Mission 57
Mission Summaries > April 1944
MONDAY, 24 APRIL 1944
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):
Mission 315:
754 bombers and 867 fighters are dispatched to bomb airfields, aircraft production industries and targets of opportunity in Germany; the bomber claim 20-1-36 Luftwaffe aircraft and the fighters claim 124-6-58 fighters; 40 bombers and 17 fighters are lost; details are:
281 B-17s dispatched; 109 hit Erding Air Depot, 84 hit aviation industry targets at Oberpfaffenhofen, 57 hit Lansberg Airfield and 18 hit targets of opportunity; 27 B-17s are lost and 112 damaged; casualties are 4 KIA, 22 WIA and 260 MIA.
243 B-17s are dispatched to bomb aviation industry targets at Friedrichshafen/Lowenthal (98 bomb) and Friedrichshafen/Manzell (58 bomb), industrial areas at Friedrichshafen/Manzell (58 bomb) and Neckarsulm (15 bomb); 3 also hit targets of opportunity; 9 B-17s are lost and 119 damaged; casualties are 7 KIA, 4 WIA and 71 MIA.
230 B-24s are dispatched to bomb airfields; 120 hit Gablingen Airfield, 98 hit Leipheim Airfield and 1 hits a target of opportunity; 4 B-24s are lost and 26 damaged; casualties are 1 WIA and 40 MIA.
Escort is provided by 131 P-38s, 490 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-47s and 246 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-51s: P-38s claim 4-1-0 Luftwaffe aircraft, 1 P-38 is damaged beyond repair and 7 damaged; P-47s claim 2-1-0 aircraft in the air and 36-0-16 on the ground, 5 P-47s are lost and 15 damaged, 5 pilots are MIA; P-51s claim 64-4-2 aircraft in the air and 21-0-20 on the ground, 12 P-51s are lost and 8 damaged; 12 pilots are MIA.
Mission 316:
5 of 5 B-17s drop 1.12 million leaflets on Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht, The Netherlands and Lille and Reims, France at 2322-2344 hours without loss.
8 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER operations.
Target: Augsburg, Germany - Gablingen Airfield | ||
8th Air Force F.O. No: | 315 | |
Aircraft Taking Off: | 24 | |
Aircraft Dispatched: | 21 | |
Aircraft Aborts: | 0 | |
Aircraft Over Primary: | 21 | |
Aircraft Over Secondary: | 0 | |
Aircraft Over Last Resort: | 0 | |
Aircraft Bomb Load: | 52 x 100 lb. AN-M41 Incendiary bombs | |
Group Bomb Load: | 1,092 x 100 lb. AN-M41 Incendiary bombs | |
Results: | Excellent | |
Tactical Mission Report: | Mission Data: Date: 24 April 1944 Primary Target: Gablingen Airfield near Augsburg Secondary Target: Last Resort Target: Units Participating: Narrative: Assembly: Climb: Route In: Bomb Run: Route Out: Enemy Fighters: Fighter Support: Flak: | |
Losses: MACR #4293 - Aircraft: 42-110060, Aircraft Name: Un-named; 1st Pilot: 2nd Lt. Franklin C. Kendziora; Casualties: 2 POW, 3 INT, 5 EVD; Reason for Loss: 2 Bf 109's made a low rear attack with no ball turret extended, caused a fuel fire in the bomb bay and shot out oxygen system. | ||
Note: None. | ||
Augsburg, Germany - Gablingen Airfield
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