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The Mighty Eighth - Friday, 2 June 1944

 

FRIDAY, 2 JUNE 1944

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): The role of the heavy bombers from
2-5 Jun in preparation for the invasion of Normandy on 6 Jun includes
continuation of attacks against transportation and airfield targets in N
France and the institution of a series of blows against coastal defenses,
mainly located in the Pas de Calais coastal area, to deceive the enemy as to
the sector to be invaded (Operation COVER).
Mission 384: In the morning, 521 of 633 B-17s and 284 of 293 B-24s hit V-
weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 11 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is
KIA, 1 WIA and 1 MIA.
Mission 385: In the afternoon, 242 B-17s are dispatched to railroad targets
in the Paris area; 163 hit the primaries, 49 hit Conches Airfield, 12 hit
Beaumont-sur-Oise Airfield and 1 hits Caen/Carpiquet Airfield; 77 B-24s are
dispatched to Bretigny Airfield in France; 13 hit the primary target, 47 hit
Creil Airfield and 14 hit Villeneuve Airfield; 2 B-17s and 5 B-24s are lost,
2 B-24s are damaged beyond repair and 90 B-17s and 37 B-24s damaged; 1 airman
is KIA, 4 WIA and 68 MIA.
3 of 7 P-38s hit the Ostend Bridge, Belgium without loss.
3 B-17s fly weather reconnaissance over the Atlantic.
During the evening, 5 B-17s drop leaflets on targets in Belgium and
France; and 18 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER operations.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): A special conference for ground
liaison officers is held by 21 Army Group officers who present a detailed
exposition of the plan for the landings in Normandy.
In France, about 350 B-26s and A-20s bomb NOBALL (V-weapon) targets and
coastal defense batteries along the English Channel coast; P-38s and P-47s
dive-bomb targets in the area, including V-weapon sites, fuel dump, railroad
junctions and bridges.







 

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