Mission 90

Mission Summaries > June 1944

TUESDAY, 6 JUNE 1944

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):

The Eighth Air Force reaches its top strength as the 493rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) becomes operational, making a total of 40 heavy bomber groups now operational. Heavy bombers fly 4 missions in support of the Normandy invasion:

Mission 394-B:

The second mission strikes at transportation chokepoints in towns immediately around the assault area; total cloud cover causes 84 B-17s and 259 B-24s dispatched to return with their bombs but 37 B-24s manage to bomb secondary target of Argentan; 2 B-24s are lost and 1 B-17 is damaged; no casualties.

In all, 1,729 bombers drop 3,596 tons of bombs during D-Day.

The VIII Fighter Command has the threefold mission of escorting bombers, attacking any movement toward the assault area, and protecting Allied shipping. The fighters fly 1,880 sorties including fighter-bomber attacks against 17 bridges, 10 marshalling yards, and a variety of other targets including convoy, railroad cars, siding, rail and highway junctions, tunnel, and a dam. Very little air opposition is encountered. The fighters claim 26-0-8 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 4-0-9 on the ground. Also destroyed are 21 locomotives and 2 carloads of ammunition. Numerous targets are damaged including locomotives, trucks, tank cars, armored vehicles, goods carriers, barges, and tugboats. Targets attacked with unreported results include warehouses, radar towers, barracks, troops, artillery, staff cars, 85 trains, and a variety of other targets. 25 fighters are lost.

Mission 396:

During the night, 12 B-17s drop leaflets in France and the Low Countries.

Target: Saint-Lô, France - Transportation Choke Points
8th Air Force Mission No:	394-B
Aircraft Taking Off:	12
Aircraft Dispatched:	12
Aircraft Aborts:	12
Aircraft Over Primary:	0
Aircraft Over Secondary:	0
Aircraft Over Last Resort:	0
Aircraft Bomb Load:	12 x 500 lb. AN-M43 General Purpose bombs
Group Bomb Load:	144 x 500 lb. AN-M43 General Purpose bombs
Results:	Did not bomb due to clouds
Tactical Mission Report:	445th Bomb Group Mission Report 1. A/C Scheduled ----------------------- 12 A/C Airborne ------------------------- 12 A/C Dispatched ---------------------- 12 A/C Returned Early ----------------- 12 A/C Over Target --------------------- 0 A/C Returned ------------------------- 12 2. Assembly: Group and Wing assemblies were accomplished substantially as briefed. 3. Route In: The routes to the target areas were flown substantially as briefed. 4. Bomb Run: No bombs were dropped due to the lack of H2X/GH PFF aircraft. Results were unobserved due to 10/10th undercast. 5. Route Out: The routes from the target areas were flown substantially as briefed. 6. Enemy Fighters/Flak: No enemy aircraft were encountered. Flak was meager and inaccurate. 7. Fighter Support: Excellent.
Losses: None.
Note: Lack of available H2X or Gee H aircraft resulted in no bombs being dropped.

Saint-Lô, France - Transportation Choke Points (a later mission)