The Mighty Eighth Air Force
 plane

 28 December 1943

TUESDAY, 28 DECEMBER 1943

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): The 20th Fighter Group (P-38)
becomes operational, making a total of 11 operational fighter groups in the
Eighth Air Force. The VIII Fighter Command has flown over 17,500 sorties and
destroyed more than 200 aircraft. The VIII Bomber Command is charged with
forming and training a special organization (the Radio Counter Measure Unit)
to use radio countermeasures against enemy defenses; 24 specially equipped
B-17's are to operate in support of both night and day raids.
VIII Bomber Command Mission 167: A B-17 drops two 2,000 pound (907 kg)
bombs and a Photoflash bomb on Dusseldorf, Germany in an Oboe test.
VIII Bomber Command Mission 168: 6 B-17's drop 2.84 million leaflets on
Hannover, Osnabruck, Hildsheim, Germany; Zwolle, The Netherlands; and Amiens,
France at 1950-2027 hours. No losses.