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8th Air Force Europe in July 1944
SATURDAY, 1 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 449: 323 bombers (78 B-17s and 245 B-24s) and 166 P-51s are dispatched to bomb 14 V-weapon sites in N France but are recalled because of clouds; the recall messages by mistake are not sent to 3 squadrons; 2 of these abort on a decision of the squadron leaders; the other continues on the mission and 9 B-24s bomb a V-weapon site at Mont Louis Ferme; 1 B-24 is lost and 10 are damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 9 MIA; 124 P-51s, relieved of escort duty by the recall of the bombers, claim 5-0-5 Luftwaffe aircraft, 1 P-51 is lost.
82 fighters of a force of 97 P-38s, 169 P-47s and 99 P-51s attack rail and road targets in N France; they claim 3-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 is lost and 2 damaged beyond repair; 2 pilots are KIA and 2 MIA.
18 B-24s participate in CARPETBAGGER missions in France.
SUNDAY, 2 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 450: 350 bombers and 171 P-51s are dispatched to hit 13 V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 1 B-24 is lost:
1. Of 78 B-17s, 24 hit Fleury, 24 hit Fressin, 21 hit Blengermont and 1 hits a target of opportunity; 33 B-17s are damaged.
2. Of 272 B-24s, 36 hit Crepy, 35 hit Fiefs, 24 hit Vignacourt, 23 hit Blanc Pignon, 22 hit Courbronne, 21 hit Renescure, 13 hit Haute Cote Island, 13 hit Mont Louis Ferme, 13 hit Santrecourt and 12 hit Belloy-sur-Somme; 1 B-24 is lost and 1 damaged beyond repair; 4 airmen are WIA and 9 MIA.
Escort for the above is provided by 166 of 171 P-51s without loss.
41 P-51s, temporarily in Italy while en route from the USSR to the UK during a shuttle mission, join Fifteenth Air Force fighters in escorting Fifteenth AF bombers against targets in the Budapest, Hungary area, claiming 9 aircraft destroyed and suffering 4 losses.
37 B-24s CARPETBAGGER missions in France during the night.
MONDAY, 3 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 55 B-17s in Italy on the USSR shuttle mission join Fifteenth AF bombers in bombing marshalling yards at Arad, Rumania; 38 P-51s of the VIII Fighter Command, also on the shuttle run, fly escort on the mission.
TUESDAY, 4 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 451: 558 bombers and 632 fighters are dispatched to attack 7 airfields N and W of Paris; bad weather and mechanical failures cause 350+ bombers to abort; 1 B-17 and 4 fighters are lost:
1. Of 300 B-17s, 24 hit Dreux Airfield, 24 hit Illiers L'Eveque Airfield, 13 hit Conches Airfield and 1 hits a target of opportunity; 1 B-17s is lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 37 damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 9 MIA.
2. Of 258 B-24s, 56 hit Conches Airfield, 50 hit Beaumont le Roger Airfield, 49 hit Evreux Airfield, 25 hit Beaumont-sur-Oise Airfield and 12 hit Creil Airfield; 2 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 52 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA.
199 P-38s, 189 P-47s and 244 P-51s are dispatched to escort the bombers but 63 abort; 2 P-38s, 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost and 1 P-47 is damaged.
Of 144 P-38s and 176 P-47s, 29 hit Nevers marshalling yard, 25 hit Joinville Bridge, 16 hit Chartre-Chateaudun marshalling yard, 14 hit Perrigny marshalling yard, 14 hit Fresnes Bridge, 8 hit Cercy/La Tours marshalling yard, 8 hit Cambrai marshalling yard, 6 hit St Florentin, 5 hit targets of opportunity and 4 hit Rouen Bridge; they claim 17-0-10 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground; 1 P-38 is lost and 1 damaged.
Total VIII Fighter Command casualties are 1 KIA, 4 WIA and 7 MIA.
36 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night; 3 airmen are MIA after a plane crashes.
WEDNESDAY, 5 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 453: 371 bombers and 445 fighters are dispatched to attack 3 airfields in the Netherlands and 2 in Belgium, a factory near Mol, and 3 V-weapon supply sites in France; 5 fighters are lost:
1. Of 79 B-17s dispatched to the Netherlands, 38 hit Gilze-Rijen Airfield, 20 hit Volkel Airfield and 19 hit Noll without loss.
