Air War WW2 Portal 
8th Air Force Europe in June 1944
FRIDAY, 2 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): The role of the heavy bombers from 2-5 Jun in preparation for the invasion of Normandy on 6 Jun includes continuation of attacks against transportation and airfield targets in N France and the institution of a series of blows against coastal defenses, mainly located in the Pas de Calais coastal area, to deceive the enemy as to the sector to be invaded (Operation COVER).
Mission 384: In the morning, 521 of 633 B-17s and 284 of 293 B-24s hit V- weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 11 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 1 WIA and 1 MIA.
Mission 385: In the afternoon, 242 B-17s are dispatched to railroad targets in the Paris area; 163 hit the primaries, 49 hit Conches Airfield, 12 hit Beaumont-sur-Oise Airfield and 1 hits Caen/Carpiquet Airfield; 77 B-24s are dispatched to Bretigny Airfield in France; 13 hit the primary target, 47 hit Creil Airfield and 14 hit Villeneuve Airfield; 2 B-17s and 5 B-24s are lost, 2 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 90 B-17s and 37 B-24s damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 4 WIA and 68 MIA.
3 of 7 P-38s hit the Ostend Bridge, Belgium without loss.
3 B-17s fly weather reconnaissance over the Atlantic.
During the evening, 5 B-17s drop leaflets on targets in Belgium and France; and 18 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER operations.
SATURDAY, 3 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): In Operation COVER, two missions, both designated Mission 388, are flown. In the first, 219 of 238 B-17s and 120 of 124 B-24s attack coastal defenses in the Pas de Calais, France area, bombing a total of 22 targets; 21 B-17s and 24 B-24s are damaged; no casualties. Escort is provided by 91 P-38s and 129 P-47s. In the second raid, 97 of 102 B-17s and 98 of 104 B-24s hit 16 of the same targets hit in the morning; 2 B-17s are damaged. Escort is provided by 102 P-38s, 34 P-47s and 83 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost and 1 P-38 is damaged; 1 airman is MIA.
During the night, 23 B-24s participate in CARPETBAGGER operations in France.
SUNDAY, 4 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Three mission are flown to France. In the first mission (Mission 389), the effort is to be divided between the Pas de Calais (COVER) area and the Normandy assault (NEPTUNE) area, however, D-Day is postponed 24 hrs and the NEPTUNE force is cancelled. 183 of 201 B-17s and 51 of 56 B-24s attack 7 targets in the Pas de Calais area; 10 B-17s are damaged; no casualties. Escorting are 130 P-47s and 42 P-51s; 2 P-51s are lost; no casualties. In the second mission (Mission 390) 222 of 246 B-17s and 53 of 68 B-24s bomb 8 coastal defense positions in the same area using PFF; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 12 B-17s and 6 B-24s are damaged; 1 airman is KIA. The third mission consists of 263 B-17s and 185 B-24s hitting airfields, railway junctions and bridges; of the B-17s, 96 hit the Massey/ Palaiseau railroad bridge, 50 hit the Versailles/Metelots railroad bridge and 34 hit the Villeneuve/St George railroad bridge; of the B-24s, 23 hit Brourges Airfield, 72 hit the Romorantin/Prunieres Airfield, 56 hit the Avord Airfield, 55 hit the Bretigny Airfield and 8 hit the Melun bridges; 1 B-17 and 3 B-24s are damaged beyond repair; 34 B-17s and 27 B-24s are damaged; 10 airmen are KIA and 4 WIA. Escort is 135 P-47s and 277 P-51s; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged; no casualties.
2 B-17s fly weather reconnaissance over the UK and the Atlantic.
MONDAY, 5 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 392: 423 of 464 B-17s and 203 of 206 B-24s hit coastal defenses in the Le Havre, Caen, Boulogne and Cherbourg, France areas; 4 B-17s and 2 B-24s are lost, 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 37 B-17s and 39 B-24s are damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 10 WIA and 47 MIA. Escorting are 127 P-47s and 245 P-51s; 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost and 1 P-47 is damaged beyond repair.
Mission 393: In France, 7 of 8 P-51 fighter-bomber attack a truck convoy near Lille; the 8th P-51 bombs Lille/Vendeville Airfield; no losses.
In preparation for D-Day, 3 B-17s fly weather reconnaissance over the UK and the Atlantic Ocean.
During the night, 11 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions; 1 B-24 is lost over Belgium.
TUESDAY, 6 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): The Eighth Air Force reaches its top strength as the 493d Bombardment Group (Heavy) becomes operational, making a total of 40 heavy bomber groups now operational.
Heavy bombers fly 4 missions in support of the Normandy invasion:
1. Mission 394: At first light, 659 of 882 B-17s and 418 of 543 B-24s hit coastal targets in the area of the invasion beaches between Le Havre and Cherbourg; overcast and inability of the bombers to locate (or absence of) PFF leaders causes failure of some units to attack; 1 B-24 is lost, 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 14 B-17s and 1 B-24 are damaged; 12 airmen are KIA, 2 WIA and 13 MIA.
2. Mission 394: The second mission strikes at transportation chokepoints in towns immediately around the assault area; total cloud cover causes 84 B-17s and 259 B-24s dispatched to return with their bombs but 37 B-24s manage to bomb secondary target of Argentan; 2 B-24s are lost and 1 B-17 is damaged; no casualties.
3. Mission 395: The third mission is dispatched against the important communications center of Caen; 58 of 73 B-24s bomb through overcast skies without loss.
4. Mission 395: Transportation chokepoints in towns immediately S and E of the assault area are the objectives of the fourth mission; 325 of 409 B-17s and 125 of 300 B-24s hit targets including Vire, Saint-Lo, Coutances, Falaise, Lisieux, Thury-Harcourt, Pont-l'Eveque, Argentan, and Conde-sur- Noireau; 1 B-24 is lost, 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 11 B-24s and 5 B-17s are damaged; 10 airmen are KIA.
In all, 1,729 bombers drop 3,596 tons of bombs during D-Day.
