Narrative - Official Air Force Mission Description
VIII Air Support Command Missions 69 & 70: 2 airfields in France are targeted.
1. 71 of 72 B-26s hit Evreux/Fauville Airfield at 1150 hours; they claim 0-1-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 B-26s are damaged.
2. 66 of 72 B-26s hit Beauvais/Tille Airfield at 1602-1603 hours; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 17 B-26s are damaged.
HQ 20th Combat Bombardment Wing (Heavy) transfers from Horsham St Faith to Hethel, England.
HQ 386th Bombardment Group (Medium) and its 552d, 553d, 554th and 555th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) transfer from Boxted to Great Dunmow, England with B-26s. | |
Source: THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by Carter / Mueller, the Office of Air Force History, |
Mission Reports
386th Bomb Group Mission Report | source: 386th Bomb Group http://www.b26.com/historian/chester_klier | 44BG Mission Report - Pisa, Marshalling Yards: 44th, 93rd and 389th Groups took off from their respective airdromes at 1000 hours, assembled well and as briefed. Except for variations in course required to get the Combat Wing above the cloud layers, the route was flown as prescribed. Weather over the Primary target was CAVU. Several layers of broken clouds extended over the first half of the route. Bombing accomplished by Group pattern was excellent. No flak or enemy aircraft was encountered on this mission. Assembly at the rally point was excellent and all aircraft returned to base. The first large concentration of bursts was centered in the middle and slightly toward the east end of the M/Y. Warehouses in this area are also well covered by many bursts. It appears that the eastern most bridge has had a direct hit at its west end. Two other bridges and a railroad bridge have had direct hits or very close misses. ABORTIVES: A/C #42-72857 returned 2 hours and 30 minutes after take-off due to loss of manifold pressure on #4 engine. Investigation revealed a portion of rings and metal shavings in sump. A/C #42-72860 returned 20 minutes after take-off with a leaking fuel tank cap. Investigation showed fuel cap was safetied on, however, rubber seal under cap was deteriorated, allowing fuel leakage. Cap was replaced and A/C took off again but failed to catch formation. The 44th dispatched 22 A/C with 2 abortive. These 20 planes dropped 45 .3 tons of bombs on the target. All ships returned to base safely with no damage. The bombing was excellent according to Lt. D.A. Gildart, of Greenville, Miss, a member of the "Flying Eight-Balls".! | source: 44th Bomb Group web page http://www.8thairforce.com/44thbg |
Non-Combat Accident Reports
Aircraft: P-47C (#41-6373). Organization: 83FS / 78FG of Duxford, Cambridgeshire. Pilot: Stone, James J Jr. Notes: crashed belly landing. Location: RAF Woolsington England. Damage (0-5 increasing damage): 4 source: Aviation Archaeology http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/ | Aircraft: P-47D (#42-8643). Organization: 354FS / 355FG of Steeple Morden, Cambridgeshire. Pilot: Donovan, James J. Notes: killed in a crash due to weather. Location: Corner Fm, South Wheatley England. Damage (0-5 increasing damage): 5 source: Aviation Archaeology http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/ |
Mission "8th AF Fighter Command Fighter Operation 143" Sweeps in Sangatte/Lille/Ghent/Blankenburghe area September 24, 1943Primary source for mission statistics: Mighty Eighth War Diary by Roger A. Freeman |   | Aircraft Sent | Aircraft Effective | Bomb Tonnage | Enemy Aircraft X-P-D | Enemy Aircraft (on gnd) X-P-D | USAAF Aircraft X-E-D | USAAF Personnel KIA-WIA-MIA | Notes | 128 | 128 | 0.0 | 0-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 0-0-0 | | Mission Targets Click blue links for maps, photos and other documents. This will open a new tab in your browser | |
---|
Aircraft Groups Click blue links for info on the group This will open a new tab in your browser. | |
---|
Aircraft Losses Click blue links for info on the MIA aircraft (if known). This will open a new tab in your browser. | | |
---|
|
|
|
|
|