Mission 92
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 395-B:
Transportation chokepoints in towns immediately S and E of the assault area are the objectives of the fourth mission; 325 of 409 B-17s and 125 of 300 B-24s hit targets including Vire, Saint-Laurent, Coutances, Falaise, Lisieux, Thury-Harcourt, Pont-L'Eveque, Argentan, and Conde-sur-Noireau; 1 B-24 is lost, 1 B-24 is damaged beyond repair and 11 B-24s and 5 B-17s are damaged; 10 airmen are KIA.
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: St. Laurent, France - Transportation Choke Points | ||
8th Air Force Mission No: | 395-B | |
Aircraft Taking Off: | 22 | |
Aircraft Dispatched: | 22 | |
Aircraft Aborts: | 1 | |
Aircraft Over Primary: | 21 | |
Aircraft Over Secondary: | 0 | |
Aircraft Over Last Resort: | 0 | |
Aircraft Bomb Load: | 12 x 500 lb. AN-M43 General Purpose bombs | |
Group Bomb Load: | 252 x 500 lb. AN-M43 General Purpose bombs | |
Results: | Excellent | |
Tactical Mission Report: | 445th Bomb Group Mission Report 1. A/C Scheduled ----------------------- 22 A/C Airborne ------------------------- 22 A/C Dispatched ---------------------- 22 A/C Returned Early ----------------- 1 A/C Over Target --------------------- 21 A/C Returned ------------------------- 21 2. Assembly: Assemblies were accomplished under adverse weather conditions, causing difficulties in all Combat Wings. 3. Route In: Flown substantially as briefed. 4. Bomb Run: All bomb groups were led by H2X PFF aircraft; the 93rd and 448th Bomb Groups selecting to bomb visually 5. Route Out: Flown substantially as briefed. 6. Enemy Fighters: None. 7. Fighter Support: Excellent 8. Flak: Minimal and inaccurate. | |
Losses: None. | ||
Note: 1st and 2nd Squadrons 466th Group - Personnel Errors. 1st Squadron 458th Group - Personnel Error. 2nd Squadron 44th Group did not bomb due to H2X equipment failure. 1st Squadrons 489th and 491st Groups abandoned mission - weather conditions. | ||
No target photo was available.