Mission 97

Mission Summaries > June 1944

SUNDAY, 11 JUNE 1944
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force):

Mission 405:

Weather prevents operations against priority targets in Germany so the bombers attack targets in France; 1,055 bombers and 914 fighter sorties are flown; over 400 bombers abort or fail to bomb due to clouds and absence or malfunction of Pathfinders; 3 bombers and 8 fighters are lost:

471 B-17s are dispatched to airfields at Beaumont-le-Roger (38 bomb), Bernay/St Martin (50 bomb) and Dinard/Pluertuit (37 bomb), and Toucquet-Paris-Plage (27 bomb), Merlimont Plage (34 bomb), Pontaubault Bridge (50 bomb) and Berck (36 bomb); 33 others hit Conches Airfield and 4 hit targets of opportunity; 2 B-17s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 11 damaged; 20 airmen are MIA.

584 B-24s are dispatched to airfields at Cormeilles-en-Vexin (34 bomb), Beauvais/Nivelliers (27 bomb), Beaumont-sur-Oise (36 bomb) and Creil (19 bomb) and Vicomte-sur-Rance (19 bomb), Montford Bridge (18 bomb) and Blois/St Denis (41 bomb); 12 others hit Beauvais/Tille Airfield, 7 hit Poix Airfield, 32 hit Montauban marshalling yard and 52 hit targets of opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost and 14 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 3 WIA and 4 MIA.

87 P-47s and 144 P-51s provide escort for the bombers without loss.

Mission 406:

During the night, 5 B-17s drop leaflets on France and the Low Countries without loss.

Target: Cormeilles-en-Vexin, France - German occupied airfield
8th Air Force Mission No:	405-B
Aircraft Taking Off:	11
Aircraft Dispatched:	11
Aircraft Aborts:	0
Aircraft Over Primary:	11
Aircraft Over Secondary:	0
Aircraft Over Last Resort:	0
Aircraft Bomb Load:	28 x 250 lb. AN-M57 General Purpose bombs
Group Bomb Load:	308 x 250 lb. AN-M57 General Purpose bombs
Results:	Gross Error (see note below)
Tactical Mission Report:	445th Bomb Group Mission Report 1. A/C Scheduled ----------------------- 11 A/C Airborne ------------------------- 11 A/C Dispatched ---------------------- 11 A/C Returned Early ----------------- 0 A/C Over Target --------------------- 11 A/C Returned ------------------------ 11 2. Assembly: Group and Combat Wing assemblies were accomplished substantially as briefed. 3. Route In: Route to the target was flown substantially as briefed. 4. Bomb Run: Meager and inaccurate flak in the target area. Very heavy cloud cover at the target, causing low bombing altitudes and attacks on various targets of opportunity. 5. Route Out: Route out from the target was flown substantially as briefed. 6. Enemy Fighters: None observed or encountered. 7. Fighter Support: Excellent.
Losses: None.
Note: 445th Bombing Error was attributed to being cut out by an unidentified Group ten seconds before release.

No strike photographs were available