Mission 100 - 445BG

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Mission 100

Mission Summaries > June 1944
TUESDAY, 13 JUNE 1944
 EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO):
 STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):

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. 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:

B-17s to Beaumont-sur-Oise Airfield (41 bomb) and Beauvais/Nivelliers Airfield (56 bomb); 15 B-17s are damaged.

148 B-24s were dispatched to Dinard/Pleurtuit Airfield (10 bomb), Ploermel Bridge (26 bomb), Vannes Bridge (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.

Mission 411:
8 of 8 B-17s drop leaflets on France during the night.

6 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions over France.
Target:  2 Squadrons - Porcaro Bridge (22 aircraft + 2 PFF)
             1 Squadron - Montfort-sur-Meu Bridge (11 aircraft + 1 PFF)
8th Air Force Mission No:
410
Aircraft Taking Off:
33
Aircraft Dispatched:
33
Aircraft Aborts:
0
Aircraft Over Primary:
33
Aircraft Over Secondary:
0
Aircraft Over Last Resort:
0
Aircraft Bomb Load:
12 x 500 lb. AN-M43 General Purpose bombs
Group Bomb Load:
Porcaro - 264 x 500 lb. AN-M43 General Purpose bombs
Monfort - 132 x 500 lb. AN-M43 General Purpose bombs
445th Results:
Porcaro - 1 Sqdn unobserved, 1 Sqdn did not drop due to GH failure
Montfort - 1 Sqdn Gross Error due to personnel
Tactical Mission Report:
2nd Bomb Division Tactical Mission Report of 445th Group

    1.             A/C Scheduled -----------------------  33
                    A/C Airborne -------------------------  33
                    A/C Dispatched ----------------------  33
                    A/C Returned Early -----------------    0
                    A/C Over Targets -------------------   33
                    A/C Returned -------------------------  33

    2.   Assembly:  Bomb Group, Combat Wing and Division assemblies were accomplished substantially as briefed.

     3.   Route In:  The Division departed the DAL on-time and on-course. Enemy coast landfall was at the briefed location and all checkpoints, Division IP, Wing and Group IP's were made good. Cloud cover was between 2/10 - 5/10 which allowed pilotage navigators to verify positions enroute.

     4.   Bomb Run:  2/10 to 5/10 cloud cover on the bomb run.  GH used to determine release point. There was meager, inaccurate flak in the target areas. 445th Group 2nd Squadron had a GH equipment failuer and did not drop.

     5.   Route Out:  The route out was flown substantially as briefed.

    6.   Enemy Action Encountered:  Meager and inaccurate to no flak in some of the target areas. No enemy aircraft were seen.

     7.   Fighter Support:  Very good

     8.   Flak:  Meager and inaccurate flak none the less managed to shoot down two planes from the 20th Combat Wing.
Losses:
     None.
Note:
     Personnel error in bombing of GH plane leading 445th Group at Montfort.
No images available for either Montfort or Porcaro
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