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8th Air Force Europe in October 1944
SUNDAY, 1 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 657: 9 of 10 B-17s drop leaflets in France, the Netherlands and Belgium during the night.
MONDAY, 2 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 4 missions are flown:
Mission 658: 887 B-17s and 549 fighters are dispatched to make PFF attacks on industrial targets at Cologne and Kassel, Germany; 2 B-17s are lost:
1. 305 B-17s are dispatched to hit the Bettenhausen ordnance depot at Kassel (129); targets of opportunity are Kassel (143), Fritzlar Airfield (12) and other (1); 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 89 damaged; 5 airmen are WIA. Escort is provided by 228 P-47s and P-51s without loss.
2. 458 B-17s are dispatched to hit the Henschel motor vehicle plant at Kassel (384); targets of opportunity are Wiesbaden (31), Gesecke (9) and other (17); 2 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 144 damaged; 16 airmen are KIA, 1 WIA and 20 MIA. Escort is provided by 219 P-47s and P-51s without loss.
3. 110 of 124 B-17s hit the Ford motor vehicle plant at Cologne; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 36 damaged. Escort is provided by 53 P-47s and P-51s without loss.
Mission 659: 308 B-24s are dispatched to make a PFF attack on the marshalling yard at Hamm (266); targets of opportunity are Handorf Airfield (29) and Munster (1); 2 B-24s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 144 damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 18 MIA. Escort is provided by 212 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA), 2 damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged; 1 pilot is KIA.
Mission 660: 2 B-17s, escorted by 15 P-51s, drop leaflets on Dutch islands during the day.
Mission 661: 5 B-24s and 3 B-17s drop leaflets in the Netherlands, France and Germany during the night.
TUESDAY, 3 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown:
Mission 662: 1,065 bombers and 753 fighters make PFF and visual attacks against airfields and industrial targets in Geramny; 3 bombers and 4 fighters are lost:
1. 380 B-17s are dispatched to hit Giebelstadt Airfield (49); targets of opportunity are Nurnberg (256), Ludwigshafen (13), Ulm (11) and others (24); 130 B-17s are damaged; 2 airmen are WIA. Escort is provided by 260 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 2-0-0 aircraft on the ground; 4 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA0 and 1 is damaged beyond repair.
2. 228 B-17s are dispatched to hit motor vehicle facotry at Nurnberg (198); 10 others hit Ottingen Airfield; 3 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 63 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 4 WIA and 28 MIA. Escort is proivded by 227 P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair.
3. 119 B-17s are dispatched to hit the oil refinery at Wesseling (87); targets of opportunity are Cogogne (26) and 1 other; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 51 damaged. Escort5 is provided by 24 of 24 P-47s.
4. 338 B-24s are dispatched to hit Gaggenau (139) and Lachen/Speyerdorf (111) visually; secondary targets hit are Offenburg marshalling yard (19) and Pforzheim Airfield (19); targets of opportunity are Speyer Airfield (30) and Lachen (2); 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 38 damaged; 2 airmen are WIA. Escort is provided by 188 P-38s and P-47s.
Mission 663: 6 B-24s and 4 B-17s drop leaflets in France, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium during the night.
WEDNESDAY, 4 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 664: 5 B-24s and 4 B-17s drop leaflets in the Low Countries, France and Germany during the night.
THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): General Order 507 implements the decision of 15 Sep to assign staff officers of HQ VIII Fighter Command to HQ Eighth AF to represent units in administrative functions, thus eliminating the administrative and operational control from HQ VIII Fighter Command and placing it under HQ Eighth AF; this is necessitated by the transfer of fighter groups to Bombardment Divisions. 2 missions are flown:
Mission 665: 1,090 bombers and 733 fighters are dispatched to hit industrial targets, airfields and railways in W Germany; 9 bombers and 5 fighters are lost:
1. 348 B-17s dispatched hit targets of opportunity at Cologne (248), Brechten (27), Dortmund (14) and Coblenz (11) using GH and H2X; 3 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 156 damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 16 MIA. Escort is provided by 181 of 193 P-51s; 3 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).
