23 January 1943

SATURDAY, 23 JANUARY 1943

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force)
VIII Bomber Command Mission 30: The 1st Bombardment Wing dispatches 73
B-17s against the port area of Lorient, France; 35 aircraft hit the primary
target between 1348 and 1351 hours local and drop 86 tons on the target.
We claim 7 enemy aircraft destroyed, 5 probably destroyed and 4 damaged;
five B-17s are lost and one aircraft is declared damaged beyond repair upon
returning to England; human casualties are 1 KIA, 19 WIA and 50 MIA.
Nineteen B-17s hit the secondary target, the U-Boat base at Brest at 1413
hours; they drop 45.25 tons of bombs on the target and claim one enemy
aircraft damaged; no B-17s are lost and only two are WIA.
The 2d Bombardment Wing dispatches 17 B-24s on a diversionary raid.
Four Spitfire Mk Vs of the 4th Fighter Group fly uneventful ship
protection patrols.