Mission 78

Mission Summaries > May 1944

WEDNESDAY, 24 MAY 1944

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):

Mission 367:

1,106 bombers and 602 fighters are dispatched on visual attacks on airfields in the Paris area and PFF and visual bombing of Berlin; 33 bombers and 10 fighters are lost; the fighters claim 33-7-6 Luftwaffe aircraft:

616 B-17s are dispatched to Berlin; 464 hit the primary, 34 bomb Nauen, 13 bomb Rechlin and 6 bomb targets of opportunity; 33 B-17s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 256 damaged; 4 airmen are KIA, 24 WIA and 482 MIA.

490 B-24s are dispatched to bomb airfields at Melun (168 bomb) and Orly (151 bomb); 58 bomb Pix Airfield and 23 comb Creil Airfield; 33 B-24s are damaged.

Escort is provided by 144 P-38s, 178 P-47s and 280 P-51s; P-38s claim 6-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft and P-51s claim 27-7-4; 1 P-38, 1 P-47 and 8 P-51s are lost; 1 P-51 is damaged beyond repair; 1 P-38, 1 P-47 and 4 P-51s are damaged; 1 pilot is WIA and 10 MIA.

Mission 368:

222 fighters are dispatched to attack rail bridges in France; 1. 74 P-47s are dispatched to hit bridges at Creil (44 bomb) and Verberie (28 bomb); 1 P-47 is damaged.

124 P-51s, escorted by 24 P-51s, are dispatched to bomb bridges at Beaumont-sur-Oise (59 bomb) and Soissons (34 bomb); 29 also hit St. Leger / Albert Airfield; they claim 3-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 2-0-1 on the ground; 3 P-51s are lost and 6 damaged; 1 pilot is WIA and 3 MIA.

Mission 369:

4 of 4 B-17s drop 2.54 million leaflets on France and Belgium without loss.

3 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER operations without loss.

Target:
8th Air Force Mission 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:	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.