The VIII Fighter Command has the threefold mission of escorting bombers, attacking any movement toward the assault area, and protecting Allied shipping. The fighters fly 1,880 sorties including fighter-bomber attacks against 17 bridges, 10 marshalling yards, and a variety of other targets including convoy, railroad cars, siding, rail and highway junctions, tunnel, and a dam. Very little air opposition is encountered. The fighters claim 26-0-8 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 4-0-9 on the ground. Also destroyed are 21 locomotives and 2 carloads of ammunition. Numerous targets are damaged including locomotives, trucks, tank cars, armored vehicles, goods carriers, barges, and tugboats. Targets attacked with unreported results include warehouses, radar towers, barracks, troops, artillery, staff cars, 85 trains, and a variety of other targets. 25 fighters are lost.
Mission 396: During the night, 12 B-17s drop leaflets in France and the Low Countries.
WEDNESDAY, 7 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): The Allied Expeditionary Air Force (AEAF) directs air attacks against congested points to delay movement of more enemy forces into the assault area. In the first mission (Mission 397) in the morning, 182 B-17s and 291 B-24s, including 20 PFFs, are dispatched; of the B-17s, 58 hit Conde sur Noireau, 60 hit Flers, and 54 hit Falaise; of the B-24s, 66 hit Argentan, 19 hit Vascoeuil, 61 hit Laigle and 83 hit Lisieux; 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 17 B-17s are damaged; 8 airmen are KIA and 3 WIA.
In the second mission (Mission 398) in the afternoon, 487 B-17s and 88 B-24s are dispatched; the primary targets for the B-17s are Nantes (190 bomb) and the Kerlin/Bastard Airfield (132 bomb); 23 B-17s hit Niort and 40 hit the Nantes Bridge; the primary target for the B-24s is Tours/La Roche (12 bomb) and 13 hit Pouance, 13 hit Blain, 13 hit Chateaubriand, 25 hit Laval Airfield, 12 hit Vitre and 3 hit Tours; 1 B-17 and 1 B-24 are lost, 1 B-17 and 7 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 78 B-17s and 96 B-24s are damaged; 21 airmen are KIA, 12 WIA and 12 MIA. Heavy cloud prevents almost 100 others from bombing targets.
VIII Fighter Command furnishes area support for beachhead areas in the early morning and to heavy bomber operations at midday and in the late afternoon, at the same time maintaining harassment of communications and flying shipping patrol. 526 P-38s and 294 P-51s patrol the beachhead and provide escort in N France; they claim 2-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 0-0-2 on the ground; 8 P-51s are lost; 1 airman is KIA and 7 MIA. 505 P-47s and 148 P-51s engage in general strafing over N France and claim 29-1-12 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 25-0-12 on the ground; 10 P-47s and 4 P-51s are lost and 3 P-51s are damaged beyond repair; 1 airman is KIA and 12 MIA.
Mission 399: 10 B-17s drop leaflets over The Netherlands, France and Belgium.
14 B-24s participate in CARPETBAGGER operations in France.
THURSDAY, 8 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 400: 1,178 bombers and 1,353 fighter sorties are flown on communications in France to isolate German forward elements, and airfields are bombed to prevent Luftwaffe support. Cloud conditions prevent 400+ bombers from executing attacks.
1. 640 B-17s are dispatched to La Frilliere (66 bomb), Orleans (36 bomb), Rennes Airfield (30 bomb), Orleans/Les Aubrais marshalling yard (60 bomb), Nantes (25 bomb), La Huchetiere (31 bomb), Tours/La Riche (61 bomb) and Cinq Mars bridge (57 bomb); 18 hit Bruz, 2 hit Rennes and 13 hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-17 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 63 damaged; 11 airmen are KIA and 10 MIA.
2. 538 B-24s are dispatched to Pontaubault (67 bomb), Angers/St Laud (24 bomb), Angers (19 bomb), Le Mans/Arnage Airfield (14 bomb), Pontaubault (13 bomb), Nantes (42 bomb) and Cinq Mars bridge (55 bomb); 5 hit Dinon, 1 hits Precey, 1 hits Cinq Mars bridge, 30 hit Grandville Harbor, 19 hit a bridge at Rennes, 9 hit Precey and 26 hit targets of opportunity; an attack on the Melun bridge by an Azon unit is foiled by clouds; 2 B-24s are lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 73 damaged; 17 airmen are KIA, 4 WIA and 20 MIA.
Escort for the bombers is provided by 116 P-51s; they claim 3-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 P-51s are lost and 1 is damaged beyond repair.
Other fighter-bomber missions are:
1. 381 P-38s, 24 P-47s and 89 P-51s fly sweeps and patrols along the Normandy beachhead and the Channel area; P-47s claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 P-51s are lost; 1 P-38 and 1 P-51 are damaged beyond repair.
2. 333 P-47s and 526 P-51s fly fighter-bomber missions against communications in NW France; they claim 27-2-4 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 21-0-11 on the ground; 6 P-47s and 11 P-51s are lost; 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair.
Overall, the fighters fly 1,405 sorties and attack nearly 75 targets; 1 pilot is KIA and 21 MIA during the day.
FRIDAY, 9 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Bad weather prevents bomber operations; P-38s attempt to cover shipping in the English Channel; 7th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance) dispatches 5 aircraft but they all turn back due to weather; and 2 B-17s fly weather flights over the UK and the Atlantic Ocean.
SATURDAY, 10 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 403: Bad weather restricts operations to NW France; 883 bombers and 1,491 fighter sorties are flown but 200+ bombers abort due to cloud conditions; 1 bomber and 24 fighters are lost.
1. 507 B-17s are dispatched to Equihen (24 bomb), Hardelot (23 bomb), St Gabriel (26 bomb), Gael Airfield (36 bomb), Nantes/Bouguenais Airfield (55 bomb), Vannes Airfield (59 bomb), Berck (26 bomb), Merlimont Plage (39 bomb), and Toucquet-Paris-Plage (10 bomb); 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 36 damaged; 6 airmen are KIA and 4 WIA.
2. 257 B-24s are dispatched to Wimereau (23 bomb), Boulogne (34 bomb), Dreux Airfield (26 bomb), Evreux/Fauville Airfield (65 bomb) and Boulogne (13 bomb); 39 others hit Conches Airfield; 1 B-24 is lost, 2 are damaged beyond repair and 28 damaged; 10 airmen are MIA.
3. 119 B-24s are dispatched to Chateaudun Airfield (45 bomb) and Orleans/ Bricy Airfield (66 bomb) without loss.
VIII Fighter Command missions during the day are:
1. 405 P-38s fly sweep and escort; they claim 5-2-1 Luftwaffe aircraft.
