24 August 1943

TUESDAY, 24 AUGUST 1943

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): VIII Bomber Command Mission 86
Part I: An air depot and airfields in France are targetted:
1. 110 B-17's are dispatched to the Villacoublay Air Depot; 86 hit the
target at 1800-1805 hours; they claim 1-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 64 aircraft
are damaged; casualties are 10 WIA.
2. 42 B-17's are dispatched to the Conches and Evreux/Fauville Airfields;
22 hit the target at 1844-1858 hours; they claim 0-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft;
1 B-17 is lost and 15 damaged; casualties are 1 KIA and 9 WIA.
3. 35 of 36 B-17's fly a diversion without incident.
VIII Bomber Command Mission 86 Part II: 85 B-17's, which had flown to
North Africa after attacking Regensburg, Germany on 17 Aug, are dispatched
to the Bordeaux/Merignac Airfield; 58 hit the target at 1157-1200 hours;
they claim 3-3-10 Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 B-17's are lost, 2 are damaged
beyond repair and 40 damaged; casualties are 30 MIA. 9 B-17's returned to
North Africa after encountering difficulties.
VIII Air Support Command Missions 33A and 33B: B-26's fly 2 diversions for
the B-17's.