Mission 106

Mission Summaries > June 1944

TUESDAY, 20 JUNE 1944
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):

Mission 425:

In the morning 1,548 bombers are dispatched to attack 14 strategic targets in N Germany and V-weapon sites in France; 49 bombers are lost:

126 of 146 B-24s bomb V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 1 B-24 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 83 damaged; 4 airmen are KIA, 8 WIA and 24 MIA. Escort is provided by 44 P-47s; they claim 3-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 is lost (pilot is MIA).

Of 341 B-17s dispatched, 137 hit Fallersleben, 95 hit Magdeburg-Rothensee and 52 hit Konigsberg; they claim 2-0-6 Luftwaffe aircraft; 6 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 116 damaged; 11 airmen are WIA and 60 MIA. Of 191 B-24s, 169 hit Hannover/Misburg and 3 hit a target of opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 89 damaged; 4 airmen are KIA, 6 WIA and 9 MIA. Escort is provided by 98 P-38s, 86 P-47s and 38 P-51s and 81 Ninth Air Force P-51s; they claim 10-1-10 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 8-0-3 on the ground; 1 P-38, 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost (2 pilots MIA).

Of 512 B-17s dispatched, 107 hit Hamburg/Eurotank oil refinery, 60 hit Hamburg/Ebano oil refinery, 54 hit Hamburg/Schliemanns oil refinery, 53 hit Hamburg /Rhenania oil refinery, 53 hit Hamburg/Deut.Petr.AG, 50 hit Hamburg/Rhenania-Ossag oil refinery, 26 hit Hamburg/Schindler oil refinery, 12 hit Brunsbuttel canal lock and 2 hit targets of opportunity; 7 B-17s are lost and 349 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 13 WIA and 63 MIA. Escort is provided by 96 P-38s and 48 P-47s without claims or loss.

Of 358 B-24s, 245 hit Pölitz, 71 bomb Ostermoor and 12 hit targets of opportunity; they claim 10-3-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 34 B-24s are lost and 205 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 6 WIA and 343 MIA. Escort is provided by 50 P-38s and 221 P-51s; they claim 28-1-9 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 5-0-9 on the ground; 3 P-38s are lost.

Mission 426:

In the afternoon, 33 of 37 B-17s and 196 of 380 B-24s attack 10 V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 1 B-24 is lost and 96 damaged.

Escort is provided by 72 P-47s and 40 P-51s without loss.

Mission 427:

5 of 5 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.

25 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions in France.

Target: St. Martins, France - V-1 Rocket Launch Site
8th Air Force Mission No:	425-A
Aircraft Taking Off:	11
Aircraft Dispatched:	11
Aircraft Aborts:	0
Aircraft Over Primary:	11
Aircraft Over Secondary:	0
Aircraft Over Last Resort:	0
Aircraft Bomb Load:	12 x 500 lb. AN-M43 General Purpose bombs
Group Bomb Load:	132 x 500 lb. AN-M43 General Purpose bombs
Results:	Poor
Tactical Mission Report:	445th Bomb Group Mission Report 1. A/C Scheduled ----------------------- 11 A/C Airborne ------------------------- 11 A/C Dispatched ---------------------- 11 A/C Returned Early ----------------- 0 A/C Over Target --------------------- 11 A/C Returned ------------------------ 11 2. Assembly: Take-off according to 2nd BD Plan "B". 445th Group assembled over Buncher #6. 453rd Group joined on our right. 389th Group to lead 2nd Combat Wing flew past us on our left and took over lead. 445th Group flew Low Left in Wing formation, 389th Lead, and 453rd Group flew High Right. 3. Route In: Route in was flown substantially as briefed. GH reception was spotty and there was evidence of German attempts to jam GH frequency. 4. Bomb Run: Bomb run was accomplished using visual bombing of the target as the clouds cleared out at the Group IP all the way to the target. 5. Route Out: Route out was flown substantially as briefed. 6. Enemy Action Encountered: No enemy aircraft were encountered and flak was minimal and inaccurate. One aircraft was lost due to a direct hit in the foreward bomb bay. 7. Fighter Support: Excellent.
Losses: One aircraft was lost due to flak. MACR #5928; Aircraft No: 42-95098, Aircraft Name: Un-named; 1st Pilot: 1st Lt. Charles H. Thornton; Casualties: 4 KIA, 6 POW; Reason for Loss: Direct flak hit in the forward bomb bay over the target. No chutes were seen.
Note: None.

St. Martins, France - V-1 Rocket Launch Site

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