2. 3 P-47s and 364 P-51s provided escort for the bombers above; they claim 0-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground; 7 fighters are lost.
3. 506 P-47s and 213 P-51s fly fighter-bomber missions against communications targets in the beachhead area; they claim 8-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-1 on the ground; 15 P-47s and 2 P-51 are lost; 3 P-47s and a P-51 are damaged beyond repair.
During the day, 1 fighter pilot is KIA and 24 are MIA.
Mission 404: During the evening, 11 B-17s drop leaflets on Norway and France without loss.
SUNDAY, 11 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 405: Weather prevents operations against priority targets in Germany so the bombers attack targets in France; 1,055 bombers and 914 fighter sorties are flown; over 400 bombers abort or fail to bomb due to clouds and absence or malfunction of Pathfinders; 3 bombers and 8 fighters are lost:
1. 471 B-17s are dispatched to airfields at Beaumont-le-Roger (38 bomb), Bernay/St Martin (50 bomb) and Dinard/Pluertuit (37 bomb), and Toucquet-Paris- Plage (27 bomb), Merlimont Plage (34 bomb), Pontaubault Bridge (50 bomb) and Berck (36 bomb); 33 others hit Conches Airfield and 4 hit targets of opportunity; 2 B-17s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 11 damaged; 20 airmen are MIA.
2. 584 B-24s are dispatched to airfields at Cormeilles-en-Vexin (34 bomb), Beauvais/Nivelliers (27 bomb), Beaumont-sur-Oise (36 bomb) and Creil (19 bomb) and Vicomte-sur-Rance (19 bomb), Montford Bridge (18 bomb) and Blois/St Denis (41 bomb); 12 others hit Beauvais/Tille Airfield, 7 hit Poix Airfield, 32 hit Montauban marshalling yard and 52 hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost and 14 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 3 WIA and 4 MIA.
87 P-47s and 144 P-51s provide escort for the bombers without loss.
Other fighter missions are:
1. 143 P-38s patrol the beachhead and claim 2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft without loss.
2. 77 P-38s, 195 P-47s and 268 P-51s fly fighter-bomber missions against communications targets in NW France; the P-38s claim 3-2-5 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 0-0-1 on the ground; 3 P-38s, 1 P-47 and 4 P-51s are lost; 7 of the 8 pilots are MIA.
Mission 406: During the night, 5 B-17s drop leaflets on France and the Low Countries without loss.
MONDAY, 12 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 407: With bad weather over top priority targets in Germany, 1,442 bombers are dispatched against airfields and landing grounds in NE France and rail and road bridges on the Brest Peninsula; 691 of 769 B-17s and 586 of 673 B-24s hit 16 airfields and 6 railroad bridges in the Rennes and St Nazaire area; they claim 1-1-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 6 B-17s and 2 B-24s are lost; 1 B-17 and 2 B-24s are damaged beyond repair; and 188 B-17s and 52 B-24s are damaged; 7 airmen are KIA, 14 WIA and 58 MIA.
988 fighter sorties are flown with the loss of 16 aircraft; 15 pilots are MIA:
1. 234 P-38s, 80 P-47s and 201 P-51s fly escort, sweeps and patrols over the Channel NW of Paris and in the Rennes area; they claim 20-0-8 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground; 3 P-38s, 1 P-47 and 3 P-51s are lost; 1 P-38 is damaged beyond repair.
2. 93 P-38s and 183 P-47s fly fighter-bomber missions against 5 railroad bridges in the Tours-Paris area; they claim 5-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground; 1 P-38 and 8 P-47s are lost; 1 each is damaged beyond repair.
3. 45 P-38s and 152 P-51s fly escort for Ninth Air Force A-20s and B-26s. Mission 408: 7 of 7 B-17s drop leaflets on France and Belgium during the night without loss.
16 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions.
TUESDAY, 13 JUNE 1944
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO) The first V-1 "buzz bomb" lands in S England; more land during the night of 13/14 Jun, and throughout the rest of the month.
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Bad weather cancels large-scale bombing of high priority targets in Germany; overcast bombing against tactical targets in NW France is undertaken:
Mission 409: In the first mission of the day cloud cover is less than anticipated and visual runs are made by 129 of 139 B-17s against Evreux/ Fauville Airfield (37 bomb), Dreux Airfield (52 bomb) and St Andre de L'Eure (40 bomb); 30 B-17s are damaged; escort is provided by 101 of 113 P-51s dispatched; they claim 4-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft.
Mission 410: In the second mission, 112 B-17s and 260 B-24s are dispatched:
1. B-17s to Beaumont-sur-Oise Airfield (41 bomb) and Beauvais/Nivelliers Airfield (56 bomb); 15 B-17s are damaged.
2. 148 B-24s to Dinard/Pleurtuit Airfield (10 bomb), Ploermel Bridge (26 bomb), Vannes Bride (19 bomb), Vicomte-sur-Rance Bridge (24 bomb), Montfort- sur-Meu Bridge (21 bomb), Porcaro Bridge (12 bomb) and 3 others hit targets of opportunity; 2 B-24s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 16 damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 19 MIA.
Escort for Mission 410 is provided by 12 P-38s, 47 P-47s and 174 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost and the pilot is MIA.
Other fighter sorties during the day are:
1. 97 P-38s are dispatched on fighter-bomber missions (58 bomb) and 17 hit La Poissonniere Montjean; 2 P-38s are lost and the pilots are MIA.
2. 199 P-47s are dispatched to La Port Boulet (90 attack), Montlouis (24 attack), transport targets (33 attack) and Chinon (31 attack); they claim 2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 is lost and 1 damaged beyond repair; 2 pilots are MIA.
3. 35 P-51s fly escort for fighter bombers.
4. 12 P-38s and 35 P-47s escort Ninth Air Force bombers.
5. 62 of 64 P-38s fly patrol over the English Channel.
Mission 411: 8 of 8 B-17s drop leaflets on France during the night.
6 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions over France.
WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 412: Bad weather again covers all strategic targets in Germany except one in the extreme N; a major effort is against tactical objectives, mainly in France; 1,357 of 1,525 bombers dispatched hit the targets listed below; 14 bombers are lost:
1. 502 B-17s are dispatched to hit airfields in France, i.e.,: Le Bourget (134 bomb), Coulommiers (24 bomb), Creil (25 bomb), Bretigny (69 bomb), Melun (50 bomb), Creil (66 bomb) and Etampes (69 bomb); they claim 0-5-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 11 B-17s are lost and 139 damaged; 6 airmen are KIA, 14 WIA and 97 MIA.
2. 466 B-24s are dispatched to hit airfields at Chateaudun (103 bomb), Orleans/Bricy (97 bomb), Eindhoven, the Netherlands (63 bomb) and Coxyde, Belgium (7 bomb); and 61 hit the Emmerich, Germany oil refinery, 50 hit Beauvois, 44 hit Domleger, 12 hit targets of opportunity and 4 hit the Normandy beaches; 33 B-24s are damaged.
3. Of 191 B-24s, 7 hit Ham-sur-Somme, 32 hit targets of opportunity, 52 hit Lille/Vendeville, 12 hit Calas Tres, 12 hit Denain Drousey, 39 hit Laon/ Athies and 70 hit Chievres; 2 B-24s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 56 damaged; 10 airmen are KIA, 2 WIA and 4 MIA.
4. 351 B-17s are dispatched to hit targets in Belgium: 35 bomb St Trond Airfield, 95 hit Florennes Airfield, 52 bomb Le Culot and 61 attack Brussels/Melsbroek; 1 B-17 is lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 73 damaged; 1 airman is MIA.
5. 7 of 15 B-24s hit the Ham-sur-Somme Bridge and 5 use Azon missiles against targets of opportunity; no losses.
Escort for the bomber missions is provided by 103 P-47s; 2 P-47s lost, the pilots are MIA.
Other fighter missions are:
1. 168 of 176 P-47s fly fighter-bomber missions against Luftwaffe HQ at Chantilly, France and Panzer columns; they claim 0-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft.
2. 234 of 242 P-38s, 178 of 190 P-47s and 171 of 197 P-51s fly beachhead patrols and sweeps in front of the bomber force; they claim 4-1-7 Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 P-38s, 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost (all pilots are MIA; and 1 P-38 is damaged beyond repair.
Mission 413: 3 of 4 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
20 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions.
THURSDAY, 15 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 414: 1,361 bombers are dispatched in 8 forces to bomb an oil refinery Germany and numerous tactical targets in France, including 9 airfields, an aircraft plant, a CROSSBOW (V- weapon) sites, 11 bridges, a marshalling yard, and various scattered targets; 2 B-17s are lost:
1. Of 747 B-17s dispatched, 172 hit the Hannover/Misburg oil refinery, 16 hit Wilster, 16 hit Wesermunde, 2 hit the Hannover area and 1 hits Helgoland Island, Germany; in France, 144 hit Bordeaux/Merignac Airfield, 71 hit Nantes railroad bridge N, 71 hit La Poissonniere rail viaduct, 70 hit Angouleme marshalling yard, 59 hit Beauvoir V-weapon site, 46 hit Nantes railroad bridge S, 12 hit Gael Airfield and 10 hit a viaduct N of Nantes; 2 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 267 damaged; 7 airmen are WIA and 18 MIA.
2. Of 614 B-24s dispatched to France, 89 hit Le Port Boulet railroad bridge, 61 hit Evreux/Fauville Airfield, 59 hit Tours-la-Frillerie, 54 hit Tours-La Rice railroad bridge, 46 hit Guyancourt Airfield, 45 hit Etampes/ Modesir Airfield, 44 hit Cinq Mars bridge, 27 hit St Cyr, 21 hit Buc Airfield, 12 hit Tours-La Riche highway bridge, 12 hit Le Mans Airfield, 12 hit Orleans/Saran Airfield and 8 hit targets of opportunity; 12 B-24s use Azon missiles against Etaples railroad bridge and 7 others use the missiles against the Pecrone railroad bridge.
Fighter operations are:
1. 96 P-38s, 202 P-47s and 211 P-51s escort the bombers and claim 5-0-5 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 P-38s and 1 P-51 are lost with the pilots MIA.
2. 36 of 48 P-47s bomb Etaples, France; 1 P-47s is lost (pilot is MIA).
3. 177 of 185 P-38s fly a fighter sweep in front of the bomber forces without loss.
FRIDAY, 16 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 416: 370 bombers, including 22 Pathfinders are dispatched to 4 airfields and 4 CROSSBOW (V- weapon) supply sites in France; 1 B-17 is lost:
1. Of 146 B-17s, 38 bomb Laon/Athies Airfield, 38 hit Juvincourt Airfield, 18 hit railroad targets of opportunity and 17 hit Laon/Couvron Airfield; 1 B-17 is lost and 58 damaged; 3 airmen are WIA and 9 MIA.
2. 224 B-24s are dispatched to bomb airfields and CROSSBOW sites; B-24s attacking V-weapon supply sites are: 48 hit Renescure, 44 hit Sautrecourt, 43 hit Domleger and 21 hit Beauvoir; airfields attacked are: 17 hit Beauvais/ Tille, 17 hit Authe and 12 hit St Andre de L'Eure; 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 13 damaged; 5 airmen are KIA and 2 WIA.
VIII Fighter Command missions for the day are:
1. 165 P-38s, 88 P-47s and 172 P-51s escort the bombers above, they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; no losses.
2. 70 P-51s perform a sweep against stalled trains between Angouleme and Poitiers, dropping external fuel tanks on them and firing the tanks by strafing; the same tactics are used on trains in the marshalling yard at Saint-Pierre-d'Ecideuil; heavy damage is inflicted on both targets, including heavy troop casualties.
3. 50 P-38s and 75 P-47s make fighter-bomber attacks on troops in the Arras-St Pol area; at St-Pol-sur-Ternoise a large number of railroad cars are burned by oil and phosphorus bombs and strafing attacks; other marshalling yards, a power station, railroad station, trains, barges, tanks, trucks, gun emplacements, AA tower and an armored vehicle are attacked; A total of about 400 railroad cars are attacked and about half of them set on fire. In general the fighter attacks are highly effective; 3 P-38s are lost (pilots are MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair.
Mission 417: 10 of 10 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the evening.
SATURDAY, 17 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Targets in France, primarily airfields, are hit; 2 B-17s are lost; fighters fly 1,027 sorties during the day and destroy 15 locomotives, train cars, trucks and other vehicles.