2. 360 B-24s are dispatched to hit Lippstadt Airfield (175), Rheine marshalling yard (107) and Paderborn Airfield (28) visually; targets of opportunity hit are Herford marshalling yard (8) and Lipperode Airfield (2); 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 7 damaged. Escort is provided by 260 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 1-0-0 aircraft in the air and 15-0-7 on the ground; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA) and 3 P-47s and 1 P-51 damaged.
3. 382 B-17s are dispatched to hit Munster/Loddenheide Airfield (235) and Munster/Handorf Airfield (68) using PFF means; targets of opportunity hit are the Rheine marshalling yard (10) and other (2); 6 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 190 damaged; 6 airmen are WIA and 55 MIA. Escort is provided by 234 P-47s and P-51s without loss.
Mission 666: 8 of 10 bombers drop leaflets in France, the Netherlands and Germany during the night.
FRIDAY, 6 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
Mission 667: 1,271 bombers and 784 fighter are dispatched to hit industrial targets in N Germany; with one exception, all attacks are visual; 19 bombers and 4 fighters are lost:
1. 447 B-17s are dispatched to hit Stargard Airfield (199), aircraft factories at Neubrandenburg (73) and Stettin (12); targets of opportunity are Stralsund (110), Kappeln (36), Freienwalde (1) and other (1); 1 B-17 is lost and 34 damaged; 9 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 180 of 202 P-51s; they claim 3-1-3 aircraft in the air and 30-0-14 on the ground; 3 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA), 2 damaged beyond repair and 4 damaged.
2. 418 B-17s are dispatched to Berlin to hit a munitions dump at Berlin/ Spandau (144), aircraft factories at Berlin/Spandau (138) and tank factory at Berlin/Tegel (100); 10 hit a target of opportunity. 17 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 234 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 4 WIA and 154 MIA. Escort is provided by 363 of 414 P-51s; they claim 15-0-5 aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost and 3 damaged.
3. 406 B-24s are dispatched to hit Harburg/Rhenania oil refinery (121) with PFF methods, munitions dumb at Hamburg/Glinde (89) and aircraft factories at Hamburg/Klockner (79) and Wenzendorf (46); targets of opportunity are Stade Airfield (29), the Hamburg area (8), Nordhoz Airfield (2), Bremervorde (1) and Ottersberg (1); 1 B-24 is lost and 127 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 2 WIA and 10 MIA. Escort is provided by 156 of 168 P-47s; they claim 1-0-0 aircraft in the air; 6 P-47s are damaged.
Mission 668: 6 B-24s and 4 B-17s drop leaflets in Germany, the Netherlands and France during the night without loss.
SATURDAY, 7 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 669: 1,422 bombers and 900 fighters are dispatched to hit oil installations and armored vehicle plants in Germany; with one exception, bombing is visual; 40 bombers and 11 fighters are lost:
1. 142 of 149 B-17s hit the oil refinery at Politz; 17 B-17s are lost and 106 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 17 WIA and 171 MIA. Escort is proivded by 93 of 108 P-51s; they claim 7-0-3 aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
2. 333 B-17s are dispatched to hit the oil refinery at Ruhland (59); targets of opportunity hit are Zwickau Airfield (60), motor vehicle facotry at Zwickau (58), Dresden (30), Freiburg (24) and other (87); 3 B-17s are lost and 172 damaged. Escort is provided by 214 of 256 P-51s; they claim 12-0-0 aircraft in the air and 1-0-1 on the ground; 4 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA), 1 damaged beyond repair and 1 damaged; 1 pilot is WIA.
3. 451 B-17s are dispatched to hit oil refineries at Merseburg/Leuna (129), Lutzendorf (88) and Bohlen (86); targets of opportunity are Bielefeld (51), Hameln (27) and Nordhausen Airfield (24); they claim 11-13-10 aircraft; 16 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 240 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 15 WIA and 149 MIA. Escort is provided by 250+ P-47s and P-51s; tehy claim 10-0-1 aircraft; 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost (pilots MIA), 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair and 2 P-47s and 1 P-51 are damaged.
