Mission 79

Mission Summaries > May 1944

THURSDAY, 25 MAY 1944

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):

Mission 370:

406 bombers and 604 fighters make visual attacks on rail installations and airfields in Belgium and France; 4 bombers and 12 fighters are lost; the fighters claim 13-2-3 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 3-0-5 on the ground; unless otherwise indicated, all targets are in France:

307 B-24s are dispatched to marshalling yards at Troyes (13 of 77 did not bomb), Belfort (74 bomb) and Mulhouse (134 bomb); 12 hit Tonnere marshalling yard and 37 bomb Brétigny and 1 bombs Dijon Airfields; 2 B-24s are lost and 57 damaged; 20 airmen are MIA.

320 B-17s are dispatched to Nancy/Essey Airfield (75 bomb) and marshalling yards at Metz (69 bomb), Saarguemines (36 bomb) and Blainville (36 bomb); 56 B-17s hit Thionville marshalling yard and 3 bomb Liege Airfield, Belgium; 14 B-17s are damaged.

103 B-24s bomb Montignies sur Sambre marshalling yard and 9 bomb Alos marshalling yard; 3 B-24s are damaged.

In Belgium, 247 B-17s are dispatched against marshalling yards at Brussels/Schaerbeck (52 bomb), Brussels/Midi (29 bomb) and Liege/Guillemines (50 bomb); other marshalling yards hit are Brussels/Melsbroek (18 bomb) and Liege/Renory (50 bomb); 2 B-18s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 71 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 6 WIA and 28 MIA.

18 of 38 B-17s and 18 of 18 B-24s hit Fecamp gun battery without loss.

15 B-17s hit St Valery gun battery without loss.

Escort is provided by 136 P-38s, 181 P-47s and 287 P-51s; P-38s claim 3-1-0 Luftwaffe aircraft, 9 P-38s (pilots are MIA) are lost and 8 damaged; P-47s claim 4-1-2 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 3-0-5 on the ground, 6 P-47s are damaged; P-51s claim 6-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft, 3 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA) and 1 damaged.

Mission 371:

4 of 4 B-17s drop leaflets in France without loss.

Target: Brétigny, France - Secondary Target for the 453rd BG (445th was High Right of 453rd)
8th Air Force Mission No:	370
Aircraft Taking Off:	13
Aircraft Dispatched:	13
Aircraft Aborts:	0
Aircraft Over Primary:	0
Aircraft Over Secondary:	13
Aircraft Over Last Resort:	3
Aircraft Bomb Load:	20 x 250 lb. AN-M57 General Purpose bombs
Group Bomb Load:	260 x 250 lb. AN-M57 General Purpose bombs
Results:	Fair
Tactical Mission Report:	445th Bomb Group Mission Report 1. A/C Scheduled ----------------------- 13 A/C Airborne ------------------------- 13 A/C Dispatched ---------------------- 13 A/C Not Dispatched ------------------ 0 A/C Abortive ------------------------- 0 A/C Over Target --------------------- 13 A/C Returned ------------------------ 13 2. Assembly: 3. Route In: 4. Bomb Run: 5. Route Out: 6. Enemy Fighters: 7. Fighter Support: 8. Flak:
Losses: None.
Note: The 445th Bomb Group dispatched 26 aircraft. One squadron of 13 planes were assigned to the 389th Bomb Group and the other 13 planes joined the 453rd Bomb Group. The 389th was unable to identify the primary, secondary or any target of opportunity and returned to base with their bombs. The 453rd, with the 445th, couldn’t identify the primary target, but was able to bomb the secondary - the Brétigny Airfield. They dropped 260 x 250 lb. AN-M57 General Purpose bombs.