2. Of 221 B-24s, 43 hit Bois de Cassan V-weapon site, 36 hit Le Coulet Airfield, 29 hit Foret de L'Isle Adam and 29 hit hit Mery sur Oise V-weapon sites, 13 hit Eindhoven Airfield, 5 hit Melsbroek Airfield and 2 hit Tulemont Airfield; 49 B-24s are damaged; 1 airman is WIA.
The two missions above are escorted by 180 of 192 P-51s that claim 4-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground; 2 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA).
3. 70 of 71 B-17s hit Beziers marshalling yard; 13 B-17s are damaged. 228 P-47s and P-51s escort the bombers and claim 18-1-9 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground; 2 P-47s and 1 P-51 are lost (pilots are MIA).
Of 93 P-47s, 22 bomb Rouen, 10 hit L'Arche Bridge, 10 hit Seine River locks, 7 hit Boissy le Bois, 7 hit Pantgouin, 7 hit Veulettes Bridge and 6 hit communication targets; they claim 3-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground; 2 P-47s are lost (pilots are MIA). The P-47s are escorted by 181 of 190 P-38s; 2 P-38s are lost (pilots MIA) and 1 is damaged beyond repair.
During the night, 8 of 8 B-17s drop leaflets in France with the loss of 1 B-17; and 8 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions.
70 B-17s on shuttle mission (UK-USSR-Italy-UK) attack a marshalling yard at Beziers, France (with Fifteenth AF B-24s) while on the last leg from Italy to the UK; 42 P-51s return to UK with the B-17s (of the 11 P-51s remaining in Italy, 10 return to the UK the following day and the last several days later).
THURSDAY, 6 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 455: In the morning, missions are flown to France and Germany:
1. 800 bombers and 224 fighters are dispatched to bomb 18 V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 556 of 641 B-17s and 133 of 159 B-24s bomb; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair; 161 B-17s and 59 B-24s are damaged; 2 airmen are KIA and 3 WIA. Escort is provided by 141 P-38s and 83 P-51s; they claim 4-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-38 is lost (pilot is MIA).
2. 229 of 262 B-24s bomb the dock area at Kiel, Germany and 1 hits a target of opportunity; 3 B-24s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 105 damaged; 8 airmen are WIA and 22 MIA. Escort is provided by 168 of 189 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA).
Mission 456: In the late afternoon 73 of 104 B-17s and 148 of 176 B-24s strike 6 V-weapon sites and supply installations, 3 railroad bridges, a highway bridge, and an airfield in N France. Escort is provided by 443 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-47 is lost; afterwards a squadron of P-47s dive-bombs 3 airfields in the Conches area.
212 P-38s and P-47s, fly fighter-bomber missions against rail and road traffic in the Paris area; they claim 11-1-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 P-47s are lost (pilots are MIA).
Mission 457: 7 of 7 B-17s drop leaflets in Belgium and France during the night.
20 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions; 1 B-24 is lost. A C-47 makes the first landing at a secret airstrip in the Ain, France area.
FRIDAY, 7 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 458: 1,129 bombers and 756 fighters are dispatched to attack synthetic oil plants, aircraft assembly plants and engine works, airfields and an equipment depot, marshalling yards railway station and railway repair shops in Germany; 37 bombers and 6 fighters are lost:
1. Of 373 B-24s, 102 hit Lutzkendorf and 64 hit Halle oil plants, 90 hit Bernburg and 73 hit Aschersleben aircraft plants and 8 hit targets of opportunity; they claim 39-5-10 Luftwaffe aircraft; 28 B-24s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 126 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 11 WIA and 274 MIA. Escort is provided by 224 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; they claim 46-1-16 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-38 and 3 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA).
2. Of 303 B-17s, 64 hit Bohlen and 51 hit Merseburg oil plants, 67 hit Kolleda and 32 hit Lutzkendorf Airfields, 22 hit targets of opportunity and 16 hit Gottingen marshalling yard; 2 B-17s are lost and 112 damaged; 3 airmen are WIA and 20 MIA. Escort is provided by 185 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; they claim 9-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 3-0-1 on the ground; 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost (pilots are MIA).