4. 489 B-24s are dispatched to hit an armored vehicle plant at Kassel/ Henschel (122) and oil refineries at Kassel/Altenbauna (88), Magdeburg/Buckau (62) and Magdeburg/Rothensee (25); targets of opportunity are Clausthal (129), Bergen/Steinfort (10), Hengelo marshalling yard (4) and other (6); 4 B-24s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 183 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 6 WIA and 38 MIA. Escort is provided by 214 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s; they claim 8-0-0 aircraft on the ground; 1 P-47 and 3 P-51s ar elost and 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are damaged; 3 pilots are MIA.
MONDAY, 9 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
Mission 670: 1,110 bombers and 878 fighters are dispatched to make PFF attacks on industrial targets in S and C Germany; 1 bomber is lost:
1. 329 of 345 B-17s hit the secondary target, ball bearing plants at Schweinfurt; 1 other hit a target of opportunity; 15 B-17s are damaged. Escort is proivded by 338 of 364 P-51s; 3 P-51s are damaged beyond repair; 1 pilot is WIA.
2. 381 B-17s are dispatched to hit the marshalling yard at Mainz (210) and aircraft engine plant at Gustavsburg (148); 84 B-17s are damaged. Escort is provided by 202 Ninth AF P-38s and P-47s; 2 P-38s are damaged.
3. 360 of 384 hit the secondary, the marshalling yard at Koblenz; 1 hit a target of opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 17 damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 10 MIA. Escort is provided by 271 of 295 P-51s; they claim 1-0-0 aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground.
Mission 671: 2 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands during the night.
HQ 12th Bombardment Wing is inactivated at Marks Hall, England.
WEDNESDAY, 11 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
Mission 672: 135 B-17s are dispatched to bomb the Wesseling synthetic oil plant (57); 73 others hit the secondary, the Koblenz marshalling yard; 4 B-17s are lost and 61 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 6 WIA and 38 MIA. Escort is provided by 135 of 139 P-47s; 1 P-47 is lost.
Mission 673: 9 aircraft drop leaflets in France, the Netherlands and Germany during the night.
THURSDAY, 12 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
Mission 674: 552 bombers and 514 fighters are dispatched to hit targets in Germany; they claim 18-3-1 aircraft; 3 bombers and 5 fighters are lost:
1. Weather prevents the 290 B-24s dispatched to hit the primaries at Vechta, Achmer, Rheine and Varrelbusch; PFF means were used to hit the secondary, the marshalling yard at Osnabruck (267); 5 others hit Diepholz Airfield, a target of opportunity; 2 B-24s are lost and 67 damaged; 19 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 210 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 1-1-0 aircraft in the air.
2. 262 B-17s are dispatched to aviation industries at Bremen (267) bombing visually; 1 other hits a target of opportunity; 1 B-17 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 59 damaged. 7 airmen are KIA, 1 WIA and 9 MIA. Escort is provided by 273 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 17-2-1 aircraft; 5 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).
Mission 675: 8 aircraft are dispatched to drop leaflets in the Netherlands, France and Germany during the night; 2 B-24s are lost.
SATURDAY, 14 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
Mission 676: 211 bombers and 258 fighters make GH attacks on 2 targets in Germany: 1 fighter is lost:
1. 90 of 94 B-17s hit a marshalling yard at Saarbrucken; 8 B-17s are damaged. Escort is provided by 105 of 107 P-51s; 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair.
2. 117 of 117 B-24s hit Kaiserslautern; 8 B-24s are damaged. Escort is provided by 148 of 151 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
Mission 677: 1,040 bombers and 491 fighters are dispatched to make PFF attacks on Cologne, Germany; 5 bombers are lost:
1. 434 B-17s are dispatched to hit the Gereon marshalling yard (326); 1 hits a target of opportunity; 2 B-17s are lost and 93 damaged; 3 airmen are WIA and 20 MIA. Escort is provided by 141 of 153 P-51s; 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair.
2. 318 B-24s are dispatched to hit the Gremberg (127) and Eifelter (121) marshalling yards; 9 others hit Euskirchen; 3 B-24s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 137 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 2 WIA and 20 MIA. Escort is provided by 177 of 184 P-47s and P-51s without loss.
3. 314 of 379 B-17s hit the secondary target, the Gereon marshalling yard; 1 other hits a target of opportunity; 2 B-17s are damaged beyond repair and 123 damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 3 WIA. Escort is provided by 151 of 154 P-47s and P-51s without loss.