Mission 418: 232 of 332 bombers attack targets in France:
1. Of 174 B-17s, 52 hit Monchy-Breton Airfield, 31 hit a railroad bridge at Noyen, 18 hit Chateaudun Airfield and 18 hit Villiers/L'Eveque Airfield; 2 B-17s are lost and 22 damaged; 22 airmen are MIA; escort is provided by 43 P-38s, 39 P-47s and 90 P-51s; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA).
2. Of 158 B-24s, 28 hit Laval Airfield, 26 hit Guyancourt/Caudron Airfield, 18 hit Le Mans/Arnage Airfield, 17 hit Bretigny Airfield, 12 hit Brunnelles, 9 hit Melun Airfield, 1 hits Dreux, 1 hits St Valery and 1 hits a target of opportunity; escort is provided by 87 P-47s and 170 P-51s; they claim 2-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 3-0-0 on the ground; no losses or casualties.
99 P-38s fly fighter-bomber missions against railroad bridges at Corbie and Peronne; 4 P-38s are lost (pilots are MIA).
Mission 419: Of 312 B-24s dispatched, 80 hit Angers Airfield, 75 hit Laval Airfield, 55 hit Tours Airfield, 38 hit Essay airstrip, 25 hit Lonray airstrip and 1 hits LeMans; 1 B-24 is lost and 35 damaged; 10 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 122 P-47s and 148 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA).
49 P-38s and 39 P-47s, escorted by 47 P-38s, make fighter-bomber attacks on Corbie-Peronne railroad bridges; 2 P-38s are lost (pilots are MIA).
Mission 420: 9 of 10 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
SUNDAY, 18 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 421: 1,378 bombers are dispatched to targets in Germany; 11 bombers are lost, 10 to AA fire and 1 to unknown causes:
1. Of 890 B-17s dispatched, 381 bomb Hamburg, 88 hit Hannover-Misburg oil refinery, 85 hit the Bremen area; 60 hit Hannover, 54 hit Hamburg-Eurotank oil refinery, 38 hit Hamburg-Ossag oil refinery, 36 hit Hamburg-Schindler oil refinery, 18 hit Bremen-Oslebshausen; 18 hit Hamburg-Ebano oil refinery and 5 hit targets of opportunity; 7 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 284 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 10 WIA and 70 MIA.
2. Of 488 B-24s, 168 hit Hamburg, 107 bomb Bremerhaven, 58 attack the Watten V-weapon sites, France, 54 hit Brunsbuttel, 45 hit Stade Airfield, 28 hit Wesermunde, 13 hit Husum Airfield, 9 hit Nordenham, 8 hit Heligoland Airfield, 5 hit targets of opportunity and 1 hits Wrist marshalling yard; 4 B-24s are lost and 53 damaged; 8 airmen are WIA and 39 MIA.
Escort is provided by 198 P-38s, 172 P-47s and 215 P-51s; 1 P-38 is damaged beyond repair; no losses or claims.
Other VIII Fighter Command missions in France are:
1. 94 of 98 P-38s and 82 of 87 P-47s attack railroad bridges in the St Quentin area without loss.
2. 47 P-51s make a sweep of the Dol de Bretagne area; 3 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA).
Mission 422: 9 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER missions in France; 1 B-24 hits a tree at the drop zone.
MONDAY, 19 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Morning and afternoon missions are made against targets in France.
Mission 423: In the morning, 464 B-17s are dispatched against airfields in the Bordeaux area: 92 hit Cormes Ecluse, 84 hit Bordeaux/Merignac, 39 hit Cazaux, 34 hit Landes-de-Bussac, 12 hit Cabanac and 3 hit targets of opportunity; 7 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 11 damaged; 3 airmen are WIA and 59 MIA; escort is provided by 88 P-38s and 261 P-51s; 4 P-38s and 6 P-51s are lost (all pilots MIA).
Mission 424: In both morning and afternoon missions, 216 of 391 B-17s and 294 of 312 B-24s hit 35 V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 1 B-24 is lost, 1 B-24 damaged beyond repair and 65 B-17s and 22 B-24s damaged; 2 airmen are WIA and 10 MIA. Escort is provided by 196 P-38s, 122 P-47s and 48 P-51s; 1 P-38 is damaged beyond repair; 1 P-38 group, after completing escort duty, dive-bombs and strafes transportation targets in NE France, destroying a locomotive and 3 barges.
858th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), VIII Air Force Composite Command, moves from North Pickenham to Cheddington, England with B-24s (the squadron begins flying leaflet missions).
TUESDAY, 20 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 425: In the morning 1,548 bombers are dispatched to attack 14 strategic targets in N Germany and V-weapon sites in France; 49 bombers are lost:
1. 126 of 146 B-24s bomb V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 1 B-24 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 83 damaged; 4 airmen are KIA, 8 WIA and 24 MIA. Escort is provided by 44 P-47s; they claim 3-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 is lost (pilot is MIA).
2. Of 341 B-17s dispatched, 137 hit Fallersleben, 95 hit Magdeburg/ Rothensee and 52 hit Konigsberg; they claim 2-0-6 Luftwaffe aircraft; 6 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 116 damaged; 11 airmen are WIA and 60 MIA. Of 191 B-24s, 169 hit Hannover/Misburg and 3 hit a target of opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 89 damaged; 4 airmen are KIA, 6 WIA and 9 MIA. Escort is provided by 98 P-38s, 86 P-47s and 38 P-51s and 81 Ninth Air Force P-51s; they claim 10-1-10 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 8-0-3 on the ground; 1 P-38, 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost (2 pilots MIA).
3. Of 512 B-17s dispatched, 107 hit Hamburg/Eurotank oil refinery, 60 hit Harburg/Ebano oil refinery, 54 hit Hamburg/Schliemanns oil refinery, 53 hit Harburg/Rhenania oil refinery, 53 hit Hamburg/Deut.Petr.AG, 50 hit Hamburg/ Rhenania-Ossag oil refinery, 26 hit Hamburg/Schindler oil refinery, 12 hit Brunsbuttel canal lock and 2 hit targets of opportunity; 7 B-17s are lost and 349 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 13 WIA and 63 MIA. Escort is provided by 96 P-38s and 48 P-47s without claims or loss.