3. Of 453 B-17s, 114 hit Leipzig/Taucha, 79 hit Leipzig/Mockau, 35 hit Leipzig/Heiterblick and 15 hit Leipzig/Abtnaundorf oil plants, 46 hit Leipzig bearing industry, 35 hit Kolleda Airfield, 19 hit Leipzig Station and 7 hit Nordhausen; 7 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 152 damaged; 15 airmen are KIA, 5 WIA and 50 MIA. Escort is provided by 247 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 20-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground; 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair (pilot is WIA).
Mission 459: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France and Belgium during the night.
19 B-24s participate in CARPETBAGGER operations during the night.
SATURDAY, 8 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 460: 1,029 bombers and 714 fighters, in four forces, are dispatched to hit bridges, tunnels, rail targets and NOBALL (V-weapon) sites in France; only 462 aircraft bomb due to bad weather; 9 bombers and 1 fighter are lost:
1. Of 331 B-24s, 14 hit Schore Bridge, 9 hit Welle Bridge, 1 hits Orsel Airfield and 1 hits a target of opportunity; 20 B-24s are damaged; escort is provided by 266 P-38s and P-51s; they claim 20-0-19 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA).
2. Of 304 B-17s, 61 hit Poix Airfield, 49 hit V-1 sites, 37 hit Etaples Bridge, 13 hit a road junction, 12 hit Abbeville Airfield and 11 hit Etaples choke point; 4 B-17s are lost, 2 are damaged beyond repair and 90 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 7 WIA and 32 MIA. Escort is provided by 36 of 39 P-47s.
3. Of 130 B-24s, 71 hit V-1 sites, 13 hit St Vallery en Caux Airfield and 11 hit Abbeville railroad junction; 3 B-17s are damaged beyond repair and 27 are damaged.
4. Of 264 B-17s, 21 hit Jaigle, 20 hit Barenton and 10 hit Chandai rail junctions, 11 hit Nantes/Gassicourt Bridge, 11 hit Nantes railroad bridge, 9 hit railroad tracks at Yvetot, 11 hit Nogent and 6 hit Rouen marshalling yards, 24 hit Conches and 11 hit St Andre de l'Eure Airfields and 25 hit targets of opportunity; 5 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 98 damaged; 4 airmen are KIA, 16 WIA and 51 MIA.
Forces 3 and 4 are escorted by 286 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; they claim 0-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground.
86 of 91 P-47s bomb St Andre de l'Eure Airfield without loss.
Mission 461: 4 of 5 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
17 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER missions.
SUNDAY, 9 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 462: during a morning mission 150 B-17s are dispatched to bomb bridges and airfields in France but cloud cover causes the bombers to hit targets of opportunity; 68 hit Chalonnes Bridge, 36 hit Chateaudun Airfield, 12 hit Bouchemaine Bridge, 12 hit Chalonnes highway bridge and 12 hit Le Creusot Bridge; 1 B-17 is lost and 10 damaged; 9 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 155 P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost (1 pilot is MIA).
Mission 463: 104 B-24s and 77 B-17s are dispatched to hit CROSSBOW (V-weapon) sites in France but encounters poor weather; Only 37 B-24s bomb V-weapon sites; 12 B-17s hit St Omber Longuenesse Airfield and 3 hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost and 60 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA. Escort is provided by 158 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 5-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft.
90 of 96 P-38s strafe the Moulin-Nevers-Tour area claiming 1-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-38 is lost (pilot is MIA).
Mission 464: During the night, 5 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France.
37 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.
MONDAY, 10 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 465: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France and the Netherlands during the night.
12 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.
TUESDAY, 11 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 466: 1,176 bombers and 795 fighters attack targets in Germany; 20 bombers and 4 fighters are lost:
1. Of 401 B-17s, 371 hit the Munich marshalling yard, Passing electrical station and a tire factory and 3 hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-17 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 42 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 3 WIA and 10 MIA. Escort is provide by 209 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s without loss.
2. Of 340 B-17s, 183 hit the BMW factory at Munich and 106 hit the Munich marshalling yard; 3 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 89 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 2 WIA and 30 MIA. Escort is provided by 166 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA).
