvais/Tille Airfield and all hit the target at 0907 hours; and 69 are dispatched to the Lille/Nord Airfield and 31 hit the target at 0828 hours; 20 B-26's are damaged; casualties are 1 WIA.
SATURDAY, 4 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
VIII Air Support Command Mission 47: 144 B-26's are dispatched to 4 marshalling yards in France (36 B-26's to each target); 33 hit Courtrai marshalling yard at 1756 hours; 33 hit the Lille/Deliverance marshalling yard at 1756 hours; 34 hit the Hazebrouck marshalling yard at 1831 hours; and 23 hit the St Pol marshalling yard at 1833 hours; 22 B-26's are damaged; casualties are 3 WIA.
SUNDAY, 5 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
VIII Air Support Command Mission 48: 3 marshalling yards are targeted. 72 B-26's are dispatched to 2 marshalling yards at Ghent, Belgium; 31 bomb one yard at 0827 hours; 32 bomb the second yard at 0831 hours; the 36 B-26's dispatched to the marshalling yard at Courtrai, France are recalled due to weather; 38 B-26's are damaged; casualties are 4 WIA.
MONDAY, 6 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
VIII Bomber Command Mission 91: Aircraft and bearing factories in and around Stuttgart, Germany are targeted but extensive clouds prevent all but a few B-17's from attacking the primary targets. Formations become separated and disorganized and attack targets of opportunity in a wide area.
1. 151 of 181 B-17's of the 1st Bombardment Division attack various targets of opportunity at 0951-1017 hours; they claim 32-6-21 Luftwaffe aircraft; 27 B-17's are lost, 9 are damaged beyond repair and 47 damaged; casualties are 14 WIA and 153 MIA.
2. 111 of 157 B-17's of the 3d Bombardment Division hit Stuttgart and various targets of opportunity at 0940-1229 hours; they claim 66-14-29 Luftwaffe aircraft; 18 B-17's are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 69 damaged; casualties are 2 KIA, 13 WIA and 180 MIA.
3. 60 of 69 B-24's of the 2d Bombardment Division fly a diversion. 176 P-47's fly escort for the B-17's; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 is lost. Strong fighter opposition is encountered and 45 B-17's are lost.
VIII Air Support Command Missions 50 and 51.
1. 144 B-26's are dispatched to the marshalling yards at Ghent, Belgium and Rouen, France; the Ghent mission is recalled when bad weather prevents the fighter escort from taking off; 66 hit Rouen at 0738 and 0739 hours; 3 B-26's are damaged; casualties are 1 WIA.
2. 144 B-26's are dispatched to the marshalling yards at Amiens and Serqueux, France; 126 hit the targets at 1755 to 1757 hours; 3 B-26's are damaged.
TUESDAY, 7 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
VIII Bomber Command Mission 92.
1. 114 B-17's are dispatched to the Brussels/Evere Airfield in Belgium; 105 hit the target at 0849-0852 hours; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 10 are damaged; no casualties.
2. 29 B-24's are dispatched to the Bergen/Alkmaar Airfield in the Netherlands; 3 hit the airfield at 0857 and 19 hit a convoy off Texel Island; no B-24's are lost or damaged; no casualties.
3. 147 B-17's are dispatched V-weapon site at Watton, France; weather is a problem and 3 groups abort the mission; 58 hit the target at 0820-0854; 39 B-17's are damaged; casualties are 7 WIA.
The 1st and 2d Bombardment Divisions are escorted by 178 P-47's; they claim 3-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 is lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and another is damaged; casualties are 1 MIA.
VIII Air Support Command Mission 52: Marshalling yards at Lille and St Pol are targetted; confusion at the rendezvous point causes one group and half of another to abort the mission; St Pol is hit by 81 aircraft at 0854-0858 hours; they claim 0-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 B-26's are damaged; no casualties.
WEDNESDAY, 8 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
The 44th and 93d Bombardment Groups (Heavy) resume operations in the UK after detached service in Africa; the 389th Bombardment Group (Heavy), previously diverted to Africa, becomes operational in the UK.
VIII Air Support Command Missions 53 and 54.
1. 71 B-26's are dispatched to Lille/Nord Airfield in France; 68 hit the target at 0922 hours; 3 B-26's are damaged; no casualties.
2. 72 B-26's are dispatched to Lille/Vendeville Airfield in France; 68 hit the target at 1011-1013 hours; 1 B-26 is lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 21 are damaged; casualties are 1 MIA.
