Mission 118

Mission Summaries > July 1944

WEDNESDAY, 5 JULY 1944

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):

Mission 453:

371 bombers and 445 fighters are dispatched to attack 3 airfields in the Netherlands and 2 in Belgium, a factory near Mol, and 3 V-weapon supply sites in France; 5 fighters are lost:

Of 79 B-17s dispatched to the Netherlands, 38 hit Gilze-Rijen Airfield, 20 hit Volkel Airfield and 19 hit Noll without loss.

Mission 454:

Of 221 B-24s, 43 hit Bois de Cassan V-weapon site, 36 hit Le Coulet Airfield, 29 hit Foret de L'Isle Adam and 29 hit Mery-sur-Oise V-weapon sites, 13 hit Eindhoven Airfield, 5 hit Melsbroek Airfield and 2 hit Tulemont Airfield; 49 B-24s are damaged; 1 airman is WIA.

The two missions above are escorted by 180 of 192 P-51s that claim 4-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground; 2 P-51s are lost (pilots are MIA).

70 of 71 B-17s hit Bezier marshalling yard; 13 B-17s are damaged. 228 P-47s and P-51s escort the bombers and claim 18-1-9 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground; 2 P-47s and 1 P-51 are lost (pilots are MIA).

Of 93 P-47s, 22 bomb Rouen, 10 hit L'Arche Bridge, 10 hit Seine River locks, 7 hit Boissy le Bois, 7 hit Pantgouin, 7 hit Veulettes Bridge and 6 hit communication targets; they claim 3-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground; 2 P-47s are lost (pilots are MIA). The P-47s are escorted by 181 of 190 P-38s; 2 P-38s are lost (pilots MIA) and 1 is damaged beyond repair.

During the night, 8 of 8 B-17s drop leaflets in France with the loss of 1 B-17; and 8 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions.

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.

No target photo of Mery-sur-Oise V-1 Rocket Launch Site