3. Of 435 B-24s, 291 hit Munich, 55 hit Munich/Riem Airfield, 29 hit Augsburg, 8 hit Eppingen and 1 hits a bridge on the Autobahn; 16 B-24s are lost and 2 damaged beyond repair; 8 airmen are KIA, 14 WIA and 149 MIA. Escort is provided by 324 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; they claim 2-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground; 1 P-47 and 2 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA) and 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair.
Mission 467: During the night, 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets on France.
29 of 30 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.
WEDNESDAY, 12 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 468: 131 B-24s, escorted by by 144 Royal Air Force (RAF) Spitfires, are dispatched to bomb 10 CROSSBOW (V-weapon) sites in the Rouen area but abort because of a thick blanket of low cloud over the target area; no losses.
Mission 469: 1,271 bombers and 803 fighters are dispatched to bomb Munich, Germany; 1,124 bombers bomb the city of Munich, 16 hit Enstingen and 10 hit targets of opportunity; 24 bombers are lost, 4 are damaged beyond repair and 297 are damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 7 WIA and 216 MIA. Escort is provided by 717 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-38 is damaged beyond repair (pilot is WIA).
Mission 470: During the night, 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France.
THURSDAY, 13 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 471: 1,043 bombers and 609 fighters in 3 forces are dispatched to bomb targets in Germany; 10 bombers and 5 fighters are lost:
1. Of 399 B-17s, 356 bomb Munich, 6 bomb the railroad at Munich and 3 hit targets of opportunity; 4 B-17s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 156 damaged; 8 airmen are KIA, 7 WIA and 36 MIA. Escort is provided by 292 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; they claim 2-1-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-38 and 1 P-47 are lost.
2. Of 278 B-17s, 139 bomb Munich, 100 hit an aircraft engine plant at Munich and 3 hit targets of opportunity; they claim 11-4-8 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 B-17s are lost, 2 are damaged beyond repair and 129 damaged; 9 airmen are WIA and 50 MIA. Escort is provided by 170 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost and 1 P-38 is damaged beyond repair.
3. Of 366 B-24s, 298 hit Saarbrucken marshalling yards and 3 hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost, 7 damaged beyond repair and 31 damaged; 23 airmen are KIA, 9 WIA and 19 MIA. Escort is provided by 81 of 85 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost and 1 damaged beyond repair.
28 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.
FRIDAY, 14 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): With the conversion of the 55th Fighter Group from P-38s to P-51s, the Eighth acquires a majority of P-51 groups to provide longer-range high-altitude escort for the heavy bombers. Conversion to P-51s will continue until by the end of the year every group except 1 will be equipped with them.
Mission 472: In a morning mission 319 of 359 B-17s drop 3,700 containers of supplies to French interior forces in S France; they claim 5-2-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 15 B-17s are damaged. Escort is provided by 465 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 4-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft.
Mission 473: During the evening 131 B-24s are dispatched to hit airfields in France; 54 hit Montdidier Airfield and 39 hit Peronne Airfield; 9 B-24s are damaged. 40 other B-24s fail to bomb because of failure of blind-bombing equipment. Escort is provided by 79 P-38s and P-51s; 1 P-38 is damaged beyond repair.
94 of 100 P-38s fly fighter-bomber missions against rail targets E and SE of Paris; they claim 2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-38 is lost (pilot is MIA).
SATURDAY, 15 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 474: 169 P-38s and P-47s make fighter-bomber attacks on enemy transport SE of Paris; 2 P-38s and 1 P-47s are lost; 1 P-38 is damaged beyond repair and 10 P-38s and 2 P-47s are damaged; 4 pilots are MIA.
Mission 475: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
27 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions to France during the night.
SUNDAY, 16 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 476: 1,087 bombers and 712 fighters are dispatched to hit targets in Germany; 11 bombers and 3 fighters are lost:
1. Of 407 B-17s, 213 hit an aircraft engine plant at Munich, 54 hit Augsburg, 52 hit Stuttgart and 50 hit 2 targets of opportunity; they claim 2-3-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 10 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 112 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 7 WIA and 81 MIA. Escort is provided by 240 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA).
2. Of 238 B-17s, 206 hit Stuttgart and 2 hit a target of opportunity; 1 B-17 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 45 damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 10 MIA. Escort is provided by 214 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA).
3. 407 of 442 B-24s hit the marshalling yards at Saarbrucken; 2 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 45 damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 3 WIA. Escort is provided by 169 P-38s and P-47s; 1 P-38 is lost and 1 damaged beyond repair.