SUNDAY, 15 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 3 missions are flown.
Mission 677: 754 bombers and 464 fighters are dispatched to hit industrial, oil and rail targets in the Cologne, Germany area; all but 1 force bombs by PFF methods; 7 bombers and 3 fighters are lost:
1. 454 B-17s are dispatched to hit the Geron (141), Nippes (127) and Kalk (111) marshalling yards; 11 others hit the Koblenz/Lutzel marshalling yard; 4 B-17s are lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 293 damaged; 14 airmen are KIA, 15 WIA and 40 MIA. Escort is provided by 146 of 151 P-51s; 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair.
2. 385 B-17s are dispatched to hit the Eifeltor (148) and Imbert (24) marshalling yards; secondary targets are the Kalk (117) and Gereon (50) marshalling yards; other targets are Wester marshalling yard (11) and other (1); 2 B-17s are lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 230 damaged; 10 airmen are KIA, 19 WIA and 18 MIA. Escort is provided by 150 of 154 P-51s; 2 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair.
3. 369 B-24s are dispatched to hit oil facilities at Monheim/Rhenania (64) and Reisholz (61) visually; secondary targets are Cologne/Gereon marshalling yard (185) and Dormigeon (13); targets of opportunity are Worringen (12), Cologne Airfield (12) and Limburg marshalling yard (6); 1 B-24 is lost and 106 damaged; 3 B-24s are lost and 106 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 7 WIA and 10 MIA. Escort is provided by 131 of 141 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair.
Mission 678A: 2 of 9 B-17s make an APHRODITE attack on naval installations on Heligoland Island, Germany; 23 of 24 B-17s fly a cover mission to the same targets. Escort is provided by 15 of 16 P-51s and 2 P-38s without loss.
Mission 679: 5 B-17s and 4 B-24s fly a night leaflet mission over the Netherlands, France and Germany without loss.
MONDAY, 16 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 680: 2 B-17s and 7 B-24s are dispatched on a night leaflet mission to France, the Netherlands and Germany.
TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 681: 1,338 bombers and 811 fighters are dispatched on PFF attacks in the Cologne, Germany area; 4 bombers and 1 fighter are lost:
1. 465 B-17s are dispatched to hit marshalling yards at Cologne/Eifeltor (216) and Cologne/Gremberg (34); targets of opportunity are Cologne/Kalk marshalling yard (151) and other (2); 1 B-17 is lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 263 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 6 WIA and 9 MIA. Escort is provided by 274 P-47s and P-51s without loss.
2. 453 B-17s are dispatched to hit marshalling yards at Cologne/Gereon (295) and Cologne/Kalk (142); 3 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 150 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 10 WIA and 37 MIA. Escort is provided by 271 P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
3. 430 B-24s are dispatched to hit a chemical plant at Leverkusen but weather prevents the attack; targets of opportunity hit are the Cologne/ Gereon (231) and Cologne/Kalk (179) marshalling yards; 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 73 damaged. Escort is provided by 229 P-47s and P-51s.
WEDNESDAY, 18 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 682: 567 bombers and 604 fighters are dispatched to hit targets in Germany; 5 bombers and 5 fighters are lost:
1. 337 B-17s are dispatched to make a PFF attack on Kassel/Mittefeld (300); targets of opportunity are Cologne (1) and other (2); 2 B-17s are lost; 1 airman is WIA and 18 MIA. Escort is provided by 388 P-47s and P-51s; 4 P-51s are lost.
2. 118 B-17s are dispatched to make a GH attack on the Ford Plant at Cologne (79); 30 others hit Cologne/Nippes marshalling yard; 22 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 2 WIA. Escort is provided by 38 of 45 P-47s without loss.
3. 112 B-24s are dispatched to make a GH attack on the industrial complex at Leverkusen (39); 30 others hit the Cologne/Nippes marshalling yard; 3 B-24s are lost and 26 damaged; 27 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 139 of 146 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost.
