Mission 102

Mission Summaries > June 1944

SATURDAY, 17 JUNE 1944
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):

Targets in France, primarily airfields, are hit; 2 B-17s are lost; fighters fly 1,027 sorties during the day and destroy 15 locomotives, train cars, trucks and other vehicles.

Mission 418:

232 of 332 bombers attack targets in France:

Of 174 B-17s, 52 hit Monchy-Breton Airfield, 31 hit a railroad bridge at Noyen, 18 hit Château dun Airfield and 18 hit Villiers / L'Eveque Airfield; 2 B-17s are lost and 22 damaged; 22 airmen are MIA; escort is provided by 43 P-38s, 39 P-47s and 90 P-51s; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA).

Of 158 B-24s, 28 hit Laval Airfield, 26 hit Guyancourt/Caudron Airfield, 18 hit Le Mans/Arnage Airfield, 17 hit Brétigny Airfield, 12 hit Brunnelles, 9 hit Melun Airfield, 1 hits Dreux, 1 hits St Valery and 1 hits a target of opportunity; escort is provided by 87 P-47s and 170 P-51s; they claim 2-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 3-0-0 on the ground; no losses or casualties.

99 P-38s fly fighter-bomber missions against railroad bridges at Corbie and Peronne; 4 P-38s are lost (pilots are MIA).

Mission 419:

Of 312 B-24s dispatched, 80 hit Angers Airfield, 75 hit Laval Airfield, 55 hit Tours Airfield, 38 hit Essay airstrip, 25 hit Lonray airstrip and 1 hits Le Mans; 1 B-24 is lost and 35 damaged; 10 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 122 P-47s and 148 P-51s; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot is MIA).

49 P-38s and 39 P-47s, escorted by 47 P-38s, make fighter-bomber attacks on Corbie-Peronne railroad bridges; 2 P-38s are lost (pilots are MIA).

Mission 420:

9 of 10 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.

Target: Brétigny, France - German Occupied French Airfield
8th Air Force Mission No:	418
Aircraft Taking Off:	22
Aircraft Dispatched:	20
Aircraft Aborts:	5
Aircraft Over Primary:	15
Aircraft Over Secondary:	0
Aircraft Over Last Resort:	0
Aircraft Bomb Load:	12 x 500 lb. AN-M43 General Purpose bombs
Group Bomb Load:	180 x 500 lb. AN-M43 General Purpose bombs
Results:	Unobserved due to cloud cover
Tactical Mission Report:	445th Bomb Group Mission Report 1. A/C Scheduled ----------------------- A/C Airborne ------------------------- A/C Dispatched ---------------------- A/C Returned Early ----------------- A/C Over Target --------------------- A/C Returned ------------------------ 2. Assembly: 3. Route In: 4. Bomb Run: 5. Route Out: 6. Enemy Fighters: 7. Fighter Support: 8. Flak:
Losses: None.
Note: None.

Brétigny Airdrome