Mission 477: 5 of 5 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
24 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.
MONDAY, 17 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 478: In the morning 670 bombers and 472 fighters are dispatched to hit tactical targets in France; 1 bomber and 1 fighter are lost:
1. Of 331 B-17s, 37 hit Joigny la Roche, 36 hit Jussy, 35 hit Auxerre, 35 hit Peronne, 33 hit Ham-sur-Somme, 32 hit Anizy-le-Chateau, 25 hit Frevent, 12 hit Tergnier and 11 hit Eu Bridges; 12 hit Doullens road junction, 12 hit Hesdin fuel dump, 12 hit Frevent railroad and road junction, 11 hit Laon marshalling yard and 15 hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-17 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 64 damaged; 3 airmen are WIA and 9 MIA.
2. Of 339 B-24s, 58 hit Rilly la Montagne dump, 52 hit Belfort marshalling yard; 36 hit Gien, 34 hit Coulanges, 34 hit Neuvy-sur-Loire, 32 hit Sully, 30 hit Nanteuil and 10 hit Le Soulons Bridges; 11 hit St Dizier Airfield and 5 hit targets of opportunity; 3 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 54 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA and 7 WIA.
Escort for the 2 groups above is 433 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-47 is lost (pilot is MIA); elements of 4 fighter groups afterwards strafe ground targets, claiming 23 locomotives, 18 trucks, and 55 train cars destroyed.
Mission 479: During the evening 34 of 69 B-17s and 106 of 115 B-24s attack 12 V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 3 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 23 B-24s and 28 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 5 WIA. Escort is provided by 209 of 227 P-51s; 1 is damaged beyond repair.
Mission 480: 5 of 5 B-17s drop leaflets in France and the Netherlands during the night.
16 B-24s participate in CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.
TUESDAY, 18 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 481: 1,394 bombers and 476 fighters are dispatched to hit targets in Germany and tactical targets in France; 3 bombers and 3 fighters are lost:
1. 644 B-24s are dispatched, in conjunction with Ninth Air Force and RAF Bomber Command, to bomb enemy equipment and troop concentrations in support of the assault by the British Second Army in the Caen area; 249 hit Solier, 146 hit Frenouville, 139 hit Troarns, 23 hit Hubert la Folie and 12 hit the Mezidon marshalling yard; 1 B-24 is lost, 2 are damaged beyond repair and 182 are damaged. 90 RAF Spitfires fly uneventful support for the B-24s.
2. Of 291 B-17s, 107 hit the Kiel port area, 55 hit the Hemminstedt oil refinery and 54 hit Cuxhaven; 21 B-17s are damaged. Escort is provided by 48 P-38s and 84 P-51s without loss.
3. Of 459 B-17s, 377 hit the Peenemunde experimental establishment, scientific HQ at Zinnowitz, and marshalling yards at Stralsund; 3 B-17s are lost and 64 damaged. Escort is provided by 297 P-38s and P-51s; they claim 21-0-12 Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 P-51s are lost (2 pilot are MIA) and 1 is damaged beyond repair.
25 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions in France during the night; 1 B-24 collides with an RAF aircraft over France and is lost.
WEDNESDAY, 19 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 482: 1,082 of 1,242 B-17s and B-24s and 670 of 761 P-38s, P-47s, and P-51s dispatched, operating in 5 forces, attack targets in W and SW Germany including 2 plants producing hydrogen peroxide (an ingredient in V-weapon fuels), a chemical plant, 2 aircraft factories, 4 ball bearing plants, 6 marshalling yards, 4 airfields, and a river dam; 17 bombers and 7 fighters are lost. Attacks in the the Munich area are followed, within 90 minutes, by Fifteenth Air Force attacks. 731 fighters, operating in 19 separate units support the bombers; 8 of these units afterwards strafe ground targets, including parked aircraft, locomotives and rolling stock, and road vehicles. The bombers claim 6-4-4 Luftwaffe aircraft; the fighters claim 17-0-4 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 38-0-14 on the ground.
Mission 483: 5 of 5 B-17s drop leaflets in France and Belgium during the night.
5 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.
