Air War WW2 Portal 
9th Air Force Europe in February 1944
TUESDAY, 1 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
Colonel Clarence E Crumrine temporarily takes command of the XIX Air Support Command, replacing Major General Elwood R Quesada. The latter assumes command of the IX Air Support Command which assumes control of all fighter and reconnaissance units of the IX Fighter Command.
Transfers in England: HQ IX Air Support Command from Aldermaston Court to Middle Wallop; HQ XIX Air Support Command from Middle Wallop to Aldermaston Court; HQ 416th Bombardment Group (Light) and 669th, 670th and 671st Bombardment Squadrons (Light) from the US to Wethersfield with A-20s (first mission is 3 Mar); 30th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, III Reconnaissance Command, from the US to Chalgrove with F-5s (first mission is 25 Feb); 366th Fighter Squadron, 58th Fighter Group, from Leiston to Raydon with P-47s.
Transfers in UK during Feb 44: HQ 438th Troop Carrier Group and 87th, 88th, 89th and 90th Troop Carrier Squadrons from the US with C-47s.
WEDNESDAY, 2 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
36 B-26s attack Triqueville Airfield, France. Eighth Air Force escorts are 34 P-38s and 44 P-47s. No losses.
Transfers in England: 365th Fighter Squadron, 358th Fighter Group from Leiston to Raydon with P-47s; 381st Fighter Squadron, 363d Fighter Group, from Keevil to Rivenhall with P-51s, first mission is 24 Feb; 668th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 416th Bombardment Group (Light), from the US to Wethersfield with A-20s, first mission is 3 Mar.
THURSDAY, 3 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
The 358th Fighter Group at Raydon becomes operational with P-47s. This is the first of 17 fighter groups which are to be added by 9 May 44 to the Ninth Air Force, which previously had only 1 fighter group, the 354th at Boxted with P-51s.
52 B-26s bomb V-weapon sites on the W coast of France. Weather causes 100+ other aircraft to abandon the mission.
380th Fighter Squadron, 363d Fighter Group, transfers from Keevil to Rivenhall, England with P-51s, first mission on 24 Feb.
FRIDAY, 4 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
Major General Otto P Weyland becomes Commanding General, XIX Air Support Command.
HQ 313th Troop Carrier Group transfers from Trapani/Milo Airfield, Sicily to Folkingham, England.
SATURDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
Around 180 B-26s attack 6 V-weapon sites in N France.
HQ 437th Troop Carrier Group transfers from Balderton to Ramsbury, England.
SUNDAY, 6 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
Around 120 B-26s bomb V-weapon sites, airfields, and a factory, all in France; principal targets bombed are at Rosieres-en-Santerre, Amiens/Glisy, Cormeilles-en-Vexin, and Grandvilliers.
Transfers in England: 34th Troop Carrier Squadron, 315th Troop Carrier Group, from Wilford to Spanhoe (air echelon is operating from Blida, Algeria with C-47s); 83d, 84th, 85th and 86th Troop Carrier Squadrons, 437th Troop Carrier Group, from Balderton to Ramsbury with C-47s.
MONDAY, 7 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
HQ 315th Troop Carrier Group transfers from Welford to Stanhoe, England.
TUESDAY, 8 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
HQ Ninth Air Force extends IX Bomber Command's choice of targets considerably, although first priority for Operation POINTBLANK missions [the Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO) of US and RAF air forces against the Luftwaffe and German aircraft industry] and next priority for Operation CROSSBOW (code name for operations against German V-weapon sites) targets is maintained.
In a morning raid, nearly 200 B-26s attack V-weapon sites and targets of opportunity in NW France. In an afternoon raid, 100+ B-26s bomb V-weapon sites and military instsllations in the same general area, most of the B-26s attacking Breck-sur-Mer. This is the IX Bomber Command's first 2-mission day.
494th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 344th Bombardment Group (Medium), arrives at Stansted, England from the US with B-26s; first mission is 29 Feb.
WEDNESDAY, 9 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
133 B-26s bomb V-weapon sites in coastal France, marshalling yards at Tergnier, France and targets of opportunity in the area. This marks the first of the IX Bomber Command raids on marshalling yards.
HQ 344th Bombardment Group (Medium) arrives at Stansted, England from the US.
THURSDAY, 10 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
114 B-26s attack V-weapon sites in coastal France, airfields at Poix and Beauvais/Tille, a bridge at Le Crotoy, and a coastal battery N of the Conch River.
496th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 344th Bombardment Group (Medium), arrives at Stansted, England from the US with B-26s; first mission is 29 Feb.
FRIDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
Most of the 139 B-26s dispatched to attack NOBALL (V-weapon) targets in N France are recalled because of bad weather; 35 manage to bomb the marshalling yard at Amiens.
495th and 497th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium), 344th Bombardment Group (Medium), arrives at Stansted, England from the US with B-26s; first mission is 29 Feb.
SATURDAY, 12 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
HQ 370th Fighter Group and 401st, 402d and 485th Fighter Squadrons arrive at Aldermaston, England from the US with P-47's; the unit will transition to P-38s and fly their first mission on 1 May.
SUNDAY, 13 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
182 B-26s attack V-weapon sites in the coastal area of France; 16 others bomb secondary targets in the area.
MONDAY, 14 FEBRUARY 1944
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO):
General Dwight D Eisenhower establishes HQ Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF). Chief of Staff, Supreme Allied Commander (COSSAC) comes under control of SHAEF.
TUESDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
194 B-26s bomb V-weapon sites, Cherbourg/Maupertus Airfield and targets of opportunity during a morning mission. 122 B-26s again bomb V-weapon construction sites in the coastal area of N France during the afternoon.
HQ IX Air Support Command moves from Middle Wallop to Uxbridge, England.
HQ 316th Troop Carrier Group arrives at Cottesmore, England from Sicily.
THURSDAY, 17 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
Advanced HQ, Ninth Air Force, is opened at Hillingdon House, Uxbridge. It is later joined in the area by advanced units of the IX Fighter Command and by troop carrier units, all of which form a nucleus of advanced echelons so as to centralize tactical operations in anticipation of combat on the Continent.
Arrivals in England from Sicily: HQ 52d Troop Carrier Wing at Cottesmore; 15th Troop Carrier Squadron, 61st Troop Carrier Group, at Bardston with C-47s.
FRIDAY, 18 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
HQ 61st Troop Carrier Group arrives at Barkston, England from Sicily.
SUNDAY, 20 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
35 B-26s bomb Haamstede Airfield, The Netherlands, as a target of opportunity, after about 100 B-26s abort attacks on other airfields because of weather.
HQ 314th Troop Carrier Group and 32d Troop Carrier Squadron arrive at Saltby, England from Sicily with C-47s.
MONDAY, 21 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
18 B-26s bomb Coxyde Airfield, Belgium; weather causes almost 190 aborts. The Ninth Air Force's Pathfinder Squadron (provisionally activated on 13 Feb) takes part in this operation, its first venture into combat. 185 aircraft scheduled to attack other airfields in the Netherlands and France in the afternoon are recalled because of bad weather.
Arrivals in England from the US: HQ 10th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance) at Chalgrove; HQ 439th Troop Carrier Group and 91st and 92d Troop Carrier Squadrons at Balderton with C-47s.
TUESDAY, 22 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
66 B-26s bomb Gilze-Rijen Airfield, The Netherlands; bad weather causes 100+ others to abort.
THURSDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
180 B-26s attack NOBALL (V-weapon) targets and Rosieres-en-Santerre, France. Bad weather makes bombing difficult and causes 34 other B-26s to abort.
FRIDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
Major General Paul L Williams becomes Commanding General IX Troop Carrier Command.
191 B-26s bomb Venlo, Saint-Trond, and Cambrai/Epinoy Airfields, France in a morning raid as a diversion in support of the VIII Bomber Command heavy bombers over Germany; 36 abort, mainly because of a navigational error;
164 B-26s dispatched against military targets in France during the afternoon are recalled because of bad weather.
SUNDAY, 27 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
Major General Elwood R Quesada (reappointed Commanding General IX Fighter Command on 21 Feb) receives authority to revive the IX Fighter Command (existing only on paper since creation of the IX Air Support Command) on a temporary basis as an operational HQ to function as a Combined Control Center with RAF 11 Group at Uxbridge, England, where Fighter Command will prepare operations orders for Ninth Air Force fighter and fighter-bomber groups. Quesada retains command of the IX Air Support Command.
MONDAY, 28 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
180 B-26s attack NOBALL (V-weapon) targets and Rosieres-en-Santerre, France. Bad weather makes bombing difficult and causes 34 other B-26s to abort.
TUESDAY, 29 FEBRUARY 1944
TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force):
19 B-26s bomb a coastal gun position and nearby Breck-sur-Mer Airfield, France. 216 B-26s abort a mission against 8 V-weapon sites in France because of total cloud cover over the targets.
Moves in England: HQ 370th Fighter Group and 401st Fighter Squadron from Aldermaston to Andover with P-38s (first mission is 1 May); 389th Fighter Squadron, 366th Fighter Group, from Membury to Thruxton with P-47s.
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