4. Of 358 B-24s, 245 hit Politz, 71 bomb Ostermoor and 12 hit targets of opportunity; they claim 10-3-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 34 B-24s are lost and 205 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 6 WIA and 343 MIA. Escort is provided by 50 P-38s and 221 P-51s; they claim 28-1-9 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 5-0-9 on the ground; 3 P-38s are lost.
Mission 426: In the afternoon, 33 of 37 B-17s and 196 of 380 B-24s attack 10 V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 1 B-24 is lost and 96 damaged. Escort is provided by 72 P-47s and 40 P-51s without loss.
Mission 427: 5 of 5 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
25 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions in France.
WEDNESDAY 21 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 428: 1,234 bombers and 1,170 fighters are dispatched to hit targets in Germany; 45 bombers and 4 fighters are lost:
1. 145 of 163 B-17s begin shuttle bombing missions (Operation FRANTIC) between the UK and bases in the USSR; 72 P-38s, 38 P-47s and 57 P-51s escort the B-17s to the target (synthetic oil plant at Ruhland, Germany); 123 B-17s bomb the primary target, 21 bomb Elsteriverda and a lone B-17 bombs Riesa due to a bomb rack malfunction; after the attack, the supporting P-51s are relieved 50 miles (80 km) SE of Poznan, Poland by 65 other P-51s which are to accompany the B-17s to the USSR; 50 miles (80 km) SE of Brest Litovsk 20 to 30 Luftwaffe fighters attack the force; in the resulting battle 1 P-51 and 6 German fighters are destroyed; 1 B-17 is lost (to unknown causes) on the flight; 144 B-17s land in the USSR, 73 at Poltava, and the rest at Mirgorod; the 64 remaining P-51s land at Piryatin; 1 airman is KIA, 5 WIA and 10 MIA. During the night of 21/22 Jun the 73 B-17s which earlier landed at Poltava are attacked for 2 hours by an estimated 75 German bombers led by aircraft dropping flares; 47 B-17s are destroyed and most of the remainder severely damaged; heavy damage is also suffered by stores of fuel and ammunition. This AAF shuttle run is made in conjunction with a large-scale effort against targets in the Berlin area as follows:
2. 456 of 496 B-17s attack Berlin; 12 other hit targets of opportunity; they claim 16-20-19 Luftwaffe aircraft; 16 B-17s are lost and 216 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 10 WIA and 148 MIA; escort is provided by 99 P-38s, 95 P-47s and 73 P-51s; they claim 4-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 fighter is lost.
3. Of 368 B-24s dispatched, 69 hit Genshagen, 52 hit Marienfelde, 47 hit Berlin, 40, hit Potsdam, 28 hit Niederschonweide, 23 hit Genshagen, 16 hit Rangsdorf, 10 hit Trebbin, 8 hit Selvig, 8 hit Stendal, 7 hit targets of opportunity in the Berlin area and 1 hits Bederekesa; they claim 13-3-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 19 B-24s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 150 damaged; 21 airmen are KIA, 20 WIA and 182 MIA; escort is provided by 148 P-38s, 147 P-47s and 116 P-51s; they claim 13-0-6 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA) and 1 P-38 damaged beyond repair.
4. Of 207 B-17s, 103 hit Berlin, 80 hit Basdorf and 5 hit targets of opportunity; 9 B-17s are lost; escort is provided by 108 P-38s, 81 P-47s and 91 P-51s; 1 P-38, 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost (all pilot MIA) and 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair.
Mission 429: In the late afternoon, 31 B-24s bomb CROSSBOW (V-weapon) supply sites at Oisemont/Neuville and Saint-Martin-L'Hortier and 39 bomb a rocket site at Siracourt, France. AA fire shoots down 1 B-24; escort is provided by 99 P-47s, meeting no enemy aircraft, but 1 group strafes railroad and canal targets.
Mission 430: 5 of 5 B-17s drop leaflets in France.
21 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions in France during the night.
THURSDAY, 22 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Because of the attack on B-17s at Poltava, USSR, on yesterday's shuttle mission, the B-17s at Mirgorod and P-51s at Piryatin are moved farther E; they are to be returned to Mirgorod and Piryatin to be dispatched to bases in Italy as soon as the weather permits; the move is fortunate as German bombers strike both Piryatin and Mirgorod during the night of 22/23 Jun.
Mission 431: In a morning mission 85 of 108 B-17s and 132 of 194 B-24s attack 12 CROSSBOW (V-weapon) installations in the Pas de Calais area; 1 B-17s is lost; 64 B-17s and 59 B-24s are damaged; 10 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 165 P-47s and 97 P-51s; some of the support fighters strafe coastal defenses; 1 P-51 is lost and 2 P-47s are damaged beyond repair; 1 pilot is KIA and 1 MIA.
Mission 432: During the afternoon 797 bombers are dispatched to attack 22 targets in France and Belgium; 9 bombers are lost:
1. Of 319 B-17s dispatched, 76 hit Lille/Fimes marshalling yard, 69 hit Ghent/Maritime marshalling yard, 35 hit Rouen oil depot, 13 hit La Vaubaliers, 13 hit Furnes Airfield, 13 hit Tingry, 12 hit Abbeville, 12 hit a tank area N of Rouen, 12 hit Douai railroad, 11 hit Mazingarbe, 10 hit Pont a Vendin, 1 hits Douai railroad; 3 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 81 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 5 WIA and 29 MIA. Escort is provided by 108 P-47s; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft.
2. Of 149 B-24s, 46 hit Guyancourt/Caudron Airfield, 43 hit St Cyr Airfield, 36 hit Buc Airfield, 13 hit targets of opportunity and 5 hit Tours/La Riche bridge; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 67 B-24s are damaged; 1 airmen is KIA and 3 MIA. Escort is provided by 187 of 200 P-38s and 36 of 46 P-47s; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 P-38s are lost (pilots are MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair.
3. Of 216 B-17s, 70 hit Nucourt V-weapon site, 38 hit Brie-Comte-Robert Sug, 33 hit Etampes Airfield, 11 hit Lieusant railroad, 11 hit Melun bridge and 11 hit Melun marshalling yard; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 187 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA and 30 MIA. Of 113 B-24s, 101 hit an oil dump at Paris and 1 hits Dreux Airfield; 2 B-24s are lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 37 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 2 WIA and 23 MIA. Escort is provided by 78 of 86 P-51s; 3 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA).
