Mission 43

Mission Summaries > March 1944

FRIDAY, 24 MARCH 1944

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):

Mission 277:

The B-17 primary target is Schweinfurt, Germany; the B-24 primary target are airfields at Metz and Nancy, France; the bombers make no claims of Luftwaffe aircraft:

230 B-17s are dispatched; 60 hit Schweinfurt using blind-bombing equipment and 162 hit Frankfurt/Main marshalling yard; 3 B-17s are lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 68 damaged; casualties are 14 KIA, 1 WIA and 30 MIA.

206 B-24s are dispatched; the primaries are overcast and 148 hit the secondary target of St Dizier Airfield and 33 hit Nancy/Essey Airfield; 24 B-24s are damaged; casualties are 3 WIA.

Escort is provided by 84 P-38s, 301 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-47s and 155 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-51s; details are: P-38s: 2 lost, both pilots MIA; P-47s claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 2-0-4 on the ground; no losses; P-51s: no claims; 3 P-51s are lost; 2 pilots are MIA.

Mission 278:

5 of 5 B-17s drop 250 bundles of leaflets on Tours and Lorient, France; and Charleroi, Brussels and Antwerp, Belgium at 2133-2210 hours without loss.

Target: city, country - target description
8th Air Force F.O. No:
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Tactical Mission Report:	Mission Data: Date: Primary Target: Secondary Target: Last Resort Target: Units Participating: Narrative: Assembly: Climb: Route In: Bomb Run: Route Out: Enemy Fighters: Fighter Support: Flak:
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