THURSDAY, 19 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
Mission 683: 1,022 bombers and 753 fighters attack targets in Germany using PFF or GH; 6 bombers and 2 fighters are lost:
1. 381 B-24s are dispatched to hit the diesel engine and armored vehicle plant at Gustavsburg (50) and the Mainz marshalling yard (280) the secondary target; 5 B-24s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 148 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA and 49 MIA. Escort is provided by 195 P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-47 is lost (pilot MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair.
2. 217 of 267 B-17s hit the secondary target, Mannheim; 34 others hit a target of opportunity; 1 B-17 is lost and 97 damaged; 2 airmen are KIA, 1 WIA and 10 MIA. Escort is provided by 286 P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
3. 374 B-17s are dispatched to hit an artillery tractor plant at Mannheim (25); 257 hit the secondary, Mannheim; targets of opportunity are Karlsruhe (32), Kreuznach (10), Rudesheim (9), Bad Kreuznach (8), Steyer (2) and other (21); 182 B-17s are damaged; 2 airmen are KIA and 4 WIA. Escort is provided by 226 P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair.
Mission 684: 5 B-17s and 5 B-24s are dispatched to drop leaflets in France, the Netherlands and Germany during the night.
SUNDAY, 22 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): HQ 492d Bombardment Group (Heavy) and the 856th, 857th, 858th and 859th Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), i.e., the CARPETBAGGER group assigned to HQ VIII Fighter Command, is transferred to the 1st Bombardment Division to operate as a night bombing group; only the 856th Squadron remains on CARPETBAGGER operations over the Netherlands, Norway and Denmark under operational control of HQ Eighth AF; this reduction of supply dropping forces results from the recapture of major portions of France. The 859th Squadron is sent to Italy in Dec 44 and did not return; the 857th and 858th started night bombing sorties on a limited scale in Dec 44.
Mission 685: 1,131 bombers and 785 fighters are dispatched on PFF attacks on targets in W Germany; 2 bombers and 1 fighter are lost:
1. 379 B-17s are dispatched to hit military vehicle plants at Hannover/ Hanomag (171) and Brunswick/Bussing (148); targets of opportunity are Bielefeld (35) and other (6); 2 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 15 damaged; 20 airmen are KIA, 3 WIA and 16 MIA. Escort is provided by 379 P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair.
2. 353 of 373 B-24s hit the Hamm marshalling yard; 29 B-24s are damaged. Escort is provided by 196 of 212 P-51s; 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair.
3. 352 of 379 B-17s hit the Munster marshalling yard; 8 others hit targets of opportunity; 13 B-17s are damaged. Escort is provided by 147 of 157 P-51s.
MONDAY, 23 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 686: 6 B-24s and 3 B-17s drop leaflets in France and the Netherlands during the night.
TUESDAY, 24 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): By this date, all Pathfinder aircraft of the 482d Bombardment Group (Pathfinder), engaged in H2X and other radar training at RAF Alconbury, have been dispersed to bombardment groups within the bombardment division, which set up their own H2X training.
In Germany, 415 P-47s and P-51s are dispatched to attack aircraft and ground targets in the Hannover-Kassel area; 73 bomb flak positions at Elburg, a factory near Nienburg, and miscellaneous ground targets; bad weather causes other fighter-bombers to jettison bombs in the English Channel and Zuider Zee; the fighter-bombers strafe transportation and other ground targets with good results.
WEDNESDAY, 25 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 688: 1,250 bombers and 522 fighters are dispatched to hit oil and industrial targets in W Germany; 2 bombers and 1 fighter are lost; the first three forces use H2X while the 4th and 5th use GH:
1. 455 B-17s are dispatched to hit the Harburg (221) and Rhenania oil refineries (214) at Hamburg; 1 other hits a target of opportunity; 1 B-17 is lost and 94 damaged; 9 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 129 of 139 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost and 1 damaged beyond repair.
2. 225 B-24s are dispatched to hit Neumunster Airfield (216); targets of opportunity are Munster (3) and Utersum (1); no losses. Escort is provided by 41 of 42 P-51s without loss.
3. 297 B-17s dispatched to hit the primary hit secondaries, Harburg (179) and Rhenania oil refineries (106) at Hamburg; 1 other hits a target of opportunity; 1 B-17 is lost and 16 damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 9 MIA. Escort is provided by 221 of 255 P-51s without loss.