THURSDAY, 20 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 484: 1,172 bombers and 542 fighters are dispatched to hit oil and industrial targets in C Germany; 19 bombers and 8 fighters are lost:
1. Of 417 B-17s, 107 hit Dessau, 69 hit Kothen, 56 hit Leipzig/Mockau, 45 hit the Leipzig bearing industry, 36 hit Nordhuasen Airfield, 23 hit Kolleda Airfield, 20 hit targets of opportunity, 12 hit Bitterfeld, 12 hit Giessen Airfield, and 12 hit Rudolstadt; they claim 11-9-7 Luftwaffe aircraft; 15 B-17s are lost and 188 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 10 WIA and 129 MIA. Escort is provided by 253 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; they claim 5-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 2-0-0 on the ground; 2 P-47s and 4 P-51s are lost, 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair; 1 airman is WIA and 3 MIA.
2. Of 295 B-17s, 155 hit Merseburg, 53 hit Lutzkendorf, 47 hit Wetzlar and 7 hit targets of opportunity; 2 B-17s are lost and 153 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA and 21 MIA. Escort is provided by 178 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; they claim 1-1-1 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-4 on the ground; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair.
3. Of 460 B-24s, 123 hit Erfurt Nord and 11 hit Erfurt/Bindersleben Airfields; 80 hit Schmalkalden; 72 hit Gotha; 24 hit Freiburg, 18 hit Fulda, 12 hit Idstein, 10 hit Bad Salzungen, 10 hit Wernhausen and 9 hit Homburg marshalling yards; 21 hit Berka, 12 hit Bad Nauheim, 7 hit Koblenz, 6 hit Boppard and 6 hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost and 31 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA and 9 MIA. Escort is provided by 45 of 47 P-47s; they claim 6-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground; 1 P-47s is lost (pilot is MIA).
Mission 485: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
12 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions.
FRIDAY, 21 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 486: 1,110 bombers and 795 fighters are dispatched in 4 forces to bomb targets in Germany, among them 4 aircraft plants and 2 ball bearing plants; 31 bombers and 8 fighters are lost:
1. Of 433 B-24s, 106 hit Munich, 93 hit Saarbrucken marshalling yards, 78 hit targets of opportunity, 54 hit Oberpfeffenhofen, 33 hit Neuabuing, 13 hit Bullay Bridge, and 9 hit Schorndorf; they claim 10-2-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 22 B-24s are lost, 3 are damaged beyond repair and 181 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 7 WIA and 205 MIA. Escort is provided by 262 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 2-0-1 aircraft in the air and 3-0-10 n the ground; 5 P-51s are lost.
2. Of 96 B-24s, 48 hit targets of opportunity, 17 hit Duren, 12 hit Walldrun marshalling yard and 9 hit Indenboden; 2 B-24s are lost and 12 damaged; 20 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 109 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 1-0-0 aircraft.
3. Of 241 B-17s, 90 hit Regensburg/Obertraubling, 44 hit Regensburg/ Prufening, 40 hit Stuttgart and 18 hit targets of opportunity; 4 B-17s are lost and 88 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 1 WIA and 38 MIA. Escort is provided by 148 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 3-0-0 aircraft; 2 P-51s are lost.
4. Of 340 B-17s, 99 hit Schweinfurt, 70 hit Ebelsbach, 59 hit Ludwigshafen, 13 hit Bad Kreuznach, 13 hit Ebelsbach, 13 hit targets of opportunity, 12 hit Bad Munster, 12 hit Lachen, 12 hit Simmern marshalling yard, 8 hit Wurzburg, and 5 hit Neckargemund; 3 B-17s are lost and 81 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 3 WIA and 25 MIA. Escort is provided by 187 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-38 is lost.
Mission 487: 8 of 8 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night; 1 B-17 is damaged.
SATURDAY, 22 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 488: 7 of 7 B-17s drop leaflets on Bremen, Hamburg and Kiel, Germany; 1 B-17s is damaged. Escort is provided by 27 of 34 P-51s; 2 P-51s are damaged beyond repair; 1 airman is KIA.
Mission 489: 7 of 7 B-17s drop leaflets in France and the Netherlands during the night.
44 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.
SUNDAY, 23 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 490: 280 bombers and 193 fighters are dispatched to attack airfields in France; 1 bomber is lost:
1. 78 of 82 B-17s hit Creil Airfield; 1 B-17 is lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 2 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA and 1 WIA.
