19 August 1943

THURSDAY, 19 AUGUST 1943

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): VIII Bomber Command Mission 85:
Three Luftwaffe airfields in The Netherlands are targetted:
1. 125 B-17's are dispatched to Gilze-Rijen and Flushing Airfields; 38
B-17's hit Gilze-Rijen at 1802-1814 hours and 55 hit Flushing at 1756
hours; they claim 29-1-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 B-17's are lost and 42
damaged; casualties are 9 WIA and 41 MIA; this mission is escorted by 175
P-47's who claim 9-2-4 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 is lost and the pilot is
listed as MIA.
2. 45 B-17's are dispatched to Woensdrecht Airfield but weather prevents
them hitting the target.
VIII Air Support Command Missions 27A, 27B and 28: Three Luftwaffe air-
fields in France are targetted:
1. 36 B-26's are dispatched to Amiens/Glisy Airfield; all hit the target
at 1129 hours; they claim 1-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-26 is damaged
beyond repair and 9 are damaged; casualties are 2 WIA.
2. 36 B-26's are dispatched to Poix/Nord Airfield; 35 hit the target at
1218 hours; 1 aircraft is damaged; there are no casualties.
3. 36 B-26's are dispatched to Bryas Sud Airfield but the target is
obscured by cloud and the mission is aborted.