4. 131 B-17s are dispatched to hit synthetic oil targets at Gelsenkirchen/ Nordstern (27); 100 others hit the secondary, the marshalling yard at Hamm; 49 B-17s are damaged. Escort is provided by 50 of 50 P-47s without loss.
5. 142 B-24s are dispatched to hit synthetic oil targets at Scholven/Buer (91); 34 hit the secondary at Munster and 1 hits Gronua; 39 B-24s are damaged. Escort is provided by 34 of 36 P-47s without loss.
THURSDAY, 26 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 689: 1,225 bombers and 674 fighters make PFF attacks on industrial and communications targets in W Germany; 1 fighter is lost:
1. 430 B-17s are dispatched to attack a storage depot at Bielefeld (155) and aircraft repair plant and Ludwig marshalling yard at Munster (108); targets of opportunity are Munster (87), Gutersloh (24) and other (1); 10 B-17s are damaged. Escort is provided by 204 of 215 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA).
2. 432 B-17s are dispatched to hit the Hannover/Hanomag military vehicle plant (155); targets of opportunity are Hannover (221), Bielefeld (36) and other (1); 2 B-17s are damaged beyond repair and 14 damaged; 16 airmen are KIA, and 1 WIA. Escort is provided by 235 P-47s and P-51s; 1 P-47 is damaged beyond repair.
3. 242 of 246 B-24s hit the aqueduct and Mittelland Canal at Minden; 5 B-24s are damaged. Escort is provided by 128 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft without loss.
4. 117 B-24s are dispatched to hit the Welheim synthetic oil plant at Bottrop (65); 33 others hit Munster; 37 B-24s are damaged; 1 airman is WIA. Escort is provided by 59 of 66 P-51s without loss.
FRIDAY, 27 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 690: 2 B-17s and 7 B-24s drop leaflets on 38 locations in the Netherlands, France and Germany during the night.
SATURDAY, 28 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 2 missions are flown.
Mission 691: 382 bombers and 217 fighters are dispatched on PFF attacks on marshalling yards in Germany; 3 bombers and 2 fighters are lost.
1. 184 of 192 B-17s hit the marshalling yard at Hamm; 1 other hits a target of opportunity; 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 42 damaged. Escort is provided by 93 of 105 P-51s without loss.
2. 178 of 190 B-17s hit the marshalling yard at Munster; 3 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 96 damaged; 12 airmen are WIA and 29 MIA. Escort is provided by 106 of 112 P-51s; 2 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).
Mission 692: 3 B-17s and 6 B-24s drop leaflets in France, the Netherlands and Germany during the night.
MONDAY, 30 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 3 missions are flown.
Mission 693: 1,279 bombers and 978 fighters fly a major mission against German oil production facilities; 2 bombers and 5 fighters are lost:
1. 357 B-24s are dispatched to hit the Harburg oil refinery (72) and Rhenania oil refinery (67) at Hamburg; targets of opportunity are Hamburg (28), Cuxhaven (25), Wesermunde (21), Uetersen (9), Bremen (1) and other (1); 2 B-24s are lost and 30 damaged; 19 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 293 P-47s and P-51s; 4 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA).
2. 463 B-17s dispatched hit secondary targets, the marshalling yards at Hamm (209) and Munster (192); targets of opportunity are Osnabruck (12), Enschede (2) and other (4); 17 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 2 MIA. Escort is provided by 123 of 135 P-47s; 1 P-47 is lost (pilot MIA).
3. 459 B-17s dispatched to hit the Leuna oil refinery at Merseburg are recalled due to deteriorating weather; 2 B-17s are damaged. Escort is provided by 482 of 508 P-51s without loss.
Mission 693A: 2 of 5 B-17s make an APHRODITE attack on Heligoland Island, Germany; escort is provided by 7 of 7 P-47s. 26 of 27 B-17s, escorted by 8 of 8 P-47s, fly a cover mission to Heligoland without loss.
Mission 694: 2 B-17s and 7 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands and Germany during the night.
TUESDAY, 31 OCTOBER 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 695: 3 B-17s and 5 B-24s drop leaflets in the Netherlands, France and Germany during the night.
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