2. Of 198 B-24s, 61 hit Laon/Couvron Airfield, 57 hit Laon/Athies Airfield and 48 hit Juvincourt Airfield; 3 B-24s are damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 2 WIA.
Escort for both groups above is provided by 177 P-38s and P-51s.
Mission 491: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
21 of 25 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.
MONDAY, 24 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 492: Heavy bombers are scheduled to participate in a US First Army offensive (Operation COBRA) to penetrate the German defenses W of Saint-Lo and secure Coutances; 1,586 bombers and 671 fighters are dispatched but bad weather causes the ground forces to delay the attack until next day, and cloud conditions cause 1,102 bombers to abort. Targets hit are:
1. Of 909 B-17s, 343 hit the Periers/St Lo area and 35 hit the Granville railroad junction; 1 B-17 is lost and 70 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 1 1 WIA and 1 MIA.
2. 109 of 677 B-24s bomb targets of opportunity including road intersections and rail lines; 2 B-24s are lost and 74 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 1 WIA and 20 MIA.
Escort for the bombers is provided by 478 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; they claim 1-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-1 on the ground; 3 P-38s are lost (pilots are MIA) and 1 P-47 is damaged beyond repair and 1 P-47 is damaged.
143 of 169 P-51s fly a sweep over Lechfeld and Leipheim Airfields in Germany; they claim 3-0-0 aircraft in the air and 12-0-16 on the ground; 2 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA), 1 damaged beyond repair and 6 damaged.
Mission 493: 7 of 7 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
6 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.
TUESDAY, 25 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 494: 1,581 bombers and 500 fighters are dispatched to support a US First Army assault (Operation COBRA) with saturation bombing in the VII Corps area in the Marigny-Saint-Gilles region, just W of Saint-Lo; 5 bombers and 2 fighters are lost; 843 of 917 B-17s and 647 of 664 B-24s hit the Periers/St Lo area and 13 B-17s hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-17 and 4 B-24s are lost, 2 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 41 B-17s and 132 B-24s are damaged; 9 airmen are WIA and 46 MIA. Escort is provided by 483 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s and also provide escort for Ninth Air Force B-26s; they claim 12-1-3 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 2-0-0 on the ground; 2 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA) and 5 damaged. Due to a personnel error, bombs from 35 bombers fall within US lines; 102 US troops, including Lieutenant General Lesley J McNair, are killed and 380 wounded.
Mission 295: Late in the afternoon 106 B-24s are dispatched to bomb the Brussels/Melsbroek Airfield, Belgium but they are recalled because of heavy cloud formations. Escort for this mission is provided by 26 P-38s and 110 P-51s.
1 P-38 and 78 P-47s fly a fighter-bomber mission against the Fournival/Bois de Mont fuel dump; they claim 0-0-1 aircraft; 1 P-38 and 4 P-47s are damaged.
17 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions during the night.
WEDNESDAY, 26 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 496: Of 192 P-47s, 93 attack the St. Just marshalling yards and 40 attack Givet fuel dump in France; 1 P-47 is lost (pilot is MIA) and 10 damaged.
Mission 497: 7 of 7 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
9 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions.
THURSDAY, 27 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 498: 26 B-17s are dispatched to hit coastal batteries at Ostend and Cap Gris Nez/Calais area but weather prevented bombing. In Belgium, of 120 B-24s, 34 hit a Luftwaffe communication center at Brussels/Vilvorde, 20 hit a coastal battery at Gravelines, 11 hit oil installations and industrial plants at Ghent and 1 hits a target of opportunity; 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 32 damaged. Escort is provided by 154 P-38s, P-47s and P-51; they claim 1-0-0 aircraft on the ground; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA).
Mission 499: 193 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s fly fighter-bomber mission against rail traffic S of Rouen and Amiens; they claim 0-0-1 aircraft on the ground; 2 P-38s and 1 P-51 are lost (pilots are MIA); 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair and 2 P-47s are damaged.
Mission 500: 7 of 7 B-17s drop leaflets in the Netherlands and France during the night.