3. 72 B-26's are dispatched to Boulogne coastal defenses; 68 hit the target at 1756-1818 hours; 26 B-26's are damaged.
THURSDAY, 9 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
On D-day for Operation STARKEY (a rehearsal for the invasion of France), the Eighth Air Force dispatches a record number of 330 heavy bombers against various targets in France:
1. 87 B-17's are dispatched to the industrial area at Paris; 20 hit the primary target at 0903 hours and 48 hit the secondary target, the Beaumont Suroise Airfield; they claim 16-2-9 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 B-17's are lost and 21 damaged; casualties are 3 WIA and 21 MIA.
2. 63 B-17's are dispatched to Beauvais/Tille Airfield; 59 hit the target at 0816-0819 hours; 6 B-17's are damaged.
3. 37 B-17's are dispatched to Lille/Nord Airfield; all hit the target at 0830-0833 hours; 10 B-17's are damaged; casualties are 2 WIA.
4. 56 B-17's are dispatched to Lille/Vendeville Airfield; 52 hit the target at 0830-0840 hours; 7 B-17's are damaged.
5. 56 B-17's are dispatched to Vitry-en-Artois Airfield; 51 hit the target at 0837-0840; no losses or casualties.
6. 38 B-24's are dispatched to St Omer/Ft Rouge and St Omer/Longuenesse Airfield; 28 hit the target; 3 B-24's are damaged; casualties are 1 WIA.
7. 40 B-24's are dispatched to Abbeville/Drucat Airfield; 35 hit the target; no losses or casualties.
All missions except 7. above are escorted by 215 P-47's. They claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 P-47's are lost; casualties are 1 MIA.
Operation STARKEY is a disappointment as the Luftwaffe refuses to commit fighter defenses on a large scale, thus preventing possible destruction of many of their aircraft, which Allied air forces hoped to accomplish.
VIII Air Support Command Mission 55: 217 B-26's are dispatched to the coastal defenses around Boulogne, France; 202 hit the targets at 0745-0915 hours; 3 B-26's are lost, 2 are damaged beyond repair and 24 damaged; casualties are 11 KIA, 8 WIA and 19 MIA.
SATURDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
VIII Air Support Command Mission 56: Two locations in France are targeted:
1. 20 B-26's are dispatched to the Rouen power station; 19 hit the secondary target, the shipyard at Le Trait at 1704 hours, when the primary target is obscured by clouds; 14 B-26's are damaged; casualties are 1 WIA.
2. 35 B-26's are dispatched to Beaumont le Roger Airfield; 32 hit the target at 1756 hours; 1 B-26 is damaged beyond repair; casualties are 4 KIA.
HQ 92d Bombardment Group (Heavy) transfers from Alconbury to Podington, England. The group will remain at this station until Jun 45.
MONDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
The 1st, 2d, and 3d Bombardment Divisions are activated at Brampton Grange, Horsham St Faith and Camp Blainey, England respectively. They are formed from complements of VIII Bomber Command's 4 bombardment wings which are redesignated Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy) effective this date; each bombardment division is organized into combat bombardment wings. Commanding Officers of the Bombardment Divisions are Major General Robert B Williams (1st), Brigadier General James P Hodges (2d), and Major General Curtis E LeMay (3d).
HQ 6th Fighter Wing is inactivated at Atcham, England.
HQs of the following Combat Bombardment Wings (Heavy) transfer as follows:
HQ 1st Wing Brampton Grange to Bassingbourn.
HQ 4th Wing from Camp Blainey to Bury St Edmunds.
HQ 13th Wing from Camp Blainey to Horham.
HQ 14th Wing from Camp Thomas to Shipdham.
HQ 45th Wing from Brampton Grange to Snetterton Heath.
TUESDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
VIII Air Support Command Mission 57:
108 B-26's are dispatched to the Woenisdrecht Airfield in the Netherlands and Lille/Nord Airfield in France; they are recalled due to weather; 18 B-26's are damaged; casualties are 3 WIA.
HQ 2d Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy) transfers from Old Catton to Hethel, England and HQ 20th Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy) transfers from Cheddington to Horsham St Faith, England.
HQ 55th Fighter Group and it's 38th, 338th and 343d Fighter Squadrons arrive at Nuthampstead, England from the US with P-38's. The group will fly it's first combat mission on 15 Oct.
WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
VIII Bomber Command Mission 95: Aviation facilities in France are targeted:
1. 87 of 93 B-17's dispatched attack the Romilly-sur-Seine air depot at 1848-1850 hours; 2 B-17's are damaged beyond repair and 7 damaged; casualties are 3 WIA.
2. 139 of 152 B-17's dispatched attack three targets; 40 hit the Caudron- Renault industrial area in Paris at 1855 hours, 21 hit the Billancourt- Renault works at 1854 hours, and 78 hit the Hispano-Suiza aircraft engine works in Paris; they claim 12-2-4 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 B-17's are lost and 33 damaged; casualties are 2 WIA and 51 MIA.
3. 47 of 63 B-24's hit Chartres Airfield at 1904-1911 hours; they claim 3-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-24 is lost; casualties are 10 MIA.
VIII Bomber Command Mission 96: 5 B-17's of the 422d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), join the RAF in a night attack on the Dunlop factory at Montlucon, France; there are no losses or casualties.
VIII Air Support Command Mission 58; 2 airfields in France are targeted:
1. 72 B-26's are dispatched to Lille/Nord Airfield but the mission is aborted due to weather.
2. 68 of 72 B-26's hit Merville Airfield at 1745 and 1748 hours; 27 B-26's are damaged; casualties are 2 WIA.
The 325th, 326th, 327th and 407th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 92d Bombardment Group (Heavy) transfers from Alconbury to Podington, England with B-17's.
THURSDAY, 16 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
VIII Bomber Command Mission 97: 5 targets in France are hit:
1. 131 of 147 B-17's dispatched hit two targets in Nantes; 79 hit Nantes harbor installations at 1502-1512 hours and 52 hit Nantes/Chateau-Bougon Airfield at 1509-1512 hours; they claim 22-2-5 Luftwaffe aircraft; 7 B-17's are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 47 are damaged; casualties are 9 WIA and 60 MIA. This mission is escorted by 79 P-47's; they claim 2-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft and suffer no losses or casualties.
2. 93 of 148 B-17's hit La Pallice harbor installations at 1755-1758 hours, Larochelle/Laleau Airfield at 1755-1758 and Cognac/Chateaubernard Airfield at 1731 hours; they claim 22-3-8 Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 B-17's are lost, 5 damaged beyond repair and 17 damaged; casualties are 44 KIA, 9 WIA and 30 MIA.
VIII Bomber Command Mission 98: 5 B-17's of the 422d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), join the RAF in a night attack on the marshalling yard at Modane, France; there are no losses or casualties.
VIII Air Support Command Mission 59: 67 of 72 B-26's hit the Beaumont le Roger Airfield at 1735 hours and Tricoueville Airfield in France at 1735 hours; 2 B-26's are damaged.
HQ 40th and 41st Combat Bombardment Wings (Heavy) transfer from Brampton Grange to Thurleigh and Molesworth, England respectively.
SATURDAY, 18 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
VIII Air Support Command Missions 61 and 62: 3 installations in France are targeted:
1. 25 of 72 B-26's hit the Beauvais/Tille Airfield; 12 B-26's are damaged.
2. 18 B-26's dispatched to the Rouen marshalling yard and 72 B-26's dispatched to the Beaumont le Roger Airfield are recalled because of failure to rendezvous with fighter escort and bad weather, respectively.
The 328th, 329th, 330th and 409th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 93d Bombardment Group (Heavy), based at Hardwick, England begin operating from Oudna, Tunisia with B-24's.
SUNDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
VIII Air Support Command Missions 63 and 64: 2 airfields in France are targeted:
1. 18 of 72 B-26's hit Lille/Nord Airfield at 1139 hours; clouds prevent the 2nd group for bombing; 10 B-26's are damaged; casualties are 4 WIA.
2. 72 B-26's dispatched to Merville airfield are recalled due to weather.
TUESDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
VIII Air Support Command Mission 65: 44 of 73 B-26's hit the Beauvais/Tille Airfield in France at 0937-0938 hours; bad weather causes 20+ to abort; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-26 is lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 12 damaged; casualties are 2 KIA, 4 WIA and 7 MIA.
WEDNESDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
VIII Air Support Command Mission 66: 2 airfields in France are targeted:
1. 72 B-26's are dispatched to Beauvais/Tille Airfield but abort due to bad weather.
2. 70 of 72 B-26's hit Evreux/Fauville Airfield at 1612 & 1614 hours; no losses or casualties.
