16 August 1943

MONDAY, 16 AUGUST 1943

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): VIII Bomber Command Mission 83:
Luftwaffe facilities in France are targeted today.
1. 179 B-17's and 1 YB-40 are dispatched to Le Bourget air depot in the
Paris area; 171 hit the target at 0929-0937 hours; they claim 29-3-11
Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 B-17's are lost and 46 damaged; casualties are 1 KIA,
4 WIA and 31 MIA; this mission is escorted all the way to the target by
P-47's using drop tanks.
2. 66 B-17's are dispatched to Poix and Abbeville Airfields; all 66 hit
the targets at 0911-0923 hours; 38 aircraft are damaged; no casualties.
VIII Air Support Command Missions 21, 22A and 22B: Airfields in France
are targetted today; no casualties.
1. 36 B-26's are dispatched to Bernay St Martin Airfield; 31 hit the
target at 1117 hours; 2 aircraft are damaged.
2. 36 B-26's are dispatched to Beaumont Le Roger Airfield; 29 hit the
target at 1700 hours and 3 hit Conches Airfield at 1703 hours; 3 aircraft
are damaged.
3. A diversion is flown by B-26's of the 323d Bombardment Group (Medium).