4. 9 of 10 B-24s use Azon glide bombs against the Samur Bridge; escort is provided by 41 of 43 P-51s.
Mission 433: 1 B-17 flies a daylight leaflet mission to La Glacrie, France.
Mission 434: 9 of 9 B-17s drop leaflets in France and the Low Countries during the night.
10 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions in France during the night.
FRIDAY, 23 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 435: at midday 110 of 134 B-17s and 102 of 106 B-24s attack 12 CROSSBOW (V-weapon) installations, damaging at least 6 of them; 3 B-17s and 2 B-24s are damaged. Fighter support is furnished by 4 P-51 groups (141 of 161 aircraft) all of which afterward strafe transportation targets in the Paris area, destroying 3 locomotives, 100 pieces of rolling stock, and 14 motor vehicles; An exploding ammunition train causes a low-flying P-51 to crash, the only aircraft lost on the mission (pilot is MIA).
Mission 436: During the late afternoon, 109 B-17s are dispatched to Nanteuil; 13 hit the primary and 2 hit targets of opportunity; the rest abort due to heavy cloud cover; 1 B-17 is lost and 2 are damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 10 MIA. Of 219 B-24s dispatched to airfields in France, 113 hit Juvincourt, 46 hit Laon/Athies, 23 hit Coulommiers and 1 hits Soissons; 6 B-24s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 81 are damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 3 WIA and 58 MIA. Escort is provided by 155 P-47s and 83 P-51s; afterwards part of a P-47 group bombs and strafes a marshalling yard while the remainder of the group bombs and strafes a train carrying trucks and armored cars, destroying the locomotive, 3 trucks, and an armored car, and damaging 20 freight.
169 of 195 P-38s fly flighter-bomber missions in the Paris area; 2 P-38s are lost (pilots are MIA.
21 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER mission during the night.
SATURDAY, 24 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 438: During the morning 967 bombers are dispatched to hit targets in Germany and France: 5 bombers are lost:
1. Of 340 B-17s, 213 hit oil industry targets in Bremen, 53 hit an aircraft factory at Westermunde and 40 attack Bremen; 1 B-17 is lost and 105 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA and 9 MIA. Escort is provided by 6 fighter groups (185 P-38s and 85 P-47s); 1 group strafes an airfield and rail transport in the Munster and Hamm areas and claims 2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground; no losses.
2. 407 B-24s are dispatched to France; 78 hit Conches Airfield, 45 hit Chateaudun Airfield, 45 hit Orleans/Bricy Airfield, 34 hit Toussus/Le Noble, 31 hit a fighter strip, 12 hit Pont Audmer, 11 hit Toussus/Paris and 9 hit Dreux Airfield; 2 B-24s are lost and 81 damaged; 20 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 45 P-38s and 36 P-47s; 1 P-38 is lost (pilot is MIA); the fighters later fly strafing missions.
3. 86 B-17s and 60 B-24s are dispatched to hit 12 CROSSBOW (V-weapon) sites in the Pas de Calais area but are prevented by overcast from bombing the sites, but 11 B-17s fly S and release bombs near the industrial area of Rouen; 1 B-17 is lost to AA fire; 13 B-17s and 1 B-24 are damaged; 9 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 35 of 36 P-47s without loss.
4. Of 74 B-17s dispatched to the Saumur bridge, 38 hit the primary and 36 hit Tours/La Riche Airfield without loss; escort is provided by 121 of 135 P-51s who claim 4-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground.
Mission 439: During the afternoon 62 B-17s and 167 B-24s are dispatched to targets in France; 2 B-24s are lost; escort for the mission is provided by 71 P-47s and 50 P-51s without loss; 25 other P-51s fly a sweep of the Angers/Le Mans area and claim 25-0-6 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground:
1. Of 62 B-17s, 32 hit V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area, 12 hit Holque electrical stations and 12 hit Saint-Pol-sur-Mer marshalling yards; 17 B-17s are damaged.
2. Of 167 B-24s, 67 hit V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area, 14 hit the Abbeville power station, 12 hit Pont-a-Vendin and 12 hit the Tingry electrical station; 2 B-24s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 44 damaged; 20 airmen are MIA.
Mission 440: 5 of 5 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
SUNDAY, 25 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 441: During the morning 658 bombers are dispatched to hit targets in France; 7 bombers are lost:
1. Of 263 B-17s, 104 hit Toulouse/Francazal Airfield, 72 hit Toulouse/ Blangnac Airfield and 64 hit Montbartier oil depot; 5 B-17s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 114 damaged; 10 airmen are KIA, 5 WIA and 45 MIA. Escort is provided by 46 P-38s, 36 P-47s and 146 P-51s; they claim 10-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA).
2. Of 258 B-24s, 43 hit targets of opportunity, 23 hit Beuvry, 18 hit Mazingarbe, 12 hit Aube-sur-Risle, 12 hit Doullens, 12 hit La Vaupalier, 12 hit Peronne Airfield, 11 hit Amiens/St Maurice, 11 hit Calais, 11 hit Tingry, 10 hit Abbeville, 10 hit St Omer/Longuenesse, 8 hit Boulogne, 8 hit Holque, 7 hit Nunque, 7 hit Pont-a-Vendin, 2 hit Chocques; 1 B-24 is lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 26 damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 2 WIA. Escort is provided by 68 P-47s and 34 P-51s without loss.
3. Of 137 B-24s, 59 hit St Avord Airfield and 48 hit Bourge Airfield; 1 B-24 is lost; 10 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 102 P-38s and 44 P-47s; they claim 8-0-4 Luftwaffe aircraft without loss.
Mission 442: During the midday 463 bombers are dispatched to targets in France; 6 bombers are lost; escort is provided by 127 P-38s, 35 P-47s and 181 P-51s; they claim 4-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA):
1. Of 274 B-24s, 63 hit Villacoublay air depot, 35 hit Bretigny Airfield and 11 hit Buc Airfield; 5 B-24s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 104 damaged; 11 airmen are KIA, 7 WIA and 59 MIA.
2. Of 189 B-17s, 70 hit Soigny Bridge, 38 hit Sens Bridge, 28 hit Clamecy, 21 hit Auxerre Bridge, 21 hit Nanteuil, 20 hit Nogent, 18 hit Orly Airfield, 13 hit Romilly-sur-Seine, 12 hit Folous, 12 hit Etampes/Mondesir Airfield and 3 hit Orly marshalling yard; 1 B-17 is lost and 20 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA and 19 MIA.
