4 February 1943

THURSDAY, 4 FEBRUARY 1943

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
Lieutenant General Frank M. Andrews, USAAF, assumes command of the European
Theater of Operations, US Army. (Also see Western Mediterranean below.)
VIII Bomber Command Mission 33: 65 B-17s of the 1st Bombardment Wing and
21 B-24s of the 2d Bombardment Wing are dispatched against the Hamm,
Germany marshalling yards. The B-24s turn back before hitting the Dutch
coast when the temperature drops below the lowest limit of the thermometers
(-40 degrees C). Heavy clouds cover Hamm so three of four B-17 groups
(39 B-17s) attack the marshalling yard, port area and industries in Emden,
Germany between 1200 and 1215 hours local dropping 92.25 tons of bombs. We
claim 25 enemy fighters destroyed, 8 probably destroyed and 6 damaged; 5
B-17s are lost; human casualties are 17 WIA and 50 MIA. Bombers are opposed
for the first time by Ju 88 and Me 110 twin-engine fighters.
The 4th Fighter Group dispatches 21 Spitfire Mk Vs on uneventful fighter
patrols and an air-sea rescue search.