240 P-27's sweep over NE France and Belgium and claim 2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 is lost and 1 damaged beyond repair; casualties are 1 MIA; and 155 P-47's sweep over N Belgium and Dutch Islands.
VIII Bomber Command Mission 99: 5 B-17's of the 422d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), join the RAF in a night attack on Hannover, Germany at 2143-2209 hours; there are no losses or casualties.
THURSDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
VIII Bomber Command Mission 100: 3 locations in France are targeted.
1. 46 of 117 B-17's hit the Nantes port area at 0813-0818 hours; they claim 22-1-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 B-17's are damaged beyond repair and 41 are damaged; casualties are 13 KIA and 11 WIA.
2. 55 of 67 B-17's hit Vannes/Meucon Airfield at 0825-0826 hours; 7 B-17's are damaged.
3. 53 of 63 B-17's hit Kerlin/Bastard Airfield at 0814-0818 hours; they claim 2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-17 is lost and 10 damaged; casualties are 10 MIA.
VIII Bomber Command Mission 101: 80 of 91 B-17's hit the port area at Nantes (61 aircraft) at 1810-1815 and Rennes/St Jacques Airfield (19 aircraft) at 1834 hours; 2 B-17's are lost, 12 damaged beyond repair and 6 damaged; casualties are 12 WIA and 20 MIA.
VIII Bomber Command Mission 102: 4 of 5 B-17's of the 422d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), hit Mannheim at 2211- 2222 hours with the RAF in a night attack; 1 B-17 is damaged.
FRIDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
VIII Air Support Command Missions 69 & 70: 2 airfields in France are targeted.
1. 71 of 72 B-26's hit Evreux/Fauville Airfield at 1150 hours; they claim 0-1-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 B-26's are damaged.
2. 66 of 72 B-26's hit Beauvais/Tille Airfield at 1602-1603 hours; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 17 B-26's are damaged.
HQ 20th Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy) transfers from Horsham St Faith to Hethel, England.
HQ 386th Bombardment Group (Medium) and it's 552d, 553d, 554th and 555th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) transfer from Boxted to Great Dunmow, England with B-26's.
SATURDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
VIII Air Support Command Mission 71: 68 of 72 B-26's hit St Omer/Longuenesse Airfield at 1717-1718 hours; 4 B-26's are damaged.
SUNDAY, 26 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
VIII Bomber Command Mission 103. Today's targets are in France with 1 B-17 lost.
1. 40 of 84 B-17's hit Reims/Champagne Airfield at 1751-1752 hours; 2 B-17's are damaged beyond repair; 21 are damaged; casualties are 20 KIA.
2. 55 B-17's dispatched to the Paris area abandon the mission after crossing the enemy coast; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair, and 8 are damaged.
3. 63 B-17's dispatched to Meulon Les Mureaux and Citroen in the Paris area are prevented from bombing by the weather.
4. 37 B-24's fly a diversion.
VIII Air Support Command Mission 72: 72 B-26's are dispatched to Conches Airfield in France; they are recalled due to weather.
MONDAY, 27 SEPTEMBER 1943
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
VIII Bomber Command Mission 104: The port of Emden, Germany is the target. 2 of 3 H2S equipped pathfinder B-17's of the 482d Bombardment Group (Pathfinder) lead the mission. This is the first Pathfinder (PFF) mission.
1. 246 of 308 B-17's hit the Emden industrial area and targets of opportunity at 0958-1008 hours; they claim 32-7-24 Luftwaffe aircraft; 7 B-17's are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 78 damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 18 WIA and 71 MIA. This mission is escorted by 262 P-47's which claim 21-2-6 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged; casualties are 1 MIA.
2. 24 B-24's fly a diversion.
VIII Bomber Command Mission 105: 4 of 5 B-17's of the 422d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), hit Hannover at 2208-2217 hours in a night raid with the RAF; 1 B-17 is lost; casualties are 10 MIA.
VIII Air Support Command Missions 73 & 74: 2 airfields in France are targeted.
1. 65 of 72 B-26's hit Beauvais/Tille airfield at 1044-1045 hours; they claim 4-6-4 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-26 is damaged beyond repair and 23 damaged; casualties are 4 MIA.
2. 68 of 72 B-26's hit Conches Airfield at 1729 hours; 1 B-26 is lost and 4 damaged; casualties are 6 MIA.
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
