Mission 73

Mission Summaries > May 1944

MONDAY, 15 MAY 1944

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):

Mission 356:

166 bombers and 104 fighters hit V-weapon sites in France with 1 fighter lost; 38 of 58 B-17s bomb Marquise/Mimoyecques with 5 B-17s damaged; 90 of 108 B-24s bomb Siracourt with 8 B-24s damaged; escort is provided by 104 P-51s with 1 lost (pilot is MIA).

Mission 357:

3 of 3 B-17s drop 1.1 million leaflets on 10 towns in Belgium and France; 1 B-17 crash lands on returning to base, 1 airman is KIA, 3 WIA.

5 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER operations.

Target: Siracourt, France - V-1 Rocket Launch Site (NOBALL)
8th Air Force Mission No:	356
Aircraft Taking Off:	22
Aircraft Dispatched:	22
Aircraft Aborts:	0
Aircraft Over Primary:	22
Aircraft Over Secondary:	0
Aircraft Over Last Resort:	0
Aircraft Bomb Load:	8 x 1,000 lb. AN-M44 General Purpose bombs
Group Bomb Load:	167 x 1,000 lb. AN-M44 General Purpose bombs
Results:	Unobserved due to clouds
Tactical Mission Report:	445th Bomb Group Mission Report 1. A/C Scheduled --------------------- 22 A/C Airborne ------------------------ 22 A/C Dispatched --------------------- 22 A/C Not Dispatched --------------- 0 A/C Abortive ------------------------ 0 A/C Over Target ------------------- 22 A/C Returned ---------------------- 22 A/C Attacking ---------------------- 21 2. Assembly: The Group assembled over Buncher #6 at 10,000 feet without difficulty and was joined by 2 GH ships, which took over the lead for the two squadrons at 07:20 for the first squadron and 07:31 for the second. At 07:31 the Group started a climb to 22,000 feet the second squadron following in trail of the first and spacing itself at a one minute interval. The 453rd was never positively identified until they crossed overtop of uswhile we were climbing and turning to the left. We fell in trail of the 453rd and spaced our self at approximately one minute interval following them into the Division assembly which was made without incident. 3. Route In: The 2nd Combat Wing departed the English coast at Hastings 4 minutes late. The Group IP in the Channel was made 13 minutes late. The GH ship of the lead squadron was forced to follow the squadron of the 453rd because of a collision course that was made from the headings given by the GH navigator and consequently out run was difficult than the GH navigator had planned. Crossed Enemy coast at briefed landfall, no flak. 4. Target: Target area was covered by 10/10 cloud coverage. Bombing was done by GH instruments. 5. Route Out: Group rally point was made as briefed. No Wing rally point. Flew the briefed route out, no flak. 6. Enemy Fighters: None. 7. Fighter Support: Excellent, no R/T communications. 8. Flak: None. Some observed on a formation ahead of us over Dunkirk.
Losses: None.
Note: None.

Siracourt, France - V-1 Rocket Launch Site (NOBALL)