41 of 43 P-47s fly a flight-bomber mission against Evreux/Fauville landing ground.
In the USSR, B-17s and P-51s are flown, at daybreak, from dispersal bases to Poltava and Mirgorod and loaded and fueled with intentions of bombing the oil refinery at Drohobycz, Poland and proceed to base in Italy. Bad weather cancels the mission until the tomorrow. The aircraft return to dispersal bases for the night as precaution against air attacks.
24 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER mission.
MONDAY, 26 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 72 B-17s leave Poltava and Mirgorod, USSR, rendezvous with 55 P-51s from Piryatin, bomb the oil refinery and marshalling yard at Drohobycz, Poland (1 returns to the USSR because of mechanical trouble), and then proceed to Italy; Fifteenth Air Force P-51s meet the formation 1 hour after the attack and escort the B-17s to Foggia; it is planned to return the B-17s to bases in the UK on 27 Jun but bad weather delays this move until 5 Jul.
TUESDAY, 27 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 443: 251 bombers and 191 fighters are dispatched to hit CROSSBOW (V-weapon) supply sites around Pas de Calais, Criel and Chantilly, France; 195 B-17s hit the Pas de Calais area, 12 B-24s hit targets of opportunity and 11 B-24s hit Criel Airfield; 5 B-24s are downed by AA fire, 2 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 104 B-24s and 8 B-17s are damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 7 WIA and 51 MIA. Escort is provided by 149 of 191 P-51s; they claim 6-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft and lose 2 (pilots MIA); 1 P-51 is damaged; after completing the escort, the P-51s bomb and strafe targets of opportunity, including marshalling yards, bridges, railroads, transportation and airfield installations, and dispersal areas.
VIII Fighter Command fighter-bomber missions:
1. 46 of 193 P-38s attack Connantre Airfield; 3 are lost (pilots MIA), 3 are damaged beyond repair; 1 pilot is WIA.
2. 36 of 156 P-47s bomb Villeneuve/Zertes Airfield claiming 10-0-8 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air without loss.
3. 32 of 49 P-51s attack Coulommiers Airfield and 246 others attack transport in the Paris area; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground without loss.
Mission 444: 4 of 4 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
16 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER missions in France. A B-24 on a training flight in England is shot down by an intruder.
WEDNESDAY, 28 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 445: 992 bombers and 638 fighters are dispatched to targets in France, Germany and Belgium; 2 bombers and 2 fighters are lost. 485 B-17s attack targets in France: 72 hit Laon/ Couvron Airfield, 64 hit Juvincourt Airfield, 60 hit Laon/Athies Airfield, 36 hit Fismes bridge, 28 hit Denain/Prouvy Airfield, 24 hit targets of opportunity, 20 hit Anizy le Chateau bridge, 19 hit Le Bourget Airfield and 18 hit the Dugny oil depot; 1 B-17s is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 99 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA and 9 MIA. Of 378 B-24s, 331 hit Saarbrucken marshalling yards, 11 hit Florennes/Juzaine Airfield and 1 hits Givet Bridge; 1 B-24 is lost and 125 damaged; 8 airmen are WIA and 10 MIA. Escort is provided by 188 P-38s, 169 P-47s and 231 P-51s; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost (pilots are MIA) and 2 P-51s damaged beyond repair. About one-third of the escorting fighters afterward bomb and strafe transport targets, claiming 3 locomotives and an armored vehicle destroyed.
30 of 50 P-47s fly a fighter-bomber mission against La Perthe Airfield without loss.
18 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions in France.
THURSDAY, 29 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 447: 1,150 bombers and 779 fighters are dispatched to hit targets in Germany and the Netherlands; 15 bombers and 3 fighters are lost; cloud cover causes 400+ aircraft to abort the mission:
1. Of 179 B-17s, 81 bomb the synthetic oil plant at Bohlen and 61 strike an aircraft components factory at Wittenberg; 4 B-17s are lost and 111 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 5 WIA and 30 MIA.
2. Of 380 B-17s, 41 hit Leipzig/Heiterblick, 30 hit Leipzig/Taucha Airfield, 19 hit Leipzig, 18 hit Wittenberg, 15 hit Limbach, 14 hit Quackenbruck and 2 hit targets of opportunity; 2 B-17s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 76 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA and 21 MIA.
3. Of 591 B-24s, 81 hit Magdeburg, 74 hit Oschersleben, 54 hit Bernburg, 47 hit Aschersleben, 46 hit Burg Airfield, 42 hit an aviation plant at Fallersleben, 35 hit targets of opportunity, 26 hit Stendal Airfield, 9 hit Gardelegen Airfield, 8 hit Oebisfelde/Kaltendorf, 8 hit Zerbst Airfield, and 4 hit Leopoldshall marshalling yard; 9 B-24s are lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 204 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 12 WIA and 92 MIA.
The missions above are escorted by 203 P-38s, 216 P-47 and 352 P-51s of the Eighth and Ninth Air Forces; they claim 34-0-9 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 16-0-8 on the ground; 3 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA).
4 of 8 P-38s fly a fighter-bomber mission against shipping at Ijmuiden, the Netherlands without loss.
FRIDAY, 30 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 448: 153 bombers and 539 fighters are dispatched to attack airfields; 1 fighter is lost; of 75 B-17s, 39 hit Montdidier Airfield, 24 hit Le Culot Airfield and 11 hit Coxyde/Furnes Airfield, Belgium; 27 B-17s are damaged; of 78 B-24s, 35 hit Conches Airfield and 26 hit Evreux/Fauville Airfield, France without loss. Escort is provided by 168 of 178 P-51s without loss escort and afterwards strafe marshalling yards, airfields, barges, barracks, a train, a factory, and a warehouse with good results. No enemy aircraft are encountered and no aircraft are lost.
Other P-38s, P-47s and P-51s hit bridges, marshalling yards and other targets in France; they claim 3-3-4 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground; 1 P-38 is lost (pilot is MIA) and 1 P-47 is damaged beyond repair (pilot is KIA).
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
THE MIGHTY EIGHTH WAR DIARY by Roger A. Freeman, ISBN 1-85409-071-2
