12 August 1943

THURSDAY, 12 AUGUST 1943

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): VIII Bomber Command Mission 81:
The Ruhr is targeted with the bombers concentrating on manufacturing
installations and synthetic oil.
1. 183 B-17's are dispatched to synthetic oil installations at Bochum,
Gelsenkirchen and Recklinghausen; some B-17's become separated on the bomb
run and bomb various targets of opportunity; 133 B-17's hit the targets at
0845-0925 hours; they claim 25-5-11 Luftwaffe aircraft; 23 B-17's are lost,
2 are damaged beyond repair and 103 are damaged; casualties are 5 KIA, 49
WIA and 232 MIA.
2. 147 B-17's are dispatched to manufacturing installations at Bonn; 110
hit the target at 0850-0858 hours; they claim 4-2-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2
B-17's are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 69 are damaged; casualties
are 1 KIA, 7 WIA and 21 MIA.
VIII Air Support Command Missions 17 and 18: 71 B-26's are dispatched to
the Poix/Nord Airfield in France; 34 hit the target at 1052 hours; 13
aircraft are damaged.