FRIDAY, 28 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 501: 1,057 bombers and 753 fighters are dispatched to bomb targets in Belgium, France and Germany; 7 bombers and 2 fighters are lost:
1. 291 B-24s in 2 forces are dispatched to hit signal depots, fuel dumps and V-weapon supply sites and a bridge in Belgium and France but the forces are recalled because of cloud cover over the targets; the first force of 180 B-24s is dispatched to NW France V-weapon sites, fuel dumps and a railroad bridge; 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 8 are damaged; 10 airmen are KIA; escort is provided by 235 P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-47 and 2 P-51s are damaged (pilots are MIA). The second force of 111 B-24s is dispatched to hit Brussels and Vilvorde fuel and supply depots; 8 B-24s are damaged; escort is provided by 40 of 53 P-51s.
2. 766 B-17s are dispatched to bomb the synthetic oil plant at Merseburg, Germany; 652 hit the primary while 36 hit Leipzig/Taucha oil refinery, 18 hit the Wiesbaden marshalling yards and 8 hit targets of opportunity; they claim 1-2-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 7 B-17s are lost and 217 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 7 WIA and 67 MIA. Escort is provided by 386 P-38s and P-51s; they claim 4-1-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 P-51s are lost and 3 are damaged; 3 pilots are MIA.
Mission 502: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
SATURDAY, 29 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 503: 1,228 bombers and 755 fighters are dispatched to hit oil targets in Germany and airfields in France; 17 bombers and 7 fighters are lost:
1. Of 657 B-17s, 569 hit the Merseburg/Leuna synthetic oil plant, 13 hit Gottingen, 11 hit Hildesheim marshalling yard, and 10 hit targets of opportunity; they claim 15-8-3 Luftwaffe aircraft; 15 B-17s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 349 are damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 17 WIA and 138 MIA. Escort is provided by 429 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; they claim 21-2-3 Luftwaffe aircraft (including a jet aircraft) in the air and 3-0-2 on the ground; 7 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA) and 1 P-47 and 6 P-51s are damaged.
2. Of 473 B-24s, 442 hit Bremen/Oslebshausen oil refinery, 2 hit targets of opportunity and 1 hit Cuxhaven; 2 B-24s are lost and 96 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 2 WIA and 15 MIA. Escort is provided by 106 of 109 P-51s.
3. Of 98 B-24s, 38 hit Juvincourt Airfield and 26 hit Laon/Couvron Airfield in France; 2 B-24s are damaged beyond repair; 5 airmen are KIA and 7 WIA. Escort is provided by 142 of 150 P-51s.
Mission 504: 6 of 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
44 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER missions; 12 abort.
SUNDAY, 30 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): HQ issues an order regularizing under the VIII Air Force Composite Command certain special and provisional units carrying out special tactical activities; this is a result of suggestion made on 2 Mar by Lieutenant General James H Doolittle, Commanding General Eighth Air Force, that units engaged in CARPETBAGGER, H2X (blind- bombing), night leaflet, and weather missions be put under centralized control.
Mission 505: 237 P-47s and P-51s fly sweeps of Evreux, St Quentin, Paris and Orleans, France claiming 3-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 9-0-0 on the ground; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA) and 3 P-47s and 2 P-51s are damaged.
Mission 506: 1 B-17 is dispatched on a night leaflet mission but is recalled.
31 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions.
MONDAY, 31 JULY 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 507: 1,295 bombers and 701 fighters are dispatched to hit targets in Germany and airfields in France; 16 bombers and 3 fighters are lost:
1. Of 705 B-17s, 567 bomb Munich, 43 hit Schleissheim Airfield, 36 hit aircraft engine plants at Munich-Allach and 4 hit targets of opportunity; 10 B-17s are lost and 331 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 6 WIA and 82 MIA. Escort is provided by 439 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 0-1-0 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 18-0-12 on the ground; 1 P-47 and 2 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA) and 5 P-47s and 3 P-51s are damaged.
2. 447 of 486 B-24s bomb the chemical works and city at Ludwigshafen, and SW part of the city of Mannheim; 6 B-24s are lost and 186 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 7 WIA and 62 MIA. Escort is provided by 135 P-38s; 1 is damaged.
3. Of 104 B-24s, 47 hit Laon/Athies Airfield, 36 hit Creil Airfield and 1 hits Poix Airfield; 4 B-24s are damaged. Escort is provided by 38 P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair (pilot is KIA) and 2 damaged.
13 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions.
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
