Mission 40
Mission Summaries > March 1944
MONDAY, 20 MARCH 1944
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
Mission 269:
353
B-17s and 92 B-24s are dispatched
to targets in Germany but high clouds and the malfunction of blind-bombing
equipment cause nearly 300 bombers to abort the mission; 7 bombers and 8 fighters are lost;
the bombers claim 2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; the bombers also drop 900,000
leaflets; details are:
54
B-17s hit Mannheim, 51 hit Frankfurt, 19 hit Bingen and 22 hit targets of
opportunity; 5 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 150 damaged;
casualties are 1 KIA, 8 WIA and 40 MIA.
1
of 92 B-24s hit Bretuil Airfield; 2 B-24s are lost and 15 damaged; casualties
are 3 WIA and 21 MIA.
Escort
is provided by 44 P-38s, 345 P-47s and 205 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-51s;
claims and losses are: P-38s: no claims or losses; P-47s claim 1-0-1 Luftwaffe
aircraft on the ground; 6 P-47s are lost and 9 damaged; 6 pilots are MIA; and
P-51s claim 4-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 P-51s are lost and 3 damaged; 2 pilots
are MIA.
Target: city, country - target description | ||
8th Air Force F.O. No: | ||
Aircraft Taking Off: | ||
Aircraft Dispatched: | ||
Aircraft Aborts: | ||
Aircraft Over Primary: | ||
Aircraft Over Secondary: | ||
Aircraft Over Last Resort: | ||
Aircraft Bomb Load: | ||
Group Bomb Load: | ||
Results: | ||
Tactical Mission Report: | Mission Data: Date: Primary Target: Secondary Target: Last Resort Target: Units Participating: Narrative: | |
Losses: | ||
Note: | ||