Mission 101

Mission Summaries > June 1944

THURSDAY, 15 JUNE 1944

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):

Mission 414:

1,361 bombers are dispatched in 8 forces to bomb an oil refinery Germany and numerous tactical targets in France, including 9 airfields, an aircraft plant, a CROSSBOW (V-weapon) sites, 11 bridges, a marshalling yard, and various scattered targets; 2 B-17s are lost:

Of 747 B-17s dispatched, 172 hit the Hannover/Misburg oil refinery, 16 hit Wilster, 16 hit Wesermunde, 2 hit the Hannover area and 1 hits Helgoland Island, Germany; in France, 144 hit Bordeaux/Merignac Airfield, 71 hit Nantes railroad bridge N, 71 hit La Poissonniere rail viaduct, 70 hit Angouleme marshalling yard, 59 hit Beauvoir V-weapon site, 46 hit Nantes railroad bridge S, 12 hit Gael Airfield and 10 hit a viaduct N of Nantes; 2 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 267 damaged; 7 airmen are WIA and 18 MIA.

Of 614 B-24s dispatched to France, 89 hit Le Port Boulet railroad bridge, 61 hit Evreux/Fauville Airfield, 59 hit Tours-la-Frillerie, 54 hit Tours-La Rice railroad bridge, 46 hit Guyancourt Airfield, 45 hit Etampes/Modesir Airfield, 44 hit Cinq Mars bridge, 27 hit St Cyr, 21 hit Buc Airfield, 12 hit Tours-La Riche highway bridge, 12 hit Le Mans Airfield, 12 hit Orleans/Saran Airfield and 8 hit targets of opportunity; 12 B-24s use Azon missiles against Etaples railroad bridge and 7 others use the missiles against the Pecrone railroad bridge.

Target: Cinq Mar, France - Multiple Track Railroad Bridge
8th Air Force Mission No:	414
Aircraft Taking Off:	36
Aircraft Dispatched:	36
Aircraft Aborts:	2
Aircraft Over Primary:	34
Aircraft Over Secondary:	0
Aircraft Over Last Resort:	0
Aircraft Bomb Load:	12 x 500 lb. AN-M43 General Purpose bombs
Group Bomb Load:	408 x 500 lb. AN-M43 General Purpose bombs
Results:	2 Sqdns - Excellent 1 Sqdn Good
Tactical Mission Report:	2nd Bomb Division Tactical Analysis Report 1. A/C Scheduled ----------------------- 36 A/C Airborne ------------------------- 36 A/C Dispatched ---------------------- 36 A/C Returned Early ----------------- 2 A/C Over Target --------------------- 34 A/C Returned ------------------------ 34 2. Assembly: Group anf Combat Wings were accomplished as briefed, except for the interference between the 389th Bomb Group and units of the 96th Combat Wing; and interference with the 96th Combat Wing by a B-17 formation. 3. Route In: The route in was flown substantially as briefed except that the Combat Wings were too close together, causing confusion at the Wing IPs. 4. Bomb Run: A visual bomb run was made due to excellent visibility. The 445th Group's Lead and High Right Squadrons were scored as Excellent and the Low Left Squadron was slightly out of position due to interference, but was able to get their bombs within the target area to be scored as Good. 5. Route Out: Route out was sufficiently as briefed. However, 3rd Division B-24's disrupted 2nd Division's formation by crossing in front of the 96th Combat Wing. 6. Enemy Action Encountered: Flak was reported as meager at the target area to intense and accurate over Paris. The 14th Combat Wing was attacked by twenty to twenty-five Bf 109's in the vicinity of Paris. 7. Fighter Support: "Little Friends" provided good support against determined attacks from enemy aircraft. 14th Combat Wing lost one aircraft to enemy fighters and one aircraft crash-landed in England due to damage caused by enemy fighters. One airceaft 8. Flak: One aircraft from the 466th Group of the 96th Combat Wing crash-landed on our Normandie beachhead due to damage caused by flak.
Losses: None.
Note: None.

Cinq Mar Bridge is out of commission